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Review of the Great Get Away 2001
In what has become a tradition in the American Angler’s Club, this publication is to mark an important milepost in the year of the members of this club. This is the official half waypoint to the Great Get Away of 2002. We are now beginning just a short six months wait for the trip of 2002. With the busy schedules that are a part of the every day life style we live, this time will pass quickly, much to the pleasure of the returning members and those who could not attend last year’s G.G.A. adventure.
We wish to take some of your valuable time and reflect on last years trip and look ahead to the coming trip of 2002. As we start to look to the future we rely on past experiences to help make each new trip a success. In years past we have made some changes for the better and some that didn’t turn out so well. Even those changes that didn’t work have become favorite conversation topics year after year in the club. Nothing is considered a total loss. To look back, is to look to the future in anticipation. The positive changes of last year and years past will be the foundation of the upcoming years adventure. Subtle differences are some of the most appreciated in retrospect. This trip has became such an important part of the member’s lives that it is treated the respect that a tradition of this age demands. The members carefully consider the changes however minor before being implemented. The members and traditions of this club deserve no less. With that said let’s take a few minutes and remember one of the great trips that the American Angler’s Club has experienced and prepare for 2002.
Friday May 26th, 2001
As in year’s past Gary C. had the honor of transporting one of the honored members of the club Hugh our cook, Mike was to pick up Al at home and Greg was to travel solo and arrive on Sunday the 29th. This year’s crew would be the smallest group that has made the trip other than the first trip in 1985. The trip was to take a few new turns for the better with a couple of unexpected bumps along the way. The first “surprise” occurred about two miles from Al’s house when it was discovered that he had forgot to bring his transducer for his fish finder. A quick u-turn just north of Maltby and ten minutes later Mike and Al were back on track heading for the Conway rendezvous. It was just about 10 minutes from the Conway point that Mike asked Al where he stowed the infamous Griddles this year since he didn’t see them being loaded. Al’s face grew pale, oops was all he could mutter. Mike was a little more colorful with an “Oh-Shit! Hugh’s not going to be very happy about this surprise”. During the next few hours of the road trip careful planning was made to try to avoid the impending doom. A plan was devised and agreed on and the conversation returned to the excited anticipation of this year’s adventure.
This year we had decided to drive straight through to Merritt for breakfast and a stop at a local sporting goods store. We had planned on eating at the usual Bar and Grill but it was not open for breakfast at 8am. While wondering what to do we stumbled on the Powder Keg sporting goods store and the owner suggested a restaurant in the hotel near by. The owner also offered to keep an eye on our gear in the back of the trucks while we ate our breakfast. The Meal was great and a pleasant surprise as we had been told that there are no decent places to eat in Merritt. After our breakfast we spoke with the owner of the Powder Keg and he made some suggestions for fly choices at Hi-Hium. After restocking our fly boxes and heavy weight tippet supply we headed for the next stop at the spirits store. By about 10:00 we had completed our refueling and our last stop before departing for Hi-Hium Lake. We then traveled by the Tunkwa Lake hi-way over the mountains this year. What a relief it was to get away from the freeways so early in the trip. This route really felt shorter time wise but the time was about the same in comparison to previous trips here. This also brought on the last leg of the trip, the “wilderness” part quite a bit sooner.
We arrived at the Circle W to a warm welcome as usual from Ron and Missy. Hot coffee and orange juice and cookies were waiting. After pre-paying for the stay, securing our B.C. fishing licenses’ and some conversation the boys were ready for the final part of the trip, the climb to the lake. At around 2pm we were at the boathouse and we were loading our gear to motor towards Eagle Bay 2, our home for the week.
The cabin was a sight for sore eyes and it was in great shape this year. Better than ever in fact. The firewood was split and stacked on the porch and it was some of the driest we have ever seen. After we had unpacked and stowed our gear we decided to do some fishing since the lake was looking so inviting, but not before a toast to our good fortune and safe arrival. As we assembled and strung our fly rods it was almost impossible to conceal our excitement. Soon after Al and Hugh paired up in one boat and Gary C. and Mike paired up in the other boat. With fish finders searching the depths we looked for clues to this lake’s secret holding areas for the Kamloops trout. We fished from about 4:30 to 9p.m. right through the normal dinner hour. Hugh caught 2, Gary C. caught 1, Mike caught 2 (one 171/2” spawner right off the dock) and Al didn’t get to break the ice this time.
