The Joy of Fly Fishing in New Brunswick

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I have lost 60 pounds since my last purchase of fishing waders so I kinda just float in my old waders. Plus they have seen better days.

The multiple patches make them look like I got caught in a cross fire.

My felt bottomed fishing boots basically have no felt or bottoms any more so they gotta go as well.  Duct tape worked to hold them together for the last couple of trips but now they are just gone.

I have always been one to wear things until they have paid for themselves. I guess it’s the mentality of being broke through my entire youth. No one seemed to mind when it was my blue jeans but my fishing buddies just can’t stand to see my waders and boots any longer.

I read a post earlier today on the FlyFishing Fanatic’s website about using throat pumps on fish and then later in the day I was watching SFOTF and as Brian Chan, the king of Chironomid fishing, was using a throat pump on trout. It made think that perhaps I should have my own post on throat pumps.

I have seen people murder the poor fish as they cram the pump in their mouth and down their throat right into their stomach. A few tips can avoid this.
I have watched Brian Chan use a throat pump dozens of times and it’s an important skill that every fly fisher should learn to do correctly. I have learned from watching SFOTF is why and how to use a throat pump on a fish. I know how to do it correctly now thanks to Brian Chan, the king of Chironomid fishing.

Why use a throat pump in the first place?

You can scan the water and turn over rocks to see what is available to the fish at any given time but it doesn’t mean that’s what the fish are feeding on. This is where a good throat pump will come in handy but it has to be done correctly or you will cause harm or even death to the fish.

How to use a throat pump on fish.

Take a minute and think about someone sticking a throat pump down your throat. What precautions would you want them to take?

Before the main points start I feel that I should mention, because so many forget, wet your hands before you touch your fish.

1. Don’t use a throat pump if your fish is smaller than 12-14 inches or 30-35cm. Always keep the safety of the fish in mind.

2. Make sure that your pump isn’t damage and that it has no burrs that could harm the fish.

3. Put your pump in the water and so it’s wet.

4. Squeeze the pump and hold it. Then gently slide the pump into the throat, not the stomach, of your fish. Be careful not to enter the stomach.

5. Once in the throat you can slowly release the pressure on the pump bulb and then you can remove the pump with the same care you used putting the pump in.

At this point you are done with your helpful fish so give it a little kiss and a thank you and release the fish.

Having a glass container to put the contents in will allow you to see them a lot better than just putting them in your hand. For this reason I carry a little vial with a cap on it.

Now you can see what your fish has been seeing and eating.

Time to change up that fly I guess.

If you are looking for great prices on flies and don’t have the time to tie your own look at our fly fishing supply site.

After my heart attack I started walking. I was only able to walk 3 minutes the first time and was really scared to death to leave the house but I did it.

The next day I walked a few more minutes and kept doing that until I was up to 30 minutes a day. It took me a bit longer but I eventually reached 40 minutes and at that time I requested a stress test as it was the only way I was ever going to get the okay to go fishing again.

Well we lined up the stress test and when I arrived I noticed the wall where the treadmill was was a huge scene of a river that I am sure I saw a salmon or two jump while I was being tested.

Even though the scene was inspiring and I was willing to go until I dropped the heart specialist stopped the test mid-way. I just was ready to push the limits.

That was another year of no fishing for Jimmy. Bummer, to day the least.

I continued walking and change the area I walked to one that was more hilly. Wow, what a workout.

The next time I went for my stress test I passed with flying colors but by then we were broke because I could no longer work so I still didn’t get fishing that year. Another bummer but if we can’t afford to do other things as a family I don’t feel right about going fishing. So I stayed home, all summer and fall.

Now it’s four years later and I have make a living on the internet now and I am ready to go fishing, but…

… today I went for my first walk since the snow and ice started. I can’t go outside if the weather is too far below zero. My muscles lock up and I just can’t function.

Well long story short, my legs need more walking. I’m exhausted but I feel great. A week or two of walking again and I will be ready for a day on the water with my wife’s blessing as well and my doctors.

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Twenty years ago I literally lived a stones through from this fishing spot. It was right in our backyard, our property went 32 feet right out into the lake.

Other than on a fishing trip in northern Quebec I haven’t fished for northern pike for more than 30 years now. I really only miss fishing in Ontario when I think of the great pike and muskie.

We don’t have the pike here but we do have the chain pickerel. They may not grow to the 48 inch toothy monsters that we grew in Ontario but I still find a 26 inch pickerel quite the experience.

My favorite fishing buddy Roland still has the record for the largest pickerel we have caught, at 26 inches. 24 inches is my record but he is going down this year. He just doesn’t know it yet.

