A driver never sleeps

A: Fredericton, NB - Thursday, 21-Feb

The plan, as it was conceived, seemed simple enough: wake up, load up the truck, tidy up the apartment, say last goodbyes, and start driving. I assumed we'd be on the road by 1400h.

At  2030h (Atlantic Time), we finally pulled out of town. It would have been logical to wait until morning, but there comes a time when you just have to go. We were delayed by a day already due to bad weather, and more bad weather was on the way.

The drive from Fredericton to the Quebec border was slow; heavy wind gusts with the kayak on top and occasional snow & ice-covered highways resulted in top speeds of 80km/h (~50mph, 'merican friends).

But we were on our way.

B: North Bay, ON - Friday/Saturday, 22/23-Feb

We pulled into North Bay at 1430h (Eastern Time) on Friday afternoon and quickly found a near-deserted Comfort Inn to rest our weary bones and order a pizza.

The front desk staff were friendly, helpful and courteous. They made sure we had a drive-up room so we could easily take the dog out as well as keep an eye on all of our worldly possessions in & on the truck. Sleep came easy that night.

Total travel time, Fredericton - North Bay: 18 hours. I made the same trip in the same truck (with a different dog & a lot less stuff) solo back in '06; it took me 14 hours...and a lot less gas. I did have an hour-long nap at a highway rest stop on this trip, however; thus making the title of this post an outright lie.

C: Thunder Bay, ON - Saturday/Sunday, 23/24-Feb

We set out on the big portion of the never-ending trek through Northern Ontario, or Nontario, as I like to call it. It doesn't seem like the Ontario of Toronto & vicinity, who give the rest of Ontario a bad name.

Nontario seemed a lot more inhabited than in Ought-Six; I distinctly remember thinking if I were to become stranded I'd have to eat my former project manager's black lab back then. I didn't have that feeling this time.

In fact, there was a lot of traffic, which sucked at times: there were not many places to pass transport trucks, and it meant using a lot of windshield wiper fluid.

We checked into another Comfort Inn at ~2200h. The free wifi & continental breakfasts are solid, though this particular one charged for Awesome staying in the room. Front desk staff was also friendly & helpful here, too.

Before bedtime, we decided it'd be most appropriate to stop at the Terry Fox Memorial in the morning. I'm glad we did.

Non-Canadians: click here for more on Terry Fox.

Canadians not knowing who Terry Fox is: Leave now. Get on an ice floe, push off and float away in a slow, southerly route. Far from shore. I don't want you here.

Total travel time, North Bay to Thunder Bay: 13 hours and change. This is where the comparisons between 2006 & 2013 should stop; in '06 Thunder Bay was a gas/coffee/bathroom stop, and I kept going...right through to Saskatoon...

D: Regina, SK - Sunday/Monday, 24/25-Feb

After paying respects to the Terry Fox Memorial east of Thunder Bay, we once again pointed west and were off.

Today was to be a wildcard day of driving: if we made it past Winnipeg, I'd be happy. Any further than that would be a bonus. We just wanted to be out of Ontario and eventually, we were: we made it into Manitoba.

High-level negotiations between driver & passenger carried on throughout the day to determine how far and how long we would go into the night. The driver (me) was feeling pretty good: alert, not stiff and well-rested. The passenger, unfortunately, was not.

Compromises were made, and a (rough) plan hatched: stop for the night in Brandon, MB; then take a short driving day the next day to rest our weary souls and bones. The passenger dozed off, and I pushed through to Regina, Saskatchewan. Bam.

We stayed at (another) Comfort Inn in Regina. The bag o' douche at the front desk gave me the "we have a room available" routine, as if to imply there was one and only one room available, and it was going to be expensive...in terms of the Comfort Inn. I didn't give a rat's ass whether it was $89 or $129, I just wanted a bed.

Then I almost broke my neck in the icy parking lot while outside with the dog, which endeared all-things-Saskatchewan to me even further.

Total travel time, Thunder Bay to Regina: Seventeen-ish hours. We stopped for a 'fancy' lunch in Dryden, ON, the birthplace of Chris Pronger...if anyone cares...

Fun fact: once crossing the border into Manitoba, I set my cruise control for ~105km/h (65mph) and didn't accelerate or decelerate from that speed for about an hour and forty minutes. Love the Prairie Provinces.

PS - Comfort Inn, Regina: eat a dick.

E: Medicine Hat, AB - Monday/Tuesday, 25/26-Feb

As agreed to during high-level negotiations of the previous day, this was our short day. A half-day...or more like a third-day, by the rate we had been travelling.

After a lazy start to the day, we made it into Alberta and checked into a nice Best Western in Medicine Hat by mid-afternoon.

Pizza was ordered, sleep was had.

Which is good, because the mountains were coming at us fast...

Total travel time, Regina to Medicine Hat: Five hours. If only all the days were like that.

F. Chilliwack, BC - Tuesday/Wednesday, 26/27-Feb

The day started ominously: at the first intersection of the morning, I needed to pop the truck into four wheel drive in order to move at the green light.

As y'all can imagine, I had been paying attention to the weather for days leading up to and throughout the trip. Our drive from Fredericton and through Quebec was a precision-timed masterpiece, avoiding storms by mere hours ahead of us and behind us.

I knew weather would be touch-and-go for the first two hours out of Medicine Hat but with minimal snow accumulation and no chance of freezing rain. And once we were past Calgary, it would be clear skies for much of the day through the mountains...but I also knew it wouldn't last for long: bad weather was a-brewin'.

I'll tell this part of the journey through Twitter:

Alas, it wasn't all rainbows & unicorns on this last big day of driving: I had a solid forty minutes of white-knuckled, butt-puckering, scary-ass driving on the Coquihalla Pass¹.

This was the worse part of the entire trip. I hated it, while my lovely passenger slept soundly through it all. I'm sure she still doesn't believe there were snowbanks towering over the truck (there were) with three feet of snow on the road at the summit (more like three inches).

But two lengthy Matthew Good songs² later, we were out of the mountains and into a light, mild³ rain.

We stayed at another Comfort Inn. Not as good as the Comfort Inns of Ontario, but a zillion times better than that shithead Comfort Inn of Regina.

I didn't sleep well as I was constantly checking on the truck. When I first moved to Vancouver in '06, some dick smashed my driver's side door window, probably to see if the newly-landed New Brunswicker left anything of value in the truck. He got thirty-seven cents; I got a $345 repair bill.

As we say back east, the bastards would steal Christ from the cross and go back for the nails. Fuckers.

¹ - just pronounce it Coca Cola Pass and you'll be fine.

² - like this one and this one (they're worth a listen. Right now. Go ahead).

³ - mild by Canadian standards, as in, it was 6°C (43°F). Goddamned tropical by eastern Canadian in February standards.

Total travel time, Medicine Hat to Chilliwack: Fifteen hours or so. We stopped in Canmore for lunch and in Kamloops for an extended dog-walk. Plus the whole snowpocalypse on the Coca Cola Highway slowed things down...

G: Comox Valley, BC - Wednesday, 27-Feb.

