.........PISCATORIAL PURSUITS........

XST - a week later

2012-02-10T08:35:00.001-08:00

Well it has been exactly one week since I started project XST. I have very much enjoyed this project spending numerous hours in my 'man cave' in the basement of the house. It was time well spent, enjoying hockey games on the tv and sipping on a few Bud Lights while the rest of my house continues to run rampant with hormones.... I am due to leave on that 5 year long fishing trip any time now!!!!

My goal was to have the rod completely finished for a roadtrip to the West Side this weekend but work commitments are preventing me from hooking up with the guys so I am just getting around to finishing it off now.

I chose a sublte combination of black with gunmetal trim for the guide wraps.

I think the handle assembly turned out great.

First coat of thread finish is applied and the rod is currently turning slowly on the drier.

A second coat will be applied in a day or two and it will ready for action - just not sure when I will be ready for action!! The next month is pretty busy around here with hockey and work.

My initial impressions of the blank/build are extremely positive. I played around with the Milner/XST combo and it feels very light and when I simulated loading her up it felt awesome!! There seems to be lots of power in the butt section yet feels quite sensitive in the tip.

I am extremely anxious to put it to the test!!!

XST update - the handle

2012-02-04T05:28:00.000-08:00

I took advantage of a quiet night around the house and I got the cork all sanded down and reemed out.

So the handle configuration is complete - here is a mock up of what it will look like.

I still have to recess the front of the reel seat into the fore grip and epoxy the whole configuration but things are moving along quickly. Aside from a couple of road games for both girls today I should have enough time to finish the handle completely.

But I am open to suggestions..... I know Brian has expressed a dislike of the aluminum butt and that has me wondering if that is the way to go. My CTS has a similar butt and I kinda like it although I see where he considers it to be "Raven-like". It is not too late to change it but if I do I will need to order up some more cork and basically start from scratch.

Anyway, heading north for the first playoff games of the year for both girls - wish them luck!!!

Project XST

2012-02-03T12:25:00.000-08:00

Well, after deliberating about it for the better part of a year, I have finally decided to build a new float rod. My CTS is an absolute beauty but I have a void that needs filled.

Having sold off all my other float rods I found myself in real need of a second rod, especially one with some real nuts to it.

I settled on the Rainshadow XST 1562-3. I debated on whether to get the 2 piece but in the end I wanted the extra power and for some strange reason I was able to get the 3 cheaper than the 2 anyway!!

The lowdown on this blank...

- Rainshadow XST 1562-3
- RX8 and RX7 blend
- 6 - 10 lb
- med/fast action
- 3.88 oz
- $150 CAN

In comparison my CTS is rated 4-8 lb and the blank was 3.0 oz, the XST 1562-2 is rated 6 - 10 lb and weighs 3.35 oz and the IST 1562 is rated 6 - 10 lb and is 4.37 oz.

I think this rod will accomodate my preferences perfectly!!

To be incorporated into this build will be the following components...

- various grades/colours of cork rings glued up and sanded for a pair of custom grips

- ATC Infinity Reel Seat TiCH/BLK - $28.00 and PB TiCH Aluminum Butt - $9.00 from MudHole

- dimpled aluminum winding check - $4.00 and sliver LOOL syle hook keeper - $0.75 from MudHole

- Fuji TYSG Concept Guides - set from a previous build - retailed for about $150. Yikes I know but I will elaborate on that decision later.

I have yet to decide on a colour scheme for it but I have enough thread on hand to work with. I am thinking something subtle like gunmetal or even black.

So, it appears as though I am into this build for close to $350. There are certainly lots of opportunity to work that cost down, especially in the guide selection. Had I not already had these guides I likely would have chosen something like the Fuji BYAG low frames that are on my CTS which would have cost closer to $40.00. Yup, the TYSGs are nice looking but they are crazy expensive.

OK, the story... I feel I need to justify why I am using them. A few years back after learing the art of rod building I decided to build my first float rod. I had some minor aspirations of perhaps becoming a 'rod builder' so I decided to do up a 13' Frontier as somewhat of a show-piece of my talents ( so to speak ). I pimped it out with the high end guides and a custom handle and to my own credit it was a very decent build.

In the end it became evident that I just didn't have the fortitude to become a 'builder' but I do enjoy dabbling in the art of it and I have built a few rods for friends.

A couple years ago I decided to sell the Frontier and found a willing buyer in a local kid from town. I used that rod for a few years and literally beat the shit out of it and this kid uses it but 3 times and snaps the tip off about 30" from the tip...... I felt kinda bad for him considering he was still in school and really had no warranty claim to speak of with the now defunct Frontier line. So I made him and offer to either buy the rod back from him ( at a slight discount ) or exchange it for the 14' IM8 that I tied up and was collecting dust on the rack. I built this rod much cheaper than the Frontier and I knew I could salvage some of the components from the Frontier to keep it real for myself. He jumped at the IM8 and I believe he is still wheeling that thing around the local tribs. I have been sitting on these guides and a tip section destined for an ice rod ever since!!!

So there you have it.

All the needed pieces are sitting on my bench awaiting assembly. I figured to walk through a detailed blog of the process but instead will likely only check back in if I have some time, worthy pics or something interesting to say.

Stay tuned!!!

Solo mission!

2011-12-20T14:04:00.000-08:00

As I was making the girls breakfast this morning I was running a multitude of ideas through my head that would occupy my day and prevent me from actually going Christmas shopping. It wasn't until I poured a coffee and starting surfing the MacBook did I realize that the river saw a decent little spike in flow due to the snow melt from yesterdays mild temps.

After flying through the 'kiss and drop' at the school I quickly threw my gear together and hit the road.

On the way up I contemplated fishing up high but by the time I got there I decided that the bottom end looked awesome and I was convinced there should be some fresh fish cruising around.

It was after 10am before I was fishing and the only other angler in site was a familiar face who abruptly told me that it was DEAD!!!

I bounced around the estuary section for an hour or so before deciding to put my head down and book it up to the first real 'wintering water' in the system. I was esctatic to see no one in sight!!

I drifted every inch of that pool more than once and had only 2 hookups to show for it. Both were dark males that fought like it was the middle of January. The ambient temp might have been above seasonal but that river is VERY cold right now!

I worked my way back down and fished a few pockets that I rarely fish - not sure why because there is some very nice water through there.

The bottom end was void of anglers so I took another hours worth of drifts, shaking my head with each one and thinking that the conditions should at least award me a small skipper or two. But no such luck!!!

It was kinda nice fishing solo today. I was very aware of the sound of the green water making its way to the Lake. Today I was at peace with myself on the river.

I am not sure where all the fish are but I am thinking if tomorrows rain doesn't mud her up I might just fish up real high in the system on Thursday.

Christmas GREEN...

2011-12-19T16:42:00.000-08:00

Only six days until Christmas and my shopping is not done but yet another bout of precipitation last week saw the river up and green once again.

Shopping would have to wait!!

It could well be the last chance to fish my favorite river this year so dad and I made plans to hike into a stretch of river that has been fishing very well this year.

Disappointed, but not surprised, the access point already had company. Lots of footprints leading to the river belonged to Adam and a few buddies who fished a day earlier. Reports of moderate success had dad and I optimistic.

It was a balmy 5 degrees as we hiked across the field and I was hoping the mild spell would have the steelies on the feed. If nothing else, it was nice to fish without numb fingers and icey guides.

The water was still quite cold and I anticipated the fish in winter mode and holding tight in the tail out sections. It didn't take long and I was into a strong hen.

Dad missed a fish not long after but as the morning progressed it became increasingly evident that the fishing was going to be tough.

I bounced around a couple different pools and fished some really nice water today.

I suppose we have been spoiled with such a stellar season as the average success had me puzzled. Perhaps a blessing in diguise as it forced me to change up my presentation and patterns in search of chrome.

By days end I hit a few fish in the faster water and I managed to hook up using roe, jigs and beads today. I tried the pink/white worms for a while but no luck with that.

Although a few less than expected, dad and I had just over 10 hook-ups between us - definitely a great day. The river was in nice shape, the weather was incredible and the angler traffic was bearable.

One thing for sure, the beavers have been busy along the river. It is truly amazing how much these animals can accomplish!

With any luck at all I will get some Christmas shopping done tomorrow just in case the forecasted precipitation affords yet another opportunity....

Dodging bullets and snowflakes!

2011-12-10T05:52:00.000-08:00

With the way the Fall season started it was quite disheartening to not see my favorite river come into shape at all in the month of November. A good shot of precipitation early in December would bring her into shape during the second deer hunt.

The drive up was dicey and the hike in to the river was eerie knowing that a number of fully armed hunters were giddy with anticipation at the chance to shoot something!

Knowing that the water was prime and that there were lots of fish in the system we were somewhat concerned that perhaps the fish would be spread out pretty good so we made a gameplan that would see us cover some serious miles. Scott was coming down from Port Elgin to join Adam and I so we would take full advantage of having two vehicles. This would be Scott's inaugural visit to this river and I was certain he would be in awe of the beauty and grandeur that she has to offer.

We dropped Scott's truck off at the pull out point and proceeded to our access point. Disappointed to see another vehicle already there we shrugged it off and followed a single set of footprints all the way to the river. Arriving at the river I was happy to recognize the other angler. It was Nardi and I spent much of the first light minutes chatting - by the time I got to fishing it was not five minutes later we had already helped each other out...

During the hike to the river we talked loudly so as to help limit any chance of getting shot at by an over anxious hillbilly. We talked of our expectations for the day and Adam and I agreed that our 'goal' would be for each of the three of us to get 10 good hookups. This was not so much about the number as it was a pact to share the water and see that we all get ample opportunity to do what we love to do - catch fish. Now a 30 fish prediction might well seem to some to be a little aggressive but with the timing and conditions we knew it would not be outside the realm of possibility.

We easily doubled our expectations!!!!

The first pool of the morning would see the four of us ( including Nardi ) hook close to 15 fish.

We said our good byes and good lucks to Nardi and ventured off down stream in order that we get to our pull out point before dark. While we wouldn't find that degree of success again we did hit fish everywhere on the system. Each run/pool would give up a few fish, mainly in the tailout sections.

Scott spent the entire day running a single bead and he held his own. His landing ratio was not the best and I am certain that is due to the bead. But the smile on his face at the end of the day tells me he very much enjoyed his trip down from Bruce County.

We would fish some pretty stellar water as the snow accumulated all morning.

And we saw a lot of deer - more than the hunters who were chasing them I am sure. We had a herd of does and a big buck come to the river and appear to want to cross where we were but instead bolted up the cliff with ease. We didn't hear a ton of gun shots but each one sent a chill up my spine.

There were not a ton of photos taken today as it was cold and wet. But I did manage a couple nice grip and grins after the snow stopped and the sun came out ( albeit briefly ).

As we approached the last pools before our exit point it became quite evident that it has become the most popular section on the river. The section has obviously fished very well but it is amazing how quickly word gets around. It is not the easiest of access points and I became a somewhat emotionally detatched when I saw the masses.

After fishing all day and seeing no one but Nardi, coming around that corner and seeing the 5 guys in the picture, and 4 guys behind me, was devastating. I should have expected it and normally it doesn't bother me but for some reason this time it just zapped all enthusiasm from me. Perhaps it was a result of already fishing hard and having great success but none the less that crowd threw up a big stop sign for me. I am pretty sure Adam wanted to fish down a little further but I was done ( and I think Scott was also done )

Adam ended up chatting with the gang around a fire and I made my way down to get him so that we could take off. On my way I threw a few drifts where the guys had been fishing all day and actually hooked 3 fish in 5 drifts. If nothing else that certainly validates the fact that fishing second water isn't necessarily a hinderance for success. I felt pretty good about myself doing that as they all watched -I hope that doesn't make me a bad person.....

The hike out was even slower than the drive up. I am getting pretty old to be bouncing around the river like that and the wet snow covering the slippery rocks made for a long day. My back was screaming and my elbows were hurting from numerous wipe outs over the course of the trip.

I briefly entertained the idea of heading back up again today but chose to sleep in and spend the morning typing and drinking coffee. I only work a few days next week and then off for a while so with some more precipitation in the forecast I am thinking this spectacular season of 2012 might just continue until the end of the year!!

Cheers!!

Enough already!

2011-11-23T16:20:00.000-08:00

Yet another planned road trip to NY State was thwarted by a mild snow melt in the hills and yet again plan B was a trip to Bruce County. Adam decided it best to spend some time in the office so he was out altogether but dad had the new GLX all rigged up and was hell bent to fish somewhere. Not a ton of options these days so a return to Bruce County was the plan yet again.

I must admit that I wasn't really into this trip from the get go but I had a green light to fish a couple days and the big river has been fishing so well that I was game to give her another go.

After getting home from hockey at 1am the sound of my alarm at 4am was about the last thing I really wanted to hear. But I dragged my ass out of bed, loaded up the van and drifted in and out of consciousness over the 2 1/2 drive north.

When we arrived at the river it was already windy as hell...... enough already!!! Is it just me or has it been windy for like a month straight??? It was a big and bitter East wind and it was brutal!!

The river was crowded.....enough already!!! It is obvious that no one works any more and that there are limited fishing options in SW Ontario right now.

We opted for the deep slow water for first light so I wheeled out the 15' Frontier and the Milner. This would prove to be a big mistake as only 15 minutes into the morning my elbow was screeming for mercy. I obviously didn't balance it out very well and after only 30 minutes or so I was hiking up the cliff to the van for the CTS/Riverkeeper. I am fairly sure that the Frontier is going up for sale - just too heavy and the extra length is of no real value IMO.

The fishing had slowed considerably and the river was much lower and cleaner than the weeks prior. It was actually quite amazing just how much lower but I am thinking that with so many days of Westerly winds the Lake was pushed over to our side and now that the wind was howling from the EAst the Lake has pushed back out...

I landed a couple silvers and dad hooked a couple fish but by mid day it was evident to me that there was just no point spending the night to fish again the next day. With a decent number of anglers present there was just not enough action to keep me interested.

We pulled the pin and hit the road mid afternoon and once again I drifted out of consciousness over the course of the trip. By the time we got home the rain had moved into the area and I was already thinking of fishing again. I am hopeless!!

I had already comitted to getting the kids off to school in the morning but I was thinking seriously about fishing closer to home and with any luck at all I might catch the smaller river on the rise.

I woke up the next morning and while I knew the area only got a few mm of precipitation I just had to go. I have been wanting to hit my favorite trib for a few weeks and I figured that it was a nice day for a walk and to at the very least scout out some new pockets and runs on the system.

It turned out to be one of those days that are just good for the soul.

There was no 3 hour drive!

There was no one chucking lures at my feet from the other side of the river!

There was no wind down in the valley!

There was no garbage!!

There was just me and dad and the sound of our favorite river ( even if it was just a faint trickle of her magnificent self ).

There are lots of fish in the system but I felt sorry for them. They are trapped and judging by all the footprints they have surely been beaten upon over the past weeks. I didn't even try very hard to catch one of them. Today felt too much like spring to me and I hate site fishing for steelhead. I chuckled to myself that if I could see them, they could surely see me - and many of them might even recognize me!!!! LOL I crack myself up sometimes!

Today I had a nice walk in the bush and I learned a little bit about that stretch of the river. I didn't spend a lot of time there today but it was fulfilling nonetheless.

Having said that, I am not going back until she is over 1.2 on the graph!!!

Bruce County calling.... Again!

2011-11-17T15:01:00.000-08:00

With a few days off and an inability to rearrange some things in order to join the guys over in Michigan, a trip up the Pennisula was a pretty decent plan B.

There had been a decent amount of snow plus some rain in that area that put the big river back into shape.

We battled some ferocious winds over the course of 4 days on the big river but the fishing has been nothing short of stellar.

Day 1 access was Grant's Park so we could fish First Rapids down past the Bottom Island.

Plenty of fish moved up past over the course of the day and by days end our arms were sore and eyes burning from the glare of the sun off the water.

Day 2 would only be a half day due to family comittments and we opted for a similar gameplan that saw success the previous day.

I spent the entire two days running a bead in tandem with a roe bag. I don't know how much more proof I need that these beads work - all but 3 of the fish I landed hit the bead!!

The original gameplan for Days 2 and 3 were for a roadtrip to the Catt with my buddy Adam. Unfortunately some big rains in that area had blown the river out yet again. With clear schedules and a desire to fish, we made Bruce County Plan B once again.

I chose a different access point this time, one that would offer some relief from the big SW winds and would no doubt hold some fish.

Around mid day the wind swung around the NW and it turned bitter cold. We took a break and grabbed some pizza and beer before venturing up to witness the 'shit-show' at the Dam Pool. After seeing a few fish and chatting with a few guys we suited back up and slid in down at the Chute to close out the day's fishing.

Interesting to note that I continued to run a bead in tandem with rainbow skein bags and none of the fish hit the bead over the course of Day 3 and 4. :0

The river is literally loaded with fish. Everywhere you look there are fish rolling and jumping - some due to being caught but many for no apparent reason.

The anglers chucking hardware seemed to do exceptionally well and I wonder if it is due to the thousands of these that migragted by me up the river over the course of the trip.

Definitely a good sign for Lake Huron to see such a seemingly healthy alewife population.

Day 4 would proove to be another short day due to the weather and the sheer exhaustion of fishing for 4 days!!

