Last day for Salmon

Fishing Fishing Reports
1

Hi,

Well, today was the last day for salmon fishing in Nova Scotia. My dad and I went out this am to try up at the falls in Salt Springs. We’ve tried a number of different spots, and up until today, it’s been “fish were here yesterday”, etc.

Today, however, we peered down into the pool, and sure enough, we spotted fish. Some huge salmon, waiting to ascend the falls, were resting up in the pool below them. One was a monster, and looked like a shark partrolling around. Was well over 20 lbs. The rest ranged from grilse, to the 10 lbs range.

I tied on a Hammlim Minnow which I had tied large. And within the first few casts had a fish rise up from the depths, take a good look, then settle back to the bottom. I figured it was now just a matter of time. Dad had a Cosseboom and went down the river a bit to see if there were any holding in some of the smaller pools. He thought he saw a small one, but wasn’t sure.

Anyway, back to my matter of time. It is, I’m sure, just a matter of time. Quite a bit of time I’m afraid, as apart from that one raise, that was all the action I could muster out of the fish. They were holding deep, and although the rivers been going down, it was still a touch high and the current was quite fast. It was hard to get a deep presentation, so it was a matter of trying to convince them to come high. And, given that we had to stand on top of a rock face to fish the pool, well, we weren’t exactly out of view.

Oh well, I eventually tried a number of different patterns, and did have one small parr or trout come up and take a swipe at a Royal Coachman streamer pattern, but that was it for the day. A few other fellows showed up who fished that area a lot over the past 20 years, and they had no luck either.

We got home around 1, had a big turkey lunch (Vanessa and I had bought a turkey for Thanksgiving, but then had our turkey dinner with my cousin and her family. So, we had a bird to cook up and brought it to my parents this weekend). Later, I carved the pumpkin with Genesta, then we went out and played in the leaves. Getting ready to go trick and treating.

What a great day.

  • Jeff
2

Nice one Jeff, sounds like a great day! Hope Genesta had agreat time trick or treating.
All the best.
Mike.

3

Yah, she had a great time. She’s a bit young for the candy, but fortunatley people had small kid friendly treats. Mind you, I’ve been enjoying the odd chocolate bar that somehow got in there! :slight_smile:

  • Jeff
4

Jeff, I thought Thanksgiving was a uniquely American holiday(silly, huh?), and we celebrate ours later this month - does your holiday celebrate anything in general, or is it just general gratefulness?

5

Hi herefishy,

Thanksgiving in Canada is earlier than in the US (2nd Monday in October). Harvest festivals were held by many first nations people well before the arrival of Europeans, and of course, this tradition was passed on to the settlers. In 1578 Martin Frobisher (whom Frobisher Bay in Newfoundland was named after) made it back to Newfoundland after searching for the North-West passage. He held a big celebratation and feast to give thanks for his safe return. This, at least according to wickipedia, was one of the first Thanksgiving celebrations by Europeans in North America (see P.S. on this as well). Also, the French organised large feasts of thanks upon their safe arrival to North America, and formed “The order of good cheer”. These celebrations involved the settlers and the first nations peoples in the area. One can still join “The Order of Good Cheer” in Nova Scotia, and it’s the oldest “club” in North America. However, it’s really just something of to sell to the tourists now.

The first nations tradition of having a feast to give thanks and to celebrate good fortune seems to have been taken up by many different groups of Europeans. Although the image of the pilgrams and Plymouth Rock is the most well known, the origins, as with most things, extend further back and along many lines of history.

Thanks for asking. It prompted me to go read up a bit on the history and origins of Thanksgiving in Canada. There isn’t a Thanksgiving holiday in New Zealand, but many North Americans will try and get together for it anyway. The date usually depends upon who is hosting it, if they are Canadian, it’s the Canadian date, and if they are from the States, then the American date is used. It’s best to make friends with some of each, of course, and have two! Mind you, turkey is very expensive in New Zealand, and both dates are moving towards summer. Not really the best time for a huge sleepy meal.

  • Jeff

P.S. I’ve been doing some more reading, and there was an earlier European Thanksgiving type celebration in St. Augustine Florida, apparently Sept. 8th, 1565. Again, according to Wickipedia, this seems to be the earliest Thanksgiving celebration.

6

Thanks for the background on Canadian Thanksgiving, Jeff, I should have researched it myself - it’s so much easier now with the internet. But I was wondering more about Thanksgiving in NZ, since I thought that was where you are. Guess that is not a recognized holiday there, just wherever the tourists happen to be from.

7

Hi herefishy,

I’m originally from Nova Scotia, Canada, but moved to New Zealand back in 97. I’m currently back in Nova Scotia on a research sabbatical, but we’re moving back to NZ at the end of this month. Since I’ve been back here for close to a year, with a few months spent over in Europe working there as well, my head was in “Canadian space” when you asked.

I’m pretty sure that Thanksgiving is primarily a Canadian/American holiday, with other countries only having it celebrated by ex-pats from here. Although harvest festivals are common in almost all cultures historically, in modern times those festivals do not appear to have translated into modern holidays, the way Thanksgiving has in North America.

It’s a good time to reflect on the things one has to be thankful for, but also, given it’s origins, is a time for people of different cultures to come together and enjoy the bounties of life in friendship.

  • Jeff