Accused of Baby Killing by Hmong Child

Today was the first day I fished both O’Neill Forebay and the main lake in the same day. Being fishless and hitless for 6 hours can make a man do irrational things to catch a fish. The Forebay is not a huge place and I think that I covered it well in 6 hours. I wouldn’t say BLANKET coverage but I cast and trolled to every place I had ever caught a fish in the past in that God Forsaken pond. The only other boat on the lake had caught only one 17 inch striper and they were trolling Rapallas and fishing anchovies. By the time I got to Basalt Launch on the Main Lake , it was afternoon. Trying to win the game in the ninth was going to take some serious effort. I started search trolling the old reliable spots North of Basalt although the ranger did mention to me on my way out of O’Neill that the bait fishermen were catching them from the bay of pigs to Goosneck Point. Of course I disregard that information. I managed to catch 4 fish trolling with two keepers (barely) to keep my streak alive. It was a windless day and the water temperature was 49 degrees- Solonar minor period between 9 and noon. When I got back to the boat ramp, I took my two 20 inch stripers and joined a bunch of asian bait fishermen cleaning fish at the station. A family of 6 with an Ice chest of HUGE stripers from 7 to 15 lbs all caught on anchovies from the bank around Gooseneck point (right where the ranger said they would be) . The littlest boy child in the family took a look at my fish, laughed and told his mother who was cleaning a 10 pounder that I had caught the babies of their fish. I actually thought about cleaning the fish at home but the thought of Gina being upset about the mess and stench of fish guts in the can till next thursdays garbage day scared me more than the humiliation. They asked me politely how I caught my fish and when I told them I caught them on flies, the dad trying to ease my embarrassment said “I would like to learn how to do that someday..” Why would you want to learn how to catch baby fish I thought? At the time, all I wanted to know was exactly how they rigged their anchovies and for a moment I was jealous and mumbled about how the little ones tasted better and so on. As you recall, last time I fished, a bunch of guys in a boat outfished me with anchovies and bloodworms. I don’t recall ever seeing a live anchovy or bloodworm living in the lake. What Gives? Flyfishermen are manly men compared to bait fishermen who consistently catch enormous fish right? And we are having MORE fun right? Im talking to myself again.