Saturday, April 25, 2009

Ontario Opener 2009


It's been a while since I last fished an opener in Ontario. I used to live for it. I mean I would save vacation time, arrange my personal life around it and count the days until the last Saturday in April. Oh my that is a sad tale...
Having not had the opportunity to fish with Norland a great deal this year I coaxed him into spending the day on our home trib for the 2009 opener. If for nothing more a walk in the bush and a pre-fall preview of a river that had seen two separate epic flood stage events this year. One thing for certain...we were not going in with grand expectations of fish and solitude. You see, opener in Ontario is like a sale at the beer store...It don't happen too often and there ain't gonna be too many peeps that miss out on it.

Aside from the imminent inrush of vermin on the river we were going to have to contend with unseasonably high temps, low water, and bugs...friggin bugs.
I have to say, all in all we managed to pull off another quality day on the river. We caught a few fish, shared many laughs, swatted many a bug and witnessed first hand the raw power mother nature instilled upon our poor little river. Most importantly I got to spend what might be my last day of the season on the river with a great friend. Norland you are the gayest POS I know. Thanks for taking the day and getting out there with me.




Slide show credits go out to Old Man Norland and Myself...Enjoy!

14 comments:

18 Mile said...

Good Job!

Trotsky said...

That was a fun day regardless of the freak show.
I hope the rubes enjoyed their Steelhead sandwiches.
You really caught some great fish and that wee little silver saved me from disaster..lol
That one I lost will haunt me for a while....
...But the candle light dinner at Aunt Gussies made up for it.
Later

lambton said...

Yes...Aunt Gussies was a nice stop. I like that place.
It's hard to loose a fish on a day with so few opportunities. Good on ya though for finding him in that slot you useless pos. It does prove my theory that 3.5lb flouro is for tree huggin nut lickers.

Trotsky said...

I may drop down in test...
I may use spider thread

JDA said...

Well done Brian and Gene, clean fish as well.

I haven't fished "opening weekend" since 2004, and I think last year was one of the first times that I did not go out for dropbacks. funny that you mention previous anticipation of that time of year, I used to book time of work for the days after opening weekend, how strange.

Will see you guys when the Gales of November come whistling.

lambton said...

Hey Joe,

Funny how we change as we age. I think the fishery has changed alot over the past 10 years aswell. I can recall fresh pushes of fish on the 9-mile into May and I mean big strong pushes. Now come opener fresh fish are like Norland changing his underwear...Extremely Rare!!!! OMG that is sad on many levels.
See ya in the fall have a good summer.

Trotsky said...

Underwear??
I go commando exclusively.

lambton said...

disturbing...very disturbing indeed...

Harv said...

Well done fellas! Oddly enough I did not really miss fishing yesterday - too warm, too many bugs and too many people. And besides, I LOVE my job :(

I can remember in the early 90's getting so excited for 'Openers' - we used to rent a trailer in Wildwood and fish like fiends for the whole weekend. Back then though, there was usually lots of water, lots of fish and a lot less people!

With that rain yesterday I still hope for some 'droppie' action next week but like Joe said "bring on November"!!!!!

Harv

Wallacio said...

Nice one guys. Brian - that hen is quite the fish...you always manage to sift those big ones out of there!!!

I spent an enjoyable day with an old friend who brought along his 7 year old son. We were able to put him onto a fish and he fought & landed it expertly...definitely a future Steelhead addict in the making.

It's too bad we weren't able to fish together this year. Hopefully I'll have a bit more latitude this coming fall and I'll see you guys on the Huron Coast!

lambton said...

Harv,
You lying POS...The Rube in you was dying for not being out there in that bug infested inferno of shitratness!
You were better off workin ;0)
I'm sure you will find a few next week.
I hear ya on November! Good times ahead after a much needed Summer reprieve. Minus a June Atlantic hiatus...whooo haaa haaaaaa haaaaa

lambton said...

Hey Dave,
Good to hear from ya. Glad you managed to get out there and tie into a few.
We will definately have to get out there this fall. Pehaps on the Big Manistee or the home tribs.

GT said...

Good stuff guys. Let's hope the summer is not as long as the winter felt like.

lambton said...

Amen to that Gil...Amen to that!