With another fishing season coming to a close the Fish Log book entries confirm that 2014 has been a success. Cooler-oxygenated water at Minipi and Little Minipi saw river fishing maintaining consistent landings – those crazy weather patterns over the summer affected fishing very little there, if any. Of course the green drake hatch or the last big hatch saw West Bay, Lover Boy, Man-a-war and Burnt Lake created action with anglers’ adrenaline flowing much like a four-year-old child’s on Christmas morning.

During the first two weeks of August we had very hot weather. This recipe for high water temperatures of 21 degrees Celsius or 70 degrees Fahrenheit or more, no doubt force brooked trout to the thermocline, a characteristic cooling area in all bodies of water where brook trout will rest and expend very little energy, refusing to eat only at opportune times. So trying to find colder water from where springs enter the lake and by subsequently dragging a mouse, bomber, or a muddler through this cooler water can sometimes create unexpected splashes.

From mid-August onwards (although there was a hiccup or two in between) the other extreme saw the results of an Alberta Clipper, a brief cold front that cooled off water and air temperatures somewhat, but it was just that…brief! Although this system helped with the water levels to rise a little, we’re still in dire need of more rain. Tail ends from hurricanes were what we needed, but instead those hurricanes kept moving in a northeasterly direction missing the province altogether, depriving us of much needed rain. Yes you heard me correctly folks-we need rain from hurricanes. Local forest fires associated with those dry conditions is a testament to this very fact. Lover Boy Rock is well above water and Rosie’s Brook at Minipi has been reduced to a trickle.

Although environmental factors like those mentioned can affect a fishing season, it’s still a pleasure to witness those square-tails in their spawning regalia and nothing can be more true when Lee Wulff said, “this is a treasure that could be shared without destroying it and is too valuable to be caught only once.”