Wish I'd Said It

Weeds are flowers too - once you get to know them.

- A. A. Milne

Tuesday, April 03, 2007

Come fishing with me

It's a lovely day. A bit of ice still clings to the banks of the creek but the sun is shining and it's a few degrees above freezing. Hopefully, we'll make the acquaintance of a rainbow trout (steelhead) or two. Some have already been upstream and spawned but most are on their way.

This area is only a couple of miles from my house. It's a slow, meandering stretch of creek that threads it's way through a tangle of hoary old willow trees, into an open, marshy area with a marina and condominiums, before emptying into Lake Ontario. There is a lot of birdlife in the area, primarily Canada geese, ducks of many species, swans, hawks and gulls.







Today I'm fishing at my 2nd-favourite spot. If you look at the pic, you'll see it's at the confluence of two creeks. The intermingling of scents give fish pause while they decide which one they'll enter. While they're pondering, I like to offer them something to eat.


I see no signs at all of fish movement. Luckily, other happenings divert my attention.




Three geese wander by. Yes, that's a chair on the opposite bank for the convenience of a weary angler.





Behind where I'm fishing is a marshy area which teems with birdlife at times. It's a favoured nesting area for ducks, geese, swans and redwing blackbirds.





Speaking of swans.... Can't really tell from the photo but these guys can really scoot. They often leave a wake when paddling.


"What the heck is this?" you ask. Well, it's some of the leavings from previous anglers. The pink, green and yellow bits near the top are torn pieces of light mesh which once held a few fish eggs (the gold/amber blob near the bottom) in dime-sized sacks/snacks. Trout and other salmonids like eating eggs that drift downstream from spawning couples. So anglers use eggs for bait.


The gander taking a gander on the right held that pose for a good 10 minutes. He was listening to another goose calling from the marsh behind me and, I'm sure, prepping himself for battle if the need arose. He spent a goodly chunk of the day harassing other males who came too near his lady friends.
What was it we were doing here again?
Oh yeah.
After four+ hours of fruitless drifting with roe, flies and artificials, I hooked on a small worm. On the 3rd pass my float dipped and stayed down. I set the hook and felt a sluggish resistance. "Sucker" I thought. I didn't mind. Homely suckers provide at least a bit of excitement. This one felt fairly heavy, perhaps four pounds or so.
A minute later, as I worked the fish closer I caught a glimpse of silver.
Suckers are bronze.
Woohoo! A minute or so later, I eased a nice, dinner-sized rainbow (about 2 1/2 lbs) out of the water.



You can see in the pic that her anal fin (closest to the tail) and the bottom half of her tail are worn. That's from digging a nest (redd) out of the stream bottom.
Fresh air, sunshine, wildlife and a fish - not too shabby a day. Glad you could come along. Let's do it again sometime.


Edited to add: Q sent me a link which is cute and relates to this post - sorta. Click the end of this sentence, wait a minute or two and you'll see the fish's revenge.

22 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks for sharing your piscine playday pictorial.

And particularly for permitting me to partake in a prepared portion of its palatable and purely-pleasing, pan-fried perfection.

Anonymous said...

georgeous fish:)
The picture story didnt how ever show the final adventure of the meeting of the Mr Fish and Mrs Frying pan:)

Looks like a sensational place to wet a line

Anonymous said...

It actually met the BBQ and was even more delicious than alliteration allows. :)

Frank Baron said...

For a q, you're sure full of p.

:)

Frank Baron said...

Thanks Aidan. And q's next post fessed up. We bbq-d it and it was fine. :)

Stace said...

Aahhh it's all so idyllic... Lovely! Thanks for taking us along with you :)

Frank Baron said...

Glad you enjoyed Stace. :)

Anonymous said...

Is not at all the same but looks like reedfields and creeks over here (reedfields are one of my favourite habitats), it was nice to join you, had a peaceful time bird watching and enjoying the atmosphere, when you caught a fish I closed my eyes, can't see an animal dying (but I know it is for food), and the fish's revenge gave me a big smile.

Bernita said...

I just wish all fishermen would pick up their trash.
Used to patrol Duffin's Creek to pick up fishing line, after finding a dead robin hanging from a nest because the parents had woven fishing line into it.

Frank Baron said...

Thanks for stopping by Hildegarde. I can assure you that 90% of the fish I catch are released unharmed and the ones I keep to eat are killed humanely and within seconds of being landed.

Frank Baron said...

I echo your wish Bernita. That particular day I picked up about 40 yards of discarded line. Many anglers leave their fishing spots as they found them but I won't be happy until they all do.

Won't hold my breath waiting though.

Frank Baron said...

Bernita, forgot to mention to you that I live just a few miles from Duffins. Haven't fished there in 20 years or so though.

Bernita said...

I lived beside it for 9 years, Frank!

Anne C. Watkins said...

Wonderful post! I loved all the pictures and descriptions. Looks like a place I'd enjoy visiting.

I'd bring a whole different array of equipment, though--couple of pairs of binoculars, comfy folding chair with cup holder, field guides in case I spotted something new to me, and a snack. I always pick up after myself, too. :D

I love me some BBQ fish. *sigh*

Frank Baron said...

Anne, I love some of your ideas and maybe will try that in the summer (when the trout and salmon are gone). I'm such a Boy Scout that I already pack 80 lbs. of gear and can barely waddle to where I'm going. :)

Bhaswati said...

Thanks for taking me fishing, Frank. Your post took me to the spot, and I loved the view.

I am envious to hear of the BBQ, though. ;)

Frank Baron said...

Glad you enjoyed bhaswati. Thanks for the visit. :)

Othmar Vohringer said...

A wonderfully written article with nice pictures, reading it is was right there with you enjoying the landscape and the wildlife. That’s the stuff I would like to read more about in fishing magazines. Have you submitted it to editors? You should!

Here in BC the spring has finally arrived too. It is going to be a good fishing year, I hope. It’s also the year of the pink salmon. I am glad you showed a picture about the disregard some fishers, but not only, have for nature. We all need to be reminded that nature is not a trashcan. Take your trash home don’t leave it in the nature.

-Othmar Vohringer-

Frank Baron said...

Thanks Othmar. Nope, not gonna submit this. It's a freebie. ;)

Anonymous said...

Eli says...Nice fish uncle Frank but I'll get abigger one!

Frank Baron said...

I hope you do Eli.

Save one or two for us old guys though okay? :)

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