BC Fishing Blog

noreply@blogger.com (Othmar Vohringer) — Sat, 16 Oct 2010 01:11:00 +0000

Thank you for your interest and visiting this blog.
Due to time restrictions this blog is no longer updated. To find the information you look for please visit Outdoors With Othmar Vohringer, which now also covers topics that previously have been posted here.

Othmar Vohringer

Fishing License Sales Increased

noreply@blogger.com (Othmar Vohringer) — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 21:41:00 +0000

© By Othmar Vohringer

Bill Otway, one of BC's leading conservationist and fishery advisers, who also happens to be a good and much valued friend of mine, advised me a few days ago that the annual fishing license sales for 2009 and into 2010 have increased by over seven percent.

This means, according to Bill, that there are over 21,000 new anglers in 2009. This in turn means that an additional $ 211,000 will flow in the coffers of the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation, where the money will be used to in enhancement programs pf fish stocks and the fishery.

Gaining over seven percent new anglers also means that the provincial government receives an additional $700,000 into their coffers. From a different source I learned that hunter numbers in BC, and with that hunting license sales – more money for the BE government -, have gone up considerably too.

With this upswing it is surprising for me to hear that our provincial government has announced further cuts, again, in the range of one million dollars for the Fish and Wildlife Service Branch. Our Conservation Officers are stretched to the limit financially and if these cuts keep up I cannot see how the CO’s will be able to fulfill the ever-growing mandate of wildlife conservation, policing and environment protection.

Apart from that I am thrilled to see more anglers and hunters in the field. This means that the tireless promotion of our many angling and hunting lobbying groups, organizations, and the many dedicated individuals is starting to pay off. We’re still a ways off from where we eventually want to be but it’s a good start and an encouragement to keep the work up.

This blog post has been brought to you by Othmar Vohringer Outdoors

Read my bi-weekly newspaper column online.

Nicola Valley Fish & Game Club Family Fishing Day Event

noreply@blogger.com (Othmar Vohringer) — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 00:19:00 +0000

© By Othmar Vohringer

On Fathers Day Weekend, June 20, the Nicola Valley Fish & Game Club hosted the Family Fishing Day event at the kids’ pond, located between Kentucky and Alleyene Lake. This was the fourth annual hosting of this event and to date by far the most successful with well over 120 people and families attending with well over half being children, including a group of Beavers (boys and girls aged 5 to 7) led by local conservation officer Jeff Hanratty. For once the weather was cooperating, providing much appreciated sunshine and comfortable temperatures.

The Family Fishing Weekend is a program initiated by the non-profit Family Fishing Society. Recreational fishing is a key part of British Columbia’s way of life and the Society’s goal is to celebrate this fact while at the same time promoting it to new anglers, especially children. Sports anglers contribute nearly $1.2 billion annually to B.C.'s local and regional economies while supporting thousands of jobs throughout the province. To maintain this robust industry there must be a strategy in place that continues to develop the vibrant and growing sports angling community and that is where the Family Fishing Day events come in.

The event started at 9 am and by the time it was over at 2pm many young anglers caught fish. For some it was their first fish and, judging from the smiles on their faces when they proudly displayed their catch, some of them are probably now ‘hooked’ to the sport! The fish caught ranged from small to a respectable 3 lb. Thanks to the generosity of the angling industry and organizations we had many prizes to give away to the children, among them over 50 Shakespeare rod and reel combos.

It goes without saying that such an event would not be possible without the tireless volunteer work of many Nicola Valley Fish & Game Club members assisting in the registration of the anglers, manning the hospitality tent, organizing the event, plus the many guides assisting the anglers and providing their knowledge and tips on how to catch fish. A special thank you to Conservation Officer Jeff Hanratty and his team for the time spent on the event and all their assistance to the anglers. Our conservation officers are an often-underestimated community asset. These fine men and women in uniform do a tremendous job ensuring a future of our natural resources and providing community assistance on events like the Family Fishing Day.

All in all it was a wonderful event that each consecutive year grows in popularity far beyond the borders of our region. I look forward to next years Family Fishing Day and hopefully will see even more children attending than previous years. It is important that we get the children outdoors and teach them to become future stewards of our heritage and nature.

A large crowd gathered waiting for the registration booth to open.

The action is on.

Conservation officers and children play an important role in the future of hunting, fishing and nature stewardship.

The smile on this boys face says more than a 1,000 words.

This blog post has been brought to you by Othmar Vohringer Outdoors

Read my bi-weekly newspaper column online.

Tags: Family Fishing Day, Trout, British Columbia, Fishing Event

British Columbia – Family Fishing Day

noreply@blogger.com (Othmar Vohringer) — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 01:22:00 +0000

© By Othmar Vohringer

There are few outdoor events that I look as much forward as the annual BC Family Fishing Day appropriately enough held on Fathers Day, June 20th, 2010. Many different clubs and organizations throughout British Columbia host the BC family Fishing Day in an effort to promote our rich fishing heritage and the family.

The Nicola Valley Fish & Game Club, of which I am currently serve as 2nd Vice President, hosts the Family Fishing Day at the lake between Kentucky and Alleyne Lake in the Kentucky and Alleyne Provincial Park (map)

The Event begins at 10 am on Sunday June 20 and ends at 2pm. There will be many prizes to be given away for the children. Experienced anglers and the Conservation Officers will be on hand with advice and tips. There will also be a concession tent serving coffee, soft drinks, hot dogs and burgers.

If you can make it I would love to welcome you personally to this unique event, celebrating fishing and family. The lake will be stoked with for that special day with 20,000 rainbow trout in addition to the fish that are already in the lake. This particular lake produces some very large trout. Fish in the range from two to three pounds are not uncommon

Here I leave you with a few pictures from last year.

A long lineup at the registry boot. Despite rain mixed with sunny spells over 60 adults and children took part on our Family Fishing Day event.

Little girl, big fish. This young lady is proudly presenting her catch of the day, a 2lbs. rainbow trout.

Here is another young and proud angler with his catch. The Conservation Officer officially weighed the fish at just under 2 lbs. Rainbows of this size are not uncommon in our lake.

It's time to hand out the prizes. There are so many prizes from the fishing rod combos to lures provided by organizations and companies that we are truly able to say, "No child left behind (without a prize.)"

This blog post has been brought to you by Othmar Vohringer Outdoors

Read my bi-weekly newspaper column online.