Nothing much to report on this part of the journey, except we finished it. Anticlimactic, isn't it?

We were on the road by 0800h (Pacific Time) with a quick Starbucks Coffee from beside the motel, and efficient use of the carpool lane through the Lower Mainland to North Vancouver to make it onto the 1030h ferry from Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo.

I had a huge breakfast on the ferry for not that much money and we chilled out for the ride; happy to be out of the truck while making forward progress.

Once on Vancouver Island, the goal line was in sight. We pulled into the Safeway in Courtenay around 1330h to grab a few groceries, and we were off to check into our seaside cottage hideaway.

We were asleep for the night by 1630h. Pacific time.

Total travel time, Chilliwack to Comox Valley: about five hours, with 70 minutes spent waiting to load on the ferry and almost two hours on the ferry.

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Be sure to follow along with my Instagram feed for pics chronicling my adventure in a new land (and pics of Awesome the Dog, too).

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Westward

Coming to a Western Province near you.

Just don't ask me how the gas mileage is.

The Promised Land

I've yet to load the Diable Paddlesports Chupacabra on the truck

Much like the Clampetts, we'll be soon taking our lives west. But not to Beverly Hills.

Ignoring the minor details of not yet knowing where we'll call home (Vancouver Island landlords aren't very good at responding to emails), we'll be arriving in less than three weeks.

Preparing both physically and mentally for a move from one side to the other of the world's second-largest country whilst in West Africa should be a breeze in this current age of technology...but it isn't.

A typical email to a prospective landlord would go as such:

Hi,
I came across your ad on Craigslist; is your house still available to rent? 

If so, could you tell me if there is carpeting or not, and if the bathroom has a bathtub?   

Also, our dog is approximately 35lbs (Brittany Spaniel mix); is that too large for you? 

We are moving to Vancouver Island in late February but would have no issues renting for Feb. 15th if it works out.  

Thanks in advance & have a great weekend!

This response to those four fairly precise questions was returned:

"im showing it tmr at noon, 250-898-****"

So I guess the house is still available to rent.

*          *         *

On the bright side of things, I've almost forgotten about one significant (and awesome) detail about fishing on Vancouver Island...besides steelhead, cutthroat, pink salmon, coho salmon, chinook salmon, ling cod, dungeness crab and oysters:

Whether it is the infinite number of Bass that proliferate its waters, or the fact that these fish attain weights of up to 4 kg.

For my metric-deficient American cousins:

I can deal with less-than helpful potential landlords for 8lb smallies.

Heck, I'd sleep in my truck for 4lb smallies (my lovely girlfriend is another matter altogether, though).

Vancouver Island is the promised land.

Traveling Angler Tuesday: 10 DIY Tips from Cod

Mista Cod, he of the Chronicles of Cod fame, takes being a Traveling Angler to a whole new level.

Last winter he undertook this epic adventure: 

• drove from Calgary to Houston, flew to Belize & fished permit; 
• flew back to Houston and camped on the Gulf Coast to chase reds; 
• drove from Texas to San Diego and then down the Baja to camp and fish for roosterfish;
• drove back to Calgary, but stopped along the way to pop over to Cuba for a week-long liveaboard  trip.

Needless to say, when he offers up some advice on fly fishing travel, it might be good to pay attention.

*          *          *

COD'S 10 TIPS FOR DIY FLY FISHING TRIPS 

(not necessarily in order)

10. Use all available resources

Use Google Earth, fly shops, maps, tourist information kiosks - Lonely Planet books are bad ass - every bit of info you collect is good. Sometimes you have to filter through a lot of it to get good stuff but keeping your ear to the ground and at least humour every lead; it can sometimes help you.

9. Observe 

Watch what others are doing. This is a great source of information that's so easy to obtain. If others are catching and you are not, watch what they are doing. It's there for the taking. 

8. Don't beat yourself up 

If the conditions are screwed, if there are no fish around, if you're getting frustrated: take a day off or an afternoon or whatever. If you have time, take a break or a nap. It gives you a chance to mentally recharge. It allows you to add some depth to your trip, learn some new shit, or just generally relax.  

Don't beat yourself up, it's fishing and you are supposed to be enjoying yourself.

7. Follow your gut 

This can save you a lot of grief. Whether it's a road, path, area, or tingling spidey sense, if shit don't seem right...it likely isn't!!  Sometimes you get shit info. If you don't think fish are there, don't like where you are, or just aren't feeling it: make changes! 

I am a firm believer in fishing with confidence; when you do this everything leans a little in your favour.

6. Patience

Super important. "If it was easy, everyone would be doing it." We have all heard this statement before. Achieving hard shit is cool. 

Spin fishing, on a whole, is way more productive than fly fishing; why don't I just huck bait? Not gonna happen. You have taken it upon yourself to "DO IT YOURSELF." Expect a learning curve and be patient. Don't focus on what you're not doing, rather make note of the things you are learning and getting better at.

5. Network 

Hang out in fly shops, at boat launches and places where fisherman congregate. Talk to people, tell them what you're there doing. You'd be surprised of the number of people you can meet and the great info you can find out just by chatting with other fishermen.

4. Know your enemy

Going into the unknown is an often daunting task. If it's a new fish you're targeting, try to get some background info on them; e.g., flies, tides, diet, size or techniques. 

Bring tying material if possible; sometimes you show up with the wrong stuff. It's nice to have the option of spinning up some new bugs. It's a good confidence builder and it adds depth to your trip.

3. Set realistic goals 

The chances of you showing up and shit-canning the fish that you're after are slim to none. Set realistic goals ("I hope I get an eat" or "I hope I can catch a decent one.") 

Don't be disappointed if you don't achieve your goals. Look for the positive: maybe you thought your vision got a bit better or you figured out something that made you cast a little better in the wind. 

If you've never been there or done it before, what makes you think you're gonna whack 'em??

2. Be flexible

When you do things on your own, you need to be a little more flexible than on a guided trip. Expect to fish less, explore more, have more down time, make mistakes, and fumble the ball more generally speaking.  

You might have a few wild goose chases, expect them. That's all part of DIY fishing: embrace it. Thats what makes it awesome and rewarding. You figured it out. Not your guide. Not your local buddy. It's then truly your fish.

1. Time or money

Many people have one of these. Very few have both. Make an honest decision which one you have.

If you only have a few days, or a week, then maybe a guided trip makes more sense. 

If you've got no dough but spare time, do it on the cheap: go longer and expect your pitfalls due to inexperience. 

I justify extended trips by telling myself, "It cost so much to get here, I might as well stay longer." I prefer to have time on my side as opposed to money when it comes to DIY. 

For example, weather can shut you down. If you go on the week with crap weather, your fishing will likely be the shits. If you're there for three weeks instead, you'll likely encounter good conditions at some point. 

Sometimes shit just takes awhile to figure out, too.

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Thanks for taking the time to write this up, AC! 

Be sure to follow Cod's next adventure over at Chronicles of Cod. 

