May, 2014

I'm catching up! 'Only six months behind now...

May brought a big event - Alison graduated from Emily Carr University of Art & Design! Yet another reason love spring. The fish are waking up and I even caught a few, I was able to get my school flyfishing club out for a couple of fishing trips, Alison and Lucas met Sadie, and so did Barry and Marie Solieil and their pups Gadget and Pippi. 'Twas a good month!

Greeting us as we arrived at the UBC Chan Centre for the Emily Carr Convocation

The Chan Centre was a great venue for the convocation ceremony

Here's Alison receiving her degree!

Proud parents with Alison Woodward, B.F.A.

After the convocation we went and enjoyed the grad art show.
This is the caption for Alison's piece.

Papercut mastery

The future Mr. and Mrs.

Well done, Alison!

Some of the gang at our first SMS Flyfishing Club fish-out of the year.
We fished Hall Rd pond, stocked with catchables for kids by GoFishBC.

Fish on!

Sophia's first time fishing!

Evan and his dad

Sometimes tangles happen...

Success!

The gang lined up at our second fish-out at Shannon Lake.

I even managed to get out and fish a bit.
This one was caught in Zipperlip Lake. Gotta love that Moby net!

Another one from Zipperlip. Amazingly, Sadie's not trying to eat it!

They are slippery devils... ;-)

Bill in his snazzy new Smith Brothers pram

Marie Soleil introducing Sadie to Pippi and Gadget.
Treats kept their attention!

Alison and Lucas meeting Sadie.

June, 2013

Long days, lots of green, and summer's almost here. Gotta love June! Wendy and I took our new (to us) camper on its maiden voyage to Sheridan Lake for the FlyBC Spring Fish-In. It was the first time we'd been to Sheridan Lake and we discovered... we need a bigger boat! That is a big lake. Fishing was slow for us, and almost everyone else, but we saw one fellow in particular landing some very large rainbows by fishing a chironomid near the bottom at 70+ feet deep. He definitely knows what he's doing on that lake. We found out a month later during a subsequent trip that he has a trailer parked at Sheridan Lake Resort and he fishes the deepwater chironomid hatch every summer.

I also got some of my flyfishing club kids back to Hall Road Pond where everyone caught fish on flies, and we all enjoyed pizza afterwards.

The new rig on its maiden voyage at Sheridan Park Resort.

See all those dots in the distance? That's the flotilla trying to get in on the deep water chironomid action.

Sharpy and Lisa braving the weather awaiting a grab.

Mayflies were hatching. Note the glove - it was chilly!

Piper helping with the eviction of spawners from the seasonal spawning channel.

Swampy and Marnie hanging out while the spawners were evicted.

Sharpy attempting rabbit ears on Shaggy

That lake looks big, doesn't it?

Wendy collecting our first pize.

Take that, Ken Baker! :-)

The gang at Hall Road Pond for our last fish-out of the spring.

Melissa ever-patiently waiting for a fish.

Melissa's little sister got one!

Even and his dad.

Evan sports a new vest, thanks to one of our generous donors.

Don tight to a nice fish at a Tunkwa-area lake.

I even managed one!

Interesting-coloured bear we spied on our way home.

The pram fits nicely in the back of the truck - great for the mountain lakes.

Another beautiful Tunkwa sunset.

Yup, another tattoo by Alison!

May, 2013

Ahhh... Spring! One on my favourite times of the year. Highlights: I met my wife, Wendy, in May, and our son Barry was born in May. The days get longer and warmer, and stillwater fishing really gets going! Gotta love it!

Where went the last 25 years? Happy Birthday, Barry!

Gadget, the furry grandchild.

Alison's tattoos are getting good!

Woo hoo! The ice is off at Zipperlip Lake.

And the fish were willing.

Kye with a nice rainbow on our first outing of the season.

Chironomids were active, too!

This loon harasses us constantly. Oh well, I guess it needs nourishment to produce those eggs. Check out the gouge in the top of its bill. Caused by a fish hook?

This expert angler at Hall Road Pond in Kelowna, where I take my flytying club kids, nailed a trout just as we arrived for an afternoon of fishing.

Melissa hoping for a take.

Fish on!

Way to go, Evan!