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[chris gadsden]

Welcome to The Journal on Fishing with Rod, your top fishing web site in the Northwest for fishing information, tips, educational videos, environmental issues, tall tails and much more.
Gosh it has been a long time since I have written the above words, is it laziness, old age (nearly 71) lack of fishing trips or a combination of all three? I must warn those that have never read The Journal, new readers since I scribed the last one I can get long winded at times but there is always some twists and turns in my adventures.

Anyway I decided it was time to make a trip up Merritt way, the area of hundreds of lakes and those famous Kamloops trout or as The Master says, “they are rainbow trout Gadsy.” I never had much luck with them but this time it will be The Gang and a silver F6 flatfish both tipped with a worm the choice of ammunition.

 Both Rod, Terry, Lew and The Master think this is a terrible way to fish a lake. Well at least not flossing, opps sorry to use this term, well it is close to sockeye time. Besides I donot have any decent fly rods or reels left after losing some when the Leaf Mobile was stolen and some others in a break in at Gwyn’s.

It's Sunday afternoon when the Leaf Craft # 2 is finally loaded aboard the Leaf Mobile, boy it takes a long time these days to get ready, well if I did not take so much stuff, well I am there for 6 days. I even missed church today that may not bide me well.

We are finally on our way around 3 and the first stop is a Hope for a senior’s coffee at MD’s, a dollar well spent with a refill and a stamp that gives you a free coffee after 7 purchases.

The Leaf Mobile finally swings on to the Coq and we notice a lot of vehicles with boats aboard, all sizes and shapes, I hope they had some good success.

I do a couple of stops to pick up a few tins and, recyclables, maybe I can make some funds to buy a new fly outfit to make the 4 gentlemen mentiones above happy with me. At least it will help with the gas money, who would think we are paying close to $1.50 a litre in my neck of the woods, 6 dollars a gallon for us. At one time I paid under 50 cents, a gallon. Makes one wonder that is why the late PM Pierre Trudeau brought in the metric system so we got fooled that gas prices were not bad at 36.9 a litre at the start of the metric system.

The weather is not bad as we pull into Merritt; decide to dine on at Burger at Triple “O”. After the meal the Leaf Mobile wants fuel too, $30 for the trip from Chilliwack to Merritt, fell short by a bit on bottle money but did find a Fiver on one of the roadside stops that was a bonus.

Freshen up at a truck stop and then head to the Wal-Mart Hilton to join some other cheap campers.
Not used of the sleep in the Leaf Mobile but all the fishing gear in the cab cuts down on the room.

Finally sleep comes as I dream about catching one of those famous Kamloops trout, I mean rainbows Nick. Day two through six later and a chance for those that are not enjoying The Journal to not click on this thread later.

[Dave]

Gang troll and flatfish??

beak

[chris gadsden]

Gang troll and flatfish??

beak

I could of lied but I put that in for you and the PAG and you bit nicely like a A.S.

[Dave]

I could of lied but I put that in for you and the PAG and you bit nicely like a A.S.

So you were using roe bags

[RyanB]

Is this a fishing journal for the homeless?  Collecting cans and sleeping in a parking lot?

[chris gadsden]

Is this a fishing journal for the homeless?  Collecting cans and sleeping in a parking lot?

Never thought of that, at least you read it thoroughly, not sure if you have read my journals since 2002 when this fishing site first started, I guess I will have to ask my wife for a raise, stay tuned for part 2. Your remarks will bring a chuckle at the Long Table too.

Also you can watch some of my 560 videos to see more of what I do in my life, here is the latest at the end of the trip. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fptjp1RLSSI&list=UU_4LtEFjHj-ulBHuoq6COmQ&feature=share

Thanks for reading The Journal.

[Novabonker]

Any hot tips Chris? I'm heading up that way today. Unfortunately, I'll have to sleep in my pal's cabin at Domenic lake.

[islanddude]

HI. Chris. Flatfish are trout killers. My favorite is a gold #4 or 5  tipped with a worm.

[chris gadsden]

HI. Chris. Flatfish are trout killers. My favorite is a gold #4 or 5  tipped with a worm.

Right, they say a frog pattern works well too but I have not tried it. I dig the worms right by the lakes I fish. Some people look down on us that use them but I donot worry about that, while one is making a fish bite who cares how you catch them and boy they are nice eating in some lakes.

Plan to get some more of The Journal written today, I am sure Ryan B is waiting patiently. 

[Novabonker]

When I was a kid an alder switch, a cork and hook on a piece of line served us well. We also Huck Finn'ed it and used worms. Digging them where you fish seems to catch more fish.....

[chris gadsden]

When I was a kid an alder switch, a cork and hook on a piece of line served us well. We also Huck Finn'ed it and used worms. Digging them where you fish seems to catch more fish.....

