andrew goes fishing - Peanut Butter Press

ANDREW GOES FISHING
IN MANITOBA
Written by Carol Szuminsky and Jack Brown
Illustrated by Kristin Szuminsky
Fish Illustrations by Jack Brown
Peanut Butter Press
This book is dedicated to all the children and adults of Manitoba who appreciate
and protect our natural resources and fish habitat. Your concern for the
environment will ensure that recreational fishing will continue on for our youth
and future generations to enjoy.
Copyright © 2008 Peanut Butter Press
First edition published 2008
All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form by any
electronic, mechanical or other means without the prior written permission of the publisher.
Peanut Butter Press
55 Willowbend Cres., Winnipeg, MB, R2N 1V2 www.peanutbutterpress.biz
Designed by Kristin Szuminsky
Edited by Mark d`Almeida
Printed and bound in Canada by Friesens
Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication
Szuminsky, Carol, 1952Andrew goes fishing in Manitoba / authors: Carol Szuminsky, Jack
Brown ; illustrators: Kristin Szuminsky, Jack Brown.
ISBN 978-0-9735579-5-4
1. Fishing--Manitoba--Juvenile literature. 2. Fishing--Manitoba--Juvenile
fiction. I. Szuminsky, Kristin II. Brown, J. L. (John Lawrence), 1927- III. Title.
SH572.M36S98 2008
j799.1097127
C2008-901586-X
Peanut Butter Press gratefully acknowledges the support of the Government of
Manitoba, through the Manitoba Fisheries Enhancement Fund.
Contents
Chapter One
Watching Grandpa
5
Chapter Two
The Best Birthday Present
8
Chapter Three Angler Andy
15
Chapter Four
A Trip to the Whiteshell
22
Chapter Five
The Fun Really Starts
25
Chapter One
Watching Grandpa
Andrew first discovered fishing at the age of seven. It was the start of
fishing season, and Grandpa Brown had taken Andrew and his mom to
watch while he fished for channel catfish at the Assiniboine River. The
young boy stared in amazement as his grandfather put a chunk of fish on
the hook. Andrew didn’t get a chance to fish by himself, but he did help
Grandpa hold the rod and reel. He got a little restless waiting for the fish
to bite, but became excited when Grandpa suddenly swooped up his rod.
Instantly, the rod bent and its tip pointed to where the fish was under the
water. It was obvious from all the splashing and swirling that a big catfish
was caught on the hook.
After quite a battle, Grandpa Brown managed to bring the fish to shore.
He unhooked it and held the large
fish up. Andrew couldn’t believe his
eyes. His mother took a picture of him
standing beside his grandfather, his
eyes still fixed on the fish. After that,
Grandpa Brown released the catfish
back into the river. With a flick of its tail,
it swam away.
On the way home, Grandpa shared
some information about fishing in
Manitoba with Andrew and his mom.
“Adults have to buy a fishing licence,
but children under sixteen don’t need
a licence to fish. The general fishing season in southern Manitoba, where
we live, usually starts on the Saturday closest to May 15 and ends on
March 31 for most species of fish,” Grandpa informed them. “There’s
no fishing allowed between the close of the last season and the start
of the new fishing season so that the fish aren’t disturbed when they’re
spawning. Spawning is when the females lay their eggs and the males put
a milky substance called milt on the eggs to fertilize them. Most species of
Manitoba fish spawn in the spring, but trout lay their eggs in the fall.”
5
Then Grandpa named some common species of fish that make their
homes in Manitoba’s waterways. Both mother and son listened with interest
as the experienced fisherman continued to speak. “These fish live in the
marshes, creeks, streams, rivers, and 100,000 lakes that are found all over
our province from the prairies of southern Manitoba up to the tundra in the
north where the polar bears and beluga whales live. In some areas, there
are fly-in fishing camps and lodges that can only be reached by plane.
Grandpa finished with these words. “The people of Manitoba have some
of the best recreational fishing in the world right in their own backyard. It’s
the responsibility of Manitoba Fisheries and every person who lives in the
province or visits here to preserve our fisheries resources so that the fish
will always have a healthy habitat in which to live.”
Grandpa wanted to be sure that Andrew appreciated nature and was
aware that children, even as young as him, could do small things to help
protect the environment and the habitat of the animals and plants with
which we share our world. It could be as simple as remembering not to
litter or step on wild flowers when you go bird-watching or for a nature
walk, composting food scraps like apple cores and potato peels, or buying
products with little packaging.
When Grandpa mentioned Manitoba Fisheries, the youngster said
something that really pleased the older man. “I heard about Manitoba
Fisheries at school. My teacher showed us some pictures she took when
she went on a tour of the Whiteshell Fish Hatchery. They raise baby fish
there in tanks so that every year they can put more fish into some of
Manitoba’s lakes and rivers to make up for the ones people catch and
keep.”
“That’s called restocking,” Grandpa added.
“Could you please take me there someday so that I can see the fish
hatchery for myself?” Andrew asked politely. Grandpa nodded and the boy
smiled back.
“There’s something I was wondering about, Grandpa. Why did you let
that catfish go back into the water?” he questioned.
