Opening day

I just got back from 24 hrs of some of the most fun I have ever had.
At a river not too far from here I have managed to procure a standing invitation to join a group of characters bi-annually in participation of a ritual known as "Fishermans Weekend"......the amount of fishing that usually gets done is debatable.
The "Fishing" aspect of the weekend is highly suspect as it usually has more to do with card playing, drinking, male bonding(ie: burping, farting), drinking , good food , jokes(usually dirty) , drinking , firewood, hockey and snoring then anything else.

YUM!

YUM!

YUM!
Quite often there will be drinking.
In the midst of all this good fun someone will usually manage to slip down to the river and wet a line ..and that someone is usually me.
I love the river that this festival of debauchery takes place on and it was through these fine gentleman that I first made her acquaintance.
I am forever in their debt for this.
Without putting to fine a point on it this river may have saved my life.
She was a tough old bird to fish this year....but I will take what she gives me.
The water was as low and clear as I have ever seen it for opening day and due to the nature of this water quite a bit of it was unfishable because the water was so low. I believe this may have worked in my favour as this year the fishing pressure was very light.It is usually a freak show.
I had to work for my fish ...but here he is.

Beautiful fella!
I only fished for a short period of time and it was all I really needed.
I got my walk through the woods and had a chance to savour the woods in the spring.

It was a great day weatherwise. Overcast and misty...cool ...no bugs (yet) and just a slight breeze.
The Trlliums were just nicely starting to bloom. In a couple of weeks the forest floor with be littered with them.
I had to hike in a ways to find fishy water that I wouldn't have to share but the only company I encountered were these inhospitable nasty old honkers.

I have had the Canada Geese actually chase me in the spring some years but this year I just got some dirty looks.
....being a Border Officer I am so used to this that it doesn't phase me. :0)
Euchre, Meat ,Fishin and Beer!!!
I am not above fishing opening day....and I hope I never will be.

I almost didn't make it this year due to leave issues at work and to be honest a lack of desire to fish for droppies....but I have decided to carry on this tradition of opening day if for no other reason than to share it with the cool people that gather up there.
My stomach is actually sore from all the laughter that went on.
Thx guys I needed it.
See you in the fall.
Now on to the DERBY!!!!

Dig this..

Here is yet another music post for the Philistines to shyte upon!
In the eighties I wanted to be Mike Stern.
Get funky.
Mike Stern and the late Michael Brecker.


I spent a fishless morning under the Bluewater Bridge today.
Beautiful day to fish however....and it was just what I needed.
Salmon Derby looming on the horizon.....hopefully we'll win it again and I'll be able to put a new roof on my house.
I spent yesterday fishing with my favourite fishing partner who was kind enough to remind me that worms are kind of neat.
Thanks buddy.

Spent most of the day at the Pinery today with Kimi and the kids.
I proposed to my wife on this beach. ;o) ....man she is a lucky girl!
It is a beautiful spot and the weather was great. It baffles me why we don't take advantage of the this area more. Just being there makes everybody happy.
I still love my job...but right now I am lovin' the time off even more.

The Big Smoke

I don't dig flying.
I swore that I would never fly but when I received an offer from work to make a two day trip to Ottawa involving meetings discussing something that I was passionately interested in I jumped at the chance.
The plane out of Sarnia is so small you can stand in the aisle and touch both walls on either side of the aircraft.Packed in like a can of sardines I waved good bye to my kids from the wing seat convinced I would never see them again. The Sarnia Airport is designed so that when the plane takes off it heads out over Lake Huron. The rickety old bucket then makes a hard right and points its nose towards T.O for a harrowing 45min hell ride.

If you need anything all you have to do is tap the pilot on the shoulder.
NICE. :o/
Obviously I lived.
The trip itself was good. I had a chance to connect with some colleagues from all across Canada who were ,for the most part, of the same mindset regarding the conditions of our employment. Judging by some of the stories I heard Sarnia doesn't really have it so bad...but don't worry....I still bitched the loudest! :o)
I had some good company from Sarnia and he did his job representing our needs as well and I was proud to be there with him.....even if he is a geocacheing nerd.
Our meetings were hosted by three very nice enthusiastic people.
I think we overwhelmed them on the first day.

The little event didn't get started off too well for me.
We walk into the meeting room which is walled with touchy feely hallmark slogans and every person is issued a toy in order to "help get them to a place where they can share ideas with child-like openess and enthusiasm"....huh?
Oh oh.
I don't dig the new age huggy-love shit...especially when you are talking about the security of a nation. No toys for Gene.
I don't have any trouble opening up thx...BUT you'd better listen up!
There was some great discussion and everyone really felt good afterwards. If nothing else the hosts really made you feel like 'they' were concerned and listening to what you had to say.
We'll see.
After work Rod and I visited parliament and typically Rod found money just flying around on the ground.

The weather in Ottawa was kind of crappy but I took Coondogs advice and had me-self a steak and a pint(or two) on the taxpayer. Thanks BTW.
Back to work tonight for midnights then it is going to get fish silly.
Trotsky needs a break.
Depending on the co-operation of the Lake Huron Kings there could be another fish fry on the horizon.
'?'

Empire State...

Brian and I made a mad dash stateside yesterday.

I was pretty tired after working three 12's and almost pulled the plug at the last minute but the fishing freak talked me out of it....and I am glad he did.
The river we fished is a cool bottom draw flow that you can usually safely bet on when the other rivers have gone for a turd. I have grown fond of this river.
It has delt us up some good to ridiculously great days even though it can be very tricky to floatfish.

The fish like a well presented offering and even when the conditions are less than favourable, like they were yesterday, you can always expect to hook-up.
Landing the fish is the problem. Even when the water is low and clear like it was yesterday the water is still really moving and if a Steelie is 'hot'it'll turn and really go on ya.
The spots where we have had our greatest success are lined right to the rivers edge with big trees and 'beaching' a fish alone can be a real challenge.
Most of the locals carry these giant nets with them....which under the cicumstances are quite practical.
The last thing I need is something else to carry.
I don't mind following a fish when it runs. Horsing it back up river and ripping off its maxillary is just too creepy for me.
Chasing the big ones is a big part of the fun!
The busy rivers can prevent you from doing this and we have seen this particular system get really crowded but for whatever reason it was bereft of pressure on this trip so I had a rare opportunity to fight fish the way I wanted.
We had a modest day...maybe a dozen between us (heavily slanted in Morins favour)but the weather was great and the fishing had a wonderful pace that made me relax and enjoy the day as opposed to sliding into combat fishing commando mode.
Always a chance for a big fish here and Brian landed a big old girl that had finished her spring business and will be in the lake shortly..provided she makes it past some of the local finesse tactics.

My Boss just granted me some leave that I knew was going to be touch and go.
Looks like I will be fishing a ton this spring after all.
Ottawa bound on Sunday....I hope my plane doesn't crash.
If I do die, will someone teach my son(and /or daughter) how to 'pin'?

For the Music nerds.

Bumming around U-Tube this morning whilst mustering up the gumption for another day at 440 and found this little Gem!
Birelli...WOW.
This guy plays guitar the way life should be lived.
Passion ,persistance, discipline,courage, and above all a sense of humour.
Glad to see he is still doin' it.
I hope this inspires me enough to get through the last of these god awful shifts.


BTW- good luck SUPT "Big Nose"...it was a good run. :0/

GEESH!!
After the all the snooty comments about my musical offering I thought that I would put something up that might be a little more suitable for some of my blognerd buddies.
:o)