"On The Point," A Fish Tale From 2001

 I have had this "Fish Tale" on file for the past fourteen years and now that I'm recording my fishing adventures I'd been thinking of posting it but had no pictures to go with the events of those four days. In a strange twist of fate, my grandparents stopped by for a visit, this past week, and wouldn't you know it they bring me the story along with the pictures my grandpa and I took on our trip. The below is a raw unedited story telling event, the way I saw how those days played out back in 2001, hope you enjoy it!

PROLOGUE:                                                     

“THE LIST”

WELL WHAT TRIP WITH “BIG JOE” CAN ANYONE EVER REMEMBER THAT DIDN’T INVOLVE A LIST OF SOME FORM OR ANOTHER?  HIS LIST WOULD BE ONE ITEM AND YOU WERE LEFT WITH THIRTY ITEMS, WHICH YOU WOULD HAVE TO GET NASA’S R&D DEPARTMENT TO REVIEW BEFORE YOU COULD PUT YOUR STAMP ON IT. 

HIS LIST CONSISTED OF ONE THING, THE TRIP.  MINE HOWEVER CONSISTED OF RESEARCHING THE FISH SPECIES (NORTHERN PIKE, LAKE TROUT, WHITE FISH AND PERCH). THEN HAVING TO GO TO THE LOCAL SPORTING GOODS STORE AND CONVERSING WITH THE RETAILER ABOUT THESE TYPES OF GAME FISH AND THEIR FEEDING PATTERNS. SELECTING SEVERAL FISHING LURES FOR EACH FISH.  REVIEW THE SIZE AND COLOUR FOR EACH HOOK.  THEN MAYBE PICK A COUPLE OF STRANGELY SHAPED ONES JUST BECAUSE.  ONCE YOU HAVE COMPLETED THIS TASK, TAKE ALL THIS INFORMATION HOME WITH YOU TO REVIEW FOR THE NEXT WEEK.  BECAUSE HEAVEN FORBID IF YOU DID SOMETHING RASH AND BOUGHT SOMETHING BEFORE HAND!  THEN AFTER A WEEK OR JUST BEFORE TAKE OFF, RUN TO THE STORE AND BUY WHAT’S AVAILABLE.  NOW IF THIS DOESN’T SOUND LIKE AN OLD MAN THING TO DO I DON’T KNOW WHAT IS, SORRY BIG JOE BUT ITS FUNNY.

IN THE END, HERE IS WHAT WE ROLLED WITH FOR TACKLE FOR THE WEEK.  FISHING LINE 16-40LB TEST, 12-18” LEADERS, LOADS OF BUG SPRAY AND A BOAT LOAD OF HOOKS.  SOME OF WHICH YOU MAY KNOW, FIVE OF DIAMONDS, RED DEVIL, RAPALA CRANK BAITS AND SOME OF WHICH YOU DON’T, JOHNSTON, KOTCO AND GAPAN.  BUT YOU GET THE POINT; WE HAD ALL THE OPTIONS COVERED.  WE NOW JUST NEEDED TO HIT THE LAKE.

DAY (1), WEDNESDAY JUNE 7^TH, 2001:                     

“THE TRIP BEGINS” (PART 1)

            OUR FATEFUL TRIP BEGAN AT THE RIPE CRACK OF 3:30AM.  WITH A HALF GLASS OF MILK DOWN, A BAGEL IN OUR GULLETS BIG JOE AND I GRABBED OUR GEAR AND WE WERE OFF.  NO SOONER THEN LEAVING THE EDMONTON CITY LIMITS IT STARTED TO RAIN.  NOT THE GREATEST OF STARTS TO A TRIP BUT AN HOUR AND A HALF LATER AS WE PULLED INTO BOYLE IT WAS NOTHING BUT CLEAR SKIES, ALL THE WAY TO FORT MACMURRY IN FACT. SO WE COULDN’T COMPLAIN TOO MUCH.

            

WE FINALLY ARRIVE AT THE FORT MAC AIRPORT, 8:30AM, AND HOOK UP WITH OUR TOUR OPERATOR TOM GILLIES.  TOM IS PART OWNER OF THE “AIR MIKISEW” CHARTER THAT FLYS IN AND OUT OF LAKES ALL OVER NORTHERN ALBERTA.  TOM GIVES US A TOUR OF THEIR HANGER AND THEN A DEMO OF HOW TO USE THE EMERGENCY SATELLITE PHONE. TWO HOURS LATER WE START TO HELP LOAD UP OUR GEAR ONTO A TWIN TURBO PROP BEACH AIRCRAFT AND THE FIRST FLYING LEG OF THE TRIP BEGINS.  OUR FIRST FLIGHT WAS A SHORT FORTY FIVE MINUTE JAUNT NORTH TO FORT CHIP WHERE OUR FLOAT PLANES AWAIT. 

