Lake George
Adirondack Mountains
Lake Trout
Every once in awhile we experience something in life that engulfs our beings and leaves us awestruck. This outing to Lake George was one of those occasions. It is difficult to put into words just how blown away the mind was left.
Like a honey bee, these writings buzz around from experience to experience bringing back little morsels of nectar to put down onto paper. Today the bee is coming back with an entire coating of residue that stuck to its body after taking a bath in a sea of bliss.
Morning began with a two hour drive across the Adirondack Mountain range. A misty hazy fog mingled with the rolling tree tops at first light then dispersed as the day progressed. It correlated almost perfectly to the “cob webs” of the mind structuring themselves into focus.
It was Route 8 that led the way like the yellow brick road to the Wizard of Oz. Acting as a vein of human existence, the roadway supports a few hardy little towns. With a glimpse, one can see that the rugged folks that inhabit those parts know how to get by.
Using only a guesstimate as to how long the trip would take, the arrival to the boat dock / meeting place was mystical in its synchronicity. Just as the truck rolled up alongside the shoreline of Lake George, one could see the fishing boat zipping along the water toward me in the distance. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect.
Coordinating today’s effort was Steve Kabrehl, a fellow member of the My Hunting Forum website. After seeing pictures of some of the lake trout he has caught on Lake George, an inquiry was made to see if he would mind having some company along on one of his outings. The answer was not at all, and my first fishing trip to “The King” was born.
Greeting me at the dock were Steve and Steve’s uncle Sam. It was obvious right from the get go that these guys meant business. Electric downriggers armed the stern of the big ole’ made-to-troll type boat. Duel fish finders with a GPS topo map of the lake showed our position up front.
Conversation quickly brought me to the realization that fishing Lake George is something Steve’s family has been doing for many, many years. Some of his uncle Sam’s stories on the lake dated back to before I was born!
One could probably write an entire book about Sam’s years on the water. His smiling, laughing personality told many stories from quite a few different bodies of water and species of fish. A veteran angler that most any dedicated fisherman would appreciate listening to.
It didn’t take long after the lines hit the water before we were into fish. Sam pointed out a sharp drop off on the topographical chart of the lake bottom below. He explained how the lake trout use the break as cover to ambush fish and how it was a hot spot for catching fish. Steve concurred, and within moments of working the structure the poles were throbbing with fish on the line.
Steve proceeded to walk me through much of their tricks and tactics as we caught fish after fish. His patience was impeccable and sincere. Before long, I was a working part of the team effort. It wasn’t just, sit back and we’ll tell you when it’s time to grab the pole and reel in a fish. These guys put you on the level and made you feel at home. We caught some beautiful fish today, but the added tools that Steve & Sam put into my tool box were the best catch of all.
For a few moments today, it seemed as though even the gained insight would be topped. We got into a fish that we just could not move up off the bottom! It just sat there shaking its head while our hearts fluttered. Repeated exclamations of how we were into a big one filled the air from everyone in the boat. I honestly thought my trip back home was going to include a stop at the taxidermist. The adrenaline was pumping and the hair was standing up on the back of the neck.
After about 5 minutes of not being able to budge the fish, uncle Sam put two and two together. He had Steve check one of the other riggers to see if the fish we hooked into was hung up on it. Sure enough, he was right. It popped our bubbles a little bit, but at least we got a good chuckle out of it.
There really is something to be said about letting go of control. Many of us like to be the captain, but humbling ourselves and letting others lead the way can expand our horizons immensely. We often close the door and stick to routines that have produced good results in the past. Others can open doors and shine light into knowledge that lies dormant in the dark.
The fishing trip today had two parts to it. The second half of the trip came after a stop back to the campsite where Steve, Sam, & Steve’s girlfriend Heather were staying. Their hospitality was the best. Between meeting such fine people, learning a bunch more about lake trout tactics, and the incredible fishing, today might just be the most enjoyable outing of the year.
Round two was similar in action to round one, but this time we had a fourth member on the team. Steve’s girlfriend Heather jumped right in on the action and it was obvious she had put in her share of time boating lake trout also.
The little section I saw from the huge 32 mile long lake was as breathtaking as most of the views in the Adirondacks. Driving home with a deep smile inside, a song came on the radio that had a line in it about how some things “steal your face right off your head.” It summed up the day.
After the mishap of forgetting the downriggers and slow lake trout fishing earlier in the month, another song line comes to mind after having such a great time today. “You can’t always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you might just find, you get what you need!”