He can be hit up via Twitter at @chroniclesofcod

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Traveling Angler Tuesdays launched June 26th, 2012 on mattrevors.com. My mission is to prove the concept of fly fishing travel abroad is not just the realm of old rich dudes and magazine writers & photographers. Keep checking back regularly as I share tips & tricks to get you to fly fishing locales you dream of going to. To see past articles & tips from the Traveling Angler Tuesdays series, click here.

Project Salt

What happens when you combine:

• a love of saltwater fly fishing; 
• a loving girlfriend who shares a love of traveling; 
• a loving girlfriend who shares a disdain for Canadian winters; 
• a hoarding mentality for Aeroplan miles; 
• a new fishing kayak; 
• a job as an independent contractor?

Project Salt* happens.

* - Project Salt because Project F**k This Canadian Winter Bullshit was far too long of a title. But we can initiate #FTCWBS on twitter, if people want...?

Campaign #1 - Belize (mid-September)

Campaign #2 - Florida (November - December)

Campaign #3 - Location X (early 2013)

It will be a journey of learning: new cultures, improving casting, new fly tying patterns, seeing different fish habitats, spotting fish, paddling, eating fish and more (including my lovely gf getting her PADI certification).

And you better believe there will a trip or two to Disney...

I'm so excited I could pee myself. But I won't, because that's just weird.

Screw you, winter!

Traveling Angler Tuesdays: Packing Tips

Traveling Angler Tuesdays launched June 26th, 2012 on mattrevors.com. My mission is to prove the concept of fly fishing travel abroad is not just the realm of old rich dudes and magazine writers & photographers. Keep checking back regularly as I share tips & tricks to get you to fly fishing locales you dream of going to. To see past articles & tips, click here.

Guatemalan chicken bus & fly fishing sculpture at Calgary Airport

Dump all of your money and everything you've packed on your bed. Look at it. Then pack half the clothes and take double the money. - Unknown

A few weeks back I discussed how you should carry your rod and reel on the plane with you.

This week I'm going to skip over the fun stuff of rods, reels, flies and such, and get to the boring stuff: clothes, toiletries and other necessities.

Here are five tips outlining my basic methodology:

1. Weather and climate
Unless you've been to the area before, click over to the Weather Underground or some other weather website to get an idea of the average highs & lows.

To view weather history on WU, click  on the tab for Today's Almanac, then click "View more history data" on the bottom right of that square:

After checking the average highs & lows for the month of travel, look at the extended forecast to see if anything weird is on the horizon.

Armed with this knowledge, the Traveling Angler can start picking out some clothing to pack for the journey.

Remember this: weather determines whether you put on shorts or long-johns in the morning. Climate determines how many of each you own. Same goes for packing and traveling: know what to expect.

2. Planned activities
Go through your itinerary to see what's scheduled. A fancy dinner, perhaps? Clubbing? Camping on the beach for five days straight? It matters not whether the Traveling Angler is male or female: different activities call for different clothes.

If traveling to an all-inclusive fishing lodge or doing a week-long DIY camping trip in warm locations, packing light should be an easy task; shorts, a few shirts, quick-dry pants, flats boots, flip flops and you're set.

If a colder venue is on tap (steelheading in January on Haida Gwaii, anyone?), heavier clothes and waders will obviously be needed, but one can still pack light on the number of clothes one brings.

Throw a nice dinner or a night out with your significant other and packing light becomes slightly more complicated. Your loved one probably wouldn't appreciate sitting across a candle-lit dinner, looking at (and smelling) your fish-slimed shirt.

Any way you cut it, you want to have the appropriate attire for the activities planned.

You don't, for instance, want to be the knob wearing boardshorts and flipflops in a dress-code-enforced casino in San Juan, PR  getting escorted out by security after winning three consecutive hands in blackjack. Hypothetically speaking, of course...

Fortunately for the Traveling Angler, several clothing & fishing companies are getting good at making quick-dry technical apparel that looks sharp enough to do double-duty on the water or on the town. If you have extra cash to burn, or don't mind skipping a rent/mortgage payment, check out the following companies:

• Ex Officio (Men's / Women's)
• Patagonia (Men's / Women's)
• Simms (Men's / Women's)
• Columbia (Men's / Women's / Kid's)

Don't dismiss convertible pants, either. Life's an adventure, not a fashion show. Convertible pants are practical and comfortable. Seriously.

They just make you look like a complete dork when you wear them in your hometown.

3. Trimming it down

The Traveling Angler has their pile of clothes on the bed. Now it's time to get realistic. Ask yourself the following:

• Are you really going to work out and/or do yoga every day you're there? Do you really need exercise-specific clothing, or can you do those activities in boardshorts or swimsuit? Same goes for running shoes. Running barefoot on the beach is good for your feet and your soul. Do you need the extra weight & space of single-purpose shoes?
• Are there laundry facilities available? Are you mentally capable of washing a few clothes in the bathroom sink? Those technical clothes are made of quick-drying material for a reason. They can dry overnight.
• Is it the rainy season? No? Then why are you bringing a full rain suit?

If you are really having a hard time choosing, go back to the quote above: pack half the clothes and take double the money. 

4. The uber-secret packing method of ancient gods

Leaving space pays off

Whether I'm traveling for work for four weeks, or traveling for fishing for one week, I use the following technique for packing my clothes.

If traveling for work, this allows me to get work boots, books, fishing gear & tying materials in my larger duffel bag. 

If I'm heading somewhere to fish, this allows me to use a small duffel bag or a backpack as my checked bag, usually with room to spare for whatever knick-knacks & other extras I pick up on my journey (4lbs of Guatemalan coffee, for instance).

So here's how it's done:

• Take the largest/heaviest long-sleeved piece of clothing and lay it flat on the bed or floor. If packing a hoodie or hooded jacket, use this.
• Lay any other long-sleeved articles of clothing directly on top of the first, matching up the sleeves, neck & bottom. Make sure they're flat.
• Do the same for any t-shirts & short-sleeved shirts.
• Place underwear, socks, lightweight shorts, pants on top of the stack of shirts, in the centre, and ball them into a tight pile.
• Take the hood of the first piece of clothing on the bottom and pull it tightly over the pile in the centre.
• Grab a bottom corner of the clothes & pull it over the pile in the centre. Do the same with the other bottom corner.
• Take ahold of one of the stacks of shirt sleeves and wrap it around the ball of clothes, using it to 'tie down' on of the bottom corners. Do the same with the other stack of sleeves.
• Flip the ball of clothes over, so its weight keeps the sleeves from loosening.

You should have a ball of clothes, neatly and tightly packed to approximately the size of a soccer ball. Maybe even a football, if you're good at packing light. Place this in your backpack or duffel bag.

Note: this method keeps shirts from getting wrinkled to shit; typically just the sleeves end up wrinkled.

Any heavier pairs of pants or shorts, or a towel* if required, can be folded and/or rolled and placed in the spaces under the edges of the clothing ball.

* - Buy a travel/pack towel. Trust me. See the list at the end of the post for a good one.

