Ice Fishing

Stopped the car to watch a fellow ice fishing on one of the city lakes today. He was sitting on a bucket working one rod. It is a cold day and he sure didn’t look too comfortable. Can’t say I saw him catch any fish either but, it is a bright, sunny day and it was probably great just to be outside.

Now I have never been a big fan of ice fishing. When I lived in Kelowna, out in British Columbia I used to go the odd time. What ruined it for me was pulling those big rainbows up through the hole and thinking about what fun they would be on a fly rod come spring.

I just could never reconcile catching a two pound plus, wild, mountain rainbow on a piece of Green Giant corn through the ice - when I couldn’t catch one on a Doc Spratley in open water.

I do remember telling the proprietor of a deli where we loaded up with snacks and pepperoni once, that the pepperoni was our secret killer trout bait. He couldn’t keep it in stock for weeks after because he, of course, told every fisherman in town the secret.

I would sure love to get back to some of those mountain lakes with my fly rod now that I have a few more seasons under my belt.

Joyeux Noel and Merry Christmas!

A long time ago when I lived in Kelowna, British Columbia I got up early one Christmas morning and drove up into the foothills to take a few casts for winter trout. It was pre-children so my wife and I had only one obligation that day, Christmas dinner at the Teel’s. They were wonderful people, the parents of my fishing buddy and friend, Paul. The morning was glorious. As I drove the winding road to the higher elevations, patches of snow showed here and there along the creek becoming thicker and more persistent. My plan was to spend an hour or two and be home before my wife woke up and got started on the Christmas day bustle. It is hard to describe the beauty of a mountain creek on a still day. It is even harder to describe the pleasure of being able to enjoy it on a whim.

At one point I looked down and noticed a small black stone-fly crawling over the snow, then another. There was a hatch coming off of what my friend called ice-flies. Quickly changing flies to match the hatch I flicked a cast into a foamy pocket behind a dead-fall. The response was instantaneous as a silver missile erupted from the water. It was incredible fishing. The kind we all dream about. A glacier fed creek, a curtain of snow capped mountains as a back drop and those wonderful Kamloops Rainbows. How could a Christmas morning be better? And then I looked at my watch. Trust me when I tell you that there may be excuses for being late to Christmas dinner that will earn you forgiveness and tolerance. “But there was a hatch coming off” is not one of them. Even now, when I hear people speak of the Christmas Miracle I wonder if they are referring to the fact that I’m still married to the same girl.
Joyeux Noel and Merry Christmas!

The Santa image comes from this site.