George's Record Rainbow 

The date was January 25, 1976, Rhoda Hill told me, when she slipped a net under the biggest rainbow trout ever caught by rod and reel in Canada. Her late husband George Hill caught the record rainbow in Kootenay Lake B.C. on a Silver Horde lure that still hangs in the mounted fish’s jaw on Rhoda's living room wall. The huge trout weighed 35.12 pounds when weighed on the scales at the Grey Creek store and the weight was confirmed the next day in Balfour across the lake.

On July 7, Port Elgin hosted a fun event that was timed to coincide with Ontario’s annual “Fish licence-free” weekend. There were 87 children registered for the shore-fishing challenge and just like the previous two years, every kid received a prize.

Occasionally, a good speaker will hold the complete attention of an audience for a few minutes at a time. It is rare however, for any speaker to hold that attention for over an hour. On February 7th, big game hunter, guest speaker and new SSA member Warren Winkler described some of his travels in Africa to an audience of over 95 people at the Sydenham Sportsman’s Association clubhouse. Except for a few requests for more details about certain episodes, the audience was all ears. 

Children raised away from the big cities have a lot of advantages over their down-town peers. They have more access to outdoor recreation and in many cases their parents find it practical to get these kids a dog as a companion. Bonded early, the relationship is beneficial for both dog and child and the joys they experience together are wonderful to see. 

March is the time of year when fishing fever begins. The first sign of spring fishing fever is when packages and parcels from tackle stores begin to show up under the arms of homecoming anglers. The next sign is when fishing vests and tackle boxes are dug out of hibernation and crumpled waders come out of storage. It’s tackle tinkering time and like lots of activities, getting ready is half the fun. 

Many people find their sport or activity is more fun when done with finesse. 

A good example of finesse is paddling a canoe or kayak when a motorboat would get you to your destination so much faster. It can be very enjoyable paddling quietly down a wilderness stream, making little more noise than a beaver or wading heron. Compare that to chugging downriver with a big inboard motor. Sure the motor is better for transporting equipment and more practical to get a heavy load of supplies to a wilderness camp but we’re not talking about doing a job here, we’re talking about a pleasant leisure trip where nature can be enjoyed.

The rules are out for this year’s Georgian Triangle Spring Trout Derby now, the first of the big 2002 derbies and a sure sign that spring is here. The derby has been shortened to ten days starting at 12:01 am Friday April 19 and closing at 8:00 pm Sunday April 28. Entry fees are $20 for individuals and $30 per family based on husband, wife and children under age 16. 

This is a strange decade we live in, the stresses of modern society, so we are told, are responsible for road rage, aircraft rage and very little tolerance for people of different beliefs. I’ve even heard of river rage, temper tantrums thrown by people supposedly relaxing and enjoying themselves. The theory is that times are tougher than ever before. 

My rant this week concerns the present OPSEU strike, which has left our wild birds, fish and animals unprotected because conservation officers are not available to do their job.  Sure, lots of people are inconvenienced by the strike and we’ve heard over and over that the only exceptions will be over life or death issues but since deer, turkeys and fish can’t type, phone or write to editors, someone has to speak for them. 

Competitive bass anglers are not allowed to use live bait so naturally they would love to do so. The ones I know claim that fishing live bait or “meat” as they call it, provides  a definite advantage to any angler. There are quite a variety of live baits available for anglers and live bait is used successfully for pan-fish, game-fish and rough fish, in rivers and lakes, through the ice, from boats or shore. 

We turned west from the highway between Willamsford and Chatsworth and then south on the old gravel road running parallel to #6 highway. It seemed much the same as it was on my first visit 36 years ago. The road is still narrow, crowded by trees and almost hidden between surrounding hills. Since much of the land along the road is owned by the Ministry of Natural Resources, no new homes interrupt the tree line and except for the maple trees being considerably higher, I could have been back in 1966. Southern Ontario’s rural areas have changed so much in just the last ten years that it is unusual to find an area almost unchanged by time. Soon after we passed through the gate leading to the old hatchery location the memories evaporated as newer buildings came in sight. The date was January 18 this year and my companion and guide to the new $6.5 million Chatsworth Fish Culture Station was Jeff Graham, president of the engineering consultant firm of Henderson and Paddon. H& P is responsible for the design and construction supervision of the big Grey County fishery project that will double the old worn-out hatchery’s capacity without requiring additional personnel.

