Edit

[johnnyb]

Great writeup Mike....the chills down my back took a bit to subside. Very cool story....a great example of why we need to listen to the stories and lessons of our elders. Speaking of our elders....I was 5 and a half when all that went down...just how old ARE you?!?!?

 

Also has me thinking....you know how money went a lot further in those days? How about the "man cards"?! Can you imagine the portages with those old boats, plus the gear they were huckin around back when Ralph was young and feisty? Now I have to go read more about this man....thanks so much for sharing

[Roy]

A great story indeed, Mike.

 

ummmm, in the spring of '83 my oldest son was 17....feel better now?

[blaque]

Just did a little reading on Ralph.......admirable guy for sure.

 

Mike Peca is his great grandson

[solopaddler]

Great story Mike, always enjoy your posts.

 

This one brought back some of my memories of people I met as a kid and only realized after they passed away what I missed by not keeping in touch with them.

One man especially was our neighbor when we lived on the farm out near Delaware. The farm backed onto the Thames River and there were miles and miles of trails alone the river’s edge. There was nothing better then going horseback riding though these trails with him; listening to all his stories of his adventures when he was young.

Even thou I was only 12 then (1972) I knew a lot of the tails he told were exaggerated ones; but it didn’t matter they were good stories.

We’d take our poles with us and a saddle bag with tackle; ride for a while, stopping at the different spots that looked like it might hold fish. Make a few casts and then move on if there was nothing hitting. We’d be gone all day but it only felt like an hour or so; only realizing how late it was when Mom would meet me at the door asking where the hell I was all day. All I’d have to say was, I was with Jim and it be OK.

 

Thanks Mike.

 

Dan.

 

Nice memory Dan.

 

 

No it's not...Didn't start high school until '84!

 

great read Mike, and great memory to have.

 

Don't you start too Craig, you look older than me LOL!

 

 

If we promise to remind you about taking your pills will you tell us another story gramps?

 

..[in the voice of crazy old sidekick from western movies]...I got nuthin left! I'm just a tired beat up old drop back driftin' back to the lake. My spawnin' days are over! You feisty young chromers just swim on past.....go on now!!!

 

 

Last year I posted about losing my grandfather. Will be a year in August. He too was 97 when he passed and the story of Ralph Bice reminds me of him. Thanks for that Mike.

 

I remember challenging my grandpa as we drove up Hwy 11 from Kenogami to Temagami. He had fished pretty much every lake and chain along the highway. He was able to tell me what species of fish was in each chain, how they caught them, who he was with, and when. The stories NEVER changed no maatter how much time had passed since I asked him last.

Dredging up similar memories for so many people was unexpected. Another great story, thanks.

 

 

Great writeup Mike....the chills down my back took a bit to subside. Very cool story....a great example of why we need to listen to the stories and lessons of our elders. Speaking of our elders....I was 5 and a half when all that went down...just how old ARE you?!?!?

 

Also has me thinking....you know how money went a lot further in those days? How about the "man cards"?! Can you imagine the portages with those old boats, plus the gear they were huckin around back when Ralph was young and feisty? Now I have to go read more about this man....thanks so much for sharing

 

Not you too? ..{in same western sidekick voice]..I kin still portage ya into the ground ya young pup! Just try me!

 

On a serious note for most of paddling days I was solo and doubled up on every portage, some km's long and the worst ones through dense bush or even worse muskeg.

 

One carry was always my heavy pack which weighed close to 100lb's at the start of my trips along with paddles and fishing gear. The second carry was my 68lb canoe and lighter pack in the 60lb range.

 

 

A great story indeed, Mike.

 

ummmm, in the spring of '83 my oldest son was 17....feel better now?

 

 

Actually it does Roy. I was born in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and sixty five on the Ides Of March under the sign of the fish.

 

Almost the same age as your boy.

Edited April 18, 2012 by solopaddler

[Christopheraaron]

Everyone can just stop talking about how old they were, think of this, I wasn't born, never even had a chance to meet him! Great read solo!

[Gregoire]

Once again a great read. Thanks for sharing.

[Ben_Daniels]

Great story Solo really enjoyed it!

 

Hey Grandpa Solo can you tell us about the time you met Queen Victoria? LOL.Your like our very own subreddit r/mikesfishingporn. Thanks Mike that was a nice vignette of the man. My Algonquin mentor was my football coach who ran Camp Voyageur on Round Lake and he use to talk about Ralph all the time. Man the park sure was different back then. When I started going up in 79 there was no smallmouth in Round lake and we could catch specks right of the dock at the camp.

