Thursday, May 15, 2008

Spring Fishing


My husband is passionate about hockey and fishing. Three weeks after we were married, he went on his annual spring fishing trip to Lake Temagami in northern Ontario. My grandmother thought our marriage would never last. I have joined him on many, many summer fishing trips but have never broken into the all male spring tradition.
My husband and a Lake Trout

For the past few years, he and his friends have gone to Lake Manitou on Manitoulin Island in Lake Huron the week after the winter ice sinks. The ice always goes off the lake on the last week of April, even this year when we had an exceptionally long, cold winter. Snow may or may not be present but it is sure to be cold and windy. The object of the trip is to catch the limit of Lake Trout before they descend deep into the water for the summer. This can mean many hours on the lake enduring a cold and rough surface. At least there are no biting insects out at this time even if you have to bundled in your winter clothes to keep warm.


This year's trip was very successful and each fisherman brought home his limit of trout. There is nothing that tastes better for breakfast or lunch or dinner than fresh fish.


The Sandhill Cranes had already returned to the island where they mate in the spring. Their plumage was light grey and unstained by the water. When we see them in the summer their feathers are stained a reddish colour.

Sandhill Cranes

We are planning a trip to this fishing camp on Manitoulin Island in July. It is a beautiful and peaceful vacation spot. Bass season will be open then and Lake Trout will be difficult to catch. I prefer to spend my time in a fishing boat with binoculars or a good book. My husband can catch and clean and cook and fulfill his hunter/gatherer instincts to his heart's content.

8 comments:

  1. There's something to be said about fresh fish. Every summer for the past 5-6 years my husband and son make a trip to Alaska. They catch salmon, halibut, and rock fish (cod), and get them flash frozen and then shipped here to California. We usually have enough fish in our freezer to last about a year. Unfortunately, no trout, which I also like. It's great your husband enjoys fishing. It's nice you can accompany him, too. You do exactly what I would end up doing if I should ever go along -- reading a book and watching for birds, etc.

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  2. I like your version of being the boat Ruth! A good book and binocs and you're set! Let the hunter/gatherers do their thing. :c)

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  3. Anonymous7:09 am GMT-4

    I do miss lake trout! That was on our dinner table quite often when I was growing up.

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  4. It sounds like you two have figured out how to be together and still enjoy independent pleasures. It sounds idyllic to me--a boat gently rocking, a good book and binoculars to see what's flying around you and a happy husband nearby

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  5. I love that shot of the man in the boat, holding up that fish. Fresh trout is delicious! Reading a book vs. fishing.... I think I'd want to do both.

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  6. I'm sure it's a lovely spot -- for reading -- in the summer. Reading ... summer.

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  7. Sounds like you two have a fine partnership. You reminded me of one of my mother's teenage stories: she used to take her row boat out on the ocean, tie the baited fishing lines to her bare toes, and lay back in the boat and read until she caught something. It's like the two of you combined.

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  8. Mary- Wow, I won't tell my husband about Alaska yet. He would love a trip there. He has been to the Northwest Territories in Canada though. I love fresh salmon too. They are related to trout.

    Jayne- I suppose if we only ate what we gathered I would have to fish too. Thank goodness I have other options.

    Jan- We have Lake Trout, but sometimes we catch Rainbow trout locally at a stocked pond. They are very good too.

    Beth- My husband and I are quite different in many ways, but we do enjoy being outdoors together.

    Zhakee- My husband always has an extra pole for me in case the action is good. I do fish once in a while.

    AC- I agree. During summer holidays in my youth I devoured many books.

    Melissa- LOL- Your mother sounds like quite a lady! I am sure her uniqueness rubbed off on her offspring from what I have read about you and your brother.

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