5. Toiletries

Depending on the location of your adventure, the toiletries needed can vary. On a family vacation with a side trip of fishing, the Traveling Angler might need the full spectrum of a shaving kit, makeup and other niceties. On a two-night backcountry camping/fishing trip, an general all-purpose camp soap might be sufficient.

Note: I highly recommend having some biodegradable camp soap wherever your travels might take you. The right brand can serve as a laundry detergent, body wash or dish detergent. Ensure it is biodegradable, though, especially if you're using it in a body of water that isn't a bathtub. Millions of microscopic organisms will thank you.

Lots of companies make travel or trial-size containers of shaving cream, shampoo, body wash, toothpaste and mouthwash, and there are two schools of thought on how to obtain them:

1. The Suburban School: go to your local Walgreens, Shopper's Drug Mart, or Sprawl-Mart, look for the beauty and hygiene section. There should be everything you need there for very reasonable prices.
2. The Pirate School: when staying at a hotel, take the shampoo, soap, sewing kits, mouthwash and whatever else is stocked in the room's bathroom. Then plunder the housekeeper's cart for more when she is in an adjacent room with her back turned. Bam, you now have travel-size toiletries for the next four months.

Note: I always travel with a few ziplock bags to isolate toiletries that may leak in transit. I also have a roll of electrical tape packed away; a quick wrap of tape over the pop-top of shampoo keeps things in check.

Always remember to pack only what you need. And, if you happen to forget something, it'll be rare that you won't be able to get something on your journey*.

* - Unless you're running out of deodorant in an isolated project site in Nunavut. Like I am...

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This might seem over-simplified, and I'll be the first to admit, it is. It takes me longer to figure out what to pack than it does for me to write these posts (it takes a little while to write these).

Packing & traveling light isn't a macho thing, nor is it something to really brag about. And forgetting to pack (or intentionally leaving behind) necessary things won't make you any friends if your constantly bumming toothpaste (or underwear).

However, packing exactly what you need and nothing more make things less complicated and far more comfortable when you are traveling.

*          *          *

Here are a few pieces of gear and clothing I count on when I travel, for work and for play (read: fish):

• MEC Fast-Track 2 rolling duffel: my go-to for month-long project work. It fits work clothes & boots, books, toiletries, fishing and/or fly tying gear.
• Arc'Teryx Needle 55L backpack: this pack is discontinued. I bought it in '05 for a steal on ebay. Arc'teryx makes very spendy stuff, but it's extremely good quality. This is the backpack pictured above. I still use a softshell jacket and a winter jacket of theirs that are both pushing seven years old. 
• MSR Packtowel: almost the size of a beach towel, folds to the size of a small paperback novel. I don't leave home without it. Amazing product.
• Ex Officio Give-N-Go boxer brief: another go-to. Comfortable, easy to wash, quick drying. Wear a pair, take a pair. Wash them in the shower or sink when needed and they'll be dry within hours. Some day, every pair of underwear I own will be these.
• Smartwool socks: same as the Ex Officio underwear: awesome product, and oh so comfortable. I have several pairs of varying weights and it's not often I'll wear anything else. To those who have gave me socks or gift cards I have used on Smartwool socks: thank you.

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Disclaimer

The products mentioned in this article were bought and paid for by the author, Mat Trevors. 

I, Mat Trevors, am not sponsored by or associated with any of the companies listed above and am accepting no compensation, monetary or otherwise, in exchange for these endorsements. 

My independent status may change in the future but, as of the date of publication, no relationship has been pursued or established. 

Companies wishing to hire a Writer-Not-In-Residence-But-On-Water can definitely buy my allegiance; however, those companies must be upstanding members of the global community and produce gear of high quality. I can be reached through the Contact Page.

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Birth of a 'yak angler

Random redfish picture, just so y'all know where my head is at.
(Taken at SC Aquarium, which is an awesome place)

Believe me, my young friend, there is nothing- absolutely nothing- half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats. - Kenneth Grahame

Bringing home my new Diablo Paddlesports' Chupacabra marked the end of an era: the Magnificent Basstard is for sale.

Note #1: I reverted back to calling it the Magnificent Basstard from The Aluminum Bastard since it's for sale.
Note #2: selling the boat would be a lot easier if I wasn't in Nunavut until late August.

A little piece of my brain was whispering about the adventures I could have with both The Magnificent Basstard (henceforth "the MB") and the Chupacabra paired up as part of an amphibious fly fishing strike force of awesomeness.

Common sense (and a promise to my lovely girlfriend) has won out; I will bid adieu to the MB as soon as a buyer is found. In fact, a few interested souls have already come forward.

I weighed the options of buying a fishing kayak last year, but the summer slipped by way too fast. I was away working a fair bit and next thing I knew it was September. And when October rolled around, I ended up buying the MB...and then promptly went to Idaho to work for the entire month.

Desires for a fishing kayak reared its head again in the spring, but having the MB and a trip booked to Belize in September kept any and all kayak delusions in check. It came down to simple economics: kayaks are sort of expensive.

A boat owner is a special breed of person. I battled with truck repairs, learning to back up with a trailer hitched, boat covers that collected more rainwater than they shed, parking issues, and a trailer that requires a little bit of servicing to pass inspection. As the summer once again started sliding past, I very calmly*, with no cursing whatsoever**, concluded I am not that breed of person. Not yet, anyway.

* - This is a lie.
** - This is not a lie, but replace 'doghouse' with 'boat trailer' in this video here.

Owning a powerboat, with the associated time, money and responsibilities that go with it just isn't for me at this current stage of my life.

Note #3: Without question, the MB itself is a great boat. My truck and the boat trailer have caused me all of my boating woes, with my work schedule being the main contributing factor to why the boat lies fallow.

Sea trials on Lake Sebago, Maine

But I still wanted (needed?) to be on the water.

The kayak had definite merits (many of which I told my lovely girlfriend). No trailer to worry about towing, parking space or government inspections. No gas bills. No possible future mechanical failures. No insurance. No lower unit to worry about in shallow water.

Less worry. Less hassle. Less money. All possible in less water.

Plus excuses for (lots of) physical activity under the guise of fishing and to build and rig things like storage out of milk crates and push-poles out of PVC.

Note #4: the word 'accessories' takes on whole new levels of awesomeness why you combine the words 'kayak' and 'fishing.'

Yes, I think a kayak is more my style.

Note #5: Especially if your talking about living room style:

Boat parking issues are SOLVED!

Species Journal update

Trophy bluegill!

My recent trip with my lovely girlfriend to the South brought a little bonus: my first bluegill.

We were fishing with Dave from SCOF on Lake James for the afternoon (well, I was fishing; Becky read & took in the sun, and Dave rowed me around...which I appreciated). We were targeting some carp, largemouth and bluegill, which are referred to as bream 'round those parts.

It was a great afternoon to be on the water...and I caught a bluegill...or bream...a sunfish of some manner...

The night we returned home, I slipped out for a couple hours on the Nashwaak River with my new Chupacabra and caught a few yellow perch & creek chub.

Both the bluegill and yellow perch were updated on the Species Journal earlier today.

