As always a warm welcome to all readers of The Journal on FWR, your top fishing web page on the net.
Arrangements were made last night with friend Gary to make our first bar fishing trip together out to Maple Leaf Bar. Reports of several good catches by the bar fishers the last week were very encouraging. As well BS and TS had both encountered good fish as well so I knew the chinook run was running hot and heavy.
The Leaf Mobile was packed and on the road shortly after 7. The first order of business of course was to grab a double double at Tims and then deal some fastball duties. Then it was off to meet fishing partner Gary where the Leaf Craft is stored. On arrival both Gary and the Leaf Craft were waiting in anticipation, especially the LC who was so excited it almost hooked itself on to Leaf Mobile's trailer hitch to get going. She is always in good humour when she knows she fishing Maple Leaf Bar and of course dislikes seeing anything that may resemble anything to do with the Canucks that have tried to claim the bar as their own.
We arrive at Island 22 shortly before 9 and discover a good number of outfits ahead of us. I donot like arriving at the 6 am opening time as it is like Grand Central Station as the early birds scramble for position to get to their chosen spot.
The only draw back arriving at this time is we may have trouble getting onto MLB but by being a little latter the mosquito's may not be as bad as it warms up and the wind starts to blow.
We load up and and as I start to back up I think had I put the plug in. I jump out and check and sure enough it was out. How many of you have done this? I have done it a few times backing in and then putting a few gallons into the bottom of the boat before discovering my folly.
With the plug in, LM parked, life jackets on, the 50 horse Mariner motor purrs to life but hey no water is coming out the spout.
O no, has the water pump gone on the fritz and we will have to cancel the trip? I tell Gary jump in and we will take it for a quick spin and see what happens, sure enough by giving the motor a little more gas the welcome sight, a steady stream of water from the cooling system spurts back into the Fraser River.
The Leaf Craft then quickly turns up river and jumps into a plane mode. She may no cover distances like the modern jet boats that seem to make up the majority of boats on the flow but she does no care, she has plied these waters long before any of her sisters saw or felt water beneath them.
We also wonder if the Fraser Valley Salmon Society had not been formed 22 years ago and so many volunteers worked so hard to get the Fraser River open once again after years of adult chinook closures would any of us even be out on the river today. As well, it was thanks to the FVSS efforts that we got all species of salmon open for the recreational anglers over the years. This is the reason a lot of anglers know how important it is to co operate with those that make the decisions that allows us to fish. It is not something to take lightly as those of us that have had to deal with these issues in some form or another each week for so many years realize.
Better get back to the fishing report before I loose all readers but BS who is eagerly awaiting the results of the trip.
We arrive at MLB and I have not seen it this high at this time of year since we started fishing it a few years ago..
Three boats are anchored and 3 rods on shore. Buck is fishing in the "KE Runner" with his fishing partner and is just off the spot where I usual like to settle in on the shore.
We decide to squeeze in below the shore rods and above the "KE Runner". I think we will be OK unless we tie into a large fish that could maybe tangle with the "KE Runner's" anchor but I know if we were to hit a big fish they would pull their anchor for us.
Posting this part of the journal as taking a break.