Chapter 24 - Fishing for Lenore Trout at the Lakeside
"Hmm? Is there a fish over there?"
As I opened my tackle box, Haku, who had been lounging nearby, peeked in curiously.
Inside the box, an array of colorful lures was neatly organized.
"These are artificial baits."
"Artificial baits?"
"They're fake imitations of real fish."
When I held one of the lures out, Haku stared at it intently, almost as if hypnotized.
"Don't tell me you were fooled by it?"
"N-No way! I was just intrigued by how pretty it looked, that's all!"
Teasingly, I poked fun at him, but Haku grew unusually defensive, adamantly denying it.
Though I wanted to tease him more, I decided to hold back, fearing he might disrupt my fishing if I pushed too far.
Carefully, I selected a lure and tied it to the leader line.
I detached the rod and attached the reel.
I checked the reel to ensure it spun smoothly, threaded the line through, and got into position for a cast.
With a light swing of the rod, the metallic lure sliced through the air, landing on the water with a soft plop.
"That went farther than I expected."
I had managed to drop the lure exactly where I had seen the Lenore trout jump earlier.
If I’m lucky, that trout from before might just bite.
As I slowly reeled in the line, I felt a faint vibration travel down the rod.
"Wait, already?!"
In the next instant, the rod bent sharply.
The sound of the line being pulled from the reel filled my ears, and the splashing of the Lenore trout echoed across the lake, accompanied by rippling waves.
The strength of the pull told me this fish was powerful.
It was definitely a big one.
"Tohru! Don’t let it escape!"
"I-I know that!"
Quickly, I reeled in the line, leveraging the flexibility of the rod to counter the thrashing fish. I alternated between reeling it in and letting it run, trying to wear it out.
Still, I couldn’t quite haul up the gleaming silver giant.
Undeterred, I methodically moved the rod up and down, guiding the fish.
Then, a flash of silver caught my eye near the surface. My heartbeat quickened.
"Just a little more..."
Muttering under my breath, I steadily pulled the trout closer to the shore.
"Haku, grab the net over there!"
"O-okay."
I couldn’t spare the time to grab the landing net myself, so I left it to Haku.
After about five minutes of struggle, I managed to bring the Lenore trout close enough, and Haku extended his tail and neatly guided it into the net for me.
"Let's gooooo! Got the Lenore trout!"
I let out a triumphant shout as I proudly held up the fish.
I hadn’t measured it precisely, but it was roughly around ninety centimeters long.
Among the Lenore trout inhabiting the lake, this one was definitely in the category of giants.
Its scales glimmered brilliantly under the sunlight, exuding strength and beauty.
"Phew, just watching made my heart race for some reason."
"Hahaha, sorry about that."
There were times when I thought the line would snap or the rod would break.
Yet, after a fierce battle, I somehow managed to reel in this massive catch.
An overwhelming sense of accomplishment and relief washed over me.
"Now then, Tohru. Onto the next one. One fish won’t be enough."
"I know."
I wished he’d let me bask in my victory just a little longer.
That said, I couldn’t deny that the thrill of the fight still lingered, and I was eager for more.
With a swift motion, I secured the fish and, as instructed, cast the lure into the lake.
●
"Are you satisfied now?"
"Yeah, with this much, I’m more than satisfied."
The cooler was packed with around ten Lenore trout.
Although none of them matched the size of the first one I caught, the 40- and 60-centimeter ones were still plenty to feast on.
With this many, there was no way I could finish them all by myself. But, considering the insatiable appetite of a certain gluttonous wolf, even this haul would barely suffice.
Two hours had passed since we started fishing.
I was getting tired, and it was impossible for me alone to catch enough to fill Haku’s bottomless stomach.
"The rest is up to you, Haku. Catch as much as you want."
"Got it."
Having fully enjoyed fishing as part of the camping experience, I decided to let Haku handle the rest.
Haku walked toward the water’s edge and fixed his gaze on the surface.
His long tail swished around like a radar, spinning in circles before suddenly stopping, as if he’d locked onto something.
The next moment, the water at the spot his tail pointed to began to rise.
Defying gravity, the water lifted into the air, forming a sphere.
