I caught a BIG one!
We had planned to leave today on an extended weekend jaunt to Vancouver Island (up the Sunshine Coast to Powell River and crossing by ferry to Nanaimo) but it was overcast and pissing rain. So, the plan changed and I was able to putter this morning, get laundry done, etc. with the plan of going fishing in the afternoon. R. was out one day this week and caught (and released) 9 chum so I was jealous.
We made it to the Squamish River by about 130 pm and it was still raining. I wore two cotton sweaters underneath my (new for BC) goretex jacket as well as my silk longjohns underneath jeans. This garb was warm enough for the first hour and a half but after that the cold and wet started to seep in but not enough to abandon fishing! As this was day 2 of my salmon fishing career, I initially just focused on CASTING. There is an art to this but it is frustrating for a newbie because it looks so easy when someone does it well. However, I did get better and better as the afternoon passed. It is also frustrating because the salmon that are finished spawning or are in old age/poor health swim in close to shore so that at least 5 or 6 are swimming right in front of you at any one time.
I had a number of "bites" throughout the day but when this happens you are supposed to pull the rod up to hook them. Och, they got away. My first score somehow got away with the lure (disappointing!) But I did actually reel one in (a BIG one, if I do say so). Go to my pictures and see!
We left at 345 pm and I am sure I have RFI (repetitive fishing injury). It took about an hour to warm up and we both had wizened up fingers like we had been in a bathtub for a couple of hours. Have to add a wool sweater under the goretex as well as gloves to the fishing garb it looks like. I now think that fishing should be added to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Psychiatric Disorders (DSM), I haven’t felt as obsessed since I learned how to play freecell on the computer (another possible DSM category, in my opinion). I could hear myself … ‘just another cast’ despite the fact that the casting arm was aching (perhaps more sensitive due to having tendonitis in the past?) Geez, by the time we left I could hardly move my right arm!
Now that my fishing fix has been satisfied we will leave tomorrow for the Vancouver Island jaunt. As Campbell River is known for its salmon fishing, I am bringing my rod.
