In the pursuit for new and fun ways to spend more quality time together, this spring break we opted against a traditional family vacation in favor of a low-key staycation.
So with the sun shining and the day’s beauty ahead of us, the hubs, the 13-year-old twin boys, and the girls (one princess that is 5 and one tom-boy that is 7) and I loaded up and headed to Rock Creek for some trout fishing. Located in the North Georgia Mountains, Rock Creek supports good populations of wild trout that include native brook trout in some of the high elevation tributaries; making it a popular destination for native trout fishing.
to stay inside.
The day was just too beautiful to say inside, and I had never been fishing (even though I was born and raised in the foothills of North GA); so my husband decided Spring Break would be the perfect time for us to go try our luck with the fish.
The kids really enjoyed the fishing and outdoors! The best part for me was the view, absolutely beautiful there.
My husband baited hooks and uncrossed lines for the kids to fish. And, together they picked out precisely the best place to “throw their line in,” which according to the mini experts riding in the minivan, are the dark spots in the water.
Check out the special hooks and weights we had to use. By the way, I know what you’re thinking because I thought it too: ‘It looks like a super tacky jewelry box.’
Turns out the boys knew what they were doing; they caught about half a dozen in all.
After packing up the kids, fishing gear, and our newly caught groceries, we headed back home for a fresh trout supper….which turned out pretty darn good if I may say so myself.
My husband cleaned the fish, and I prepared them as so:
What you’ll need:
Cleaned and gutted fresh trout fillets
Butter
Salt & Pepper
Lemon Pepper Seasoning
Aluminum foil
– Cut a piece of foil to fit your cookie sheet. Grease well with butter.
– Arrange trout on greased foil.
– Melt butter and brush trout generously on both sides.
– Sprinkle liberally with Lemon Pepper and Salt on both sides.
– Bake at 400 degrees until the center is opaque (about 10 – 15 minutes)
I choose to complement the fish with homemade mashed potatoes and spicy brown rice.
In all, I think our mini staycation was as great as any vacation we could have planned. The kids had a great time and we got to explore the natural beauty and splendor that our home state provides.
How do you staycation?