Our first pickerel spots are about an hour’s drive giving us time to recall the great experiences we have had fishing pickerel but as we draw ever closer there is always a silence. I know that I am planning how I will kick my buddies butt and I am sure they are thinking the same thing.

Fishing in New Brunswick is awesome and the pickerel is just one of the species we fish from the float tube.

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So you have decided that you want to learn to fish. There are several ways of learning, the hardest being trial and error. It would be best to find an instructor for one-on-one lessons. A couple of my fishing buddies never fished until they met me and now they are every bit as hooked on fishing as I am.

Learning the things that will make your fishing experience one you want to remember is key.

1. Buy Sea-Sickness Medication. I have had motion sickness my entire life but I don’t let that hold me back. My advice is to buy sea-sickness medication. If you don’t need it who cares, but if you do and you don’t have it, well trust me it’s no fun.

NOTE: When I take sea sickness meds they knock me out cold, so I take one before going to bed, another when I wake up so my body gets adjusted to them and then I take another before hopping on the boat.

2. Buy a Reference Book. A lot of good books are available at your bookstores and online. The book should give you instructions as well as terms and definitions. Some things you may not immediately understand but you should know anyway. Learn how to tie different kinds of knots. This knowledge will be invaluable for other purposes throughout your life.

3. Give Group Fishing on a Boat A Try. There are party boats that carry from fifteen to as many as sixty anglers. The boat provides everything like bait, rod, reel, sinkers and hooks. They assist you in fishing and take the fish off the hook for you. Mates will spot you and will generally stay close to assist you. Party boats generally will cost you $25 - $70 a day, and the fish are yours to keep. The party boat is a bargain for beginners.

My brother Bob and I did this in Florida a couple of times and it was huge fun. We both have fished our entire lives but I would say that 80% of the people there had never fished and they were all like kids in a candy store. Give it a try.

4. Pick Your Pier. Assuming you have already acquired skills to operate a rod and reel, you need to look for a fishing pier. Majority of coastal cities have one public pier or pay-to-fish pier. You can rent tackle and buy bait at the piers. If you’re having trouble, there are many pier anglers willing to help and give you tips.

We are fortunate enough to have a pier within 5 minutes of home. A great place to try out your new tackle.

5. The Reel Deal. The conventional reel is probably what you’re using up to this point. The conventional reel is designed for a lot of wear and tear. You may now want to consider other types and makes of reels. Ideally you have met people and perhaps made a friend or two who can assist you in selecting a reel. You can even ask a tackle shop owner for tips.

You need to understand the mechanics of the reel and the other equipment. Learning to cast, tie knots and bait are not that complicated. Secondly, you need to learn where to fish. Successful fishermen know where the fish are located. Fish move from place to place and knowledgeable anglers understand these patterns and are able to anticipate where the fish are located.

Looking for a few great deals on fishing supplies and gear?

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Well okay I can’t go fishing just yet. I do have to wait for our fishing season to open, just 13 days to go.

I have been so excited to be able to go fishing again after not being allowed because of heart problems since (Friday 13th) February 2004 that I forget what a mess my fishing gear has been in since then.

I do have to go to see my good friend the doctor today but it’s only to a normal visit. I haven’t had a normal visit to the doctor in quite a while.

Since my heart attack we have purchased our dream home and all my fishing gear has been piled in one corner of the basement since we moved in. I didn’t have the energy or desire to go through it all as it only reminded of the fact that I might never fish again.

After I return from seeing the doctor I will drag it all up stairs and sort it, clean and make it all ready to grab on the 15th of April.Some how I don’t think I will be sleeping much between now and the 15th.

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All April Fools does for me now is bring back memories of how much I miss my big brother, Bob. Even though it’s been 9 years it still brings a tear to my eye and a lump in my throat.

We had a strange childhood as we four brothers were left on the side walk to be picked up by the children’s Aid in Toronto Canada while our parents drove off. Well four boys, aged 3-8 are hard to place in one home so we were split up and our lives were never the same.

Even though we were separated we did get to see each other once a year, usually in the summer.

Bob and I had a special bond even before we were separated and it only got stronger the more we were apart. When we finally became adults and were on our own we chose to live together and started catching up on the life we had missed.

I am a bit of fishing fanatic even though I my heart issues doesn’t allow me to get out as much as I would like and Bob was a golf fanatic. Bob told me on numerous occasions that he would live in a box on Yonge Street Toronto as long as he could keep is golf memberships.

He also said that when his time was up he would like to die on the golf course where he always found comfort and that’s exactly what he did.

April 01, 1999, 7th hole Robert Mann died of a massive coronary.

When I got the phone call I was floored and then I realized it was April 1st and then I got really angry that anyone would play such a sick joke, even if it was April Fools. Wish it was a joke, I think I might have gotten over it by now.

Bob you are missed