Document text
Lunch at the Tadpole Cafe By Peggy Dover Jul 24, 2022 12:15 AM A A “We cannot see our reflection in running water.” — Zen proverb Though my childhood and young adulthood involved plenty of time in the company of fishermen, my appetite for fresh fish is all that remains. I haven’t cast a line since Dad and Uncle Dick left, taking their Magic Bait with them. Without their Nebraska boyhood tales bobbing around the boat like congenial chum, the effect is too quiet. However, I still enjoy the “serenity of a clear blue mountain lake” that John Denver understood. Just 30 minutes and 30 miles east on Highway 140 lies a cooler world. The thermometer read 93 when we fled the valley. I watched it drop one degree at a time as we climbed toward our 4,600-foot-elevation destination — Fish Lake, a pleasant 80 degrees upon arrival. It’s easy to overshoot the entrance from our side. Keep an eye out after seeing the two-mile notice sign. The entrance has only a fluttery OPEN sign on the right. It’s a short drive into old-growth and the Fish Lake Resort, with camping spots, general store, boat rentals and our target — the Tadpole Café. There’s something about mountain lakes and burgers that make for a blissful pairing. We paid $6 for a day pass in the office and ordered two Swiss-mushroom hamburgers with curly fries and iced tea at an outside window. We waited at a table on the deck, overlooking the water. Peace and quiet reign there. Though fishing boats, pontoons and kayaks are available for rent, the speed limit on the water is 10 mph, especially for kayaks. No jet skis or ski boats punctuated the reverie. Only the electronic blip of a kid with a walkie-talkie. The annoying part was that I didn’t have one ... or a bike. So are there fish in Fish Lake? Does a campground chipmunk know fries? Yes, fish abound in Fish Lake. Rainbow trout, brown trout, brook trout and perch call it home. Tiger trout, a hybrid of a female brown and male brook, have the most amazing puzzle pattern on their sides. They must be released, as they’re stocked for the purpose of eating invasive minnows used illegally as bait. Trout are members of the salmon family and can grow quite large. As a testament to a piscatorial adventure from 1952, one hefty, 34-inch-long specimen is mounted for posterity above the fireplace on the lodge store wall. It is said that it turns its head and sings, “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” after the lights are out ... then gives Billy Bass the raspberry. Fish Lake Resort has brand-spanking-new, proud owners. I’m not allowed to reveal names prior to notification of the next of kin. The man I spoke with is a local guy who grew up camping. That’s all I’m going to say. We waited a bit for the food, but it proved worth the extra time of gastro-anticipation. It will be no trick for them to sell like hotcakes, which they don’t have, but do list breakfast burritos and biscuits and gravy on the menu. After a sprawl on the cow blanket from whence we gazed into the fir canopy, the activity aroused a yen for something sweet. I hadn’t had a root beer float in a coon’s age, which is considerably longer than a skunk’s or chipmunk’s, so it seemed only appropriate. I’m always talking about food, I just realized. Didn’t I say I needed to shed some weight before? I’m pretty sure nothing has changed on that scene. Oh, well. Fish Lake is a peaceful retreat, close enough to jaunt over whenever you feel like it. There are 11 cabins and 45 campsites of various types, which must be reserved over the phone. They were full as of my visit. I thought with all those spaces occupied, there should be some noise, but no. The new owner said there are no loud parties or rowdy music. It’s a great place to camp, fish, swim and commune with your loved ones — and eat. Peggy Dover is a freelance writer/author. Reach her at [email protected], or by walkie-talkie.