A mini weekend road trip

[MJL]

It’s been a little while since I last posted. I’m most certain that I missed some awesome reports

 

A couple weeks ago, I got the news that I will need additional treatment in the form of chemotherapy and have been prepping for it since. Not fun by any means – especially after reading Irishfield’s daughter’s battles through it. As always, I’m blown away by the support OFC and its members having given me since I first became a member

 

Spiel again has been incredibly generous. Mid-last week I received another awesome package to read while I’m at the hospital getting my chemo-drip

 

 

There have been others on this forum that have gone through chemo and they’ve been amazingly supportive answering all the questions and giving me all the tips they could – I can’t thank you guys enough . As one member mentioned, “treat it like a bump in the road instead of a road block”, and that’s exactly what I plan to do

 

With pending treatment starting Thursday, I figured I’d like to make this last weekend a little special. Last week, Frozen Fire, Victor and I planned a weekend trip for some laker action.

 

Friday night after work, we made the pilgrimage north to one lake and checked in at a motel for the night.

 

What do you do when there are 3 guys and only 2 beds?

 

You bring an air mattress and rearrange the furniture to fit it in!

 

Spent some time gearing up and setting up our tackle late into the night.

 

Saturday morning, we head out to the lake. Last week, my dad made a ski system for Frozen Fire’s portable hut. It made pulling the hut over the snow so much easier.

 

 

 

After some time spent locating fish, I finally managed my first laker of 2011 . It was a lot smaller than what I was hoping for but very welcomed nonetheless. Watching the flag pop up on my HT rod holder was pretty exciting – It took a small minnow.

 

 

 

For the first time ever, I managed to get 1 fish to chase down my lure on the retrieve and nail it. It swam from 65ft to 35ft to eat my jig + minnow combo. Watching it all go down on the fish finder was exciting to the max!

 

A wave goodbye

 

In total, both Frozen Fire and I managed to land only 3 tiny lakers each to about 15 inches or so. Vic blanked. We fished from 8am to sundown and packed it in for the day... Or so we thought...

 

While packing the car, we met a couple who were going out for some nighttime ling fishing. Intrigued by the prospects of trying poor man’s lobster, we decided to stop in for dinner somewhere before heading back out on the ice for the midnight bite. 8pm we hit the ice...Again...

 

It was a cold and windy night. We kept warm by moving around and drilling a ton of holes (at least I did). We fished from 8pm till about 1am (I think...I can’t remember exactly when we got back to the motel ). Victor landed 2 ling and Frozen Fire landed 1. I didn’t get any action all night

 

 

 

We slept in Sunday...Well Vic and Frozen Fire did. I ate a big breakfast and went through my pre-fishing trip routine that increases my Jedi fishing powers

 

I was hoping that Sunday would bring us some bigger fish. I did manage to catch the most lakers I’ve ever caught in 1 day. Unfortunately the 6 I landed were all pretty much the same size as the ones we got the previous day - I probably lost about 7-8 fish . I was pretty amazed that a lake trout would try to eat something roughly half its size

 

 

 

It was a long drive home (especially for Victor who did the driving in a super gear packed SUV).I was pretty exhausted at work Monday morning from the weekend. But I definitely can't wait to do another trip like that again...Maybe next time I'll take a sick day from work on the Monday

 

Hope you enjoyed

[irishfield]

Very nice guys... you could have spooned in a bed no?? lol

 

MJ.. where are you doing your chemo.. how many days per....#weeks apart...#sessions

[EC1]

Man, I was waiting for this report. I should have went on Saturday even if it meant only fishing a few hours.

[mercman]

MJ !!! As always i savor every word of your reports.Always feel like i.m right in there with you.Thanks.

Good luck on your treatment.You will be beat this thing, you just wait and see.

 

 

Paul

[Leecher]

Great report and pics Mike

Sounds like a fun trip

Good luck with the additional treatment.... I will keep you in my thoughts

Leechman

[trapshooter]

Looks like a great weekend with your buddies. The picture you labeled 'a wave goodbye' is really cool!

 

Sounds like you've got a good attitude towards your chemo treatments and a great support network of family and friends. Best wishes for a full recovery.

[danbouck]

Great report as always!

[Dusky]

As usual good read/report MLJ.

Hopefully things will get better for you.

[KelfuN]

glad you guys had a blast up there this past weekend..sure beats working on a saturday night!!

 

we'll go for some drifts after i come back from vacation, perfect time for droppies

[MJL]

Thanks guys

 

Very nice guys... you could have spooned in a bed no?? lol

 

MJ.. where are you doing your chemo.. how many days per....#weeks apart...#sessions

 

Hey Wayne, I’ll be going in to Sunnybrook for it. So far, only 1 treatment planned and I’m pretty thankful for that. May be another one 3-4wks after but the oncologists are pretty confident I won’t need it (I hope). Out of everything, I was pretty surprised at the cost for the anti-nausea pills – The doctors advised me that I may still feel queasy and it’s going to suck for about a month per treatment. At the moment, I’m already underweight so I’ve been doing my best to pack on the pounds the last couple weeks (which has been just 3lbs to put me up at 121lbs ). My boss recommended Mac & Cheese made with butter and cream or a big piece of steak which doesn’t sound too bad right now.LOL

[Rod Caster]

Enjoy those ling and best wishes!

