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The Misery of the Kitimat Fisherman

Dear Editor,

Dear Editor,

Is it just me or are the majority of our local rodmen/women just unhappy?

I have been struck over the last eight years by the rather miserable faces of anglers on our river banks. This seems to peak in July during the ‘spring’ Salmon run.

OK full disclosure I am not a ‘fisher’. I don’t understand the passion/thrill it produces.

And yet the people who do spend hours casting a line into our wonderful river strike me as being far from joyous.

They seem to have a ‘my dog just died’ grim demeanour.

Armed with a 27-pocket jacket and expensive waders, they march with steely determination into the flow. Getting even a nod of recognition is rare. It seems that going fishing plunges them into a ‘hunter mode’. Do not disturb!

Now I can understand why a group of German tourists catching Das fish after fish on the opposite bank might cause the locals to grumble. Even I found this annoying the other day!

I can also understand why Albertan or Amercian tourists being off loaded at Radley Park with no fish after a $1,000 dollar drift down the river might not be full of laughs!

But there is a wider issue going on here. Even people I have known for years, change into wide-eyed, unable to talk robots when fishing is concerned.

Maybe it is all the marriage points they have given up, only to return with nothing?!

What do I know, it probably saves a lot of relationships.

Hey-ho the strange thing that is fishing - so many theories, so many methods, so little success.

It provides the casual observer with many amusing moments. The guy decked out with all the new kit, unable to stay in one place for more than a few minutes, versus the light-a-fire and sit-in-a-chair ‘veteran’. Hmmm maybe the misery is easy to explain.

If you don’t catch something, then it sucks - never mind the wonderful river, mountains and eagles. The locals who haven’t caught anything are already talking about a poor return this year. Being a bear supporter, I’m still confident that the stink of Chum and Pinks will be with us by August.

Oh what a smell that is! Oh, and there is a further explanation.

I always have my Golden Retriever with me on our river bank walks.

Oh God it’s a dog, they are worse than seals for disturbing the fish!

And perhaps it’s just me the fisherman don’t like. That’s understandable!

Hey please don’t anyone take this the wrong way. If I worked hard all week and get a few hours to fish I’d be pretty serious. I’m sure most fishermen take some amusement from their fellow rod mates.

Good luck to you all.

Just smile from time to time!

Doug Read