Right, some of the fish I have caught have the worms in their stomach that I am using and dug at the lake. Good to be back fishing with them after many of us started our fishing careers with them, good luck on your trip and lok forward to a report. Have 5 more days to write about the trip, maybe later today, off to church now.

[firstlight]

Geez Chris,you don't need all the heavy metal.
Flatfish work just fine on the own behind a long line but don't forget that swivel.
Gangtrolls and wormed tipped thingamjiggys........

[chris gadsden]

Geez Chris,you don't need all the heavy metal.
Flatfish work just fine on the own behind a long line but don't forget that swivel.
Gangtrolls and wormed tipped thingamjiggys........

Thanks for the tip, did not think of the swivel on the flat, what color do you find effective. Sorry about the Gang but this trip was experiencing what works for those that may not want or cannot fly fish. More ways will follow in the trips ahead. Remember this forum is to try and help the beginner fisher as well even though I donot do half the job Rod does.
Day 2 of the Journal coming up.

[chris gadsden]

Day 2, Monday June 2


An early start on Monday and the first part of business was to head to the Merritt McDonalds for coffee and read the Province.

Then I had to wait until Wal-Mart opened to do some shopping as it closes early on Sunday so I was too late to do that Sunday after supper. I run into Brian, a reader of this forum gassing up his vehicle, he is on his way to work. We had a good chat before he headed off, boy am I glad I am retired, 16 years now.

After getting a few stables at Wal-Mart it was off to the lake where I set up camp in a vacant site, I was promptly visited by some very hungry mosquitoes so a fire was quickly built as the smoke does keep them under control a bit. A family in another site is packing up and I am a bit glad as they had some quads that do at times break the tranquilly of the lake. Of course they have the right to enjoy their sport as well as anyone. I talked to them for a bit, nice people and said fishing had been slow over the weekend. That does not bother me as just getting away from the bustle of city life and enjoying nature is the most important part of camping, to me anyway.

As they pack up their camp another angler arrives, Bob who reads this forum and who I met last year he says. Even though I donot remember that, senior moments seem to happen more than I would like these days. He is here for 2 days of fishing and was a great guy to be with for the days he was here and we have some good conversations around the camp fire. He is a Captain or nearly is with the Vancouver fire department and also played Junior “A” with the old Bellingham hockey team a way back so we had lots to talk about, including of course fishing.

I help him launch and he is fly fishing, well stocked with good equipment and plenty of fly’s that boggle the mind. That what causes me a lot of grief when fly fishing, what fly to use. Soon after, Bob heads out to the lake, the other campers are away and they leave a lot of nice firewood for me that will last most of the 5 days I would be at the lake.

Another couple arrive as I set up camp but are dressed for summer and the bugs enjoyed them as they launched. They did not stay long on the lake and when they came back I asked them if they had limited, “No, too cold out there” so off they went.

I remember my dad always saying “ when going fishing son dress for all sorts of weather as you can always take it off if too hot but if you donot have it you cannot wear it if the weather changes”. I have never forgotten that but did not want to tell the young people.
I now have the camp site to myself and have a nap after lunch and then put the Leaf Craft in the water, she is over 60 years old and I remember dad buying it on the island. Dad caught hundred’s of salmon out of her mostly mooching with herring. One year he caught 48 winter springs in Chemainus Harbour, from December into late winter, all by rowing. He jigged his own herring and made wonderful herring strips, a thing I could not do like he could. Those were the days; long gone I am sad to say.


I then go out for a short row and talk to Bob who has found fishing a bit slow but does get a nice one near 10, in the dark, fishing some sort of Leach I think it was. The frogs are singing loudly and as Bob plays his fish I video the action but it is too dark for me to see him but the melody of the amphibians is wonderful, under a quarter of a moon. Fish are splashing everywhere, near shore as they feel safe under the cover of darkness I guess and the loon who has circled Bob all day as headed to bed.

The fish is around 3 pounds a nice fish that I admire when we go to shore, its 10:15 or so. Bob has been into the odd fish but a bit slow he says. He has just retained the last one he had landed.
We visit a bit around the fire, taking about the day before we retire and Bob sleeps in his truck too, so I guess I am not as odd as some think.

 Sleep comes quickly tonight as I think about the fishing day ahead tomorrow as I drift off to dream land.

[Fish Assassin]

. Dad caught hundred’s of salmon out of her mostly mooching with herring. One year he caught 48 winter springs in Chemainus Harbour, from December into late winter, all by rowing. He jigged his own herring and made wonderful herring strips, a thing I could not do like he could. Those were the days; long gone I am sad to say.

Mooching seems to be a forgotten art these days. Took a mooching course from the master Ted Peck a few years ago. Learned the art of cutting herring strips.