Toddler Catches 20 Lb. Musky

noreply@blogger.com (Othmar Vohringer) — Wed, 19 May 2010 12:43:00 +0000

© By Othmar Vohringer

This is not your average trophy fishing story but one that the family of 2-year old Ella Windschitl no doubt will talk about for many years to come.

Ella caught the big one, a 20 lb, 30” brute of a Musky to be exact, and she did so with her Barbie Doll toy fishing rod. Kelly Haag says she was fishing with her granddaughter, Ella Windschitl, off the family's pontoon boat tied to the dock in three feet of water on Round Lake near Randall, MN. Ella was using her Barbie fishing rod and hooked a small sunfish on the line.

That's when a muskie came out from under the dock and attacked the sunfish. Haag grabbed the line as the fish headed for deeper water. After a five minute fight, Haag was able to reel the fish back to the boat where Ella's grandpa, Dave, was waiting with a net.

Talk about a news worthy story, read the full story and view the pictures here.

This blog post has been brought to you by Othmar Vohringer Outdoors

Read my bi-weekly newspaper column online.

Boating Safety Begins At Home

noreply@blogger.com (Othmar Vohringer) — Wed, 19 May 2010 00:53:00 +0000

By Othmar Vohringer

As the spring hunting season nears its end my attention is turned to a summer of fishing fun. The preparations for the fishing season go much further than just putting new line on the reels, checking all the lures, rods and doing maintenance work on the reels. Getting ready for the fishing season also means that I pay special attention to the boat and trailer, which have been parked all winter behind the house under a tarp.

A few years ago I saw a horrific accident on the highway involving a utility trailer that had become disconnected from the towing vehicle and had turned into an uncontrolled projectile shooting at considerable speed across a two-lane highway. In it’s course the trailer hit a car that in turn veered off and hit another car. Two people died in that accident and one person was seriously injured.

The main problem with pulling a trailer is user complacency. There is much more to ensure that your boat trailer is safe than just checking if it hooks up properly to the towing vehicle. When was the last time you checked the tires? Electrical connections? The straps that tie the boat to the trailer? The trailer brakes and other essentials that should be checked every time you hook the boat trailer up?

Of course the same attention to detail needs to be paid to the boat. Check the boat for leaks and loose rivets, bolt and screws. If your boat is furnished with pedestal seats check the mounting plates and the seats themselves to make sure it is all in safe working condition. The engine is the heart of the boat. If you didn't change the oil at the end of last season, do so now. After running your boat all summer, it's likely that water, acids and other by-products have built up. It's important to change the oil to prevent corrosion and excessive wear, which can lead to loss of power, poor fuel economy or engine failure. At the same time you change the oil, be sure to change the oil filter too. Finally, replace the batteries if necessary and have them fully charged and then perform a test run on the engine and trolling motor before taking the boat on the water.

Once you have the boat on the lake and the motor quits on you or wont start it is usually to late to wonder why. I still remember a particular fishing trip with a friend. We had been about a half hour on the lake when I noticed a puddle of water around my feet. “Where the heck is this water coming from?” I wondered aloud. We soon found the culprit. It was a small leak at the boat floor. The hole used to be home to a rivet that must have popped sometime during the winter storage. Had my friend have taken the necessary care and diligence to check the boat from bow to stern we would have been fishing instead of cussing and hurrying back to shore.

Do yourself and other road users a favour and check your trailer and boat before you head out to your favourite fishing spot. With due diligence and proper maintenance of boat and trailer you can save yourself and others a lot of problems, even lives. I hope you all have a safe and enjoyable fishing season.

Maple Ridge Fishing Derby 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Othmar Vohringer) — Sun, 16 May 2010 23:11:00 +0000

© By Othmar Vohringer

The Maple Ridge Chamber of Commerce and their partners, encouraged by last years success, announce the continuation of the fishing derby held on Sunday, June 13, 2010.

The derby is to be held at the Alouette Lake, Golden Ears Park. Each team will be a family consisting of one or two parents and up to four children.

This event is going to be a blast! There will be vendors displaying their goods, fun activities for the whole family and tons of fish and lots of great prizes! The prizes include but are not limited to a $5000 mystery fish and a fishing getaway. Also there will be a great shore fishing contest as well.

Registration is $50.00 + GST per adult (18 years+), $25.00 + GST for youth (11 to 17 years) and $125 for a family + GST (2 Adults & 2 Children). Children 10 and under and seniors are free however they need to complete a form to be eligible for prizes.

To view fishing derby rules read here.

Read here what fish species are in the lake. (Pdf. file)

Download registration form. (Pdf. File)

Contact

This blog post has been brought to you by Othmar Vohringer Outdoors

Read my bi-weekly newspaper column online.

Merritt Ice Fishing Derby – A Popular Local Tradition

noreply@blogger.com (Othmar Vohringer) — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 01:47:00 +0000

© Copyright by Othmar Vohringer

On Sunday, January 17, the Nicola Valley Fish & Game Club hosted its 10th annual ice fishing derby at Mamette Lake. Like the previous year the weather was beautiful and lured over 200 people and families to the lake. Over the years this has become a traditional event for many local anglers and it attracts people from as far away as Vancouver Island and Washington State. The warm weather leading up to the derby had the organizers worried a bit about the ice conditions on the lake but measurements on the previous day confirmed a solid 18-inch thickness of the lake’s ice.

As scheduled, at precisely 8 am a siren blast marked the official start of the derby which lasted until 2 pm. Anglers were prepared with augers, fishing rods and bait in anticipation of hopefully catching a fish that would score high enough for one of the many prizes that were available.

At the start the fishing was slow but picked considerably toward lunch time and right up to the end of the ice fishing derby. At 2 pm the siren blared and it was time for the fish to be brought to the weigh-in station and anglers walked in from all directions on the lake’s surface to find out who the winners would be:

Trout Adult Class:
Alex Mentes came in first place with a 3 lb. 2 oz. Rainbow trout, second place went to John Richter, whose trout weighed in at 2 lb. 13 oz., and Kevin Andrew took third place with a 2 lb. 11 oz. trout.

Overall Heaviest Weight Coarse Fish:
That prize was won by Steve Gillingham with a 4 lb. 8 oz. Sucker Fish that left everyone else far behind him.

The hidden weight prize went to Tod Bilawchuk.

Despite there being no entries into the Children’s Class there was a great deal of participation by the youngest anglers and they had a fun time doing it too. And, thanks to the generosity of Merritt’s business and merchant community, and the BC Angling Ambassador Program, no child left the ice without a giveaway prize.

