With 4 chinooks on the fishing license and growing impatient waiting for the Fraser to finally cleanup so we can get some bar fishing underway I decided to try an overnight trip to Merritt for some chironomid fishing.
After a two day trip last year and a three day trip this year with the Master it was time to see if I have learnt anything from him. Last year I made 2 trips on my own and did not land anything but breaking off a big one had wetted my appetite for this type of excitement.
I arose Wednesday at 5 am to get ready. I had planned to get some things ready Tuesday night but were too tired from a night of hitting the bird around so watched TV instead.
The older one gets it seems to take longer to get packed and I seem to take way too much stuff, thinking I am going from a week. I had to be back for a SDA meeting Friday night in Chilliwack so my time was limited.
I am packed shortly after 10 and decide to try and track down a portable sounder and finally decide on a Eagle Fish Easy 2 Portable for $259. I then have to stop at Gwyn's to get some anchor rope and net from Leaf Craft #1. Also bummed a spare rod and reel from him as could not find one of the reels with a flkoating line on it.
Then I am hungry so stop in town for a feed of chinese food. While eating lunch read the Vancouver Sun about the chaps stopped on Burrard Bridge with a bunch of guns and enought ammo to start a smalll war.
I read the article 3 times and then make a few phone calls regarding this interesting article.
Finally I have the Leaf Mobile packing Leaf Craft #3 heading east on Highway 1. Yes, LC #3 a 40 plus year Davidson rowboat that my dad had for that many years. He caught hundred's of winter springs out of it including 49 one year in the 50's in Chemainus Harbour. He mooched herring strip those days. I tried it a few times and got a 15 pounder, beautiful fish. Will dig up a photo one day of dad and one of these beauties.
Anyway I had never caught a fish out of it so will want to christen it offically as Leaf Craft #3 on this trip.
As I near Bridal Falls I see a dead deer on the side of the road and just ahead of it I see a car parked on the side of the road. As I go by it I see it is badly smashed up.
I pull over and back up to see if the ocuupents are ok. Thankfully they are, both air bags had deployed bruising the driver. The elderly couple were badly shaken up of course and I try to comfort them as best I could. The RCMP were on their way so there was nothing more I could do for them.
The driver said the deer came across the 2 West Bound lanes and into his lanes. With lots of traffic around the driver he had no room to miss it. I told him before leaving him he did well to keep his vehicle under control after hitting the deer at 100 k.
Before I leave the scene I try to phone the CO I know so he can make arrangement to pick up the poor animal but could not reach him.I give a traffic report to radio station 1130 and resume my journey reminding myself to watch for animals that frequent our roads. They can come from out of the blue as Rodney also found out not that long ago.
Finally I am on Highway 5 and as reach the Coq. summit with an elevation of 1244 m I find the elevaton effecting my ears that I never like. Just before I reach the toll booth plaza I pull over to stretch my legs. I see tins and bottles everywhere
, I can not resist so pick up close to enought to pay the toll of $10 in around 30 minutes. I was tempted to get more but if I was to get a evening fish in I better be on my way.
I happly pay my now paid for toll and before I know it I am turning off Hwy# 5 and heading for an hour on a dirt and gravel road. As I near the chosen lake I see they have had heavy rain in the area as some of the pot holes were full of rain water.
Finally I arrive at the lake and find only mosquitos there to greet me and keep me company.
I offload LC #3 and prepare the rods etc. Then I open the newly purchased sounder to find it needed batteries. The salesman did not tell me this as I thought it would hook up to the electric motor battery. Disappointed I put it back into its box. I am not too concerned as I know from my trip with Nick where to anchor.
Finally I am on the water at 5 and I am happy to see a few rainbows jumping. The wind is creating a bit of a chop but I am able to anchor. I fish one spot and with no bites I move to another spot.
I am then joined by two fellows in float tubes who had a few hours after work to fish.
Around 7:00 I move back to the first spot and around 7:30 I miss my first fish as the indicators slips below the now glassy surface. Nothing more until around a hour later. While tidying up LC 3 I hear a rattling sound, I turn and see the fly line zipping through the water at 50 speed.
Almost as quickly I pick up the line but the fish is gone. My frustration is compouded about 3 minutes later, indicator down again but I miss. This is tougher than short floating for springs it seems.
I then miss another, and then I have a tug while switching to a sinking line with a leech on.
Finally I connect, a fish around a pound hooks himself but on the first jump it breaks off. Reeling in the now fly less leader I see a knot Gwyn had tied to connect the leader had parted. Wait until I tell him about that and I have lost the hot chironomid I got the 5 pounder on with my trip with Nick.
However I have a spare
so I tie it on. Shortly after this heart breaking loss I hook a good fish in the 2 to 3 pound range, am I getting on to this or what I think out loud. The fish is peeling line so I grap the video camera, bad idea as I fumble with the camera in one hand and the reel in the other somehow and I must have applied too much pressure, snap, fish gone again.
Dumb move Chris, very dumb dumb move Chris. The line appeared to have broken near the chironomid, now I have none of my favorite ones left. Which one out of the 75 or so different patterns and colours Nick has tied for me shall I use?
I experiment and change often over the last hour of daylight to try and find the correct pattern. I lose another as after the rainbow hooks itself it comes towards me and the boat, I do not catch up to it before it falls off.
It is now close to 10 and the bats are diving at the indicator inspecting this strange red object they can not see.They know it is there by their radar system I guess. I bid the lake goodnight a bit dejected from all the losses but pumped for the day ahead. I thought of making a fire and having a snack but instead climbed into the Leaf Mobile sleeper and to go to sleep so the night would appear to go quicker so I could be back for some more exciting chironomid action bright and early tomorrow. I know I am no Brian Chan but I am hitting fish, maybe the Master is a good teacher after all. Find out if I am a good pupil as I will give you the results of day 2 later and see if I can land my first rainbow by fishing chironmids. Whats your guess?
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Topic: Going It Alone, Fishing Chironomids At A Merritt Lake, Without The Master (Read 9343 times)