Grandpa explained that, like other activities, fishing has rules that you
have to follow. “One rule is that all channel catfish 61 centimetres or longer
must be put back into the water. That’s called catch and release. You aren’t
allowed to keep the big ones.”
“Why?” asked Andrew.
His grandfather answered, “The big fish are the ones that lay the most
6
eggs. If you put them back, you will have more fish to catch in the future.
This plan must be working because the Red and Assiniboine rivers around
Winnipeg, and especially below Lockport on the Red, are world famous for
their channel catfishing.”
“Am I big enough to catch one?” asked Andrew.
Grandpa chuckled and replied, “It will be a few years before you’re
strong enough. The big catfish are tough fighters. There are plenty of shiny
goldeye in the Assiniboine River near home. You can practise on them in
the meantime.”
***
It was springtime and Andrew’s birthday was coming up in the summer.
Grandpa was planning a surprise for him.
7
Chapter Two
The Best Birthday Present
On the morning that Andrew turned eight, Grandpa Brown phoned
to say that he and Grandma were bringing over a very special birthday
present. They didn’t live far away, so Andrew and his mom went outside
to sit on the steps. While they waited, they tried to guess what his present
might be.
“Your grandpa loves nature, so I bet he got you something that has to
do with the outdoors,” predicted his mother.
“Maybe he’ll give me a pair of binoculars like he gave Penny,”
suggested Andrew. Penny was Andrew’s cousin. “That would be great for
when we go bird-watching. Oh, I know, Mom! Remember when we went
to watch Grandpa fish? Do you think maybe he got me a fishing rod and
reel?” questioned Andrew.
“That’s probably a good guess. If he did, I’m thinking he would also give
you a tackle box and some fishing hooks. When I was growing up, we lived
quite close to Sturgeon Creek. Grandpa used to take me and my brothers
and sisters fishing there,” his mother recalled, thinking back to when she
was a child. “In fact, that’s where your grandpa did most of his fishing when
he was a boy.”
8
“Grandpa must like fishing almost as much as he likes to go birdwatching. Remember when he took us to Oak Hammock Marsh to see the
birds and animals that live there, and then we went inside that big building
to play games?” Andrew asked.
“Yes,” said his mother. “That was last summer when your cousins came
to visit from Ottawa. We all had fun, but especially Grandpa. It makes him
really happy when he can teach his grandchildren about nature. Do you
also remember how we all went camping at St. Ambroise Beach and sat
around the campfire in the dark roasting marshmallows for our s’mores?
Then it started pouring rain so we went into the biggest tent and told stories
and played word games. Your cousin, Penny, just loved the thunder and
lightening!”
They both laughed as they thought about how Penny had peeked out
the tent window and squealed every time a flash of lightening streaked
across the sky.
“Memories are a wonderful thing, Andrew,” whispered his mom.
“Yes, but all that thinking back is making us forget about my birthday
present. Grandpa and Grandma should be here any minute now. I really
hope it’s a fishing rod and everything I’ll need to catch fish!” her son
exclaimed.
9
Just then, Grandpa’s truck turned the corner. Andrew ran to the edge of
the driveway to meet them. Grandma gave him a big hug and wished him a
happy birthday. Grandpa reached into the back of the truck and pulled out
a shiny new fishing rod and reel and a small tackle box full of fishing lures,
hooks, and sinkers.
Andrew couldn’t help letting out a cheer. “Mom and I were right!” he
whooped excitedly. “It’s my very own fishing rod!”
Grandpa laughed. “Well, let’s teach you how to cast it. This is called a
spinning reel and rod. I think it’s the best kind for a youngster like you to
learn to fish with because it’s easy to cast.”
“What does that mean?” Andrew asked.
“Come out on the lawn and I’ll show you,” his grandfather responded.
He tied a small sinker on Andrew’s line and then showed his grandson how
to cast the line out onto the grass and reel it back in. It wasn’t long before
Andrew was making some very good casts. Grandpa walked over to the
ladies who had been watching from the driveway with interest.
10
“I think we have a fisherman here!” he announced loudly and proudly.
Andrew beamed with pride when he heard his grandfather’s words.
Grandpa turned and spoke more quietly to his daughter and wife. “If you
give children quality equipment and take them where they can catch a lot
of fish, and it doesn’t really matter what species, there’s a good chance that
they will get hooked on fishing and want to enjoy it for the rest of their lives.
On the other hand,” he added, “a poor quality rod and reel that has the
line constantly tangled up will be frustrating and, if the fish aren’t biting, the
youngster will soon lose interest and may not want to go fishing again.”
“Grandpa Brown, Mom was telling me that when you were a kid, you did
most of your fishing in Sturgeon Creek,” Andrew piped in.
“Yes, your mother’s right,” Grandpa agreed. For a minute, he stood
there lost in thought. Andrew waited patiently, knowing that his granddad
was preparing to tell a story. Finally, Grandpa spoke. “I was about your
age when I first saw the creek. It was late in the spring and the water was
as clear as glass. I had come with some older kids to explore. I remember
walking along the bank and seeing a jack fish. At least, that’s what it used
to be called. These days, more and more people are starting to call that
species a northern pike. Anyway, that fish was so bright that it seemed to
sparkle right through the water. I tried to get a closer look. Suddenly, there
was a swirl in the water and the fish disappeared upstream. That magical
moment has stayed in my memory all these years!”