After all the weighing and counting was over there were 21 trout on the list and 30 coarse fish, plus a few more that were released by the anglers due to small size. All in all not a bad day of fishing by any standards despite a slow start. A special thank you from the Nicola Valley Fish & Game Club goes to the Merritt Conservation Officer team that was present throughout the event and who also donated their tent for the event. Also a huge thank you goes to the Merritt Search and Rescue team for loaning the second tent and all the many volunteers that provided their personal time and effort to make this ice fishing derby the event anglers from Merritt and around the province have come to expect and look forward too.

For more information about the Nicola Valley Fish & Game Club and the many community based events plus wildlife and habitat conservation programs they conduct, please visit: www.nvfishandgameclub.ca

This blog post has been brought to you by Othmar Vohringer Outdoors

Ice fishing season is here

noreply@blogger.com (Othmar Vohringer) — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 04:04:00 +0000

By Othmar Vohringer

If you have been reading this blog for a while you may know two things about me.
A.) That I am the organizer of the Merritt Ice Fishing Derby on behalf of the Nicola Valley Fish & Game Club.
B.) I love ice fishing almost as much as summer fishing on a lake with my boat.

With that background it may not come as a surprise to you that I am exited at the fact that a layer of ice covers most lakes in the Nicola Valley. While some lakes in the lower elevations still lack the ice thickness to be safe walking on it, other lakes in the higher elevations are already experiencing ice fishing action. That is good news and there is more to follow. More small lakes that previously have been closed to ice fishing are now open to ice fishing. That makes the Nicola – Thomson region into the provinces ice fishing capital.

In upcoming articles I will discuss tackle and tactics of the successful rainbow trout ice fisherman.

Related article:
Ice Fishing Safety Tips

This blog post has been brought to you by Othmar Vohringer Outdoors

Tags: Ice Fishing Derby, Ice Fishing, Thomson-Nicola, Merritt

Recreational Fishing In BC Is Big Business For The Government

noreply@blogger.com (Othmar Vohringer) — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 21:39:00 +0000

© By Othmar Vohringer

According to a report released by the Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC recreational fishing in British Columbia is big business with huge financial profits for the government. The report states that anglers contribute the staggering sum of half a billion dollars. Yes you read that right $500 Million. While the overall economy has declined and just now starts to pick slowly up again the fishing economy never slowed down. It fact it is growing and growing.

The study, which was conducted by noted fisheries economist Gordon Gislason, measured freshwater fishing across a variety of social and economic indicators and produced some impressive conclusions about this often overlooked sector.

Here is a basic breakdown of the financial contributions anglers make annually to our economy.

270,000 freshwater anglers spend $480 million annually on equipment, travel, accommodation and hospitality services.
The 1,000 businesses that outfit freshwater anglers contribute $210 million in GDP, employ 3,900 full-time workers, pay $120 million in wages and benefits.
Anglers contribute $125 million in provincial and federal taxes.
BC anglers generate13 million dollars in fishing license revenue that in turn is reinvested in the fishing resource each year.
Every $1 spent on stocking freshwater lakes and streams by the FFSBC produces $21 in spending by anglers.

This is impressive by any standard. But we’re not done. It gets even better. The above is only for the fresh water fishery but British Columbia also has a big tidal (ocean) sport fishery. The tidal water anglers are an even bigger contributor to the government coffers and employment than the fresh water fishery.

From that the provincial government gets 58.2 million dollars and the federal government gets 95.5 million. The tidal fishery provides 9,975 jobs on a provincial and federal level. This in turn generates 285 million dollars in revenue. Are you impressed now? You should be and next time you head out to your favorite fishing location hold your head a little bit higher in the knowledge that you are a major contributor to our economy.

This blog post has been brought to you by Othmar Vohringer Outdoors

Tags: BC Sport Fishing Economy, British Columbia, Fishing Economy Report

Merritt -10th annual Ice Fishing Derby

noreply@blogger.com (Othmar Vohringer) — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 06:30:00 +0000

© By Othmar Vohringer

How time goes by. I could have sworn we just finished last years ice fishing derby and here I am, organizing this years event.

This year the Nicola Valley Fish & Game Club celebrates the 10th ice fishing derby anniversary.

What started ten years ago as a small local event has over the years grown to become one of the region’s most popular, and BC’s biggest, winter fishing event. The ice fishing derby is a highly anticipated family event, which annually attracts over 200 adults and children from all over the region from as far away as Vancouver.

This year the ice fishing derby will be held on Sunday, January 17, 2010 at Mamette Lake. The derby starts officially at 8:00 am and closes at 2:00 pm.
Derby Entry Fees: $15 per person or $30 per family.

Tickets are available at:
Powderkeg Outdoor Sports Store in Merritt.
Ponderosa Hunting and Fishing Tackle Store in Merritt, or at the event.

There are many prizes to be given away.
We have generous cash prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place for trout in the adult and youth class. Heaviest weight overall for coarse fish plus many door prizes, raffle and draws.
Hot dogs plus free hot chocolate and coffee will available in our cozy warm hospitality tent. I look forward to welcoming everybody, so come on out and help us celebrate our 10th annual Ice Fishing Derby!

For more information contact:
Othmar Vohringer at: atacov@yahoo.ca

Follow this link to read about last years event. This year it's going to be better and bigger.

Image Courtesy of: Heidi Koehler Photography

Othmar Vohringer Outdoors

Tags: Merritt, Ice Fishing Derby, Nicola Valley Fish and Game Club

Angling ambassador program

noreply@blogger.com (Othmar Vohringer) — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 22:28:00 +0000

© By Othmar Vohringer

In all the hoopla about the outrage of a duck hunting video posted on YouTube and the following arrest of the poachers last week I didn’t have much time to write about an event that is very dear to me.

The Angling Ambassador Program, a joint endeavour of the BC Wildlife Federation (BCWF) and the Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC (FFSBC) is an exiting new project to promote fishing and I am proud to be part of it. The objectives of this program are:

To educate the general public on the benefits of angling and to provide instruction on fishing regulations interpretation pertaining to angling and conservation.
BCWF members will offer fishing advice ( where to and how to ) at various lakes in the Thompson/Nicola Region.
The program will encourage the general public to participate in angling, providing the opportunity to have fun for individuals and families.
Provide information on BC Wildlife Federation, Report All Poachers and Polluters (RAPP), Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC (FFSBC), Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation (HCTF) and Ministry of Environment(MoE).
The Thompson River watershed and the Nicola River watershed are designated sites including various lakes in the region and surrounding area.

