How about some funny stories of your Niagara fishing adventure!

[fishfight]

I might have posted this before,  But old funny fishing stories never dies.

Dumb and Dumber!

I have never bothered seeing the great Niagara Water falls during the first 8 years I became a landed immigrant. I just focused on establishing my life and career in Toronto area.(the city was not yet called Greater Toronto Area), Until I heard of whirlpool fishing, where someone could catch a big trout called steelhead. My first naive impression of trout was the fish was just a small one lber that people caught while fly fishing. Internet was very primitive back in the early 90's, still no GPS technology available. I only read from the first Original fishing forum founded by UofT Zoology student, about fishing Niagara region. the forum was just a one liner chat primitive fishing board that works on AOL, it is a privilege to those who have a dial up account, they could access the fishing forum. Some anglers tip/mentioned about  big trout being caught at Niagara region, and warned that it was challenging area to get to. Kawarthas lake used to be flooded with fish, so I never bothered venturing out farther than an hour drive, still not much traffic back those days.  Getting to places was by Mapping. Mapping was using a magnifying glass to read from a paper map, then we need to jot down all the street to know when and where to turn. 

So I told one of my friend that we should stay overnight at the Brand new Redroof Inn (it cost $35/night back then and was promoted at Toronto Star paper) to visit Niagara falls with our family on Victoria Day, then fish whirlpool when our family was still asleep early next morning. Then, after we had fished, we can take them  to the famous Flying Saucer restaurant and have our cheap 99 cents breakfast meal (also advertised from Toronto Star) What could you get for 99 cents back then? Two toasted bread and two eggs cooked at our preference, and decent amount of home fries. unlimited Coffee refill was $1 extra. Who said only cheap people go there.,we always give a 50% tip!  

My friend and I woke up by 7am, then drove to the whirlpool parking lot. As the leader, I excitedly head straight across the parking lot, with my friend cautiously tagged along not too far behind. After standing at the edge and speculated the hill's steepness . I told my friend "This is doable,  we just have to slide down with our butt when it gets really steep." He replied, "Are you sure?" I then insistently replied "How else could anyone get down there?". So with one hand holding our small tackle box and our 6'rod, while another hand , we tried to grab whatever small tree or branches we can get a hold of,  we nervously went down, mostly slid down with our butt off the dried leaves.  After 15 minutes, we finally got to the helicopter platform.  I told my friend that  we got lucky that day , since it was not a rainy day , where the leaves were dry and were there to cushion our butt. My  butt was somewhat sore, but our pants were not dirty and we got there safely, was my big sigh of relief!

We only saw 3 other guys and one kid  fishing that morning by 8am , i asumed the limited amount of people was all due to the steep hill to get down, and Kids were natural in sliding down on anything  Everyone was catching fish, including the kid, who had used a worm as bait on white cheap/red round bobber float. I never forgotten many big fish swam just beside the clear water shoreline in front of us.  I cast with a mini size one spinner,  after few cast, ....Fish ON! I landed the steelhead very fast since I was using a mitchel combo graphite rod and reel combo bought from CA tire, it was made in USA, with original 15lb mono line,(no braided line then) and zero drag, the line I never bothered to replaced in years, the line seemed strong, could  last forever and had landed lots of fish. I did not even know the importance of the reel drag system. Tight drag for me meant the line would be strong to ensure fish could not go too far from where I caught it. After I landed the fish, and took some pictures before I released it. I told myself  this Niagara place is a gem. Then I told my friend that his lure was not effective so I  gave him another mini spinner. After few cast, he also landed as well, with his 20lb mono, and no drag fishing equipment. With contented feeling, we were forced to quit by 9am, we never seriously imagined we would actually caught a fish that morning, especially, we promised our wives  to be back at the motel by 9am.   When I was about to finished packing up , I noticed my pliers went missing, so I confronted the guy if he had seen it,  and just felt someone had stole it.  I did not know that time, the water rises due to city released more water during daytime. So my pliers got buried from the rising water after all .

I then asked one of the angler if there were other faster trail for us to get back up..........He replied, "There is only one trail , and the stairway is also there."  I felt so stupid grinning at my friend, and said .........." At least we both caught fish!"  

We went back to our family and took them to the Flying saucer restaurant. They originally did not believe we had caught fish , then I told them, we will have proof after the film (non digital camera) gets developed. I then told my friend that we should do this more often. He did not respond that moment, .............All I remembered   that was the first and the last time we fished together! 

Since that first great adventurous experience fishing Niagara , I never stopped going to Niagara  often, even if it felt a tedious chores  having to face traffic congestion coming from Toronto area. When someone or a foreign guest asked me what else to do at Niagara Falls, I always insisted of Fishing and Hiking! ................but I ensure i excluded  Butt sliding activity!