Just a day left here in Canada and its the long track home.
That's the worse thing about holidays, they come to an end.
Getting a lift from Lakeshore to Windsor-bus to London-45 mins stop- then change bus and on to Toronto
6hours 30 mins flight to Glasgow- airport bus to Buchanan St - bus to Edinburgh city centre- then finally bus to my home- should be indoors by mid-day Thursday 10th January-knackered.
I suffer terribly from jet lag so it will probably be a good few days before I am back to tip top form.
I hope the weather is going to be good so I can get out fishing my favourite Clyde, I have missed it.
Well, its been a restful holiday,
Most of my time was spent, shopping, building Lego with my grandson and playing over and over and over again "Gangnam Style"on YouTube for my granddaughter.
I was presented with some nice food, compliments to my daughter.
Must get back into training, to get rid of the Xmas pounds.
Watched the local bird life on the garden feeders-- house finches, chickadees. juncos, mourning doves and a crafty Cooper's hawk who dived down and snatched one of the unsuspecting diners.
Done my usual trip to Bass Pro and kitted myself out with some nice clothes and the odd bit of fishing tackle.
Paid frequent visits to the local bar-- think I am one of the regulars now.
I went over to Canada 3 times last year.
This time for almost 4 weeks, I thought it might have been too long a stay but the time soon past.
I will miss them all.
Next trip over could be the beginning of August - hot weather and a bit of bass fishing---that will do me!
Flymanpete
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Into my last week in Canada
It's -5 c today and I had decided the only thing worth doing was to spend a couple of hours in the local bar.
Well it ain't quite local, it's about 3 miles away.
I've walked it a couple of times but today there was just a little too much snow and ice about.
My daughter suggested that she could drop me off about a mile from the bar, then go off and do her shopping.
I gladly took up her offer and was duly dropped off just after 2 o'clock in the afternoon.
With just the short distance left, I would soon be in the warmth of the bar.
Well so I thought.
I had walked about 200 yards when a sudden panic hit me "O my God " is it going to be open.
It's been opening later in the day around Xmas and New Year.
Is this going to be one of them.
10 minutes later there the pub was.
"Yip," fking shut.
Doors all bolted- not a sole about-- bloody shut-what the fick am I going to do now.
It was 2-30 and the sign said not open until 4pm
Freezing cold, standing outside the only pub within 20 odd miles and it was shut-what a prick!
"Nothing for it" I thought- cant get hold of my daughter, she's miles away shopping, I will have to pass the time away just walking about.
"Think I will retrace my steps and have a look down the marina - only thing to do"
Decision was made-- off I went.
The walk kept me warm and I soon arrived at the marina.
A frozen Belle River looking stuck in time as it joined the ice covered Lake St Clair.
"It's a very different place now " I thought. The last time I was here it was +30c and the place was bussling with fishermen.
There was just one car parked up by the deserted marina, all the boats had been pulled out, presumably by the owners, to be covered over to spend the winter in their back yards or drive ways.
Wonder where the owner of the car was, I couldn't see anyone, probably walking his dog I thought.
As I was about to turn and head off I spotted a movement out on one of the jetties.
Theres a guy out there sitting on a box - Wow!!
A guy was out there fishing, all on his own
I must have a look at this-
Out I went, carefully negotiating my steps on the frozen jetty towards this lone angler.
Funnily it wasn't too cold out there, the marina jetty was sunk down a bit and was out of the light but very cold breeze.
He was well wrapped up and looked quite comfortable sitting there by a small hole in the ice holding his miniature rod.
"I don't expect to catch anything"he said- "maybe, who knows' they may be biting today.
" Better here than indoors stuffing myself with festive food and drink"
I knew just how he felt.
I spent ten minutes with him talking fishy things,turns out he was from Poland and had been in Canada for 20 years.
" I love my fishing, cant get right out on the frozen lake yet" he said
But give it another week or so of this cold weather and I will be out there.
" Yip I love my ice fishing."
"Better you than me " I thought
"Tight lines to you" as I deserted him to make my way back to the pub.
"It must be getting near to opening time."
I asked him-should you catch a big fish - how would you get it through that small hole in the ice-- he just laughed.
No chance of me doing any of them.
Well it ain't quite local, it's about 3 miles away.
I've walked it a couple of times but today there was just a little too much snow and ice about.
My daughter suggested that she could drop me off about a mile from the bar, then go off and do her shopping.
I gladly took up her offer and was duly dropped off just after 2 o'clock in the afternoon.
With just the short distance left, I would soon be in the warmth of the bar.
Well so I thought.
I had walked about 200 yards when a sudden panic hit me "O my God " is it going to be open.
It's been opening later in the day around Xmas and New Year.
Is this going to be one of them.
10 minutes later there the pub was.
"Yip," fking shut.
Doors all bolted- not a sole about-- bloody shut-what the fick am I going to do now.
