Don’t Give Up Without a Fight!

Trout are usually found in cool, clear streams and lakes.  This freshwater fish is distributed naturally throughout North America, northern Asia and Europe. 

Trout is an excellent fish to hunt as well as eat.  They are hard to catch, which makes it a great option for anglers who like a challenge.  Most trout have a mild enough flavour that even those who don’t like fish will enjoy.  Trout is best to eat when it is fresh.  Just a little salt and pepper is all you’ll need.  Trout is a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, protein, minerals, vitamins, and other nutrients. 

Nearly all the trout you will find in the market are farmed rainbow trout.  In the U.S. rainbow trout are farmed in freshwater ponds and raceways where they are fed a fish meal diet. Farmed trout are protected from contaminants found in lake trout.

You can’t eat trout bones.  They are unlikely to kill you, but they can be very uncomfortable.  When you swallow a bone it may scratch your throat and cause some harm.  If you find a sneaky trout bone in the meat after it is cooked it is best to spit it out. If you swallow a fishbone and feel OK, you don’t need to see a doctor.  If it didn’t scratch your throat on the way down, you should be fine.  Eventually it will be eliminated and removed from your body by the natural digestive process.

Large trout have strong jaws and can bite and draw blood.  So don’t stick your fingers into a trout’s mouth to remove a fly.  Trout tickling is the art of rubbing the underbelly of a trout with your fingers.  If you do it correctly, the trout will go into a trance in a minute or so.  Then the trout can easily be retrieved and thrown onto the nearest bit of dry land. 

Trout will eat any small fish they can catch, even their own young called fry.  To catch a trout, anglers can use natural baits.  Nightcrawlers and other earthworms are a good choice. Live bait has scent and that makes it an effective way to hook a trout. Garlic, salt, cheese, and oil (olive oil) can generate a smell pattern which also attracts trout.  Trout seem to like cheese baits a lot.  Coloured baits and lures can be used to catch fish too.  Bright neon flashy colours attract trout. 

Trout seem to be easier to catch in turbulent water.  Faster moving water forces trout to make a quick decision to eat or to pass on food.  If the water is moving slowly, they have more time to study the lures and flies. 

Trout spend most of their time down at the bottom of the water.  They feed on bottom-dwelling insects and sculpin.  Trout lay their eggs in nests in the river gravels, called redds.  The female builds the nest when the water is cold and carries lots of oxygen which is what the eggs need to hatch.  These spawning grounds are often in shallow areas of a river or stream with lots of gravel and a strong current.

These are the sayings found on the bookmark called Advice from a Trout.

• Show your true colours 

• Be a good catch

• Don’t be lured by shiny objects

• Scale back

• Cherish clean water

• Know when to keep your mouth shut

• Don’t give up without a fight!

These are my comments about each of these sayings.  

• Show your true colours - Reveal your true character or intentions. This phrase originated from a nautical perspective.  The colours of a ship are its flags.  Sometimes, a ship would lower its colours or even fly the enemy’s colours to gain the advantage in a naval battle. 

• Be a good catch - If you are a good catch it means you have lots of good qualities.

• Don’t be lured by shiny objects - The shiny object syndrome is the tendency to continually chase new trends, new ideas, and new opportunities without first evaluating what benefits they are for you. 

• Scale back - What can you reduce or outsource to free up more time? 

• Cherish clean water - Clean water is the most important natural resource on Earth.  We all have a duty to save clean water for generations to come. 

• Know when to keep your mouth shut - Listen to others rather than doing all the talking.  There is a reason why we have two ears and one mouth.

• Don’t give up without a fight! - Refuse to be overlooked by someone without challenging them.  Look for new ways to win. 

Have a great day everyone.  Don’t give up without a fight!

# living life abundantly   # published author  # travelling tuesdays