Oh man, I got an exciting story to tell you guys today. It was a nice sunny, but cold November day. Winter fishing is the best on Kooteney Lake. That’s usually when we catch the big ones and that’s what we were hoping for today. Although all the way up north in Canada Kooteney lake never freezes over. In fact it’s one of the few lakes in Canada that never freeze over and we’re out fishing in November as well as December or January right from our Boats. Well I didn’t own much of a boat but like I always tell people “any boat is better than no boat” so I hooked on to my 14 foot StarCraft aluminum V hull that was outfitted with a mercury 15 hp four stroke outboard, two rod holders, and a big tacklebox. We also had very warm clothes, life jackets and little food. There is something so enjoyable about being on the open water in Canada when everyone else is drilling holes in ice. Kootenay Lake is almost 100 miles long and only half a mile wide. It has one main river flowing in and two outflows and is 500 feet deep I suppose those are some of the reasons it never freezes over. Along with the milder but still freezing temperatures of the West Kootenays.
Anyways we drove the 10 minutes to the boat launch, launched our boat and almost immediately started trolling for trout. That’s how we fish for them there, spoons, flashers, wetflies, plugs, Downriggers…. a lot like you would fish for salmon on the west coast. And in fact when you look around, unless you were to taste the water you would think you were on the west coast in some beautiful Inlet, but no this is freshwater with the Purcell mountains on one side and the Selkirk on the other. Towering beautiful mountains that rise up straight out of the lake for over 7000 feet. One beautiful place.
The four stroke motor fired up on the second pull just like it always did. As soon as we got out of the bay I kicked it down to an idol, going 2.5 to 3 mph.
We would maintain that speed with a line on each side and hooks trailing back 75 to 125 feet. It would only take less than half an hour to get to the other side straight across from our hometown of Kaslo British Columbia. That was our destination a place they call the ink spots as large cliffs go up hundreds of feet and have the strange black markings that flow down them.
As the cliffs meet the water, they continue straight down and this being close to shore has always been a hotspot. Often times when arriving there we would just troll back-and-forth maybe a mile in each direction.
Now Kooteney Lake is a fickle lake for Fishing, let me tell you. That Lake is hot and cold. I don’t mean it warms up, its cold all the time. I’m not talking temperature. I’m talking fish strikes. Hot and cold. Some days, you slay them and other days nothing. Heck, I’ve gone weeks on that lake without a bite. Stood up in my boat and swore that this is the last time I will ever waste my time out here freezing to death for no fish. “ There’s not a damn fish in this lake “ explain in anger and frustration, And then zip would go the line and just sing. Sing the most beautiful sound of fisherman can hear when a 15 or 18 pound rainbow trout grabs your hook and makes a run for it. We set our drag loose because trout fight hard, and you don’t want them to rip that hook right out of their mouth, so you gotta go easy, no winching them in. You gotta fight ‘em but it takes some skill to make sure there’s never any slack in your line.
You see on that lake. It’s no barbs allowed. Here in Canada fishing regulations very from lake to lake or even area to area. For example, the regulations for this lake was no barbed hooks and no bait. OK back to the story.
We made it to the other side of the lake and we’re just coming around on our second pass beside the cliffs when my daughter says “oh I got one. I got one daddy.” I seen the rod dip hard and I thought to myself she’s got a pretty decent fish on there. She was reeling in doing a very good job but when the fish got close to the boat, it started to pull really hard. “I can’t do it. It’s too hard.” Brina cried out to me. I knew she had a good fish on there. I thought perhaps a 8 to 10 pounder, which would really be an accomplishment for a small 11-year-old girl to real in and catch entirely by herself. “ I can’t do it, my arm my arm” she cried out as she switched hands and tried to reel with her left. “No don’t do that.” I said, “keep it in your right hand and just keep reeling. Don’t let it get slack, you can do it, that’s why they call it a fight,” I replied loudly encouraging her. She’s been reeling a while when the fish finally came to the surface and I got my first look. “Oh my god that’s a big one” I said, and suddenly realized why she was complaining so much. The temptation came over me to grab the rod and take over, for that fish looked like an absolute trophy and I didn’t want it to get away, but I knew if that little girl could get in herself, this was going to create a moment of pride and joy like almost no other, and I wasn’t going to take that away from her. With her tired arms no Barb in the hook I was really taking a chance that that fish would get away. “You can do it honey just keep on reeling, don’t give up” I encouraged her. Well that little girls got grit and as that fish drug out more Line that she would have to reel in, she kept on going and never asked for me to take over again. My heart swelled with joy and pride. You gotta understand. We got all our winter clothes on and big gloves and everything and she’s just continuing to suck that rod in under her arm and keep on reeling and she brought that fish right back to the boat. Now is my chance to net it, but you gotta be careful, a lot of fish get lost right at netting time. If that fish has too much energy and too much strength left in it, it can freak out from seeing the boat, the people the net, and use all the remainder of its energy to flip and roll and splash and spit the hook. You want that fish tired, really tired just barely moving up to the boat as you dip your net into the water and bring them up in one fell swoop. Well, as you can see behind me, I had been videotaping the entire thing Handing the poor quality cell phone camera over to Brina, ( hey it was 2011) I prepared to lift the biggest bull trout I’ve ever seen into our little boat. (Play video at that part)
It was an absolute monster, 21 pounds the fattest fish I’d ever seen and much bigger than any trout I’d ever caught in that lake. A record, she still holds with extreme pride and finds it very enjoyable to remind me of that fact. Now I grew up on Kooteney Lake and lived there fishing that lake for 30 years and I have never seen anyone catch bigger bull trout than this. It’s worth mentioning that Bull trout is the species of that fish although locals have a nicknamed them “dollies”, I think that terminology must’ve came from ocean fisherman who fished the lake. Like I said the biggest bull trout I’ve ever seen. What’s the biggest bull trout you’ve ever seen? Let me know in the comments below am I wrong? Is it huge? Do they get bigger? What are they like where you fish. I’d love to know.
Well it was a Sunday afternoon about 1 PM at this point, and Brina and I made haste to the opposite shore, where our truck waited. We knew if we hurried, we’d be just in time for church getting out and get to show off to all our friends and most importantly to her grandma and grandpa. Yes we skipped church to go fishing. Sorry to say but no I’m not sorry to say we were blessed. God blessed us that day. What a wonderful Father daughter time it was. My daughter still tells this story to all who will listen. I still see her smile, and her face light up with pride from her accomplishment. I’m so glad I didn’t take that rod away and this turned out to be a father’s best day. Like I said, she always rubs it in that she caught a bigger fish than me but I wouldn’t have it any other way. Good job Brina I love you.
Well that year was 2011 and Brina was 11 years old so you can guess that today she is turning 24. She has never stopped fishing and loves it even today. When she was 12, I took the whole family to Belize for the winter (that’s another story) and Brina spent most of the time in the water, snorkelling and spearfishing. She still fishes Kooteney lake today with bull trout and rainbow trout being her favorite, but I doubt she’ll ever beat that record of 21 pounds. Maybe her and I can go to the ocean one day and catch something big there or a sturgeon in the Fraser river. It’s a wonderful thing when Fishing can bring you close to your family and give you meaningful memories like I have with my children.
Thanks for watching folks that’s my story and I’d like to tell yours. Send in your stories to info@themoosewhisperer.com. Thanks for watching more stories to come.