In the end it was a terrific 4 days on the river. We met some interesting people, reunited with some familiar faces and caught lots of fish. There are worse ways to spend a week. Speaking of which, work only called me 3 times wanting me to come in.....

I still have another 10 days off and if I can supress the greedy beast within me I will likely fish again somewhere next week.

Take 2

2011-11-02T18:57:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was so much fun we decided to do it all over again.

This time there were no time constraints due to work or errands. As tired as we were on the drive home yesterday we chattered away about a gameplan for the trip back which included a very early wake up call. Funny how one can recover so quickly from utter exhaustion when it comes to fishing....

Dad was eager too and we hit the road in time to arrive river side by first light. We knew what was working and figured it didn't make too much sense to do anything different than we did the previous day.

Angler pressure was a bit higher today but the fishing was just as good - perhaps even better. I saw a lot more fish caught today but I suppose that makes sense with the extra fishermen.

With only a couple hits early on we couldn't help but notice that the majority of fish being hooked were on the other side of the river. Remember what I said about this river being a biatch!!!!!!!!

We stuck it out and managed to pick off a few fish here and there.

And then I went for a little walk and found a nice tail out section of a large pool unoccupied so I slide in and started drifting. I was dialed in immediately and managed to put on a little bit of a clinic. So much so that a guy up from me actually came over to ask what I was using for bait. When I showed him, he quickly retied a bead and proceeded to hit 3 fish immediately himself. Anyone still reluctant to fish beads????

With sore shoulder I made my way back down to see what dad was up to and was glad to hear he had hit a few fish himself. I was not so glad to hear that he managed to blow up the GL3 on a tank of a chromer... I think he still had a tear running down his cheek as he told me the story! Oh well, I guess I will see what the Loomis warranty is like.

The fishing was so good again today that even the fly chuckers in the drift boat were tuning up fish. And WoW are the fish ever big and healthy this year!!

As spectacular as October was this was certainly a stellar start to November!!!! I am thinking this will be a Fall to remember for years to come.

2011 Beef Run....

2011-11-01T18:32:00.001-07:00

Its that time again when I need to make the trek up to Bruce County to pick up our yearly supply of organic beef straight off my father-in-laws farm.

Over the past few years I have been able to coordinate this endevour with a day of fishing on one of my all time favorite rivers. This year would be no different except for the fact that it is much later in the year and the river was just coming into prime shape. Sometimes fate works in your favor!!!

The original gameplan was for dad to pick me up at my house as soon as I got home from work Tuesday morning and fish all day, stay overnight so that we could fish again Wednesday before picking up the Beef on our way home. This gameplan was completely crushed late Monday night when I was informed that the butcher shop was not open on Wednesdays! We would still be afforded a fish on Tuesday but would have to come home that evening......

I had recieved a report that the big river was on fire Monday so we were pretty jacked about giving it a go. I know it is not my dad's favorite river but he still enjoys spending a day along her flowing banks.

We didn't get to the river until mid morning but the sun was shining and the angler pressure was somewhat low so we quickly slipped down the path and settled into a nice big run. It didn't take but a few drifts to hook up with a hot Lake Huron chromer.

The fishing was terrific to say the least and there was constantly a fish on somewhere along the river within eyesight. There is never a shortage of anglers but there was plenty of fish to go around.

I was as tired as I have been in a very long time due to Monday's night shift and I was very dissapointed that we could only fish the one day but I could not help but be in a very happy place. The fishing exceeded my expectations ( I typically keep my expcectations low on this river because she can be a very humbling biatch ) and it was a simply beautiful day - although when the wind picked up it did make things a little miserable. I even made a new fishing buddy....

My landing ratio was not so stellar on this outing but I chock that up to the fact that I was exclusively running beads in tandem with a roe bag. Beads seem to be all the rage right now and I have always been a "roe guy" and very reluctant to try any artificials. But I have been hearing so much about them that I thought I would give them a go. All I gotta say is that those dame little things work - WELL!!!

A great day for sure. In the end, many fish were hooked and the beef was delivered. I am so tired I can't see straight - GOOD NIGHT!!!

A frosty morning on a prime river

2011-10-28T13:29:00.000-07:00

Our little piece of heaven came into shape early this fall season and periodic bouts of precipitation have already afforded a few opportunities to fish her clearing and on the drop.

With a mid week bump in level I was cautiously hopeful that it would be fishable by Friday. Having to work nights all weekend left me wondering if I would miss this small window all together but a message from a good friend telling me that the river was priming up already on Thursday would surely mean an early morning trip.

This would be the perfect opportunity to take dad on a hike to fish some upper water. It has been a few years since he has made the breathtaking fall foilage walk through the bush, mainly due to a lack of opportunity but also somewhat due to a tendency to prefer the ease of fishing the bottom end.

It was the first real good frost of the year and the truck thermometer read -4 degrees as we pulled out of my driveway.

I chose a specific access point for a number of reasons - it is a fairly easy trek in, the crowds are usually slim and there are some real nice runs through that section. We would be slightly above the section where the more stellar reports have been coming from but I was certain we would have the opportunity to do battle with some chrome adversaries.

Sure enough as we approached the river we noticed that the section below us was starting to load up with anglers. Arriving at our destination it was a relief to be the only vehicle. We suited up and took off off for the river with that giddy anticipation that is comparable only to a child at Christmas time.

It was one of those days that will be long remembered, right from the first drift of the morning when dad hooked up with a chrome rocket, to a flurry of activity ending the morning fish that would rival any hour of fishing I have ever had.

There is no doubt in my mind if we had fished longer ( I had to get home to work nights ) and if we had done any amount of wading, we might have had one of those days that only the most die hard steelheader could even comprehend.

If October is any indication I think this is going to be a fall to remember for sure

Game On!

2011-10-18T17:53:00.000-07:00

The precipitation last weekend was destined to prime up my favorite trib but facing a week full of 12 hour days I was constantly trying to convince myself that the season is early and that I would have ample opportunity to fish in November and December.

And then, on a pure whim I called in a favour to get a day off - by all accounts Tuesday would be the day and after securing coverage I soon gathered up my gear and got super charged up for the inaugural trip of the fall season.

The anticipation for this trip grew with each passing minute. I was excited for a prime conditions, October chrome and a day on the river in good company.

As the darkness gave way to light I found that the river still carried a little more sediment that I was expecting. It was by no means 'unfishable' but as the morning hours passed with minimal action it certainly became my go to excuse.

Despite the limited action it was a great morning as I saw a number of faces that I have not seen on the river in years. I spent as much time chatting and texting as I did fishing. The morning was slow all over and the consensus was that there must be fish to be caught at some point during the day. And sure enough, seemily as a result of the rising sun, the fish finally decided to cooperate mid day.

October chrome are magnificent fish!!!

This spunky male has to be one of my biggest - he taped out almost 32" and was a remarkably solid fish.

Dad and I were both very grateful to be on the river once again and look forward to a great fall season of Steelheading.

There are fish in the system and lots more precipitation in the 14 day forecast..... Game On!!!

Summer Fun

2011-07-23T07:16:00.000-07:00

Not much to brag about piscatorally over the last few months but we have spent a few nights in the trailer and managed to wet a line a few times with the girls.

The new truck is simply awesome when it comes to pulling the trailer and camping!!!

Fisherman's Cove is one of our favorite places to spend some lazy family time.

Otter Lake provides some great fishing for kids as the bass and panfish are incredibly abundant. During the week my dad came to visit and we have our second installment of the 'Harvie Challenge'. We rented a boat for a few hours and headed out on the lake.

Georiga got us on the board early with a nice largemouth!!!

Meghan was quick to reply with a big largie of her own plus a bunch of panfish.

Dad and Meg pulled out to a pretty hefty lead but Georgia and I narrowed the gap considerably before Meg landed this nice little rock bass to pull ahead 25-24 just as time expired to end the challenge.

In retrospect I wonder if keeping score was a wise decision because it no doubt instilled in my girls the whole 'numbers concept'. They seem to have a competative edge with each other when it comes to fishing that I only wish they would display while on the ice or the ball field!! We would make a few more trips to shore fish over the course of the week and each one seemed to end in someone pouting because the other one caught more fish. There is a pretty good life lesson I suppose as I tried to explain how fishing is not about the numbers but rather the experience - only to think to myself how hypocritical that is since I myself have left the river on occasion a little less than happy for having been tuned by someone.

As July melts to an end during this ridiculous heat wave I am looking forward to August. Next month will see us spend almost 20 nights in the trailer - most of which will be in the northern reaches of the Bruce Penninsula.

I love summer holidays!!!

Internet sensations.

2011-04-26T05:29:00.000-07:00

Brian and Gene finally made it to You Tube with their fishing prowess. I think they have been trying to keep it low key so as not to attract too much attention but I thought it worthy of sharing.

Now I know why Gene likes that clear, skinny water.

Fish Call

Keep up the good work guys - perhaps this is just the first step to securing your own network fishing show!!

The Easter Bunny brought me some chrome!

2011-04-25T18:27:00.001-07:00

Part of me really wanted to hit the river for first light this morning but I had just spent Good Friday and Saturday over in Michigan fishing and I spent Easter Sunday working so I thought it best to spend Easter Monday morning with my girls. Any time spent with them is quality time well spent but I still found myself longing to catch a fish on my favorite trib.

Sitting at my parent's table after lunch I couldn't help but notice that my dad was also staring inquistively out the window at the rain. It had been quite some time since he has fished and the forecast precipitation would no doubt slam shut any window of opportunity to do so.

With my girls playing quietly together and my wife and mother talking "girl talk", I winked at dad and whispered " lets go fishing". His eyes lit up and smile came across his face. Approval was easily granted and in mere minutes we were flying up the highway en route.

All indications told me that conditions would be ok - I anticipated a bit of a shit-rat gong-show in the lower sections but to my surprise the angling pressure was low. The river was also a little lower than I expected but it was holding some colour so I was pretty confident that we could hit some fish.

It was great to share a drift with the old fella again although I think I was into my third fish before he finally managed to lob his float into the run.

The lower section of the river has changed again this year. It is truly amazing the power that the ice and high water have in carving out the river bed. A favorite drift from years back known to us as "the funnel" is now back in the main flow.

For the last number of years the river was directed on the opposite side of the Island. We used to drift right along the edge of the logs and into the pocket above the rapids. From what I can only imagine is due to Lake Huron levels, in prime conditions back then all the logs would be under water - not sure we will see that again though.

Also disappearing years ago was another favorite run we called "the willows". The river used to run on the far side of what used to be an island and there was a nice deep trough all along the far bank.

We only fished for a few hours tonight but we hooked a number of fish. If you count the monster smallies we actually hooked a shitload of fish!!! The fish of the afternoon was this big fresh hen and the smile tells it all.

We saw a few fish caught and heard tell of some crazy number from the last two days but when all was said and done, we were just happy that the Easter Bunny afforded us a few hours on our favorite river, with a bit of chrome thrown in for good measure.

6 month hiatus???????

2011-04-23T17:29:00.000-07:00

Almost 6 months since my last entry and I can honestly say I have fished only a couple times during that time period. I seemed to loose some of my passion for both fishing and blogging but a timely invite on a stellar roadtrip may have rekindled some of that fire, even if the next steelheading adventure may not take place for another 6 months.

March and April both afforded me opportunities to accompany Brian to his little hideaway on the West Side of Michigan.

The late March trip was bitter cold but we took the Hyde for its maiden voyage in the lower Big Manistee and even managed a couple fish amongst the stellar scenery.

Lots of Bud Lights and lots of laughs with Brian and Arn over a couple days of fishing was just what I needed having had a very dismall fall steelheading season locally.

A chance text from Brian mid last week had me scrambling to try and free myself up for another "Ram Roadtrip" to the West Side.

The weather was much more cooperative but the blackflies and the angling pressure was ridiculous at best!! Oh well, that can only mean the fish are in......

Arriving at the cabin late afternoon on Thursday we quickly cracked a Bud Light and organized our gear. We geared up and headed for Tippy Dam. We picked away at a bunch of small rainbow smolts and roe munching browns as we watched the masses hook a good number of fish up and down both sides of the river. We struggled a bit to dial in to the steelies but there were a few hook ups and a couple fish landed. We definitely liked what we saw ( minus number of anglers ) enough to know that we would fish the same area at first light on Friday.

Back at the cabin we settled in to the hockey game and shot the shit over some hot dogs and a bunch of beers. It wasn't a super late night but I rose from bed after hearing the alarm in the next room no less than 10 times ( damn snooze button LOL ) with a decent headache.... a couple Aleves chased with a coffee and we were geared up and headed back to Tippy.

The morning fish was similar to the prior evening. The masses pushed up around the coffer and the guys fishing the beds were hitting fish with some consistency and we continued to pick away at the smolts with a few good hookups thrown in.

The highlight of the morning for me was this big dark male that kicked my ass for a little bit as the boat anglers congregated up and down stream of me to watch as they waited to pass by. In the end, I won the battle and my only regret is that I didn't capture the true essence of the beast in photo form. He wasn't long but he was thick and powerfull and put up a formidable battle in the big flow of the Manistee at Suicide Bend.

I chose this outing to try out a new mainline on the Riverkeeper. I went with 8lb test Fireline Crystal and after a full moring of casting with a few decent hookups the verdict is positive. I had absolutely no issues with line twist and outside of the line being a little noisier through the guides it perfomed flawlessly for me. I think I am sold on it!!

After a full morning of bouncing around the river from Tippy down to the tail of Suicide Bend we decided to head back to the cabin for some lunch and develop a game plan for the afternoon fish.

Over some brats and a bowl of 5 alarm hot chili we decided to forgo the Hyde and head over to Sawdust for a few hours to close out the day. This would turn out to be a great call since the angling pressure here was low and the river looked mint. We managed to cap a glorious day of fishing by each landing stellar hens in opposite directions in their 'journey'. Brian bested a super long and lean dropback and I managed a thick and fresh gal on her way up.

While the timing and conditions could and maybe should have presented us more opportunities than what we encountered it was nothing shy of a GREAT day on the river. We are not as young as we used to be and there is no doubt that the Big Manistee River beat the shit out of both of us on Good Friday. Back at the cabin we both lamented about aching backs, sore legs, ankles, shoulders etc and after a good number of drinks and some kick ass home made burgers is became quite evident that a first light fish was just not going to happen. Instead we made a wise decision to sleep in and take a morning roadtrip to see the Little Manistee Weir.

As a steelheader I would encourage anyone who fishes these creatures ( or their salmonid cousin Chinooks ) should read up on the work that goes on at this Weir. Michigan's finest are brood stock for stocking efforts abroad.

Not too mention, it is a beautiful little stream and the giant Bald Eagle nests along its banks are incredible.

Judging by the fact that the Blog is back to life and that I am contemplating fishing locally in the coming days, I have to say there might just be a burning ember where that fire used to be.

Thanks again for the invite Brian!!

I think I am back......

November Rains

2010-11-05T07:11:00.000-07:00

Well October has come and gone and the month of November should bring some great fishing as all of our systems have already seen a decent push of fish. With the rains of Novemeber the rivers rise and drop down into shape drawing our chrome, finned adversaries from the Lake. Ahhhh November Rains!! That has a nice ring to it, someone should use it as a title for a fishing blog.

Although we hadn't had any real precipation for a while I was awarded the opportunity to venture north and fish the big river for a couple days. My only responsibility was to pick up our 1/4 of beef on the way home!!!

The river wasn't in what I would call terrific shape as she was low but it always seems to hold a number of fish.

I fished very hard all day and was rewarded with a few fish.
It had been a while since I caught a croaker in the Lake Huron tribs but today would see me land a couple.

Much to the chagrin of some fellow anglers I did not harvest this fish, but I did manage to squeeze a jar of roe from her prior to release. The eggs were incredibly small but hey, it's fresh roe right! Can't beat that, or can you????

Mid morning I intercepted a nice pod of these, hitting 4 or 5 in a matter of 30 minutes.

Around noon I chose to climb back out to the car to enjoy a sandwich and a pop and come up with a gameplan for the afternoon.

I made the decision to tie a few fresh roe bags and hit a locale a little upstream where fish are known to hold. I made the climb down the cliff and while I found myself a little handicapped by deadfall and wind, I was confident that the fresh roe would be the ticket to hitting a fish or two. After smashing up the fresh roe bags on rocks and sticks I made the decision to throw one of my original bags ( which I might add is 2 year old commercially purchased roe ) and whammo!! I hit a big colorful buck. Unfortunately I was a little premature with the release at my feet so any chance for a photo opp was quickly lost.

I fished the area for a little while longer before deciding to hit the lower section again in hopes of a late afternoon push of fresh fish. On my way up the cliff there was all of a sudden a wicked commotion just downstream from me - I watched in horror as a good chunk of the clay bank let loose and crashed down into the river below. Thank goodness I was not standing in the way of that!!! I have always been leary about it but that was truly eye opening to see it happen.

I bounced around down low for another hour so before packing it in for the day. The sky was starting to gray up and a sprinkle of rain had me very excited about the potential for the next morning fish.

I made arrangements to fish day two with Scott, who lives in Port Elgin and works for the same company as me but at the Tiverton plant. I said I would never do it but I sold my IM9 to him and we met up in town where I handed the rod over to him and he rigged up under the lights of the Shoppers Drug Mart parking lot.

