David LaCourse wrote:
A number of years ago I showed a bait fisherman how to
quickly take his limit. I gathered a handful of small pepples
(pellets) and threw them in the water. I told the guy to cast him
worm into the middle of the pepple pattern. He did and immediately
caught a 12 inch rainbow. Surprise, surprise. The hatchery fish
were used to being fed with pellets thrown (like my pepples). I
erred in showing this to this guy because the next time I fished this
water (White's Pond in Concord, MA), two bait fishermen were doing
the pepple trick. I didn't tell the first guy that it works only
after the stocking truck has deposited its cargo.

Dave

I am still chuckling about this ever after reading it yesterday.
You do realize that several stocker probably pounced on those
pebbles as well as the worm.

Reality (or close): (planted trout): "Debris again!" Gills
back. Pa-too-ee. "Oh look! A worm!" Elapse time 3/4 of
a second.

My over active imagination: (planted trout): "The free dog food
from the heavens has returned! Yippee! Yuk! Debris again!"
Gills back. "Tell me it isn't so! Tell me it isn't so!"
Pa-too-ee. "What's a doggie anyway? I think I see one staring
at me from the bank. Nice hat doggie. Oh look! A worm!"
Elapse time 3/4 of a second.

I have been chuckling on and off ever since. You are the man!

-T