Inside the floating water sphere, Lenore trout swam gracefully.
"Whoaaaaa! That’s amazing!"
Even from a glance, it was clear there were four times as many fish in that sphere as I had caught in two hours.
I briefly wondered what the point of all my hard work had been, but honestly, I’d had so much fun fishing that it didn’t bother me.
"Let’s head back to the campsite."
"Y-yeah."
As Haku turned and walked away, the floating water sphere followed him, hovering effortlessly in the air.
In awe of the indescribable scene, I decided to head back to the camper van with Haku.
Once we reached the campsite, I stowed all the fishing gear inside the camper and started preparing to cook.
"Haku, I’m going to build a fire. Could you gather some firewood?"
Normally, I’d enjoy foraging for firewood myself, but the sheer amount of fish this time is overwhelming.
Most likely, I would have to focus on the prep work.
"It can't be helped."
Haku hopped off the camp bed and trotted toward the forest trail.
For a moment, I wondered what would happen to the water sphere if Haku left, but it just floated in place as if nothing had changed. Apparently, it wouldn’t disappear just from being a little bit further away from him.
Relieved, I grabbed the cooler and brought it into the camper.
"Alright, time to clean the Lenore trout..."
Since I’d already dispatched and bled out the fish I’d caught, I started by scaling them in the camper’s sink.
After rinsing the fish to remove any slime, I used a metal scraper to scrape off the scales.
The scales on the larger fish came off easily, but for the smaller ones, which had thinner and finer scales, I had to be gentle and thorough, rinsing under running water to avoid damaging the flesh.
"Having a kitchen inside the camper is such a lifesaver."
The countertop, made of heat-resistant glass, doubled as a counter when not in use, and the foldable table beside the stove provided plenty of workspace.
I silently thanked my past self for installing the kitchen. Smart move.
Once the scales were off, I inserted the tip of a knife into the fish’s vent and sliced upward toward the head, opening the belly.
Cutting all the way to the throat, I bent the head back, grabbed the gills, and removed the innards in one go, thoroughly rinsing the inside of the fish.
I also cleaned out the bloodline along the backbone, as leaving it could cause an unpleasant odor.
I could scrape it off with my nails, but it would take time and start to smell, so instead, I carefully used a disposable toothbrush to gently wash it off.
This extra effort would make a big difference in flavor.
After gutting the fish, I skewered them from the vent to the mouth.
The key was to insert the skewer along the spine to prevent the flesh from falling apart.
Once skewered, I sprinkled salt evenly across the fish.
Especially around the gills, fins, and tail.
It might seem like something that could cause an overdose if a middle-aged person ate it, but that was not the intention.
While it was partly to keep the shape intact, the main reason was that the salt on the surface would dissolve, making it even more delicious when cooked.
That's why it was best to sprinkle a little more salt than usual.
"Here’s the firewood you asked for."
Haku called out just as I finished preparing the fish from the cooler.
"Did you make sure to pick dry wood? If it’s damp, it won’t burn properly."
"I’ve seen you do this plenty of times. I know what I’m doing."
When I checked the firewood Haku had gathered, it was all perfectly dry.
He’d even brought a good mix of thin twigs for kindling and thicker branches for a sustained burn.
It seemed that, after explaining it multiple times during our campfires, Haku had remembered it well.
"Since we’re doing salt-grilled river fish, I’ll go with an open flame this time."
Salt-grilled fish deserved the authentic touch of an open fire, not the sterility of a fire pit.
Of course, the place for the campfire was a spot of bare ground, free of any grass or trees.
I was using the natural surroundings. I had to make sure to be considerate and avoid causing any impact on the environment as much as possible.
I carefully stacked stones around the fire area as a windbreak, then placed dry twigs and some konroi nuts in the center.
Using a Chakaman lighter, I ignited the konroi nuts, and soon the twigs caught fire.
Once the small twigs caught fire, I moved them to the thin firewood on the fire bed to transfer the flame.
Once the fire had stabilized, I placed the thicker wood on top.
Instead of letting the fire spread, I carefully tended to it, focusing on bringing the wood closer to the center of the flame.
"Aren’t you going to start grilling yet?"
