Whalen' s Pond??

It is no secret that I do a great deal of fishing.  I love being on the water and I have since I was a young kid.  That love of water feeds me when the fishing is slow and tonight while the temps hovered around 3*C it was slow and cold.

Despite the unseasonably cold temps I spent 3 hours tonight wading along the shore of one of my favorite creeks.   I watched for patterns in the currents and noted the depths and color changes as the water flowed over deep gravel and bedrock substrates.

Every now and then you find an oasis and it speaks to you from a spiritual place.  I found such a place during this cold outing.  Tall ferns, big trees, wildlife, and spiritual presence was inspiring.  I sat with no line in the water for more than 25 minutes and simply watched, listened, and smelled the awesome wilderness around me.  The spring peepers sang a harmony with the Canadian geese.  The wind blew gently through the poplar and ash which provided a calming white noise to the scene.  The mud from the nearby pond and the waving ferns provided a familiar and oddly comforting  aroma.

The family of beavers swimming in the pond provided excitement and company.  I talked to them and it appeared they quickly realized I was not a threat.  This idea put a smile on my face and I felt at harmony with nature.  It was a rewarding moment that I will cherish until the next time I find that natural space.

Invasive Technique

I work as a watershed practitioner.  My job is to understand, monitor, conserve, and restore the Kennebecasis River.  The non-profit group I work with has a great understanding of this exceptional waterway and have taken a logical and practical approach to reach their goal.  We do not want to manage a fishery but rather work with nature and help Her combat man-made issues or problems.  The goal is to create a balance where nature and man can live in harmony.  Unfortunately there are some occasions when man tries to manipulate nature and creates more problems.

One such issue occurs when we introduce a preferred game fish to an area with no consideration as to the impacts that species might have on the native stocks.  This is occurring right now in the Kennebecasis River with small mouth bass.  While this game fish is a worthy adversary for anglers, it is this same tenacity that creates issues for native brook trout and Atlantic salmon in the Kennebecasis.  I don't want to argue about pros and cons and the watershed group I work for will continue to manage the watershed and not fish and if the SMB take hold then we carry on.  The situation has come to a point, however, where the Department of Natural Resources, whose job it is to manage New Brunswick sport fisheries, have made some changes to the management of the small mouth bass within our river and this is important information no matter what side of any argument you are on.

A small mouth bass caught on the Kennebecasis River.

To insure you understand these changes I encourage you to learn how to identify small mouth bass and know the rules in your area.  Anglers on the Kennebecasis River, provided you are above tidal waters, can now keep up to five bass which is a large increase over previous years.  Further, the season for small mouth bass has been extended as well.  You can find out about the regulations for your part of New Brunswick by checking out the Fish NB Guide.  The Kennebecasis is part of the Lower Saint John drainage and in the 2016 guide can be found on page 28.

As an angler I have enjoyed a few evenings where I have targeted small mouth at a local pool, the photo above is a fish I managed to take on a blue smurf.  I have also managed to hook a few fall fish as well in the same reach.  Both species can be fairly large and entertaining to catch on a fly rod.  If you can get the SMB to take a top water fly...that is fun.  Remember that if you're fishing the mainstem Kennebecasis that it is fly fishing waters only and the river between McCully Stn Road and Portagevale is also catch and release.  Typically you won't catch small mouth up that high on the river... yet...and this new management approach implemented by DNR should allow trout and salmon to maintain a balance with the small mouth bass. I will likely try to do my part to help maintain the balance of the fishery and the watershed.

Last Minute Parties are the Best

My brother Luke casting his first flies over Trout.

There are times when you throw a party last minute and you have the best time. Those parties are always memorable. This evening at 5:10 I made a call to 2 good friends and told them I was going fishing. An hour later we were deciding what waters we wanted to cast on.


For my brother it would be a learning experience as he had only been fly fishing once before. For my buddy Troy and I we were glad to be on the river together again. My brother, Luke, was quickly hooked on fly as he caught his first trout within 1minutes. Ironically, when he did, Troy and I were in the trees.