Before you name your big retriever “Cuddles” or your wife’s miniature poodle “Chomper, think for a minute. Perhaps names really do mean something in the larger scheme of things. Certainly you shouldn’t let your wife or daughters name a new hunting dog unless you have a vote in the final choice. Imagine how you’ll feel standing in a duck blind trying to coax Peaches or Honey to finish a retrieve. 

As we flew through overcast January skies approaching the Saugeen River, I could see hydro towers marching off toward the distant Lake Huron shoreline. Below us, a red tail hawk hurried toward forest cover with a bunch of crows struggling along behind. Suddenly we swooped down toward the water far below and my view of the river seemed to fill both my small window and the camera viewfinder. As we followed an S-Bend in the river and banked sharply, I could see rocks breaking the surface just a few hundred feet below me. The tranquil part of the flight was over, we were running a river from the air and I was in for a terrific ride.

Chumming The Ice - Part 1

About twenty-five or thirty years ago, a few Georgian Bay anglers began chumming with salmon roe under their huts or anchored boats and the technique quickly spread. Chumming is now a common practice from Nottawasaga to Wiarton and results in a good number of fish being caught every year.

Chumming The Ice - Part 2

In Chumming Part 1 some of the history and practice of chumming was covered, so the next step is to explain some tackle and jigging techniques. 

It’s been several years since we had proper ice on Colpoy Bay, good solid blue ice which cracks and groans as it stretches under winter’s thumb. Hopefully it will be cold enough this year for that big bay to freeze over again, trapping the deep water under a clear, almost invisible shield. Like me, lots of area anglers have collapsible ice huts in their garages, barns or sheds, stuck into corners and waiting for a cold winter to arrive. Whenever the bay does freeze, the dusty old huts are pulled out of storage and readied for jigging whitefish.

In my travels around Bruce and Grey Counties this year I’ve had a chance to observe a lot of good work being done to help the environment, birds, fish and wild animals. Here is just a partial listing of the jobs being done by good guys and girls, I’m sure your elves have noticed many more.

It hasn’t been long since scientists began to understand the real reasons why streams in cleared farmland and populated areas lose their ability to support wildlife. For centuries it was accepted that to use it meant we had to lose it. Sure, we could figure out that a lack of cover and a lack of food killed aquatic organisms but the reasons why fertile streams became dead waterways or even why they dried up after flowing for thousands of years were more elusive. The main cause turned out to be rather simple, really. We exposed our streams to the sun. 

2001 has been a great year for birdwatchers in our area, lots of species and quite a few outstanding or unusual sightings as well. Included in the birding highlights this year were visits from a good number of tundra swans that rested and fed in Bruce County fields. These big beautiful snow-white birds with the lonely musical call make you think of Arctic islands and Hudson’s Bay. 

Some people seem to be dripping with luck. They could be prize winners, those fortunate few who always seem to be taking home turkeys and hams. Perhaps you know someone who seems to win at baseball or hockey, often at the last minute by some fortunate turn of events. 

In Collingwood November 17-19, the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters for this area, Zone H division, met for their annual election and to discuss issues and current events which affect hunters and anglers in our province. 

There are some special trees that seem to be on this earth for their bountiful gifts. In the tropics, the coconut palm and the date palm are simply wonderful providers of food, shelter and useful tools. On the North American continent only one tree has ever been such a nutrition provider and supplier of useful materials. Our wondrous tree though, is almost extinct: the American Chestnut.

Remember Pete the Poacher? The guy who thought he had a right to ignore fishing and hunting regulations? Well, he has a brother named Larry who is almost as bad. Larry doesn’t go out of his way to hunt or fish out-of-season, snag fish or take more than his limit, oh no. Larry is a litterer. 

I know of four ways to cast with them but suspect there are lots more. There is no "proper" or "right" way, it's more a matter of personal preference. The method described below is one I developed on my own that works well for me over fifteen years. My personal method allows long casts and...

Russ was ready first and made a cast well across that wide Saugeen River pool with a spinner while I fumbled in my vest for a hook. Just as I got ready, his second cast splashed down and moments later a big silver fish came half out of the water with Russ's spinner in it's jaws. Five minutes and he was in the lead already, this was not the way to begin a contest.

2nd Annual Port Elgin Kid's Fishing Derby Port Elgin Promotion Committee staff member Joanne Robbins is shown recording a 0.17 lb rock bass entered by Corey McLean of Monkton Sunday during the Port Elgin kids fishing derby sponsored by Port Elgin Canadian Tire. Over 100 kids entered and every kid registered won a prize.     See more local Photos here