TR Labrador

I met Cliff at Logan Airport at 0:dark-thirty. Our flights to
Goosebay would take about 3 ½ hours. Our bags both weighed in at 48
pounds, just under what we were allowed. Of course our carry-on was
full of reels and rods. Cliff found out when we went through customs
in Halifax that Canada doesn't allow fish hooks in your carry-on. He
had about $100 worth of streamers and wooly buggers, so he had to find
a small kit bag and check them through.

We arrived at Goosebay, met our other four sports, got booze/beer/soft
drinks, and boarded the Twin Beaver for our flight to Awesome Lake.
An hour later we landed at the lake and were ushered to our room. No
fishing that day, but we got our gear set up and everyone was ready
for Sunday morning.

The next morning, Cliff elected to stay at the lodge. He is dying
from bone cancer and is unable to walk too far or wade. He was
restricted to fishing from the Gander Boats the lodge uses. However,
if the wind is up, the guides are reluctant to use the boats. So, our
guide Bill and I headed down stream. I was initially disappointed in
the river because of all the North Carolina size brook trout I caught.
Little six inchers plagued everyone. Once you got your fly past them,
however, there were big fish to be hooked. I landed a nice 18 incher
using what was to become the fly of the week - the Royal Wulff. The
brookies would take other flies, of course, but the cast were long
(60+ feet) and this made it difficult to see the fly. Not so,
however, with a size 12 or 14 Royal Wulff. A green wooly bugger was
also effective in bringing some of these giant Labrador Brook Trout to
hand.

By noon time of that first day, the winds had calmed and Cliff and I
joined our guide Bill in the boat to explore the two main inlets to
the lake. We were again plagued by the little brookies, but saw
porpoising fish out about 50 feet. A few casts and we were rewarded
with 2, 3, and 4 pound brook trout. Most of our catch, however, was
in the 15 to 18 inch range. We each caught at least 30 fish on dries,
and I pulled a nice 3 pounder out using a streamer (white and yellow
tied to fish in Alaska).

And so went the week, with me fishing the river in the morning because
of winds, and Cliff and I fishing the inlets or outlet in the
afternoon when the winds died down. On one day, can't remember which,
we were fishing the outlet and I decided to try a mouse pattern. On
the first cast I caught a brook trout that couldn't have been more
than five inches. The mouse was almost as big as he was. I continued
with the mouse and finally caught a nice 3 pounder. Fishing the mouse
in Labrador is different than fishing it in Kamchatka. In Kamchatka
the second the mouse hits the water you start small jerky strips so
that the mouse makes noises in the water. However, on this river (The
English River), you let your mouse dead drift, giving it only slight
movement. Different strokes for different folks. The guide saw a
bass popper (used in Kamchatka) in my streamer/mouse box and suggested
I try it. Bammm! A nice brookie took it on the first cast.

We fished the inlets and outlet every night for two hours after
dinner. This was the most productive time for dries. In the waning
light it was easy to see the Royal Wulff. Some of the guys were using
big Goddard Cadis which were also easy to see. I had never set a hook
on a rising fish at such a distance before. Most of my prior dry fly
casts were less than 40 feet, but I found myself successfully setting
the hook on casts from 60 to 70+ feet. To expedite time between
fish, I landed most of them by stripping and did not put them on the
reel. Using barbless hooks, we lost many fish while landing them.

Bugs! Man, does Labrador have bugs! No-see-ums, black flies,
mosquitos, you name it. And the only thing that helped was 100% deet
or a high wind. Gloves, a turtleneck cotton jersey, and a buzz-off
neckerchief helped keep them away from your neck and hands. We
sprayed the inside and the outside of our hats, and applied the stuff
regularly to all exposed areas.

Labrador is close to New England, relatively speaking, but Air Canada
charges an arm and a leg to get from Boston to Goosebay. Awesome Lake
Lodge included the air fair in it's price of $3500. Cliff and I,
however, got it for $3000 American because Cliff and his son Greg were
shorted a couple of days last year because of the weather. On our way
out of camp, the six of us flew in a new Cesna Caravan amphib. We
took off from the lake and landed on the runway in Goosebay. Quite
the aircraft; much better than the classic Beaver/Otter. More quiet
and much faster.

Next year: The Flowers River in northern Labrador for arctic char and
brookies.

Pictures at:
http://davelacourse.shutterfly.com

Dave

Nice Very nice TR

Labrador is a place prominent in my mind
One of those places that I will get to fish before I depart the planet.

Thanks
Fred
--

"Dave LaCourse" wrote in message
...
I met Cliff at Logan Airport at 0:dark-thirty. Our flights to
Goosebay would take about 3 ½ hours. Our bags both weighed in at 48
pounds, just under what we were allowed. Of course our carry-on was
full of reels and rods. Cliff found out when we went through customs
in Halifax that Canada doesn't allow fish hooks in your carry-on. He
had about $100 worth of streamers and wooly buggers, so he had to find
a small kit bag and check them through.