As we cast over a large pool, the sun slowly fell behind the trees. The air temperature changed too and a mist formed over the water. The fish started rising all over and things got exciting. Each of us landed and released a number of healthy brook trout and smiled every time.


On a turn in the river a beaver swam leisurely as I cast my fly into his pool. I couldn't believe how calm he was. It wasn't until I hooked into a heavy 10" brookie that the beaver slapped his tail and took cover.


As the sun fell further we reluctantly decided to start our hike back to the truck. All of us wearing smiles that could readily be seen in the fading light.

Troy keeping the trout wet as he prepares to let it go.

Thanks for the party boys. Tight lines.

Healthy Brookies like this were caught and released all evening.

Creating Tradition

A lot has been written about traditions.  People find themselves in one of two opinions about traditions.  Some firmly stand behind doing the same thing over and over again.  They believe if it works or has been successful then why change or why not do it again.  Others think that tradition is safe and that it lacks challenge or ambition.  For me, I fall in the first of these mind sets.  I like creating memories and building family traditions.  My parents created traditions for my siblings and I and it provided me with a sense of family, security, and love and I want that for my children.

I've written before about how the Whalen's have a long affinity for bonding during fishing and  hiking trips and so it should be no surprise that one tradition I am try to build for my son is a birthday fishing trip.  For the last four years I have taken him and some of his friends on an overnight camping/fishing trip.  This year was no different.  Words can't adequately describe the trip or the pride and emotions it conjured up within me.

The fishing was slow to say the best but the laughs and memories were plentiful.  What is really cool is that this tradition frequently falls on the Father's Day weekend and I couldn't think of a better way to spend Father's Day.  Even better, my Dad has been with us on every trip so far. Here is hoping this is a tradition that continues for years to come.

Self Discovery While Fishing

There has long been some controversy between fly anglers and bait fisherman and I know that for the most part it is just anglers ripping on anglers.  Fishing is fishing right?  Wrong.

My first few fly casts on Trout Creek this season.

As I waded down through a stream tonight I suddenly realized something.  I was casting my bait line and it suddenly hit me.  As I reeled in my 8th brookie, I found my self reminiscing about my childhood.  When I came off the water I felt like I was 18 again.

One of the larger small stream brookies I caught on bait.  This beautiful fish was just shy of 10"

The night before I was out fly fishing and while I didn't have the same youthful exuberance I did have a great sense of tranquility and peace.  I felt mature somehow, maybe relaxed or reserved.  It was a completely different feeling than what I felt tonight with the bait rod in hand.

It might be just me.  I had a great childhood of digging worms and casting for trout so when I feel that tug of a fish on the line my memories instantly take me to my childhood.  I took on fly fishing as a challenge and as a way to challenge myself in my sport of choice.  With  the difference in how I undertook each it only stands to reason that each would have a different impact on my moods.

Fishing isn't always about the angling, sometimes you just have to take in the surroundings.

 What makes you smile when on the water?  If you love casting bait then cast away and if your preferred arsenal is flies then fire away.  Either way, get out there and enjoy the fishing.

Enhancing Flood Plains and Sustainability

Eroding river banks typically result in many ecological impacts as well as having negative impacts on man made infrastructure.  Our historical practices of settling in and around water are slowly catching up to us as our weather patterns are changing and the rain events, at least in our part of the globe, are becoming more intense. In my job I am continually seeing this conflict and the organization I work for continually searches for a suitable resolutions when these conflicts arise.  I wanted to highlight one of the projects completed in 2014.  This project stabilized an eroding stream bank, re-established woody vegetation to shade the river in the future, and improved river and flood plain connection.

Take a look at the rough video.

Making an Ecological Difference

I'm an angler, a hiker, a camper, and adventurer but even more than
that, I love nature.  As a kid I used to love to play in mud puddles and
would create drainage channels for them and I always wanted them to
look like a mini stream.  Fast forward to my job to today and I have
been fortunate enough to gain employment as a Project Manager for a
watershed organization.  This is a job I have been able to sink my teeth
into for 8 years.  The Kennebecasis Watershed Restoration Committee
works hard at creating sustainable solutions to the regions ecological
problems.  The group has completed numerous riparian and flood plain
enhancement projects through its 20+ years of work.  In 2014 I managed a
project where we used georolls as a bank stabilization tool and then
planted the site with native trees and shrubs to improve overall
ecological health.  We've created a short video of the project check it
out.





