A Waffle Here, A Waffle There

I had planned to launch the Float Tube Cumberland in the Camanche Trout Pond today. As a backup Plan B I was going to launch the Float Tube Cumberland in Rancho Seco Lake. I wasn't sure where and even took pictures of the crawdad flies I purchased months ago just for this occasion.

Then I heard a rumor that EID (El Dorado Irrigation District) planted 1500 pounds in Caples Lake and 1500 pounds. Decisions, decisions, decisions.

When I rolled out of bed this morning, my back told me "You're not doing any flippering today". I headed for Caples Lake. I never got any farther than Silver Lake. When I stopped at check-in guess what I saw?

At Silver Lake Check-in

Now I've caught enough trout that over 2 lbs. is not Trophy Trout in my book, but what the hell. Checked in, parked in my usual spot, and walked to the lake.

An all too familiar "Cubby".

Passed on the Cubby and parked on the rocks on the bottom of the picture.There is just enough distance to get my lines out in deeper water. With the lake calm as glass, I figured deep was where I had to go.

Both lines out at 8:30, first fish to hand at 8:50. A stocker Rainbow Trout about 10 inches. While I was sitting, awaiting the next fish, this one swam by. Yuki's daughter Marisa, being the Biologist she is, said this is a Common Merganser. From the brown head, apparently a female. Description courtesy of the Internet. 

Common Merganser

She cruised around here and there and I didn't pay much attention to her or the other 100 that were on the lake. OK, maybe 10 or so. That was until she cruised by my stringer, dove down, and came up with my fish (still on the stringer) in her mouth. We will now reclassify the Common Merganser and start calling it TROUT THIEF. No she didn't get away with the fish, but I did hurry her along to another place on the lake with a couple of well placed, golf ball sized rocks just behind her tail feathers.

Shortly there after I brought a nice 14 inch Rainbow to hand and it also went on the stringer. While I was waiting for the next bite, another TROUT THIEF tried to take my fish. It also got hurried along with a couple rocks.

Disclaimer: I never hit the birds, I just moved them along to another part of the lake.

Since the day was fairly windless (at least until about Noon), I took a couple shots around the lake. I know you've already seen the lake dozens of times, so if you want, you can skip down to the next paragraph.     

To the right

Across

Across and a little to the left

OK, stop here. The next picture is of a cabin they are building (I think) across the lake. The interesting thing is that it's sitting on solid rock. Double click on picture for a better look. 

The cabin right in the middle

I've been watching this come about for a couple years now and to me it's a construction marvel that they can build it  like that. Only a guess, but the must have to anchor it to the rock somehow and no, I don't have any intention of going over there to take a closer look.

Once again, while I was waiting for the next fish, this little guy showed up. 

Chip?

Or Dale?

He was really cute right up to where he started chewing on my ice chest. Apparently his knowledge of ice chests is ice chest = food. We parted company rather rapidly.  

The catching went something like this. Eight brought to hand, four released for another day. Missed four or five hits and the four I brought home for Bob were, two at ten inches and two at 14 inches.

Not bad for a 4 1/2 hour day. Oh, and the reason I left without the fifth fish, I ran out of water and chocolate chip cookies.

Next week, the Float Tube Cumberland.