WE GET TO THE FLOAT PLANES AND SITTING THERE WAITING FOR US IS A CESSNA 185 AND A 1957 DEHAVILLAND BEAVER…GORGEOUS!  GRANDPA AND I DREW THE SHORT STRAW AND HAD TO CRAM OURSELVES INTO THE SMALLER CESSNA 185.  WITH ALL OUR GEAR AND THE PLANE LOADED TO THE MAX, MY FINGERS AND TOES CROSSED, WE ARE AIR BORN.  ANOTHER FORTY FIVE MINUTES LATER WE SPLASH DOWN ONTO CHARLES LAKE AND AS WE TAXI ALONG WE SEE OUR CABIN.  THERE IT IS…THIS BROWN WITH WHITE TRIM OLD SCHOOL LOOKING LOG CABIN NESTLED IN THE WOODS AND PERCHED UPON A GIANT PIECE OF THE CANADIAN SHIELD STICKING OUT ALONG THE SHORE LINE.  LOOKING SO PEACEFUL AND INVITING, LITTLE DID WE KNOW WHAT WAS WAITING FOR US!  THE DREADED…BLOOD SUCKING…MAKE YOU GO INSANE FROM THE BUZZING OF THEIR WINGS WHILE YOU SLEEP…MOSQUITO’S!!!  BUT THAT IS A WHOLE OTHER STORY OF ITS OWN.

(PART 2) “DAY OF FIRSTS”

            WITHIN AN HOUR OF SETTING FOOT IN THE WILD AND BEING THE ONLY PEOPLE FOR MILES AROUND I GOT THE ITCH. THE ITCH TO WET A LINE AND MAKE SHORT WORK OF THESE SO CALLED “VIRGIN WATERS.”  SO I WAS OFF, LOADED UP MY GEAR AND LEFT BIG JOE TO FEND OF THE MOSQUITOES…AKA “NAP.”  

AN HOUR AND A HALF LATER WITH ONLY ONE FISH CAUGHT, A SMALL PIKE, I WAS STARTING TO DOUBT THESE SO CALLED “VIRGIN” WATERS.  BUT WITH A QUICK HOOK CHANGE AND I START TROLLING BACK TOWARDS THE CABIN…WHAM! A HUGE HIT! A HIT LIKE NO OTHER FISH I HAD CAUGHT BEFORE, LOTS OF HEAD SHAKING AND DIVING DEEP TOWARDS THE BOTTOM.  BUT IT SEEMED TO TIRE QUICKLY AND NOT PUT UP MUCH OF A FIGHT AFTER THE FIRST MINUTE.  SO AS I REEL THE FISH TOWARDS THE BOAT I CATCH A GLIMPSE OF COLOUR COMING UP FROM THE BOTTOM.  IT LOOKS DARK SO MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS IT’S A PIKE.  BUT AS IT GETS CLOSER I SEE SPOTS AND BRIGHT ORANGE WITH WHITE TIPPED FINS.  COULD IT BE?  IT IS! I YELL OUT “WOO HOO!”  AND I LAND MY FIRST EVER LAKE TROUT.  SO I QUICKLY LAND IT AND PLACE IT ON THE STRINGER.  RACE BACK TO THE CABIN TO SHOW BIG JOE AND AS I AM GETTING A QUICK MEASURE, TWENTY ONE INCHES BY THE WAY, THE FISH SLIPS OUT OF MY HANDS AND BACK INTO THE LAKE.  DAMN YOU FISH GODS!!  SO SINCE I AM AT THE CABIN I TAKE THE TIME TO ESCAPE FROM THE MID DAY SUN, REVIEW THE MAP OF THE LAKE, AND PLAN OUR ATTACK FOR THE EVENING.

