JULY 16-21
JULY 16-21
BRITISH COLUMBIA'S TWEEDSMUIR PROVINCIAL PARK WAS THE DESTINATION OF OUR INTREPID GROUP OF THIRTEEN FLY FISHERMEN. EIGHT OF US ARE MEMBERS OF DIABLO VALLEY FLY FISHERMEN, THE OTHER FIVE ARE FRIENDS AND FISHING ACQUAINTANCES.
WITHIN TWEEDSMUIR PARK, THERE ARE NO ROADS AND ONLY ONE FACILITY, REDFERN RIVER LODGE, WHICH OUR GROUP TOOK OVER IN ITS ENTIRETY. THIS WAS MY FOURTH TRIP TO REDFERN AND I ESPECIALLY LOOKED FORWARD TO INTRODUCING MY FRIENDS TO THE FABULOUS DRY FLY FISHING IN THE WATERS OF THE PARK. FOR A PERSPECTIVE, TWEEDSMUIR IS TWICE THE SIZE OF YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK HERE IN THE USA. IT WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1938 AND REMAINS VIRTUALLY UNCHANGED AND ATTRACTS ANGLERS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD WITH ITS REMOTE BEAUTY AND PHENOMENAL RIVER AND LAKE FISHING. IMAGINE FISHING, HIKING, BOATING OR FLYING IN NATURE WITHOUT SEEING A SINGLE ROAD! NOW THAT'S THE REAL WILDERNESS FISHING EXPERIENCE AND THAT'S WHY WE WERE THERE. ONE RIVER WE FISHED, THE CHELASLIE, HAD ONLY SEEN EIGHT FISHERMEN THIS YEAR BEFORE OUR ARRIVAL.
THE CHOICE OF WATERS TO FISH ARE NUMEROUS, AND ENCOMPASS LAKES OF VARYING SIZES AND STREAMS AND RIVERS OF EVERY TYPE AND SIZE. THE PREMIER WATER, REDFERN RAPIDS, IS THE OUTLET RIVER OF EUTSUK LAKE AND MAY BE WADED OR FLOATED IN PONTOON BOATS FOR ITS SIX MILE LENGTH. ALL OF THESE WATERS CONTAIN NATIVE RAINBOW TROUT THAT ARE MOST WILLING TO ATTACK A DRY FLY. IT IS EASY TO HAVE FIFTY FISH DAYS, WITH MANY OF THESE IN THE 16-18 INCH RANGE AND SOME UP TO 22-24 INCHES.
HOWEVER, THE FISHING AND BEAUTY ARE NOT THE ONLY ATTRACTIONS OF REDFERN. THE LODGE ITSELF IS A SPECTACULAR THREE STORY LOG STRUCTURE, WITH ROOM FOR FOURTEEN GUESTS IN FIRST CLASS ARRANGEMENTS. THE DINNERS WOULD SHAME MANY FOUR STAR RESTAURANTS. AMONG OUR CHOICES WERE, RIB-EYE STEAK, RACK OF LAMB, HALIBUT, SALMON AND OSSO BUCO, THEN FINISHED WITH SCRUMPTIOUS DESSERTS. NEEDLESS TO SAY, WE ATE WELL!
I'M GOING TO DEPART A LITTLE FROM MY USUAL PAGE FORMAT, AND ARRANGE THIS PAGE INTO THREE PARTS. THE PLACE, THE PEOPLE AND THE PHISHING. HOPE YOU LIKE IT!
i WISH TO THANK WAYNE HOFER, KIT KOHLER AND CRAIG MCMULLEN FOR THE PHOTOS THEY CONTRIBUTED TO THIS PAGE!
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"ANY MAN WHO PITS HIS
John Steinbeck |
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TWEEDSMUIR PARK THE FOLLOWING PICTURES DO NOT DO JUSTICE TO THE BEAUTY OF THE PARK AND ITS SURROUNDINGS |
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| DEPLANING AT ANAHIM LAKE | ARRIVING REDFERN | THE LODGE |
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| PONDOSY LAKE AND THE STADIUM | END OF REDFERN FLOAT | THE BOAT DOCK |
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| OUR WATER TAXI | MOUNTAINS UPCLOSE | SIGUTLET RIVER |
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| FLY TYING TABLE | DINNER SCENE | OSSO BUCO, WE ATE WELL |
| OUR GROUP FOR SOME IT WAS A RETURN TRIP, BUT FOR MOST THEIR FIRST TIME AT REDFERN |
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| ON OUR WAY | JAN HORN & KIT KOHLER | KIT, SCOTT, GRAHAM & I |
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| IAN, ME, GRAHAM, JIM & BOB MARKSTEIN | BOB KESTNER | JIM, STACY (Guide) & WAYNE |
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| GIL MERCKEL | I MADE THE PUTT | JIM MCCOMBS | GRAHAM COVINGTON |
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| DIABLO VALLEY FLY FISHERMEN | ALL THIRTEEN OF US |
| THE PHISHING THE NUMBERS OF NICE RAINBOWS CAUGHT WAS STAGGERING, WITH THE CHELASLIE AND THE SIGUTLET RIVERS YIELDING WELL OVER FIFTY FISH PER PERSON, PER DAY. ON DRY FLIES! |
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| WAYNE HOFER | SCOTT WITH ONE ON | ME ON THE SIGUTLET | GRAHAM BRINGING ONE IN |
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| JAN WITH WIILACHUCH RAINBOW | CRAIG AND REDFERN FISH | IAN'S BIG ONE |
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| REDFERN RAINBOW | KIT ON THE SIGUTLET | NOTE THE YELLOW TAG ON THE FISH |
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| SIGUTLET RAINBOW | LUNCH BREAK ON THE CHELASLIE | AFTER THE FISHING |
ANOTHER WONDERFUL ADVENTURE CHASING TROUT WITH A FLY ROD !
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