The day started off as the alarm on my radio woke me up at 4am. Today was not any regular trip on the Fraser, today I was set to bar fish with Chris Gadsden and the Leaf Craft.
I quickly gathered my supplies for the day and was on the road by 4:30. The plan was me to meet Chris at Island 22 as he was camping overnight on the bar we planned to fish and he would come pick me up with the boat. Sure enough, get down to the launch and theres Chris by the Leaf Mobile waiting.
Unloaded my supplies into the Leaf Craft and we were on our way.
As we got closer to MLB Chris struck my attention by pointing to a deer on the rivers bank. We slowed down and he took out his 10 lbs video camera to tape the moment. It quickly jumped up the bank and into the bush. Upon arriving at MLB there is nobody else fishing and you can see smoke from the fire Chris made and he said thats the spot. I unloaded my supplies and Chris took out some wood for the fire that he collected down river before meeting me.
It is now around 630-640, I quickly set up the rod holder and we both cast out our rigs. We settle by the fire and it wasnt too long before CG was into the first fish of the day. I saw his rod dancing and heard the bell, Chris said "ahh its just a weed probably" All of a sudden after reeling in fast his line goes sideways and it's fish on! But what is it? A SOCKEYE
A gentle release and the fish is on it's way. Chris reminds me it is very uncommon for a sockeye to bite the spin and glow. Soon after a young Heron creeps up beside the Leaf Craft looking for a meal.
Time goes by and to pass the time chris pulls out some golf balls. Like 500 of them.
He sorts them into old milk crates and once recieving 100 he makes me count and toss in the bag.
A few jet boats come and go, mostly bar fishing but some decided to floss.
The mosquitoes were awful out there today but when the wind picked up that solved the problem.
Soon after Lisa arrives with some friends and set up their bar rods, but wait, Lisa forgets her rod, so she comes and gets Chris' rod and is soon in the water as well. It wasnt long for them as the top rod of the bar started to dance and a nice 10 lbs Spring is netted. Slows down for a while and Chris decides to make a visit, all of a sudden I glance in 1 eye my rod hopping, before i could react Chris started yelling my name. A quick sprint, hook set and the fight was on. Fish jumped a couple of times and pulled out lots of line when first hooked. I am battling the fish and Chris grabs the videocamera, sure enough the fish swims towards the Leaf Craft and gets off.
Rod is re casted out.
Time goes by, more golf balls are counted and not much sign of action. Then my rod starts dancing again, run over set the hook and can feel a fish, but it seems to have popped off. It actually didnt but it fooled me just like the one Chris had and another SOCKEYE
Is caught on the spin and glow.
Now into the afternoon one of Lisa's friends rod goes off and seems to miss it on the hookset, actually doesnt and during this time the fish is pulling out line without her knowing and drifting right into my line quite aways down. Still fighting it then the line goes slack, brings in the rig and the leader is cut clean off. Too bad, especially as nobody saw how big it was.
They later leave and my rod starts to dance once again. Hookset, fish on, line goes slack, starts pulling hard again. Starts to swim upstream and oh no, not another sockeye. NOPE, not this time, a small 6 lbs Spring is in my arms. (Pictured below)
Finally, a fresh Chinook for my license and on the bar rod.
More time goes by and the sun slowly makes it way behind the mountains, Chris' rod starts to bounce(I noticed once again
) hookset and fish on, I quickly grab the video camera and just about to film and fish pops off just over the ledge in the river.
This was the last action for the night and the rods decided they want to stand still.
Heres a pic of Chris checking his line.
It is now around 9pm and its time to call her quits. We load up the Leaf Craft and venture back to the launch.
Thanks for the great day fishing Chris and I continued the streak of you getting your guests into fish
He will say what I missed.
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Topic: A Bar Fishing First, July 28 (Read 6700 times)