The Beholder
Wednesday, November 02, 2005 (04:05:19)
Posted by Steve
By D. M. Brown
I’ve seen a lot of things, but I know I haven’t seen it all. Between the eight members of the Nightcrawlers Fishing Team we’ve seen enough to know that sometimes we have seen too much. It seems every fishing trip we witness something that doesn’t quite fit into the equation, or something that will never be forgotten - even if we wish it could be. Anyone who spends enough time on the water or in the great outdoors certainly has their share of stories and strange sightings, so I thought I’d share a few of ours with you. I have seen (on video tape) a friend jigging in 80 feet of water on Clearwater Lake, and catching what was thought to be a small lake trout. When the critter came into sight everyone in attendance was in disbelief. Our friend had felt the “bite†and set the hook through the side of a slightly rusted aluminum beer can. What made it even more memorable was that it was his favorite brand of beer. Karma.
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Other members have seen first hand; a beaver fall some five feet out of a tree and into the Whiteshell River. According to one observer the beaver was as shocked as those that witnessed the plunge – “You should have seen his face!†were the exact words used. I’d pay anything to see a beaver look surprised. I have seen a team member transform a twelve inch wooden Pike bait into a deep diving crank bait with nothing but a 2 ounce bell weight – tied directly to the eye of the lure with a piece of string!! I literally laughed at him, pointing out that there was no way it would get that deep, and even if it did the action of the lure would certainly be ruined after his contraption wrapped around the leader or got caught up in the treble hooks. He had the last laugh however as the first pass with his homemade disaster deep diver led to the fish you see pictured here. While standing under a footbridge at Nutimik Lake waiting for a front to pass over before heading back out in the boat, I have seen a bolt of lightning and heard it’s thunder simultaneously loud enough to make my 230 pound frame jump high enough to make Spud Webb envious. I’m still not sure how my head didn’t hit the bottom of the bridge, but that’s as close as I ever want to get to a lightning strike in my lifetime. I’ve been left breathless standing on Bird Lake in February and seeing Northern Lights that contained colours I don’t even know how to pronounce! A photo would never have done them justice, and I doubt I will see the Aurora’s that stunning again. I have seen with my very own beady little eyes, a friend set the hook while trolling on the Red River, reeling in what was hoped to be a large emerald Walleye, only to land a trophy sized pair of grandpa-style tighty-whities. They were released unharmed. Our most recent trip up North also had its moments, including the day the Nightcrawlers were Lake Trout fishing and an air show broke out. Unbeknownst to us there was in fact a scheduled event which included the Snowbirds at The Pas Airport, and fishing the south end of the lake was the best seat in the house. So even when I go out fishing and get skunked (more often than not) there is always something else to talk about that we’ve seen that day or on that trip. So when the bite is slow for you, keep your eyes peeled for falling beavers and the Snowbirds to help deflect the conversation away from your poor fishing skills.
