GUSTO: Father & Sons Pend Orielle Fishing
Persistence on Lake Pend Orielle
Jake and I got an early start this morning. We were up at 4:00 a.m., out of the condo by 4:45, and rolling into Bayview around 5:15. By 6:30 we had re-rigged all of our fishing rods and installed the new gear we picked up yesterday in town. There was a renewed sense of purpose as we eased GUSTO out toward the Goat Rocks shoreline.
We put out eight rods and fished hard until around noon without a single bite. A fishing derby was underway, and there were several other boats working the area as well, but from what we could see, nobody was having much success. Sometimes fishing is less about catching fish and more about participating in the possibility.
Around midday I picked up Austin at the public launch dock, and we shifted gears to try for some kokanee. We managed to catch a couple of small fish, which we released, but the fishing remained slow. Even so, it hardly mattered. We grilled kebabs aboard GUSTO and spent a wonderful afternoon together enjoying the calm waters, good conversation, and the simple pleasure of being out on the lake.
At about 4:00 p.m. we called it a day. Austin headed home to take care of Frye, while Jake and I stopped at the recently opened Boathouse near the public dock for a quick snack and an iced tea. From there, we returned to the boat locker in Athol to prepare for tomorrow's adventure. It was not a feeling of defeat that we experienced, but rather one of being completely baffled by how a day on the water could be so unproductive. But I guess those are the mysteries that are yet to be solved.
The Stealth Weld is fueled, rigged, and ready to go. We'll be back at it first thing in the morning.
After arriving home, Jacob prepared a quick dinner of grilled ribeye, homemade chimichurri and grilled onions and peppers. We sat outside by the fire pit and enjoyed proper conclusion to a tough day of fishing.
Some days the fish cooperate. Other days the reward is simply the time spent together. Today was one of those days.