Northern Pike
Grandpa added, “The reason the water was so clear in those days was
because most of the water in the creek came from the springs upstream.”
“What’s a spring?” Andrew asked.
Grandpa answered, “That’s when water that is flowing underground
comes to the surface and gushes out.” He had more information to share.
11
“Years later, the government built rural drainage ditches that flowed into the
creek. Now during spring runoff, and whenever there’s a heavy rain, muddy
water from the farmers’ fields washes into the creek. Once the mud settles,
the water becomes clear enough for a pike to see a shiny lure.”
Grandpa continued talking. “It’s the bright colours that really attract their
attention. That’s because pike rely more on sight than their sense of taste.
It would be difficult to catch them with natural bait like the frozen minnows
and worms we use at the Assiniboine River. Northern pike are the most
common fish caught in the creek, but there’s another species that I like to
fish for – rock bass. They’re little fish that hide among the rocks waiting for
anything to come along that looks like food. You can catch them on small
jigs. If you do catch one, you really should put it back because they’re not
too plentiful in the creek. You can also catch rock bass in the Winnipeg
River and lakes in the Whiteshell where there are rocks. Rock bass are
short and narrow with deep bodies.”
Then Grandpa said, “Talking about rocks reminds me of the riffles that
were built in Sturgeon Creek.”
He waited, knowing Andrew would
ask, “What’s a riffle, Grandpa?”
“A riffle is something that is found
in nature. Sometimes people copy
this natural design. Rocks are placed
across a river or creek to raise the
water on the upstream side. The riffle
has a V-shaped opening that is big
enough to let water and fish pass
through. This allows the fish to get
Rock Bass
to all parts of the creek. Riffles also
create habitat for bugs and small
animals that fish eat. Water bubbles over the riffles and this helps to take
oxygen from the air and add it to the water,” explained Grandpa.
“Oh, I almost forgot. There’s another thing you should know about
northern pike. They have sharp teeth that can bite right through fishing line,
so you’ll need to attach a wire leader to the end of your line. Let’s open
your tackle box and I’ll show you what one looks like. Leaders have snaps
on the end so you can change your lures without having to re-tie the line
each time. You’ll know when you get a bite because pike like to grab their
prey by the head. It’s easier to swallow that way.”
“Wow, you sure know a lot!” said a wide-eyed Andrew.
12
Grandpa smiled and said, “I’ve also given you some lures. They’re
called artificial bait because they often look like real fish with hooks
attached to them. There are four different kinds of lures.”
Grandpa held one up. “This one is called a plug. It wiggles through the
water with a side-to-side motion, just like a real fish.”
Grandpa picked up another lure. “This is a spoon. It’s made out of metal
and can be round or long or shaped like a spoon. Some people call this
kind of lure a wobbler because it wobbles back and forth through the water,
rather than side-to-side like a real fish.”
Grandpa carefully picked two more lures from Andrew’s tackle box.
“Here we have a spinner. It’s called that because it has a blade on it that
spins around. That makes the shiny colour flash as the spinner moves
through the water. This last lure is called a jig. Usually it’s just a hook with
a lead head on it and you attach your worm or frozen minnow. Some jigs
come with a curly, soft plastic tail on them.”
Plug
Spoon
Spinner
Jig
Grandpa had one last thing to say. “Here are two tools you’ll also need
– a pair of pliers so that when you catch a fish you can remove the hook
from its mouth and a tape measure in case you catch a big one and want to
see whether it qualifies for a Master Angler Award.”
13
“Thanks for all the awesome fishing stuff, Grandpa,” said Andrew,
showing his appreciation.
“You’re very welcome, son. It’s really called fishing tackle,” Grandpa
said with a smile. “I know I’ve given you a lot of information today, but you’ll
learn it as you use it. With a little practice, you’ll be an excellent fisherman.
Actually, I should call you an angler or a fisher. Those are better names for
people who fish. Oh, that reminds me of something else. I put a copy of this
year’s Anglers’ Guide in the bottom of your tackle box. It’s a good idea to
keep it there in case you need to check the limit for a particular species of
fish or look up a fishing regulation. A regulation is just another name for a
rule or law.”
Now that Andrew knew something about the equipment that Grandpa
had given him, the burning question for Andrew was, “When can I go on my
first fishing trip?”
His mother spoke up. “Well, not today. You have your birthday party this
afternoon.”
Grandpa pretended to be thinking. “Hmmm.” Then he finally said, “If it’s
alright with your parents, how about we go tomorrow?”
Andrew looked eagerly at his mom. The look on his face said, “Please.
I’ll be very good.” His mother smiled and nodded. They didn’t have any
plans for the next day, and how could she possibly say no to such a great
kid! “Yes!” cheered Andrew.
The birthday party was a lot of fun. Andrew received some amazing
gifts, but he already had his favourite one.
