Why Didn't I Realize It A Long Time Ago

My first venture to Gaspe was in 1980.  Maine, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick were my destinations the years prior.  I really don't know why, but I decided to take a just purchased brand new 911 Super Coupe as transportation.  Must of been how the low profile Perrelli's would hold on dirt and gravel roads. Yea, that was it.....

Taking this trip was as much about the car as it was about the fishing.  I guess my love of angling had merged with the love of driving fast and both fanatic compulsions needed to be satisfied at the same time.  Talk about over stimulation.  So I pointed the silver bullet north and found the way to Matapedia.

Knowing nothing about this place turned each moment into a constant learning curve. I found myself looking at low water and fairly slow fishing conditions.  I visited as many pools as possible to get a look see and fished a few that were easily accessible.  Couldn't scratch the car or leave it out of sight. The car was a constant problem.  You know that saying, if you have to worry about something then you can't afford it.  Well there I was with a car that should not be racing around route 132, let alone parked on Route 132.

After a day or so I decided the car needed to be moving again so I made the drive to Matane.  Joseph Bates was a bad influence on me back then.  I had this great need to see all the places he talked about in his now famous book..  I was obsessed with seeing pool 45.  But as luck would be on this trip pool 45 was up river in the Provincial Park where the logging roads were too dusty for the Porsche.  I never saw pool 45.

Years went by and I continued to travel to Matapedia, Restigouche and then Grande and Petite Cascapedia's, York, Dartumoth and Bonaventure.  Year after year and time after time I fished with varying success,  The Gaspe had me and my thoughts of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick and those dreams past were now in the far distance.  It became totally about big fish in the clear waters that make the Gaspe famous.

As I have gotten older it seems that my mind is still very young when it comes to the excitement of planning the next adventure.  The anticipation is defining.  Even now as I write this I am thinking of Saturday and big Landlocked Salmon I hope to hook.  But something has changed.

There came a time on this years trip to Matane that what I saw looked different.  I feel like I am seeing the land and sky for the first time.  A feeling of guilt for advantage of just how incredibly beautiful these places are redirected my focus.  I have had the privilege to travel through this place without noticing all there is to see.  I regret not noticing and want to offer a simple bit of advise.  Don't waste your life in mere fishing and the need of the catch. Surround your life in the pursuit of life and if a few big fish are angled along the way so be it.

William