Sunday morning and I was up at 5am, had a little breakfast and headed out to the backyard garden to get a few more veggies planted before it got too hot, like it was Friday and Saturday.

It was just after 9 and I was down to just 4 zucchinis left to plant before taking a break. That was when Jenny came out with the phone. It was Jamie asking if I was up for going fishing. Ha, am I up for going fishing, that’s funny.

Jamie said he would be there to pick me up shortly so I planted the last four zuchinni plants in record time, sure hope they survive, and then I was in the house to get ready to go fishing.

On the road to Chipman

I ask Jamie to stop at a bridge on highway 10, just before Chipman. I wanted to show him where I had my first pickerel and float tube fishing experience. It sure looks different without all the weeds choking it.

Even though it looks totally different that the day I first tried my float tube I still took a few pictures of the area. Just imagine it full of weeds with only a few pockets of open water. The put the temperature at about 30 degrees. Now you know what that day was like.

There were four of use with float tubes that day. Roland, Paul, Kerry and myself. The three of them were already familiar with their float tubes and were on the water in just minutes, while I was still trying to figure out how much air to put in the thing.

Now let me clear up a little point. They took off across the water without me but I deserved it. Why? Well I tend to be the first one to the water and almost always the first to catch a fish, so the boys tend to get a little pissed at me now and then.

So this was their opportunity to leave me in their dust and I mean dust. It was a really hot day and as they went through the huge weed patch they caused a small dust storm from all the dust on the weeds.

I finally got my float tube filled, I thought, and headed out. I should mention that back then I was also 60 pounds heavier than I am now.

I was doing fine until I hit that weed patch and then I came to a hault. It took all the strength I had to kick my way through those weeds, but they looked like it was a breeze.

Later I found out that I had not inflated my float tube enough. I had put in so much air that I though the thing would explode but it still wasn’t enough.

I got a major work out that day and the sad part was that we didn’t get as much as a strike there. Didn’t see a fish.

We headed back to our cars but I took a different route to avoid those weeds again.

It worked out good for me because I could fit my float tube in the hatch back on my car and when we arrived at Red Bank it only took me a few more minutes to float tube inflated properly.

Once I had it inflated correctly it cruised across the water and I was hooked on float tube fishing.

On another trip Kerry and I tried the other side of the bridge but again we had no luck at all. Perfect looking water for pickerel and nothing.

We went quite a ways into the background of the image above. Remember there was a lot of weeds, ideal for both bass and pickerel but we didn’t get as much as a strike. We did get one follow but that was it.

Again we packed up and headed to Red Bank where we had great fun as usual. Later in that day we packed up again and moved to another nice little spot for pickerel.

Well, last week I missed the opportunity to go fishing because I allowed myself to stay at our guitar jam just a little too long and had a couple more beers than I should have and then there was that BBQ at 4am. I am sure that didn’t help. Anyways it was after 5am when I arrived home and there was no fishing that day.

I was invited to another guitar jam this past Saturday night and thought about declining the invite, for about 3 seconds, but said yes. Fishing was on my mind so I had no trouble calling it quites early and was in my bed by 2am. 5 hours of sleep was all I needed to be ready for a day of fishing and I didn’t drink enough to have a hangover, I was good to go.

Jamie’s little girl had a bad case of Hives so we almost didn’t get to go as they were concerned they may need to take her to the hospital. I had hives when I was a kid and it was far from pleasant so I completely understood. Well everything seemed under control and his little girl was hanging in there just fine so we took off.

On The Road Again

I tend to babble a lot when I am excited, and I was, and I did, all the way there.

Of course we looked at every bit of water on the way up commenting on how high the water was running in most places. My thoughts immediately visited years past when the water was this high and had memories of little or no fish but heck it was a day out and it was a gorgeous day.

When I fish all day without catching anything I just tell my wife it was a great day for hiking and then smile.

Seeing the brooks and rivers bursting there banks didn’t really prepare me for just how high the water was yesterday.

For starters the spot we park the car at Redbank has a drop off to the water of no less than 15 feet, maybe more but today the water was right up to the car, so if I stepped into the water at the point I am sure it was at least 15 – 20 feet deep.

In 27 years of fishing Redbank I have never seen the water this high. The reason I remember it was 27 years is because that was the year my wife and I married. On the way to Fredericton from Moncton the river was right to the road and the moose were all standing on the road side. Police and rangers were everywhere along the highway keeping people from stopping to take pictures as the moose were stressed enough already.

NEWS FLASH

Just as I am writing this post the gal on the radio said the Saint John river just peeked so hopefully we can go a few days without rain allowing for the water levels to drop. I am sure the fishing will pick up after that.

The two culvarts at Redbank, both are about six feet high, were almost complete submerged by the water. There was only about 2 inches of space at the top of the culvart and the waves were smashing through it making such a roaring sound you would expect a sea monters to reach out and grab you.