The dinner today was hot dogs at about 9:45. It was fast and easy and filled the boys up. It was now the time to relax and enjoy the first night at the lake. Conversations and testimonials to the absent members filled the night. The Old Wedding Gown was brought to the lips of all in attendance for it was the spirit of choice this year’s gathering, Al made this choice because it was the most popular and also the most economical jug on the shelf. A fact that usually goes hand and hand during the American Angler’s Club’s outings and in most B.C. liquor stores. At about 11:30 we decided to turn down the lanterns and get in the sleeping bags, well most of us at least. Al had a bit of problem finding the opening to his bag and gave his impression of a Joe Fraiser punching bag workout. The bag won in a unanimous TKO decision after only 2 rounds. Al surrendered and raised his boxing gloves to his face and decided to sleep under the bag and not in it tonight. Tomorrow we meet again he sighed.
Saturday May 27th
The boys hit the deck at 9 today. After some fresh coffee and sweet rolls we were on the lake once again. The boys fished till about noon and decided to return for some lunch. Al and Gary each caught one trout. Hugh caught two and Mike caught one. Still not the trout catching fiesta the boys had hoped for but not a bad outing. We are locating fish on the fish finders but are having a difficult time getting them to move on our fly choices.
During this break Hugh and Mike put together the beef stew. This was a double batch so we could reheat it once again for a future dinner. At about 3 the stew was done cooling down of the kitchen stove as the fire burned out and the boys returned to the lake once again. We all fished from 3-7pm. Gary C. caught three, Al caught one and Hugh and Mike got zipped. We located lots of fish off Moose point on some weed beds but we could not get them to move on our offerings. We still have yet to find the Killer Fly.
We ate dinner about 7pm and the stew was Great! All we had to do was start the fire in the stove and reheat the stew. This only took a matter of minutes it seemed.
The weather is starting to turn a little for the worse now. All day long fishing we had to deal with the wind. We did a lot of wind drifting in the boats over “hot spots”. A cloud cover is starting to form in the sky now and we think we are in for some rain soon. Tonight will be an early night for most of the boys. Greg should be here tomorrow afternoon. We did manage to save some of the Old Wedding Gown for him. He’s so lucky to have friends like these!
The neighbor in Eagle Bay 1 stumbled on a sow bear and her cub about 150 yards behind our cabin. We will have to be careful; she is huge and quite protective of her cub. No creek trail walking this year. Hugh also spotted a small bird on a nest in the brush just to the east of the cabin. It was real close to the trial so Gary C. marked it with some survey tape to keep us from bothering her. She had 5 eggs she was tending to. There were also lots of loons on the lake this year. They are so nice to listen to. During our morning trips on the east side of Eagle Point they try to steal our trout we hook.
Well it only took Al 9 minutes to nod off and start his Grizzly mating song. We all had a good laugh over that tune. By the way he did find the opening to his bag today. Proudly he slept IN his bag tonight!
May 28th Sunday
The day started off with beautiful morning on the lake. We were on the lake with lines in water at about 7am today. The members were starting to have some success with the trout and couldn’t wait to get back at it. The conditions were there but the fish didn’t cooperate this morning. We caught two fish right out of the gates but the bite slacked off from then. At about 12:30 we decided to do a braut Bar-B-Q for some much needed nourishment. Al lucked out once again, the great griddle caper was still undiscovered by the cook, it was much too late for a breakfast now.
While in the cabin we fired up the stove and loaded some baking potatoes in the oven. We would have a steak Bar-B-Q tonight and the spuds should just need a warm up after spending the afternoon in the oven. Great plan and it worked fine.
Much to the enjoyment of the members Greg arrived just after lunch. After the handshakes and a couple of celebratory bumps we hit the lake once again. Ron had suggested earlier that we try to fish the Rock Pile so Gary C. decided to give it a try. Gary landed three fish with the largest going 18 3/8”. Goes to show you, look for the locals to get the straight scoop. There goes Mike’s spawner down the drain.
The dinner steaks turned out great and with some cocoa in the eight o’clock hour the boys were in the sack by 9:30. With the new menu the kitchen was nearly void of any dirty dishes or pots and pans for the week. This made short work for the clean up crew and the cook too!
