Welcome to the return of The Journal on Fishing With Rod your top fishing web page in the North West for fishing information, tips, tall tales (tails), videos, environmental issues and much more.
It was good to get back to some fishing the past week as the close of the steelhead fishery was a bit of a lull for this angler for a while but now with Summer coming on the calendar yesterday it signals the start of the Summer salmon fishery on the rivers and the big salt water lake. Encouraging reports from Iron Noggin on the West Coast of The Island sure gets the blood pumping in ones veins and it gives one some good dreams at night, of that big one putting you to the test.
The first trip was with Master, Frank, the two Don’s to Cultus Lake to tag 25 pike minnows for the Greg Clark Memorial Family Fishing Derby held on Saturday. Anyone catching one would win $100 on derby day
I was my usual bad self at trying to catch them as I think I got 3 and one of the biggest I caught had swallowed the hook so Nick did not tag it as the hook was hard to remove before it was released. Frank also picked up a nice cutty on a worm, over 2 pounds. Cultus is always worth trying for some trout at this time of year, before the water skiers take over the lake. Jenna who is the photo journalist came out in the boat to get a picture for the pre derby story in the Chilliwack Progress. Jenna even remarked about my skill level. I should have taken the camera and let her fish!!
It took us about 3 hours to get the 25 and we had to take a break to do a TV story with Shaw TV, I was even poor at that as I stumbled on a couple of questions which lead to a retake. When it ran on TV last week one of the shots of me casting saw me making a terrible expression but at least the Toronto Maple Leaf Hat looked good, no I was not wearing it. Maybe that why I was having tough fishing. After we had the 25 tagged fish an enjoyable lunch with the boys with some good fellowship and The Master was his usual self with plenty of stories. Of course he caught the most, maybe that’s why he was so jovial but he always out fishes us.
I then slipped out for the opening of chinooks on Tuesday and picked up a small chinook, was good to see the Maple Leaf Drennan going swimming again. Of course fresh fish again tasted excellent to the palate.
Then it was final day, on Friday getting ready for the pike minnow derby at Cultus Lake.
Friday night was spent sleeping in Leaf Mobile #2 as 4 had to safe guard overnight the setup for the derby at Main Beach. By the way LM #1 had been shuffled off to another Maple Leaf fan, I hope. I shed a few tears as she left me as the two of us shared many solitary fishing trips together, many I shared with you on The Journal over the years. That was after I inherited her from my late dad. I have yet to see her on the roads with her new owner at her wheel.
Before the 4 of went to bed we watched on the TV I brought along Nick, Rodney, Terry and I on our fishing trip to the lakes last year that I filmed. Was good to see the fishing again and the nice rainbows we caught over the 2 days. We have not made the annual lake trip yet. It is a bit hard with Rod in Denmark!!!
Leaf Mobile #2 has yet to be painted blue but maybe she will stay her present color as she is a shy young gal and does not like to be recognized by other anglers she tells me. She is a spry young thing and gives her owner driving pleasure on the journeys she has made so far, good for this pensioner.
The night was short as thinking about the derby ahead does not lend for a sound sleep. Anyway I was up early to put the coffee pot on per Ev’s instructions the night before. As well Buck and Buckeye who spent the night too would enjoy a cup when they got up.
When I was getting the fishing rod out of LM’s cab I heard a crunch sound. Darn I had stepped on the Maple Leaf Drennan; it lay shattered into several pieces on the ground. It would not be going downtown with a fish on the end again. Glad it was dark and no one was around to see its death’s cry.
I do a tour around the tents, the concession booth while the coffee perks. Nothing around, not even the coons that tried to have a late supper in Ev’s concession last year, around midnight. They disturbed my sleep then but I got some exercise chasing the group of masked bandits up a tree.
Buck finally stirs, it’s about 4 am, he likes to get an early start for the derby and always does well they, got about 125 last year all on worms.
We visit and then go for a nice cup of Java. Buck says the coffee as he fills his cup looks a little weak.
I look and say maybe it is not ready yet. Buck then says “You had plugged in the coffee maker with just hot water in it”. What a beak I am, first the Drennan now this. Made for some good laughs anyway.
Finally the coffee does get made and daylight comes, the wind has died down and the sky looks clear. Good as it will make an enjoyable day for all.
Buck pushes off and even though I have not entered the derby I hop in the Leaf Craft #2 and will try it for an hour before I have to start selling tickets etc. Buckeye pushes me off into the calm still waters of Cultus, it quiet too, the best part of the day. Only the birds are singing as the human residents of the lake are still snoring. I wonder if they hear the clank of the oars, I doubt it.
As I row the Leaf Craft to where I will drop my anchor a few fish are dimpling the water, starting their day too, most likely trout. An eagle circles, looking keenly, soaring silently, for an unwary fish. She or he needs food for the young, in a nest high in a conifer tree along the lake shore, some where close.
Both Buck and I have trouble finding any fish for the time we were fishing close together, he after picking up Tyler and his friend move on to another part of the lake. Looking keenly too, like the eagle.
A few other boats are launching, a canoe comes by and works near me, and they too are having trouble getting a bite. Where are they we say to each other, they too move on. I finally get a bite on the rod I am using a Maple leaf DNE, I miss it, I am using a bit of prawn. I am also trying a bit of a hot dog wiener, with no success.
I then switch to bread dough that friend Gary said is good, he gave me some Friday night. I get a bit every time but they turn out to be shiners, about 2 inches long, I land one.
My time is up as I have to get back to Main Beach to sell tickets.
Continue later.
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Topic: The Return Of The Journal (Read 4221 times)