Well here it is again. The weather is warming, the nights are shortening, and the trees are turning green again. This is the time of year that I wait for all winter: fishing season.
This time of year brings back memories of my childhood and the trips to the lake house for the opening of lowland lakes, waking up early and catching our limit of rainbow trout before breakfast. We would get back and clean the fish while grandma made breakfast, then back to bed for an early nap.
Though I do not have a place at the lake, I still try to celebrate this event every year with my own children now, as my dad and grandpa did with me. We start to dust off the poles, find the tackle boxes, replace the line on the reels, and go buy more tackle that we probably already have.
The Friday night before, I gather my boys in the car and we head to the grocery store for our “snacks.” Our snacks generally consist of hot cocoa, doughnuts, fruit snacks, chips and whatever else the kids feel is necessary at the time.
This is all part of the experience and making of memories for my kids.
Today with my children, I have realized that I do not have to drive far to participate in opening day festivities. Here in the Federal Way area where we live, there are a handful of lakes that are stocked every year by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. They plant more than enough fish for everyone to get their catch.
While I will not tell you where we fish, I can tell you that North Lake, Steel Lake, Lake Geneva and Five Mile Lake all are great choices. If you are looking for an inexpensive way to create lasting memories and have fun all year long, head to your local sporting goods store. Anyone over age of 15 is required to have a freshwater fishing license for the lakes while anyone under 15 is not required to have a license.
The daily limit for rainbow trout has been five fish per angler. The biggest rule we follow and encourage others to as well: if you kill the fish, eat the fish. This will help to ensure the sport for years to come.
As for me and my boys, we have already started to prepare. After all opening day is only in April.
Dustin Luft, Federal Way
