More than 350,000 fingerling trout splashed down in hundreds of high mountain lakes across the Cascade Range from Mount Hood to Klamath Falls this week, as the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife readied the waters along the Pacific Coast Trail for hikers, anglers, fly fishermen and backpackers.

Acting like a steelhead, the trout yanked our son’s rod down and headed for the other side of the lake, stopping to perform a double somersault before falling back into the water, before changing directions and heading for a submerged stump near shore. Wade, our younger son (now 22), held his rod high and steered the torpedo-acting fish away from the bark-covered obstacle.