14
Chapter Three
Angler Andy
Andrew was all ready when Grandpa arrived the next morning. In one
hand he held the shiny rod and reel and grasped firmly in his other hand
was the tackle box. “Your birthday present looks so good on you that I think
I’ll call you Angler Andy. Now that you have your own fishing tackle, it’s
time for you to tackle the Assiniboine River,” joked Grandpa.
On the way, Andrew learned that there were a number of different
species of fish that made their homes in the Assiniboine River. “The
goldeye have been biting well lately. I think we should try for them first,”
suggested his grandfather.
“Yesterday, you said that we need to use natural bait when we’re fishing
at the Assiniboine River. What are we going to use?” Andrew asked.
“I dug up some worms from the garden and I bought some frozen
minnows,” Grandpa replied. “We’ll try the minnows first.”
They parked the truck and Grandpa put a life jacket on Andrew. “That’s
for safety, in case you slip into the river,” he told the boy. They picked up
their fishing gear and walked down to the river.
“You won’t get to use your fancy jigs, plugs, spoons, or spinners today.
15
The water is too muddy for even shiny lures to be seen. We’ll be doing
something called still fishing. We’ll cast out the bait and just let it sit in the
water rather than reeling it back in. Fish always lie facing upstream into the
current. When the current carries the taste of the frozen minnow or worm
downstream, the fish will follow the taste upstream. Once they get close,
they’ll try to bite the bait.”
Grandpa took Andrew to his favourite fishing spot. Then he rigged up
Andrew’s line with a hook, weights, and float, just like he had on his own
fishing rod. The experienced angler talked about each step as he went
along.
“Do you know what people call grown-ups who teach youngsters how to
fish or hunt?” Grandpa asked. Andrew shook his head and waited for the
answer. “They’re called mentors.” Grandpa went on. “When you grow up,
maybe you will be one too.” Then he showed Andrew how to bait his hook
with a minnow.
They stood on the bank and Grandpa explained that they didn’t need to
cast too far. “Just to this spot, slightly upstream,” he said as he cast out the
line. He handed the rod to Andrew. “Now watch the float. The weight keeps
the hook underwater and the float keeps it from going too deep. Just so
you know, some people call it a bobber instead of a float because it bobs
up and down in the water when the fish bite. Sometimes it bobs right under
16
the water. You will need to watch closely. As soon as you see it bobbing,
quickly raise your rod tip up to hook the fish. That’s called setting the hook.
You will know right away if you have the fish hooked by the way it pulls on
your line when you start reeling it in.”
Andrew watched the float carefully as it drifted into the slow part of
the current. No fish bit at his minnow. When it came too close to shore,
Grandpa told him, “Reel your line in. The water is not as deep there and
your hook might catch on something. If that happens, it’s called getting a
snag.”
“How deep is the water where my float is floating right now?” the
youngster asked.
“That’s a good question,” his grandfather replied. “It’s a little deeper than
you are tall. The water might be deep, but the goldeye is a species of fish
that feeds near the surface of the water. That’s why I set the floats on our
lines so that the hook will stay about 30 centimetres below the surface.”
“What do they like to eat?” his grandson asked.
“That’s another good question! You are beginning to think like an angler
already,” Grandpa replied. “They eat worms, minnows, and insects like
grasshoppers and crickets. In fact, goldeye eat just about anything the
current brings to them.”
“What’s a current?” Andrew asked.
“Well, the current is the way water in rivers is always moving, sometimes
fast and sometimes slow, depending on the slope of the land it runs
through. Water always runs downhill,” his
grandfather explained. “Do you remember
back in the spring when the snow melted and
I showed you and your friends how to make
17
little boats out of pieces of sticks? You raced them in the stream of water
that ran along the side of the road and disappeared into the storm sewer. It
was the current that carried the sticks along.”
Grandpa continued to explain. “The Assiniboine River has a pretty fast
current. It has many bends and we are fishing just below one. Look over
there by those willow trees. See how the riverbank sticks out a bit. That
forces the main current away from the shore and makes the water out there
fast and rough. That’s why you should try to keep your float just a little
closer to shore, where the water moves slower,” he told Andrew.
“Well, let’s get back to fishing. Those fish are just waiting to be caught!
Cast out there, just this side of the fast water,” said Grandpa. “Oh, that was
too far. Quickly reel it into the calmer water and let it float.”
Andrew liked to make his grandpa happy and always tried his best to
do as he was told. But he had an even better reason to listen carefully and
follow his grandpa’s directions. He wanted to catch some fish! Big or small,
it didn’t really matter to him. He made two more casts, but still didn’t get a
bite. On the next cast, his line suddenly gave a tug downward, catching the
youngster by surprise. He was a bit late in setting the hook and the fish got
away.
Grandpa chuckled, “Don’t feel bad. It happens to me once in a while
too.”
When Andrew reeled in his line, he saw for himself that the minnow was
gone.
“That fish got a free lunch,” Grandpa said. Andrew thought that was
funny and he laughed.
“Here’s another minnow. Watch again while I bait the hook,” instructed
Grandpa.