It rained off and on all morning but the fishing would be tough. I was able to hit a couple more small silvers but I was sure hoping for one of those big, lean fresh bullets that Lake Huron is known for.

I would finally get my chance - a beauty of a fresh hen, about 7 pounds. I carefully beached her, laid my rod down and positioned her along side the CTS. As I reached for the camera she gave one last flop and I couldn't contain her any longer. Away she swam, sans picture, leaving me with nothing but a memory and a reel full of sand!!!

All in all, it was a great couple days on the Saugeen River. Like I said, I had to work pretty hard for the fish I caught and I didn't really see too many other fish caught but I love that river and relish any opportunity to bounce around up and down her banks in search of chrome.

Once again, I am very pleased with the CTS.

I picked up the beef early afternoon and as I headed home through Huron County this is what I encountered...

Ahhh November rains, anyone want to fish next week?????

Just like old times.....

2010-10-27T13:54:00.001-07:00

Today I fished with an old fishing buddy on the very system we spent many of our College days. It was Adam who actually got me into float fishing. His uncles were/are diehard 'pinners and it was from them that he learned the art of the drift, only to pass it along to me. I am eternally grateful to him for that!!!

After that ridiculous day I had on Monday I seemed to have refound the insanity. I was pretty worried about what the "70 year storm" was going to do but a quick look at the weather network early this morning and I knew we were in for a good day.

It didn't take long to each hit a few fish so that afforded us the opportunity to spend more time chatting than fishing. It was nice to catch up as life seems to be preventing us many opportunities to get together.

The wind picked up HUGE forcing us to take refuge upstream. It was a beautiful day for a walk in the bush.

Have I ever mentioned that I LOVE October steelhead??

Instead of walking back to the truck we were fortunate enough to make a friend who gave us a ride - as well as a free pass to access this spot without walking :)

If my first two days out are any indication, this is going to be a quite a Fall!!

PS yes Joe, that is 'angry sweater guy'.....LOL

The right place at the right time!

2010-10-25T18:32:00.000-07:00

I have been lacking any real sense of passion when it comes to fishing lately. Perhaps this is due in large to the fact that I have not taken a drift since early April. None-the-less the desire to catch some early season chrome has been seriously overmatched by a desire to stay home and sleep in.

But today I dragged my sorry ass out of bed ( albeit later than I had planned...) grabbed the new CTS float rod and hit the river.

As the day began I was really only looking to be fortunate enough to hook up with a fish or two to test out the new stick. I have had the damn thing since April and have been very anxious to find out if it is in fact the high end blank that it is rumoured to be.

Sometimes you just need to be at the right place at the right time and today I certainly was.

It didn't take long..... my first 6 drifts resulted in hookups and the action would stay consistent all day long. The CTS would easily meet and even exceed my expectations.

Many fish were hooked, from this +30" male

numerous chrome males

and lots of these smaller silvers

Today was easily the best day number wise I have ever had on the river. Over the years I have had some pretty big days State Side and some equally spectacular days closer to home in December but there is something very surreal about doing battle with so many wild, fresh Lake Huron chromers in October. I can't imagine how many fish pushed by me over the course of the day but the fishing was consistent from start to finish.

I apologize for the lack of pictures and the poor quality of the ones I did get but I was having some technical difficulties with the camera. Besides, with the warmer water temps and how hard the fish fight at this time of year I prefer to release them quickly. And to be honest, I kept expecting the action to die off so I was continually anxious to grab that next drift.

The CTS is a very light and powerful rod. It is by far the lightest float rod I have ever used ( even lighter than the GL3) and has just as much power as my IM9. With so many fish willing to do battle it was the perfect opportunity to see just what the rod was capable of. Instead of chasing any of the hot fish downstream I just clamped down and let the rod go to work. Most of the fish were easily turned around. In fact this rod has so much power I actually straightened out 2 hooks!!!! At no time did I feel underpowered and the light weight of this rod made things really easy on the shoulder.

I couldn't be happier with the CTS or the start to the Fall steelhead season.

I think I have refound that missing passion......

Lake Erie - Take 2

2010-07-15T05:39:00.000-07:00

When I got an email from Bill saying the boat was leaving dockside around 4pm Wednesday I was quick to clear my schedule so I could participate in what would be a ridiculous evening off Erieau.

Bill and I would be joined by another buddy and his 9 year old son. Luke's passion for fishing was insipiration and I enjoyed every minute of watching him. He casted tube jigs to perch off the dock while we set up the boat, he watched the rods with great anticipation the whole time we were on the water and the minute his feet hit the shore he was tossing a spinnerbait in search of a bass.

The evening started out slowly but once the action started it was pretty steady for a couple hours with the final hour being absolutely chaotic.

Luke landed the first fish of the day off a dipsey.

His arms were sore but his smile was even bigger than his fish. Not bad for his first rainbow!!!!

We continued to pick off some nice bows at a steady pace.

This fish was a solid speciman and I had guessed it at 13lbs only to have the digital scale tip at just shy of 11lbs.

We even managed some "Green" on this trip.

Our evening would also see us boat a couple of these....

The Lamprey is truly a hideous and grotesque creature and I thought poor Luke was going to jump overboard when the first one popped off the fish and started slithering around the bottom of the boat like a possessed snake.

It was an evening full of laughter as well and I still crack a smile when I picture Jeff landing a 5lb bow without the aid of a rod, reel or net. How is that possible you ask??? Well, it all started when the port side dipsey rod started singing that lovely song. Jeff grabbed it and when he set the hook the clutch of the reel disengaged and out of nowhere came the largest birds nest in a reel that I have ever seen. Without hesitation Jeff grabbed the line and started hand bombing it in. Fortunately for him the fish was coming straight at the boat. With the net at the front of the boat and the fish to the stern much too quickly Jeff opted to perfectly time an aerial in the prop wash and yard the fish directly into the boat in mid flight. The bezerk thrashing of a fresh fish and the chaos that enued from within the boat was truly hysterical. Of all the video I took the first day I am mad at myself for not capturing footage of this spectacle.

We ended the evening fast and furious as we boated all three fish from a triple header.

All in all it was another formidable slaughter but I made a few neighbors and coworkers pretty happy to have some fresh trout fillets for dinner. There is also somewhat of a waiting list for Bill's next batch from the smoker and his plan was to do up a good chunk of this catch.

Again, I must tip my hat to our American friends who keep stocking these crazy fish for our enjoyment!!! Keep up the good work!!

Lake Erie Summer Chrome

2010-07-10T09:41:00.000-07:00

It has been a while since I have even thought about fishing but an email from Bill wondering if I wanted to come down to the cottage and go fishing and I was keen once agian.

The Lake Erie fishery is nothing short of spectacular. The perch fishing has always been widely regarded on Erie as has the walleye fishing but thanks to our American friends on the Southern shores of Lake Erie the steelhead fishing has become world class. With all four shoreline States stocking fish in the thousands, the overall numbers of steelhead are stagering.

So a plan was initiated to meet Friday morning and along with a couple other buddies, head out on the Lake to try and do battle with some fiesty chrome, and perhaps a few 'eyes' as well.

Upon my arrival at the cottage, the other guys were busy rigging up the Boston Whaler for the day's adventure. Bill has a 20" Whaler which makes a pretty damn nice boat to fish from. Being a bow rider it made it nice to stand up front and watch the "Lake Erie spread' for that heart pounding scream of 'FISH ON'.

With four of on on board we could have thrown out 8 lines but for our own sanity we keep it to 6 - 2 on the riggers, 2 on dipseys and 2 on the planer boards. Even this proved challenging a couple times as we found ourselves tangled but it was a decent attack which found success.

And success came quick and often. We had no longer cleared the breakwall of Erieau, slid out to the Point, dropped the lines and I was yelling 'FISH'.

It was a beautiful morning despite the rain and with the ridiculous heat spell we had been under for the last week, the cool rain slapping us in the face actually felt quite nice. The Lake was flat and made for some peaceful trolling at a key speed of 3mph. Lots of guys have their favorite lures and colours but I am a believer that these steelhead are such aggressive lake feeders that anything that imitates a baitfish will induce a violent take.

We continued to pick off fish at a consistent pace for a couple hours until the wind picked up out of the North and chopped up the Lake a bit. The fish then seemed to dissappear so we headed in to the cottage for some breakfast. This was a good call since we already had a formidable slaughter with 9 fish in the box ( having missed at least a half dozen other hits ).

That is one thing I find strikingly different from river fishing - the slaughter. Not very many fish find their way back to the Lake after being hooked. I suppose in retrospect it was not that bad as the four of each took home 2 fish for the table/smoker but it is hard to view the Lake Erie fish as special as those wild Huron tributary fish that I have devoted so much of my time chasing. It is even difficult to take a decent photograph in the boat as things are just too chaotic. You are most often left with few pictures other than the final group shots of the 'kill'. And while I am certain that I did not do justice to beauty of the fish that we caught, I can say that they were all perfect, strong, chrome specimens. Two of the fish were just over 10lbs on the digital scale.

So in leu of any decent pictures on this trip, I chose to take a few videos of the action. I hope you enjoy.....sorry about the language LOL!!!!

Erieau steelhead from Steve Harvie on Vimeo.

Lake Erie steelhead from Steve Harvie on Vimeo.

Great Fight from Steve Harvie on Vimeo.

Where the Hell did Spring go?????

2010-04-14T06:13:00.000-07:00

Last time I went out it was ideal Spring conditions - cold, windy and the Big River had lots of water. Boy what a difference a couple weeks can make. Dad and I went fishing yesterday and it felt ( and looked ) more like mid June than April.

The river was brutal low and the sweat and blackflies were indication enough that this Spring is far ahead of what is typical.

Dad was anxious to fish since he had not been out since early last fall. Reports I got indicated that the Saugeen was low despite some rain in the area last week but we chose to ignore them and head north.

I am not sure I have fished the Saugeen with less water!!! What fish were still in the lower section of the river were hung up on the beds and getting flossed by the 'regulars'.

I had a fish on at First Rapids which was likely a steelie but a long distance release left me wondering if it could have been a sucker or a bass.

We chose to leave the river fairly early and cruise home the Huron shoreline and check out the conidtion of the other tribs.

Arriving at the Bayfield around noon we decided to run a drift or two downstream of the 21 Bridge. Had it not been for the wind there was a decent little drift there and the water was a tinge of green.

As I expected the river was teeming with smallies and void of steelhead. Although a canoeist trolling the river claims he hooked a 15lber earlier in the morning. ?????

We didn't last long but before leaving we noticed 4 young guys slide in and fish upstream of 21 Bridge from the other side. As if that was not illegal enough, we witnessed at least 3 bass hooked up on the stringer. I feel bad for not confronting them but I chose to ignore it and go home rather than risk a punch in the nose or an early season swim. It is a shame that I automatically assume the worst of the four guys - perhaps they truly did not realize what they were doing.???

When I got home I was feeling a pretty dejected as the Spring seems to be more and more disappointment for me but my spirits quickly lifted when I picked up the mail and saw that my CTS had arrived.

It didn't take me long to unwrap it and start to fondle it. Domenic did a fantastic job with the rod and I would absolutely recommend Infinity Rod Creations to anyone wanting a first class custom fishing rod.

Having dabbled in rodbuilding a little bit myself I can appreciate his artistic craftsmanship and could not be happier with the rod aesthetically.

I put the RiverKeeper on it and I must say the two compliment each other very well. This is a very light combo and if it has the power I am told it does then it will be my ideal oufit. I mock loaded it up and it feels pretty soft yet seems to have ample power in the butt.

Hopefully I can put it to the ultimate test yet this Spring but if we don't get some rain soon I fear it may be fall until I get a decent chance.

I'm Back.......

2010-03-25T13:19:00.000-07:00

It has been quite some time since I have even entertained any thoughts of chasing chrome. When I left for Florida a couple weeks ago the area was still in the grips of Old Man Winter and fishing opportunities were limited. While in the 'Sunshine State' I kept in touch with the local weather and with the unseasonable warming trend that rivaled the weather we experienced on our Holidays it did not take long to get the urge once we got back home.

With some free time I packed the gear and headed North.

It was a beautiful day for a drive and the fact that I did not approach the river until close to 3pm did not bother me at all. This time of year it is light until after 7pm and the game plan was to spend the night in the area and fish again in morning.

The river was in nice shape - IMO!

I bounced around the lower sections for a while, watching a few fish being caught while I struggled to regain my casting technique and my confidence.

I did finally shake the cobwebs and hook up with some magnificent steelhead.

I am once again amazed at the beauty and power in these fresh run March fish. Some would argue that October fish are in the prime of their seasonal cycle and while I do enjoy the acrobatics associated with early fall fish, I believe that the robust fish that run in March, fresh from the cold lake, ready to make their long journey upstream to spawn, are truly spectacular.

The Saugeen is one of my favorite rivers, especially in the early spring! She is a big river and can be humbling most of the time.

This trip to the 'Geen was typical in the sense that I saw a lot of fish caught, mostly by a limited number of fisherman. It never fails that one or two guys seem to be the only ones really dialed in - sometimes it is due to technique, sometimes location but some of the time I think it is just fate.

There were a couple guys really zoned in on Wed and while I did land some fish I had to work pretty hard for them.

Thursday however, I was the one dialed in and it felt GREAT!!! I only fished for a little over an hour because the wind picked up fierce out of the North and I chose not to tough it out but I still left the river with a big smile and sore shoulder.

So it looks like the 2010 Steelhead Season has officially begun for me and I am already thinking of heading out again on Monday!!!

#1 WAHOO

2010-01-22T12:55:00.000-08:00

It was the fishing trip of a lifetime.

The exact year escapes me but I would have to think it was maybe February 2004. My good friend Bill was co-owner of a 36' Sailboat called the 3 KINGS which was docked in the Coconut Grove Marina in Miami and we were set to spend a week on board - relaxing, sailing, fishing, snorkeling, relaxing etc.

Upon arriving at the boat in Miami we decided to spend the day in Florida getting our provisions ready and set sail for the Gateway to the Bahamas - the Bimini Islands - first thing in the morning.

After getting enough food and drink for a 7 day adventure we spent the rest of the afternoon sailing around the Miami Bay area. If the two of us were going to navigate out into the North Atlantic Ocean and through a portion of the Bermuda Triangle I had better know enough about sailing to get by incase of an emergency. After a few hours of becoming familiar with all the electronics on board and practicing some sailing maneuvers we docked and headed out for dinner.

We were accompanied by the other two owners of 3 KINGS and over some wings and beer Bill and I were able to convince them to drop everything and come sailing with us. I for one was very happy about this since I am not much of a sailor and Bill had me a little worried about making the trek just the two of us.

The extra bodies were immediately helpful since I spent much of the 5 hour sail across the Atlantic puking my guts out. A combination of the rip-tide, current, pitching of the boat and the beers from the night before was just too much for me to contain!!!

The Island was amazing. It was warm and sunny and the people there were the friendliest imaginable. It was not so much a tourist destination so we were a welcome visitor to the few locals.

The fishing was like nothing I have ever experienced.

Our main MO was to troll flopper Ballyhoo rigs behind the sailboat in search of the many big strong colourful fish that inhabit the ocean.

We caught a number of different species on these Ballyhoo rigs.

We took a break from the big water and spent one afternoon walking the Flats in search of Bonefish. Man what powerful little fish they are.

And so completes my Top Ten list with fish #1- this Wahoo

I caught this fish on a 7' heavy action rod with a spinning reel. The rod was broken just below the reel leaving me absolutely NO leverage on this powerful fish. To make matters worse the bottom guide was missing the ceramic insert causing the 50 lb test mono to literally shred like cheese in a grater. No word of a lie I was down to one last revolution of line on the spool and I had just told the guys that I was screwed when the monster stopped and ran back towards the sailboat allowing me to gain back some of the now 10 lb test line and rest my aching forearms.

The fish didn't jump at all but rather just used its incredible power and speed to its advantage. After a lengthy and tiring battle that I had absolutely no business winning (due mainly to the gear) I finally managed to get it close to the boat. I can still remember the brilliant colours even though the fish was many, many feet below us in the crystal clear water.

The Wahoo is well known for its edibility so as soon as we confirmed it was such, Dougie grabbed the gaff. Like a pro he was able to stab the creature on his first attempt.

Apparently these things are not that common this large and it drew a fair bit of attention at the Marina. The fish fry was well attended by locals that night and any details there after are a little sketchy!!

All the fish caught on this trip were beyond stellar but I might go so far as to call a tie for my overall fish #1 with this beast.

It was our last night of our trip and we set out fishing in hopes of doing battle with a Marlin or Sailfish before we had to pack up and head home.

The ocean was calm and the sun was setting on the horizon as I hear the frantic yells of 'Fish ON'. I grab the rod and the site bestowed upon me will be forever engrained in my mind. A Blue Marlin of about 75lbs came tailwalking out of the ocean with the sun setting behind it. It would have made the most incredible picture/video had someone had the where-with-all amongst all the panic.

After a long arduous battle ( on better tackle!!! ) I was able to get the big fish boatside where we took a quick picture before cutting her loose. We may not be the smartest dudes on the planet but there was no way were going to bring that big long sharp bill in the boat with us!!! It was priceless watching that mass of muscle and fins swim away from the boat and I couldn't help but wonder to myself how on earth people can catch and land those things in the hundreds of pounds class.

