A Few Top 10's of the 09.

[Moosebunk]

Minnows in the garage are gasping for air this Boxing Day. What was supposed to be a fishing day turned into a freezing rain and a lazily digest yesterdays feast, day.

 

Was a real wierd but exciting transitional year for us as some may already know, but that didn't mean there weren't many moments in the 2009 to wet a line. Because I'm bored and always do a year end anyways... here's three TOP 10 lists for the 2009, done up my way.

 

 

 

TOP 10 PICS.

 

 

10. Enjoying new life.

 

 

9. Touring into the Highlands.

 

 

8. Traveling to the end of the road.

 

 

7. Rekindling with old friends.

 

 

6. Feeling adrenaline only magnificence can evoke.

 

 

5. Beginning a new day.

 

 

4. Knowing the river ahead holds endless possibilities.

 

 

3. Having the sky as your limit.

 

 

2. Sharing chances and staying afloat.

 

 

1. Taking care of family first.

 

 

 

 

TOP 10 FISH.

 

 

10. The Broonie. November 13th with Solopaddler.

 

Few years back I caught my first brown trout on the Niagara Bar. It's been a number of years since. Standing riverside with Mike during a briskly cold morning right at the sunrise, the float dropped. This guy was only my second brown ever, and much smaller than the first, but it surely was the most stunning of the two. The trout and char species on many days can get my vote as the ultimate in pretty and fun fish.

 

 

9. A BOQ Walleye. November 7th with RJ.

 

Had once fished BOQ unsuccessfully and so it was exciting to return this past fall. The fishing was tough for the season but along with the Capn' I learned a great deal about boat control, speed and set-ups, shared almost a near death experience, had the perfect company in the boat and ashore, and did manage a couple almost classically bigger BOQ specimens. BOQ will see me again for sure.

 

 

8. Float-tube Largemouth. June 27th.

 

A half dozen boats fishing around me on the lake I watched on as few caught a barely thing. Eventually I hooked a big bass that drove my frog into a hollow stump and came off. While hung up, next thing I knew, one of the boats was fishing beside me. Upset I kicked my feet to take me across the lake to a bay where no one had been in yet. I tied on an old stand-by I would use for pike up north and began peppering every bit of weed in all directions. On one cast the lure had just hit the water when I heard the biggest surface explosion. The resulting bass may not have been huge by some angler's standards, but to me it became the "KABOOM BASS" and was a memorable one for the summer.

 

 

7. The Smallmouth. October 17th.

 

Smallies are real intense fighters. Years passed I would sometimes fish for numbers of smaller fish on a couple favorite lakes and river systems, but this autumn I worked hard on a number of occassions alone and with friends to catch bigger fish. The tactics were a little new, but kind of just twists on fishing that had been done at times for other species. On this day off a rocky point I switched the tube for a Shad Rap on my light rod and ended up in the best smallie fight of the fall.

 

 

6. A Sentimental Searun. May 27th.

 

Not many really know what a rare catch a searun speck is within the big dirty systems of southern James Bay... not the Albany, not the Ekwan or Sutton... but the Moose and all it's tribs require timing and good chunk of effort for speck success. Anytime I caught these fish within the short few week season every spring, they would become a highlight for my year. But this particular fish was not only bigger than usual, it came at the end of my best trip of 2009... a very special finale on the North French.

 

 

5. Gar. June 14th with RJ.

 

A) Some fish are just too cool. Some fish are just too cool. C) Catching some fish is just too cool an experience. This past summer there was a day I didn't want to see end. A lesson in hunting gar alongside one of my favorite fishing partners was just too much fun. There's nothing like these prehistoric air-breathing toothy gators, and nothing really like fishing for them. I had to thank God I got three on the day cause the Capn' was up on me like 4 to 1.

 

 

4. Silver Steelhead. November 12th with Solopaddler, BillM & Paulus.

 

Walking through frost covered bush in the dim light before the sunrise, and coming upon a river that only needed a few tall peaks and cliffs in the background to reflect the west coast, is an awesome sight to behold in our backyards. Plucking strong silvery rainbows from river currents, sharing all day long with friends, is steelheading to me.

 

 

3. The Sturgeon Brothers. May 24th & 26th.

 

My top fish from 2 to 5 could have all been shifted around but what put 2 & 3 in thier place is, the fact they came to me by means only. In the past I've had a little love affair with sturgeon and caught some real bruiser whites in western Canada, but it was a lake sturgeon on the Moose that was the first I ever encountered. That fish got away, but this spring... two others inadvertently did not. It was a send-off after a decade of life in the north that could only be capped by these first lake sturgeons.

 

 

 

2. A Big Pike. April 6th with Agent Stevie Zebco and Uncle Norm.

 

Want to know where and what the best ice fishing experiencing is...??? This is. To me it always will be too. And in fine form at the perfect time, this personal best pike took top honors in 09.

 

 

 

1. The Speckle. August 25th with Big-O and WIG.

 

Don't know how many people fish their entire lives and get a 7 pound speckled trout, but I did... by 33. Should be lots of life left too... Muhahahaha!!!

 

This fish from the hookset to the wall is nothing but an awesome memory.

 

 

 

 

 

TOP 10 SHOW STEALERS.

 

 

10. Bill & Frank.

 

These two yahoos stayed on the spot all day and pounded the eyes. They; along with Mike, were a summer heat wave highlight amidst my high stress. Bill & Frank caught most of the fish that day up north.

 

 

9. WIG.

 

With a huge bellow he let the entire world know how happy he was to put his and the first big NW Ontario speck of our trip in the boat.

