Got up early again to get organized for a day trip to Maple Leaf Bar. These early morning have been getting to be a habit these last few weeks but slept in to 6 this morning after another all day fishing adventure on the Fraser yesterday.
The sky was overcast with rain a possibility, great for the upcoming holiday campers.
Picked up Leaf Craft at Gwyn's who could not go today because of too many chores at home.
Fishing should come first for us retired guys but tell the boss that.
I am lucky as my wife just loves fish to eat so that is good but I must not come home empty handed too often.
Met Gary at the Island 22 launch shortly after 7 and a number of other boats were preparing to launch while others had most likely been there for the gate opening at 6.
On the way in I noticed the gate house was now setup to collect the user fees. Everyone coming in now has to pay a $5 daily fee or a yearly fee of $25. I imagine though this fee would be waived for campers.
I think this fee now in effect for day use as well is ok as it may help keep vandals out. There has been a number of tire slashing and breakin incidents the last couple of years.
Leaf Craft when loaded with her cargo of the two eager fishers and equipment was ready for the day. Leaf Craft jumped to life easily after returning from her yearly checkup at Ernie's garage. She and I were pleased that she came back with a clean bill of health.
We arrived at Leaf Bar at 7:45 and only one other angler , Leroy was there, anchored out in his boat. We moved up stream a bit to the "hot spot" and after unloading the equipment it was not long until we were fishing.
Gary and I had our #2 Doctors out in quick order working their magic, we hoped. Gary however had given the good Doctor a dye job giving him a green hair do with me fishing a pure Doctor, that will make Brad proud.
The water was perfect but on the rise slowly as I new would be happening because of the jump showing at South Fort George the last few days.
We put up a small tarp to help block the West wind that was making it a bit chilly for a late May morning.
I had brought out 200 golf balls to sort cleanup and pass the time. Had a number of orders to fill that I had not got to because of the trip to Merritt earlier in the week.
It is not long until Gerry and his family joined us and put in their three poles above us. Gerry comes down for a visit and of course being a golfer in seeing the golf balls he is interested in buying some.
He says he will take them back to his lawn chair and go through them while tending his rods.The Titlelist Pro V 1's are one of the top balls and most expensive.
Dan a local guide joins us on the bar with his two boys who are out on a Pro E day from school. Great to see dad's taking the kids out fishing.
I go up to see how the golf ball sorting is going on and as well Dan has come down to were Gerry is. Maybe I can make another sale. I had left Gary to mind the rods as Gerry is setup about 100 yards upstream.
I had just reached Gerry and had worked out a price with him for the 24 he wanted and then it happened.
I think it was Dan who heard the bell first and as we all looked downstream my Fraser King was dancing wildly in the rod holder in Leaf Craft.
We shouted to Gary who for some reason had not heard the bell tolling.
On hearing our yell Gary ejectes from his lawn chair while I jump into overdrive. Every try a 100 yard dash in waders? Will not come anywhere close to doing it as fast as Ben Johnson once ran it.
As I finally reach Gary he is having the pleasure of feeling a nice sized spring that is releaving the Diawa 275 of a good chunk of its 25 pound Maxima line.
I happily recieve my rod from Gary and ask him to try to record the action on video. Leroy below me is thankfully starting to pull is anchor as my fish is downstream a bit and getting close to him. Nothing worse than losing a fish that tangles in a anchor.
I have had the fish on for about a minute when I see him break water and he looked in the 20 pound range.
O boy fresh fish for supper I prematurely am thinking.
A carnal sin as right after the fish showed himself something did not feel right. Hard to tell if the fish has turned and now heading upstream with a12 to 14 ounce bar weight.
The reeling becomes easier and it is not long until the Doctor lays at my feet spining freely with the chance of my second spring of the year now gone for now.
It is still early morning and I have all day to fish if I have too.
It is becoming a bit cool with the fairly strong wind and some showers are happening so we decide time to build a campfire.
A campfire is part of bar fishing as is hotdogs and marshmellows.