The creek chubs still remain an unofficial listing because I can't seem to get a picture of them; it was too dark for the camera phone when I caught my potential IGFA-record creek chub last week.

Species Journal Stats (number of fish species caught):

• August, 2009: 1
• August, 2010: 1
• August, 2011: 6
• August, 2012: 15

Note: Two fish (Northern Pike & Mahi-Mahi) have an asterisk due to being caught on conventional tackle. They are included in the totals above. Two fish (Striped Bass & Eastern Creek Chub) remain unofficial catches due to not having photographs and are not included in totals above.

The quest for the perfect 7wt

I somehow developed an infatuation with seven-weight fly rods this past winter.

Not actually owning a 7wt fly rod didn't prevent this infatuation from forming. That would make sense. As one would expect, logic cannot be allowed to step in the way when it comes to fishing gear. Thus the search for a worthy 7wt began.

Note: I will henceforth refer to it as 7wt Fever.

My research began with targeting smallmouth and was expanded to include Atlantic salmon and then light saltwater angling.

And it was based on this maxim:
Choosing the rod for the size of flies you wish to cast, not the size of fish you wish to catch.

I'll break this down into the various species:

Smallmouth Bass
For smallmouth, my Redington Predator 6wt was great for casting size 4-8 flies, including weighted flies like Clousers and crawfish patterns. But it was severely lacking the backbone necessary for big, wind-resistant deer hair poppers and beefy flies like Barr's Meat Whistle and larger, heavier Clousers. And, while I can easily cast these flies on my 8wt, the fun of 1-3lb smallies is slightly diminished on the  big stick.

And fun is what matters, right?

Enter Doug from Smallmouth Fly Box (with a quote from Tim Holschlag of smallmouthflyangler.com):

If you are going to pick out a favorite rod you have to start with the perfect overall line weight for the species you are after.  The type of water you fish, wind conditions, fly sizes etc. are all factors when choosing a line weight, but many agree that the ideal line weight for smallmouth bass is a 7wt. 

First off, a 7wt is a nice weight to lug around all day, avoiding arm fatigue is always a good thing.  I can toss a large popper as well as a beefy streamer with this weight rod.  If paired with the right line a 7 weight can punch through wind, but if cast correctly it can quietly lay out a bug without a splash.  The 7 weight is the perfect balance between brute force and finesse....and it give you options to toss top water poppers or streamers. 

Smallmouth legend Tim Holschlag had this to say about the 7 weight: 

"What if a person wants to fish different types of water, but can only afford one good rod?  That's simple--get a 7-weight, 9 1/2', medium-stiff, medium-fast action good quality rod.  7-weights may be out of style right now, but they're still the best all-purpose smallmouth rods available.  Over the course of a year, I probably use a 7-weight more than any other type of rod." 

I agree with Tim completely, but I tend to deviate from his recommendation for medium-stiff and medium-fast action rods.  Who am I to contradict Tim Holschlag, a guy that fishes more in one year than I have fished in my lifetime.  Good thing all of this is personal preference! 

So mark one up for 7wt Fever for smallies.

Note - As mentioned in numerous previous posts, my go-to bass rig is now the Cabela's 7/8wt CGR, perfectly paired with Sage's 230gr Performance Bass (Bluegill) line spooled on a Hardy Ultralite 7000DD reel. If I do say so myself, it is the best combination of rod-reel-line I have ever pieced together. And it does support 7wt Fever, as it is officially listed as a 7/8-weight.

Atlantic salmon
Ask any number of New Brunswick fly anglers what rod weight to use for Atlantic salmon and the majority will swear up and down you need an eight or nine weight fly rod.

But applying my rod-for-fly-size maxim above, I decided an 8wt might be too much rod, and a 9wt could definitely be considered overkill* - especially with the cast-cast-step-cast-cast-step methodology used for fishing salmon pools. It's a lot of damn casting.

* - Two contrasting points here: One, the Main Southwest Miramichi is a big river, and the wind can definitely howl. So an 8wt could definitely be beneficial in those situations. Conversely, the typical salmon angler on the Miramichi is almost as old as the river itself, so one would think they would appreciate casting a lighter rod. Just something else to think about.

The fly-size factor was a non-issue: no Atlantic salmon fly is as heavy nor as wind-resistant as a smallmouth fly. For one, current New Brunswick salmon fishing regulations do not permit weighted flies. And the biggest salmon bomber is nowhere near the size of a deer hair popper.

Salmon flies, for the majority of patterns, can be easily cast with rods as light as 5wt.

As for fighting and landing the fish, the rod weight, should be a non-issue. Though a number of 15-20lb salmon are caught each week during the fishing season (except, of course, by me), the majority of salmon hooked are in fact 3-7lb juveniles called grilse.

And that doesn't take into consideration the conventional thinking for leader/tippet test used on the Miramichi is 8lb test, quite often used as a straight piece of 8lb-Maxima tied to the fly line (only us "fancy city boys" or "know-nuthin' youngsters" would ever use a knotless tapered leader...).

So I came to an extremely profound observation in my 7wt Fever study:
Eight-pound test is still eight-pound test, no matter what rod weight you are fishing.

Chalk another point for 7wt Fever.

Light Saltwater
The species (sea trout, snook, redfish, baby tarpon, bonefish) included in this portion of the study were more difficult to justify for 7wt Fever. For me, that is.

For one, as much as I love it, I don't saltwater fish enough to call myself a 'saltwater fly angler'....yet*. So I have to pay attention to guys like Austin Orr, Bjorn Stromness, Davin Ebanks, Captain Gordon & others for a lot of their knowledge and opinions.

* - More on this in the near-future. Some of you (Cameron, Dave, Dean, Scotty D, Tara...if you guys actually read this shit) already know what I'm talking about :)

Secondly, the oft-present sea breezes an angler encounters on the flats can definitely warrant the ubiquitous 8wt saltwater rod. As does the heavier, more wind-resistant fly patterns the angler might be throwing at any given time.

That being said, I am of the opinion there are times where a 7wt would be an ideal choice for light saltwater fly fishing. Especially if the angler can cast. Which I can't, sometimes...

I'll give a half-point for 7wt Fever in light saltwater.

*          *          *

As the winter months waned, one, shortly followed by a second, 7wt rod fell off the rack at the shop and into the back of my truck (somehow).

However much I stumble through life trying to use critical thinking and not being susceptible to marketing propaganda, the lack of fishing and extreme cold of winter can really throw a wrench into the works. This is breakdown in sanity is often magnified by my addiction to appreciation of fly fishing gear, and a generous staff discount at the local fly shop.

The first rod was a Loop XACT 907-4. It had a medium-fast action and a really comfortable cork-mix handle. In fact, I think I may have bought the rod solely for the handle. I liked the feel of the handle. I mean, I really liked the feel of the handle. Enough to buy the damn rod without casting it.

But it turns out, I didn't like casting the rod. In my quiver post, I had this to say about the XACT:

I have a little twinge of buyer's remorse over this, as I don't necessarily love the medium-fast action on this rod & sometimes wish I would have went with a TFO TiCr, TiCrX or Axiom. But it is what it is, so I'll cope (for now).