If you have never had an opportunity to go 'Deep Sea Fishing' I suggest you put in on your Bucket List. The beauty, strength and diversity of these fish are incredible and the climate is not that bad either!!!

#2 Saugeen Steelhead Perfection

2010-01-21T05:45:00.000-08:00

I may well have seeded this fish a little high on the list but really there is not much to choose between all of the top 10 ( and as well a few honourable mentions ).

In my opinion this fish may be as close to Steelhead perfection as I will ever find.

She was big and healthy with the most stunning white fins I have ever seen. A blue back with a small tight spot pattern gave her a 'ghost like' appearance. There was not a scratch, mark or deformity to be found on her proportionally shaped body - just absolute perfection!

She may not have been the biggest steelhead I have caught but she was a worthy adversary.

This fish was caught on a whirlwind tour of the Lake Huron / Georgian Bay shoreline. It was late November and with some time off we were keen for a roadtrip. Dad and Bill and I toiled with the idea of a Michigan run but I was completely unfamiliar with that area at this time so I opted for the more familiar sights of Grey/Bruce.

We fished the Saugeen, Sydenham, Bighead and Maitland on this 2 day adventure and while the fishing was much less than favourable we did manage a few fish.

The Saugeen was in nice shape on day one but Mother Nature and her 80km/hr winds made that river and absolute impossibility to fish for any length of time. A trip to Owen Sound would find a low and clean Sydenham so we decided to continue on to the Bighead which I had figured to be close to ideal conditions based on some research prior to commencing the trip. We got there late in the day and fished a fairly high and coloured river to no avail until dark. Expecting ideal conditions the next morning we stayed the night in hopes of some fresh chrome on day two. However, once again Mother Nature intervened and 10" of snowfall overnight managed to lock up a river in full flow. I was truly amazed at that phenomenon!!! We immediately headed back to the Saugeen and spent a beautiful winter-like morning drifting the big water.

Fish #2 may well have been the only fish we hit that morning ( I can't remember for certain ) so we ended up cutting our losses and heading the direction of home with the intent of checking out the Maitland for an afternoon fish.

While it was not the most productive roadtrip with respect to numbers it was very much enjoyable to fish a number of flows, share a ton of laughs with my old man and a good friend and get a glimpse of Steelhead perfection.

#3 Bucko

2010-01-20T06:39:00.000-08:00

One of the most memorable steelhead that I have ever caught is this big buck, and it makes my list at #3.

It was a bright cold day in mid December 2007 and the 'home water' had not seen much water for a few weeks. Consistent with the previous few years, the bottom end had been real hit or miss but a much anticipated bump in flow would have us riverside at first light ready for action. The river was just nicely on the drop with nice colour - a perfect recipe to intercept some fish moving in from the Lake.

First light would come and go with only a couple small fish to show for our efforts. By late morning I was a little frustrated at the lack of fresh fish moving through so I grabbed the 2-way radio and told dad that I was going looking - I was too impatient to wait out another push of fish so I took off in search of the chrome that I was positive HAD to have come in with this flow.

I hiked upstream and arrived at my destination ( the first large pool ideal for holding a resting pod of fresh fish ) around 11 am and much to my surprise I had it all to myself. At first I was not sure that was a really good sign but it would turn out to be a very nice bonus.

I knew I didn't have much time since I had to be on the road home by 1:00 so that I could pick up the kids from school. I busted my way quickly up to the head of the pool intent on giving it a quick go before heading back down to dad.

First cast and my float disappears violently within seconds. As I battled the hot chromer I could literally see all kinds of activity in the pool.

JACKPOT!!

After a couple fish it was obvious that there were lots in this pool so I quickly called dad on the 2-way. There wasn't much time but I encouraged him to book it up to where I was and share in the festivities.

Unfortunately he was too content where he was so I continued to pound away at them until I had to leave. I don't remember how many fish I hit that day but it was pretty substantial and in a very short time window. There are few things in life sweeter than having a pool all to yourself and just standing on the freshest, most aggressive fish you can imagine. :)

The highlight of that day was definitely that big buck. I ballparked his length on my rod and taped it out crudely at home to be around 33" with some serious shoulders. A true testiment to Lake Huron steelhead genetics.

It was one of those days that I will not soon forget.

#4 Big, Brown and Ugly

2010-01-18T17:39:00.000-08:00

Last November I got a message from Joe wondering if I wanted to fish NY State for a couple days. I had fished an Erie trib in NY about 15 years ago but that is now merely a distant memory so I was quick to arrange the schedule and agree to join him. I was anxious to fish the Lake Ontario tribs and hook up with some browns.

It was unseasonally cold and snowy last November but that did not deter us.

After stopping by the local tackle shop to get me a license we made our way to the river. The Oak is a beautiful system with tea coloured water and there were no shortage of other anglers.

That didn't bother me at all. Actually we met some VERY interesting people on this trip.

The Oak would offer up a few browns.

The highlight of the trip for me was #4.

He was big and ugly but by far the largest brown I have ever caught. In fact these were the first lake run browns I have ever caught as they are few and far between up the Lake Huron shoreline.

This roadtrip would also see us catch a few steelies from the 18 Mile at Burt Dam ( an experience in itself...) and travel east to Rochester to hike the gorge of the Genesee River.

I would like to thank Joe for his hopsitality and comraderie on this trip and as well for his photographic talents.

It was fun and we should do it again dude!

Perchin' with Georgia

2010-01-17T14:22:00.000-08:00

I took Georgia perch fishing on Mitchells Bay today.

What a riot!!

I wasn't too sure how she would handle it but she did fantastic and is wanting to go again soon.

A couple buddies from work and their kids went too and with the help of a local we made our way out to where there had been some success over the previous days. There were some bad spots in the ice so it was nice to have Scotty to act as our guide.

I think Georgia liked the ride out as much as she liked the fishing.

We did our best to make sure the kids were comfortable. We had the Cube, complete with heater and lots of snacks.

I went so far as to let Geo take her DS just in case her boredom was too much for either of us to handle but she didn't even play on it. She spent a fair bit of time fishing and a lot of time playing with the minnows!!

It was a pretty slow day fish wise but it was great to be out. The fish were biting so lightly that it was hard for the kids to hook up with them. I tried pretty hard to capture Georgia landing one on video but each time I was ready, the fish didn't cooperate. She ice fishes like a little pro!!!

Untitled from Steve Harvie on Vimeo.

missed him from Steve Harvie on Vimeo.

a pro from Steve Harvie on Vimeo.

We got enough for supper and they were delicious!!

It was a lot of fun today.

In fact I asked Georgia on the way home if she had fun and she replied with a quick and emphatic "YES".

When I asked if she had enough fun to go ice fishing with me again sometime she replied " Dad, I love you so much I would do anything to spend the day with you."

I nearly cried.......

#5 One from the Beach

2010-01-16T04:35:00.000-08:00

Over the past decade I have come to enjoy shaking things up once in a while and hitting the 'beach' in hopes of hooking up with some staging steelhead and salmon. Surf fishing is very much dictated by conditions and is likely not for the low in patience type of angler but under the right circumstances it can be a lot of fun.

It is only fitting that at least one entry from the top 10 be from the Beach since I have had some good times and caught some great fish from there.

It was Fall of 2007 and a group of coworkers decided to head up to Fall's Reserve for a little camping trip. This trip was more about relaxing after our Fall Shutdown at work and talking about how hard we work and how we should be paid more and have to do less, than it was about fishing but there is no way that I was going to spend a few days in October that close to the rivers without giving it an honest effort.

If memory serves it was the first day of our trip and rather than have the whole heard follow me to the river I decided to take the gang beach fishing. It was a very cool but calm night and we had a riot hanging out at the edge of the Lake telling stories and drinking a few beers. The fishing was slow but I did manage to hook a couple fresh steelies from the depths of Lake Huron.

It is quite different fighting a fish in the Lake from shore. Probably the most difficult hurdle to overcome is fighting a big strong fish on a spinning reel again after having using a centerpin exclusively on the rivers. Then there is the helpless feeling of not being able to chase them as they peel off line for the US side of the Lake.

5 might be a little high on the list for this fish but it certainly comes to mind when I reflect on some of my more memorable fish. The beach may not be my number 1 method of choice for catching steelhead but it has it's time and place and fish like #5 are reward enough for the patience.

#6 Algonquin Park Brookie

2010-01-15T10:25:00.001-08:00

Algonquin Park is one of the most beautiful places in the world! That may be a fairly bold statement but there is definitely something magical about the Park.

I have been participating in a yearly Spring pilgrimage into the interior of the Park for a number of years now. Many of these trips were spent with a good College friend and his buddies in search of Lakers but the last few years I have been fortunate to trek in with a good friend/coworker and a couple of his buddies in search of the ever elusive Brook Trout. Algonquin just seems synonymous with the Brook Trout and there really is something special about that fish. It is magical to look over the side of a canoe and see those beautiful colours come up from the depths of the tea stained water.

It was Spring 2007 and we made the long arduous trip to a nice size lake with only one campsite which we would call home for the next 7 days. We chose this lake as it is known to give up the odd trophy Brook Trout but also because we had done some research and knew that there was another small lake off the beaten path that we were pretty sure was full of monster Brookies just waiting for us.

It was that small lake that offered up #6.

It wasn't a large lake but it took us a little while to figure out a pattern for catching fish. We did what I am fairly certain not many people have ever done and bushwacked our canoes into the Lake. This was not easy but it allowed us to work it over hard and while we started out by fishing tight to cover with spinners and grubs and worms but we could not seem to turn a fish. It wasn't until the other 2 guys gave up and went for a mid day paddle dragging lures across the heart of the Lake that we figured it out. Trolling small spoons over deep water would reward us with a consistent number of fish for the remainder of our stay. While most fish were in the 2 lb range, I consider this a trophy fish and would guess it in the 4 to 5 lb range. Once again my photography leaves much to be desired!!!

It was the maiden trip with the 7' Loomis IMX that I tied up for myself and I LOVED it!!

We enjoyed a real nice campsite which served us well for the week. It was anything but easy getting to our destination but once we were there life was great - there is nothing like that first feast of fresh fish done over the campfire!!!

Again, this entry is as much about the trip as the fish itself. This was a great fishing trip with some great guys and while we missed out on the 2009 version we are in the planning stages of the 2010 trip.

#7 The last fish of 2006

2010-01-14T18:42:00.000-08:00

It was New Year's Eve Day 2006 and was most certainly destined to be the last river outing before hunkering down for the winter months. As Brian and Gene can attest to, 2006 was a stellar year for Lake Huron Steelhead. Dad and I had been having great success on this river and it was that year that made me realize just what a magnificent system it is.

This fish was certainly not the largest fish of the year but it is on my top 10 due to the story behind it.

Dad and I had been fishing a winter holding pool since first light and although we hit a couple fish early the action was dead for much of the morning and into the afternoon. We were reluctant to pack it in because the season would close at day's end and with the looming cold front the 'year round' sections would not likely have much to offer in the coming weeks.

Cold and hungry with a sore back from so many consecutive casts I was starting to think it time to call it a season when suddenly the float dips. I set up on a pretty decent fish and suddenly the adrenaline masked any discomforts and I was once again feeling pretty good. After a few seconds of battle I was convinced my combatant was properly hooked so I looked up to give dad a shout over and to my pleasure I see him set up on a fish of his own. A double!!!!!! Where did that come from??? There is little chance that any fish were on the move at this point of the season in the conditions we were facing so I guess we were just LUCKY!

After a couple quick pictures the fish were released and dad and I gave each other the 'that's enough' nod and we packed up our gear. What a great way to end a season!!! We made the long hike out of the valley without much conversation but instead a great deal of reflection on the year's adventures.

As I type this I find it rather funny that I can remember this day 3 years ago but I can't remember what I had for lunch yesterday...........

#8 Early Season Muscle

2010-01-14T16:55:00.001-08:00

This fish will long be remembered as the strongest steelhead I have ever caught.

October of this year offered up some decent early season chrome and dad and Joe and I took advantage with a trip up to the mighty Saugeen. Any top 10 list of mine could not possibly be complete without an entry from one of my favorite rivers.

The river was in decent shape but was being its usual stingy self. I love fishing the Saugeen but I can attest to the fact that she can be a very humbling river to fish. It seems that there is always some success to be found but usually by a small number of the angling pressure and the difference is most often something quite subtle.

The lower section of the river seemed very void of fish on this day and it wasn't until I decided to shake things up and seek some faster water that I found success. I had to change my presentation by upsizing my float and bulking up my shot to properly fish the new water but it was well worth the effort.

Unfortunately, dad and Joe stood their ground down below so any chance of having Joe work his photographic wizardry on this specimen was lost. I am certain that this photo does not do justice to just how big and thick and powerful this fish was. There is something pretty special about early season steelhead due mainly to the fact that they are so fresh from the lake they are stunningly beautiful and full of crazy energy.

After a long, arduous battle I landed the big hen and had to take a rest. My shoulder was on fire from having to hold back on her with constant pressure in the big flow, I had the 15' Frontier and I had it loaded right up for much of the fight. I can't recall just how long it took me to get her to hand but it sure seemed like an eternity.

During a short rest I even went so far as to call Joe on his cell to tell him to get the hell up to where I was but he had left it in the truck. The very next drift resulted in yet another fish so after a quick release I hiked my way back down, showed the evidence of my success from my camera and encouraged them to join me back up there. They were quick to oblige and we ended up hitting a few more fish in that spot before we packed it in for the day.

There is a unique sense of accomplishment landing a big fish in big flow and #8 is a very memorable fish for that exact reason.

#9 Tippy

2010-01-13T16:43:00.000-08:00

The Michigan fishery had been in my sights for a long time mainly due to the exposure from Brian's Blog. He is very obsessed with Michigan and now that I have seen it first hand I have to agree that he has a point.

I had done a bit of research on my own and almost made the trip a couple times but ultimately pulled the plug in favour of fishing locally. I am a bit of a putz in the sense that when push comes to shove I am more apt to go somewhere familiar rather than risk the unknown. That is where Brian comes into the picture and I am very fortunate to have been able to tag along with him on a few out of province expeditions.

It was March 2008 and I quickly jumped at the chance to fish with Brian . We had made a previous attempt at fishing together on a trip to OHIO which ended up being little more than a LONG drive. Our journey this day would take us across the State of Michigan to the 'West Side'.

My expectations for this trip were tremendous but not with respect to numbers. I had done enough research to know that Michigan is more about the quality of the fish and the beauty of the setting than numbers of fish. That is the magic of Michigan and it is quite different than Ohio or NY in that respect.

An early morning departure put us at the Big Manistee River shortly after first light and I was in a very happy place. The river was quite reminiscent of the Saugeen which is a river that I really enjoy fishing.

After only a few drifts Brian hooks up with an awesome chromer and just seeing one of Lake Michigan's finest would make our day. Fate also smiled on me that day and I hooked up not long after on #9 - my first Michigan steelhead!!!

I look back on that trip as a pivotal moment for me as it was this trip that marked the beginning of a good friendship with Brian and as well instilled in me a true fascination with the West Side.

Thanks dude, I owe you a debt of gratitude for helping take my steelheading experiences to a whole new level.

#10 Home Water Chrome

2010-01-12T09:47:00.000-08:00

While I consider my 'home water' to be the same system as Brian and Gene, I have typically fished above or below their access point of choice. Over the past decade this little gem has been my number one choice when chasing steelhead and the vast majority of my time fishing has been spent on this "little piece of heaven" (as Brian has so appropriately referred to it)

It seems that over the past few years dad and I have concentrated our efforts more to the lower sections of the river due to the ease of access. Neither one of us are getting any younger and those big hikes are becoming increasingly difficult!!

I still long for the 'good ole days' when the bottom end of the river held big numbers of fish wondering whether to make the journey upstream or wait out some more ideal conditions. The past decade has been very much a 'hit or miss' fishery down there and I contribute that to a couple factors - lower lake levels and the dredging of the harbour about 12 years ago. Whatever the cause, gone are the days of standing on fish all day long in this section and here are the days of trying to time pods of fish as they bust by you heading for the upper sections of the river.

Anyway, this fish was caught in Nov 2008 and I remember it like it was yesterday.

The river was on the drop and the weather was warm and sunny. We picked up a couple fish right at first light but once again, despite ideal conditions, it looked as though we were going to go home frustrated. We fished the entire lower section pretty hard as we were certain that at any time a fresh pod of chrome could enter the system and it would be 'game on'.

And then about 4 hours later it happened. We were fishing a beauty little run where we were very confident that if any fish moved through we would intercept a few.

There is no way of telling just how many fish pushed by us but we were able to bring a number of big, fresh chromers to the bank in the next little while. Unfortunately, the action was over as abruptly as it started but not before we turned a potentially frustrating outing into a very memorable outing.

This fish was big and chrome and overall stunning in appearance but what I recall most vividly about #10 is the fight. This fish displayed every attribute that you can imagine in a hooked steelhead - long powerful runs both upstream and downstream, multiple acrobatic jumps, rolling up in the line, diving for cover, dogging, headshaking - you name it and this fish did it. It was truly a challenge to land this fish and I can still remember that feeling of accomplishment when I held it up for the photos.

Harv's Top 10

2010-01-12T08:44:00.000-08:00

Continuing with the Top 10 theme started by Gene and then followed up by Brian, I have decided to put out a list of my own. I found both previous lists to be very riveting and extremely well written so I can only hope that I can do justice to my own.

