Tuesday morning came early and off to Tim Horton's for a double double and work on the Fraser Valley Salmon Society books for the just completed Pike Minnow derby.
As I enter Tims I see a RCMP officer interviewing of the staff, it sounded like they had been held up. I over hear the constable ask the staff member what was the height of the suspect, "not sure was her reply" "how did his height compare to the gentleman over there" he says while pointing at me. Gosh I am in my fishing clothes and have not shaved but I hope I donot look like the felon. After the officer has finished his investigation he starts towards the door, I ask him if he wishes to join me for a coffee, "got another call to attend to" he says.
After coffee I am my way to meet Nick and Robert at the rendezvous point at 7:30 AM, Johnny on the Rez is the spot. I get their a few minutes early but the boys are already there. That's one thing about the Master, he is always keen to get on the water. I often wonder if he only dreams fishing. They tell me the trip will be long and rough, "A real goat trail for part of it", Nick says.
We are then on our way with me following them as I have no idea where the lake is, at one point they do not either as they appear lost as we double back to another road a couple of times."Only been in this way once" Robert says.
I offer up my road map book that I find so helpful, I have one for every part of British Columbia, money well spend as they save a lot on gas for starters not to mention the time saved and prevent one from getting lost.
Finally we find the "goat trail" that will lead us to the lake, it has taken us nearly two hours to reach the last part of the journey. The landscape is devastated by the mountain pine beetle, there a lot of logging going on. I guess they have only so long to harvest them, before the wood is of no use. The dying ones are falling across the road and have been sawed by other fishers. I guess one should have a chain saw or at least an ax. One never knows when a wind will come up and blow them down and across the road blocking you in.. Later when talking to Robert he tells me has a chain saw, I must remember to bring one when traveling by myself in such an area.
On the bright side the area is dotted with beautiful wild flowers and I stop to shoot a few frames of them also of one of the 4 deer we see. Robert and Nick, who I am following have to drive very slowly as they have their two aluminum boats stacked on top of each other. It seems to be eternity but we finally reach the rustic camping area and the lake, what a beautiful one it is too, scenic, picturesque are the word that come to mind, that is if you ignore the trees effected by the pine beetle not another human in sight too, I like that. Nick has told me the fish are quite large here, no wonder very few other anglers venture on the road to it. Nick tells me the lake is stocked by aircraft.
Nick and Robert quickly remove their boats from Robert's Ford truck and are on their way, I see anticipation in their eyes, Nick knows there are some good fish here, landing some the previous week. He said he lost "Albert" on that trip. "broke me off" he says, "took me right down to my backing".
They are ready in no time and are on there way, leaving me to setup camp and cook breakfast as I had only had the coffee at Tim's. Boy the hot cakes and bacon goes down good with the coffee. There certainly is something good about eating outdoor, especially in the cool mountain air, we are about a mile above sea level Nick has told me.
As I have had an early start I have a brief nap but it is hard to sleep with visions of the large rainbows in my mind. I tie up the rods putting the chironomid on that Nick has so kindly give me, the hot ones used from the previous trip, I never know what one to use as there is so many different ones, Nick has hundreds. As I prepare things in the shade, hummingbirds zoom by, other birds are singing their songs, enjoying the surroundings like me.The wind whistles thought the trees reminding me of the song, they call the wind Maria, from the movie Paint Your Wagon, one of my favorite movies and songs of all time.
Finally I am on my way, is 1 PM. As I reach the area Nick is fishing he tells me, "5 landed so far the biggest 6 pounds", "nice going" I say and quickly anchor a fair distance from him. It does not take long and I am into one, around 2 pounds. I do some filming as I play the fish and I think that leads to me losing it. Not more than 30 seconds later Nick is into one, a good one too. It takes his line around an Island and through some weeds with Nick rowing after it, to get around the island but to no avail as it breaks off. A few choice words echo across the lake, I chuckle but not too loudly for Nick to hear.
Things slow down so I pull anchor and move down the lake a bit, its 2:45. I just settle in to the new spot and I hear line going off my reel, then a fish clears the water, looks like around 4 pounds, the biggest I have had on the fly in a long time. I guess I should not have laughed at Nick as I loose it, better luck next time I hear from my companion.
Talk about next time, time is running short for me as I am heading out shortly this morning for another trip as the chinooks open today on the Fraser, the story and pictures will continue on The Journal in a couple of days, I hope you can wait.
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Topic: Merritt, July 5th - 8th 2010: Summer has finally arrived, so have the trout (Read 1805 times)