It was 2-30 and the sign said not open until 4pm
Freezing cold, standing outside the only pub within 20 odd miles and it was shut-what a prick!
"Nothing for it" I thought- cant get hold of my daughter, she's miles away shopping, I will have to pass the time away just walking about.
"Think I will retrace my steps and have a look down the marina - only thing to do"
Decision was made-- off I went.
The walk kept me warm and I soon arrived at the marina.
A frozen Belle River looking stuck in time as it joined the ice covered Lake St Clair.
"It's a very different place now " I thought. The last time I was here it was +30c and the place was bussling with fishermen.
There was just one car parked up by the deserted marina, all the boats had been pulled out, presumably by the owners, to be covered over to spend the winter in their back yards or drive ways.
Wonder where the owner of the car was, I couldn't see anyone, probably walking his dog I thought.
As I was about to turn and head off I spotted a movement out on one of the jetties.
Theres a guy out there sitting on a box - Wow!!
A guy was out there fishing, all on his own
I must have a look at this-
Out I went, carefully negotiating my steps on the frozen jetty towards this lone angler.
Funnily it wasn't too cold out there, the marina jetty was sunk down a bit and was out of the light but very cold breeze.
He was well wrapped up and looked quite comfortable sitting there by a small hole in the ice holding his miniature rod.
"I don't expect to catch anything"he said- "maybe, who knows' they may be biting today.
" Better here than indoors stuffing myself with festive food and drink"
I knew just how he felt.
I spent ten minutes with him talking fishy things,turns out he was from Poland and had been in Canada for 20 years.
" I love my fishing, cant get right out on the frozen lake yet" he said
But give it another week or so of this cold weather and I will be out there.
" Yip I love my ice fishing."
"Better you than me " I thought
"Tight lines to you" as I deserted him to make my way back to the pub.
"It must be getting near to opening time."
I asked him-should you catch a big fish - how would you get it through that small hole in the ice-- he just laughed.
No chance of me doing any of them.
A pint of Michigan stout- Yip your right it is in a jam jar.
Something to do with Hill Billies.
It tended to drip a bit from the threaded top, but it was nice.
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
Looking forward to a new trout season
It's January 1st and I am over in Canada spending the festive season with my daughter and family.
Another week to go, then back home to Scotland.
I have been keeping a weather check on the river conditions and it looks like I have not missed much.
No fishing over here this time, although I have seen guys at the mouth of the Belle River with their rods out -- there doesn't look like they are getting much action--they look as if they are freezing--I've done it in the past, out in sub zero temperatures, but too old for all that now.
I've been looking at the fishing over here up near Toronto, looks good for trout on the upper stretches of the River Grand, late spring ,so I may arrange a trip - must count my pennies first.
Anyway when I get back there will be to the end of January to fish the Clyde at Lamington, then it closes unit the start of the trout season in March.
So hopefully I will try my hand up at Abington and Crawford on UCAPA water -- see if I can bag a grayling or two.
Looking back on last years trout season on the Clyde, I had a few trout, not big, but a good size 10oz to 1lb and a bit maybe, so I am quite happy with that but they were mostly all caught on the nymphs only a handful on the dry.
So one of my resolution for next year is to get out right from the start of the season with the dry, see if I can bag a biggy, that's how they seem to come out--early season on the dry.
My other resolution is to try and take better shots-learn to use my camera properly- if I am going to have a blog I must be able to post decent photos on it.
Hopefully my next post will be of me with a nice winter grayling but if not, I am sure I will have some nice reports of my start of season trout catches.
Another week to go, then back home to Scotland.
I have been keeping a weather check on the river conditions and it looks like I have not missed much.
No fishing over here this time, although I have seen guys at the mouth of the Belle River with their rods out -- there doesn't look like they are getting much action--they look as if they are freezing--I've done it in the past, out in sub zero temperatures, but too old for all that now.
I've been looking at the fishing over here up near Toronto, looks good for trout on the upper stretches of the River Grand, late spring ,so I may arrange a trip - must count my pennies first.
Anyway when I get back there will be to the end of January to fish the Clyde at Lamington, then it closes unit the start of the trout season in March.
So hopefully I will try my hand up at Abington and Crawford on UCAPA water -- see if I can bag a grayling or two.
Looking back on last years trout season on the Clyde, I had a few trout, not big, but a good size 10oz to 1lb and a bit maybe, so I am quite happy with that but they were mostly all caught on the nymphs only a handful on the dry.
So one of my resolution for next year is to get out right from the start of the season with the dry, see if I can bag a biggy, that's how they seem to come out--early season on the dry.
My other resolution is to try and take better shots-learn to use my camera properly- if I am going to have a blog I must be able to post decent photos on it.
Hopefully my next post will be of me with a nice winter grayling but if not, I am sure I will have some nice reports of my start of season trout catches.
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