Belly Whopper...

Untitled from Gene Norland on Vimeo.

I took the kids tobogganing. yesterday and I am a wee bit sore...
I have been lifting weights again and it is taking my tired old body a bit to get used to the abuse!


LOL
Probably not such a good idea to follow-up a work out with flying down an icy hill on a crazy carpet with Ella on my back with me on my stomach.
We had a great day out there with this mild weather.


Almost makes up for last years horrific winter.
Back in for work on Monday Tuesday...
It will be the first time on a new shift of 07:00-19:00.
I think I will dig 'em actually.

Untitled from Gene Norland on Vimeo.

Gets me home in time to say good night to the kids and I am traditionally an early riser.

Work is always a great place to get some well needed rest.
:o)

Untitled from Gene Norland on Vimeo.

The Eye...

Yesterday Morin and I fished.

It was a good day.


A great day to be on the river....except for the fact that Morin caught a demon fish.
Fucking thing had the weirdest eye and it kept following him wherever he moved to...
Gave me the creeps and I was glad when we got the friggin thing back in the water...good for a few nightmares..

The weather so far this year has be unseasonably warm...knock on wood....and as per usual Morin was chomping at the bit to get some fishing in.



Well ..we both were.

Last year at this time we'd booked a trip with Jeff Stuhan.


Jeff is a fishing guide out of Michigans Muskegon area and this time of year he runs jetboat Steelhead trips up the Muskegon and Pere Marquette rivers.


We'd had so much fun and such great success last year that we'd pretty much decided to make this an annual thing. It is a nice way to usher in the new year and it offers a really unique way to fish for the fish that we have come to love so much.

Jeff is more than just a guide. He is a real hoot to fish with and we spent most of the day laughing our heads off and eating the venison pepperettes he brings along.
They are amazing...great big thick muthas with chunks of cheddar....


No iced guides to worry about this year...
It was like a spring day out there on the river and although the river had been fishing slow by all accounts we still put the hurt on them.



The Michigan fish are very strong an rank right up there with our own fish. The first fish I hooked I lifted up on at the end of a drift and fishy just turned and started swimming. By the time we'd decided that we should pull anchor and chase it there was a ton of line out....too much....then....slack line...ugh..


I had even beefed up a bit for this trip.
It was the first day that I have used the Kamasan Sedge Hooks and I am very impressed with them.


There is no relief on the Muskegon and it is a good place to test the gear as well as your shoulders.


Mine are still sore.
Road trips are awesome and this one was a good one.
I managed to pass my recert last week even though one minute I'd shoot like Wyatt Earp and the next Mr.Magoo. Being tested like that takes a lot out of you and a day on the river did wonders to help me unwind and put that shit behind me.


That big old river is a very peaceful place to fish this time of year and even though you can't help but wonder what kind of a smack we'd put on them during the peak times I'll take a lonely old flow with just turkeys and eagles for company any day.
I got lucky on this trip and landed a hen that after some consideration makes the top ten list.


LOL
Oh oh...
I am not sure which fish gets the bounce but this little lady gets the nod for sheer strength and beauty,
Amazing colours on this fish...breathtaking.
I still haven't bagged my Michigan double striper but this colourful girl is way sexy.
With the bigger fish Jeff lifts the anchor and breaks out the oars and yesterday he saved me from disaster a number of times just by maneuvering the boat.


It is a cool thing to participate in and I am glad we've discovered it.
Makes me wish I was back there right now.

I Am Coming Out...

....I admit it.

I love icefishing!

LOVE IT

Especially with Ella.

Icefishing with Ella 2010 from Gene Norland on Vimeo.

She has been bugging me to take her icefishing since like September so today I finally got the gear together and made it happen.
I am really glad that I did.
We had a blast....even though we had a couple of tag alongs.
My Mother in Law offered to watch little Avery and through that Gerry got wind of our little hard water action plan and joined us ...with my nephew Luke.

Gerry is one thing.....he is always welcome.

LUKE?
:o/

I wasn't sure how it'd go with little Lukey-Bear as he is a tad on the wild side but the fish action was constant and gave him very little window of opportunity for destruction.

Untitled from Gene Norland on Vimeo.

We hit the Pond at 10:00 am and had holes drilled 10 minutes later.....pulled the plug at 10:40 and headed for Hot chocolate which we had in hand by 10:55.
The kids got about 20 sunfish between them.. heavily slanted in Ellas favour ;o)
Sunfish are always so co operative when it comes to family fun.
I feel like I really owe them a debt of gratitude.



