I have shared that I grew up in Montana and then Wyoming...several stops in-between. My brother and I were born in Canada. My dad had a "high powered job" with an oil drilling company...his title was "Toolpusher". ..or Boss. He made lots of money back in the 50's and early 60's.
My dad loved to camp and fish...so did my mom. We camped and fished lots...I have great memories about camping in Glacier Nat'l Park and Yellowstone. We had the best equipment, a huge and wonderful canvas tent, and parents we trusted.
The first time I went fishing was at about 5:00 a.m. with my dad in Yellowstone Nat'l Park. It was 1959 and I was about 5 years old. I got a fish on my line...I was excited and began to scream. My dad put his hands over my mouth and whispered, "you have a rainbow trout...reel it in slowly". I did, with his help. I clearly recall wanting to prove to my dad that I was not the wimpy girl he thought I was. We got the beautiful rainbow trout in..about 3 - 4 lbs worth, and he says "here is the knife..cut the head off and then clean it..I'll show you how". I rarely had time like this with my father..it was a chilly and perfect morning...he had the fire going and had placed a grate over the coals....and he had coffee brewing when I woke up. I cut the trouts head off...sliced it down the belly, and cleaned out the "innards". I felt proud. My dad threw a big slab of butter into the cast iron skillet...we both put salt and pepper on the trout....and then placed it into the pan. It sizzled!
My father had sliced up some onions and potatoes earlier..and threw those into a separate hot skillet with some lard and butter. Ahhhh..sitting there with my dad that morning, drinking some diluted coffee in a tin mug..watching the sun come up ..it was just great. I remember hoping nobody would wake up and spoil it all. Dad made me a plate of trout and potatoes....it was delicious. Eating Rainbow Trout straight out of an ice-cold lake is the very best! To this day, I have a hard time enjoying farm-raised trout of any kind.
2 comments:
What a great memory to have.
Cool!!! As an accident of birth I have dual citizinship with US/Canada. Thankfully farm trout are rare here unless they just restocked a stream. Then you need to wait a few weeks so the natural foods replace the hatchery feed taste. Have you ever tried cooking them before cleaning them? It really changes the flavor. Just cook'em slippery crap & all.(best done on a stick over the campfire)
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