See you in the woods or on the water.

A Last Season Change of Scenery

This entry was actually printed weeks ago in the Kings County Record and I apologize for not posting more blogs lately but it is tough for me to find a balance between writing, working, and playing so I have something to write about.  Maybe work and writing should be considered just one if I truly want to blog more??  Hope you enjoy.

It is all over.  It went by in a flash.  Before it was over I t was able to send it off with a bang…or maybe more of a blub.  The season finale was similar to my season opener in the fact that I was out with the same wingman.  Like the season premier I was relying heavily on my wingman on making the season send off a success.  Oh in case you didn't figure it out, fishing season ended September 15^th and before it past Robin Doull and I made it out on the river one last time.

I would typically fish a river by wading and casting a fly line looking for trout.  Robin had been trying to get me out in a kayak targeting some bigger fish for quite some time.  With warm water the trout needed a break so I took Robin up on some smallmouth bass fishing off Darlings Island from my kayak.  (Note: The smallmouth bass season actually doesn't end until October 30th) 

We didn't get an early start but the day was overcast and not overly warm so we we're hoping the fish would be active.  This would be my first time casting lures from a kayak in hopes of catching a bass or pike.  I was unsure as I cast my lure out a number of times as I let the kayak drift down the river.  Suddenly I watched as a couple of perch chased my lure towards the kayak. 

From my seat in the kayak I was amazed at how far down I could see into the water column.  It was cool to watch fish chase my lure and made the anticipation of catching a fish more exciting.  Robin was rewarded first as he landed two fish before I hooked one.  Ironically I didn't even see my first perch take my lure as it took the hook well away from my craft.  The fact that I had to reel it in some distance meant that the modest size perch had a chance to pull my kayak for a bit.  I snickered as I thought about my drag setting on my reel; I guess it wouldn't have to be set to tight.

I landed a small smallmouth bass before landing my biggest fish of the day, another smallmouth.  It was fun to watch the fish jump a number of times and to hear my reel whine a bit as it pulled my boat around and downstream at a surprising pace.  I laughed as I finally got the fish to my kayak and unhooked it from my Rapala lure.  It took no time for it to dive deep back into the channel after I let it go.

The leisurely pace which we floated down the river was enjoyable and it possibly had a negative impact on my casting rate so I was not able to catch as many fish as Robin.  That is my story at least and I'm sticking to it.  Before long Robin landed a pickerel and once again I had to bow to his superior tactics.  As I was bowing to take a photo of him and his catch my camera went blub.  I dropped it in more than 10ft of water and even though it was a waterproof camera, I didn't think I could find it so there it lies along with the photos I had from the day.

As noon rolled around we decided to call it a day and started the paddle back up river to our take out point.  The wind was light and in our face so the paddle back up was a bit different but no less pleasant that the trip down the river.  I struggled with my desire to cast the lure out a few more times but I had a conference call early in the afternoon so I kept paddling.

It was a great way to end the fishing season and I hope that next season I can expose a few more people to a similar experience.  Until then I'll start planning my ice fishing trip.

See you in the woods or on the water.

Some Tips for Beginner Fly Fishing.

One of my buddies testing the waters on Smith's Creek above the Oldfield Covered Bridge

There is a misconception out there about angling being a rich man's sport.  I am by no means a rich man, yet I consider myself an angler.  I'm not a professional angler, nor even an amateur.  To me it isn't necessarily a sport but rather an incredibly enjoyable hobby. 

Not long ago I got started into fly fishing and to get going it cost me probably less than $100.  I didn't buy waders because I could go with some sneakers and shorts.  I didn't buy a fishing vest right away but just carried what I needed in my day pack.