As I tended to the fire, Haku impatiently asked with a voice full of frustration.
"Wait until the coals are ready."
The key to grilling fish—whether outdoors or not—was cooking over strong, indirect heat.
If you rushed and placed the fish over roaring flames, the outside would burn while the inside remained undercooked.
To avoid that, it was important to first create a solid bed of embers, with bright red coals, to ensure the heat was just right.
Cooking with indirect heat, letting the radiant warmth work slowly, would ensure the fish turned out perfectly tender and flavorful.
"That’ll make it taste better, huh?"
I explained this in detail, but Haku didn’t seem particularly interested in the process.
His blunt reply stung just a little.
When the coals were finally ready, I arranged the skewers upright, planting them in the ground around the fire in a radial pattern. This ensured even heat distribution without overexposing the fish to the flames.
The larger Lenore trout, which were too big to grill whole, I filleted into three pieces, cut them into bite-sized chunks, and skewered them.
I guess this was fine too.
"Alright, now we just let them cook slowly."
"Hey, what about the rest of the fish?"
"I’ll add them as we go. In the meantime, keep an eye on the fire for me."
"What? Me? F-fine."
As Haku voiced his confusion and desperately watched the campfire, I reached into the water sphere and retrieved another Lenore trout.
This one was still very lively.
I firmly secured it on the cutting board and pierced its brain with a pick.
After dispatching it, I sliced the gills and placed it in a water-filled bucket for bleeding.
I repeated the process—dispatching, scaling, gutting—working through the fish one by one.
As I finished each one, I skewered it and placed it around the fire.
After twenty minutes of cooking the backs, I rotated the skewers to cook the bellies.
The fat and juices from the fish dripped into the fire, producing a satisfying sizzle.
The air was filled with the savory aroma of the Lenore trout.
"...Tohru, is it ready yet?"
"Almost there."
Haku stared intently at the Lenore trout from up close.
A large amount of saliva leaked from the corners of Haku's mouth, and not a trace of his dignity as a White Fenrir remained.
I carefully adjusted the skewers to control the heat, letting the fish roast evenly.
The moisture stopped dripping from the first grilled Lenore trout.
The excess moisture had been removed, a clear sign that it was properly cooked.
"It’s done, Haku!"
As I handed him the grilled skewer, he immediately bit into it with gusto.
"Whoaaaaa! This is amazing! The crispy skin and the tender, juicy meat are incredible!"
As I placed the finished skewers on a plate, Haku devoured them one after another.
His pace was incredible.
"I guess I’ll dig in too."
As I watched my insatiable familiar devour his meal, I sank my teeth into the back of the grilled Lenore trout.
"Whoaaa! This is delicious! The fat is so rich and flavorful!"
The heat had crisped up the skin, giving it a smoky aroma that paired perfectly with the salt sprinkled on top.
The flesh was moist and tender, and each bite released the deep, rich flavor of the Lenore trout's fat.
There was hardly any hint of muddiness to the taste—just pure, fresh goodness.
Since it was a river fish, the bones were soft enough to eat.
I enjoyed it all, from head to tail, without a single waste.
"Time to try that giant Lenore trout I caught earlier."
"I’ll have some too!"
This particular Lenore trout was so massive that skewering it whole wasn’t an option.
Even after filleting it into three pieces and cutting it into bite-sized chunks, the sheer size of its meat was impressive.
The skin had browned beautifully, and the roasted flesh had taken on a golden hue.
This one was also perfectly ready to eat.
After blowing on it to cool it down a bit, I took a big bite.
"Oh wow?! The giant one tastes even better!"
"Each bite floods your mouth with sweet, savory fat!"
Usually, oversized fish tend to have a bland or coarse flavor, but the Lenore trout was an exception.
In fact, the larger size seemed to enhance the sweetness of the fat.
Every bite released a burst of rich, buttery flavor, and the subtle salt brought out the sweetness even more.
If the richness became overwhelming, a squeeze of lemon or a bit of grated daikon would refresh the palate, making it impossible to stop eating.
Knowing that I had caught and prepared this fish myself made it all the more satisfying.
With the grandeur of Lake Lenore stretching out before me, I continued savoring the delicious Lenore trout.
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