May 29th Monday
Monday morning found the boys rattling around at 5am. By 5:45 we were on the lake once again. Mike and Hugh tried Gary’s rock pile and started to land some pretty nice fish. They were stripping in scud patterns during a wind drift over the hump. I should rephrase that, a gale drift only slowed by the oars to keep the flies in the water. The wind blew so hard that Hugh even lost his cap for a short time overboard. Al and Greg fished alongside Mike and Hugh for a while but decided to try a spot west of Moose point a little out of the weather with Gary C. They got two in the boat and lost one in the battle. Gary C. landed six and lost two. The fish were running about 15-16” in size with lots of fight. There was much less wind up there. Hugh and mike got three more and Mike decided it was time to warm up in the cabin for a while around 10am. It was around this time when Hugh started to check out his newfound prize freeze-dried hash browns. Mike could see this menu on the wall; Hugh was ready for some breakfast today. This might be a good time to split some more firewood Mike thought. As Mike was splitting wood, Hugh was going through all Al’s Tupperware tubs like a bear in a spawning creek. A message was sent to Al that the jig was up! Mike warned Al on the Talkabout of the impending disaster. Hugh then tried to raise contact with his #1 son and keeper of the griddles but there seemed to be a lot of atmospheric interference because Al could not quite make out the request for the location of the griddles. Well a short time later Al and Greg arrived back to face the music. But much to his surprise the Cook had fallen in love with all of the well-seasoned skillets hanging behind the stove. The breakfast turned out excellent and the cook was pleased with his discovery of the quality of the skillets provided by the resort. Hugh said all he needs to make this trip a success for cooking is his sharp knife and his steel.
The wind now was blowing so hard the door would not stay closed due to a faulty lock spring. The rock stopper would not even hold it closed. Gary C. made the handy repair using a piece from his key ring. The lock mechanism works perfect now and no more need for the rock to hold the door closed during the windstorms. At around noon the wind was hitting 60+ mph so we just stayed inside and enjoyed the comforts of our log lodge. A warm fire, couple of drinks and some snacks, it doesn’t get much better than that during a storm. Now it’s a perfect time for a shower Greg said. Greg fired up the shower and Al was ready for the plunge. You didn’t need to bring a towel; the 60 mph wind had you dry before the water quit dribbling from the showerhead. Exhilarating I think was the term.
We had to take a break and retie the boats and bail out one on the beach before it sank. This is one big badass windstorm today; you can actually feel the cabin shudder at times. It looks like the corner of the roof is starting to lift a bit. We hope it doesn’t lift off totally.
We decided that tomorrow (if the wind drops) we would each keep two fish for a bar-B-Q. If the wind holds we might have to do the “Emergency Chicken” soup routine. This would not be a fun time in the Provincial camp in a tent today. We hear that one of the resort helpers sunk his boat on his daily rounds today. Luckily he made it to the shore all right though, just a bit damp. We also rounded up all the candles in case we loose our power.
While Mike readied his camera for a few more shots of the gang during the break, (He had already taken about 15 shots by now) he notices that there was no film in it. “Cuts down on the developing costs he quickly added”.
It’s 5 pm now and it is snowing pretty hard. The cabin is nice and toasty from the woodstove and we are sure to remember this Memorial Day for a few years. We reheated our leftover stew today and it was real good. Another quick and easy meal with very little prep time involved and an easy clean up.
May 30th, Tuesday
We hit the lake very early today. After spending all the day on land yesterday the men were anxious to feel the pull of the Kamloops trout again. 5:45 and 34 degrees, the wind is starting to pick up again. We started to fish the weed beds for about 1 hour and only had one hit so Hugh and Mike decided to try the rock pile again. More wind too much trouble to stay on the spot for any length of time. A quick pit stop at Owl point and Mike and Hugh then decided to try the east side of Eagle Point. This bay was a welcome break from the increasing winds. The real surprise was the number of fish that were in the bay! Hugh landed six in there ranging from 16” to a respectable 18 1/4”. Mike landed three and broke off a few flies due to poor tippet choice. The Green Doc Spratley was the ticket today.
Greg and Al fished Moose point for the morning bite and south of Eagle Point in the deep water off of the bay mouth during the midday. Al lost a nice fish and landed 3 keepers. Greg landed 4 and lost 2 right at the boat. At 11:00am it started to snow again and we all headed for the cabin. After a quick warm up we pulled a quick 12:30 to 2pm fishing trip before taking a break for some hot dogs on the bar-b-q. We returned to the lake at 3pm for the afternoon bite. Just for the records today’s scores were as follows, Hugh and his Green Doc Spratley landed 7 fish, Mike landed 12, Gary C. landed 1 in the afternoon for a total of 9 fish for the day. Al landed 6 and Greg also landed 6. Not a bad day on the lake!
At 8 pm the boys gathered around the Bar-B-Q for the now famous Kamloops fish dinner. Hugh accompanied the main course with a nice plate of garlic pasta. The meal was a big success and topped off a near perfect day on the lake. The Green Doc Spratley was the number one fly today with a Green Scud (shrimp) coming in a close second as fly of choice. Hugh and Mike had thought they had beat out Gary’s big fish of the week but on closer measurement Hugh lost out by less than a eighth on an inch. At 10:30 the Coleman lanterns were snuffed out for the day and the boys retired to their bunks for some rest and recollections of the days events.
