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.
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Tying grayling bugs is easy
Up until a couple of weeks ago I had never--and had no intention-- of tying my own flies.
But things were about to change.
My good friend Buzz said he was too busy.
What with work and family commitments, he just didn't have the time to knock up some grayling bugs for me.
"Why don't you tie your own" he said. "Its not that hard.
I will point you in the right direction".
I think the real reason for his lack of enthusiasm was a tadge of jealousy on my success with the "ladies" and thought "sod this I ain't spending all my time sitting on my butt tying flies for him while he is out on the river enjoying himself.
Let him tie his own" ( Only joking Mark--I just made that bit up )
So it was a message to Toby ( Funkyfly)
Then a next day delivery saw me sitting looking at a mass of bits and bobs.
This lot, hopefully, when put together, would result in something resembling a food item and fool my quarry. I felt that it was going to be a daunting task.
Anyway I sat there fiddling around with the stuff, not really excited about it all--it seemed just like a chore to me, something I could do without.
"I just want to go fishing" I thought to myself
"I spend enough time sitting on my ass at the computer without having to do this"
After looking at a few clips on YouTube I tentatively started my fly tying career.
"Proportion-Proportion" I was told.
I suppose that meant-don't overload the hook with stuff, keep it down to the minimum.
I was soon wrapping some thread round a hook.
On went a bead,a bit more thread wrapped down to the bend,couple of strands of pheasant tale and a wee bit of squirrel dubbing--my first fly was finished.
"That wasn't too bad" I thought--I quite enjoyed that-must tie some more"
Twenty flies later, all of my own invention, I decided that was it for the day.
The weather looked good for tomorrow. "Lets give them a bash down the Clyde."
My first efforts at tying grayling bugs.
No works of art here.
A little black fly caught me a wee grayling, first cast and a burnt orange fly accounted for 2 more grayling one of them hitting the scales at 0.875 kg --I,m going to call it a 2lb'er.
But things were about to change.
My good friend Buzz said he was too busy.
What with work and family commitments, he just didn't have the time to knock up some grayling bugs for me.
"Why don't you tie your own" he said. "Its not that hard.
I will point you in the right direction".
I think the real reason for his lack of enthusiasm was a tadge of jealousy on my success with the "ladies" and thought "sod this I ain't spending all my time sitting on my butt tying flies for him while he is out on the river enjoying himself.
Let him tie his own" ( Only joking Mark--I just made that bit up )
So it was a message to Toby ( Funkyfly)
Then a next day delivery saw me sitting looking at a mass of bits and bobs.
This lot, hopefully, when put together, would result in something resembling a food item and fool my quarry. I felt that it was going to be a daunting task.
Anyway I sat there fiddling around with the stuff, not really excited about it all--it seemed just like a chore to me, something I could do without.
"I just want to go fishing" I thought to myself
"I spend enough time sitting on my ass at the computer without having to do this"
After looking at a few clips on YouTube I tentatively started my fly tying career.
"Proportion-Proportion" I was told.
I suppose that meant-don't overload the hook with stuff, keep it down to the minimum.
I was soon wrapping some thread round a hook.
On went a bead,a bit more thread wrapped down to the bend,couple of strands of pheasant tale and a wee bit of squirrel dubbing--my first fly was finished.
"That wasn't too bad" I thought--I quite enjoyed that-must tie some more"
Twenty flies later, all of my own invention, I decided that was it for the day.
The weather looked good for tomorrow. "Lets give them a bash down the Clyde."
No works of art here.
Best fish of the day.
Was my success due to my new fly tying skill ? Who knows
But I must give some of the credit to my fishing pal for pointing me in the right direction
Thanks Buzz-see you down on the river.
Thursday, October 11, 2012
First grayling trip
It was the 11th of October and it was grayling time.
The river level was back to normal and with a light breeze, things were looking good for my first go at the "ladies of the stream".
I knew of some nice grayling holding spots at Wolfclyde Bridge that had produced some descent fish in the past.
All prepared for a bit of hiking along the river, I set off upstream to the first spot.
A lovely spot on the Clyde
My tactics for the day was to use my #3--10ft rod with a large klinkhammer as an indicator with 2 bead head flies below, fished well over depth.
I began at the top of the run and started my way down.
Making three fan casts upstream of my position I guiding the flies down at the speed of the current.
A step down-then the same again.
I had travelled down for about ten minutes without a touch, so I increased the distance from the klink to the point fly with the dropper 20"up the line.
I estimated that the water was about 4ft deep so I was now fishing over double the depth.
First cast, instant success, a nice grayling had latched on to my point fly and after a brief struggle it was in the net.
Safely in the net
My next fish came shortly after, followed by a nice out of season trout of about one and a half pounds.
I continued on going back up and down the run landing 8 nice grayling, all of which were over the pound mark.
On her way to fight another day
I had arrived at the river at 1pm and it was now 5pm.
I had fished for 4 hours, delighted with my afternoons fishing, I decided it was time to head home.
I never had time to fish the other spots--going to save them for another day.
The river level was back to normal and with a light breeze, things were looking good for my first go at the "ladies of the stream".
I knew of some nice grayling holding spots at Wolfclyde Bridge that had produced some descent fish in the past.
