Fishing for Brook Trout and then Eating Them!
Ok today is nice to go fishing and this weekend looks to be more like it! We may not have seen the last snow storm but we know summer is right around the bend. I am planning on fishing the beaver ponds on the Laramie range this weekend and hopefully catch enough for dinner! I have been eating and cooking trout for 30 years and preparing it mostly the same way. When it comes to cooking trout you want its natural flavors to come out and only enhance it by adding salt, pepper, lemon and dill. I start up the Weber as soon as I get home and have it ready after cleaning and preparing the trout.
Side dishes that you can cook on the grill next to your fish are many. I usually get asparagus and brush on some olive oil or grill some veggie like green, red peppers, mushrooms and onion on a screw. Make some rice and beans (one cup rice two parts water or coconut milk add some red beans and thyme) you have the makings of a perfect dinner. Don’t forget the wine or nice beer to wash it down!
Brook trout are really good eating fish and it is surprising how quickly they cook. Once the grill is hot cover the fish in thick aluminum foil add some butter to the outside of the fish and cook on one side for 8-10 minutes and flip once and do the other side for another 8 minutes. Use a fork to see if the skin will come off and then take off the grill. Since my wife does not like to see a fish looking at her when she eats, I take off all the skin and remove the head (save the cheek meat it tastes like a scallop) and put the fish on a plate with more pepper and fresh dill serve with rice and beans and asparagus and light a candle!
If all that is too complicated just put some butter in a pan and cook for awhile it’s still good!
Fishing Report (Southeaster Watersheds)
Quick note: rivers are starting to see water rising still fishable but use caution when taking kids or dogs!)
Beaver ponds and Laramie lakes are your best bet.
1. Twin Buttes – Fishing Fair – Hatch Chart - Midges ( Vanilla Buggers, Black BH Buggers, Olive BH Buggers)
2. Galett – Fishing Well – Hatch Chart – Midges ( Big Horn Buggers, Hot Head Leeches, Olive and Rusty Jawbreakers)
3. Meebor – Wait until mid summer!
4. Lake Owen and Rob Roy – Still frozen – Mid to late June
5. North Platte – River run off so fast conditions and muddy.
6. Gray’s Reef - The Reef is running clear from the dam to Casper. The fishing has been great with the usual cast of characters, worms, scuds, leeches, and egg patterns.
Hatch Chart – Midges (Red San Juan Worms, Reef worms, Egg patterns)
7. Miracle Mile - The Miracle Mile is clear, but running around 8000 cfs. Please be careful if you wade fish the Mile. 8000 cfs is a significant amount of water. Hatch Chart – midges (BH halfbacks, San Juan Worms, Reef Worms
Laramie River - The Big Laramie is still fishing great. We have had great reports from Jelm to Laramie.
Slowly retrieved buggers and crayfish patterns are producing browns in the 16 to 20+ inch range. Hatch Chart – (BH Buggers Black and Olive, Thin Mints, Vanilla Buggers)
8. Encampment River - The Encampment is starting the runoff. It will clear up if we get a cool spot of weather, otherwise it maybe a while before the Encampment is fishing well. Hatch Chart (BH Buggers Black and Olive, Green Drake Nymphs (Yeah, I know it doesn’t seem right, egg patterns)
Fishing Quote: "The two best times to fish is when it's rainin' and when it ain't."
Patrick F. McManus
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