My list will consist of my top 10 fish of the past decade.

I have been trying to organize my iPhoto library and one thing that is blatantly obvious is that my photo taking was seriously lacking prior to the start of my blog last year. Blogging certainly encourages one to take more and better quality pictures and that in itself is one of the main reasons that I have decided to continue with the blog into 2010.

Another thing that comes to mind as I assembled my list on my Desktop is that the list is not necessarily about the biggest fish but just as much about the story behind them so I hope that I am able to relay the true essence of why each fish has made the list.

I am looking forward to having the list since many of the fish are 'pre blog' and it will be nice to have an archived account for each of them.

While I have selected my top 10 fish, I cannot promise to have the list published over the next 10 days like that obsessive compulsive retard from November Rains. (although I must say I really enjoyed knowing that Brian's entries were coming daily - it really added to continuity of the overall list)

I am home today resting somewhat comfortably on the couch whacked out on Ibuprofen due to some cracked ribs from hockey the other night but the occasional coughing fits which cause me to momentarily loose consciousness from the pain will likely prevent me from publishing #10 any time soon. Stay tuned and hopefully I can in some way capture everyone's imagination and help cope with the sub zero temps and bucket loads of white stuff.

Happy New Year!!!!

2009-12-31T08:20:00.000-08:00

As 2009 draws to a close I cannot help but reflect on a year of fishing. One of the reasons that I went ahead with this blog was so that I could at any time have a detailed look back at my fishing exploits. I very much enjoyed perusing the past year's events and I am extremely thankful to Brian for talking me into doing it in the first place.

I finally put a hit counter on the thing just a short while ago and already I am up to 800 hits so apparently there are peeps out there in the cyber world that frequently read my garble. I know a of a few people for certain who don't fish at all but take some enjoyment from the content of my entries. It is kind of a surreal feeling to know that people are 'picking up what I am putting down' so to speak.

A few things really come to mind as I recap the last year of the decade.

Firstly, I didn't really as often as I thought I would have. In years past I have certainly put in more time 'angling' so I will ultimately chalk this year up to Mother Nature.

As always, I had good hard water intentions that never seem to come to fruition but last winter was so damn cold it was too easy to stay inside.

Spring always seem to come and go way too quickly so angling opportunities are often limited for me at this time of year.

The summer is just too busy to find enough time to wet a line often enough.

And to cap off the year, this fall was one of poor conditions. October gave up some nice early chrome but November was a drought and December was so cold things shut down quickly (for me at least).

Secondly, I was able to spend some quality time with some quality people while angling this year.

As always, dad and I took a few trips to river together in 2009 and it was time well spent for sure.

Fishing with my girls is always a blast, although at times very hard on the patience quotient. I will admit that I should have taken them out more often and I pledge to do so in 2010.

And then there are the members of the 'steelhead fraternity'. You guys are freaks but I am grateful to know each of you and to have shared many drifts and laughs on the river with you. I continue to learn from and be inspired by each of you but most importantly I am honored to call you friends.

And finally, as I reflect on 2009 I have to admit that I am a very lucky guy. I have a wonderful family and great friends. Life is good!!

Happy New Year to everyone!!

And YES, I do plan on keeping the blog alive for another year - for better or worse!!

Solitude and Redemption

2009-12-07T16:16:00.001-08:00

I fished this morning and did not see another human being the whole time. It couldn't have come at a better time. I spent some quality time with myself today and I am in a better place mentally for it. I know I have commented previously about not really liking to fish alone but today I thoroughly enjoyed the solitude.

My mental state was further enhanced by a redemption of sorts. It has been a while since I have had a 'great' day on the river, falling short of pre trip expectations frequently. Today I set my expectations moderately high due to some favorable reports from the weekend and I had a fantastic day. I have had some of my best days fishing in December and today ranks right up there.

Large, coloured males made up the bulk of my success today but there were some beauty chrome hens and small silvers to compliment.

All the fish hit hard and fought hard and my shoulder is a little sore tonight. It is difficult to capture the essence of these creatures on camera when fishing alone. The air was cold and the water is frigid so any attempt at manipulating the fish for photos was quick and painless - for both the fish and my hands!!!

Old Man Winter vs Old Man Norland

2009-12-04T18:26:00.000-08:00

Old Man Winter reared his ugly head today.....

So did Old Man Norland.....

Although I had the day off today I really didn't intend on fishing. That is until I got a late evening email from Gene wondering if I wanted to scoot up and fish a Georgian Bay tributary.

The drive up was brutal but the little Tercel handled the roads like a dream. Part of me sure doesn't miss those Bruce/Grey winters!

We arrived at our access (albeit a little late) to a beautiful white backdrop.

The water was a little higher and dirtier than we expected but it was fishable.

Between the wind and the snow and the sleet and the raging flow, it was hard to drift a preferred line but we both managed some success.

Knowing we both had to be back home in decent time we cut our visit short in an effort to check out a different Lake Huron trib before making the long journey home.

We thought the weather was bad in Grey County but it was nothing compared to the driving wet snow we found in Bruce County.

When the streamers passed and the sun came out briefly the scenery was stunning....

The only problem was these events were very few and far between. When those streamers came through it was virtually impossible to fish. If you were lucky enough to perfect a cast, the wind would grab your line and ruin the drift and the snow was so blinding you couldn't see your float anyway!!

So we cut our losses and headed for home.

There were some streamers off and on throughout Bruce County but once south of that it was a beautiful day.

Despite the weather I very much enjoyed today and I think I am still buzzing from whatever the hell was in them damn cookies and coffee from the Scottish Bakery.......................

I'll give Round 1 to Old Man Norland!! Ding, Ding, Ding Round 2???

and the frustration continues........

2009-12-01T12:46:00.000-08:00

I wasn't going to fish today - not because I didn't want to fish but because I worked nights last night and I vowed NEVER to do that to myself again. But visions of emerald green water and bright chrome steelhead convinced me to throw caution to the wind and head north up 21 Highway at 6am this morning.

Dad met me in my driveway the minute I got home and away we went. The river experienced a marginal increase in flow with the recent precip so I was confident that it would be in decent shape.

We arrived at the river right at first light and to my surprise there were no other anglers to be seen. I did however see a few guys walking around in orange and it dawned on me that the deer hunt was back on - I gotta remember to wear orange!!!

The wind was HUGE!! It made fishing very frustrating! I actually ventured further upstream than I originally intended just to try and escape the onslaught.

It didn't take long for me to get restless and I took off upstream in search of that fresh pod of fish that I was sure HAD to have come in with this water.

While walking along the 4-wheeler path I startled a pair of deer and as they sped off I could hear some voices - for the first time in my life I was actually seriously scared of getting shot. I quickly made lots of noise and headed for the open river!! It turns out the voices were actually fisherman and they were having the same success as me.

I made it to my destination and found only one other angler who was fishing the head of the pool. Of course that is were I wanted to fish but I relegated myself to the tail out. I worked the pool over hard, including the head section and it wasn't until I had made up my mind to head back down to the bottom end that I whacked a couple small silvers.

Not long after, I was enjoying a nice long hog drift to the extreme tail out when I set up on this big dark buck.

He fought me hard, reminiscent of a winter fight.

I fished some pretty nice water on my way back to the bottom end but just couldn't seem to turn another fish.

Talking to some older fellas at the bottom end we learned that they had fished the last 2 days and saw very few fish caught. Even those guys hit fish when the big pushes come in so I am somewhat convinced that very few (if any) fresh fish entered the system lately.

A pretty frustrating day for sure. My expectations for this one were pretty high as there must be a bunch of fish still to enter the system and I was confident today would be the day. NOT SO MUCH!!

Still lots of these little guys in the system which is a good sign for the future.

But right now I am fixated on the present. I am tired but I might be just stubborn enough to hit her up again tomorrow!!!

Little Consolation.

2009-11-27T12:47:00.000-08:00

Well, I hit some fish today but it didn't make up for a disappointing week. I had been anticipating this week off for months and I can't believe just how brutal the local fishing conditions have been.

There is some spotty rain across the area and it looks as though the rivers might be on the verge of spiking some flow. I suppose I should try and muster up some enthusiasm for next week's potential.

Truth be told I didn't want to fish today and I was not planning to until I got a call from a good friend. I haven't actually talked to Bill for a few months as he lives a lifestyle that sees him on the move and busy most of the time - quite often out of the Country. But he was home with the day off and looking for something to do. Since golf was out of the question, I suggested we go fishing. Bill is not a 'steelhead nut' by any means but he loves fishing.

I choose the Saugeen as our destination for today and I am still feeling the effects of a 4am wake up call after only 2.5hrs sleep (this Old Timers hockey is hard on a guy LOL).

The 3 hour drive didn't seem to take long as we had a lot of catching up to do.

It sure felt like 'Steelhead weather" on the way - it was cold, wet and dark and it even snowed off and on. Listening to the DJ's on the Bull apparently inland received some accumulation overnight.

We missed first light by a few minutes and my access point of choice was busy so we elected to head downstream. From a vantage point high on the cliff I could see that the big river was low and clear - going to be uber tough fishing again. :(

I managed a nice little chromer right off the bat and then bounced around the lower sections of the river for the next couple hours. I was fortunate enough to hit a few more fish but I just couldn't seem to bury a hook into any of them.

This fish had a ventral fin clip - first one I have seen in a long time. The purpose of these fins is for stability and movement and this fish did not seem to suffer any ill-effects from having one of them hacked off as a yearling - it was a healthy and hearty fish that put up a great fight. Hmmm, maybe Choronzy doesn't know what he's talking about after all...LOL

I also landed a nice little coloured up male on a dewie but he was able to slip from my hands just as Bill was digging out the camera- too bad cause he was a unique looking fish. I gotta admit I am becoming a fan of the good old dew worm - it was a savage strike on the first drift through a seam I had pounded with various colours of roe bags.

I was wielding the 15' Frontier again today and I must say that I am happy that it did not sell. The last time I used it paired up with the 5"Stanton it felt too heavy and my arm was sore for a week afterwards. My intent was to sell the rod to finance the new Riverkeeper reel but it turns out to make a pretty sweet combo. The Riverkeeper is much lighter than the Stanton and although I didn't fish all that long today, my arm didn't bother me at all.

It rained pretty hard from time to time and I held out some hope that maybe a fresh pod of slivers might dart in from the Lake but we would find no more success. I did see a few other fish hooked but overall not a very productive day for anyone.

We packed it in a little early as the wind started to pick up making things kind of miserable - not to mention the intermittent ice pellets!!

It was a tough day on the river and a very tiring ride home but it was good to hang out with Bill again.

The weekend is booked up with hockey and family stuff and my fingers are crossed for next week.

Deja Vu

2009-11-25T11:53:00.000-08:00

Well, we hit the road at 5am again this morning with the exact same game plan as the other day. My expectations were once again quite low but the weatherman was calling for some precip so there was an outside chance that things might start to move.

WRONG!! The weatherman is a jackass!! We got maybe an hours worth of light sprinkling all morning!!!

Conditions on the river were even more dismal than the other day. I didn't think the river could go any lower or get any cleaner but it did. Dad managed a coloured up male early in the morning but it wasn't enough to keep us there.

This picture illustrates just how horrific things are. The main flow of the river is behind me but at this time of year ALL those rocks should be underwater!!

We made a pit stop for a coffee and breakfast sandwich and headed back to the beach. The winds have been SE so conditions there were still conducive to catching fish.

When we arrived at the mouth we found a pair of spawned out cohos trying to get back to the Lake. The male was in horrible shape and looked like something had been eating it alive. Unfortunately my camera was buried in my bag or I would have captured a photo. The hen was actually still in pretty good shape and was very skittish.

Conditions at the beach were pretty close to ideal. The gentle wave action from the south had put a little bit of sediment in the lake so the visibility had a tinge of colour. It was threatening to rain so we hoped that might bring some fish closer to the creek mouth as well.

NADA!!

To make matters worse we were not alone there again today. Some dude joined us mid morning and he seemed to be quite familiar with the area.

Back in September when I looked at my schedule and saw a week off in late November this in NOT how I envisioned it. Local conditions are just abysmal and getting skunked for the second consecutive outing stings a little!

It was still nice to be fishing and a day on the water is far better than any day at work.

The beach is a pretty cool spot and the view is spectacular. I was able to find a few unusual rocks for my girls collections and during my search I came across this little fellow....

I am pretty sure he was laughing at me!!

The fact that the beach is not as big of a secret as I thought, combined with the hike in and the lack of recent success, means that I will likely not fish there again for quite some time. Besides, In the past it has been more of an early September spot for staging salmon and an early spring fish for steelies anyway. The only reason to be there in late November is shitty river conditions and hopefully that doesn't happen again any time soon!

I am contemplating fishing again tomorrow but the thought of getting skunked 3 consecutive trips has me thinking of going Christmas shopping instead! WTF????

A day at the Beach..

2009-11-23T16:49:00.000-08:00

Despite the fact that local river conditions are low and clear, I am embarking on a few days off work so I just had to go fishing today. I originally toyed with the idea of a roadtrip - perhaps NY - but ultimately chose to stay closer to home this week. My dad has finally hung up the golf clubs for the season so he was eager to join me.

I was not expecting much from todays outing other than enjoying the continued unseasonal weather. We figured our best chance at some steel would be the estuary of the larger of the local systems in hopes that some fresh fish might have crept in overnight and were hanging out wondering what to do.

We arrived pre light, geared up and made our way down to the run. The river was real low but we had the entire section to ourselves so I held a glimmer of hope that we would find a couple hook ups. The air had a bite to it this morning and my fingers got pretty cold as I drifted. After only an hour or so it became quite evident that we were not going to find any success so we opted for Plan B - The Beach.

We chose the solitude of this lesser known smaller outflow as it is a pretty good hike to get to. Although the system is small it does receive a limited run of fish and we have had success here in the past.

Conditions were close to ideal...

There was a cool breeze from the South/South East and lake had a gentle roll. The water was perhaps a little too clear but that is definitely a better option than too dirty.

We hiked in some chairs and a lunch and enjoyed a very peaceful morning listening to the creek spill into the Lake and the Lake in turn gently tap at the shoreline.

I was somewhat shocked to have 3 other anglers make their way down the shoreline and set up shop around us. I have in the past noticed signs that would indicate other fisherman, but I have never had anyone else fish there at the same time as me before. They seemed like good guys and I actually recognized one of them to be a local angler who fishes the entire area at great lengths. He told us of some good catches of brown trout over the past weeks including one pushing 13lbs. He also shared my belief that the conditions were favorable and that with 5 roe bags in the Lake, it wouldn't be long and someone would be yelling 'fish on'.

However, it just wasn't meant to be. It was the first time this season that I have been skunked and I was not the least bit disappointed. I suppose it hinged directly on the fact that I did not have high expectations for today.

It was a beautiful day - the company was top notch and the scenery was spectacular.

Not sure what to do tomorrow. The kids are in school and I don't have to work so I might as well be fishing - somewhere!!

COHO MO'JOE'

2009-11-09T18:05:00.000-08:00

After working the day shift all weekend, attending a party Saturday night and playing hockey Sunday night, I wasn't sure I had it in me to fish today. But a favorable weather forecast, a promising fishing report from the weekend and late evening email from Joe was all it took and I was on the road by 4:30am.

We both agreed on what section of the river to fish at first light and I was intrigued to hit these pools from a different access point. Definitely a better way to approach some of my favorite runs in this section!!!

The river was still holding a tinge of green and was a little higher than I expected. I was really thinking we might be able to put a hurt on 'em today but the river was stingy.

The fish were few and far between but the ones we did land were interesting!

Joe seems to have a knack for landing Cohos. Check out this nasty looking gator...

He also caught this bizarro Steelhead......

At some point this fish suffered a serious back injury and while it looked somewhat like a mutant, it was an otherwise very healthy looking fish that gave Joe all he could handle in battle.

On the other hand, I had no Mojo going today at all. The only fish I touched all morning was a small chub and a nice little par. Somewhat frustrated by the lack of action we decided to hit a different section of the river for the afternoon shift.

Before we left we ran into a couple brothers who frequent GBO and we chatted for a while. They seemed like great guys and they warned us about a wierd looking, short, stout dude wheeling a black Islander and Rainshadow combo. Apparently they ran into him on Friday and they described him as a bit of a river hog who seemed to like to fish real 'close'. They didn't quite know what to make of this dude inviting them to meet him in the bathroom at the Goderich Macdonalds. ????

While the lack of cars at the new access point did offer a glimmer of hope, I was still not real optimistic that my luck was going to change. The temps were well in to double digits and the hike in was peaceful. As we approached the river we saw a truly magnificent sight that I wish we had been able to capture on film. A mature Bald Eagle was circling the pool fairly low to the water and Joe and I just stood there in awe of the size and beauty of that creature.

With the mid day sun now high in the sky the river was staring to look a little skinny. We drifted the pool for a little while before Joe struck again with this big brute of a buck...

Joe's Buck from Steve Harvie on Vimeo.

We didn't get a tape on this fish but I would put it at an honest 11lbs. He was a solid specimen with some pretty broad shoulders.

I would be stymied in this pool as well so we crossed the river and fished the next run. After only a few drifts my float finally drops. A big healthy hen put up a pretty good fight. It might have been the only fish I landed for the day but she was a beauty.