            FIVE OR SO HOURS PASS BY AND BIG JOE AND I DECIDE TO HEAD BACK OUT FISHING AND SEE IF WE CAN CATCH ANOTHER SLIPPERY LAKER. TWELVE PIKE LATER, THE LAKERS ARE POSING TO BE A BIT HARDER TO CATCH THEN WE THOUGHT.  WITH THE HUNGER FOR T-BONE STEAKS AND BBQ POTATOES IN OUR BELLY’S WE DECIDE TO MAKE OUR WAY BACK TO THE CABIN.  NO LONGER THEN THIRTY SECONDS LATER, BIG JOE’S REEL STARTS TO SCREAM.  “I THINK THIS COULD BE IT,” I SAY AND SURE ENOUGH BIG JOE HAD LANDED HIS FIRST LAKER.  WE HEAD BACK TO THE CABIN, FISH IN HAND, AND I DROP BIG JOE OFF SO HE COULD TAKE CARE OF CLEANING HIS CATCH.  WITH THE EXCITEMENT RIPE IN THE AIR I ZIP BACK TO THE SAME SPOT TO SEE IF I CAN’T JUST GET ONE MORE BEFORE CALLING IT A NIGHT.  SURE ENOUGH ABOUT FIVE MINUTES LATER I WAS LANDING MY SECOND LAKER OF THE DAY! 

ALL IN ALL IT WAS A DAY OF FIRSTS, FIRST FLY IN FISHING TRIP, FIRST FLOAT PLANE RIDE, FIRST LAKE TROUT AND FIRST NIGHT HAVING TO SLEEP UNDER MOSQUITO NETTING.  GOOD WAY TO START OFF A FIVE DAY TRIP IF I DO SAY SO MYSELF.

DAILY FISH COUNT:          BIG JOE, PIKE (8) & LAKE TROUT (1)

                                                KEVIN, PIKE (5) & LAKE TROUT (1)

DAY (2), FRIDAY JUNE 8^TH, 2001:                    

“THE LUNKER”

            WE AWAKE AT 3:30am TO WHAT SOUNDS LIKE A CHAINSAW BUZZING IN OUR CABIN AND QUICKLY DISCOVER WE HAVE BEEN INVADED BY A CLOUD OF MOSQUITOES!  SO WE BOLT OUT OF BED, SLAP ON SOME CLOTHES AND JUMP IN THE BOAT.  NOW YOUR THINKING ISN’T IT A LITTLE DARK TO BE FISHING AT 3:45am? THE ANSWER IS…NO!  WHEN YOU ARE IN THE HEARTLAND OF THE NORTH AT THIS TIME OF THE YEAR IT NEVER ACTUALLY GETS DARK, MORE LIKE DUSK.  WE GAVE IT A GOOD TRY TO CATCH FISH AT THIS TIME BUT EVEN AT THESE HOURS OF THE DAY THE FISH ARE STILL IN BED.  SO WE HEAD BACK TO THE CABIN FOR SOME MUCH NEEDED SLEEP AND HOPE TO “THE CLOUD OF DOOM” HAD CLEARED.  UPON INSPECTION OF THE CABIN I FIND THAT THERE IS A LARGE GAP IN THE ROOF FOR THE WOOD STOVE’S CHIMNEY. I DOUBLY NAME IT “THE PORTAL OF DOOM!”  BIG JOE FINDS A BOX OF MOSQUITO COIL AND WE FUMIGATE THE CABIN ALONG WITH US IN IT.  TO THE POINT WHERE WE HAD TO OPEN A WINDOW TO VENT SO THAT WE WOULDN’T DIE.  WE CONTINUED TO DO THIS THE REMAINDER OF THE TRIP BEFORE WE WENT TO SLEEP AND SOMETIMES JUST BECAUSE.

