We Love this Pond #92

What do you consider to be a good day of fishing? Do you base your answer on the weather? Or is it the fact that you have a day off from work and just want to relax? Or, is it like me, where any day in the woods is a good day! Regardless of your answer, I am sure it must include at least catching a few fish.

Well, here is an accounting of a trip TC and I took three weeks ago to one of our very favorite ponds in the Deboulie Region. It’s a very small pond with a beautiful cliff rock background. Crystal clear water surrounds your boat and unless you know it is there, you will not see it as you pass by on the road. There are a couple of ways to get into the pond and one that is much more appealing, if the water level is high enough. Other than that, you have to drag your canoe in. I first fished this pond many years back with TC’s father and came to love it right away. But, there was a time after that, where the fishing was not so good and the water levels dropped too low. I’m happy to say, due to the conservation efforts of Jen Brophy at Red River Camps, the levels came back as well as the trout population.

So, I have been taking TC there when we go to the park and we have not been disappointed. Our recent trip was no different and I would submit that this time was not like any other. It was truly a fishing trip to remember. Let me explain.

We drove to the pond entrance early one morning, parked our truck and off loaded the canoe. I checked the first portage to see if there was enough water and found it to be favorable. We loaded the canoe and paddled off to the pond. Using this portage, you have to paddle your canoe to a beaver dam that crosses the pond and keeps the water levels in check. We stepped out, hauled the canoe over the dam, jumped back in and headed for what I will call, the deep hole. As I recall, TC had a Blue Dunn and I had a Humpy fly on my line. Right off the bat, TC caught a nice 13” brookie, then another around 14”. I think she caught five before I caught my first one. Now, this pond has an 18” size limit, so every fish we caught got returned to the water. At one point, we heard some talking and movement in the bushes at the second portage, and shortly two men came out in a canoe. They circled us like they do in a wagon train and watched as we caught one fish after another. And, no, they did not catch a single one.  Eventually, they gave up and left as we continued our catch and release seminar. The year before, we were made aware of a tale where TC’s uncles had caught twenty-one trout on this pond, so we had a goal to shoot for.

 As the day progressed and it became time to go, we had caught twenty two trout, all in excellent shape and all twenty two were released back into the water. Yes, TC had tallied up the total and she let me know that she caught twelve and that I caught ten. We both agreed that the day had been a success and the time well spent. What I did not tell her was that I wanted a rematch. But a little voice in my head keeps saying, “Be careful what you wish for.”