 

 

[solopaddler]

Great to read a report from you Mike!

I can't believe you nutbars had dinner then fished again on the open ice 'till 1am after fishing all day in the cold! For ling!

 

I think I remember what it was like to have that kind of fire burning in my belly. Ahh to be young.

 

 

You're a fighter, stay the course and beat this thing!

 

I'm looking forward to showing you some special steelhead spots this year.

 

Chris, very nice gesture of you.

 

Cheers

[Roy]

Thanks for the great report, Mike! You take care and get through this stuff soon so you can get back to fishing sooner.

 

BTW, Mike have you considered starting a poll on here asking if that last fish might be a splake?

[Joey]

Great report MJL, well done on the lake trout, even tho they weren't as big as you had hoped.

 

Those ling are funny looking creatures eh Did they taste like lobster?

 

Sorry to hear about your situation. Hope treatment goes well for you. Please keep us updated bud.

 

Joey

[irishfield]

I hear, from the oncologist no less, that the food at Sunnybrook is worse than Mount Sinai's.... and he says that Sinai's is just the food Air Canada refuses for their flights!!! Go prepared with a back up plan.. family/friends that can run for/deliver meals on your behalf if your treatment requires stay, or are you just in for the day and then out?

[Grimace]

Great report. All those hours on the ice and no hut? You guys are as tough as nails.

 

I hope you get well as quickly as possible.

[vinnimon]

Great report and pics MJ

[spinnerdoc]

great to see you fishin...best of luck on your treatment...

[splashhopper]

great report MJ..... your positive disposition will serve u well in this period of your life.

Thank you for sharing this past weekend with us.

 

Now, to help`add the weight, start drinking 3-6 can's of Ensure per day...( my asian wife is in same boat as you for weight issues).

Because you NEED the weight gain, and NEED to prevent the weight loss, your doctor will be able to prescribe it for you. (Hopefully u have benefits.)

 

If that doesn't sound good, try lots and lots of roast pork with big heloings of rice and eat it late at night..... u should puff up and look like a potatoe faced red neck like me in no time!`

 

Prayers from London for you ....

[MJL]

Cheers guys and thanks again for all the comments

 

I hear, from the oncologist no less, that the food at Sunnybrook is worse than Mount Sinai's.... and he says that Sinai's is just the food Air Canada refuses for their flights!!! Go prepared with a back up plan.. family/friends that can run for/deliver meals on your behalf if your treatment requires stay, or are you just in for the day and then out?

 

I’ll be there just for the day (planned for about 6-10hrs or so I’m guessing)...The nurse doing the chemo class on Monday recommended that we bring our own food – Anything that doesn’t stink - Like sardines or herring. She also said the food at the hospital wasn’t all that great either. The only hospital food I've ever eaten was Jell-O. I was at Mt Sinai last week. I guess I was fortunate not to have to sample their food. Personally I hate needles and get grossed out so food probably won’t be on my mind while I’m sitting there . I’ll pack some snacks to bring along

 

Great report. All those hours on the ice and no hut? You guys are as tough as nails.

 

I hope you get well as quickly as possible.

 

Thanks Grimace. I’m pretty acclimatized to the cold. Late fall/early winter steelheading before the rivers lock up will do that to you . I do love fishing outside way more than inside the hut...I get to stretch my legs out.

 

My parents got me a survival suit for Christmas and it’s been awesome. Last year I just wore a whole lot of fleece and a gore-tex jacket over it all and it was pretty miserable when it hit -20C or -15 with wind chill. Also picked up a wicked set of mitts from MEC for times when gloves just don’t cut it:

 

These: http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524442633339&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302885383

 

Next purchase will be a better set of waterproof boots

 

I'm looking forward to showing you some special steelhead spots this year.

 

Cheers

 

Definitely can't wait!

 

Great report MJL, well done on the lake trout, even tho they weren't as big as you had hoped.

 

Those ling are funny looking creatures eh Did they taste like lobster?

 

Sorry to hear about your situation. Hope treatment goes well for you. Please keep us updated bud.

 

Joey

 

Thanks Joey. Victor took the Ling...After seeing the slime ooze off the cooler (and everything else we put in there) when we took the fish out, I figured I'd let him have them

 

Cheers & all smiles

[frozen-fire]

Great trip indeed. Got into our first lakers of the season and some ling action too LOL.

Big thanks to Mike's dad for the construction of the DIY ski system which we used to pull out our gear.

Worked great. Loaded on a 2 man portable hut, 2 chairs, and 2 sleds... full of gear including augers and finders.

 

Here is Mike dragging it out to the laker territory.

 

My first laker of the year!

Edited February 9, 2011 by frozen-fire

[Cudz]

chin up bro.

great day on the water.

[hammercarp]

It is good to hear from you Michael. That was a great report. Do you want me to put you on the roster for the CanAM ? It will be at Long Sault on the weekend of Aug.6. Jeff Vaughn and Vali will be running it so it should be an unforgettable event. I am sure the guys are looking forward to seeing you back in action on the Larry.

[bigugli]

Great report. Good to see out out and enjoying life.

 

The amazing thing about adversity is that you can let it overcome you, or you can blow it down.

You've got the right attitude to beat it down good. Keep it up.

[Moosebunk]

Fantastic report man. Keep yer chin up and fish on the ice. Super pics too...