|
We all (do/should) drag our "significant other"
along on fishing excursions. Do you ever wonder
if they do it to please us or if they are truly
as enthusiastic about our passion as we are?
I've been with my Renee for quite some time now.
Very shortly after we met, she started fishing
with me. She always said that she enjoyed our
time together on the river, even when I Guide
and she double duties as
cook/naturalist/tactician/assistant. I always
wondered deep down if she wasn't really doing
it to make sure that I went fishing to get away
from the daily rat race (and in today's forest
industry,...the Race is a marathon!)
Perspectives change.
This past Christmas we learned that Renee was ill.
A long stint in the hospital and an initially poor
prognosis. Sitting up at night at her bedside, we
would talk about the things that she missed while
she was cooped up in the hospital. We also parleyed
at length on the things she wanted to do (in the
event that plans turned south).
#1 on the list for Renee was getting back to the
River and then, if possible, connecting to her very
first Atlantic salmon. Quite a revelation!
She doesn't want to:
- Visit Spain, nor;
- Spend a week in a plush hotel, nor;
- Go to DisneyWorld.
I believe that going back to the River together is
our goal because it is there that we are really
and truly together. The cell phones don't reach
into the valley; there is no electricity, internet,
or Blackberry service. We concentrate pretty hard
on fishing, but we're together. Even when we're
amongst friends and visitors, our time together
is "quality time."
I'm preparing for the coming season.
We usually camp out in 14'x18' Prospector's tent
next to the old Warden's Camp. I'll look around
this summer for a heater to keep the chill off
through the night (as the wood stove usually dies
around 4 AM). We'll also shop around for a bigger
canoe. One that is more stable with enough room to
fish from. Some special flies are already tied up
for her and I already spoke at length about the pool
she'll fish (in a previous article).
Having a goal has helped Renee enormously in her
daily grind (as have all the kind words and prayers
that we have received from the wonderful community here).
The snow banks have melted about halfway
and the grass has started to peak out from
the snow covered grounds. The season opens
in early June. We still don't know what the
future holds in store for us, but we're wading
along one run at a time.
Renee on Big Pool after a gruelling 12 hours
chasing sea run trout .. Still all smiles.
~ Christopher Chin, St–Séverin de Proulxville – 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,
René. "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/.
| |
