I wrote last week that I would expound on my recent vacation to Branson. Told you that it was not your “normal” Branson trip, and today I’ll tell you why.

Lisa and I have been going there for years. And though we’ve done the “touristy” things in the past, like going to shows, Silver Dollar City, souvenir shopping, etc., we haven’t done any of that the past two years. We’ve decided what we really like to do best is just hang out on the dock and fish for rainbow trout. Lisa likes to take a book with her. Me, I take beer.

We stay at the Blue Haven Resort on Lake Taneycomo. It’s nothing fancy, just basically a fishing camp. Matter of fact, when we first arrive we give our cabin a good cleaning. But the place has a huge fishing dock with comfortable chairs, nets to land your fish, baskets to put them in, and a nice fish cleaning area with running water. Lisa and I normally head down to the dock at dawn, secure our spot, and start reeling them in. This is not your typical rainbow trout fishing either. There’s no fly fishing. We use ultra light spinning tackle, with two-pound test leader and hooks the size of a green pea. And the bait is artificial in various colors simulating salmon eggs.

Rainbows are fun to catch on light tackle because they’re fighters and like to come up and dance on top of the water. Fun to watch too. And although the daily limit on them is four, Lisa and I are into catch and release, saving just the big ones. The possession limit is eight per person and the ones we brought home were in the 14-16-inch length range.

We do take a break every now and then to do something else we really enjoy - eat! Our favorite restaurants are:

Candlestick Inn - Breathtaking view. The restaurant sits high on a bluff on the other side of the lake from downtown Branson. Good food, nice wine list, excellent service, but a bit on the pricey side. But after all, you have to pay for that beautiful view.

Rocky’s - A wonderful old restaurant in downtown Branson that serves delicious Italian food. Lisa had Veal Piccata and I had Cannelloni, and both were wonderful.

Mr. G’s Pizza - When the craving for pizza hits, this is the place to go. Best pizza in town.

Steak ‘n’ Shake - Rather unusual for Lisa and me to like a fast-food chain, but we love the burgers and fries sold in this Midwestern staple.

If you’d like any further information on Branson, gimme a call at 649-0253 or e-mail me at terry.maddox@wickcommunications.com.

Terry Maddox is publisher of St. Tammany News.