usbackroads destination--Minnie Lake, British Columbia

photo courtesy of Tom Jones

usbackroads destination--Minnie Lake, British Columbia

The annual trip to Minnie Lake took place on May 16th through May 20th. The Bald Eagle was there to greet us. I am not sure if he was pleased or pissed. I suspect it was the latter.

This was the second consecutive trip where spring was early and conditions were more typical of later in the season. The water temperature was 59 degrees. Significantly higher than previous trips to Minnie Lake where temperatures have typically ranged from 50 to 55 degrees. The spawning channel was empty of fish indicating that our opportunity to act as voyeurs was foiled for the second year in a row.

The fishing was good for all three days. For me the largest fish was a measured 24 inches. There were several in the 21 inch range, but most fish were 19 and smaller for me.

photo by Tom Jones

A constant fishing companion was the local loon. No, not that type of loon. The Canadian kind. You know the one that their one dollar coin is named after....Loonie. They were waiting for us to hook fish and release so they could practice hook and eat even the lake is clearly a catch and release lake only!! One group, even had a Loon take a fish while it was still attached to a fishing line.

Early one morning we watch a whole bunch of deer playing games in a nearby corral. I suspect the water puddle was the attraction

photo by Tom Jones

It is hard to explain the attraction of fishing for those that do not fish. It might be the tug from the end of a fishing line or the splash of a trout rising to take a dry fly. Whatever the attraction the pictures are just part of the memory.

photo by Tom Jones

For me Minnie Lake will be about fish. But for some reason this image of the outhouse just off the boat launch is what I always remember about Minnie Lake.