Already looking forward to our next fishing trip.

I am more than happy to finally have a fishing buddy, Jamie, that is computer literate. My other fishing friends don’t know their computer any more than to find their email and visit facebook.

I like it when I go fishing with a friend and we have somethings in common other than fishing. So Jamie I would like to welcome you to the world of blogging and to tell you I really like your blog, Fishing Fun in New Brunswick.

Learn a little bit about Jamie on his introduction page.

I only met Jamie last year, through one of my fishing blogs actually, and we hit it off right away.

We only got out fishing a few times last season but we only met near the end of the season so I am curious to see how much fishing we do in 2009.

Last season we fished mostly chain pickerel and a few bass but this year we will be getting out the fly rods and of course we will still be fishing pickerel and bass but also brook trout, rainbow trout, brown trout and Atantic salmon.

Jamie takes pictures, lots of pictures and I like that. I have very shakey hands and take terrible pictures. So, for that reason, I never got into taking pictures.

I bought a new digital camera last years that is suppose to help with taking the shake out of picture taking so we will see how that goes this year.

Image via WikipediaI was just reading an article in fly fishing magazine I bought back in 1995 and I still learn new and interesting things.

This morning I was going over an article that talks about using or creating flies that are way out there and it reminded me of some of the horrible looking things that have done well from time to time.

Over the years I have tied a lot of flies and caught a lot of fish. It’s a great hobby and few of my other hobbies have brought me so much joy. Well I would say maybe my guitar comes close.

While I am tying flies I sometimes get the urge to tie something that’s way out there.

For brook trout I usually stay with the artificial flies that have worked well for me in the past, the same with my Atlantic salmon flies but when it comes to smallmouth bass or chain pickerel, well that’s a different story.

Unfortunately I don’t have any of them left, well any of the ones that worked pretty well. But I have had fun with making up flies.

One particular day comes to mind.

I was fishing near Fredericton one very hot and still day. I was at a location that I had never fished but was given directions from my fishing buddy Kerry that lived in Fredericton.

I arrived ready to fish smallmouth bass but when I looked at the brook I was sure he meant I was going to be fishing trout.

The water didn’t look deep enough to use my float tube so I just walked the banks and fished for a while.

To my surprise my first cast landed me a cute little bass who thought he was much bigger that he actually was. I gave him a little kiss and dropped him back in the brook.

I followed the brook for a little ways and as a moved around a corner in the brook things opened up and I could see that I was able to get my float tube in so it was back to the car.

I relocated the car closer to the area I should have started in and what a day I had.

The bugs were unstoppable and I was glad I had plastered myself with bug spray, but as soon I as I got a way from the bank they died down enough that I almost forgot they were there.

The further around the bend I got the more I could see weeds and it was getting deeper. It was starting to look more like water I would find bass and pickerel in.

It was time to try one of my wacky flies. I had tied a few flies that were deer hair. They were fat flies, getting close to the size of a golf ball. Okay they were a little smaller but not much and they were hard to get that cast I wanted as they just wanted to float around in the sky.

I had a lot of action with those flies but didn’t catch much. The flies were just too big and round to get a hook set.

I had to use my nail clippers, as I didn’t have any scissors with me, to cut the deer hair back a bit at the bottom, but I didn’t want to cut it back so much that it would start getting hooked on the weeds.

Well I did mess up the fly. I started catching the bass but it wouldn’t go through the weeds after my hacking at it with my clippers.

I still had one of these really goofy looking balls of deer hair and so I put it on and spend most of the day just getting those explosive stricks that make your heart stop or explode.

I am going to try and duplicate that particular fly to use this year for pickerel. I will put a guard on it so that it should be pretty weedless.

We will see what happens. If they attract pickerel like they did bass I am sure we will have a blast.

For the bass I just left the flies brown but for the pickerel I think I am going to add a bit of red coloured deer hair. It seems that any thing I have thown at pickerel with red in it gets there attention.

I have even had soft plastic baits that they would hold on to even though they didn’t have a hook in them. Too much fun, can’t wait.

Image via WikipediaThe summer of 2008 was a real blessing for me. After spending 4 years without fishing, trying to survive an inoperable heart attack in 2004, I had all but given up on ever being able to go fishing again.

The most fun I had during the 2008 season was fishing pickerel with my fishing buddy Jamie. We only used our spinning rods so Jamie didn’t get the opportunity to experience what fly fishing for pickerel is like. Look out 2009.

I fish a lot from my float tube and pickerel is one of the most fun fish to catch on the fly here in New Brunswick. I know the Atlantic salmon can’t be beat but they sure come in a close second in my books.

I have had a few days fishing with friends from float tubes where we just had our arms pulled off all day long. It makes for one of those days that your face hurts from laughing and your throat hurts from yelling “FISH ON” all day long. Jamie is in for a treat he will never give up.

