The Spirit of Giving
By Chris Chin
It's the Holiday season. I'm not much for jumping onto the
merry making band wagon. We do a gift exchange within the
family, so the credit card doesn't melt from the friction in the
machines. Other than that, a few odds and ends rounds out a
very short gift list. Same thing on the receiving end of things, I
don't get a whole pile of gifts (and, being a shy person, I'm actually
not very versed in receiving them).
I did actually receive (early) a very pleasant surprise gift
this past week though.
This 2008 season, I had the wonderful opportunity so meet
up with some members of the internet fly fishing forum up
here in Quebec. I'd been been lurking around that board
for several years but had only met a handful of members
over the past few seasons.
This year I finally met up with Manon, René and
Simon on the (Canadian) Thanksgiving weekend. Actually,
I met Manon the weekend before and we tried to catch some
of the (few) elusive juvenile sea trout. Both weekends were
pretty tough conditions. Cold fronts and North-Westerlies make
for difficult trout and even more challenging casting.
It was however a wonderful opportunity to meet some new
friends and to start planning for the 2009 season.
Months later, I get a quick e-mail from Manon saying that she
needed a mailing address so that she could send me something.
I really didn't think anything of this request. A few days later, …
low and behold, there's a package at the door of the apartment!
I unwrap the packing and find inside a beautifully stained and
hand engraved box. Inside, there is an assortment of flies. The
flies are exquisite. The details of the carving showing the patience
born of forethought and caring.
When I wrote back to Manon to thank her for the gift, she replied
that no one had ever spent so much time helping her with her casting
and fishing skills. Well, … one good turn deserved another.
I am very touched by the thoughtfulness of her gift. I hope that I'll
be repaying Manon in the 2009 season with a first salmon for her
on the Ste-Marguerite.
To all of my friends on various rivers and waters around the world,
I would like to take the opportunity to wish you all a very Happy
Christmas. ~ Christopher Chin, Three Rivers 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 44 years old as of this writing. He
is of Chinese origin although his parents were
born and raised in Jamaica.
To learn more about the Ste-Marguerite River,
visit Christopher's
website. You can email Chis at: Flyfishing.christopher@gmail.com.
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