Andrew’s next cast was right on the mark. His float hadn’t traveled far
before it suddenly plopped below the surface. This time the youngster was
able to set the hook and the fun began! As he brought the fish closer to
shore, he could see its silver sides splashing in the water. Suddenly the line
went slack and the fish was gone! Andrew was disappointed.
“Cheer up,” said the more experienced fisherman. “It happens to the
best of us. There’s a Manitoba regulation that requires all fish hooks to be
barbless or have the barb pressed down flat to the hook. The hook you are
using has no barbs. That makes it so much easier to take the hooks out of
fish, which is very important, especially if you are going to release them.
But it also makes it easier for the fish to get off the hook. You must keep
18
your line tight while reeling in a fish. If you let your line go slack, the fish
can easily get off the hook. Another thing to remember is that goldeye have
tender mouths, so don’t reel them in too fast or you might pull the hook out.
Now let’s get serious and get you some fish!”
This time Andrew put the minnow on his hook all by himself while
Grandpa watched. The boy made another good cast and started his float.
Before his granddad could even get his line in the water, Andrew yelled,
“Fish on!” just like he’d learned from the fishing shows they had watched
together. The proud grandfather smiled as Andrew carefully reeled in the
fish.
Once the fish was on shore, Grandpa said, “There’s your goldeye!” He
reached down and gently took the hook out of the fish’s mouth. “Now hold
out your two hands and I’ll place the fish on them. Try not to let it wiggle out
of your hands. I want to take some pictures so that you’ll always remember
the first fish you ever caught.”
“It’s so beautiful the way the sunlight makes the fish’s scales shine like
silver,” Andrew observed. Then he looked closely at the fish and made
another interesting observation. “I think this species of fish get its name
Goldeye
from its golden eyes.”
“You’re right!” Grandpa agreed. “It’s hard to believe that a fish could
come out of muddy water looking so pretty. Let’s measure to see how long
it is. Hold the tape measure even with its nose. That’s good. Wow! Your
fish is 42 centimetres long. For this species, that’s almost long enough to
be a Master Angler fish!” Grandpa declared.
Andrew knew what that meant. He had seen his grandfather’s Master
Angler certificates and badges. He was very proud of himself and felt like a
real angler – just like Grandpa.
The next fish Andrew caught was a different kind. It was about the same
length as his goldeye, but with a thicker body. It was even harder to reel in
19
and was a pretty fish too. It had pinkish-white sides with a few small spots
and a gray back and head. The fish’s body was streamlined with a forked
tail.
“What kind of fish is this?” Andrew asked. Grandpa usually gave lots of
information when he answered Andrew’s questions. Sometimes he liked to
make a guessing game of it.
“Don’t you recognize it? Do you remember when you and your mother
came to watch me fish back in the spring and I caught that big, old catfish?”
his grandfather asked him. “Well, this is a young channel catfish. You can
Channel Catfish
tell by its whiskers, which are actually called barbels, and the forked tail.
There are other kinds of catfish in the Assiniboine River, but they don’t
grow as large.”
“This fish looks a lot different!” Andrew observed. “Maybe that’s because
the catfish you caught wasn’t just old. It was also kind of ugly,” Andrew said
with a grimace.
“Yeah, they get that way when they get big,” Grandpa agreed.
Andrew caught two more goldeye. Then Grandpa said, “We’ll move the
float up to let the bait go deeper
in the water. That way we might
catch other kinds of fish that
feed closer to the bottom.”
Grandpa was right. It wasn’t
long before Andrew caught
another fish. This one was
different! It was a silver-gray
colour. Because of its deep,
Freshwater Drum
narrow body, it was powerful
20
enough to make Andrew work hard to reel it in. Grandpa said that some
people call this species a silver bass, but it wasn’t a bass. It was really
called a freshwater drum.
Just before it was time to leave for home, Andrew caught one last fish.
“Ah, pickerel fillets,” whispered Grandpa. “Most people would agree that
pickerel are the best tasting of all the species of fish that can be caught
in Manitoba’s lakes and rivers. This fish is a keeper. It’s not so big that it
has to be released and the fillets will be a nice size for the pan,” he said
as he netted it for Andrew. “I’ll clean it when we get home and we’ll cook it
for supper.” Grandpa liked to cook and his pickerel always tasted so good
because he would coat the fillets with flour and fry them in butter.
Grandpa had Andrew look closely at the fish. “See its big eyes. This
is where it gets its official name, walleye. Now look at these two fins on
its back. The one near its head is
called a dorsal fin and has sharp
points, but the back fin doesn’t.
Can you see the mottled green and
yellow colour on its sides? Another
special thing that a walleye has is
this white spot on the bottom tip of
Walleye
its tail,” he explained.
“There’s another fish that looks
similar to a walleye,”Grandpa added, “but it’s a grayish colour and it doesn’t
grow as big. It’s called a sauger. The spiked front fin on its back is the
same for both species, but a sauger has black spots on that fin and no
white tip on its tail.”
As they walked back to the truck with Andrew proudly carrying his
walleye, Grandpa realized that
he had been so busy helping his
grandson, that he hadn’t fished
himself. But this was Andrew’s day
and a pretty good day it was! He
had caught five different species of
fish and Grandpa had photographs
to prove it. There would be many
Sauger
more chances for the two of them to
fish together.
