So I checked with my wife and got clearance for a trip to Green Lake this morning before the holiday activities. I gladly accepted the opportunity, and spent about three hours fishing from 8:15am to 11:15am. Today I was specifically targeting Brown Trout, but certainly didn't mind if any of the Steelhead smolts showed up either. Since the Browns were my target, I spent the entire time casting large lures trying to trigger aggression strikes or appeal to their predatory nature, but unfortunately came up short. However, the Steelhead smolts gladly accepted my offerings and made for a nice morning.

I took two poles with me so I could quickly switch back and forth between a couple of lures I wanted to try. I began on the south west side of the lake working my way south along the bank towards the rowing stands. My first cast of the day was with a brand new 3/8oz gold perch pattern Kastmaster, and no sooner had my lure hit the water and I reeled up on the slack in my line than my pole started dancing and I had my first Rainbow on the line. Got the fish to shore and while it was flopping in the shallows and I was deciding whether or not I wanted to keep it, it assisted my decision making process with a self release. Back to fishing. Before leaving that spot I also tried a size two pink Vibrax with a silver blade, but got no hits. I continued working my way down the shore towards the docks, getting no hits on the Vibrax but bringing in two more Rainbows with the Kastmaster.

When I arrived at the first dock by the rowing stands I traded out my first Vibrax for a second, this one being a size 3 with an orange body and a gold blade. Apparently the switch was a good choice, as my first two casts with that lure resulted in two more nice Rainbows. Incidentally, those were the first fish I have ever caught on a Vibrax. I have tried many times to get salmon to hit a Vibrax with no luck, and have tried a bit for trout with them as well, but this was my first successful outing. Before leaving the dock I also tried the Kastmaster and briefly had a hookup after casting to a swirl I saw back by the shore.

By this point I was running low on time and moved over towards the 65th street dock, casting briefly at a spot near the dock before heading for home. No pictures today simply because I didn't have time to take any. Not a bad day at all, with five Rainbows brought to the shore and a sixth on briefly. I think I'll definitely make at least a few more trips down to the lake this fall/winter in search of those elusive Browns and maybe some Rainbows thrown in.

Happy Thanksgiving!

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