An Ill Wind?

I had a chat with my dad this morning and, as usual, it wasn't long before the discussion turned to Atlantic Salmon fishing. He reminded me of the time he had some fun with the boys at Banting Lake Lodge near Gander, Newfoundland.

One breezy evening, he and my brother, Dave, went with their guide, Rocky, for a bit of fishing after supper. It's a quick boat ride and a few steps to the Bench Pool where Dad likes to fish, but another half-mile hike over rough terrain to reach Surveyor's Pool. 

"D'ere's always more fish at Surveyor's. What d'ya t'ink, Harold? D'ya mind if I takes Dave up to Surveyor's fer a few flicks?" Rocky asked.  

"Go ahead, boys. I'll be fine here. I can sit on the bench and rest if I get tired. Don't worry about me," Harold replied. 

They had just disappeared around the bend when Harold raised a salmon, and a few casts later, had the fish on his line. Landing it was a bit of a problem, though - the net was leaning against the bench, forty feet from shore. Harold thought to himself,"If I try to run up there to get that net, the fish will get off." He decided his best option was to try to beach the grilse. And that's just what he did - no mean feat on that rocky shore! Harold tagged the fish and hung it on an alder branch near the bench.

By and by, Dave and Rocky returned from the "Honey Hole", empty-handed, to check on Harold. "Any luck?" they inquired. 

"Well it was so windy, it was hard to cast," Harold complained. "But I did have a bit of luck! A grilse leaped clear of the water, just when a big gust of wind came along. It blew him right up into the alders, there," Harold pointed to the fish.

 "Jeezus wept!" Rocky said. "Here we was feeling' sorry for ya. Come back to check on ya, and find you wit' a fish!" he grinned. "Poor Dave didn't get more'n a few casts. Now dat we knows y' kin handle yerself, we'll dodge back and give 'er another flick, if yer okay wit dat, skipper?"

 "I'm fine," Dad laughed. "Go ahead. I'll be here when you get back. I might even go out and try for another one!"

Once more, they weren't gone but a few minutes when Harold hooked a grilse and, having remembered to take the net down to the shore, soon had two fish hanging in the alders. When the boys returned, empty-handed again, Harold was sitting on the bench waiting.

"Had enuff, Harold?" Rocky asked.

"Yes," he replied. "I got tired of fighting that wind on every cast. I thought I'd just sit here awhile and wait for a big gust to blow another one up in the trees," he gestured toward the alders.

"Lard thunderin', Jeezus!" Rocky cried. "Two fish!

"Well, you know what they say," Dave grinned, "It's an ill wind that blows no good."

Good Luck and Good Fishin"

RP

Photo by Dave Dobson