21
Chapter Four
A Trip to the Whiteshell
It wasn’t too long before Andrew and Grandpa did go on another
unforgettable fishing trip. His grandparents were visiting and Grandpa was
telling stories about when Andrew’s uncles were young and he took them
on fishing trips to some of the lakes in Whiteshell Provincial Park. He said
that one of his favourite places was Nutimik Lake.
“We’ll go there for some fishing and camping,” Grandpa promised
Andrew. “In fact, let’s plan to go next weekend. We’ll take my boat and
motor so we can go out on the lake to a few of my favourite fishing spots.
I’ll even show you Sturgeon Falls, but we won’t fish there because the
current is too fast. As soon as we get there, we’ll take the boat out on the
lake to fish. When we’re done fishing for the day, we’ll pitch the tent and
build a fire to fry some of the fish we catch.” He winked at Grandma and
said, “We’ll leave Grandma home and it’ll be just the two of us.”
Grandpa told Andrew that he would need to go to bed early on the
Friday night so he could be ready to leave by seven o’clock the next
morning. He also told Andrew to make sure that he brought along warm
clothes in case it got cold when they were out in the boat on the water
or sitting around the campfire at night. Grandpa packed the camping
equipment and hitched the boat up to his truck on Friday night. When he
arrived at Andrew’s house the next morning, his grandson was ready and
waiting. He was holding his rod and reel and the tackle box full of fishing
lures that Grandpa had given him for his birthday.
Grandpa put the fishing equipment into the boat while Andrew said
good-bye to his parents. They climbed into the truck, buckled up their
seatbelts, and headed for the highway leading out of the city.
Andrew was full of questions. “How long will it take us to get there? Will
we see any animals along the way? Can I help you put up the tent? Are we
going fishing as soon as we get there? Are there lots of fish in the lake?”
Grandpa Brown answered all the questions patiently. Over the years,
he had done a lot of fishing in Manitoba’s waters. He had also read a lot
and could answer almost any question about the different species of fish
found in Manitoba and the fishing rules and regulations set out by the
government. Grandpa liked to pass his knowledge on to others, especially
youngsters like his grandson. He was pleased when he heard Andrew’s
22
next question.
“What kind of fish can we catch?” asked Andrew.
“Oh, there are walleye, northern pike, yellow perch, and even
smallmouth bass. There are lake sturgeon too, but they’re really, really big
and very hard to catch. We’ll spend our time fishing for more plentiful fish,”
Grandpa answered. “Many years ago, long before I was born, there were
lots of big sturgeon in the Red and Assiniboine rivers. Now there are so
few sturgeon that they are considered a rare species. If you catch these
fish, you must return them to the water. A few years ago, a small number
of young sturgeon were stocked in the Assiniboine River. Some of these
sturgeon have grown to be almost a metre long. Someday, there may be
enough of this species to have a fishing season on them again. Sturgeon
are an ancient fish and have been living in Manitoba’s lakes and rivers
for a really long time. They can live to be over 100 years old. In fact, the
largest fish ever caught in Manitoba was a lake sturgeon. This species is
most unusual, with its pointed nose and tube-like mouth for sucking in its
food. It has four barbels between its mouth and nose that help it find its
food by taste. It has a tail similar to a shark, with the top part bigger than
the bottom. Another distinguishing feature is the row of hard plates down its
back and the two rows of plates on each side.”
Lake Sturgeon
It was a two-hour drive and the scenery was beautiful. For many
kilometres, they drove past farmers’ fields. Most of the trees by the side of
the road were trembling aspen. Andrew recognized these trees because
they were just like the tree in his yard that had leaves that fluttered in
even the slightest breeze. After a while, they came to the Agassiz Forest
Reserve, which was mostly jack pine and spruce trees interspersed with
aspen and birch. When they reached the end of the reserve, they were in
farmland again. They passed Seddon’s Corner and continued on. About
twenty minutes later, they drove through the town of Seven Sisters. Soon
the farmland was left behind. It wasn’t long before they came to a sign
23
that said Whiteshell Provincial Park. There was a small building nearby.
Grandpa slowed down. A man stepped out, saw their seasonal park pass,
and waved them on.
Now the scenery started to change again. The road began to wind. In
some places, there were big rocks and cliffs. Grandpa told Andrew that
the rocks were part of the Canadian Shield. A long time ago, this area
had been covered by a large glacier that created many of the lakes in the
Whiteshell. Grandpa pointed out some places where workers had to blast
through rock to build the highway. The thick forest was made up of spruce,
aspen, and jack pine. There was also a different kind of tree called a
tamarack. It was unusual because, although it looked like a spruce, it shed
its needles in the fall. From time to time, they could see lakes with cottages
on the left side of the road.
Watching out the window as the trees and rocks flew by, Andrew started
to get sleepy. Grandpa knew that the boy probably hadn’t slept much the
night before because of his excitement. When Andrew’s eyes finally closed,
Grandpa just let him rest.
For the next twenty minutes, Grandpa enjoyed the scenery by himself.
