Doctor’s Creek, nice size pike and pickerel.

I told them anything with red and white that’s what they jump on. They started casting and let me tell you we all had something on our lines. I can still here them yelling and saying holy smokes what do we have here; their monsters said my uncle’s friend. We all pulled out a pickerel and nothing less than 5lbs. We caught about 10 each and a couple of nice pike. It was noon so I said it’s time for our shore lunch. Grandma had packed up everything we needed to eat a fish or two. Even the flour, salt, pepper and the lard Tenderflake. I was going to cook it the Indian way; you boil the fish in the lard, like Kentucky fried chicken. This my uncle and his friend talked about during their one week stay. Lunch was just over and they were both casting away and pulling in another fish each. I said if you want to catch a few speckle trout we have another 5 miles up the river to do. Into the canoe we got and our way to French River. A little wind had started to blow. Like mentioned before the Moose River is big and in some place its 3 miles wide. As we pulled into the French river we saw a few big splashes the speckles were jumping. I said red and white is ok. Again the first cast everyone had something on their line and yes all speckle trout’s. Nice size speckles and 2lbs up. We caught around 30 in all. My uncles and his friend were very happy. We were on our way back home and a good twenty miles to do. It was windy with 2 foot waves and my uncle and his friend looked scared and asked me if everything was ok. I said yes all is ok. The waves got little bigger about 3 feet and the motor stopped. I cranked and cranked nothing. I said maybe theirs water in the sediment bowl. To check that I have to take the motor off the canoe. Keep the nose of the canoe straight into the wave I asked my uncle. Unscrewed the motor and lifted the motor into the canoe. Took off the lid and unscrewed the little glass bowl. I could see the water in the bowl. Wiped it clean put it back on placed the motor pump the gas button a couple of cranks and we were on our way. I could see my uncle and his friend had a smile on their face. Once at home and all the stories told and I saw that they really enjoyed their fishing trip, it felt good. But to my surprise they were more than happy about the trip; they both gave me their fishing rods and tackle boxes.

Summer 1957

I was 12 years old that summer and my uncle Sid from Toronto was down with a friend of his, Don. They came down with their fishing tackle and wanted to go fishing for big fish. My grandpa glanced at me and said, you know some good places. I said yes the Quatabahagan rapids, which are 17 miles long and on the Moose River, we could also try the French River and also Doctor’s Creek. My uncle said to my grandfather isn’t he a bit young to go up there with a canoe and motor. Grandfather said you’ll see for yourself to-morrow. The next morning we were on our way at 06:00 hours, nice sunny day and no wind. Blacky wanted to come; he swam about a quarter of a mile after us. He was too big and still clumsy. My grandpa’s canoe was a 20 foot chestnut with a five and half evenrude. The year was a 1950 but in good running condition. As we got into the rapids and looked at the shore line you could see that we were hardly moving up stream. I noticed once in awhile my uncle or his friend would look at me, not saying much. They looked scared. It takes two hours to do the rapids and that’s what it takes. Doctor’s Creek was just ahead. I said to them this is the place for nice pike and pickerel…..I’ll let you know about the fishing in the next episode.

That Fall 1956

I did get to kill my first partridges and quite a few during the fall and winter. Even during the winter, while fishing, snaring for rabbits, I always carried the rifle with me. I killed also my first white partridges and let me tell you their very hard too see on the white snow. Blacky was growing fast was very clumsy with his long legs and big paws. He followed me all over the place. My grandmother told me you have to build a warm dog house and keep him outside; he’s going to be too big to keep in the house. The reason was that he was knocking over the coffee table and everything on it, even the end tables and one day the book shelf. So as what my grandmother wanted I did build that dog house. Also I said to my self Blacky is going to be a sled dog, yes I’m going to start and train him now while he is young. Grandfather said to me good luck.

Summer 1956

My grandfather kept his promise and I got my 22 rifle shooting lessons. We practised in the backyard (like I mentioned before we lived a mile from the village) for about 2 hours the first day and an hour the second day. My grandfathers said your good at shooting, but never and never forget what you’re shooting at. You must always see your target and always remember that. This always game to mind every time I used a fire arm. I could not wait until fall. Also during that summer I bought my dog Blacky for $5.00 He was half Saint Bernard and half Labrador retriever. He was the smallest of 14 pups. He was all black with a white spot on the forehead white diamond on the chest and a white spot on all four feet. He was not for me the healthiest but I thought that he needed help. So this is what I told the lady that sold him to me. He grew up to be the biggest and strongest dog, in the whole village. I will tell you a few stories about him later.