It was like they were waiting there for us.

I drilled the first hole ... scooped out the slush ...dropped down the line and as soon as the line went straight there was a fish pulling on it!!!!
LOL
Perfect for kids...but it made it tough to get on video.
I had to rush to get the camera ready or they'd have the fish on the ice.

Great day for all of us.

Special thx to Morin for the use of his auger among other things....

On the other side of life I have to recertify with my Duty Firearm this week and that has me a little worked up.
I don't travel well for one thing and I haven't shot very well at my last few practices.
If I fail I will have to travel yet again and probably be gone for a week...and that doesn't appeal to me at all.
I recognize the need for the F/A and I am glad that I have one at work but I don't like guns...gun people or shooting particularly much.
I am hoping that I shoot a decent number and work out whatever bad habits that have settled on my grip...and then I can get on with my real life....
<><
25 metres is a long shot with a pistol.
..Especially for this old fart...

My Cross To Bear...

Morin loses yet another fish from Gene Norland on Vimeo.

I have been going through some of my old pics and videos trying to get organized...
What a Mess!!!
It is easy to get sidetracked though and get lost on memory lane...
I was amazed at how many million videos I have of Morin losing fish...it is tragic...and nauseating...
This video was from last year on the Muskegon and I am dying to get back there..
Look at this Useless POS...
This was just before we threw him out of the boat!

On an side note ...my son scored his first goal in Hockey today!!!!!
I just about started squirten 'em like a bitch...lol

I am so glad I didn't miss it and he was very proud of himself.

Now back to the files....

:o/

This Is Pretty Neat...

I am a terrible photographer.


It is too bad because I have seen some pretty cool stuff.

Today on the way home from a jam session with my Jazz Guitar Buddy Tori I happen to notice this bird sitting on a post in the middle of a farmers field.

...Now Joseph Ahmad I am not...lol...but I had to try.

I walked close enough to him to spook him into a tree.



After that I decided to take a chance and whip home and grab the kids so they could see it.
We lucked out and he hung around for us.

The kids loved it.

Ella couldn't really make it out until it Lit out across the farmers field.

Really pretty sight..

Happy New Year

Last Chapter

Retards?

Maybe...

But I don't regret it.



If we hadn't gone it would've haunted me.

We had made plans to fish today and regardless of the forecast or deafening winds howling outside our windows last night we were not going to change them....

The cocka-roaches finally got shut down by the nasty old river...and maybe a slight touch of old age/common sense.


Sure...
.. if we'd made the hike we might of caught fish....but I am alright with the decision not to.


There was a token effort today and a nice drive through some beautiful winter ravaged countryside...hot coffee...Islay Scotch and Mennonite Baked goods.
Now...dare I say it?....Tis time to shut'er down for the year.

Happy New Year.

'Embarrassment Of Riches'

Enjoy..
Thx to all my fishing friends for the good times...

Untitled from Gene Norland on Vimeo.

Fishing Like An Idiot

Some days I just can't seem to get it going...
Yesterday was one of those days.

It didn't help that I was carrying around a significant amount of guilt.

Kimi had given me the nod to go ahead and fish even though Avery ..our little one was under the weather.
I have been going through a bit of a tough time lately and she has been extremely supportive.
I think she knew that I could really use a day on the water ....she is a good girl and I love her.
In my heart of hearts I knew I should've stayed home....even though I really benefitted from yesterdays jaunt...
Oh well ...fuck it...
She was in a good mood when I got home and Ave seems a little better...no harm no foul...
..But it is something that I should keep an eye on...priorities


The river was cold and the fish were lethargic...and I was a useless POS.

Not a good combo.



It didn't help that Morin got himself an absolutely stellar Buck before I even felt a tug.

I hate that POS.

Actually ,it was very good to be on the water with my friend...especially under these circumstances and I will take this opportunity to thank him once again for being such a good friend and for putting up with me over the years.

Gay people can be very kind.



Anyway..our day is recounted better Here ...but We left the water with yet another Norland Story where I defied the odds and stared death in the face....well whos kiddin who...but it was pretty funny and I will remember that little 2-3 lber all winter.

Extreme "Norland" from Brian M on Vimeo.

I was a little melancholy yesterday...particularly on the way out and back at the car. I spent quite a bit of time staring out at the surroundings.



