Honey! I’m going out for some milk!

You know what I’m talking about. You have a list of things you need to get at the grocery store and when you get there, for whatever reason (sales, hunger, tiredness), you come home with much more than what was on the list. Sometimes you don’t get everything on the list. Sometimes you come home with something that’s better than what was on the list…

Partly due to a bit more free time, I’ve been a bit more determined to get some fish in the freezer this summer/fall. I didn’t fish much early in the summer (Chinook) due to work and developing giant blisters on my toes.

However, I went out for sockeye at the Babine weir the day after it opened. There were three of us and we caught our limit (2 each) in about 3 hours (Note to DR and OB: heavier sink tip required). Some of the results were consumed at our second wedding anniversary. We cooked it on cedar planks with a lemon/maple syrup marinade accompanied by a scotch/maple syrup glaze. I even used some of our coveted, preciously little homemade syrup.

With sockeye checked off my list, I turned my attention to coho. My buddy, Eric, and I decided on a somewhat secretive spot on the Bulkley; about 20 minutes from our house. After getting turned around in dense alder for an hour or so, we found it and before I even put my line in the water I spooked a half dead pink resting in the shallows. A good omen? However, after a few hours we only caught a few bull trout and a white fish. Not quite on the list, but they would do for a night’s meal. As Eric was gutting one of his bull trout, I went back to tossing flies. Although we hadn’t seen any coho, I was at least happy that my casting had improved since last year. Just as those thoughts were going through my head, I felt a gentle tug on the line. This was followed by a much stronger pull. Fish on! 

It was all a bit of a blur, but I remember some acrobatics and one big mad dash downstream as I was forced to palm the reel. I eventually worked it closer to shore and I could see the blue-tinged fins on what appeared to be a good-sized coho. Now, you have to remember, I was focused on catching coho that day. It was a good spot for coho and it was the next item on my salmon shopping list. Besides, I was trying to fill a freezer here. However, once we got the fish into the net, it was quite clear that I had grabbed the wrong item off the shelf. This was a steelhead. Fucking, eh.

Notes:

•  I have to thank Oliver for leaving me a TON of flies down here in April. They have produced and I’m going to reclaim some of craft corner for man crafts this winter. Also, Oliver. You might want to tie a few more of these for your next trip down here.

• Alana’s first reaction was: “What!?! We can’t eat that!” I guess I’ll have to go back and try again.

Update: So, I did try again. Actually, last night after dinner and… another steelhead. Looks like we’re going hungry this winter.