            WITH A FEW MORE HOURS OF SLEEP AND A BREAKFAST DOWN, I WAS OFF TO DISCOVER “THE HONEY HOLE” OR SOME MAY CALL IT “THE SECRET SPOT.” LAKE MAP IN HAND, COUPLE OF COLD DRINKS IN THE TACKLE BOX AND A BAG OF SEASONED SPITS, I WAS OFF.  I SPENT A GOOD THREE HOURS SEARCHING THE WEST SIDE OF THE LAKE AND TO NO RESOLVE I STILL HADN’T FOUND WHAT I SET OUT LOOKING FOR.  EVEN THOUGH I MANAGED TO CATCH THREE MORE LAKERS AND TWO PIKE.  I SAT IN THE BOAT, COLD DRINK IN HAND AND SCOURED THE MAP. “WHERE TO GO NEXT” I THOUGHT AND THERE IT WAS STARING ME RIGHT IN THE FACE THIS WHOLE TIME.  JUST A FIVE MINUTE BOAT RIDE NORTH OF WHERE I WAS.  PROBLEM BEING, LOOMING IN THE DISTANCE ARE SOME DARK OMINOUS CLOUDS AND I COULD FEEL THE CALM IN THE AIR START TO COME ACROSS THE LAKE.  THIS ONLY MEANS ONE THING TO ALL YOU NON RISK TAKING FOLK…RUN FOR COVER!  HOWEVER THIS IS NOT WHAT I DID, I POINTED THE BOAT NORTH, LOOKED AT THE DANGER IN FRONT OF ME LAUGHED AND CRANKED THE MOTOR TO FULL SPEED AHEAD. 

I GET THERE AND I AM SPEECHLESS THIS SMALL KIDNEY SHAPED BACK BAY IS LIKE LOOKING AT ONE OF ROBERT BATEMAN’S OIL PAINTINGS, GORGEOUS.  ONE END OF THE BAY IS SHALLOW WITH A WEED BED AND REEDS FOLLOWING IT UP TO THE SHORE LINE.  THE OTHER END OF THE BAY IS THE TOTAL OPPOSITE.  THE WATER IS DEEP THE SHORE LINE IS ROCKY, TREED, WITH A SMALL BEAVER DAM AND A CREEK WAS DRAINING INTO IT FROM THE MAIN LAKE.  THIS IS PERFECT; I HAVE FOUND THE PROMISE LAND.  I AM GOING TO BRING BIG JOE BACK HERE AFTER THE LOOMING STORM PASSES.  I RACE BACK TO THE CABIN, WHICH NOW THE STORM SEEMS TO BE MOVING AS FAST AS I AM, PULL THE BOAT UP TO THE DOCK, TIE IT OFF AND SPRINT INTO THE CABIN JUST AS THE FIRST CLAP OF LIGHTNING AND THUNDER ROLLS OVER US. 

            WE HUNKER DOWN IN THE CABIN AND GRAB A MUCH NEEDED NAP WHILE THE STORM BLOWS OVER.  SHORTLY AFTER THE STORM WAS GONE BIG JOE SENT ME OUT TO THE MIDDLE OF THE LAKE TO GET WATER FOR OUR SPAGHETTI DINNER.  BEING WELL RESTED AND WITH A BELLY FULL OF “LAKE WATER” SPAGHETTI WE WERE BACK ON THE LAKE HEADING TO THE ALL IMPORTANT “SECRET SPOT.”  A SHORT BOAT RIDE LATER WE DESCEND ON THE BAY LIKE VULTURES ON A DEAD ANTELOPE.

AS PER THE NORM, BIG JOE ASKS FOR A HOOK FROM MY BOX AS HE DOES NOT WANT TO LOSE ONE OF HIS.  SO I HAND OVER A “FIVE OF DIAMONDS” AND HE MAKES HIS CAST.  NOT EVEN TWO SECONDS LATER HE’S LAUGHING BECAUSE HE HAS A FISH ON HIS LINE AND HE IS USING MY FAVOURITE HOOK.  SO I GRAB THE NET AND WAIT FOR HIM TO REEL IN THE FISH.  AS I WAIT, BIG JOE STARTS TO TELL ME HE THINKS HIS REEL IS BROKEN AS HE IS HAVING TROUBLES WITH THE DRAG SETTING.  SO I TELL HIM TO BACK IT OFF AND JUST PLAY THE FISH OUT.  FINALLY HE GETS THE FISH UNDER CONTROL AND IT’S CLOSE TO THE BOAT SO I GRAB THE NET AND “IT’S A MONSTER!” I YELL.  BIG JOE THINKS I AM KIDDING UNTIL I ASK HIM TO HELP WITH THE NET AND WE PULL THIS BEAST FROM THE LAKE.  I GRAB THE MEASURING TAPE AND IT’S A WHOPPING FORTY ONE INCHES LONG!  WE LOOK AT EACH OTHER IN AMAZEMENT AND BIG JOE SAYS “I NEED TO SIT DOWN AND HAVE A SMOKE.”  “KEV,” HE SAYS, “I DON’T KNOW IF I CAN TAKE CATCHING ANOTHER ONE THAT BIG AGAIN, YOU FISH AND I WILL MAN THE NET.” 

