To Fish, Perchance to Freeze

Well,
.. once winter kicks in it sure doesn't take long for things to get nasty here in Ontario.
The river is a slush fest and it is right on the edge of lock-up.

Morin and I were commiserating about how this is at least two fall seasons in a row that have let us down weather wise.



Nothing is perfect.....but fishing for these beautiful fish is as close as you get.

I had a great season and although I have a sneaking suspicion that today could be it for the home river there is a slight chance I will get in there a few more times.

I spent the last two days fishing and it was very beneficial.


I froze my ass off and the first day I lost two fish under an ice shelf.
:o(
Winter Steelheading indeed.


Brian and I fished today together and we had a blast.
No faggy Visor today...Christmas Miracle???

I got to watch him tear it up a bit on some new water that I had discovered earlier in the season.
That is always a bonus.

Well new to us anyway...
:o/
This run has been Christened "The Mitchell Run"
lol


It was a bit of a test trying to float a drift through all the slush but we managed alright. In fact I never would've guessed we'd do as well as we did.
Iced guides, line and floats be damned.

At a run we call "The Drive in" I managed a buck that makes the ugly list...but at the time he was just fine by me. He fought really well and I was proud of him.

I don't know why Morin had to bite him on the nose.
It was a weird moment.
After releasing that fish I just about blacked out from the pain in my hands....definitely one of those WTF is wrong with us moments.

In a moment unique to this sport we had to pull into the local car wash to de-ice our waders in order to take them off.
My right leg was half full of water.
Time for some new gear.
Morin got his Christmas present early today but unfortunately today wasn't a JIG day


...or mine suck ass???
I also gave him a case of mixed KLB beer...which I happen to be enjoying right now.

This little brewery is back in business courtesy of Amsterdam distribution and I am off the chart happy about it.Their Raspberry Wheat Beer is one of the greatest beers in the world in my book...and this Cream Ale is none too shabby either.
Two days of hiking through the bush has done wonders for my blood pressure but my back is killing me.
Bald eagles, sexy fish...deer and pain.
I can't wait to get out again.