On Wednesday August 5th we had our first ambassadorial duties. Our group (Photo from left to right, Jack Madryga, Cyril George, Bill Otway, Othmar Vohringer and Paul Komonoski) headed to the Kentucky Lake located in the stunningly beautiful Kentucky Alleyne Provicial Park. After we set up the information booth and unloaded all the boxed full of fishing literature, tackle and fishing rods to be given away to young anglers we just had time for a refreshing cup of coffee before the action started.

In no time the booth was busy with anglers of all ages asking questions or just stopping by for a friendly chit-chat. The children were exited and thankful for the presents and all the advice we dispensed on how to catch fish. It didn’t take long before the first child came back to our booth and proudly showed off the trout she caught with the rod and tackle she received from the Angling Ambassador Program team.

Part of our “job”, and for me the most rewarding one, was to walk around the lake visiting with the anglers and helping them with any questions they may have. For me the biggest joy of the day was a young girl that tried for the better part of two hours to catch a fish. She kept asking her father what to do but he has never fished before either. After setting her fishing rod properly up and choosing the lure of the day and then showing her how to cast she caught a handsome rainbow trout of a respectable size. To see the girl’s face light up with a bright smile when she reeled the fish in combined with the joyous “Daddy I got one, Daddy look here I caught a fish.” was all the reward I needed.

As I said at the beginning of this article, this was our first Angling Ambassador Program but it certainly was not our last one. As anglers and hunters we do not need a title and a uniform to become ambassadors of our great outdoor heritage. Every time a hunter or angler helps somebody else less knowledgeable with advice and some friendly encouragement he or she is an ambassador of our sport and contributes to the continuation of our treasured outdoor heritage.

Learn to catch more fish. Othmar Vohringer offers fishing courses for the beginning to advances angler.

Othmar Vohringer Outdoors
Founding Member of Outdoor Bloggers Summit

Tags: Angling Ambassador Program, fishing, Kentucky Lake, BC Wildlife Federation, Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC

BC Family Fishing Day in Merritt

noreply@blogger.com (Othmar Vohringer) — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 21:16:00 +0000

© By Othmar Vohringer

On Fathers Day, June 21st the Nicola Valley Fish & Game Club (NVFGC) held their traditional BC Family Fishing Day event at the children lake located between the Kentucky and the Alleyne lakes. Despite the cloudy weather with the occasional rain and drizzle, it did not deter families from attending. By 11:00 am over 50 adults and 59 children had signed up at the registration booth.

While the weather might not have been the usual sunny and hot it certainly was perfect for fishing. By the end of the event over 120 rainbow trout had been weighed in with the heavier ones exceeding two pounds. Neither did the weather negatively impact on the excitement, joy and determination of the many young fishers. The enthusiasm of the children and the joy they felt spending quality time with their parents and family on the lake had everybody in a good mood.

According to Bill Otway, the organizer of the Family Fishing Day for the Nicola Valley Fish & Game Club, this year’s event has been one of the most successful since the club started to host the Family Fishing Day. Of course an event of this proportion would not be possible without the numerous hard working volunteers and members of the NVFGC and the many supporters from the Merritt business community. A big thank you to the Credit Union, Powderkeg Outdoor Supply Store, Ponderosa Tackle and Archery, Tim Hortons, McDonalds and many other individuals for donating prizes, tents, time and money to make this event possible and the success it was.

The local Conservation Officer detachment was present during the entire event providing assistance and showing children how to clean fish. The Conservation Officers also provided over 40 rod and reel combos plus other smaller prizes and gifts to be given away to the children that took part in the fishing derby. There were other prizes to be had as well; making sure that no child was left out. In the cozy refreshment tent the ladies of the NVFGC were busy providing hot coffee, donuts, grilled hamburgers and hot dogs for the hungry fishers and spectators.

All in all this was a great event shared by many families and everybody had a good time. The BC Family Fishing Weekend purpose is to promote new fishing opportunities and British Columbia as a world-class fishing destination. For this special family event no fishing license was required and the lake had been stocked with additional fish. The NVFGC is proud to be the annual host of the Family Fishing Day and we look forward to next year’s Father’s day event. The NVFGC is a family orientated conservation and sportsman organization offering many events throughout the year for its members. Membership applications can be obtained at the Powderkeg Outdoor Supply Store in Merritt.

Othmar Vohringer Outdoors
Founding Member of Outdoor Bloggers Summit

Tags: British Columbia Fishing, Family Fishing Day, Nicola Valley fish and Game Club

Alouette Lake Fishing Derby

noreply@blogger.com (Othmar Vohringer) — Sat, 30 May 2009 19:08:00 +0000

© By Othmar Vohringer

I am a bit late with this event due to computer problems, but not to late for you to register to take part in this exiting event if you’re quick about it.

The Alouette Lake Fishing Derby is hosted by the Maple Ridge Chamber of Commerce and takes place on June 6th 2009.

Registration fee for singles is $50 and for families $110. It’s a huge event with vendors and fishing company representatives present. Registered derby participates are eligible to win $5,000 worth of prices for more information and registration visit the Maple Ridge Fishing Derby website.

Othmar Vohringer Outdoors
Founding Member of Outdoor Bloggers Summit

Tags: Fishing Derby, Alouette Lake, Maple Ridge

Canada lost one of its greatest anglers and conservantionists

noreply@blogger.com (Othmar Vohringer) — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 19:35:00 +0000

© By Othmar Vohringer

With sadness I report today the passing of Frank (Len) Rich, one of Canada’s most active outdoor enthusiasts and conservationist. Unfortunately, I was not able to get to know Len all that well before he passed away. Before I joined the Outdoor Writers of Canada (OWC) we exchanged a few emails and a couple of phone calls. It had been his enthusiasm about everything to do with fishing, the outdoors and writing, plus his tireless commitment to recruiting new outdoor writers that made me join the OWC.

Below I copied the official obituary released by the OWC. My heartfelt condolences go to Lens family and many friends in the outdoor community to whom he has given so richly and never asked for anything in return. The legacy he left behind will be carried on in his memory. May you rest in peace Len.

OBITUARY Len Rich 1938-2009

We regret to announce the death of Leonard Frank (Len) Rich on April 13, 2009, in North Bay, ON following a brief courageous battle with cancer. He was 71.