To be honest I could write about it all day but someone else already created 5 fly fishing tips that I think are pretty solid.  The only other thing I might add is that don't let limited financial resources stand in your way.  Just get out there and keep casting, there is no better way to learn.  The link also has lots of good links to videos and such so check them out to.

Love Affair with Nature

I've heard it cast about jokingly many times.  "I'm a fishing widow" or "I'm a hunting widow."  As I was reading a book on the life of John Muir recently it hit me how true statements like this can be.  I love nature in so many complex ways but honestly not as much as I love my wife and family.

If you want a long distance relationship; nature is great at that.  You can view it from your car or train window as you zoom by.  It can consume your mind as you drive to a destination and you dream of wandering across a rocky ridge.  Maybe you need more distance?  You can love pictures of nature while sitting on your laptop or tour mountain roads thanks to advances in Google map applications.  I know I'm guilty of this last one.

 

Maybe you need a broad social circle.  Nature can easily fill that void with its various animals, insects, reptiles, plants and landscapes.  Some of those friends you can get right up and personal with.  Some of my more science minded friends get very close up to ferns and know every detail about them while he keeps the other plants in outer social circles.  Yet another friend encourages whitetail deer to know him on a personal level, while I'm sure they keep their feelings for him a bit more hidden.

If you like drama, nature has plenty of that, especially with the wild weather we've been experiencing lately.  You can watch as the sun battles clouds or trees ward off insect invasions.  Nature really does have lots of drama, maybe even more than your daily soap opera.  Thunderstorms, hurricanes, snowstorms, predator versus prey, these are age old soap operas that have been playing out long before television was even around and we don't have to pay the actors to perform.

I'm not big on drama and I prefer more intimate and quieter contact in my affair with nature.  I like to sit on a large boulder overlooking a broad, slow moving river, as the sun sets in front of me and the daylight slowly fades to light.  We can sit together quietly, me and nature, and get to know one another very well without saying a word.  I can watch a coyote trot along the edge of a meadow or a moose much on sedges from a still pond and feel a sense of respect and a great amount of love.

 From up close or from afar, from an emotional or rational state; nature can generate strong emotion from anyone.  It won't turn its back on us and we can't turn our backs on it, even if we wanted to.  It will test us and make us stronger.  It will make us more resilient just like the best relationships we have with our families.  If you are willing to respect nature it will hone your senses and readily make you stronger and more receptive to other relationships.  So to those who are widows to angling or hunting, hiking or camping, I encourage you to go out and start your own love affair with nature.  You'll be surprised where it might take you.

A Good Template Helps Event Planning

So tomorrow night I am helping put on a "Beginner's Fly Fishing Workshop."  I can remember when I first hosted this event.  The night before I was in complete panic mode and I was worried that it was going to flop.  Thanks to the strong template we've developed I will get to sleep tonight.

I have a full registration sheet thanks to good social media templates and generous local papers.

The educational presentation was easily updated and barring a power failure should go off without a hitch.

All the materials and handouts are packaged and ready to change hands.

The event location and a key are in hand and ready to go as are the tea and coffee perks.

One thing I can't control is the weather and unfortunately the forecast is not ideal but it should fair well enough thanks to the rest of the event.

If you didn't get registered for this event, keep your eye out on the Kennebecasis Watershed Restoration Committee's sites for our "Introduction to Warm Water Fly Fishing." There is some technical differences.

Shaylee's First Campout

The Victoria Day weekend is one of my faves.  It is one of the best weekends for camping, hiking, or fishing.  So this Victoria Day weekend is wrapping up and my kids and I went camping.  My daughter has been begging for a chance to go tenting and despite poor weather forecasts, I decided to take her and my son to a spot along Trout Creek.  Check out the vid below.

Fiddlehead Frenzy

Well it is here.  It is a couple weeks later than normal but it is here.  Fiddlehead season is here.  For me there are few things better than a feast of trout and fiddleheads.  The best part of such a feast is that is sustainable.  You can pick your own fiddleheads and then a couple of minutes later catch your own trout.  That same night you can fry and boil your dinner.  Now that is what I call fresh. 

