Day Dreaming About Fishing | 47 Inches and a Lifetime of Luck

They say you never forget how to do the things you love, but lately, I’ve realized that when you don’t get out on the water, you start to lose a piece of who you are. For the last few years, life has gotten in the way, and I haven’t been able to get out fishing like I used to. To be honest, I feel like I’ve lost part of myself because of it.

Fishing has been my "thing" since I was only two years old. My dad taught me back then, and our family used to go quite a bit. I have so many memories of my parents renting cottages and heading out on fishing trips for the weekend.

When I was seven, we were up north at Lake Manitawoubing for a Pickerel Derby. I ended up landing the biggest pickerel of the tournament, and I’ll never forget how all these older men were actually upset with me! They kept telling me it wasn't my fish, but I remember hooking that fish, it felt like a log. It just felt heavy, and I reeled it in all by myself. We brought that fish home on ice, and my parents got it mounted for me. My adrenaline shoots up so much when I get a bite; I honestly don’t know how other people can’t enjoy it.

My trophy, never understood why it has a Bass on it though! lol I also got $82.00.

That luck seemed to follow me everywhere. A couple of years later, at my mom’s work party, we were at a trout farm for a pig roast. My dad took me to one pond that had been drained down and restocked. Suddenly, I hooked into something huge. When I got it to shore, it was a 7lb brook trout. I'm including a photo of one because my mounted fish are very dusty now, maybe I will update the photo in the future.

Brook Trout

It was absolutely beautiful, the colours on those fish are gorgeous. The owner was shocked because they had previously drained that pond down to a literal puddle; that fish must have been minnow-sized when it survived that. He even tried to buy it from my dad, but we took it home and mounted that one, too. That’s when I realized I had some really good luck, and that luck is what kept my interest all these years.

As I got older, my parents decided to get a boat, a 16ft Legend bow rider. Those were easily the best years of my life growing up. We were out all the time fishing, sightseeing, and camping.

My favorite spot ever was Lovesick Lock on the Trent by Burleigh Falls. If you haven’t been, it’s an island lock you can only access by boat. It has such a special story to go along with its name, local lore says it was named after an Indigenous man (some say it was an Indigenous maiden) who was so heartbroken over an unrequited love that they retreated to one of the islands to pine away. It’s a sad story, but it makes the island feel so secluded and peaceful.

It was here that I caught the biggest fish of my life still to this day. I was experimenting with lures at the bottom of the dam, right on the edge of the current. I had put on this giant yellow twister tail jig, I mean, it was huge. I had never caught a Muskie before, but I wanted one so bad I had to try it. I got nothing but a couple of snagged sunfish, so I decided to switch back to a worm and hook.

I was sitting on the swim ladder on a hot afternoon, and suddenly, I wasn't getting any bites. I pulled up and thought I was snagged on the bottom. Little did I know, I had hooked into a monster. When I pulled up hard to "unsnag" it, this huge Muskie just surfaced slowly right in front of me, not even a foot away. I was so startled I jumped from the swim ladder into the middle of the boat and screamed!

My dad holding my fish for me (his facial expression, lol)

The fish took off, and I had to let it run because I only had a single hook and light line. I let it tire itself out just like my dad taught me. When I finally got it to the boat, I was in shock, it was a 47-inch Muskie. At the time, I was actually scared to hold it, and my dad was nervous too because it just kept rolling around in the bottom of the boat! If I caught one now, I’d be holding it for sure. I still wish I could hook into another one today. I would die if I caught one again!

Last fall, I headed to one of my secret spots. Since I don't have a boat anymore, I have to find locations that aren't heavily fished. I was fishing a rock drop-off with a simple worm and hook, and I hooked into a big bass. My line broke on the first hit, but if you know bass, you know they hit multiple times. If you miss the first hit, ALWAYS go for a second.

Sure enough, it hit again. I didn’t even have my net, so I had to gently drag it onto a rock and pin it to the shore. It was so feisty I had to hold it with two thumbs. It made me feel like I was out of practice, and I HATED that feeling. I was so excited that I didn't even get a good photo, and I’ve been upset about it ever since. It’s only making me want to go more. These are the horrible photos, haha!

Really wish I cleaned it off!!

I even feel bad I didn't clean it off!

So, this season, I am going to get out as much as I can. Normally I bring my kids, but this year my goal is to get out solo when they go to their dad’s. I need that time. I need that adrenaline. I can't wait for the season to start.

I’m attaching some pictures of fish I’ve caught in the past. Hopefully, looking back at them will bring me some of that old luck this year!

Biggest Bass

By: Leila Bickell