Len was born and raised in the small Upstate New York town of Whitehall. After eight years of US military service he settled in Newfoundland in 1966. His careers spanned more than four decades, from sales rep and sales manager to automotive dealer and entrepreneur in the field of tourism.

His greatest passions were fly fishing and writing and as a columnist, author and advocate for responsible stewardship he left a profound legacy, touching the lives of many throughout the writing and fly fishing worlds.

Len discovered and later developed a fly-in sportfishing lodge in Labrador he named Awesome Lake Lodge. He operated that business for 10 years before semi-retirement.

He authored several books, including Newfoundland Salmon Flies and how to tie them, Best of In The Woods, Fly Fishing Tips and Tactics, Rivers and Woods, So you want to be an outfitter, Memoirs of a fly fisher, Tales of Christmas (Editor), and his latest Bill Bennett: Pioneer Bush Pilot and Outfitter. He also wrote hundreds of magazine articles for various national and International publications.

During his careers he was employed by the Newfoundland government as Hunting & Fishing Development Officer and by the Atlantic Salmon Federation (ASF) as manager of Special Events. Len was also employed by Corona College in Grand Falls-Windsor as Director of Communications and Tourism Training. He and his late wife Ruby developed and operated businesses in Clarenville, NL, known as Whitehall Country Inn and The Grapevine. He was predeceased by Ruby in 2004.

He served three terms as President of the Labrador Outfitters Association and three terms as Eastern Director of the Outdoor Writers of Canada (OWC). An award winning writer, he was recognized by the New England Outdoor Writers Association and the Outdoor Writers of Canada for his books and articles and in 1991 received the coveted Canada Recreational Fisheries Award for “writing that influenced a generation of recreational fishers.” In 2007 he was selected to receive the OWC’s Jack Davis Mentorship Award for his work with up and coming writers. He led the OWC Mentorship Program and for a decade he hosted the Creative Writing forum on the Sympatico Internet site.

Throughout his adult life he made Newfoundland his home, but recently lived in Orangeville and North Bay, sharing his life and love with his partner Susan Buckle. He is survived by brothers Wayne, Shrewsbury, Vermont; Keith, Hoosick, NY; sister Dawn in Massachusetts; Susan and her children Cameron and Lianne Honeyborne; sons Len Jr. (Chantel) of Lewisporte, NL and Ken of Summerside, NL; daughters Lori (Tony) of Fort Nelson, BC, and Tammy of Summerside, NL; stepson Tony Blackmore and stepdaughter Roxane Bailey (Chris) of St. John’s, NL; and grandchildren Cassidy, Alicia, Evan, Tyson, Tyler, Mallory, Morgan, Rebecca, Daniel, Kennedy, and Andrew.

Funeral will be held in Clarenville, NL Saturday April 25 at Fewers Funeral Home, Clarenville. 709-467-2468. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Margaree Salmon Museum, NS. Margaree Centre, NS B0E 1Z0 or the charity of your choice.

Images courtesy of Outdoor Writers of Canada.

Othmar Vohringer Outdoors
Founding Member of Outdoor Bloggers Summit

Fishing on the Internet - Get Reeled

noreply@blogger.com (Othmar Vohringer) — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 16:47:00 +0000

© By Othmar Vohringer

For me the Internet is one of the greatest tools for searching news and making connections with other anglers around the world. As a writer and blogger the Internet permits me to network with other like-minded people and exchange experiences, tips and ideas.

My good blogging friend Mel Moore, writer of the Fishing Notebook, made me aware of a new angler networking website called GetReeled.com.

GetReeled.com brings fishers together from around the world. To join you have to sign up and create your own account. It’s free. Ones you have your own account you can join other members or join groups. It’s a great way to talk with other anglers that share the same interests as you do.

My home page at GetReeled.com can be viewed here and ones you joined the network we can engage in discussions about your favorite method of fishing or your favorite game fish species. We also can talk about the fishing school where I offer lessons for individuals and groups in Merritt, British Columbia.

If you’re, like me, a convinced Rapala lure user then you could join Mel’s Rapala’s Group like I did. We have some great discussions in that group about the effectiveness of using Rapala Lures for different fish species and different methods of fishing.

I invite you to come along and do some fishing on the Internet, it’s great fun and you always can learn something new.

Image courtesy of GetReeled.com

Othmar Vohringer Outdoors
Founding Member of Outdoor Bloggers Summit

Spring trout season has started

noreply@blogger.com (Othmar Vohringer) — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 04:17:00 +0000

© By Othmar Vohringer

It looks like spring in the Nicola Valley has finally arrived. The last few days the almost balmy weather made short work of the ice on the lakes, with exception of a few lakes at higher elevations the ice is all gone. If the warm weather keeps up these higher up lakes too will soon be ice free.

Fishermen, including me, have been waiting for what seems like a very to long time. With the spring arriving and the ice off the lakes it is time to dig out the fishing tackle box and put new line on the reel. My mind is drifting between going fishing and turkey hunting. The bears are still hibernating at the higher elevations where I hunt them, which is just as well otherwise I would be in a real dilemma with all the choices the spring offers to the outdoors person.

The other day I drove by the Nicola Lake - which is only a few driving minutes from our house - and darn it if I didn’t see a few rainbow trout, could have been kokanee’s too, jump. Arriving back home I hauled my fishing gear out of the winter storage, washed the boat and got everything else ready for the first fishing trip of the year.

In the spring trolling with small flashy spoons or weeding bands works great and so do pink and red plastic worms. Use a rod with a sensitive tip, as bites will be very light. Shore fishing on the Nicola Lake can be good too with a good old red and white ball bobber you will be able to reach further out. As lures go I always make sure I have a few Rapala’s in different colors and sizes in my lure box as back up. If all else fails out comes a Rapala and I am almost guaranteed to get action with these lures.

I am not a flyfisher but I have seen the first chironomids appear and that is the time, so flyfishers tell me, to make sure your fly box if sufficiently stocked with that type of flies. Black leeches with red flash, so I am told by one source, get bites too.

I am ready to go fishing and will head out with my boat right after I return from my turkey hunt.

Tight Linnes!