We put on a ton of miles today and while we weren't rewarded with quantity, we did catch some quality fish. It was a beautiful day spent on the river in good company - sure beats working - which is what I will be doing for the next 2 weeks :(

Flying Solo

2009-11-04T17:48:00.001-08:00

Today I flew solo - Dad needed to rest after a bushwacking expedition yesterday and Gene had some unexpected duties on the home front.

The Big River has been calling me but after packing up all my gear last night I started to have second thoughts about making the journey alone. I went to bed with the game plan that if I woke up early I would go and if I slept in I would just hang out around the house. I managed to open my eyes about 4 am but quickly said "F*** it" and went back to sleep. That 4 extra hours sleep was heavenly and I feel much better for it.

Once the kids were off to school and my wife and mother-in-law were gone shopping I poured a coffee and wondered what to do. The Saugeen was still calling and since the gear was all packed already, I jumped in the truck and took off North. About half way to my destination I ran into a fishing buddy and his uncle who fished first light with some success. For some reason they were leaving the river and were heading to do some beach fishing but I chose to carry on North rather than joining them.

I arrived at the river about noon and to my surprise, the access point was void of vehicles.

The river was in GREAT shape!! And to my delight, all the other anglers were on the other side of the river today. I had a large section all myself - well except for a drift boat full of fly chuckers. Every time I fish here there are more and more of them!!

I settled in just below them as I was intent on fishing the tail out anyway and just a couple drifts in, I set up on a nice fish.

Just as I tuck the camera back in my waders I look up to see the fly guys staring at me and the guide pulling anchor. Sure enough, by the time I release the fish the boat had drifted by and set up just downstream of me!! WTF!!! I shake it off and bounce around this section and would eventually hook into one more fish which got the better of me.

I saw a few fish caught today. One thing for sure - not too many anglers practice catch and release on this river!! Word on the river is that the morning fished VERY well - figures!

Deciding to try the lower section for the last couple hours of daylight I was once again surprised by the lack of vehicles at the access point. I descended to the river and once again found no one on my side of the river - and once again yet another drift boat right where I wanted to fish...

I would plug away until the daylight began to fade away with no signs of life except for a few salmon working away in the riffles.

I originally planned to spend the night and fish again in the morning but as I packed up my rod I was overcome by a multitude of emotions. At first I felt disappointed to have not hooked more fish - no big deal - this happens more often than not!! But that was quickly replaced with a weird sense of loneliness. It has been a long time since I have fished solo and it has never really bothered me before but for some reason, as I hiked up the hill to the truck, I missed not having any post game comraderie. An even stranger feeling of guilt soon took over and for some reason I felt like I shouldn't have gone fishing today. This ultimately lead me to decide to head home and forgo fishing again in the morning. The 3 hour drive home was also a little lonely but gave me ample time to shake these irritating demons out of my mind. For a few minutes there I was even thinking that maybe I should take a little time away from the river. But then it started to rain!!!! And already I am wishing I had stayed to fish tomorrow!! I think I need professional help LOL!!!!

It did rain pretty hard on my way home - all the way from Port Elgin to Goderich - go figure!! Things are still pretty dry south of that!!

It's a Keeper...... Riverkeeper!!

2009-11-03T16:41:00.000-08:00

I have been longing for a new float reel for some time now. I am certainly not what you would call a 'gear junkie' but ever since I first saw the prototype Riverkeeper I knew that I had to have one.

My 5" Stanton has served me very well for more than 15 years now but by today's standards she is heavy and just doesn't spin like she used to. I suppose I could upgrade the bearings but I have chosen to leave it alone - right down to the plastic reel foot. I had an aluminum foot made but never installed it. She will hit the shelf an original classic....

The Riverkeeper was most appealing to me for a number of reasons. I like the look of it - influenced by the Milner, the Stanton, the Mykiss. I chose the ported model which is light weighing in at around 9.2oz. The reel is hand made in Canada by a local steelheader. Robb is a great guy and a wicked craftsman.

I picked up the new reel last week and I have been anxious to put it to the test on some November chrome. A few days off work would afford the opportunity so Dad and I hit the road early bound for a river that was on the drop - hopefully it wouldn't take long to break it in!!

We literally "ran into" the infamous GNorland at a pre dawn pit stop at McDonalds. After some idle chit chat he agreed to join us on the river. We hit the access point a little later than planned but we managed to arrive at the pool of choice devoid of anglers. Ironically this was the very pool that Gene was planning to fish and much to my chagrin, his access point is apparently much easier LOL! The river looked great but would would be very stingy. Gene would hook a fish out of a heavy seam and that would be it!!! Deciding to cut our losses we left the river with a plan to fish another river on which Gene had some success a day earlier.

A long hike in didn't offer a great deal of anticipation since we knew the river would be pretty skinny at best.

We fished a couple pools with nothing but a couple parr and a spawned out salmon so I took off hell bent for a big deep pool downstream. Dad was close in tow but apparently Gene had other ideas - sorry dude, I thought you were coming down as well - hope you made out ok!!!!

The big pool would be stingy as well but there HAD to be fish in there. After multiple drifts with roe I switched to big dewie and WHAM...... hit like a ton of bricks but managed to break me off!! Time was of the essence so I decided to leave dad to the big pool and I slid down to some pocket water around the corner. Finally!!!!!! 6 drifts would yield 4 hookups and the Riverkeeper passed with flying colours. A solid, smooth reel!!

All in all a pretty tough day on the river today. It was great to get out and test the Riverkeeper and it was nice to fish with Dad and Gene.

The Riverkeeper is a keeper!!

Holy Cow!

2009-10-16T18:01:00.001-07:00

Big Bruce - a symbol that you are in Bruce County. I grew up meters from this iconic statue and if there is one thing that Bruce County is known for it is BEEF!!

My father-in-law is one the many beef farmers that call the Bruce home and every year we order 1/4 cow from him to put in our freezer. It tastes great, the price is right and the fact that it is 'Organic' is an important healthy alternative. Besides, with 3 girls in this house there is already enough hormones to go around - no need to consume unnecessary growth hormones in our meat.

Anyway, the other day I got the call that our meat was cut, wrapped, frozen and ready to be picked up. As with previous years, I was able to coordinate this with a fishing trip. If I am going to make the trip all the way up there, might as well take advantage and hit the local river for the morning. My dad and Joe were on board and eager to make this 'dual purpose' road trip with me.

A 4am departure time was made easy by the fact that I just came off nights and played hockey last night - didn't sleep a wink!! I finally just got up at 2:30 to get all my gear together and wait impatiently for my ride. I am feeling it right now though :( I certainly was not prepared for what I saw when I looked out the window. A good inch of white covered the vehicles, lawns and rooftops this morning. Ugh!! But oddly enough, as we drove north the snow disappeared and the temps increased.

'First light' is magical. There is no better feeling than being riverside as the the first traces of the day's light makes it's way out of the darkness. The sense of anticipation induces excitement in an otherwise calm and peaceful moment.

River conditions were perhaps a little lower and cleaner than those that would normally induce a fresh run of October chrome but we were up for the challenge. Fishing was tough but we would find a few silvers.

The highlight of the trip for me was this big beautiful specimen. She fought extremely hard and used the heavy current to her advantage. By the time I coaxed her to the bank my arms were toast. My only regret is that Joe was not nearby with his photographic wizardry. I would have liked to capture the true beauty of this fish through his lens but it will stand out as one of my most memorable fish none the less.

Another fantastic day doing what I most enjoy - gotta love it!!!

On the way home I wish that I had been able to take a photo of the full on s-rat assault taking place on the first day of 'the Derby'. I'm talking campers, trailers, awnings, fires, shoulder to shoulder rube shenanigans that would send our very own GNorland to the rubber room! Unbelieveable!!!!!

Hopefully it rains next week - I have a week off coming up and I wanna fish!!!

Where's Waldo?

2009-10-12T14:37:00.000-07:00

Can you find Waldo (aka Shit-Rat Russ) in this photo??

This was the scene everywhere we fished today. We fished multiple sections of two different rivers and it was a true 'Convention' out there today. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised - after all it was a Holiday! It kinda reaffirms my aversion to fishing on weekends/Holidays.

I fished with Joe today and it was a pleasure to catch up with him since we have not fished together since last fall on our upstate NY trip.

We met up at a convenient locale and carpooled to our early morning destination. We were early and it was quite fresh out but we were psyched at the thought of some fresh chrome.

With the recent spike in the river we expected there to be some fish to be had first thing in the morning down low. Unfortunately, the river had a very frustrating surge flow and the crowds became a little overbearing so after only a short time we cruised on upstream. Rather low, the river still held a nice touch of colour so we were hopeful that some of the pools in the lower regions would be holding some willing fish. Not so much!!! We fished for another hour or so and as the people continued to appear out of nowhere we talked of an alternate plan of attack.

A different river!! We jumped in the truck and after picking up a couple Hazelnut Javas we headed north. Arriving at our access point we count no less than a dozen cars - yikes!! A quick 'screw that' and we were off to yet another access point. This one also yielded a large number of cars but we decided to give her a go. A little bigger river meant a little more room.

This river was in decent shape and we saw a couple fish but there would be no photo opps for us here either. So after some time, we left the river with ideas of a nice lunch. Not much open on Thanksgiving Monday but we found a nice little restaurant and came up with yet another game plan over a coffee and some eggs benny.

Back on our original river we hiked into a fairly popular pool and not surprisingly found it full of anglers. No doubt this section got absolutely pounded all morning but we thought we would go for a walk and check things out anyway. We pointed ourselves upstream and proceeded to fish some pretty skinny water unsuccessfully.

Figuring it was rather pointless to continue we leisurely made our way back. A little less crowded we managed to sneak in for a couple drifts in the big pool but by now I have pretty much conceeded that we just are not likely going to hook up today. That said, I tell Joe of a nice little run that has NEVER let me down. I said it with tongue in cheek but this often overlooked spot has been consistently pretty good to me so we decided to give a look.

We slip downstream and upon arriving at the head of run I turn to Joe and give him a thumbs up. This was the nicest looking water we saw all afternoon. First drift, the float drops.... a beauty little parr. A sign of life at least!! Third drift and the float dips again... another parr. A good sign with respect to the health of the system I suppose but I don't really want to be hooking anymore of these little gems. I slide down to the tail out of the run and let Joe on his own for some drifts with a dewie. A couple drifts later I set up on a nice little chromer and not long into the fight I look up just in time to see Joe set up on a real good fish. A double header out of nowhere!!! Sweet justice!!!

Another very enjoyable day on the water today. The rivers were busy today but it was actually bearable. Everyone was courteous and friendly and it was nice to meet and chat with some other anglers. 'Bunzy' from Hamburg seemed like a pretty cool dude (despite being a Sabres fan...) and it was good to run into the Riverkeeper again. He still has a black ported reel set aside for me and hopefully one day real soon I can add it to my arsenal. We also ran into Jeff - a knowledgeable young fella who filled us in on his success using spinners a little ways upstream of where we were. It was also nice to see a number of kids fishing today!!

So it looks as though a push of fish did bust up the system. Hopefully the infamous GNorland (aka Trotsky) had some success where he was today - yah, we saw the Tercel in your parking spot - I wanted to let the air out of the tires but Joe wouldn't let me!!!!

Wake me up when September ends

2009-10-06T17:59:00.000-07:00

"here comes the rain again falling from the stars - drenched in my pain again becoming who we are - as my memory rests but never forgets what I lost - wake me up when September ends" Green Day

As a rule I like the month of September but this past one was nothing short of brutal. Out of 30 days in the month I spent 23 of them at work. I even had to deal with one horrific stretch of 19 consecutive 12 hour shifts.

But I survived and now it is October.

October is a great month for numerous reasons - MLB playoffs, NHL regular season, Thanksgiving, Halloween and most importantly STEELHEAD!!!

This morning I arrived home at 7am after working the night shift with my dad waiting in the driveway. I grabbed my gear, jumped in the Jimmy and we headed north along the Huron shoreline in search of chrome.

It felt great to be on the river again. Unfortunately conditions on the Mighty Saugeen were less than favorable (IMO - not enough visibility for me to drift with any degree of confidence - there was 12" at best). We plugged away for a couple hours to no avail. To my surprise there were absolutely no signs of any salmon. We did see a couple small silver bows caught but that just was not enough to keep me interested.

So, we jumped back in the truck and backtracked down Highway 21 to the Maitland. We geared up, yielded to some guys who were putting the finishing touches on a late season game of golf, and made our way down to the river. Dad was eager to slide up to the "Golf Course Run" and I choose to head down toward the Train Tressels to check things out. I was surprised to have the lower river to myself and even more surprised at the changes the river experienced over the summer. I am used to seeing such changes in the Spring but strange to see it in the Fall.

The river was very low and clear and the usual runs from years past seem to be no longer. I ran a number of drifts in some very ugly water until I noticed some nice looking water on the North side of the river just downstream of the Tressles. I lobbed out my roe bag and as the drift began I look up to marvel at a flock of Canada Geese only to dam near loose my rod on a violent take. I miss that one but the very next drift yields and absolute firecracker. This fish put on an aerial display that had some walkers up on the Tressel cheering. About 30 seconds and 6 or 7 jumps into the fight I wish that I had retied my rod last night instead of just grabbing it off the rack with the same set up from my last outing in the Spring. :( Yup...... snap!!!!! I regroup, retie and not 20 feet into my next drift I set up on this October tank of a Steelie.

I don't know that the picture does justice to this creature. She was BIG!! During the entire battle I was convinced it was a salmon because it did not jump at all - just took numerous long powerful runs.

I would hit a couple more fish before my dad made his way down to where I was. Another angler also made his way over to this run and we would all hit at least one more late afternoon October steelhead before things quieted right down.

Dad was pretty disappointed to have missed the bulk of the action he did land a beautiful chromer to get the monkey off the back for this Fall season.

While it was just wonderful to be out on the river again, intercepting that pod of chrome sure made the day. It just goes to show what a fine line there is between catching fish and not catching fish - it is all about location, luck and timing. I was definitely lucky today.

We left the river and hit Crabby Joes for some dinner and to watch the ball game. ( Damn Tigers!!!!!! ) I very much enjoyed a burger and couple cold Bud Lights and then I crashed pretty hard on the way home. I am getting too old to fish all day after working a night shift!!!! The good news is it rained all the way home - and the rivers need it!!

Let the games begin............

Summer Fun...

2009-07-15T13:29:00.001-07:00

It has been a long while since my last entry but rest assured I have been ridiculously busy. It really seems as though there is just never enough spare time. A quick glance at the calender would validate that since there aren't many days from now until October that do not have an entry requiring us to be somewhere or do something. Fortunately though, many of those entries are what makes summer fun - camping, golf, baseball, fishing etc.

We made the upgrade to a new trailer this year and we are loving it. Camping with 3 girls simply requires a bathroom and our 'Pop Up' did not have that luxury. We purchased a 2008 Forest River Surveyor 192T and it is all that we could want and more for family camping.

We recently spent 4 days at MacGregor Point Provincial Park and while the temps were cooler we had a great time relaxing and biking and hiking. This Park is very similar to the Pinery without the beautiful beach - and the crowds. The sites are large and private and the trails are awesome.

Although my girls love fishing, opportunies just have not presented themselves often yet this summer. While at MacGregor Point we did slide over to Denny's Dam to check out the Saugeen. I had hoped that there might be some hungry smallies or at least some chub for the girls to play with.

But despite all of us making an honest effort, Georgia was the only one to hook a fish. Good on her!!!!

The Saugeen was looking more like September - cool water with good flow - so I would think that the Fall runs may start sooner rather than later this year!!!

Much of our time this summer has been spent following my oldest daughter around her sporting endeavours. She plays on a very good fastball team and they are well on their way to another Ontario Championship. They are waiting to hear who their opponent in the Finals will be. She has played somewhere around 15 games in the past 2 weeks (2 tournaments, League play and ORSA playoffs) but I think I am enjoying watching her even more than I enjoyed playing myself.

She has also taken a liking to golf which is really cool!!!

I have even had a few opportunities to hit some Steelhead this summer....

Today I found myself with not much to do so after taking the girls up to swimming lessons I asked them what they wanted to do for the rest of the day. I offered up biking, hiking, golfing, swimming but the minute I said fishing they went nuts. I packed up the rods and a lunch and we headed to a pond on a coworkers property.

Julian has done a tremendous amount of work on his property and his place looks terrific. It is a great place to take the kids for an afternoon. The pond is full of small bass and large carp but it was only the bass that wanted to play today.

I even managed to find the time to build a fishing rod last month. A coworker wanted a new baitcaster so I put together a 1 piece 7' Rainshadow for him. Unfortunately I was under such a deadline to get it ready for Bass Openers that I did not think to take some pictures along the way. He was happy with it though and he has since asked me to build him another. I have another guy at work wanting a spinning rod also but I really don't know if I can get to either of them before October.

Much of August is going to be spent in our 'home away from home' as we visit campgrounds in Sauble Beach, Kincardine and Grand Bend over a three week roadtrip. I can't wait!!!!!!

By the time I know it Fall will be upon me and it will be "Game On" for chrome!

Life is Good.........

That's it.........maybe........

2009-05-03T12:50:00.001-07:00

In all likelihood, today was my last day steelheading on the river until October. Should the stars align and conditions be perfect for my week off it is possible that I could sneak out once more - wait and see I guess!