 

 

8. Bren.

 

Catching her first whities was just another typical day showing her man how to fish on the ice during an actual slow day on the K-sawg.

 

 

7. Fra.

 

I had the hot stick all the day before asking the guy where he wanted a hole. I drill, he drops, and he wins the big fish bet.

 

 

6. Big-O.

 

Hard to beat watching your pal play out a 41 inch pike while an even bigger fish is haunting below it. Then, you cast out only to hook up for a double header.

 

 

5. Solopaddler.

 

This guy could feed starving Africa with the numbers of steelhead, walleye and pike he releases in a year. On our trip, there wasn't any more magical on the river than him.

 

 

4. The Capn' RJ.

 

Doesn't matter what ya fish for... he'll beat ya everytime. Knowing that makes it sooo much easier to just relax and enjoy the scenery. Of course at BOQ he'd get the big fish and best pic.

 

 

3. Bren. (again)

 

With the MNR standing over our shoulders for a half hour, Bren's pike was the first I had to actually ever drill a second 10" hole beside the hole in order to pull it out from under 4 feet of ice. How can ya top trophy experiences like that???

 

 

2. Uncle Norm.

 

So my Uncle comes along to catch some walleye and on a good day after I catch my PB pike I'm feeling generous enough when my set-rod rings and drops in the distance to say... "You take that one Norm... C'mon." We run over to the set-up and he drills the hook only to catch a bigger PB than the one I had caught earlier that day. Karma!

 

 

1. Stevie. aka Agent Zebco.

 

The recipient of both necessity and kindness through friendship, Zebco repays me by repeatedly catching the majority of the trophy pike, whities and eyes during the winter 09 K-Sawg season. This fish his first trophy and biggest ever...

 

 

 

 

2009 turned out to be the year I put more days in fishing than any in years passed. The only goal for 09 was met, as last January I wrote to enjoy my last days living up north. The best trip of 09 was a solo excursion last May up the North French... during those four days my heart pounded so many times and so hard it chipped a tooth. But, it was also the year I enjoyed more company than I ever have before...

 

Bren & the girls, Agent Stevie Zebco & Amelie, Bogie RB'ers, Uncle Norm, Dave (Ramble On), Capn' RJ, Mike (Solopaddler), Wayne (Irishfield), Bill, Frank, Paul, Tony, Christine (Snag), Rob (HOF), Fra, Chris, Keith, Mike & Mike (SM05 & Mangler), Ian (Ransome), Ed (Toobinator), Tim, Phil (Big-O), Rob (WIG), Pat (Muskiemagnet), Scotty (The Dog) and Gord.

 

See yas in 2010.

[douG]

Fabulous, Drew. I certainly agree with your opinions of the other board members with whom I've had the honour to fish.

 

I think it's time to start your own fishing show. Solopaddler and you would make a fearsome pair on the TV. Thanks for sharing your trips with us.

[Terry]

great stuff

 

love to read them but

 

 

 

but it makes me green with envy....

 

and mad at myself for not getting out and doing trips like them

[splashhopper]

great report bro.... keep em coming

[Ron]

Gotta like it Bunk!

 

Looks like you still had a fantastic year!

 

Hey, my Niece is stationed up in Mose now. Well sorta, she is doing the air ambulance 7on 3 off. Any pointers for her up there?

[smally21]

fantastic report what a full year you must have had. crossing the pike like swords is a nice touch, and makes me hate you both a little bit more than before.

 

just kidding fellas great fishing thanks for sharing you stories and awesome pics. True sportsmen (and women)

[irishfield]

Strange part is... you're welcome in 2010 as well fella ! Ice or nice... take your pick !

[muskymatt]

Simply awesome....

[Garry2Rs]

Great stuff!

You are living the dream.

[canadian_copper]

AWESOME AS USUAL BRO.

WELL NOW THAT YA GAVE UP THE NORTH FOR CITY LIFE DROP ME A LINE ANYTIME AND WE'LL ADD TO THOSE STEELHEAD PHOTO'S OF YOURS.

[Moosebunk]

Thanks dooooods!

 

Sounds cool Scott. If I'm ripping through there I think I almost remember where ya live.

 

Wayne... be seeing ya again of course.

 

Ron... just tell her to work hard, take OT, forget about boozing with locals who really seem to want to booze with her, don't pick random men to dance with at the dances (cause I always stitching up girls on saturday mornings after a dance, lol) ... no gambling with her fellow paramedics cause they will take her money and no Bingo's cause no white man can DAB as many cards as quick as an Indian. Hehehe!!!

 

She'll be fine. Until ORNGE says no to someone like me trying to get a patient out but they don't have an Advanced Medic working so they won't accept. That's when bad rumors start to fly. lol.

[Dave VanDoorn]

Good morning Moose,

 

I just read and looked through your pictures and loved them all. Wierd thing is the picture of the house with the caption of " Taken care of family first" really hit home for me. Great shots and even a better read.

 

Thank you for sharing that.

 

Dave

[Leecher]

One word Drew..... PHENOMENAL

Thanks for sharing your adventures with us!!!

Jacques

[canadian_copper]

MOVED.

OSHAWA NOW.

UPPER SHWA AT THAT. LOL

[corvette1]

what a year congrats

[solopaddler]

Fantastic pictures my friend. When you recap it like that it really hits home what a monumental year you had.

Just outstanding!

[BillM]

Fantastic as always, looking forward to making a few more good memories in '10 with ya man