For information about my fishing lessons and hunting courses visit:
Othmar Vohringer Outdoors

New BC Freshwater Fishing Regulations are out

noreply@blogger.com (Othmar Vohringer) — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 19:36:00 +0000

© By Othmar Vohringer

A few days ago I had the pleasure to talk to Steve Maricle, one of the BC wildlife departments small lake biologists. During our conversation Steve told me how happy he is that he finally could convince our provincial government to simplify the Freshwater Fishing Synopsis. Steve like many others, me included, always felt that the old regulations were too complicated with 37 different regulations for each small lake. More confusing then enlightening.

Having traveled to quite a few places in North America to hunt and fish I always thought that the BC Fishing Synopsis, a magazine filling more then 100 pages, is without a doubt one of the most convoluted written regulations anywhere. Almost for each lake, river and stream there are different rules on fishing tackle, boat engine horsepower, retention limits among an array of other regulations.

Thankfully Steve worked very hard to simplify the regulation and as a result we have much simpler regulations for 2009 that can be read without the assistance of a lawyer and do not need to be consulted each time one fishes a different lake. The biggest problem with the old regulations was that they would put off new fishers simply because they could not make heads and tail off it without reading the regulations for hours at a time.

Among the new and simplified regulations are the small lake classifications. This alone is a huge improvement to the former system. Small lakes are now classified throughout the regionas:

SL-1 means that the daily retaining quota for char and trout is 2
SL-2 trout and char daily quota is 1, plus on these lakes only single barbless hooks can be used, plus winter closures and fish size restrictions are in place where required.
SL-3 trout and char daily quota is 2 plus bait ban and only single barbless hooks can be used. Winter closures if necessary.
SL-4 trout and char catch and release only, plus bait ban and single barbless hooks only. Seasonal closures if necessary.

Another new feature I like is that the ice fishing closures, previously dated, are now simplified with the remark. "If the ice is off you can fish". Before there was a date included but what if the ice was not off on that specific date. Where you still permitted to fish despite the ice fishing ban? The decision was left to the interpretation of the Conservation Officer. In the new regulation the ice fishing ban is lifted when the ice is off the lake at what ever date that might be. Much simpler and easier to understand and no interpretation need.

There are many other positive changes and most of these changes are aimed at making fishing in British Columbia simpler and above all unify the regulation throughout the regions. I for one am very glad Steve invested all the hard work and time to simplify the regulation and had the necessary stamina to convince the bureaucrats in the government, which probably was the toughest part.

Changes to Fishing License Sale

noreply@blogger.com (Othmar Vohringer) — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 02:32:00 +0000

© By Othmar Vohringer

I received the following news item in my email that will affect all fresh water fishers in British Columbia.

Members should be aware that as we go to press with this newsletter we have been advised that the Provincial Government has now ruled that the only way you can get a fishing license for the coming year, is over the internet.

Understand you will not be able to get your license as you normally would at the local sporting goods store. You either have to do this from your own computer, if you have one and an internet connection or find a friend or a commercial outlet that can provide you with internet access. To date we have been unable to find a dealing in Merritt who is willing to purchase a new computer, a printer, paper and ink and set this up in their place of business just to sell fishing licenses. So be forewarned!

Of course this action only makes sense to our government. They are spending our license funds and getting many of us involved in projects to increase participation in recreational fishing and increase license sales and then, naturally they go about making it as difficult as possible for anglers to obtain a license. This will mean, in this writers experience that not only will there not be more people buying licenses but many who now buy will no longer do so. The inmates have taken over the asylum!

Your current license expires on March 31st.

Bill Otway

I fully agree with Bill, when he says, “The inmates have taken over the asylum!”, only our glorious squirrel brained BC government could come up with such lunacy. We have had e-licensing for a number of years and it was a great idea in connection with over the counter licensing. British Columbia has still a lot of remote and rural areas with no access to the Internet or only with dial up access.

The government spent millions to make fishing more accessible but by taking the over the counter license purchase option away they make it extraordinary difficult for many to obtain a license. Add to that the fact that many fishing tackle and hunting stores, including some Canadian Tire and Wal-Marts, already announced that they would not invest in new computers, printers and software needed to provide e-licensing service to their customers. This new system will do nothing for fishing. I will make a bet with anyone that fishing license sells will go drastically down and poaching will sky rocket.

Othmar Vohringer Outdoors

Tags: BC. Fishing License, Fresh Water Fishing, Fishing in British Columbia

Merritt Ice Fishing Derby – Fun Times

noreply@blogger.com (Othmar Vohringer) — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 18:41:00 +0000

(Originally published in the Merritt Herald, January 14, 2009)

© By Othmar Vohringer

On Sunday, hundreds of fisherman, women and children ventured to Mammette Lake for a fun-filled day of ice fishing.
This was the 9th Annual Ice Fishing Derby organized by the Nicola Valley Fish & Game Club (NVFGC).

The weather was perfect with a blue sky and brilliant sunshine and by 10 a.m/ the lake was crowded with over 260 people. It was particularly encouraging to see so many children and families in attendance – proving the point that fishing truly is a sport to be enjoyed by the whole family.

Over the years the NVFGC ice fishing derby has become a traditional event with a solid reputation for good organization and generous money and goods prizes.

The event draws participants from Kamloops to Chilliwack and every community in between.

Over the course of the day a slow but steady number of fish arrived at the scale, and by 2:30 p.m., the official end of the derby, over 30 trout and coarse fish were weighed in. The numerous and varied derby prizes were generously provided by Merritt business owners.

During the event, two Conservation Officers were present handing out goodies to all the children. They also provided the concession tent for the event.

Merritt Search and Rescue Team generously provided a second tent, but due to the exceptionally nice weather it wasn’t set up as additional shelter.

The club provided free coffee, hot chocolate and donuts, and for the modest price of $1 hot dogs were available too.

An event of this proportion couldn’t go smoothly without all the fine people in the background volunteering their time and effort in organizing it. The many volunteers from the NVFGC made sure that this year’s ice fishing derby would be remembered by everybody who attended.

Mammette Lake is not known as a trophy fishing lake; but still, the fish that were weighed in were respectable.
The first prize in the children’s trout class weighed in at 2 and 3/8 lbs and second prize went to a young fisher with a beautiful 2 and 1/4 lbs rainbow trout.

The ladies didn’t do too shabby either with the first prize going to a woman with a 3 and 1/8 lbs rainbow that was followed by a 2 and 1/16 lbs trout.

The men didn’t hold back either with first trout prize weighing in at 3 and 11/16 lbs and second a close 3 and 3/8 lbs. In the coarse fish class, a monster sucker weighing a solid 4 and ¾ lbs won first place and second place came close with 4 and 5/8 lbs.