SO I CONTINUED TO FISH AND WITH LIMITED SUCCESS WE DECIDE TO MOVE DOWN TO THE OTHER END OF THE BAY AND FISH THE CREEK MOUTH.  FINALLY RECOVERED FROM HIS BIG FIGHT BIG JOE WAS BACK IN ACTION.  I TELL BIG JOE TO GIVE A CAST OVER NEAR THE BEAVER DAM AS I SAW A FISH RISE.  SURE AS LUCK WOULD HAVE IT HE HAD HIS SECOND FISH ON IN AS MANY CASTS.  I START TO LAUGH AND JOKE WITH HIM THAT THIS FISH IS GOING TO BE JUST AS BIG WHICH HE REPLIES “I HOPE NOT!”  SURE ENOUGH BIG JOE STARTS COMPLAINING THAT HIS REEL MUST BE BROKEN FROM THE LAST FISH AND HE HAS ME START THE ENGINE SO WE CAN CHASE THE FISH BEFORE HIS REEL IS OUT OF LINE.  I SLOWLY PUT THE BOAT INTO DRIVE AND WE PLAY CHASE WITH A FISH.  THIS SEEMS TO BE HELPING BIG JOE’S REEL PROBLEM AND THE FISH MAKES A TURN TOWARDS THE BOAT.  I TURN THE ENGINE OFF AND GRAB THE NET AND START LAUGHING.  BIG JOE SAYS “WHAT?” AND AS I LIFT THE FISH OUT OF THE WATER BIG JOE HAS TO SIT DOWN…AGAIN!  WITH A BLANK LOOK ON HIS FACE BIG JOE ASKS ME “HOW BIG IS IT?”  “FORTY THREE INCHES” I REPLY AND ON THAT NOTE BIG JOE SAYS “I’M DONE!” WE SHARE SOME LAUGHS AND I SAY TO BIG JOE “WELL I GUESS THIS IS WHY WE CAME, LET’S GO CATCH SOME LAKERS” AND WE WERE OFF.

DAILY FISH COUNT:          BIG JOE, PIKE (20), TWO MONSTERS & LAKE TROUT (1)

                                                KEVIN, PIKE (8) & LAKE TROUT (4)

DAY (3), SATURDAY JUNE 9^TH, 2001:

 “WELCOME TO THE NORTH WEST TERRITORIES”

THE ONLY OTHER PEOPLE ON OUR ISLAND WERE A FAMILY FROM MONTANA.  WE MADE PLANS WITH OUR NEIGHBOURS THE NIGHT BEFORE TO HEAD AS FAR NORTH AS WE COULD.   THEN SPEND THE DAY TOGETHER FISHING OUR WAY BACK TO THE CABINS.  ABOUT A HOUR BOAT RIDE LATER OUR FISHING PARTNERS YELL OVER TO US “WELCOME TO THE N.W.T.”  BIG JOE LOOKS OVER AT ME PUZZLED AND SAYS “N.W.T.?”  I RESPOND WITH “YEAH, THE NORTH WEST TERRITORIES.” POINTING TO THE MAP SHOWING HIM WHERE WE WERE AS THE MAP SHOWS N.W.T. ABOVE THE SIXTIETH PARALLEL.  CHALK THIS UP AS ANOTHER FIRST AS IT WAS OUR FIRST TIME TO THE NWT.  WE HAD A FAIRLY SUCCESSFUL DAY OF FISHING.  NOT A LOT OF LAKE TROUT LIKE WE HOPED BUT WE COULD HAVE FILLED THE BOAT WITH PIKE.  SO MANY IN FACT THAT YOU WOULD PULL THE HOOK OUT OF THE WATER BEFORE THEY COULD STRIKE JUST SO YOU DIDN’T HAVE TO TAKE THEM OFF YOUR LINE.  THE MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT FISHING IN THE NWT WAS WHEN BIG JOE AND I FOUND THIS OLD TRAPPERS CABIN AND SPENT A GOOD PART OF THAT TIME FISHING IN FRONT OF IT.  WHILE THERE WE ENJOYED WATCHING PIKE FIGHT OVER OUR HOOKS AND FIGHT EACH OTHER WHILE THEY WENT AFTER OUR HOOKS.  OTHER THEN THAT IT WAS A PEACEFUL HALF DAY OF FISHING AND FLOATING ON THE LAKE.