He followed a curve in the road and came across a mother deer and her
two fawns standing by the trees. He pulled off the highway to a safe spot
and woke Andrew up so he could have a look.
24
Chapter Five
The Fun Really Starts
It wasn’t long before Grandpa announced, “We’re getting close to
Nutimik now.” Soon Andrew spotted a building with a sign that read
Whiteshell Natural History Museum. “Your mother visited that museum
when she was about your age. We’ll look around at the exhibits after we’ve
had enough fishing for the day,” Grandpa said. Then he headed his truck
toward the boat launch. Once the boat was in the water, he made sure that
Andrew was safely strapped into his life jacket and then put on his own.
They climbed into the boat and Grandpa started the motor. They headed
off through the water and found the perfect place to fish. Andrew reminded
Grandpa that they needed to use barbless hooks.
While they were waiting for the fish to nibble, Grandpa told Andrew that
he was proud of him for remembering about the barbless hooks and how
important it was to follow all the regulations set out by the government
for recreational fishing in Manitoba’s waterways. He also talked about
something called fishing ethics – the unwritten laws of angling – which
means you do something because you know it’s the right thing to do, like
not crowding someone if they get to your
favourite fishing spot ahead of you and
being quiet so you won’t scare the fish
away.
25
They stopped talking when the youngster suddenly got a nibble. Andrew
landed the fish himself. It wasn’t very big so they released it. Five minutes
later, Grandpa caught a walleye that was large enough to keep for dinner.
They stopped fishing to eat the lunch that Grandma had packed for them.
Then it was back to fishing.
After a while, Grandpa took Andrew for a ride around the lake. They
explored the shoreline. The young boy got quite excited when they passed
a mother black bear and her cub standing on the shore.
Grandpa called out, “Now for some real fun!” He turned the boat around
and headed toward Sturgeon Falls. Grandpa knew the water currents
around the falls could be dangerous so he approached slowly and carefully
and didn’t get too close. He told Andrew that this was where the Winnipeg
River came into Nutimik Lake. He said that the Winnipeg River is a large
river and, as it flows downstream, it widens at spots to form lakes. Nutimik
was one of these lakes. From a safe distance, Andrew enjoyed watching
the water plunge and swirl.
After that, they took the boat over to a sandy beach and spent a few
minutes sitting on a big, flat rock watching the sun sparkle on the waves.
Finally Grandpa suggested, “Let’s go for a swim.”
“That sounds good!” agreed Andrew. They got back in the boat and
headed toward the main beach. Soon they were traveling along a narrow
inlet toward a dock. They tied up the boat, took off their life jackets, and
went to change into their swimming trunks. The water wasn’t too cold and
26
the sun felt great. Grandpa gave Andrew rides on his back like an alligator
swimming underwater. Then they dried off, got changed, and took the boat
back to the boat launch. Grandpa attached the boat to the winch and pulled
it out of the water and back onto the trailer. Their next stop was the fish
cleaning station. Andrew watched his grandfather fillet the fish they had
caught. Grandpa made sure that all the fish remains went into the barrel
below.
“I think I know what we’re going to do now,” Andrew guessed and, sure
enough, he was right! He enjoyed all the displays in the museum, but the
enormous lake sturgeon mounted on the wall really caught his eye.
After that, they drove to their campsite. Grandpa asked Andrew to find
the highest piece of ground so they could pitch their tent there. That way, if
it rained, they wouldn’t get as wet as they would if they slept on low ground.
Andrew helped pitch the tent and get out the other camping gear. Grandpa
showed Andrew how to use kindling to start a fire in the fire pit. For dinner,
they had baked potatoes and onions and the fish fillets they fried over the
fire. Following their feast, they got water from the pump and washed their
dishes.
Night began to fall and the stars came out. The moon shone brightly.
They sat around the campfire and Grandpa told Andrew stories about
when he was young and the things he and his dad had done together. After
a while, it started to cloud over and then rain began to pour down. They
grabbed their things and ran for the tent. As the rain beat down on the
tent, Andrew was glad they were on high ground. They crawled into their
27
sleeping bags and said good-night. Andrew let out a big yawn and was
soon fast asleep, dreaming about all the fish he would catch tomorrow.
The next morning, they woke up bright and early. Grandpa opened up
the tent windows so the sunlight would pour into the tent and dry it out.
“Are you ready for some more fishing?” Grandpa asked after breakfast,
knowing what the answer would be.
“You bet I’m ready!” answered Andrew eagerly. They launched the boat
again and spent hours out on the water. Andrew learned a new way to fish
called trolling. They caught two walleye and three pike that way.
Andrew and Grandpa talked more about fishing as they sat in the boat
waiting for the fish to bite. They
caught several more fish, but
were careful not to keep more
than their limit. There were two
species of fish that were new
to Andrew. He recognized the
yellow perch from the page of fish
Yellow Perch
pictures in his Anglers’ Guide.
He liked the green stripes on the sides of its yellow-coloured body. The two
fins on its back were close together. The front fin had sharp points on it, but
the fin behind had none.
