6.8.60 – Today, Saturday, right after work we went to fish in the shallows of our nearby stream but caught nothing. Ray stepped on the fishing pole that I had brought for Alden [Smith] (A. is on holiday for the first time this time around). (We were fishing the other day, the previous time he just practiced with a weight). The first time he caught a 6” Dolly and then he caught a large Spring. It was on the line for about 20 minutes. We were fishing down stream at Bend Pool where there is a lot of driftwood and branches and the shore is quite rocky. The fish moved at first really well and was even close to the lure, but because we didn’t have a hook and only a 10lb line we didn’t dare try for it. The salmon wedged itself under a tree trunk and after 5 minutes the line broke. The pole and reel stood up to the test really well. It took about 20 minutes.
Back to today – we started driving back to camp around 1500 hours [3 p.m.] and I stopped the truck at the junction to the Point. I went there alone – as is my usual habit. From experience I can say that between 15-1600 hours the fish bite the best. First off I caught about a 10-inch, ½ lb. dolly. Then a Jack Spring bit which I reeled in after about 5 minutes. A bright fish that hadn’t spawned – weighed about 5 lbs. I cleaned the fish and gave them to Jean to keep in the deep freeze so I’d eventually have something to take home.
After dinner Bernie went fishing also and Ray came to watch. He caught a 1-lb Dolly. Caught another one as well but it got loose on the sandy beach. Ray ran to help, but that’s when it took off. I didn’t fish at all but watched my buddy as he practiced. Well, he saved his skin this time. But tomorrow’s another day!
After dinner Bernie went fishing also and Ray came to watch. He caught a 1-lb Dolly. Caught another one as well but it got loose on the sandy beach. Ray ran to help, but that’s when it took off. I didn’t fish at all but watched my buddy as he practiced. Well, he saved his skin this time. But tomorrow’s another day!
19.8.60 – Friday. Departure for Tasek
o at 8:30 a.m.
o at 8:30 a.m.
Bob Stushnoff and Peter Middleton were traveling companions. (Ross Stewart was driving another pickup, 1960 Chevy, to aid us.) We were in a Volkswagen transport – wonderful vehicle. Stayed at Williams Lake overnight. The next night was spent at Alexis Creek. Departure from there on Sunday at 8:30 a.m. Arrived at 15:30 hrs – the road was fairly good. Game seen along the way: 1 grouse and 3 squirrels.
22.8.60 – Monday. We made camp, unloaded the vehicles and built a bridge over the stream. (The VW got stuck in the mud while we were crossing the previous day, and we had to wrestle with it the whole evening. Mainly Bob – Pete and I were mainly onlookers.) In the afternoon we built one raft and fetched some firewood from the forest.
23.8.60 – We built another raft and fetched some more firewood. In the evening I went fishing, and tested out my new rod and Quick-Finessa reel. My casting started improving somewhat. No fish. One possible Spring in a stream pocket – lots of Sockeye. Saw two does and two fawns on the opposite bank of the river. They were wading up along the riverbank and did not see me for I stood very still. I let them go past me and then waved my hand –they took off like a shot. Returned to camp by 18:00 hours. They boys had been hunting: 1 rabbit and 4 grouse. We ate the grouse that same night and they were delicious!
24.8.60 – Day off – nothing to do. Went to the Eyeing Station to fish at 1
5:30 hours. There was 1 grouse behind the camp. At the crossroads by the station saw 3 elk – 1 bull and 2 cows. Cast for about two hours – nothing. There was a wind blowing across from the lake and it was quite chilly. On the way back I flushed out two grouse – they didn't seem too shy. Then Pete and I took off to do some hunting. One of the grouse sat in the same spot. Pete had a .22 revolver – shot 8 times and got two hits. Nothing else was seen. By the way: on Monday there was snow on the ground – that is, on 22.8.60!
5:30 hours. There was 1 grouse behind the camp. At the crossroads by the station saw 3 elk – 1 bull and 2 cows. Cast for about two hours – nothing. There was a wind blowing across from the lake and it was quite chilly. On the way back I flushed out two grouse – they didn't seem too shy. Then Pete and I took off to do some hunting. One of the grouse sat in the same spot. Pete had a .22 revolver – shot 8 times and got two hits. Nothing else was seen. By the way: on Monday there was snow on the ground – that is, on 22.8.60!
25.8.60 – The boys left early at 6:30 a.m. Worked on various inside projects and headed back to bed again at 7:30 a.m. Woke up at 12 noon. Well – this will be my only chance for several months. Tomorrow I plan to go fishing early in the morning.
26.8.60 – Went fishing at 8:30 a.m. Since it looked like I wouldn't be able to reach to spot where the Springs were, decided to try to boat. It seemed to go alright, so I rowed to the other side of the river from where I fished, making my way slowly downstream. Found a lot of Springs but they didn't seem interested. In the middle of the river there is a sandbar where there seem to be a lot of them. The spot is only about 1/2 foot deep, so tomorrow I'll anchor the boat there – pound a pole into the sand and fish while wading around. At 17:00 hours it started to rain a little. The wind was from the north, chilly and blustery. Sky to the north was covered in dark clouds and thunder roared several times in the distance. This evening there has been a steady, quiet rain and I've been making lures. I didn't have any piano wire, but I switched the tag wire for copper wire. Took the specialty wire from the tags because it's pliable, rustproof and slightly sturdier. Hopefully it will work. By the way, I wrote Aune a letter yesterday which went off with the boys. Today it's still raining – it will be interesting to see how the road stands up to the rain. It's 21:05 hours – I'm reading up on the Sockeye so my conscience won't continue to bother me.
Translated from the original Finnish: Marja-Leena Tolvanen-Rogers
NB: This blog had been compiled from an autobiography and journal entries by Andy (Valto Antero) Tolvanen. He is renowned in fishing circles in Finland for being one of the first individuals to bring the art of fly-tying to Finland. Andy translated the instructions from English to Finnish in the early 1950s since there was no literature in Finnish on the art of fly-tying at that time. He is mentioned on several Finnish fishing club websites regarding this noteworthy fact. ~ MLR
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