All prepared for a bit of hiking along the river, I set off upstream to the first spot.
A lovely spot on the Clyde
My tactics for the day was to use my #3--10ft rod with a large klinkhammer as an indicator with 2 bead head flies below, fished well over depth.
I began at the top of the run and started my way down.
Making three fan casts upstream of my position I guiding the flies down at the speed of the current.
A step down-then the same again.
I had travelled down for about ten minutes without a touch, so I increased the distance from the klink to the point fly with the dropper 20"up the line.
I estimated that the water was about 4ft deep so I was now fishing over double the depth.
First cast, instant success, a nice grayling had latched on to my point fly and after a brief struggle it was in the net.
Safely in the net
My next fish came shortly after, followed by a nice out of season trout of about one and a half pounds.
I continued on going back up and down the run landing 8 nice grayling, all of which were over the pound mark.
On her way to fight another day
I had arrived at the river at 1pm and it was now 5pm.
I had fished for 4 hours, delighted with my afternoons fishing, I decided it was time to head home.
I never had time to fish the other spots--going to save them for another day.
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Last day of the trout season
That's it, the 6th of October has gone and the trout season has now ended.
It was nice to get out on the last day and I was lucky to catch 3 trout, not big ones, but a pleasure to catch, as the river had been in spate for nearly 2 weeks.
I am now going to tally up my trout catches for the season and send them in to the club
(Lamington Angling).
The season started with a bang, I caught on the first day, but things quietened down a bit mid season.
However I didn't have many fish blank days, catching a few grayling towards the end of the season.
So I am now going to give it a few days rest and then start again fishing the river for grayling.
Same tactics as for the trout but I will fish the known haunts of the grayling to try and avoid catching out of season trout.
I will also watch were I am wading to make sure I do not disturb the trout Redd's.
You are allowed to use bait while fishing for grayling but I will stick to the fly- ain't going to be tempted to stick a maggot or worm on when things get hard.
My club waters are open from now until the end of January, then there is a month and a bit rest when the new trout season starts on 15th of March.
We have some big grayling in the Clyde and hopefully I can tempt one this year.
As the river temperature drops the grayling start to shoal up, its just a matter of finding them,so I will have to be prepared to cover a few miles along the river bank.
Lets have some good weather before the winter is upon us. " Fish-on."
My last trout of the 2012 season, I must try and take some better shots.
It was nice to get out on the last day and I was lucky to catch 3 trout, not big ones, but a pleasure to catch, as the river had been in spate for nearly 2 weeks.
I am now going to tally up my trout catches for the season and send them in to the club
(Lamington Angling).
The season started with a bang, I caught on the first day, but things quietened down a bit mid season.
However I didn't have many fish blank days, catching a few grayling towards the end of the season.
So I am now going to give it a few days rest and then start again fishing the river for grayling.
Same tactics as for the trout but I will fish the known haunts of the grayling to try and avoid catching out of season trout.
I will also watch were I am wading to make sure I do not disturb the trout Redd's.
You are allowed to use bait while fishing for grayling but I will stick to the fly- ain't going to be tempted to stick a maggot or worm on when things get hard.
My club waters are open from now until the end of January, then there is a month and a bit rest when the new trout season starts on 15th of March.
We have some big grayling in the Clyde and hopefully I can tempt one this year.
As the river temperature drops the grayling start to shoal up, its just a matter of finding them,so I will have to be prepared to cover a few miles along the river bank.
Lets have some good weather before the winter is upon us. " Fish-on."
My last trout of the 2012 season, I must try and take some better shots.
Friday, August 17, 2012
Emerald Isle
As my daughter had come over from Canada to England for a couple of weeks and as she had arranged to pay a visit to her mother in Ireland, I thought it would be a shame for me not to make the effort to meet up with her for a couple of days.
So it was off to Dublin I went, by plane from Edinburgh, just a 50 minute flight to the capital of Ireland, then a hop on the train, 3 hours later I was down in Waterford to hug my daughter and grandchildren.
I use to go over there regularly every year bass fishing but not this visit, my stay would be taken up entertaining my daughter and her family.
Well! someone has to be first in
In between the visits to the local shops, the seaside and eating out, I managed to escape for a few hours to relax and sample the local brew.
One thing about Ireland is there are plenty of good pubs, all selling excellent beer.
However, not everyone likes the taste of Ireland's favourite tipple.
It was an enjoyable couple of days, but was soon over, I am now back in Edinburgh getting my fishing gear ready.
I wonder how the Clyde is fishing?
So it was off to Dublin I went, by plane from Edinburgh, just a 50 minute flight to the capital of Ireland, then a hop on the train, 3 hours later I was down in Waterford to hug my daughter and grandchildren.
I use to go over there regularly every year bass fishing but not this visit, my stay would be taken up entertaining my daughter and her family.
In between the visits to the local shops, the seaside and eating out, I managed to escape for a few hours to relax and sample the local brew.
One thing about Ireland is there are plenty of good pubs, all selling excellent beer.
However, not everyone likes the taste of Ireland's favourite tipple.
It was an enjoyable couple of days, but was soon over, I am now back in Edinburgh getting my fishing gear ready.
I wonder how the Clyde is fishing?
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