Trout to Table: From pond to your taste buds in about an hour
Farm-to-table dining has been a popular concept for a while now, but Everline Resort & Spa in Olympic Valley has developed a fun twist on the idea with what they have dubbed “Trout to Table.”
The process is simple: You go to the resort, they set you up with a fishing pole and tackle, you stroll over to their stocked pond, and enjoy an awesome view while you fish for a couple hours. When you’re done the resort takes your catch, and about an hour later you’re sitting down to a succulent and hearty trout meal.
You don’t need a rod and reel or a fishing license, and you don’t even need to take on the less-than-savory task of cleaning your fish.
You just get to do the fun parts — go fish and then eat.
Last fall, my partner Joyce and I headed over to Everline to take in the full Trout-to-Table experience. Joyce was a bit reticent because she hadn’t fished since she was a young girl, but once we were set up with all we needed we headed over to the edge of the pond and started casting. We quickly felt like we were kids again, casting well out into the pond.
It didn’t take long before some nice-sized rainbows and cutthroats were chomping down on our lures. I caught two big beauties, and Joyce caught four. She quickly decided that this was pretty cool and that kicking my butt in the fish count was an extra bonus. It was quite serene out there at the grassy edge of the pond in the sunshine as we cast away our afternoon. The view stretched over the golf course and across the valley all the way up to the top peaks of Palisades Tahoe.
We were joined at pond’s edge by a young couple whose four-year-old daughter was beyond tickled to grab the net and capture her dad’s catch. Joyce and I thought the resort’s activity was the perfect way to introduce children to fishing — easy access to the water and with the number of fish in it, pretty unlikely you’d ever get skunked. An experienced fishing guide was even available to help out if needed, although for the most part he just sat back and let us have fun.
Each fisher can catch as many fish as they want as long as they only keep one, returning all the rest back to the water to be caught by the next group of folks to cast their line. (Or, as we were told that since bears sometimes come to the pond to dine, perhaps your releases may become bruin food.)
The tough part when you catch a fish is making your judgment call, asking yourself, “Is this going to be Walter the Big Fish, or should I throw it back and hope that the next one is the true Walter?”
Joyce and I fished for two hours and then our fresh catch was taken up to Sandy’s Pub for preparation and cooking while we lounged on the patio enjoying the view. In time, we headed to the restaurant for a truly delicious — and fresh — meal. The fish was sautéed in a subtle lemon and herb sauce, which was a good approach: Let the freshness of the fish not be overwhelmed by the sauce. It was accompanied by tasty rice and a side of broccolini. But for us, the highlight of the meal was the knowledge that we were eating what we had caught just an hour earlier.
The Scoop: Everline offers Trout to Table Thursday through Monday starting mid-June. everlineresort.com
Time: Fishing from 1-3 p.m. with dining starting at 4.
Price: $50 | Includes having your fish delicately prepared and served with rice and vegetable.
Always wanted to
learn to fly-fish, but heard it’s challenging?
Well, at the same pond as Everline’s Trout to Table, Matt Heron Flyfishing can teach you all the tricks. Heron says that “For the beginner wanting the best of both worlds, it’s hard to beat the ‘Pond and River’ package.” It’s a nice, three-hour intro to fly-fishing on the private, stocked pond, followed by a chance to try your new skills on the Truckee River.
Learn more at mattheronflyfishing.com