There is nothing better than freshly caught and picked trout and fiddleheads.

Now when I started this post I thought I'd write my how to on fiddleheads but I got lazy and have since decided to share someone else's work.  Check this out. FIDDLEHEADS

Note: Image taken from city-data.com
 

Early Season Warm Up

So we have been anxious to get on the water and cast some flies but water conditions have been high and fast which has made getting a fly to the feeding area of the trout has been difficult.  I have to admit, I'm not the best fly angler, and my area of preference so far has been top water flies.  I have a ton to learn yet about early season flies and how to present them.  With a friend who is more experienced than I, I tried my hand at a flop and float approach using a beaded nymph.  I think it might serve me well when the shad start running as well.  I hope you enjoy the short video.

Fishing Forms

It has been a tough start to the fishing season here in southern NB.  With still a foot of snow in the backwoods as of April 28th, water levels may stay elevated for a while yet.  This makes it hard to fish many of the rivers in this part of the globe.  I  say "hard" but not impossible.  There are some changes for many anglers this season and some long standing restrictions still in place.  The online fishing forums have been alive with chatter on all these management strategies and there are as many opinions on the topic as there are fly patterns.  If you don't fish then you'll have to take my word for it, there are a ton of fly patterns.

I caught this Atlantic salmon in 2013 and released it saftely.

One of the biggest changes for this angling season will be the fact that no Atlantic salmon can be caught and kept this season in NB.  For those who ply the waters in the Sussex area this is not really to concerting as our local waterways have been closed to salmon fishing for a number of years now.  However, for those who make regular trips to the Miramichi or maybe the Restigouche Rivers this will mean a huge change in attitude.  Personally I fully agree with the changes implemented by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. 

The intent of the change is to give the salmon a fighting chance at recovery.  If we keep fishing and taking fish out of the system, it is very hard for nature to recover.  In order to make the $40M (a rough guess) a year industry sustainable we have to make some sacrifices. A catch and release fishery is still very rewarding for the angler and let's face it, who really fishes for sustenance now a days.

The Kennebecasis River has a catch and release section for all fish species and anglers should know where this is.  It is the responsibility of the angler to know where he or she is and what regulations apply to the water he or she is fishing.  The catch and release section on the Kennebecasis River is above the McCully Road bridge (by the potash mine) and extends up to Ketchums Brook near Portagevale.  This management tool was established to protect superb breeding habitats.  

A further management section was created on the Hammond River and a delayed season opening exists on a portion of that river as well.  For more on angling regulations check out the 2015 Fish Guide.

Not all anglers understand the need for habitat and species conservation.  In fact some see conservation as an infringement on their valued hobby.  Some anglers, either knowingly or unknowingly, have negatively impacted the streams they call their home.  There are concerns like introducing non-native fish into streams or maybe diseases or insects or worms that might impact the natural ecological balance.  An example of this on the Kennebecasis River is the recent presence of small mouth bass which are not native to the Kennebecasis.  While many people love fishing for small mouth bass, these aggressive feeding and prolific breeding fish can readily out compete speckled trout and Atlantic salmon for space.  This shifts the natural balance within the river and makes it harder for the trout and salmon to survive.

There are approximately 26 species of freshwater species in the Kennebecasis River but the health of these various species is not fully understood.  Many groups, including the World Wildlife Fund, the Nature Conservancy, and the Kennebecasis Watershed Restoration Committee along with government departments struggle to better understand all aspects of our waterways.  This requires a great deal of effort and to ensure the management policies are effective and sustainable the more data these groups have the better informed the policy makers are.  The Department of Fisheries and Oceans – Gulf Region (this is the north and east coast of NB) has an on-line creel survey.  This survey will help determine management strategies for striped bass.  The Kennebecasis Watershed Restoration Committee has a similar on-line form that will assist them in directing restoration efforts for salmonid species.  The websites for these are:

http://www.glf.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/Gulf/FAM/Recreational-Fisheries/Creel-Census

http://www.kennebecasisriver.ca/creelcensus.html

One of my faves - FALL RUN by Todd Moen

I don't normally share someone else's stuff but I couldn't resist here. This is one of my favorite fly fishing videos to date.  I love how they talk about team work and simply fishing for the joy of being on the water.  The river backdrop reminds me of one of the rivers I love to fish so I can easily picture myself chasing trout in that same situation.  I can't say though I've ever chased a fish that big and envy them for that.    I've watched other videos by Todd and I love them all.  Let's be honest....right now in eastern Canada (where we are under more than 100cm of snow and fishing season is less than a month away) all of us anglers are itching to get out from under this snow and pursue our own fish of choice.

