Just another average South River sunset!
This little bass tailwalked (jumped) 2 or 3 times.
On the Canada Day long weekend I travelled up north to visit family and friends in the North Bay area, Parry Sound, and Collingwood. I had originally intended to do all this on the Victoria Day long weekend, but my plans were sidelined at that time. Besides, bass season was not yet open! On Friday night I went fishing out of the village of South River with my brother Nate and my nephew Cliff. We were out for an hour and caught 3 little smallmouths, (Nate 2, me 1), and Cliff did a great job netting them. All of them were released to fight another day.
Success at last!
I landed a nice little 15" smallmouth bass. Up to this point, last summer and earlier this year, Nathan had caught all the fish. I like to fiddle with my camera while I'm boating, but I also like to fish! It provides a bit of a conumdrum sometimes-shoot a great sunset or osprey photo, or catch a big fish?-but I have pretty good results. This one took a red and white popper on the surface. You work the lure so that it pushes water like a snowplow, creating a splash and a popping sound that trick bass and pike into thinking that it is a delectable frog, bird, or mouse!
Bananas the bearded dragon.
This is my nephew's bearded dragon, Bananas. It is quite the critter. It is about 22 inches long, but only weighs a pound or so. One of the friendliest and best reptiles to keep in captivity, it eats mainly lettuce, but also live crickets. It resides in Cliffy's room on top of his dresser in a homebuilt terrarium. The ceramic tiles don't just look nice, they make it easier to keep the terrarium clean. There is also a log, a cave, and a heat lamp. Bananas comes out of the cage once a day and enjoys time with the family-without the dogs around!
On Friday I went up to North Bay. I went to Canadore College, and still have a few great friends and many acquaintances in the area. I had lunch with a pal from my college days, and for some reason I was hoping to dine on fresh fish from Lake Nipissing. We ended up at Tek's Seafood Restaurant, a North Bay institution, and I got my wish, with pan-fried pickerel from the lake, a ten minute walk from the restaurant. On the way home I visited an aunt and uncle in Powassan, and then Nathan, Cliff and I went fishing for an hour under another routinely brilliant northern Ontario sunset. Saturday morning I took the back roads to a village east of North Bay for a pancake breakfast with friends, who are headed overseas next month. They have 4 wonderful little boys, so breakfast was both excellent and very entertaining!
Bambi has it good!
On Saturday afternoon I returned to South River, saw a little bit of the
smash-up derby which was part of the Canada Day festivities, and headed for Parry Sound. I nearly hit a white-tail deer at the top of my friends driveway. Turns out this doe is practically the neighbourhood pet.
smash-up derby which was part of the Canada Day festivities, and headed for Parry Sound. I nearly hit a white-tail deer at the top of my friends driveway. Turns out this doe is practically the neighbourhood pet.
A nice, healthy northern pike...
I used to live in Parry Sound, and I remained in touch with a family who have become excellent friends over the years. Brent and I went fishing on their lake in his little 10' duck boat, which gets crowded with 2 6' tall men in it! Trolling around the lake we stopped to do some topwater fishing for bass. Brent hadn't done much of that, and after a few casts he saw a fish swim by his popper. Then it hit, and turns out it was a nice little pike, that happily went back into the drink.
LUNCH!!!
We went back to trolling. Brent caught another nice little pike on a regular perch coloured Rapala. Finally, out of frustration more than else, I put on a funny looking original floating Rapala in a clown finish. Wham! A nice 26" 3 lb pike hit. Sunday's lunch! Gotta hand it to the old Rapala minnowbait-they sure work! We filleted it for Sunday lunch, and we found no bones in any of the fillets. So, after church, we had fresh fish, chicken, salad, and one of the best desserts I have ever had, a homemade frozen blueberry treat. Combined with great fellowship and wonderful fishing and swimming, my time in Parry Sound was very enjoyable.
After lunch I headed for Collingwood, for a backyard barbeque with friends that
I met a few years ago at a Canadian Bible Society Bike For Bibles event. Other
friends of theirs were also there, and I had met them a couple times previously, so we had
a good visit, and an excellent barbeque. Saw a tiger swallowtail butterfly flit
through the nice backyard, too.
I met a few years ago at a Canadian Bible Society Bike For Bibles event. Other
friends of theirs were also there, and I had met them a couple times previously, so we had
a good visit, and an excellent barbeque. Saw a tiger swallowtail butterfly flit
through the nice backyard, too.
The view along the Niagara Escarpment near Collingwood.
By the time I left for Kitchener the sun was well into the western sky, which made for a beautiful drive home along the Niagara Escarpment, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In a little over 3 days, I covered 1135 km, visited 4 friends (and their families) who are the definition of hospitable, visited an Aunt and Uncle in Powassan, also very hospitable, and hung out with my niece and nephew and their parents, who kindly hosted me for 2 nights and sent me home with a big jar of fabulous strawberry jam from Becker's Strawberry Patch in Nipissing that my sister-in-law made. And my other brother and his wife came up to South River for a day, so it was great to see them at the derby. I had planned to do all these things on the May long weekend, but my plans were derailed at that time, so I was glad to see everyone in July instead!
Sometimes, life is just this simple...
Remember, a good way to escape this rather hot and dry summer is to go for a
walk on a shady trail. Or go swimming! Don't forget to drink lots of water in
this weather, either.
Until my next dispatch...
Uncle Travelling Dan
walk on a shady trail. Or go swimming! Don't forget to drink lots of water in
this weather, either.
Until my next dispatch...
Uncle Travelling Dan
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