tall tales
We are constantly reminded, in this
paradise, that going fishing is not necessarily
about catching a fish. All in, it’s the encounter
with nature at its finest, the friendships and
the challenge of the sport.
It is a rare day that we don’t catch fish and
typically we target 2-3 different sites on a full
day of fishing the rivers. There are also any
number of superb locations close to home
that beckon a single early morning getaway
or quiet secluded evening outing. I would
love to share with you the various locations of
our prized fishing spots but I am bound by the
Secrecy Articles of the Sea To Sky Fly Fishing
Club. Under rare circumstances I may be able
to offer a one-off location provided the guest
is suitably blind folded , signs a binding non-
disclosure agreement and leaves the area
never to return.
The Sea To Sky Fly Fishing Club was
established in 2012 by four original founding
members. We are devoted fishing retirees
who relocated to the Squamish area from
various far-away places. We are united
in our weekly hunt and camaraderie for
extraordinary mountain vistas and large,
exciting fish.
Lyle McKenzie – A former global
fashionista, who in his elusive search for the
perfect garment, made his home in Montreal,
Toronto, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Shanghai, New
York and Egypt for 34 years.
Donna McKenzie – My partner, constant
companion and the love of my life. We
celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary
together this past October and our life-
time partnership continues in retirement in
our Squamish River valley. Donna worked
alongside me for many of those years in the
fashion industry and has enjoyed the same
satisfaction of international travel, living and
world-wide friendships that we still treasure.
Joe Robertson – A professional hockey
player for 11 years originally from Nova
Scotia who moved West to British Columbia
six years ago. Joe has brought his angling
skills to us after fishing the many rivers and
streams of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and
Newfoundland for over 30 years. As much
as Joe loves to fish our Pacific salmon, he is
emphatic that there is still nothing like the
exhilaration of hooking into an 8-12lb Atlantic
salmon.
The Atlantic Salmon is a renowned world
traveller, spawning in fresh water but spending
most of its life in the northern Atlantic
Ocean. After spawning in the maritime river
where they were born they return back to
the sea a number of times throughout their
lifespan, each time increasing in size and
strength, providing a greater challenge to
the fisherman. While there is nothing quite
like the excitement of a wild 8-12lb Atlantic
salmon hitting your fly, Joe has grown to love
the Squamish Valley fishing and is building
quite a reputation as a master West Coast
fisherman.
Joe’s tactics are first to find the right pool
and then systematically work it entirely in
grids by moving down the river every 10 ft.
or so with both short and long casts. His
memory bank contains every fish, description,
size and precise location of where he caught
it and believe me, that’s a lot of fish. Joe
will fish from sun up to past sun down and
his favorite time of day is after the sun sets
behind the mountains. A profound statement
– “I actually think in the evening from 7:00
P.M. until dark is the best time to fish. Once
the sun gets down behind the mountains and
the reflection is off the water the fish start to
move up river and are biting better. “
Allan Chamberlain – Our resident fisheries
expert, originally migrated to Canada
from England and honed his vast fishing
experiences while in the employ, those many
years, of Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Image
the scenario, a career in the recreational
fishing industry with your daily job consisting
of fishing in the wilds of Canada. Allan is
in demand as a sustainable fishing expert
and has attended conferences and given
speeches in Hawaii and Africa. He is a
Board Member of Squamish Streamkeepers
Society, an organization that is dedicated
to maintaining and improving the habitant
for salmon and herring throughout the
Squamish River System. Allan’s passion
and dedication to the sport is to help ensure
recreational fishing is available to for all future
generations.
Allan is a graduate of the storied English
chalk streams. He believes that the fine art
of dry-fly- fishing for trout in these streams
may be the most satisfying version of our
noble sport to be had anywhere. His love of
angling continues in his quest for large trout
and salmon in the Squamish area. He is only
a bicycle ride away from his favorite fishing
spot on the river and will fish 7 days a week
when the fish are running.
Allan catches as many fish as Joe but takes
a more scientific approach to the sport. He
knows there are a lot of variables that make
for a successful fishing trip. You have to deal
with the weather, time of year, time of day,
water level and clarity, water temperature,
ability to read the water, and the list goes on.
Actual fish biology, habitant, feeding habits,
spotting riffles, rocks, fallen trees, currents,
back eddies, river bends, deep and shallow
water, feeding channels, creek mouths. Fish
can’t hide. Allan instinctively knows all the
places where fish hide, rest and feed.
Does it get any better than this? I came
to fishing later in life but I now have my own
personal fishing guides as fishing buddies
and a wife who loves to fish as much as I do.
Our Big-Hearted River has blessed me with
her bounty. Life is good.
Wild Guide
. Winter 2018 56