Another minor issue was the stripping guide was of an extremely small diameter. I don't know why, but it bothered me...but it doesn't bother me on the CGR. Go figure.

Needless to say, I didn't end up coping for long, as the shop received an order of TFO's Axioms at the end of March. And the XACT was eventually sold to my uber-friendly British Smallmouth Fishing Client (more on that in a future post).

Once the Axiom came along, it was all over. Comfortable grip. Lightweight. Fast action. Big stripping guides. Heck, even the components matched up with my new Tibor Backcountry. On Instagram, I called the Axiom & Tibor Backcountry combo my "one rig to rule them all."

Matched up with an Airflo Ridgeline freshwater fly line, I felt I could cast this setup until the end of time. Salmon flies, weighted bass flies or deer hair poppers, it didn't matter. It truly was one rig to rule them all.

(Cue happy, running-through-flowery-meadow music...like Ray Stevens's 'Everything is Beautiful')

Until I had to make a shot at a tailing carp, less than thirty feet away.

(Cue 'Everything is Beautiful' suddenly stopping to that record-scratching noise)

Fifteen feet of fly line did not, would not, and could not load the Axiom. It was the only shot at a carp that day.

*          *          *

A few days later I was in the Charleston area on a flats skiff with a new 8wt Airflo saltwater line for the Axiom-Backcountry rig. I figure over-lining the rod would solve the rod-loading problem. I was wrong.

Now, if I was a smart man, I would have spent some time practicing short shots in the days leading up to this fishing trip. But nobody ever said I was a smart man.

I did manage to make some shots as the afternoon progressed. But even with the Axiom over-lined with the 8wt, making short shots was extremely difficult. The rod just didn't load...or, at least I couldn't find the sweet-spot of it loading with so little fly line out of the tip.

Perhaps this wasn't the one rig to rule them all.

Note: I am not absolving myself of the blame. I'll be the first to admit I am not a great caster, and I don't practice my casting enough. Especially short, quick shots typical of sight casting. And that day in particular, this rule was made abundantly clear to me.

*          *          *

The next night I went out for a quick fish with Captain Gordon outside of Morehead City, NC. The fish were not biting, and we each only took a few casts (it was a fun detour to make, and totally worth it, fish or not).

That night I decided to use the Backcountry on my Redington CPX 8wt. My lightsaber. I truly love this rod. It's fast, but not uber-fast like the Axiom. I could feel the line load the road. My casts were going where I wanted them. I felt my casting mojo return slightly.

I hoped the Axiom was jealous.

*          *          * 

Yesterday morning I clicked over to my Google Reader feeds for the first time in almost three weeks. Amongst the 150 unread posts, I discovered this gem written by Davin Ebanks as a guest post on Bjorn's blog.

I read it twice. Lightbulb moment. Especially this part:

Here’s the straight skinny: ultra-fast rods are the worst rods for bonefishing. I say this for both the expensive and inexpensive sticks. If you can’t feel a rod with less than 30 feet of line out the tip, you’ll miss most bonefish. Bonefishing happens between 30-50 feet. That’s pretty close, and they’re usually moving toward you. You have very little time to get the fly out and feed the fish. If you’ve got to make half-dozen false casts just to load the rod, that fish will be inside 30 feet by then and you’re done. Game over. Redo from start. What you really need is a rod that allows you to cast to that sweet spot in 1-2 false casts. You should not be struggling to feel the rod, and you should be able to accurately present the fly inside 30 feet.

That's a decent summation of what happened in Charleston, except I didn't make a half-dozen false casts. I just tried to force the line. And failed miserably.

Davin's post definitely shed new light into my quest for the perfect 7wt.

*          *          *

But it's a quest that is now on hold.

I'm in one of those "be happy with what I have" states of mind. The CGR is my go-to bass rig, which I love casting & fighting fish on. I have the Airflo 7wt freshwater lines for the Axiom once I make my return to Atlantic salmon fishing next year. The CPX 8wt and the Backcountry pair up nicely, which will be my go-to rod in Belize next month.

So I guess my case of 7wt Fever has subsided....for now. There is a Redington CPX 7wt back at the shop, after all...

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Back to reality

I'm sitting at my desk for the first time in over fifteen days.

Fifteen days on the road. Living the dream.

Over 7,000 kilometers traveled...that's 4,350 miles, my American cousins.

I could prepare a nifty little infographic for the number of provinces (three) and states (fourteen) we traveled through. I could also display the number of fly fishing writer/blogger/guide-types I met in person finally (four). And the number of days my brand-new Diablo Paddlesports Chupacabra kayak sat on my truck before seeing water (nine).

And, of course, the infographic would display all the fish I caught on the trip (one) and the number of shots I blew at carp (one) and redfish (countless).

But I neither have the time (I'm leaving for work in Nunavut in less than 40 hours) nor desire (I'm feeling lazy) to figure out how to build such an infographic.

Instead, here's a rough geographical sketch of the route we traveled (and had an absolute blast on):

Thanks to everyone who took time out of their schedule to meet us for coffee, dinner, beer, fishing and everything else. Like lessons in eating steamed clams (which I can never bring myself to call steamers due to thoughts of Cleveland).

I hope to see you all again soon.

Especially Scotty D, because my shoes are stinkin' up his truck and I'd like them back.

*          *          *

My sincere apologies for not having a Traveling Angler Tuesday post this week. Unfortunately the interhorn hasn't reached family campgrounds in Maine as of yet, and planning and preparation has not reached my brain, as well.

*          *          *

Music is definitely in order. I could think of no better way to be welcomed back to Canada than hearing a new Tragically Hip song playing on the radio as soon as we cleared customs. Enjoy the track.

Nemesis

nem·e·sis (noun)  \ˈne-mə-səs\

• a formidable and usually victorious rival or opponent

*          *          *

My first experience with Atlantic salmon was with my uncle Guy (pronounced either the correct French way, as in 'Gee Lafleur,' or the bastardized version, as in Guy Smiley. Totally your choice. He'll go by either). Uncle Guy was the first one to put a fly rod in my hand on the Miramichi River.

I was 15 years old and grounded for missing curfew or something like that. I wasn't a bad kid by any means, it's just my parents had an (unreasonably) early curfew for me. It was easy to be late for curfew; I'd have to leave halfway through movies to be on time for curfew.

My friend & neighbour Paul used to tell me: "You can be late or not late. You can't be 'more late.'" It was hard to argue with that logic, so I really missed curfew that time. Turns out you could be more late after all.

So Uncle Guy came and hauled me off to his brother's camp for a few nights to get me out of my parents' hair. He introduced me to: fly casting for salmon, reading current seams, reading holding water, drinking Japanese sake, and drinking Lamb's Rum. Some punishment, huh?

Note to self: when I become a parent, never send the kids off with uncle Guy to a fishing camp for 'punishment,' but by all means send them for life lessons...

I hooked one salmon, did a massive trout-set, and it threw the hook on the first jump. And that was that.