Other prizes included a hidden weight class, a 50/50 draw and many door prizes.

Images courtesy and copyright of Heidi Koehler Photography & Graphic Design

------------------------------------
As the chairman of the Ice Fishing Derby I would like to thank personally, and on behalf of the Nicola Valley Fish & Game Club, the many volunteers behind the scenes, to numerous to mention individually here, for their time and effort they spent to make this event possible and a memorable experience for everybody I also would like to that the local business for their generous donations of prizes and money. Without your continued support this event would not be possible on such a large scale.

ALPHA Welding Merritt
Grand Hotel, Merritt
LORDCO, Merritt
Merritt Machine Shop
Wal-Mart, Merritt
Black’s Pharmacy, Merritt
BC Hunter Handicraft
City Furniture, Merritt
Ponderosa Archery & Fishing Tackle, Merritt
Home Hardware Store
Western Classic Saddlery and Cowboy Wear. Merritt
Mc Donalds Auto Wreckers, Merritt
Powder Keg Outdoor sporting Goods Store, Merritt
Cooper’s Food Stores, Merritt
Canadian Tire, Merritt
Tim Horton’s, Merritt
Merritt Printers
Nicola Chainsaw, Merritt
Nicola Sports, Merritt

Othmar Vohringer
Ice Fishing Derby Chairman of the Nicola Valley Fish & Game Club

Tactics and lures for ice fishing

noreply@blogger.com (Othmar Vohringer) — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 04:29:00 +0000

© By Othmar Vohringer

The recent weeks have kept me quite busy getting the annual Ice Fishing Derby in Merritt, BC organized. Yesterday I filmed a public announcement for the Fishing Derby that is aired daily on Shaw Channel 10 broadcast in the Merritt Thomson area. All this activity had me thinking more then usual of ice fishing. The truth is that I am more a summertime fisher while the spring, fall and winter are my hunting seasons.

In response to the Ice Fishing Derby I received quite a few emails from people asking me all kind of questions, from what to bring to how to fish on the ice. In an earlier article here on the BC Fishing blog I addressed ice fishing safety and other useful tips.

In this article we will look at tactics and lures that work well on trout and other fish commonly fished at Mamette Lake, where the Derby will be held. The Mammette Lake, despite its size, is quite shallow with a maximum depth of only 14 meters (45 ft.). The lake offers fair fishing with the main species being trout and burbot. All burbot have to be released. The average trout are around 0.5 kg (1 lb) but can reach up to 2kg. (5 lb.). The larger fish are in the deeper areas to the northeast of the lake.

Tackle
Ice fishing tackle can be simple, from a small sensitive ice fishing rod to simply holding the fishing line in your hands. The important aspect here is that you can feel the fish. In the winter fish are not nearly as aggressive as in the summer. This means that you often will not feel when a fish takes the bait with normal fishing tackle.

The Hole
The size of the hole in the ice depends largely on the fish you’re after. For trout and trout sized fish an auger with a 12 cm ( 5”) to 15cm (6”) diameter will do just fine. What type of auger you use is up to you. A gas driven auger is faster and requires less strength but they are expensive. A manually operated auger requires strength and takes a little longer to drill through the ice but at around 50 to 60 dollars they are affordable.

Fishing Tactics
Fishing through a small hole in the ice does not leave you with many options in tactics. One tactic that can work very well is what I call “bouncing”. I let the lure or bait sink quickly to the bottom of the lake where it will "bounce" off the bottom. The noise this creates can attract predatory fish that are by nature very curious. This tactic also works by letting the lure or bait bounce off submerged structures, such as wooden logs and rocks. Once the lure is bounced I generally let it sit for a while before I retrieve it slowly in a twitching motion. The twitching imitates a live food source and that might be all that is needed to get a lethargic fish to move in and take the lure.

Another very successful method is jigging. Jigging a lure gives the impression of an injured baitfish. For this I let the lure sink to the depth to where the fish are and then retrieve the lure quickly a few inches, then let it sink again and retrieve again. This makes the lure move in a erratic pattern to which predatory fish are attracted.

Lures
Predatory fish are attracted to two things. Sparkle and noise. Spoons like the Bay de noc Swedish Pimple or any of the many quality spoons made by Gibbs Fishing Lures in British Columbia. Other lures that work well are things like the wedding band and other sparklers. Jigging lures with plastics or real bait are an old and reliable ice fishing lure and should have a permanent place in any ice fishing tackle box. Of course, I keep always one or two of my favorite Rapala Lures handy and that is no different when I go ice fishing. Rapala’s Jigging Shad Rap or Jigging Rap are always close at hand on the ice. If the truth be known, I rather would forget my rod at home then go fishing without a Rapala lure in my tackle box. For me, if nothing works, Rapala always came through and saved the day.

Hope to see you all at the Merritt Ice Fishing Derby on January 18 until then, Tight Lines...and don't forget to have fun!

Othmar Vohringer Outdoors
Founding Member of Outdoor Bloggers Summit

Ice Fishing Derby

noreply@blogger.com (Othmar Vohringer) — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 04:56:00 +0000

Nicola Valley Fish & Game Club, Merritt British Columbia, Canada

Annual Ice Fishing Derby

January 18th, 2009
8:00 am to 2:00pm

Mammette Lake

Entry Fees:
$15 per person or $30 per family

Generous Cash Prizes for 1st & 2nd place in Adult and Children’s Class
Including Trout and Coarse fish.
Hidden weight prizes for Trout and Coarse fish
Plus other draw prizes available

Each registration will be limited to one line
Derby date subject to safe ice conditions
All participation is at your own risk

Hot Dogs will be available

FREE Hot Chocolate and Coffee

Tickets are available at Ponderosa Fish and Game Shop in Merritt and
Powder Keg Outdoor Sports Shop in Merritt

Nicola Valley Fish & Game Club - Ice Fishing Derby Chairman; Othmar Vohringer

For more information contact Othmar Vohringer at: atacov@yahoo.ca

Othmar Vohringer Outdoors
Founding Member of Outdoor Bloggers Summit

Tags: Merritt, British Columbia, Ice Fishing Derby

New Website Launched

noreply@blogger.com (Othmar Vohringer) — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 22:06:00 +0000

Some of my readers and fellow bloggers may have started to wonder about my lack of posting and answering comments made on my blogs.

