Fishing for the big Mac on Lake Tahoe

The world is darkly different at 3 a.m.

Mix a full moon with the smell of a hot cup of coffee, a box of fresh doughnuts and a ride on the sport fishing boat Big Mac II, and you've got a beautiful new experience.

Nine anglers spent a rewarding morning last week fishing in the deep water of North Lake Tahoe for Mackinaw trout and enjoying the beauty of the Sierra Nevada.

The nine of us set out early on an adventure that boasted a mountain setting illuminated by a full moon and allowed complete strangers to bond into friends.

Fishing is only a part of such a total experience. Getting up at 3 a.m. was a bit unusual for most of us. But the moon soon faded into daylight, and the forecast was warm and sunny.

As the sun rose over the mountains, the bleary-eyed but charged-up anglers reached for their sunglasses and grabbed the last of the doughnuts. It already felt like it had been a long day.

We anglers chatted and mingled in the cabin of the boat while skipper Mickey Daniels made his way out to the spot where he caught minnows for the next day's fishing.

He throttled the boat to where he likes to fish and began rigging the rods. As the lines went out, the sense of anticipation and tension tingled greater and greater among the anglers.

Then it happened.

"Fish on!" someone yelled, and everyone looked at each other for a moment to see who wanted to reel it in. It took a couple of seconds before someone seized the initiative and grabbed the rod.

As the first fish was finally brought into the boat, faces lit up. Sounds of laughter and the hum of the engine created the mood on the boat. Soon everyone was reeling in a fish, smiling and joking with one another.

The expression on 11-year-old Jesse MacDonald's face went from happy surprise to a grimace from fatigue - all during the course of reeling in one fish.

For some, the outing gave them a tasty Tahoe treat to share with friends and family. For others it was an opportunity to spend quality time with their family or fishing buddies.

Daniels is widely acknowledged to be the premier sport fishing guide at Lake Tahoe. He has been a sport fishing guide there for more than 35 years.

He offers fishing trips on every day of the year, when the wind does not blow too hard. All fishing equipment, lures and bait are provided. Anglers can purchase a California two-day license on the boat.

Costs are $55 for a three-hour morning trip, $65 for a four-hour evening trip, and $75 for a five-hour full trip.

If it all sounds good, call Mickey's Big Mack Charters at (800) 877-1462. But, remember, you may have to get up awfully early in the morning.