We arrived at Goosebay, met our other four sports, got booze/beer/soft
drinks, and boarded the Twin Beaver for our flight to Awesome Lake.
An hour later we landed at the lake and were ushered to our room. No
fishing that day, but we got our gear set up and everyone was ready
for Sunday morning.

The next morning, Cliff elected to stay at the lodge. He is dying
from bone cancer and is unable to walk too far or wade. He was
restricted to fishing from the Gander Boats the lodge uses. However,
if the wind is up, the guides are reluctant to use the boats. So, our
guide Bill and I headed down stream. I was initially disappointed in
the river because of all the North Carolina size brook trout I caught.
Little six inchers plagued everyone. Once you got your fly past them,
however, there were big fish to be hooked. I landed a nice 18 incher
using what was to become the fly of the week - the Royal Wulff. The
brookies would take other flies, of course, but the cast were long
(60+ feet) and this made it difficult to see the fly. Not so,
however, with a size 12 or 14 Royal Wulff. A green wooly bugger was
also effective in bringing some of these giant Labrador Brook Trout to
hand.

By noon time of that first day, the winds had calmed and Cliff and I
joined our guide Bill in the boat to explore the two main inlets to
the lake. We were again plagued by the little brookies, but saw
porpoising fish out about 50 feet. A few casts and we were rewarded
with 2, 3, and 4 pound brook trout. Most of our catch, however, was
in the 15 to 18 inch range. We each caught at least 30 fish on dries,
and I pulled a nice 3 pounder out using a streamer (white and yellow
tied to fish in Alaska).

And so went the week, with me fishing the river in the morning because
of winds, and Cliff and I fishing the inlets or outlet in the
afternoon when the winds died down. On one day, can't remember which,
we were fishing the outlet and I decided to try a mouse pattern. On
the first cast I caught a brook trout that couldn't have been more
than five inches. The mouse was almost as big as he was. I continued
with the mouse and finally caught a nice 3 pounder. Fishing the mouse
in Labrador is different than fishing it in Kamchatka. In Kamchatka
the second the mouse hits the water you start small jerky strips so
that the mouse makes noises in the water. However, on this river (The
English River), you let your mouse dead drift, giving it only slight
movement. Different strokes for different folks. The guide saw a
bass popper (used in Kamchatka) in my streamer/mouse box and suggested
I try it. Bammm! A nice brookie took it on the first cast.

We fished the inlets and outlet every night for two hours after
dinner. This was the most productive time for dries. In the waning
light it was easy to see the Royal Wulff. Some of the guys were using
big Goddard Cadis which were also easy to see. I had never set a hook
on a rising fish at such a distance before. Most of my prior dry fly
casts were less than 40 feet, but I found myself successfully setting
the hook on casts from 60 to 70+ feet. To expedite time between
fish, I landed most of them by stripping and did not put them on the
reel. Using barbless hooks, we lost many fish while landing them.

Bugs! Man, does Labrador have bugs! No-see-ums, black flies,
mosquitos, you name it. And the only thing that helped was 100% deet
or a high wind. Gloves, a turtleneck cotton jersey, and a buzz-off
neckerchief helped keep them away from your neck and hands. We
sprayed the inside and the outside of our hats, and applied the stuff
regularly to all exposed areas.

Labrador is close to New England, relatively speaking, but Air Canada
charges an arm and a leg to get from Boston to Goosebay. Awesome Lake
Lodge included the air fair in it's price of $3500. Cliff and I,
however, got it for $3000 American because Cliff and his son Greg were
shorted a couple of days last year because of the weather. On our way
out of camp, the six of us flew in a new Cesna Caravan amphib. We
took off from the lake and landed on the runway in Goosebay. Quite
the aircraft; much better than the classic Beaver/Otter. More quiet
and much faster.

Next year: The Flowers River in northern Labrador for arctic char and
brookies.

Pictures at:
http://davelacourse.shutterfly.com

Dave

Fred Lebow wrote:
Nice Very nice TR

Labrador is a place prominent in my mind
One of those places that I will get to fish before I depart the planet.

Thanks
Fred

pretty place and nice photos dave...

jeff

Dave LaCourse wrote:
Pictures at:
http://davelacourse.shutterfly.com

Dave

Thanks for the ride along. Loved the photos and it is good to see that
not everyine is suffering in 98 to over 100 degree heat each day.

Big Dale

Dave LaCourse typed:
snip
Pictures at:
http://davelacourse.shutterfly.com

Nice, Dave. Thanks for posting the report and the photos.
--
TL,
Tim
---------------------------
http://css.sbcma.com/timj/