Fly Tying Fun

It is now March and that means fishing season is right around the corner.  With the winter we've been having, cabin fever is likely in full force.  To help calm the summer time shakes I recently organized an event where local anglers could come out and socialize while possibly filling their fly box.  I've never before tied my own flies and so I thought it would be a great way for me to learn while we could all share fish stories.

Participants listen in while Robin Doull explains and demonstrates some tricks to tying on  the big screen.

 There was a fair turnout for the first, of what we hope will be regular, fly tying event.  I am fortunate enough to know a few people who are more than capable of tying fishing flies and I brought in three guys to help lead the evening's conversations.  With some capable mentors and a number of eager participants, it wasn't long until hackles and hooks met.

A first time fly tyer tries his hand while getting some direction.

Since this was the first evening the intent was to start with something easy.  "Wooly Buggers" were the fly we started with and by the end of the evening there was lots of examples kicking around.  I can't attest to the quality or style of the flies but as someone who tied his first fly that night, I'm certain that those in my position probably felt some level of pride.  To take raw materials and create, what some would consider, a piece of art that looks like an actual bait fish, nymph, mosquito, or other bug, is very rewarding.

Even if you are not an angler, you would likely appreciate the art of fly tying.  The fishing flies can readily relate the creator's mood and personality.  If you want to tie a bright colorful fly, there is no lack of chenille, or feathers to choose from.  If you want it to be flashy, there are shimmering threads and wires to help with that.  If you're in a dark place, there are shades of blacks, blues and grays that can be tied together in combination with various dark threads or simply use one color.  This can be especially easy to do if you're not worried about whether or not a fish would take your bait.

Ahhh.  The fish, when you add the elusive trout or salmon to the mix, that is what separates the true artist from the hacks like me.  I tied a greenish "Wooly Bugger" pattern that I have caught trout with, in the past.  This fishing season I will now have a new challenge; to catch a trout using my own "Wooly Bugger".  This will likely test my fishing skills and patience greatly as I don't think my fly is nearly as presentable as the ones I've used in the past.  When you have to worry about how the fly will present itself in the water that is when fly tying becomes the art of imitating nature.

I learned a great deal through my first wander into fly tying and maybe the biggest thing to remember is that it is not all about the fish.  Patience, an eye for detail, observation skills, and creativity are also a huge part of angling.  You need patience while tying the flies as working on small hooks is not something that is best done quickly.  You need patience while trying to present that same fly over a school of trout while fighting those same flies that are biting you.  Observing the feeding habits of the fish you're pursuing is as important on the stream as making sure you don't prick your finger on that small hook you're tying the fly onto. 

If you think you might like to learn some of these life/angling skills check out the Kennebecasis Watershed Restoration Committee's website or give them a call. 

A small fly pattern created by Chris McKnight.  Only his second fly. He tied his first earlier in the evening.

Kayak Fishing on Kennedy Lake

The lake was incredibly flat.  Dead trees scattered the edge of the lake and were reflecting off the calm surface along with the light clouds.  The air was still with only an odd light breeze rustling the leaves of the nearby alders.  Oddly I was disappointed there were no flies.  Yes I said I was disappointed there were no flies as I was hoping to fly fish for trout on Kennedy Lake.  No flies meant my choice of artificial fly was limited.

Nerves built up as we unloaded the kayaks and gear.  Fly fishing from a kayak was a new endeavor and for a novice paddler this can be slightly intimidating.  We laughed it off and pushed our kayaks out into the narrow, shallow, channel that led to the lake.  I should stress shallow as it was difficult to float the kayak to the main part of the lake, but entertaining if you had of witnessed it.  Using a combination of hip shuffles and poling we managed to make the lake.