I rarely fish for Steelhead in May and almost never fish on Sunday but I must admit that I really enjoyed today. The weather was absolutely beautiful with temps just cool enough to keep the bugs at bay and the sky was so blue that it defies words. The forest floor was in full Trillium bloom and the tranquility of the 'Shire' was breathtaking.

Although we have covered a lot miles together in search of Steel, today was the first time that I have fished locally with Brian. We chose to fish his usual haunts and I was anxious to accompany him into the 'Shire' as it has been at least 10 years since I have fished that section of the river.
We hit the access point just before first light and made the hike down to the river. The morning was crisp and fresh, reminiscent of an early fall morning and the river was running with prime flow and clarity.
Expecting lots of company on the river we decided to immediately make the trecherous wade across the river to fish the run above the Wintering Hole and it was not long until Brian was into a nice hen.

The water was a little higher and more stained than I was expecting so in an effort to beef up my presentation I threw on a double roe bag ( a little something I termed "Monkey Balls") and it would not take long and I would be into one of my own.

This run would prove to be the most productive for us today as the other miles we traveled only yielded a couple fish. We sure fished some stellar water but the fish just did not cooperate. Even the bass were pretty stubborn today. I am not real sure what kind of pattern the fish are on right now - one would expect that once done the deed the fish would drop back toward the lake but the river temps are still low enough that just might not be the case yet.??????

Amazingly enough, we were all alone on the river today. I was expecting to see quite a few anglers but the only other person we saw all day was a solo canoeist leisurely making his way downstream.
The hike out was every bit as arduous as I remember and I am most certainly not as young and agile as I used to be. A combination of the wading and the hiking took a pretty good toll on the body and it was nice to take a breather at the truck with a refreshment and a snack.

Thanks for the hospitality today Brian!!! I am looking forward to some fall road-trips already!

April Showers bring May Chromers.....

2009-05-01T05:39:00.000-07:00

Unable to fish Opening Day again this year due to work commitments, I was still hopeful for a day on the local river. This time of year I am usually preoccupied with the annual trip to Algonquin but unfortunately I am not making that trip this year. This has afforded me the time and energy to think about catching some Steel.

With all the rains over the area early in the week things were looking to shape up for late in the week. Opportunities don't present themselves often in the Spring and the thought of emerald green water had chromers dancing in my mind! I don't remember the last time I fished her in May but after a quick call to Old Man the game plan was set for a fish in the morning.
The Jimmy pulled into the lane at 4:30am sharp and we headed out. Next thing I know we are passing by the Pinery and I am awakened just in time to see us crush about a 20lb racoon. OUCH!! A quick coffee and breakfast sandwich at Timmies and we hit the road again discussing our gameplan along the way. Morin was fishing his usual haunts today but I really had a good feeling about the lower stretches of the river.

The increase in flow the river experienced in the last few days should not only push a lot fish back toward the lake but when the water is on the drop there are always some fresh fish from the Lake poking their noses into the river. We have become somewhat accustomed to fishing this stretch - I suppose due mainly to past successes and the ease of access. I am somehow able to tune out the sound of the highway but I still have a tough time with the hordes of shit rats that also fish this section with regularity. Surprisingly though today we would be all alone for the morning bite :)

There were all kinds of fish splashing, jumping and swirling in the big pool but upon first arrival at the river it was hard to discern if they were in fact steelhead or just Bass and suckers. It did not take long to figure out that they were CHROMERS!!!! The action was fast and furious for the first hour. There were a bunch of 'cookie-cutter' silvers to keep us busy.

There were also some long lean hens that had done their business and were 'dropping' back to the Lake.

I got thinking about all the activity in the pool first thing and I wondered if maybe the fish were chasing shiners. I retied with a jig head and a Berkely Gulp 3" Emerald Shiner and the Smallies went absolutely nuts for them. The float did not move more than a few inches each cast. It didn't take too long to get tired of that although a couple of the Bass would push 4lbs. Unbelievable the number of Bass in the river!!!

With the lull in chromer action I decided to wander upstream. The river has changed drastically over the winter and I was curious to check out a couple spots. I headed up to the Flats and noticed Steve (Lambeth Rod and Tackle regular), fishing his usual run. We chatted for a bit and he told me of his success earlier so that had me thinking that some of those fish must have headed up!! I decided to slip in above him and fish the faster water. Second drift I had an aggressive take but the hook did not stick. A new roe bag and drift number two offered up another smaller silver. I would hit a couple more silvers here as well as one big long chromer that hit like a ton of bricks and torpedoed out of the water higher than any fish I have ever seen! I was standing on a rock and I swear it jumped higher than I am tall. In the air she shook her head about 4 times and she was long enough to snap the leader with one of the violent shakes. I knew I needed to retie a new leader but for some reason didn't bother :(

I ventured farther upstream marvelling at the changes in the river. I made it up to where we were most productive last fall and apparently we were not the only ones who had success there - while there were only 2 fellas left by the time I got there, no less than 8 guys pounded that pool all morning. To my surprise no one caught anything here all morning!!! I fished it for a bit with no luck and then instead of following the masses upstream I chose to make my way back down. I called Dad on the 2 way radio and had him meet me at the truck for a bite to eat. I am getting spoiled with him making lunches for these trips!!!!!!

I had a couple beers and a sandwich and watched a couple dudes hammer the Bass. If you tossed out anything but roe, they would smack the shit out of it! Eventually they would even start hitting roe.
I had to be home in time to get the girls from school so we finished our lunch and decided to give our initial location another go. It was definitely one of those days when you kept thinking to yourself that a new pod of fish could move in again at any time. We hit about 20 more Bass (since they had begun to devour roe) and another nice chromer each.
After an hour or so I shouted over to Dad that I thought we should pack up but he was quick to comment that he wanted to give it a few more minutes 'cause he had a hunch. My very next drift resulted in a dime bright fish that seemed to cap another awesome day!!!!!!!!

I am not sure why over the past few years I have been so reluctant to fish in April/May. The weather is terrific and the fish can be stellar!! It rained on our way home and I am thinking that another day on the river might just be in order real soon ;)

A long overdue trip "home"!

2009-04-17T13:12:00.000-07:00

Having grown up near the North branch of the Saugeen River and just a 25 minute drive to Denny's Dam, I often still refer to the big river as my 'home' river. All through College and University I made the trip home to Mom and Dad's almost every chance I had and during the prime fishing seasons I would always pack the gear so that Dad and I could slip over the 'Geen for some steelheading. Now that Mom and Dad live down here in the "Banana Belt" just across town from us, I don't have that opportunity to head to Bruce County near as often. Home is now Glencoe but that area to the North will always hold a special place in my heart. So a return to the area was long overdue!!

Dad was quite eager to do some fishing so we thought we would return to the area and fish the Saugeen. We decided to make this an overnighter which would also make it a perfect opportunity to visit some family as well.

A 4am departure from my house put us at the river shortly after first light. I had received some info that the fishing and the crowds were manageable down low so that is where we started. Normally I like the South side of that section of the river but when we arrived we noticed that the North side was not that busy so we chose to check it out first. The river looked prime and it was an absolutely beautiful morning. We plugged away for a couple hours with nothing but a little silver Dad managed but we were reluctant to leave as we were told that any success over the past few days consisted of mid day pushes of fish. But the sun was too bright and I was bored to death of the current drift so we decided to slide over the South side. I really like the water on this side better although I typically fish it in the fall.

I booked it right up to a nice little pocket that always seems to hold fish and after only a few drifts I hit this aggressive little silver.

A short time later I managed this spunky little male who gave me some serious air time. He came clear out of the water no less than 5 times.

I managed to hook one more fish out of that pocket but it took a pink worm and the hook did not seem to drive home and she spit it after about 2 minutes of battle. That pocket is good to me!!!

A few weeks ago I picked up a bunch of jigs from Kemper (OFN Board member) and while they are very nicely tied jigs, I have yet to catch anything but suckers with them. I am making a serious attempt at using artificials a little more often these days. There is no shortage of these slimeballs in the river right now....

I was very surprised to find ice still packed up on the banks. I have fished this section in early March with ice shelves as high as 10 feet but I still thought it would be all gone by now.

A river-side lunch was the bomb!!!!

The only other fish to make it to the camera was a long slender drop back female. She hit hard and was dime bright and clean but did not really fight that hard. Good thing or I probably would have blown it!! I am still trying to get used to the IM8!!

This was probably one of my most enjoyable days on the Saugeen. We did not catch that many fish ( saw a few caught but not exactly crackerjacks for anyone else either) but we each landed fish, it was a beautiful day, the angling pressure was low and it felt good to be out fishing with the "Old Guy" again. I could tell he was pretty happy to be on the water as well.

We packed it in for the day around 5 pm and back a the truck we realized we were both pretty red in the face - burning up in fact!! That sun off the water is wicked and the wind burn made it even worse. We drove over to Chesley to drop in at my Uncle's place for a quick hello. Ultimately this is where we were spending the night but we slid on to Hanover to visit with my Grandma first. A nice cold shower felt great on my burning face and then we left for Crabby Joe's for some supper. A couple beers and a full belly and I was toast. I think I fell asleep in mid conversation with my Gramma. Back at my Uncle's place later that evening I was not long plopping my ass on the couch where I would not leave until 6am!!! I was still pretty whipped but I was eager for another morning on the 'Geen.

We arrived on the North side where we started the day before to find a ton of vehicles!! WTF??? Did we miss something yesterday??? The fishing was not that good so we were pretty surprised to find the Gong Show that was already there. We slipped down below the circus but I did not last long staring at all the space on the South side where we finished off yesterday. I was just about ready to book it over when I noticed Joe Ahmad fishing just below me. I wandered down to say hello and fish beside him for a little while longer. I did have one aggressive take while talking to him but I was just not in a comfort zone fishing there. I could see that my favorite pocket was not being fished so Dad and I exited the river and left Joe to work the section he had success on the previous weekend.
Just as I approached the river I noticed a dude landing a fish from my pocket - DAMMIT!!!! He was not about to let me drift it with him either - understandable I guess since it is a pretty small zone. I moved up toward the bottom island instead. I really like the run along the island but was pretty pissed by the parade of boats that screamed up through the heart of it to get to the island. I have trouble understanding why someone would launch a boat, drive around the corner, beach it on an island and fish with the 20 dudes that waded out there to floss the beds. ???? I must say I had a couple chuckles to myself when one boat came barrelling up and hit some rocks and then again when another came up only to have the dude try and jump out and flipping the boat instead.

Unlike the previous day, I wasn't in a very happy place today. It was a combination of being really tired, the amount of angling pressure and the lack of fish (for me anyway). Dad was able to land a nice bow while I was getting drowned by boat wake.

Just as I was about to tell Dad we should take off I noticed that Joe had made his way over to our side and was playing a fish just above us. I made my way up to give him a hand as I knew he would appreciate some help for photos. This fish was the epitomy of a wild Lake Huron steelhead - a picture perfect fish of about 5 lbs!!!!

I took a couple more drifts and then reluctantly made my way to the car. I had to be back in time for my daughter's hockey banquet and then it was off to work for a weekend of night shifts :(

Not sure if I will find the opportunity to fish again this spring but with any luck at all there will be some droppies around for my week off mid May and I can get a free pass for a day or two.

Manistee Mayhem... a great start to 2009

2009-04-13T11:52:00.000-07:00

Having yet to take a drift this season, I was looking forward to this trip over to Michigan more than any other trip in memory. I NEEDED this trip!

The Manistee River would be our primary destination with other options such as Bear Creek, Betsie, Platte, Pere Marquette and White at our disposal as well. Brian suffers seriously from OCD and had spent countless hours researching these other systems so I was pretty confident we would find some decent fishing one way or another. HIs perverse compulsion for the area also led us to some wicked accommodations. This cabin was absolutely perfect - clean, secluded, close to Tippy, and relatively inexpensive.

I was happy to learn that Gene was coming on this trip as well. I have only fished with him on one previous trip and I kinda dig his vibe. Although not without issues, Norland has a pretty cool outook on life and fishing. From what I understand his shrink is working him through these issues but I gotta admit that I am surprised his employer lets him carry a gun....;) Rounding out this trip would be Arnie, a coworker of Brian. It was my first time meeting Arnie and his high energy and enthusiasm was a welcome addition to the group. A big thanks to Arnie for driving as well!!!

Leaving Sarnia at 3am put us in the Wellston area shortly after first light so we made the decision to find the cabin first and check it out before gearing up for some fishing. What a sweet spot!!!! 4 beds, 2 bathrooms, full kitchen, 2 decks, cable tv and complete solitude. A quick flip through the cabin journal illustrated how others have enjoyed their time at the cabin for spring steelhead fishing, summer getaways, fall salmon fishing and even during the winter months for skiing and snowmobiling.

The magic of this trip was due primarily to the atmosphere. Brian is right, there is something about the Manistee National Forest that is good for the soul.

This trip was not about numbers in any way and I can honestly say I don't know how many fish we hit. Morin did manage to elicit a few more angry glares from locals than the rest of us by hooking fish right under their noses but most important was the fact that we all managed to bring at least a couple fish to the camera. The fishing was ok, and I truly believe the overall experience of this trip was enhanced somewhat by NOT pounding the shit out of the fish. We worked pretty hard for our fish which only made them all the more special.

It was a very relaxing trip and we even compromised a little of first light in lieu of a nice sit down breakfast both mornings. It was pretty nice to wake up to the smell of fresh coffee and frying bacon instead of just peeling off to the river in the dark on an empty stomach. That Arnie makes a killer bacon/egg breakfast - thanks brother!

We also enjoyed taking some time mid day for a few beers and some hotdogs grilled on the back deck of the cabin.

We spent a lot more time and shared a lot more laughs away from the river than I would have expected and I liked it - a lot.

We concentrated our time fishing almost exclusively to two spots on the Big Manistee - the Sawdust Hole and the Suicide Run. Figuring that the Tippy Dam area would set Norland back about 6 months of therapy we chose to stay clear. Having said that, I am sure the Dam/Coffer area would not have been much more of a gong show than the Suicide Run was on Friday - note to self "don't fish on a stat holiday again ... ever!" We got our fish at various lies in each spot, on various colours of roes bags and at differing times of the day - no real patterns identified this week. The fish of the trip was this big chrome hen Brian caught in the narliest spot you can imagine - absolutely no room to beach her so kudos to Norland for a good tailing job on her.

A close second on the memorable fish list would be the big male Arnie caught Thursday afternoon.

The trip may not have been deemed a success unless we each landed a fish and this particular buck capped it off. We were very happy for him and I noticed the release of pressure from his face as I tailed the fish for him. Confidence is a powerful thing while steelhead fishing and Arnie proceeded to land a couple more fish in the next hour or so.
Norland hooked his share of nice fish this trip which was nice to see because he had been experiencing some wierd MI curse that saw him struggle on previous trips. I could tell he was in a very happy place on this trip!!

This was the maiden trip for the new 14' Raven IM8 that I recently tied up and I was anxious for that first hook up.

I was a little nervous that it might not have the power needed to pull these big strong fish out of the heavy flow that makes up the Manistee River. In combination with the Milner this is a very light outfit but I think that it will be more suited to smaller flows like we have closer to home.

I came to this realization on Thursday afternoon when I had my ass handed to me by one of the hottest fish I have ever hooked. It absolutely smashed the roe bag and then took off like a torpedo downstream and did not even offer up a headshake on its way back to Lake Michigan. Ultimately loosing float and all when the fish wrapped up in some mid river obstructions I was afforded some time to just sit on the banks of the river and wonder just how big that fish was and if there was really anything I could have done. It seemed to be a common theme this trip that I was beat up a bit by these fish!!! In my mind this was due to a combination of not fishing since late November and using the IM8 which is a bit softer of a rod than I am used to. I am sure the other two retards will claim that I am just a useless POS but this is my blog so I can make whatever excuses I want...

That night at the cabin I chose to retie with the IM9 and Stanton which I feel is much better suited to the Manistee. God Dammit, I managed to get beat up again on a big fish in almost the exact same location early Friday morning. This fish was not as hot but still very strong and having an ability to use the heavy current to its advantage. In the end this fish made its way to the other side of the main flow and I broke the leader in an attempt to draw it back over but I did get a good look at this one, a lager dark male so it doesn't haunt me like the fish the night before.

We did not explore the other systems like we originally anticipated but on Thursday while in Andy's Tackle Box, Norland decided to pimp himself out as a walking advertisement for the store in exchange for a tip on fishing Bear Creek. "Turk" gave us a map to a residence where we could pay $5 each to drive back a lane and park close to Creek. He also left Gene his phone number which I found a little troublesome - I think he was gay and picked up on a vibe from Gene. This was a beautiful little system but I can say that it is NOT the place for a 14' stick, I intentionally took a 9' rod on this trip for just this application but thought we were heading back to the Manistee so I left it in the cabin. Norland managed to hook up right away from under some lumber so we decided to give it decent go. Brian and I hiked upstream and while I did hit a nice little droppie, the close quarters was just too much for the long sticks so we decided to pack it in. Norland however was in a very happy place and we had a tough time getting him off the skinny, tight water.

After an evening fish at the Suicide Hole we swung by Kaleva on the way back to the cabin and picked up some NY stips, Burts beans and canned potatoes. - a meal fit for Kings. After dinner, I cracked out a dvd of the Blue Collar Comedy tour and before Larry the Cable Guy uttered his first "git r done" I realized I was alone.
I think the Suicide stairs were too much for all of us!

