I got my first trout licence over sixty years ago—I was five and was instantly hooked.
Part of the joy of fishing is the thrill of exploring new places. On this occasion, my good friend Hugh Andrews and his wife Yvonne tagged along with me and Jane as we nosed about Central Otago, relishing in all the great places to fish.
We found ourselves at the Poolburn Dam, where we soon tired of lure fishing and parked up for a bit of lunch. Not one to let a chance go by, I rigged up a worm and, before it even hit the bottom, it was smashed by this hungry 4lb trout. It was a feisty little bugger and put up a hell of a fight, but six decades of accumulated experience accounts for something.
They feed on kōura or freshwater crayfish, so I suppose that gives them plenty of energy. It also gives the flesh a very pink hue and flavour to match. Not a bad way to enjoy lunch.