*          *          *

Within a couple years, I started playing competitive rugby, curfews went away, I was off to university, yada yada yada. Salmon fishing didn't happen again for a while. I did, however, start eating salmon in its raw, Japanese form while in Vancouver.

If you ever find yourself living in Vancouver, you should expect to eat a lot of meals alone unless you eat sushi.

I preferred the wild Pacific salmon over the farmed Atlantic salmon. It had a better taste, consistency and colour. Consistency was the big thing when I started eating sushi: some things I couldn't chomp down on without getting a little queasy. I was good with the wild salmon, all wrapped nice and neat with rice and seaweed and avocado.

But I never fished for salmon in British Columbia (well, not until last summer).

*          *          *

I started trying for Atlantic salmon on the fly rod once again a few years ago. At first, they were admittedly half-hearted attempts with poor conditions and late in the season. I always considered salmon fishing as 'bonus fishing,' something to extend the fly fishing season after trout season ends (trout season here ends on September 15th, while salmon season runs until October 15th).

Once I made my move into smallmouth bass fishing on the fly, I dismissed the salmon fishing as an annoyance: dealing with private pools or crowded public pools, fickle fish, fickle anglers, extra driving time & money spent on gas, so on & so forth.

Smallies on the fly were keeping it real....yo.

But one can only get razzed for not catching salmon for so long when you're always hanging about a fly shop before you really have to go out and do it (if only to get people to shut the hell up).

So I hit the books and the interwebz on everything I could read on salmon fishing. And steelhead, too, because there are lots of similarities between the two fish. And it paid off: my first day on the water after my extensive self-directed online course, I caught two, back-to-back. I felt like King Shit of Turd Island: what was so hard about that?

Then this happened.

I was in a deep, dark place when I wrote that. And not deep in the woods, like Yellow Pine, Idaho, either. It was Joseph Conrad-type shit for fishing.

Atlantic salmon became the official nemesis of Mat Trevors.

Constantly outwitted by something with the brain the size of a pea? For that, there's MasterCard.

*          *          *

This season, things started off differently. More upbeat, cheerful. Fish came easy: bass and trout here at home, grayling in Alaska.

Even the other night, I was casting away to see if any of the salmon run made it upriver as far as I was when I received a text to go bass fishing. "Gladly," I thought. No big deal, haven't seen any fish roll or jump*. Besides, I was going back out salmon fishing in the morning, further downstream.

* - The Atlantic salmon's propensity to roll and jump can send me into the above-mentioned deep, dark place: there will be several, if not dozens, of fish jumping, rolling and splashing around. Sometimes within a few feet of where I'm wading, scaring the livin' bejeebus outta me. Based on my personal history, once salmon start to jump & roll, I should just leave. My nerves get too frazzled from the combination of seeing lots of fish, having them jump behind me to freak me out, and having none of them take a fly. See what I mean? They mock me. Nemesis.

The next morning (yesterday, as I type this) is when things went a little sideways.

The pool was crowded. Two guides and their sports worked the privately owned water just above the public pool. Two anglers in a jonboat were fishing the far side of the public pool. And eight people, including myself, were doing the cast-and-step shuffle, as dictated be Ye Olde Angling Etiquette.

Crowded or not, it turned out to be one of those epic sessions: eight fish were hooked in the span of about an hour. All bright fish, fresh in with the recent high water.

One of the biggest of those eight salmon was 12-15 pounds. It was fought hard and fought well for about seven minutes. With about ten feet of fly line out of the tip, the salmon was soon to be tailed. But then it decided to fuck with the angler, swim directly toward him and throw the hook in the slack line. The angler tried his best to maintain a positive demeanour, but disappointment and disbelief was unmistakable.

In reality, I fought the fish for a good length of time and was going to release the fish anyway. I'm excited that I chose the right fly, read the water correctly, made the proper cast, hooked the fish and fought him well. I didn't even have to handle him, so he was off to swim and spawn and be hooked again. But I would have an easier time sleeping at night (and handling the upcoming razzing at the fly shop) if I would have at least grabbed the leader before he popped off.

I'm going back tomorrow morning, getting on the road in about seven hours. On the water in eight.

And hopefully I'll be face to face with my nemesis shortly after that.

IF4 - A review

Time/Date: 1115 AST, 23-Jan-12
Location: My Kitchen, Fredericton, NB

On Friday, my lovely girlfriend & I traveled to Dieppe to attend a screening of the International Fly Fishing Film Festival (IF4), held at the community college.

Note #1: this is NOT the Fly Fishing Film Tour (F3T). Two separate entities.

Note #2: I'm seriously trying to not let the road conditions on the drive there (it was snowing) or the fact I ran out of windshield wiper fluid on the return trip (adding an hour to a typical one hour, forty-five minute trip) play a part in my review.

My honest review of the whole experience: meh.

That's right. Meh. M-E-H. Meh.

Note #3: This isn't meant to slag on the hosts of the IF4 screening, the Dieppe Fly Tying Club. I think they are a wonderful group of anglers that do tremendous work in the region. They host the annual Fly Fishing Forum each March, which is the best (read: only) fly fishing show in the area.

The show started with the IF4 preview/promo trailer, i.e., the videos you see when you go to the IF4 home page, and therefore, the trailers everyone has been seeing online for the past five months or more.

First thing I noticed (other than thinking, "Huh. I've watched these before.") was the video quality. Definitely not HD. Not even close. Think YouTube on 240p. Full-screen YouTube on 240p.

Then I noticed the audio quality. Think ear-splitting volume on speakers meant for a P.A. system.

Once we finished watching the promo video...we started watching it again.

The exact same promo trailer. It was on repeat. It was an ominous start to the evening.

After a few minutes of uncomfortable seat-shuffling by the 50 or so attendees, someone went to the DVD player and started skipping ahead to get to the actual videos. And we're off...so we thought.

Onto the screen popped the intro to Faceless Fly Fishing's Plan B...for about 25 seconds. Our DVD technician apparently didn't like that one, so he skipped it.

That's right. We didn't see it.

Note #4: If anyone from Faceless Fly Fishing happens to read this: I'd like to see the video you fine folks have worked so hard at shooting & editing. Let me know if/when you ever post the full version on your Vimeo page.

So then we moved onto the rest of the shorts & the features.

Some of them were really good (A Backyard In Nowhere, Chasing the Run).

Some of them were entertaining (Three Times Golden).

One was a sneak-peak for a television series (The Costa Rica Challenge), while some were essentially promos for lodges (The Cuba & the Guatemala videos).

Note #5: the Guatemalan video, Vela, had very similar footage to the video shot by Salty & Jon of my sailfish fly fishing adventure. I am NOT claiming plagiarism by any means, as I'm 99.9% sure the group shot their video months previous to us...and it looks like they were using the boat that Captain Tom now owns...I'm just stating the "ha-ha, I paid money to watch someone do what I already did" factor of it.


Note #6: with regards to The Costa Rica Challenge: an hour & a half with a tarpon...on a 14wt? Were you using 6x tippet? Not to call anyone out, but...I dunno, I'm definitely no expert, but it just seemed long to me...

