Fishing Frenzy

Trying to do the math on exactly how many fish I've caught in the past 7 days would be difficult.  The number would probably be in the 50 to 60 range.  But I can say with absolute certainty that I've caught more fish in the past week, than I have during the entirety of the last three fishing seasons.

Following a whisper from one of my colleagues at work and while caught with idle time during an abhorrent storm at Gregoire Lake Provincial Park, I dipped my rod in the water at the end of the boat dock in the pouring rain and discovered the mother load, fisherman's paradise.

In that first 75 minute stretch, I landed about 12 - mostly walleye (or pickerel, I'm not really sure which is correct).

I went out a couple of evenings later, and even in the Grand Central Station-esque environs of two abysmally inadequate docks (one boat after another was attempting to get out of the water, some waiting up to an hour to get loaded up on to their trailers) caught 25 to 30 fish, my head spinning trying to make sense of it all.

Completely hooked, I darted out again later in the week, as soon as my scheduled allowed, despite the gloomy clouds and harsh wind.  This time, it was like the two previous outings were a mirage, a fantasical aberration.  Cold, wet, and nonplussed, with not even a nibble, I packed up and headed home.

Not to be defeated, trips on Friday evening and now this morning, produced at least a couple of dozen catches each outing.

At first this morning, it was eerily silent, no hits at all for the first 45 minutes or so.  But after dumping some of the water that had been sitting in my tub of minnows to thaw them out, everything changed.  All of a sudden, my minnows were getting attacked moments after hitting the water.

The norm over the past couple of years has been to wait patiently for long stretches of time in hopes that a fish would rise - river fishing.  Out at the spot on the west side of Gregoire Lake, a new norm has been established, one that I fear will be difficult to top, no matter where I go.