I have a feeling that I am going to miss this River more than ever this winter.

A Muskegon trip with Stuhan could help assuage my 'end of the season' sadness and I am already going through my Videos/Pictures of the Spring Manistee trip from last year...

...whos knows though...I may yet get out again before the 31st..

Regardless whether I do or not...



I would just like to say....

Merry Christmas fish nerds.

Those Three Chords...

It doesn't matter how far removed any guitar player becomes from the first few lessons ...he/she can never quite escape the blues...
The instrument was built for it...
And these guys were built for the instrument..
Listening to this makes my nuts tingle.
Do yourself a favour...
Crack a Beer...and turn it up...LOUD
DIG THIS


Honest to god Larry keeps getting better with age. You can shoot a guy in the throat and still he can't be stopped...
He is a cock-a-roach...Just like us!!!!
LOL
Real guitar heros..
Gotta love You Tube
EDIT...
Here is another Gem from the same show...these guys are tits..


"Burnable"

Indeed.

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.

Back At It...

I am going to continue to BLOG.....but I think that I will go private.

There has been a lot of goofy shit that has gone on this month and although I have calmed down considerably about it I can't shake the fact that I have placed something dear to me in harms way due in a large part to my own vanity.


I had someone insinuate once through this medium that I considered myself 'Elitist'.
This is Ironic considering that I have spent most of my life searching for a sense of community.
My search has been non-resultant.


Human behaviour throws me to the degree that I sometimes wonder if I am even human myself.
Probably not...lol.



I love fishing for these fish and I love the area where I fish for them just as much and I can't with a clear conscience keep this public if I chose to continue to keep a journal of my experiences.

Chasing these fish I have managed to run across a few kindred spirits.

One is a landowner.
A landowner that up until very recently has extended a very generous hand out to the people who pursue these fish.
Unfortunately he has had a very understandable change of heart....and people are going to have to respect it one way or another.

It saddens me to think that he'll be forced to take any formal action. He and his family are looking for a peaceful life and only seek the respect they deserve.
Sometimes it is the gracious people that get shit on the most.
Sometimes quite literally.

It would be a very bad mistake to use my name to find favour with anyone , but particularly with this man and his family.

I love this sport and depend on it so much that removing myself from it would be similar to asking someone to stop breathing...
However..
...It is undoubtedly a sport full of self serving shortsighted vane greedy people that have zero regard for others.
It is a sport that is bereft of veteran leadership and I can find no community within it.
This was the reason I removed myself from the public forums dedicated to this sport and it is now the reason why I am choosing to make this BLOG a private one.

Two important things...
I don't harbour any grudges against anyone.
Blogger has a feature where I can invite people to participate in my BLOG format.
All I need ( I think ?) is their email address that they use with their Blogger account so if anybody cares to they are welcome to shoot me an email and I will invite them.
It should be understood that the things that I recount here are of a somewhat private nature and I expect people to respect that....particularly location...and ESPECIALLY ACCESS.
I will leave this post public for a week or so and then I will pull the whole BLOG.
It has been fun and has really added to the quality of the outdoor experience for me but I think going private is the responsible thing to do.
Word of mouth is bad enough without the search engine peril and
I have tried to be careful...but have failed.


"My River"....
It is as much mine as anybodies and I am super pleased when I can hike the river and not see a ton of people...particularly the type of people that will have a negative impact on the fishery or jeopordize the ability to access the river.
The access point that we(Brian and I)use is NOT open to the public and I have been asked to spread the word on this and to even "help keep an eye on things".
Fish the river...just find a legal way to access it.

Anyhoo...there have been a number of sad stories swirling around my life at present.
Nobody said life was easy and I am not looking for sympathy....everybody has problems.
My kids are healthy and I love them. My beautiful Wife and I are more in love than ever.
The other stuff will fade...
The fishing helps...these beautiful fish and the beautiful surroundings are BIG medicine for me.

I even managed to catch my first Steelhead on a JIG!!
Very cool...
This little event has forced me to clean up my horror show of a fly tying desk and blow the dust off my flytying chops....If I ever had any!!
Morin has gone JIG gay and has asked me to tie him a hundred or so...


Here is my first attempt


Morin and I have been out and all is as it should be....
Other than the fact that he is growing horns out his back


...and has gone insane.
Hopefully we'll get out a few more times before the season shuts down.
Let the healing begin.