A little over 2 hours later, our IF4 experience was over.

Door prizes? No.

Guest speaker(s)? None.

Giveaways? Nope.

Fifty-fifty draw? Uh-uh.

Back in the fall of 2010, a couple of us spoke about hosting either IF4 or F3T here in Fredericton last winter.

My first text message about it: the boys at BabZees Entertainment. You know, the guys who brought the Black Crowes and Our Lady Peace and GirlTalk to town. I figure if we were going to host an event, it was gonna be AN EVENT! Prizes, giveaways, speakers, exhibitor booths, beer, fun...

Unfortunately, the Dieppe screening felt half-assed to me; i.e., "It's eight dollars, grab a seat, watch the videos, and leave. Thank you."

When you tie in the four & a half hours of driving in less than ideal conditions, the whole experience measures as a "meh" at the most.

At least my lovely gf & I got a chance to eat at Arby's on the way out of town.

A photogenic pike

Time/Date: 2140 CST, 23-Aug-11
Location: Northern Saskatchewan

This post would seem all over the map without including this little ditty from G+ from earlier today:
(click on the image to open to a readable size)

Note the second last comment, from yours truly. It reads, "Nicely done, Will. I'll add you to the blogroll this evening...when I work on Brandon's fly stock post...after I try to catch a photo-worthy pike :p"

So, as a man of my word:

Check out Will's (somewhat) new blog, The Riparian Corridor. Will has some great posts on there, and it's definitely worthy of being on the blogroll (located on the sidebar to the right). He's redone his layout & got himself a brand new look (and URL). Give it a read!

Next up, FlyStock!  FlyStock has partnered with Project Healing Waters, which is a tremendous charity that assists wounded veterans recover by the awesome power of fly fishing.

If you're anywhere semi-close to Texas, this would be a worthwhile event to attend. Heck, I might even pull some strings to attend (hellllloooooo, Aeroplan points...).

A great event for a great charity. Check out Brandon (& FlyStock) on twitter here to keep up to date with what's planned!

Now for the pike.

I really wanted a photo-worthy pike. Not necessarily for a hero shot, more because we don't have pike where I live. So I wanted a pic of one.

It didn't take long, as like my first time out for pike, this one was caught on my first cast of the night.

And it had some photo-worthiness to it.

Larry's finger makes a cameo appearance.

Chompers...

The fork length measured 38". I found out after the fact that you're supposed to pinch the tail together to get a "legal" length, so...40", maybe...?

After we got back, Luke took me to the camp's record board to see how Mr. (or Mrs...?) Pike measured up to the other beasts that have been caught here, and...he reached for the permanent marker...

Yeah, that's right. East coast rules, bitches!

I told Luke I didn't fish for records...just as I snapped this pic and flashed him a shit-eating grin.

Luke, being from New Zealand, called me a c**t.

(Don't worry, I found out years ago that's proper talk for Kiwis & Aussies)

So yeah. That was my work day.

How was yours?

Enjoy (another) great Tragically Hip tune.

(Click here if you can't see the video below)

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(Another) All-Encompassing Blog Post

Time/Date: 1515 AST, 11-Aug-11
Location: Fredericton

This one's gonna cover a lot of bases, so let's get started.

First up, a recap of the mini-odyssey.

Wednesday/Thursday: drove into the New Brunswick wilds, 50 km down dirt logging roads to catch monster trout & salmon.

We caught neither. A few salmon parr and a few trout, the largest for me being 11". Biggest trout of the trip was about 17". Lots of fishing, lots of rain.

Humble abode of night #1

What my buddy Steve refers to as his bear burrito

The five-star kitchen area

Makeshift storage locker

Thursday evening I spent at my folks' place, where I ate. And ate. And ate some more. Herb & garlic cheese rolls, heated with butter. Pasta. Cookies. Cake. Brilliance.

While there, I started some heavy-duty research into my next leg of the mini-odyssey: I flipped a coin. Heads: Gaspe, Quebec for Atlantic salmon; Tails: Fundy short of Nova Scotia for stripers. Oh, the joys of having a full quiver of 5wt, 6wt, 8wt & 10wt rods traveling with you.

Tails it was, so off to Nova Scotia for some striped bass dreams (delusions). With a loaf of fresh banana bread & a bag of chocolate chip cookies, courtesy of Mom.

I fished the incoming/outgoing tide on Friday night. I fished the incoming/outgoing tide Saturday morning. Same for Saturday evening. And on Sunday morning. And again on Sunday evening.

Finally, while on my last legs on Sunday night, in piss-pouring rain, with a Clouser that was also on its last legs, it happened. I hooked and landed my first striped bass on the fly rod.

It was 14" long.

I awoke to strong winds and a torrential downpour at 5AM Monday (I actually woke up because if it). My tent was half-floating, and run-off was visibly flowing by the door of the tent. I planned to fish, but decided enough was enough. I hit the road home.

All total, I camped out 4 of 5 nights, bought only one "meal" at a restaurant (egg mcmuffins on Monday morning on the drive), drove over 1300km and fished over 40 hours for a bunch of fish where the two biggest totaled twenty-five inches.

I'd do it all again in a heartbeat.

Camp Striper, right on the seashore

8- & 10-weights, locked & loaded

Sunset at Camp Striper

Dawn Patrol

Due to the early departure from Camp Striper, I planned on scouting a rumored smallie hotspot on the drive home; however, a few flashes of lightning as I approached the turn off for it scuttled that plan pretty quick. I'm not sure if carbon fiber rods conduct electricity or not, but I didn't really feel like finding out. So no fishing on Monday.

Tuesday I was back at it, with a few 10-14" smallies caught, but H-core fishing was being interrupted by numerous kayakers and unleashed dogs & kids (yes, unleashed kids) going through the spot I was fishing. It became quite apparent that "urban angling" is a relatively unheard of phenomenon here.

(Side note: a kid throwing a rock into where you're fishing is kinda cute & funny the first, and maybe the second, time it happens. When it happens 5-6 times in a summer, I'm tempted to launch a 1/0 Clouser in the direction of the parents. Just sayin'.)

Wednesday was wet & miserable. I drove some coffee & donuts out to the shale gas protesters blockading the road (this blocking the seismic trucks from their exploration targets) and ended up donating a tarp to the cause to help keep them out of the rain. That deed done, I went fishing.

I decided to try out a new spot, Just upriver of one of my usual haunts for smallmouth. I looked at about five square feet of a foamy back-eddy, and thought to myself, "There has to be a bass in there."

All I gotta say, karma can really rock sometime. There was a bass in there. A big-ass bass.

So now I'm done fishing for another three weeks. Packing fishing gear away and packing work gear into my duffel bag.

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This weekend is FredRock. If you're in the area, I can't stress how much fun it's gonna be, so go check it out. Click here for more info.

I'm terribly sorry to be missing it (again) this year, but c'est la vie. Small-term sacrifices for long-term gains.

Here's a tune from Sam Roberts Band, the headlining act. I find it semi-appropriate as a post-mini-odyssey tune.

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