With little to no wind and no flies, the first thing that hit me as I paddled into the lake was the quietness.  My Dad and I could easily converse while prepping our rods despite being over 50m apart.  The silence made me feel small and as I looked across the lake I grew infinitely smaller again.  Our voices echoed off the far hills and we could easily talk to ourselves and think we were responding.

Cautiously I let the first couple of casts leave my rod tip.  Once I was comfortable, I started doling out more line and before long I was confident in my casting and my boat.  I could use the intermittent breeze to drift my kayak strategically towards the areas I wished to cast to.  In this way I was able to efficiently cover a good portion of the lake.  That was not difficult however as the lake is only about 5ha in size.  It was an ideal setting for this first attempt at fly fishing from a kayak.

Patiently I laid out cast after cast and slowly stripped my "green machine" in.  There were no fish breaking the surface and it was hard to determine if I had a good fly and presentation or if I should change my fly and approach.  After 20 minutes and only raising one trout, I decided I should switch.  I moved to a "wooly bugger" and then to a mosquito pattern.  No matter, I never hooked a trout, but no matter the evening was more about the paddling in any event.

We easily loaded the kayaks and gear as we debated the merits of kayaks over canoes.  The drive to the main road was slow and symbolic of the pace of the evening.  Since there was still daylight left we explored some options for a similar trip in the future.  Crow Lake appeared to be a great candidate.  Both of us didn't want the day to end as we had thrived on the silence and relished in the sense of aloneness.  Being on the lake allowed us to leave worries and responsibilities on the shore and as we got closer to home those issues crept back in.  Regardless it was a great evening and kayak fishing has proven to be a new way to enjoy a favorite past time.

If you want to introduce some children to fishing then check out the upcoming "Youth Angling Day Camps" in Apohaqui and Waterford on August 20^th and 26^th respectively.  You can find more information on these events by looking up the Kennebecasis Watershed Restoration Committee.

Paddling for Pickerel

I love to fish but very seldom do I compete when fishing.  I wanted to stress this before you read this entry.  My success at the derby described below, or maybe I should say lack of success demonstrates my lack of competitive fishing skills.  I don't use a fish finder, I don't have a trolling motor, and I only have one bait casting rod.  However,  I think as an avid outdoors man I need to support my local Fish and Game Association.  This derby provided me an opportunity to expose my son to lake fishing and support the Fish and Game Association. 

As the sun was coming up I was behind the shed with a shovel.  Don't worry I wasn't burying any secrets, I was digging worms.  I had already loaded the canoe on the truck and a lunch was chilling in the cooler.  It took some prodding but my son got up and was excited to head out for the first time to do some lake fishing.  A fishing trip is one way to get him going.

The Sussex Fish and Game Association (SFG) were hosting their annual "Cassidy Lake Fishing Derby" and we were heading there in hopes of catching the longest fish.  We'd be happy just to catch a fish to be honest.  Cassidy Lake is a big lake and we'd be paddling a canoe and luckily I had my father to help with some of the paddling.  At least with the canoe I wouldn't have to spend a great deal of time unloading it.

Maybe one of the best things about this derby is the breakfast the SFG put on.  As we ate we looked out over the lake, the water glistened and a number of boats were already trying their luck.  It was a full breakfast with pancakes, eggs, sausage, bacon, and hash browns.  We gobbled it down like we hadn't eaten in days but it was just that good and we were just that anxious to get on the water. 

As we pushed the canoe out into the lake my son got a slight look of fear on his face but it was quickly erased by his sense of adventure.  I love how a canoe quietly glides through water and how you can quickly put distance between you and the shoreline.  I steered us to a nearby point as the others prepped their poles for the first casts.  As I set us up to glide across an area where I thought there might be some pickerel the others already had their lines in the water.