BACK AT THE CABIN I REMEMBER OUR HOST TIM GILLIES TELLING US THAT THERE ARE PERCH IN THE LAKE BUT NOBODY EVER REPORTED CATCHING ONE.  NOW THIS SOUNDED LIKE A CHALLENGE TO ME.  SO WITH SOME BACON FAT IN HAND I STARTED MY SEARCH.  I SET UP A SMALL HOOK AND WITH ABOUT AN ARMS LENGTH OF LINE I DROPPED IT OFF THE END OF THE DOCK.  WITHIN ABOUT TWO MINUTES I WAS GETTING SMALL BITES BUT NOTHING BIG ENOUGH TO SET THE HOOK.  I LAY DOWN ON THE DOCK, PEEK OVER THE EDGE AND TO MY SURPRISE I SEE A SCHOOL OF SMALL PERCH HIDING UNDER THE DOCK.  SO I DROP MY HOOK BETWEEN THE DOCK BOARDS AND SURE ENOUGH I CAUGHT EIGHT OVER THE NEXT HOUR.  NONE OF THEM OF ANY REAL SIZE, MAYBE ABOUT FOUR INCHES IN LENGTH.  BUT I HAD FUN NONE THE LESS AND NOW I CAN CLAIM THAT I WAS THE FIRST PERSON TO EVER CATCH A PERCH ON CHARLES LAKE.

DAILY FISH COUNT:          BIG JOE, PIKE (36)

                                                KEVIN, PIKE (20) & LAKE TROUT (4) & PERCH (8)

DAY (4), SUNDAY JUNE 10^TH, 2001:

“EATING LIKE A DOG”

            WITH A FAIRLY SUCCESSFUL TRIP IN THE BAG BIG JOE AND I WERE IN NO HURRY TO GET UP AND GET GOING.  SO WE TOOK OUR TIME MAKING BREAKFAST AND I TOOK TIME TO REFLECT ON THE TRIP AND WRITE IN MY JOURNAL.  AFTER BREAKFAST WE MADE IT OUR MISSION TO HUNT DOWN A MONSTER LAKE TROUT.  SINCE WE HAD FISHED THE MAJORITY OF THE NORTH AND WEST SIDES OF THE LAKE WE VENTURED SOUTH AND EAST.  WHILE WE WERE MAKING OUR WAY SOUTH WE CAME ACROSS TWO FISH BIOLOGISTS DOING SURVEY OF THE LAKE.  WE TRADED STORIES OF WHERE WE HAD FISHED, WHAT WE CAUGHT AND HOW MANY WE CAUGHT.  IN TURN THEY POINTED OUT AN AREA OF THE LAKE ON THE MAP THEY HAD SUCCESS IN CATCHING LAKE TROUT SO WE WERE OFF.  FOR MOST OF THE EARLY AFTERNOON WE FISHED THESE NARROWS BETWEEN THE MAIN BODY OF THE LAKE AND SOME BACK BAYS.  OVER THE THREE HOURS OF TRYING TO LAND THE BIG ONE WE HEADED BACK TO THE CABIN FOR A FISH FRY. 

BIG JOE DID THE HONORS OF CLEANING AND PREPPING THE FISH.  WHILE I SLICED ONIONS AND WARMED UP THE FRYING PAN WITH OIL.  THE OIL READY I DROP IN THE ONIONS AND FISH, THEN IT HITS HIM, BIG JOE THAT IS.  THE AROMA OF FRESH FISH AND ONIONS BUSTING THROUGH THE CABIN DOOR, LIKE THE KOOL-AID MAN, OUT ONTO THE DECK.  WHERE BIG JOE IS SITTING WAITING LIKE THE HOUSEHOLD DOG LOOKING TO SNAP UP ANY SCRAPS THAT MIGHT HIT THE FLOOR.  NOW HE IS HOVERING WITH PAPER TOWEL IN HAND WAITING FOR THE DINNER BELL TO RING.  “FISH IS READY,” I SAY AND LIKE A FLASH HE IS IN AND OUT, BACK ON THE DECK EATING HIS FISH AND SITTING AT HIS POST.  BEFORE I EVEN FINISHED HALF OF MY FISH HE IS DONE HIS TWO PIECES AND SNIFFING AROUND FOR MORE.  I ASK HIM “ARE YOU DONE ALREADY?” TO WHICH HE REPLIES “YES, I ATE MY FISH LIKE A DOG!”  WE BOTH HAVE A GOOD LAUGH ABOUT IT WHILE WE CLEAN UP.

