Operation Trout Close - up

[Fondueset]

After waiting nearly two weeks for clear weather I boldly decided to go for it regardless. 38F here in the great north, and windy. After three hours of vacillation (no ,this is not a type of suit lube; you know who your are) I slipped on the Elios 5 mil and hit the road. Five minutes later I was at my access on West Bay. Steady and strong wind out of the west so no major waveage.

My float took off like a sailboat but patches of blue and sun kept me optimistic. The Mission: Get Really Close shots of Lake Trout. Times I've been successful at it: 0

Geared up and waded out to the moment of truth; facial immersion. I didn't really know how cold the water would be and I have a history of nausea with the cold water face hit. Backup is a chaw of raw ginger. After three timed immersions on the wade out I was good to go and began swimming out.

Allmost immediately I saw a Lake Trout sitting on the bottom. I did a glide down and toward it but, despite the odd behavior, it had the usual proximity inhibitions and bolted into the blue. Interestingly it soon returned and seemed to escort me for about 100 yards to the breakwall.

The sunlight became increasingly sporadic and gave way to a dark, low, autumn overcast. Wind picked up and seemed to rip the heat right out of my back during breathups. Plenty of Lake Trout around and they were pretty relaxed; but for a few young ones practicing freaked out torpedo escapes I could hear 35 feet away.

A few nice dives but not much in the way of photo ops with the dark lighting. Visibility was 50 feet in spots, but with that haze that messes with your focus; particularly when its overcast. A few Carp were feeding industriously on the bottom, leaving puffs of sediment where I didn't see them first. Smallmouth bass quickly flocked toward me from their resting places. Some sleek rainbows in with the lake trout. I had a few near opportunities, and what would've been great shots in better light, but not what I was looking for.

I stayed too long and was starting to shake from the cold. Time to head in. On the way the Trout People obliged me and this one posed very willingly for a good long time, then headed off in the direction I needed to go to get out.
I wonder if it was the same fish.

[jpenkala]

great shots... i do most of my diving in freshwater. i love to watch trout in my favorite deep holes in streams in NJ

[Pocoshower]

Beautiful pics. Brave to do this in cold water. Thanks for sharing.

Carlos

[trux]

If you did not write it is a trout, I'd think it is a whale shark - so huge it appears

Great shot!

[Fondueset]

thanks. Today the water was colder but calm and the sun came out!! The face shot below is out of focus because the fish was swimming straight at the camera at fast cruise - no time to focus. A cormorant also swam next to my head for awhile and bumped into me!