If we were to pick a day that most meet our wildest expectations this would had to have been the one. After the wind teased us into thinking it might start up again in the morning the weather settled nicely into a calm pattern for the afternoon bite and late night Bar-B-Q. The trout we caught today were most cooperative and put up some of the best fights we can recall. The strikes were most aggressive; there was no doubt when you had a fish interested in destroying your fly.
May 31st, Wednesday
This is always a morning that is like a double-edged sword, it is a beginning to a full day of adventures in our Hi-Hium playground. But it is the last full day this year’s trip. No one mentions the fact that tomorrow we will be leaving early in the morning. It’s 5am and the boys are looking for a hot cup of coffee to get the day started. The sky was overcast and the air temperature was hovering at 40 degrees. Greg joined Mike today and the two headed for the bay north of Eagle Point. They managed to land 3 right off the get go but then things slowed down. The next stop was the rock pile and Greg hooked up to a nice 16 ½” trout. Best fish of the morning for that boat. Al and Hugh paired up today and both landed one fish apiece. Gary C. trolled the slot by the Canadian flags to Owl Point and landed four trout. Gary also landed 2 outside the creek by Eagle bay One from the boat on the way in for breakfast at 10:30.
Hugh put together a fine breakfast of eggs, hash browns, sausage and English muffins for the boys to rebuild their strength and to hold them over until tonight’s Steak Bar-B-Q. After breakfast the weather started to warm up a bit and the sun made a welcome appearance. Gary C’ 18 3/8”er is still on top of the board for big fish of the week and the last remaining window of opportunity is from 12-7:30.
While taking the breakfast break we took this year’s group photo. We also managed to get in the much overdue shower run before the long ride home tomorrow for the benefit of all members present. We also had a visit from Ron and Missy, we expressed our appreciation for all their work to make this cabin and all it’s supplies available to our group. It was also during this afternoon break that we all decided that we would return here for our trip in 2002. Gary C. also put up some flagger’s tape to keep tomorrows arriving group from crushing the bird nest just off the train to the east of the cabin. When the Karaoke started to pick up momentum we decided to hit the lake one more time. As we boarded the kimoris the eagles and our resident ducks and squirrels greeted us. It’s tough to see this trip come to a close.
With no time to loose, the boys are back on the lake in pursuit of the big fish of the week. It’s funny with the success we have experienced this week Gary is still not sure if his fish will hold the top spot. Everyone still has a real chance to take home the big fish pin. We have all lost fish that we believe could have been the big one.
Well it’s 9pm and the boys have conceded the race to this year’s winner Gary C. It was a real race to the end but Gary’s fish took the top spot for the week. Al and Hugh had a great afternoon trip with Al landing twelve fish and Hugh landing 4 fishing the mouth of the bay to the East of Eagle Point. This was a most memorable father son fishing experience for these two even with being harassed all afternoon by a “Great White Bucket Mouth Shark”. Gary C landed 1 trolling and 3 more off the creek mouth in Eagle Bay. Mike and Greg fished together and Greg landed one and Mike landed five. These two found a school of fish holding a bit farther east in a small bay but they could not get the fish to strike a fly no matter what they tried after Mike lost a “nice” one.
After a fine steak and baked potato dinner the boys played some crib and solitaire and talked of the weeks events as the scribe finished up recording this year’s notes in the official club notebook.
May 31st Thursday
As tradition has it the boys were busy packing and loading the kimorys up for the trip back to the boathouse and home. How fast this week passes by. We are not ready to leave quite yet, another hour, afternoon fishing trip or day would be nice we think. To once again listen to the evening sounds of the lake and anticipate what would come our way tomorrow in first light. Those experiences will have to wait for a year now.
Back at the ranch stories of the weeks adventure were exchanged while we enjoyed our fresh blueberry muffins with Ron and Missy. We requested a week later in the summer schedule and we were given the week following our normal week for 2002. The deposit was made and the plan set, we would return in 2002.
The ride back over the Tunkwa Lake hi-way took its toll on one of Greg’s tires. Some quick pit crew work and we were on the road again. A new tire would be bought during our breakfast in Merritt and gas stop. We ate at the D and G Grill again and the food was as we remembered it, quite good! The rest of the ride home went rather well as usual. The Tax rebate would fill the gas tanks again and a long ride to re-live the week’s events. But in true American Angler’s Club fashion the men began to plan for the next trip to Hi-Hium Lake before they reached the Conway meet point.
The End.
