After may years of hearing about this Chironmid fishing for rainbows I got the invite a couple of weeks ago to tag along with Nick up Merritt way on an overnight trip on Tuesday and Wednesday.
This would be an experirence for me as I did not know even what a chironomid was or looked like. I also would have to try to learn how to cast a fly line with a 15 foot or so tapered leader with an indicator on. I would find out later it was not as easy as float fishing on the Vedder is as I can cast without even thinking.
I was sure we would find some fish as I was being guided by Nick, the top rod in the Valley in my books.
I met Nick at his home at 6:30 am to find him all ready to roll. Nick had all the fly gear and it was nice not to have to worry about that. He had told me just to bring myself.
We were pulling a 12 foot Prince Craft that would be powered by a electric motor and some oars as we found out later came in handy as batteries can die if not charged overnight.
First order of buisness after a 30 minute drive to Hope was a very good breakfast of hot cakes, bacon and eggs at the Home Restaurant that was downed with 3 cups of coffee. I hoped this coffee would keep me awake enough for the day after a night of not enough sleep. I had to get up around 3:30 to get ready for the trip and also finish a fishing article I was doing for the Reel Angler.
It was not too long that two excited anglers were back on the road and in around 30 minutes of driving time were paying the $10 toll at the Coquihalla Toll Booth. As we drove along the divided highway I remembered doing some survey work on a few sections in the 1980's.
A great highway to travel and in no time were were turning off Highway 5 by Merritt heading for Lake 1.
A beauty of a day and a drive along a very scenic route as we cruised towards our destination with the video camera working overtime.. Good thing Nick knew were he was going as I had no idea.
It was not long and we were at the lake and we were slipping the Prince Craft (Almost typed Leaf Craft) into the lake. Of course I continued documenting this trip on video. Actually I am dubbing a copy of the trip as I write this story. Good to relive it again and see all the fish we were able to catch.
Also got Nick taking a bit of a tumble into the lake off the trailer hitch while launching the boat, that looks good on camera.
It was not long until we had got to the first fishing spot and I dropped the anchor from the front end and Nick the back one to hold us in position. Checked the time and it was 10 bells.
I did not get the anchor to the bottom and we had to re-anchor, first mistake of the day. After attaching the reels to the Sage Fly rods and attaching the colour of chironomid Nick selected I was ready to cast or attempt to cast.
My first cast was one of the worse casts possible which put me out of commision for 15 mintues with several wraps of floating fly line, tapered leader, indicator and my black and red chironomid around my pole.
After a bit of coaxing from Nick things improved but throughout the day I had the same problem a few more times that taxed Nick's paitences.
It was not long till Nick was into several fish up to 1 pound. By the way, a side bet was made with the biggest fish of the day meaning the other angler would have to buy the supper later in Merritt.
Nick also pumped the chironomid pupaes I believe you call them, out of a few of these fish to check the contents of the stomach. Apparently there is many different colours of them, which is important to match if you are going to have success he tells me. A real science this fishing seems.
The way Nick was pulling in the fish I doubted it would be me winning this supper bet as I was spending more time trying to master this casting than fishing.
I was amazed how Nick could shoot that line out so smoothly, a work of art by a fish master to say the least.
Finally I was into one and boy did this feel good. It was now my time to teach as I had to prompt Nick how to run my video camera. I did not want to have him miss me landing my first rainbow.
The fish was strong and looked about a pound and a half. On his third or so run, line slack and I see I have stood on the fly line coiled in the bottom of the boat. Broke off, disgusted, mistake number 3 of the day and beside the hot chironomid was gone. Nick was able to select one of the same out of the 200 or so in his fly box. All tied by himself. Gosh I could never do that I thought more than once during the trip.
After a retie I was back in action and was getting the odd bite but not as many as my guide. Nick relocated us a few times were he saw fish rising and there was quite a few of them splashing around and clearing the surface.
I noticed lots of bird life around the lakes edges including several different ducks and of course a few families of geese with their newly hatched goslings. Nice to see but these geese are everywhere now and a bit messy along the camp sites.
Finally Nick got us into a hot spot and after a few misses by me I was into one a little over 1 pound that I made no mistake on and I had my first rainbow in the boat with the action recorded on film.
Fish was released as all would be that day as we would only keep fish on day 2 of the trip.
I now was gaining some confidence but maybe not as I hooked and then broke off another nice one as I held the Hardy reel to tightly I was firmly told.
I kept at it and perservence paid of and I fought and landed successfully a fish approaching 2 pounds that surprised me to turn out by the end of the day at 7 pm to be the largest of the day.
The count at the end of the day saw Nick with 12 to the boat a few lost, yes even the best of them lose them.
My count was at .500 in going 2 for 4 but hey I won supper.
Of course guides are supposed to supply fish for the clients and Nick had done that. The time had slipped by way too fast on my first chironomid lake fishing trip. I now was looking forward to day 2 around 12 hours away as we headed back to the launch.
Before we left the lake Nick was good enought to give three other anglers in a boat who were having no success at all a few of the hot chironomids. Nick is always willing to share his knowledge to others.
I was thankful he did that for me when I first started fishing the Valley over 30 years ago where he has taught me so much. Here he is once again teaching this lake fishing to me. I would have been in the same boat so to speak as the previously mention fishers without my good friend and guide Nick.
After loading the boat and equipment we headed to Merritt about an hour away. On the way out as dusk started to settle into the Nicola Valley we spotted and recorded on tape a cow moose with her 2 yearling calfs. We also saw also a two point buck bedded down beside the road. He was sporting velvet covered stubby horns and co-operated for a real close up shot.
On our arrival in Merritt we checked into our motel, a Best Western. Then off for the supper I had won.
I felt so lucky I even bought a keno ticket and won $2.
What a wonderul day's experience in God's country along with a great friend and a few fish that made the day complete.
As I drifted off to sleep at 10 pm I thought of tomorrow's adventure ahead, at another Interior lake. I hoped another fiesty rainbow maybe bigger than today's fish was waiting in that lake to take that indicator down.
Could I hook him and then land him? Will report on day 2 of the trip later, stay tuned.
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Topic: A Two Day Fly Fishing Trip With An Expert, May 18 to 19 (Read 12503 times)