Gerry and his family along with Gary gather up a good supply of wood while I get a fire going beside a cottonwood root lying on the bar. Got some small dry roots from it that helped get the blaze going in the stiff wind with the root blocking the wind somewhat.
With the fire flames now warming us all we happily settled into our lawn chairs exchanging past fishing stories while we nibbled on our treats and sipped steaming coffee.
Dan had just come down to soak up some of the heat with Gary enjoying his lunch. It was about 12:55. Gary said he would have to leave between 1 and 1:15 as he was expecting family for the weekend holiday.
I said I could run him down as it takes no time with Leaf Crafts 50 making the run in a little over 5 minutes.
At about 1, I think it was Dan who heard it first, count on a guide to be more alert than most of us. "Theres one" I believe was Dan's words as we see it is Gary's pole turn to dance. Gary who has lunch in hand hestitates a bit and Gerry breaks for the rod but Gary discardes his partly eaten lunch onto the rocks of the bar and grabs the pole from it holder with line now peeling.
I reach for the video camera, Gerry goes to pull my rod in to get it out of the way of Gary's fish heading downstream. As we had forgotten our net (Why did you take it out of the boat Gwyn?) Dan heads to get Dhillon's net.
I get some excellent video footage as Gary skillfully gets the fish close enough to the beach for a professional one swipe net job by Dan as a nice bright 15 -2 Fraser River chinook is safely beached.
It is now 1:10 talk about timing for Gary who was just a few minutes of leaving before the action started. Gary happily punches out the fish on his license. We then take a couple of pictures beside the Leaf Craft who is always pleased to accomadate, as she enjoys seeing her picture with her logo's displayed on this forum.
I transport Gary back to the launch and we are checked by the FOC survey boys. They, after the interview says Gary's fish was number 8 so far. Maybe still another chance for me I think as I bid him goodbye as I push off the launch.
Back at the bar I settle in for the wait once again as we gather more wood to help fend off the increasing heavy rain showeres.
Around 3, Gerry and his family along with Dan abandon the wait leaving me alone to the solitude of the river as there is not much boat activity today. The weather?
I recheck my line every 30 minutes to check everything is working correctly. Meanwhile the heat of the fire makes me drowsy and I have to fight nodding off to sleep. No one else to watch my pole.
The rod remains silent but I am determined or is it crazy in the increased rain but the fire is a good companion as it crackles cheerfully to me.
At 6 I finish the last of my food of soup and coffee and notice First Nations setting their nets in a couple of spots within sight distance.
I also observe several swallows picking off bugs just above the water level, a few seals also hoping for a fish like me.
I say I am going to stick it out to 9 but the sky looks very ugly to the West and I surrender at 8:30 packing everything into the boat.
As I leave the bar behind the wind really picks up and the heavy rain that belts me across the face is stinging like a swarm of bees is attacking me.
It is a rough ride as white caps appear and the wind blows against the downsream force of the Fraser's water. Why did I wait so long before leaving??
I am glad I was not in my previously owned 12 foot smoker craft as the Leaf Craft is handling every thing nature is throwing at us.
I slow down carefully watching the sounder as I take a shortcut towards the launch which should not be of a surprise to me was completly empty.
I quickly loadup and head home for a much enjoyable bath.
The Island 22 campground is completly full of campers, crazy I think being out camping in this weather. I quickly check myself, look who spent 13 hours just doing just the same thing.
They would be doing the same thing as we had been doing all day enjoying good friend and making new friendship which is a lot what bar fishing is about.
But as a bonus we had was the catching of a nice fish and making $40 on a sale of some golf balls.
Life is sure good, enjoy the long weekend all, I think I will take a couple of days off after 4 days of fishing in a row. My wife's love of fish may end in a hurry if I do not do some chores around the house.
Come Tuesday I will find somehere once again to start a new adventure out on a flow near you.
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Topic: Bar Fishing Report Fraser River, May21 (Read 7334 times)