THAT EVENING WE HEAD BACK TO OUR SECRET SPOT IN HOPES OF LANDING ANOTHER BIG PIKE.  NO BIG PIKE BUT WE DID MANAGE TO CATCH SEVERAL PIKE THROUGH OUT THE EVENING.  AS WE MAKE OUR WAY BACK TO THE CABIN IT HITS ME, THIS IS OUR LAST NIGHT HERE. SO WE DO SOME LAST MINUTE PICTURE TAKING AND FISHING JUST IN FRONT OF THE CABIN MUCH LIKE WE DID ON OUR FIRST NIGHT. 

WITH MOST OF OUR GEAR PACKED AND THE SUN STARTING TO SET ON OUR LAST NIGHT AT CHARLES LAKE.  I TAKE TIME TO REFLECT ON THE TRIP AND THINK ABOUT HOW I WILL MISS THIS PLACE AND CHERISH THE MEMORIES I MADE WITH MY GRANDPA, BIG JOE, FOR THE REST OF MY DAYS.

DAILY FISH COUNT:          BIG JOE, PIKE (2) & LAKE TROUT (10)

                                                KEVIN, PIKE (2) & LAKE TROUT (4)

DAY (4), SUNDAY JUNE 11^TH, 2001:

“GOING HOME”

            7:45AM AND WE ARE UP AND DOING A LAST BIT OF PACKING BEFORE THE FLOAT PLANE RIDE HOME.  IT IS ALWAYS SAD TO SEE SUCH AND EXCITING A TRIP COME TO AN END.  BUT ON THE SAME NOTE IT IS ALWAYS GOOD TO GET HOME AND SHARE YOUR STORIES WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY.  WE SETTLE IN TO OUR LAST BREAKFAST OF FRIED PEROGIES AT ABOUT 8:30AM AND DECIDE WHAT TO DO UNTIL THE PLANES ARRIVE AT NOON.  AROUND 10:15AM ONE OF THE PLANES ARRIVES TO DROP OFF FUEL AND CONFIRM OUR NOON DEPARTURE TIME.  THIS IS WHERE NORTHERN TIME KICKS IN.  NOON MUST BE CODE FOR WE WILL PICK YOU UP WHENEVER THE “F” WE WANT TOO.  SAYING THAT OUR PLANES DIDN’T ARRIVE TO GET US UNTIL 6PM.  SO MUCH FOR DRIVING BACK TO EDMONTON TONIGHT.  LUCKILY BIG JOE AND I SCORED THE FLIGHT BACK TO FORT CHIP IN THE OLD BEAVER.  NOW THAT MADE UP FOR THE DELAY. 

ONCE WE ARRIVED BACK INTO FORT MAC WE HAD TO SEE IF WE COULD GET A HOTEL ROOM FOR THE NIGHT.  AS WE BOTH WERE IN NO CONDITION TO MAKE THE FIVE AND A HALF HOUR DRIVE HOME.  TO OUR SURPRISE UNCLE DAN WAS THERE TO MEET US AS HE WAS IN TOWN ON BUSINESS.  HE HAD ALREADY BOOKED US ALL A ROOM AND TREATED US TO THE KEG FOR DINNER.  WHAT A GREAT MAN! THAT MEAL AND A HOTEL WAS LIKE A MILLION DOLLARS AFTER SLEEPING ON A COT FOR FIVE DAYS.  JUST LIKE THAT THE TRIP WAS OVER AND LIFE BACK IN THE REAL WORLD STARTS AGAIN!

THANKS FOR ALL THE MEMORIES & GOOD TIMES, GRANDPA…AKA “BIG JOE!’

FINAL FISH COUNT:          BIG JOE, PIKE (66), & LAKE TROUT (12)

                                                KEVIN, PIKE (35) & LAKE TROUT (13) & PERCH (8)

The End.

A Shot Of Me Sitting On The Dock In Front Of Our Cabin Reflecting On The Days Events

Written By:             KEVIN SLEMKO

Starring:       CLARENCE “BIG JOE” SLEMKO & KEVIN SLEMKO

Location:      CHARLES LAKE, ALBERTA, CANADA

Date:             JUNE OF 2001