Welcome to the first of ‘Fishing Parkland Shorelines’ of 2021. Like most of us I remain very much a novice fisherman, loving to fish, but far from an expert. In the following weeks I’ll again attempt to give those anglers who love to fish but just don’t have access to a boat a look at some of the options in the Yorkton area where you can fish from shore, and hopefully catch some fish for a good summer fry.
Amid a worldwide health pandemic which has kept us close to home for months – many of us truly housebound as we are now working from home too – you might expect the start of a new fishing season would have an extra level of excitement attached to it.
But, in my case at least, preparation for the first day out May 5, was well, to put it bluntly, non existent.
I did not go through my tackle to check what lures were in short supply because too many of a particular pattern were lost last year to rocks and tree branches in various waters.
I did not find the time to add new line to my back-up rod.
There just never seemed the time, or maybe it was a lack of interest if being honest.
Yes, I did buy a license, and when so doing I did wander through the rods and reels aisle, and even held a very nice set-up in my hands, but showing a certain reserve I am not normally known for in such situations, I put it back on the shelf.
So here’s where the honesty lies, looking back on shore fishing in 2020, it was, not to put too fine a point on it – lousy.
There was not an outing that I can point too as excellent fishing. Not one that I could legitimately term good, average or fair. They were at best subpar, bad, terrible and lousy.
Of course I am at this point measuring the success of a trip in fish caught.
There are always a number of very legitimate reasons to go fishing that make it a worthwhile endeavour having nothing to do with the actual catching of fish.
There is the time with family and friends away from the four walls of home and office.
There is the opportunity to enjoy sunshine, fresh air and wildlife.
And, of course it is time disconnected from TVs, laptops and other electronic gadgets we are increasingly slaves too.
But, in terms of fish, well I am sure if one were to factor in gas, lost hooks and other associated costs, pike lunches in 2020 in this household were running about $100 per person, not counting the potatoes for french fries based on the slim number of fish caught for the freezer.
So memories of 2020 did somewhat curb the enthusiasm for opening day this year.
But, my son and I took off the afternoon from work, and while tradition would have had us turning north to try Theodore or Canora dams, we instead opted to head south to fish Indian Point on Crooked Lake.
The weather was good until the sun dipped behind a cloud, which had Adam heading back the truck for jackets – being in Saskatchewan you need to pack parkas 12 months of the year remember.
The wind was brisk too, enhancing casts on one side of the sand spit, and all but throwing the hook back at you when casting the other side.
And for a few hours we did cast both into and with the wind. We tried a bunch of hooks, at least washed on opening day, if not successful in their assigned task of enticing a fish to bite.
Of course I am increasingly convinced fish now use email and arrange to bite in any water where I am not fishing.
It’s either that or the fish at Indian Point were in school, no doubt learning to avoid trying to eat anything with the words ‘Len Thompson’ on it.
So by now you have likely guessed opening day 2021 was much like every day 2020, no fish.
But, it was nice to be out giving it the old ‘college try’ again.
And, besides I learned a couple of tidbits that as a father are pure gold, making me smile every time I think back on the grand revelations of opening day 2021. It seems a certain fishing co-plot – let’s call him Adam for the sake of this tale has a Saskatchewan Roughrider rubber duck he has named ‘Lancaster’ and a Montreal Canadiens Teddy Bear he calls ‘Maurice’.
Oh and, yes what makes this something to smile about is that he is 32 *wink.
Until next time, happy fishing.
