Before Thanksgiving readers were urged to push themselves away from the dinner table and TV games and get outside. Many of us did and Mother Nature repaid us, maybe not with full stringers or game bags but handsomely just the same.

After enjoying a feast of fresh, moist roasted turkey, with dressing, yams, mashed potatoes, green beans and yummy gravy, our bunch headed for Eagle Lake on Saturday.

We arrived late, about 9:30 a.m., an Eagle Lake "no-no" so, as might be expected we found the trout somnambulating rather than on a tear. Several hours of dipping nightcrawlers and trolling produced only one 1.5 pound rainbow.

Nephew Ryan Kinney, Meridian, ID, who graduates from high school on May 25, holds the trout that fell for a Sure Catch Red Dog spoon trolled 150-feet behind the boat on lead core line. Always a Marine and great Dad, Rodney, could only admire.

Several others who launched when we did also came up short of limits but those fishermen who braved the 6-10 degree F cold and frozen launch ramp before daylight did considerably better. Limits or half-limits of nice-sized trout were their reward. We left too early, too. Those who stayed later landed some nice trout in the 3 to 5 pound class.

By the time we started the weather was almost balmy. The cold was really only noticeable when we were crossing the lake at high speed. The sky was somewhat overcast but there was no wind. Lots of fish were visible on the meter between Pelican Point and the campgrounds on the southwest end but the bites seemed to come before 9 a.m. or after 2 p.m. Caution: I ran up onto Miner's Point, a submerged ridge, that gave me a good scare. Water depth went from 20-ft to less than 5-ft within a short distance. Had the lake been any shallower we could have disabled our prop or even ran aground. Before fishing Eagle Lake study the lake map (see website below) and be careful. With lake water temperatures now at 47 degrees or less you don't want to be dunked.

The same weather pattern is still in place though there is now some rain and snow in the forecast. Low temperatures will rise somewhat but it won't feel warm. Dress in layers and get there soon, if you can, as this is one of the better ways to use your gas money allowance. For the latest scoop including that lake map, check www.eaglelakefishing.info.

That trout was delicious! I ate the whole thing Sunday morning for breakfast. After filleting I sprinkled some Cabela's Premium Gourmet Tequila Lime seasoning over the pink flesh and fried it gently in butter. This, plus two eggs, scrambled with the remains of a cheese ball spread, was a great chaser and change of pace for the turkey leftovers that came before and after.