Fishing for pickerel almost always takes us to the weeds where it becomes important to have flies that are weedless or 95% of the time you will be hung up on the smallest of weeds. That tends to take a lot of the fun out of fighting pickerel as they fight a whole lot better than those darn weeds.

I am scouring the net for pike and pickerel flies for 2009 but I would appreciate it if you would take a minute and give me your opinion and best choice for artificial flies that catch pike and pickerel.

Image via WikipediaI would have to say that a statement like ‘the best fishing in New Brunswick’ is pretty much based on the fisher telling the stories. Personally I have a number of the best fishing spots in New Brunswick, it just depends on the day or the time of year. So let me break it down a bit to perhaps make this post a little more helpful.

Spring Fishing In New Brunswick

Brook Trout in the Spring

Since I moved to New Brunswick, some 30 years ago, I have loved fishing brook trout in the spring. The spring is the only time I keep any brook trout to eat. The rest of the year it’s all catch and release, but one or two good feeds of brookies a year is too hard to turn down.

Black Salmon in the spring

In the early spring I like to fish for black salmon, those Atlantic salmon that have spent the winter in the rivers. They are hungry and ready for some action about the time spring rolls around and I am ready to catch them.

Any time of year is a good time of year to have a feed of Atlantic salmon but in the spring they are about 100 times easier to catch than any other time of the year.

Aggressive Smallmouth Bass in the spring

I also love to catch those aggressive smallmouth bass when they are getting ready to spawn. I usually catch a lot at this time of year but unlike other times of the year I pay attention to where I caught them so as to release them close to their nests.

I know they will find their nest from pretty much anywhere you release them but after a good fight I don’t care to let them go too far from their nest.

I bring my fly rod with me any time I go fishing but I don’t always use it. In the spring I like to use it as early as possible but find that my spinning gear gets me more of the spawning fish. I don’t really like using sinking line on my fly rod, that’s why I turn to my spinning gear at those times.

Chain Pickerel in the spring

Getting to the Chain Pickerel in the early spring can net you some nice size pickerel and catching them on the fly line is always a treat. That will be a new treat for Jamie as he has only caught pickerel on spinning gear to this point. I will get him in a float tube next year and watch him get pulled around by a few good size mothers.

Trout Unlimited Kennebec Float Tube The Kennebec pontoon/float tube hybrid from Trout Unlimited has storage galore: a back storage pocket, 2 dual compartment armrest pockets, 2 reel/spool pockets, and 2 sloped gear pockets with flat mesh pockets. The Kennebec Float Tube also offers the added stability and high-riding comfort of a pontoon boat; includes an anti-slip reinforced seat and quick-release stabilizer bar. Manufacturer’s one-year warranty. Imported.

For years I had a canoe and it took me to a lot of fun places fishing. The only thing about having a canoe is just how tough it can be to control it in the wind. I am not a professional paddler and many times found myself being blown about without much control and that would take the fun out of fishing in just a few minutes, about the same time my arms would give out.

Then I saw a fishing show where they were using float tubes. The first thought that came to my mind when I saw the float tube was just how easy it would be to get into some of the fishing holes I fish.

Just as fast my mind went back to a few fishing trips that had me exhausted before I ever got to the water. The float tube looked like it would be so much lighter and easier to get through the dense bush I sometimes go through to get to the ponds and lakes I fish.

I picked up my first float tube about 10 years ago, I am just guessing here, it’s been a while. My first trip out was so much fun I could hardly wait to go again.

The second time out I had to navigate through some thick weeds. It was a very hot day, very hot. Well I dragged my butt through those weeds and thought I was going to melt by the time I got through. It was the hardest work I had done in a while.

Later I found that I didn’t inflate the float tube enough. The next time I did inflate it correctly and I just breezed over the weeds like they weren’t even there. I couldn’t help but to laugh as I was going through the weeds because I kept remembering the time I had getting through a week before.

Now when I had my canoe I would take a friend with me as often as I could as it’s more fun fishing with a buddy but it was also a lot easier to control my canoe when I had someone in the other end willing to help paddle through any wind.

I still like to take a friend fishing so I bought a second float tube from one of my computer students. He bought it for his dad after he had a heart attack hoping he would still be able to enjoy fishing. Unfortunately the float tube wasn’t for him, a bit of a blessing for me though.

It is so much fun floating around and getting into spots that are tough to get to any other way.

One spot I was fishing near Chipman New Brunswick was right at the road side. The road was about 20 feet above the water. A trucker was driving by and saw me in my float tube. He stopped his rig and hollered at me asking if I need any help.

He thought my boat had sunk.

Next year I want to introduce my newest fishing buddy, Jamie, to float tube fishing. I am sure he will have an experience that he will want to experience again and again.

My float tubes each have an inflatable back support to keep you comfortable all day long and I have spent many hours in my float tubes without getting uncomfortable at all.

The float tubes also have side pockets where your arms rest so that you can bring food and supplies with you. No need to go back to the car at all.