The Quebec 2006 Fish-In (part 2 of 4)
By Chris Chin, Jonquiere, Quebec, Canada
I always (usually) wake up a few minutes before the
alarm clock goes off. This morning is no exception.
It's 05h30,...Day 2 of the Quebec FishIn. I'm pretty
excited.
Actually, as only Jim and Deanna could make it, we
have decided to make this a more of a vacation. We
have all had a pretty hectic summer so far, so a week
off for chatting and fishing is well deserved rest.
After a marathon week of preparations and a flight
itinerary from hell,...Jim and Deanna are due for
breakfast only at 09h00. Fine by me,...gives me some
time to fish.
I gather up my stuff and peek my head out of the tent.
Good, the weather will hold. The water is low and clear.
I decide to try for some trout in the #23 (Alan's Arm).
A few casts of a white hybrid between a woolly and a
worm and small trout are chasing the offering. A 10
inch trout takes the fly and dives for cover. I strip
it in quickly and release it. As I'm trying to untangle
the line from the reel seat extension, I look down at
my feet, the trout has taken the fly again! This time
badly. Oh well, Jim and Deanna will just have to have
some trout with their breakfast.
Back up at the camp, I prepare coffee, clean the trout,
get the bacon crisped (and change the front rear tire
on the truck which is almost flat).
At 08h56, Jim and Deanna pull in. Laughing, I explain
that breakfast isn't quite ready, because they're 4
minutes early.
Over coffee, French toast, some trout and bacon, we chat
and go over the game plan for the day. While I quickly
clean up the dishes, Jim and Deanna start laying out rods.
It is amazing how well organized their bags are. There are
many rods in the travel bag. Even more have been sent on
forward to Michigan for the following week.
Jim shows me a few "tricks" for teaching people how to cast.
The first of MANY pointers I will learn this week. I also
see for the first time "the Broom."
As there are already a couple of anglers in the #23, we move
upstream to the #28 (The Spruce). The water level is low. Jim
and Deanna don't even need to suit up.
We try for salmon, then for trout, no cooperation from the
fish. We decide to move up to the #38 so I can show them
the Bardsville site and a few more pools. Jim can also show
me some more "tricks". Deanna shows me why my double haul
is not really effective (after over 30 years of doing it
wrong!)
As we're casting to some holding lies out behind the
old cottages, we hear a calm stranger hail, "Hello Deanna"...
Faruk Ekich has come over to visit. We chat a while with
Faruk on the beach then decide to return to the #23 for
lunch and continue our chat with Faruk there.
A fascinating person, we (actually, I just listen, ABSORBING
information) exchange ideas on topics ranging from C&R in a
blood sport, to tube flies, to graphite blank mandrills to
double haul techniques. Oh oh,...Double hauling,...out comes
the Broom. We all give it a try. A pretty weird experience,
but it does get the point across. We dry land cast a Gatti
too. Surprising rod. I guess I'm just too over anxious though
to really appreciate it.
Faruk bids us good day after promising to arrange a day on the
salt Friday for Deanna and Jim (I have clients booked). Heading
downstream, the Birkholms and I move into the #8 (Little Rock)
to try our luck.
The air is cooling off and we end the day there. We continue
our way downstream and back to their lodging. Supper in the
village and another several hours of discussions in the hotel
room.
We agree to meet at 09h00 the following day up at the #38.
We'll probably fish in the #4 Zone tomorrow, seriously
looking for salmon. I head back to the #23 to bed down
around 00h30. ~ Chris Chin, Jonquiere Quebec
About Chris:
Chris Chin is originally from Kamloops,
British Columbia. He has been fly fishing
on and off ever since he was 10 years old.
Chris became serious about the sport within
the last 10 years.
"I'm a forest engineer by day and part time
guide on the Ste-Marguerite River here in
central Quebec. I've been fishing this river
for about 10 years now and started guiding
about 5 years ago when the local guide's
association sort of stopped functioning."
Chris guides mostly for sea run brook trout
and about 30% of the time for Atlantic Salmon.
"I often don't even charge service fees, as
I'm more interested in promoting the river
than making cash. I like to get new comers
to realize that salmon fishing is REALLY for
anyone who cares to try it. Tradition around
here makes some of the old clan see Salmon
fishing as a sport for the rich. Today our
shore lunches are less on the cucumber sandwich
side and more toward chicken pot pie and Jack
Daniel's."
Chris is 42 years old as of this writing. He
is of Chinese origin although his parents were
born and raised in Jamaica. He has a girlfriend,
Renée. "She and her 12 year old son Vincent
started fly fishing with me in October 2002."
To learn more about the Ste-Marguerite River,
visit Christopher's
website https://pages.videotron.com/fcch/.
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