As usual a warm Sunday night welcome to the journal on FWR.
Being the weekend I tend to do little fishing in most cases and this weekend was no exception.I like to go out on the river to see what is going on, chat to other anglers, cleanup some garbage, find some floats and so forth.
Saturday morning saw me on the river as daylight signalled another day. At least the wind cooperated some as it had died down from Friday's hurricane. Lots of weekend anglers anxious to begin fishing were scurrying around the river access roads like children on an Easter egg hunt.
I come upon a gravel pit party and me and another angler cleanup all the garbage spread around. We burn up some of stuff and I throw the recyclables into the back of the Leaf Mobile. While cleaning the mess up I see an angler beach and retain a nice hatchery fish.
The goose season reopened today and some hunters were having a field day by the amount of shots they were firing. Hope they were successful as we are getting overpopulated by these chaps that stay with us 12 months of the year. They cause such a mess now in our parks, golf courses etc. due to their exploding numbers.
I run into Proflex out on his first steelhead trip of the year as he stops for a brief chat.
With the mess after an half an hour of work now cleaned up I head down river and stop to pick up some more garbage. I then see Proflex now opposite me, stops his truck and then holds up a steelhead of about 12 pounds a hatchery doe. I heard later it took only about 12 casts to connect, talk about skill.
I then run into "The Master" and while he fishes I visit for a while but during that time with him he did not find a fish before I head for home.
I had planned to maybe slip out for the last hour for a brief cast or two but instead look after two of the grandchildren and we have a fun time shopping and dinning out together. As I look at them over dinner I hope there will be fishing opportunities for them in the future if they choose to take it up. They help keep me involved in the fishing issues and look after the environment the best I can in a small way in the hope we can save it for them and future generations.
Sunday morning I head out for another drive and have to cleanup another party site. Also see a 4 by 4 hung up on some boulders, later a tow truck comes to rescue it.
Run into Proflex again trying to go 2 for 2. He tells me a fellow across river had pulled a steelhead up on the gravel bar before shoving it back into the water.
I asked did not anyone say anything apparently no one did. A while later this guy is into another and we see him once again pull it up a few feet onto the gravel, "hope it is a hatchery" I say. If not I will not remain quiet. Sure enough the fellow appears to grab it around the head and back into the water it goes. Well that ends up spoiling my day as I sort of lose it and give him a few choice words, I hear no response. I cannot believe so many fishers have not heard about proper release methods.
A few more acquaintances drop by and I have to tell them about this mistreatment of the two steelhead by this guy.
Then to church to pray for this guy's sins and for the hope the two steelhead survive to make it safely to the spawning grounds. These were the only fish I saw if you can call it beached or landed.
Late afternoon I head out to check and change two of the garbage bags that I have placed at a couple of parking area's. I was glad to see some anglers are using them. However I picked up a couple of dozen of coffee cups so it appears a number of anglers do not seem to care what they throw out.
I also see a TV set on a gravel bar. I go to pick it up and see someone has thrown some rocks through the screen. I pick up the glass and an angler I know, Norm a top class fly fisher comes and we pack it to the Leaf Mobile.
I then have about 20 minutes of fishing time to get warmed up for tomorrow. Just before I leave the rivers I snap a picture of the full moon rising over Mount Cheam, a nice sight.
I am then approached by a fellow who recognizes my Avon and asks if I am CG. He tells me he is a pilot for Air Canada and just flew into Vancouver. He was raised in Chilliwack and now resides in Halifax and reads FWR as well as the journal. He and his dad have fished the Vedder for years he tells me, knows "The Master", KE and G. He is on a short layover and has 3 hours to fish tomorrow before heading out to Beijing I think he said. He says he enjoys reading the journal from Halifax, hearing about what is going on in Chilliwack and on the Vedder that he likes to fish when he gets the opportunity. I hope he finds a fish tomorrow.
Often I get asked why I write the journal and of course some people wish I did not as they feel it gets more people than they would like to see on the Vedder River. I will list a few reasons in no particular order or importance why I choose to do so.
(1) To start with I do not write it in a manner that I am trying to say I am a good angler. There is a lot more experienced anglers and successful anglers than I out there. I get my share but I have to work at it. I write about my short comings like recently being careless with my equipment in the back of the truck and having it blow out. Thawing my roe in the microwave etc.
(2) Rodney does so much for the education of young anglers and olderones as well along with beginning fishers. He promotes looking after the environment something that is very dear to my heart as well. It is because of him through his involvement with the Chiiliwack Vedder River Cleanup Coalition that has become very successful through the development of our web page by him. He does other web pages for the Chilliwack River Action Committee and soon one for the Sportsfishing Defense Alliance at very little cost or none for these volunteer organizations. He spends hours writing articles that gives fishing tips and how to become an successful angler. It is because of these few points and I am sure I have missed some I try through my journals to maybe attract a few anglers to FWR.
(3) In the same vain through my writing as amateur as it is, I try to educate, give tips that may help anglers catch fish, respect our fishes at all times, look after our environment and enjoy nature that surrounds us all when out fishing.
(4) I have met so many great people through FWR. They are not only great people but are willing to come out to support our river cleanups the last few years time after time. They are anglers that will write letters to politicians when required and support other activities and volunteer their time.
(5) In a time of declining license sales we need more anglers to show to the politicans and others the recreational fishery is alive and well. The more people we have that enjoy fishing the more political clout we will have. If I can get people excited and interested in fishing by my articles so much the better in my mind. As well on the Vedder and Fraser there is very little or any secrets out there. If I write the fishing is good one day in on spot. that does not mean it will be good the next. We all know that.
(6) I have numerous people say that they enjoy the articles. For example the fellow from Halifax today can read about his past home from a far by the magic of the net. I find very few will write they do like the journal although I know some do in certain circles which is their right as it is in mine as well to write them.
(7) Lastly I enjoy writing, even though I am not trained as a writer and besides I was terrible in English many moons ago in school. However I write from the heart and that gives me enjoyment. It must, as it takes a hour or so to write them by the hunt and pick method. I better close now as it is bed time as another adventure and another journal begins in about 8 hours. I hope you will enjoy reading it as I will writing it.
PS Almost forgot if you have not noticed I like to publicize the Toronto Maple Leafs, they seem to need help
rolling, rolling, rolling right along to their first Stantley Cup since 1967.
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Topic: The Journal For Feb. 11 and 12th And Why I Write The Journal. (Read 3691 times)