The one I was after
by
Jeff Hutchings

“How's the trout?” I asked as I hopped down off the grassy bank to the beach at a familiar sea trouting spot in Conception Bay South.

“There's a few around,” Tom Greenslade grinned as he took his eyes off the water for a moment and looked my way.

“Well, have you got your supper yet?” I pried.

Tom grinned again and nodded toward a spot of flat rocks on the beach behind him where one of his rods was laid. “Oh, yes, I got my supper.”

Along the shore, he is considered to be in the know when it comes to sea-run brown trout. He knows what is being caught where, what they are being caught on and, like a true sportsman, is never reluctant to offer what he is using that is bringing him luck.

Stretched across the biggest rock was a shiny, fattened sea trout, about 22 inches in length...

A simple and rewarding pleasure
by
Gord Follett

I believe it was the mid-’60s when Dad took me on my first “troutin’” trip. Not one iota about the actual fishing can I recall, but I do remember being on his shoulders on the way back out the trail as he and a couple of buddies sang “Gonna tie my dickie to a tree, to a tree.” Funny how certain, seemingly insignificant things at the time, stick in your mind for decades; almost five now, in fact.

While we’ve been on more than a few hunting trips over the years, Dad and I haven’t fished much together since then - although I’m hoping for at least a day-trip this summer - but what I’m getting at here is that taking a son, daughter or some other relative fishing at an early age can quite naturally ingrain in them a love for one of life’s most simple and rewarding pleasures.

So many times since then as a teen I bummed a ride to some/any pond along the Southern Shore to “flick” for a few trout. Then, when I got my own vehicle in the mid-to-late ‘70s, I’d often head out alone across the TCH to try a few of what I thought were my own “secret” spots. But hey, I did catch a few “muds” most of the time, and to this day one of my favourite meals is a feed of pan-sized trout, rolled in flour, salt and pepper and fried in a pan of sizzling butter...

The 'Nimbus'
by
Jeff Piercey

With only a few hours of daylight remaining, we hastily grabbed our gear and headed for the bridge to access the situation. The river appeared to be a little on the high side, but overall conditions looked great.

Looking upriver, we could see a couple of anglers up at the Beaches, but surprisingly Heber's Pool was vacant. Downriver there were a couple of anglers at Hanlon's Rock, but nobody beyond. Having only gotten off the ferry a few hours prior, this trip to the river was more about reconnaissance than anything else; to devise a plan for the morning we told the rest of the boys who had opted to stay back at the Oceanview Resort and relax after a full day of travel.

Truth be known, though, Harry and I just couldn't wait to once again wet a line on the mighty Pinware River in Labrador. Harry headed downriver towards Split Rock, a pool that we call Frank's Rock, while I decided to give Heber's Pool a shot...

The fabled Flowers River
by
Rob Solo

It was almost a year to the day that the owner of Flowers River Lodge asked me to guide with him for the summer. We had met last April at the “Irish wake” of a dear friend and, naturally, the topic of fishing came up. When Jim Burton asked me to guide for him the past summer, it was a no-brainer; I accepted immediately!

After a month-and-a-half guiding for brook trout at his Igloo Lake camp, I was now going back to the river I had identified two years previous as the “jewel” of Labrador rivers. It would also give me a better idea of how to assess that river over the course of a full season.

Last salmon season was an anomaly when compared to previous seasons in Labrador. A lack of snow throughout the winter and an early, hot spring, signaled an early start to the salmon run Where the first runs of salmon usually enter the Flowers around the latter part of the second week of July, there were fish spotted leaping in front of the lodge on June 26th. It was certainly shaping up to be an early start to the season...

Soul food
by
Derek Brace

When you enter the little town of Glover’s Harbour, nestled in a corner of Notre Dame Bay, your first inclination is to stop and take it all in. A hidden jewel, as picturesque as any community on the island, it is probably best known for the giant squid, which was landed nearby in 1878. The 55-foot monster is the focal point of the interpretation centre in the middle of the town. A life-sized replica of the sea creature attracts thousands of visitors each summer.

If you drove into Glover’s Harbour early on the morning of July 29, last summer, you might have wondered where in the world the town had disappeared. The fog was so thick you could barely hear the radio! It was the second week of the recreational cod fishery and the first opportunity for me to get out on the water. Some of my family was staying with us for a few days at our cabin in Western Arm. Father Sidney and brother-in-law Warren were hoping to get in some serious salmon fishing as well as a day after the cod if the weather co-operated...

Avoiding 'the skunk'
by
Jamie Pike

The Humber River; world renowned fly fishing for Atlantic Salmon routinely tipping the scales at 30-plus pounds. Tens of thousands of eager silver bullets awaiting the angler at Hospital Pool, Cabin Pool, Boom Siding, Brook Pool and many other popular locations on the river.

I have been quite interested in making a trip to the west coast of our beautiful province to try my luck at one of these Humber monster salmon, and 2012 was going to be my first crack at them. When time came for me to pick my holiday schedule at work, I had a look at what was available, and to my surprise I was able to snatch up some prime fishing time from June 18-July 13.

Historically, some of the best fishing to be had is during the last week of June and the first two weeks of July. The big runs of salmon are under way, the rivers are usually flowing well after June rain showers and the salmon are active. Bring it on...