I crashed shortly after capturing the moment on film.

In the three days we ate well, slept well, caught some fish and laughed a lot - what more could you want in a trip. It was a great time fellas and I look forward to doing again.

As I am still a rookie at this blog thing I must make certain to direct everyone to Brian's blog (www.lambton101.blogspot.com) and Gene's blog (http://here2ventandwine.blogspot.com) as these dudes both take a ton of pictures and will recount the trip with a unique and well versed perspective.

Mother Nature is a bitch!!

2009-03-30T10:53:00.000-07:00

It is as though Mother Nature hates me - or else decided to play an early April Fool's joke on me!!

Today, I finally found myself with a day off and green light to fish only to have some intense rain push through the area over the last couple days. My desire to slide up the Huron shoreline with an ultimate goal to fish the mighty Saugeen, was squashed. Plan B was to make the drive anyway and try some surf/pier fishing in lieu of ideal river conditions but 50 km/hr NW winds aren't very condusive to that so it was a good thing I had Plan C - a round of golf! NOT!!! I woke up to a few inches of snow and sub zero temps which soon made that idea a distant memory! Is someone or something trying to tell me to get some work done around the house or what??

Anyway, I was sitting at my computer this morning having a coffee and feeling sorry for myself and I had a brilliant idea. There is a nice little Lake Erie feeder creek not too far from my house that I have often thought I should check out some spring. So, I packed the surf fishing gear and headed out. The NW winds would have no effect down there and the recent rains should have that creek dumping to the Lake pretty hard.

I arrived around 11am and unfortunately found a pretty dirty Lake. The visibility was very near 0" so there would be no fishing for me today.

I decided to stick around for a little while and check the area out fully. I knew this place existed and knowing that Lake Erie is busting at the seams with Steelhead I can't imagine this creek not getting a push of fish in the spring. I have no idea how many fish would run this little system but I am intrigued enough to try and find out.

The system is actually a little larger and healthier looking than I remember ( it has been a couple years since I have been down there, never in the spring and never with a fishing pole) To say the least I am now quite excited to know it is so close to home.

The real disappointment of today was the fact that in the 30 minutes I was there, no less than 10 cars drove down to check it out. There is absolutely no other reason for anyone to be down there at this time of year and it was obvious to me that people were checking out the same thing as I was. Apparently its not a secret spot by any means. I can only assume that there IS some decent fishing to be had and I really am an idiot for not checking into this about 10 years ago - I mean it is literally 20 minutes from my front door!

When I left the estuary, I decided to check out the headwaters. A couple miles upstream I stopped for a quick look - very nice indeed!

Anyway, enough about that. I questioned even mentioning it in a forum such as this but if anyone who can figure out exactly where this is they probably already knew about it anyway. Besides, it is not like I slayed 'em today - maybe the run of steelies is insignificant there and all the peeps I saw today were just scoping out drug deal locations. ??? What do I know??

I have to admit that I am very disappointed to not fish today. I have yet take a drift this year

and it is starting to drive me nuts. I have finished the new 14' Raven IM8 and would really like to use it!!

I rigged her up last night when I was still toying with the idea of cruising north in search of chrome and I must say it feels pretty sweet. Paired up with the Milner it is very light. The tip seems quite sensitive and I hope it has some decent power. Unfortunatley, it appears as though I am not going to find out until I hook up with the Sarnia dudes for a 3 day trip to Michigan soon. I have been looking forward to that one since December - I just hope Mother Nature is done messing with me!!

A new stick....

2009-02-03T08:21:00.000-08:00

There are many opinions and theories as to what is the best all around float rod available these days. These opinions are based on many variables including looks, feel, power, brand, application, price, length, etc. It is no wonder that the answer to this question is entirely individually based. I personally would never claim one specific rod to be the "the best". In my humble opinion the rod used does not play that big of a factor in grand scheme of steelhead fishing but that does not preclude me from having my likes and dislikes about the limited number of rods I have fished over the years. My biggest consideration when it comes to a rod is price - I just cannot justify spending huge dollars on a GLX or Sage and so my evaluations are few in number and confined to the more affordable brands available.

When I first entered into the Steelhead scene it was about 1993, I was in College (starting a 3 year course after having just finished 4 years of University) and I was very short on funds. A guy in my class (Adam) was fresh into the river fishing scene and it did not take long for us to become great friends and fishing buddies. I can recall getting all excited for our first outing to a Huron trib as I had chosen to skip a few meals and bar nights to afford a set of Canadian Tire waders and a 9' Sensung rod. Talk about a ShitRat/RUBE!!

Adam was already into the pin as he had been shown the ropes by his uncles (who along with Adam deserve my utmost gratitude for showing me how to catch Steelhead and greatly steepening the learning curve for me). I was hooked after that first trip as we were able to catch some nice post spawn steelies. From that trip on Adam and I spent much of our College days on the river instead of in school. We still fish together but not very often as he is somewhat of a weekend warrior and I am not.

Anyway, that 9' Sensung was ok but it did not take long for me to want to match the setup that these other guys were using and just hammering fish. To this day it was one of the best Christmas presents I ever got - a 13' St Croix Wild River. It was Christmas (of 1994) and I was overcome with joy to see this thing tucked in behind the tree. Thanks Mom and Dad!!! Some might consider this rod to be little more than a wet noodle but I tell you I put that rod through hell for years and it is still going strong. It continues to see action surf fishing once in a while. I am sure there were many occasions when I had my ass handed to me by a hot steelie but at the time I could not imagine needing anything different.

The St. Croix was part of my progession into the world of Centerpin fishing. Adam let me borrow a 4.5" LG ( which was basically a cheaper version of a Stanton ) and it was that combo that really allowed me to become a true "steelheader" ( at least in my own mind...).

It was not until many years later that I finally saved up enough money to "upgrade" the float rod. By now Adam was wheeling a beauty custom GL3 and loving it and while there was no way I was going to drop the coin on a custom, I did splurge and buy a factory GL3. It must have been around 1996 as I was finally out of school and working and had some extra money at my disposal (just prior to this I had upgraded to a 5" black Stanton as well). Timing more than anything was the downfall of this particular rod for me. It was late fall, it was very cold and I was just starting to fish bigger systems like the Saugeen more often. The uber small guides of this rod made casting difficult and tended to ice up immediately in cold temps. I also found that the lightness of this rod was just not a real good match with the heavier 5" Stanton. I was just never sold on the feel and performance of that GL3. After only a handful of trips with the GL3 I found myself in Fletchers shop in Shallow Lake one day and picked up a 13.5' Raven IM9 - I really liked the feel of it. He offered it to me at a great price so I jumped at it. I am likely one of very few people on earth that would put a GL3 on the shelf to fish an IM9 but I liked the 3 pieces, the reel seat and the power of this rod as well as the feel in tandem with the 5" Stanton - it quickly became my "go to rod". My dad noticed the GL3 on the wall and borrowed it one trip and that was the last that rod was ever in my possession!!!! He still uses it today ( with a modification of the guides ). I often wish I had given that rod a better try but hey, Dad loves it and thats good enough for me. This year I hope to take one more trip with that GL3, paired up with the 4 3/8" Milner Kingfisher and revaluate it. That being said, the Raven IM9 is a great stick and I used it exclusively for about 9 years. I still use it today on occasion. The only complaint I ever had with it was the weight - a bit on the heavy side.

A few years ago I started dabbling the art of custom rod building and I felt a need to have a new float rod. Once I had honed the craft to the point that I was confident enough to build a big stick, I purchased a 13' Frontier blank. With a little help from some quality people in the rod building business I accumulated the components and started the build. While it certainly isn't a piece of art, it is mine and I really like it. There are numerous schools of thought regarding the Frontier line but for me the only thing that matters is that it is a decent rod at at decent price. I will never sell this one as it has special meaning to me for a few reasons. My next custom project was a Rainshadow IST 1562 that I built for my dad. It was time to get him on to using a centerpin and I really thought he needed a new rod as well. Secretly, I was hoping that this would facilitate getting the GL3 back but so far not!!! The Rainshadow is very comparable to Frontier blank (as you would expect since both built by Batson) but I chose to tie dad's up with concept guide spacing using low frame guides in an effort to keep the overall weight down. I have not used the rod enough to really comment on it but it has a nice feel to it.

Not long after this build though, I felt compelled to add a 15' float rod to my arsenal. Not really sure why other than longer is better, right?? I am very fortunate to have a good job and I am able to feel somewhat justified in spending money on my passion. So, I picked up a 15' Raven IM8 off a guy from one of the fishing boards. It was not a bad price so I gave it a go. Similar to the GL3 I did not really give this rod an honest go. It did the job but I found it very tip heavy which related to a sore shoulder after a few hours fishing. I also did not care for the sliding rings and at one point considered stripping the cork down and customizing the butt section. For a 15' rod it just did not seem to have the power that I was expecting either.

Not being overly happy with the Raven my search for a 15er continued. With the Frontier line no longer being produced I was able to pick up a brand new 15' Frontier X at a clearance price so I did - I may not have had it not been for Morin chirping in my ear ...."do it...no really, buy it...if you don't you will regret it!!". The reasonable and responsible guy that I am I did sell the 15' IM8 to help finance this new 15'!!! I certainly don't have a need for two of them. While the Frontier still has the sliding rings ( which I don't particularly care for ) it is lighter and I like the overall feel of it better so I will most definitely be keeping it. I still have not brought too many steelies to the bank with it yet but so far I really like it. It has a nice parablolic curve under load and seems to have sufficient power to turn fish in big flows.

Anyway, this brings me to the point of the whole blog entry. I have picked up a 14' Raven IM8 blank from a buddy and it is the next addition to my limited collection of float rods. Many guys have referred to this rod as one of the best all around float rods out there. I will have a chance to find out for myself. At 14' it has a combination of the advantages of the 13' and the 15'. It is comparatively light yet is thought to have lots of power in the butt section. Having said that, I am by no means a quality rod builder and it is fact that the way a rod is tied up can have drastic effect on the way it fishes. So, what I am saying is that my views on how this rod fishes will really mean nothing to anyone but me. Same course of thought with the 13' Frontier I tied up I suppose!!

I have the blank on the bench now but I am still waiting for the components to arrive by mail order. I have the walnut burl reel seat that I showed in a previous post and I think that will look great on the brown blank. I have ordered some high quality cork from an ebay source and I will mix in some brown burl and laguna that I have floating around the shop. I have ordered high frame Pac Bay Match guides (BMHG) from Mudhole along with a unique circular hook keeper and black nickel struble winding check. I have an assortment of threads on site and I have not yet settled on a color for the wraps. I am leaning towards gold/black but will likely do a few test wraps to see what appeals to me.

Stay tuned for a full account of the build as well as an opinion on the rod itself. The next few days are supposed to be quite warm and the ice should give up it's winter death grip on the rivers. Hopefully the parts arrive soon and I can get thing thing assembled before my first fishing opportunity presents itself but that is appearing to be more and more unlikely as each day passes.

Anyway, hope everyone survived the winter and with any luck at all everyone's blogs will be jammed full of fish porn instead of this other filler shit soon.

A Heat Wave????????

2009-01-22T17:31:00.000-08:00

With the deep freeze that has dominated much of January, todays warmer temps felt like a heat wave of sorts. With that, it was time to get out of the house and catch some fish. Last week I purchased a new portable fish hut and have been anxious to try it out. Truth be told, I did briefly try it out amidst the -21 degree weather that was last Saturday. Unfortunately that trip was short and extremely unproductive and that is all I am going say about that!@#*!! Today had to be better, didn't it???

A quick message to my buddy and co-worker Tim and things were a go to meet at the Bayfront, Mitchells Bay at 7am. A brief hello handshake and we quickly purchased a few dozen minnows, jumped back in the cars and drove over to our access point - Lauzons - ie the Back Bay.

We loaded up the tobaggans and headed out. The snow was about 4" deep and made for some brutal walking. After about 30 minutes we decided to punch a hole to check the depth - 3' was worth a shot!

Although Tim was quite content to stay put, after 30 minutes with no action I had to move. I packed up my gear and headed out deeper. I walked for about 10 minutes and drilled a hole only to find about 12" of water. After about 10 more minutes walking I drilled another hole only to find about 20" of water. After about 15 more minutes walking I drilled a hole and found about 3' of water. I fished here but had no success so after about 10 minutes I packed up and headed out further. There was a large group fishing out deeper and I was hell bent to fish with them. I walked another 20 minutes and set up near the pack. As I was setting up I could see many people catching perch and that was a welcome sight. By now Tim was but a small blue dot on the horizon but I could tell he was venturing out to fish with me. This was going to prove to be a very arduous walk back but all I wanted to do was catch some perch dammit!!!!

.
By this point I had decided that this was where I was going to fish for the remainder of the day. I drilled a hole to check the depth and was ecstatic to find almost 6' of water. I put up the new shanty quickly and easily - this thing really is great - compact, light, sets up/tears down in seconds and has lots of room inside. Tim has a Dave Jenz Fish Trap and while it is pretty slick it is very expensive and extremely heavy to pull around. The Sub Zero was on sale at Canadian Tire and once I used my CT $ and points on my MC I don't have much invested in this thing. I certainly hope to get much use out of it over the years.

Tim eventually did make his way out to where I was and the fishing was slow to say the least. A wave of fish would come by periodically and we could catch 5 or 6 each but then it would be quiet for 30 minutes or so before they moved back underneath us. When all was said and done we likely caught around 50 perch but only 20 made "keeper" status ( and a couple them were pretty borderline....) It was a really nice day out there. I was in a very happy place while in my hut - it was warm (with the help of the Coleman Sport Cat) and quite comfortable. Tim and his Fish Trap were in close enough proximity to share a few stories and laughs.

The day flew by very quickly and next thing we know it is 3 pm. I also made use of the Garmin 12XL handheld GPS ( which has not been used since my dad owned the boat) and it came in very handy to mark the cars as a waypoint. To my dismay we were 1.9 miles from the car.........

We packed up and started the brutal journey back to shore. About 20 minutes into it Tim decides to grab his phone and try to call in favour. Lucky for us Scotty was home and was more than happy to jump on the Artic Cat to come out and give us a ride back in. THANK GOD!!!

A great day on the hard water!! Barring any sudden thaws in the rivers I fully expect my next pursuit to be an ice fishing endevour as well.

Some new gear for 2009

2009-01-10T11:32:00.000-08:00

As you can tell, I am kinda diggin' this blog thing. I felt the need for entry number two already. But don't worry, I am not going to make this a daily thing. It is snowing like hell outside and I am bored.

I will likely not fish until next weekend and with the extreme deep freeze that is forecast it will more than likely be a hardwater trip for some perch on Mitchell's Bay. In the meantime here is a little glimpse at some new gear I have acquired for the 2009 Steelhead season.

I broke down late last year and bought a new pair of Simms G4 Pro waders. I was tired of getting wet and being cold wearing my 4 year old Freestone Simms that seemed to leak in a new spot each outing. I debated the option of buying such an expensive pair but I figure I fish enough days a year and I have heard so many good things about these waders. I used them briefly on my last outing of 2008 and I gotta tell ya - they are very comfortable!! Time will tell if the extra money invested was worth it.

At Christmas time it pays to have relatives that are into the Steelheading scene. My dad is almost as hardcore as I am and he knows what kind of shit is good and what is not so good. I have come to expect a certain amount of fishing gear each year, mostly terminal tackle such as this in my Christmas stocking. This will be my first go with the Drennan leader line but as I understand it is the same shit as the Raven I currently use ( and like ) but has a much more manageable spool. The Berkley worms look killer as do the yarns - this might turn out to be the best gifts of the year as I don't have much roe left in the freezer :(

This walnut reel seat is not new - I picked it up off ebay quite some time ago, and it has been patiently awaiting my next rod building project. I have comitted to buy a new Raven 14' IM8 blank off a friend and it will be put together sometime in the next couple months. I don't really need a new stick but I enjoy the rod building hobby and I have heard that it is a pretty decent all around stick. Might have to start selling off some of my other rods - running out of room on the wall in my shop! Stay tuned for an entry outlining the build from start to finish!!

Anyway, I am going to continue to play around with this blog thing as I anxiously awaiting the start of the 2009 Steelhead season (for me at least...)

Later dudes....

What have I started????

2009-01-09T20:07:00.000-08:00

Well, here it goes!! I have been toying with the idea of keeping an on-line journal of my fishing exploits for some time now but having failed miserably at the simple task of keeping a written journal over the years, I was just not sure that I would follow through with it if I started. In fact, I am still not convinced but I am going to give it a good honest effort.

My reasons for wanting to do this are as follows:
1. I think that it will be a valuable resource when wanting to recount conditions and successes/failures of previous trips,
2. I really think that it will give me motivation to take more pictures and encourage me to be more aware my surroundings and really appreciate each outing more, and
3. I think they are cool!!!

There are some really awesome fishing blogs out there and I hope that people can find a way to enjoy mine as much as I enjoy the others. I am a pretty simple guy who just loves to fish. I will not likely portray the witty humour nor do I possess a skillset with the camera lens that make other blogs so enjoyable and inspirational, but hopefully I can add some value to the "fish blogger" scene with this endevour.