On my first cast I literally hooked a fish.  It was a small pickerel which I failed to land.  Shortly after that my father managed to land another 15" pickerel which we decided likely wasn't going to win the tournament so we let him go.  I thought foolishly that with such a start we might be in for a great day.  We landed one other small pickerel and paddled a great deal of the lake for about 3 hours and caught nothing close to what the eventual winner, Joe Miller, caught.  I think he landed a 24" fish.

We fished right up until registration time and when we pulled the boat to shore, my son took off to see the fish that were registered.  Before I got to the crowd he came running to me holding a fishing pole he had just won in a ticket draw.  He was super excited and the smile on his face made all the paddling aches I was feeling disappear.  I think every kid that took part won a prize and how do you top such an event.

My name was drawn too for a prize and I walked away with a nice kayak.  I didn't even have to catch a fish to win it.  I want to thank the SFG and the organizers of this event.  Often times those who put events on like this are under appreciated so I want to give a big thanks for the time and effort those folks put in to that event.

Paddle It In....Paddle It Out

Note:  Littering is one of my pet peeves and when that litter makes its way to our waterways it really irks me.  Most litter, in today's society, doesn't just go away.  We hardly use plain paper bags anymore or standard cardboard, things aren't wrapped in cloth or bound by old fashioned twine.  Instead we wrap things in multiple layers of plastic, with plastic coated cardboard, and tied to the board with plastic ties.  We are a wasteful society and we even waste a great deal of water (I'm even guilty of this one, I admit), so why do we put our waste in our water.  This entry appeared in the local weekly paper, Kings County Record, it was inspired by a drive I took by the Pollet River one day.  The weekend before my drive by there was a "River Run" held there and needless to say...the mess left behind was a complete eye sore, not to mention an ecological mess.  This is my softer take on it....

The water is crystal clear as the front of the canoe moves out into the main channel.  You and your paddling partner are grinning from ear to ear as the current takes its first tug on your floating haven.  The sun is shining bright and warm on the back of your right shoulder as you dip your paddle for that first hard stroke.  Almost instantly the canoe picks up a significant amount of speed and it creates a breeze on your face and causes your hair to blow behind you.  The best part about that breeze is that it keeps the flies away.

The river winds lazily between ribbons of silver maples which keep you shaded when the noon time sun and the rowing heat your body beyond your comfort level.  Some of the maples bare scars, high up their trunks from where ice scoured against them during the spring freshet.  If you were to stand in your canoe, the scars would still be well out of reach and you struggle to comprehend the amount of water that must of flowed through the area during the regular flooding.

Your stomach growls and you are brought briefly back to reality when you remember your lunch cooler sitting in the middle of the canoe.  You scan down river and spot a gravel bar on the inside of a turn less than a hundred meters away.  From the stern position you point the bow toward the gravel bar and instantly your buddy grins approval, without even saying a word, he knows where you're heading.

The gravel bar is warm and relaxing as you lazily chew on your sandwich.  The flies however, have made an appearance, and you become slightly irritated.  You quickly guzzle the soda you had lugged with you and hastily shove the last piece of granola bar into your mouth.  As you leave you drop the soda can into a bush and the granola wrapper blows into the current but since you're irritated you decide to leave them. 

You continue down the river and you start to notice a great deal of litter along the shoreline.  Now you feel a bit guilty about your contribution to the problem.  Plastic grocery bags hang in the shrubs along the shore like prayer flags, while pop bottles sit like old small ship wrecks on the bottom of the river.  You notice oil jugs sitting amongst some chokecherry bushes and feel ashamed.  Thankfully, a big, bright tailed, bald eagle flies over head and you once again start to note the amazing gifts mother nature offers.

There are many lakes and rivers in New Brunswick and many people take the time to enjoy them.  Unfortunately many people also take time to litter and blemish Mother Nature's beauty.  If you are out enjoying the rivers this summer be sure to take out the trash you might bring in.  Those little cuts add up and it can have an impact on how others perceive our great province and its waterways.  If you have time maybe you can even pick up some of the litter you see.  Most rivers flow to the ocean not to the water treatment plant, and the ocean is not a toilet that easily flushes.