 

PS when does the narwhal bacon Musky or Specks

[Musky or Specks]

Great story Solo really enjoyed it!

 

 

 

PS when does the narwhal bacon Musky or Specks

Midnight

Edited April 19, 2012 by Musky or Specks

[dannyboy]

Thanks for sharing Mike, great memory to have for sure. Back then my standard canoing gear was jeans, flannel shirt and canvas high tops.

 

Hmm... Ides of March 1965 makes you one week older than me, still got a few portages left but my back sure was glad when Kevlar replaced canvas/cedar strip and nylon replaced the canvas tent.

 

Dan

[TJQ]

That is an amazing story.

[Lunatic]

Awesome read

[JoshS]

Cool! Thanks for sharing that.

[Moosebunk]

Thanks Mike. That was a real treat to read.

[chris.brock]

I enjoyed reading that Solo, I read Ralph's book (or 1 of his books, I don't know if he has more than 1), it was awesome, and is now stored with my great Canadian literature on canoeing and fishing library, you're lucky to have met him, he would be a great guy to chat with around the campfire

[Twocoda]

i bet your pretty entertaining sitting around a fire Solo...Excellent read...you actually held on to my ADD mind

[Paulus]

Great story, Mike! Thanks for sharing it! That's publishable stuff and a great read!

 

p.-

[lhousesoccer]

Great Story, Solo! You ought to write that up for OOD or OC as a little "memories of" ... article. I bet they'd buy it!

[solopaddler]

Thanks guys, glad you enjoyed.

[fishnsled]

Great story Mike and memories for a lifetime.

[ehg]

Great story Mike!

Always wondered who Ralph Bice was. Incredible that you met him.

 

A favourite part of Algonquin for me.

 

The smallish portages around Ralph Bice Lake (Butt Lake at the time) allowed for gf's to accompany me for trips.

 

Many thanks for post.

[gordy28]

Awesome post

I think its been mentioned before solo-but you should write a book.

This makes me think of my own grandfather. He came to Canada from Scotland in his 40's following other relatives. He was an acoomplished fly fisherman in Scotland since he wasn't rich though-he poached or used a 13 foot spey fly rod to fish for salmon on family trips to the sea side.

When he got to Canada and found out you could pay $4 and fish pretty much anywhere you wanted he took full advantage!

So many good memories-hes the reason my brother, cousins and I fish for sure. He also liked to spin fish-but his favourite thing was to take us all (5 kids) down to the rosedale bridge on Balsam lake in the early ing. We would dunk worms and he would cast poppers or muddler minnows with his fly rod for small mouth. I saw him catch a 5 lb smallie once and a 4 lb walleye on a popper!

As my Dad used to say-Pop was just a fisherman with a spinning rod-but he was a magician with a fly rod.

To this day the movie a river runs through it gives me chills-the Brad Pitt going down the river with the fish on reminds me of my pop

[solopaddler]

Awesome post

I think its been mentioned before solo-but you should write a book.

This makes me think of my own grandfather. He came to Canada from Scotland in his 40's following other relatives. He was an acoomplished fly fisherman in Scotland since he wasn't rich though-he poached or used a 13 foot spey fly rod to fish for salmon on family trips to the sea side.

When he got to Canada and found out you could pay $4 and fish pretty much anywhere you wanted he took full advantage!

So many good memories-hes the reason my brother, cousins and I fish for sure. He also liked to spin fish-but his favourite thing was to take us all (5 kids) down to the rosedale bridge on Balsam lake in the early ing. We would dunk worms and he would cast poppers or muddler minnows with his fly rod for small mouth. I saw him catch a 5 lb smallie once and a 4 lb walleye on a popper!

As my Dad used to say-Pop was just a fisherman with a spinning rod-but he was a magician with a fly rod.

To this day the movie a river runs through it gives me chills-the Brad Pitt going down the river with the fish on reminds me of my pop

 

 

What a great story! You're grandad would have likely been the same age as another Canadian icon and hero of mine, Greg Clark. Another expat Scot who liked to fly fish and chase trout.

[gordy28]

Thanks Mike

Both my grandfather and my great uncles had the amazing stories: 8 of them fought in world war 2-my grandfather with the RAF in Africa

My grandfather loved to fish for trout-he took us to Greenwood or Claremont every year to fish for trout at the opener. What always amazed me (think this was a result of the poaching/hiding from wardens thing back in Scotland) was that he could get a cast going from anywhere-like on his knees shooting the line back underneath overhanging trees to hit the right drift

If the Scots/Canadian thing is interesting to you-theres a book called How the Scots invented Canada-great read

[lovetofish]

Great story! Thanks for sharing