Then Andrew had an idea. “Let’s use my Anglers’ Guide to figure out
what species this other fish is.” He opened up his tackle box and, with a
little help from Grandpa, he identified the second fish. It turned out to be a
smallmouth bass. Grandpa told him that these fish sometimes jump out of
the water when you’re reeling them in on your line. They like to be around
rocks or to hide under trees that
have fallen into the water. There
were three dark marks on both
sides of the fish’s head. These
marks radiated out from the eye.
Grandpa said there was
another species of bass, the
largemouth bass, but it was
less common and didn’t live in
Smallmouth Bass
Nutimik Lake.
It was almost eleven o’clock when Grandpa announced, “Well, I’m
afraid it’s time to leave. We’ll fillet today’s catch and then head back to the
campsite to pack up. We’re going to take a detour on the way home and
28
that will mean extra driving time.” Andrew was a little disappointed that his
weekend was almost over, but he was looking forward to watching for wild
animals on the ride home.
After a quick stop for something to eat, they were on the highway
headed south towards West Hawk Lake. As Andrew watched out the
window, he thought about how he couldn’t wait to tell his friends about his
weekend and to share his new fishing knowledge with them.
Andrew had a short nap. Grandpa woke him up so that he could see
the sign that said Whiteshell Fish Hatchery. They arrived in time for the
two o’clock tour. They visited the Interpretive Centre and saw the tanks of
rainbow and lake trout fingerlings. Andrew enjoyed the display of Master
Angler-sized fish mounted on the wall, but what he liked best was watching
the big fish up close as they swam around in the large wall aquarium.
Andrew found out that Natural Resource Officers are responsible for
making sure that people follow the province’s fishing regulations. He also
learned about Fish Futures Inc., an organization of volunteers who work
hard to improve fish habitat and ensure that future generations will be able
to enjoy recreational fishing in Manitoba.
“Now when you go back to school in the fall, you can tell your teacher
about visiting the fish hatchery and take her one of these pamphlets,”
suggested Grandpa.
Then they hopped back into the truck and were on their way home to
Winnipeg. Andrew was happy, but exhausted from all the fishing and fresh
air. He slept all the way home and didn’t get to see the fox that ran across
the road in front of the truck.
It was almost suppertime when
they pulled into Grandpa’s driveway.
Andrew’s parents were visiting with
Grandma and waiting for the “men”
to come home. They listened with
interest as Angler Andy eagerly
told them about the weekend’s
adventures. Everyone enjoyed
delicious pan-fried pickerel for dinner
that night.
***
29
As the years went by, Andrew went on a number of fishing adventures
with his grandfather.
***
One very cold winter day,
Andrew went ice fishing on
Lake Manitoba. Grandpa took
along his auger to drill holes
through the thick ice so they
could drop in their fish lines.
Andrew caught a fish that
he’d never seen before. This
eel-shaped fish was called a
burbot.
Burbot
***
30
Andrew and Grandpa continued fishing in the Red River at Lockport. It
took many trips before Andrew was finally lucky enough to catch a big, old
catfish. By this time, he was twelve years old and strong enough to reel it
in without Grandpa’s help. Andrew used his pliers to wiggle the hook out
of the fish’s mouth. As they carefully measured the fish, Grandpa thought
about what a great angler his grandson had become. The fish, with its
strange barbels, measured 86.5 centimetres in length!
“Smile!” said Grandpa as he snapped a picture of Master Angler Andrew
with his giant fish. Andrew couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate his
twelfth birthday.
The End
About the Authors
Father and daughter, Jack Brown and Carol
Szuminsky, made new memories while working
together on this book. Carol took her dad’s words
and wove them into a story that reveals the
enjoyment that comes from fishing in Manitoba, as
well as the responsibilities that go along with that
fun and adventure.
Jack passed on to his children an appreciation of nature and the great outdoors. He
knows all about Manitoba’s plants and animals and is most happy when he is sharing
this knowledge with others, especially youngsters. For 39 years, he was a volunteer
instructor of Manitoba Junior Rifle and Hunter & Firearm Safety Training for the
Assiniboia Wildlife Association. At the age of 80, Jack still helps with bird counts and
banding at Oak Hammock Marsh.
Some of Carol’s fondest childhood memories took place at Sturgeon Creek,
Lockport, and Nutimik Lake. She recently retired from 32 years of teaching elementary
school in Winnipeg and now has time to pursue her other interests. Carol has published
two previous books, Why Penny Loved Peanuts and Penny Picks the Perfect Pet. She
is currently working on teacher activities to accompany her next book, Penny Visits
Oak Hammock Marsh. Her company, Peanut Butter Press, recently published its first
children’s book by another author, Mary’s Atlas: Mary Meets Manitoba.
*Carol enjoys going to schools to share her children’s books and talk about writing.
Schools in Winnipeg and the surrounding area may call (204) 221-6401 to arrange a
visit.
About the Illustrators
Kristin Szuminsky painted her drawings of Andrew and Grandpa
with watercolours. This is the second book she has illustrated for her
mother. Kristin is currently studying architecture.
Sketching birds and animals has always been one of Jack’s hobbies.
He used acrylic paint for his detailed drawings of the common
species of Manitoba fish.