I am still here and I haven’t abandoned my blogs or my blogging friends. It’s just that over the past few weeks I have been incredibly busy. The hunting season comes to a close on December 10 and I still have not connected with the buck I want. If I didn’t hunt I have been sitting in the office planning for next year and get things rolling in the right direction.

The lion share of the time, however, was spent on getting my website finally ready to be launched. I started the basic design two years ago but each time I looked at it I didn’t like something and changed it. Then in the last two months I completely redesigned everything from the ground up and today I am pleased to announce that OthmarVohringer.comhas been successfully launched. There are still a few minor changes and some editing to be made but the bulk of it up and running.

At this point it is appropriate to say a big thank you to my wife for putting up with my frustrations – me and modern technology do not go along well -, for her continues artistic input, ideas and inspiration but also for the many hours spent editing and proofreading all the text that still continuous to this day. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, without you this website never have turned out the way I envisioned it.

The website will provide information of my many services to the hunting industry. Naturally there is also a lot of information for hunters too in form of articles, tips, product reviews and much more. I believe with OthmarVohringer.com I have created a well-rounded information source for everybody within our large hunting community.

Take a minute or two and check the website and let me know what you think. I also welcome any suggestions you may have. If you would like to help me in spreading the news about the website please feel free to go to “Press Releases” and download the official media release and a picture of your choice, or link back to this article on your blogs. Thank you!

Tags: Website Launch, Othmar Vohringer Outdoors, Smart Hunting Strategies, Press Release, News

Ice Fishing Tips

noreply@blogger.com (Othmar Vohringer) — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 04:03:00 +0000

© By Othmar Vohringer

The winter is coming. The first nights of frost have been a clear indication of winter’s imminent approach. Around here many fishers look forward to the day when the lakes are frozen over. Ice fishing is a big sport in Canada, maybe not as big as Ice hockey but close.

Ice fishing is great fun for the whole family. If you haven’t tried it yet you should and by observing a few common sense tips ice fishing is a safe and very safe activity.

1. Before you leave, tell someone where you are going and when you plan to return. Survival experts suggest that if you are not back by that time, the person should call for help.

2. Leave your car on shore. According to statistic, 68 percent of ice fatalities in involve a vehicle. Ice must be much thicker and more stable to support the weight of a car or truck, or even a snowmobile.

3. Make sure there are at least 4 inches of clear, solid ice, with no open water or melting ice near shore. Open water and melting indicate unsafe ice. Carry an ice spud or chisel to check the thickness of the ice as you proceed.

4. Always go fishing with a companion.

5. Always wear a lifejacket on the ice and carry some clothing (a jacket, pants and a pair of socks) in a watertight container or plastic bag. Should you fall into the water it is important to get out of the wet clothing and quickly into dry clothing. In very clod weather and wearing wet clothing it only takes minutes for hypothermia to set in.

6. Carry two ice picks, handspikes, or screwdrivers tied together with cord so that you can pull yourself out if you do fall in.

7. Carry an 8 to 10 feet rope as a safety line to drag your buddy out if necessary.

8. Carry a cell phone to call for assistance.

9. Carry flares or an emergency signal marker so that you can be seen if you need to be rescued in a storm. Other storm survival equipment includes chemical hand warmers, flashlight and batteries, chemical light sticks, compass, reflective "space" blankets, portable camp stove with fuel, pocket knife or pocket tool, and matches or a lighter.

10. Dress appropriately in several layers. Ice fishing is a passive activity and the wind on an open lake adds to the cold. Once you on the location build some form of wind shelter with a simple tarp or a commercial ice fishing shack.

11. Bring along a snack consisting of chocolate and other high calorie foods to fuel your body. A thermos with hot coffee or tee will help too to warm you up. Alcohol, the old standby, is not recommended. While alcohol will warm you up it is only temporarily before you will feel even colder as the alcohol opens the pores on the skin and lets body warmth escape.

Tight Lines...and don't forget to have fun!

Tags: Ice Fishing Tips, BC Fishing, Ice Fishing Safety Tips

The Rapala lures did it again

noreply@blogger.com (Othmar Vohringer) — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 05:37:00 +0000

© By Othmar Vohringer

Anybody that is reading this blog for a while knows by now that I am an advocate of artificial lures, spoons and of course Rapala lures.

I dislike the mess natural bait makes and the attention natural lure and bait needs. But I also believe, based on my experience, that in many cases artificial lures, spoons and such are far superior for catching fish.

Of course not all artificial lures are equal, much of what works depends what the fish prefer. Around here fishers bet on weeding bands, silver spoons and rooster tails to catch rainbows. No matter who you ask, even the pros, will tell you that you must use one of the above if it’s rainbows you want to hook.

Not one to ignore advice of local fishers I tried different colors of wedding bands on Sunday on the Nicola Lake. After a half hour I still waited for action. Then I changed to different spoons and finally tried rooster tails and still nothing.

That is about the time where most fishers would give up and go home. But not me. The previous day I hunted waterfowl on that lake and it was cold. So cold that there was a thin layer of ice on the water surface along the shoreline. Rainbows get hungry as soon as the temperature drops and judging on the jumping fish everywhere on the lake, they where very hungry.

Instead of going home I gave it one more try with my secret weapon. The Rapala lure. Remembering well that Rapala’s saved the day when I took my wife Heidi on her first fishing trip.

For the first ten minutes I had no action and I assumed it was because the only Rapala lure I had on me was not a deep diver. I quickly remedied that by adding a small lead sinker to the line. Within five minutes of making this small adjustment to get the lure deeper under the water surface I had the first bite, a nice medium sized rainbow. On the second cast I had another bite the moment the lure hit the water surface but I lost the fish. On the third cast I reeled another trout in and on the fourth cast I hooked an absolute monster rainbow. It might very well be the biggest rainbow I ever caught.

This one put up a very good fight and at times I worried that the monster could breake the line. It took me over ten minutes to land that giant rainbow. The fish was so eager to take the Rapala that it swallowed the lure all the way down with the two treble hooks. At home I measured the monster at exactly one and half foot long and it weighed cleaned out still just a hair under four pounds.

Once again the Rapala did what I was expecting it do where every other lure failed. I have been using Rapala lures for many years and I am continually amazed how well they work on most fish species. Sure I use other lures too but the Rapala remains my secret weapon in the fishing tackle box.

Nicola Lake, Rapala Lures, Trout Fishing, Trophy Rainbow Trout