Sit back, keep warm and jig for all you're worth on an ice-fishing expedition
by Jennifer Groundwater
Ice fishing. These two words are as Canadian as "powder day," "Hurry hard!" or "Mush, mush!" Yet many visitors to the Rockies fail to try this quintessential pastime of the north. That's a shame, because ice fishing is a lot of fun, especially when you go with a guide.
In Canmore, Wapiti Sports is the place to go to find a fishing guide. Over its 15 years in business, the store has become a haven for fishermen in the Bow Valley. It's owned by two brothers, Nick and Jeff Schlachter, who greet me as I walk in on a very snowy Friday morning. There's also an elderly, friendly black lab named Barney, who accepts pats and attention as though they are his due. Under the watchful eye of a disturbing number of mounted heads on the wall, I apply for my very first fishing license.
After weeks of dry, oddly spring-like weather, the snow gods have finally smiled on Canmore and are dumping tons of the white stuff on us. I had feared that our trip may have to be postponed, but Nick has a big Chevy Avalanche that's more than equal to the task of driving up the Spray Lakes Road enroute to our fishing destination.
None of the astounding scenery is visible through the swirling snow, but on a normal day, I would be soaking in the views as we climb high above Canmore and through White Man's Pass, heading into the wilderness of Spray Valley Provincial Park. It's always an enjoyable drive. As soon as you get onto the winding, narrow gravel road, you feel far from civilization. Mountains beckon from either side of the road, and there's a good chance of spotting wildlife.
The catch-of-the-day is all your own, if you have some good luck during an afternoon of ice fishing. What you're guaranteed to have is a fun day trying your luck with Wapiti Sports.
The drive up top the Driftwood day use area takes about 40 minutes. Once we arrive, I can see the two Wapiti ice fishing huts out on the lake, not far from where we're parked. The ice here is about two feet thick and, where it's visible under the snow, black and opaque.
Nick has all the gear ready. "Okay, Jen," he says. "Let's go rip some lips!" My only reply is a girly "EEEEUW."
The hut is pretty basic, but after a few minutes inside, I realize it has everything a fisherman needs. First, shelter from the often strong winds that blow across Spray Lakes. Then, a small propane stove that warms up the hut in a few minutes' time. Finally, four trap doors, one in each corner, that cover up 8-inch holes in the ice. The ice is a beautiful shade of turquoise around the holes, so clear I feel as if I could see right down to the bottom.
Nick baits my line with a small frozen fish called a smelt, and shows me how to let down the line until it reaches the bottom, some 60 feet down. Then he shows me jigging, a gentle jerking motion designed to attract a fish's attention. I sit on a small folding stool and jig for all I'm worth. Meanwhile, Nick is setting up his Aqua-Vu camera through one of the other holes in the ice. He comes over and places a small screen next to me, and suddenly I can see my silvery line, with the bait on it, gently dancing up and down on the bottom of the lake.
"Sometimes," Nick says, "by the time I get the camera down, there are four or five fish already crowding around," but unfortunately there seems to be no feeding frenzy in my near future. But I keep jigging and, soon enough, a small, silvery fish begins to nose around my bait. However, he (I am one of those women to whom all fish are "he's") never takes a bite. He just swims in and out of view on the camera. If not for the camera, of course, I wouldn't even know he was there, so I'm thankful to see him.
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Nick and Jeff Schlacter are guides and owners at Canmore's Wapiti Sports, which offers guided ice-fishing adventures on the Spray Lakes in Kananaskis Country. Comfort and protection from the wind are assured in heated shacks like this one.
While we fish, we talk about fishing. The great thing about it, says Nick, is that it's an ideal family activity and a sport for any age. Whether you're six or 86, you can get out here and have fun trying to outwit the fish. "My grandpa fished until he was 92 years old - he only stopped when he had to give up his driver's license," muses Nick.
The fish in Spray Lakes are mainly lake trout, which were stocked here years ago, after the dams were built. The native species here was cutthroat, and some cutthroat are still seen here, as well as whitefish. All of them make for excellent eating, and Nick promises that if I catch one of any size, he will filet it for me so I can take it home for dinner.
Suddenly, there is a strong pull on my line. I see a large, dark fish on the Aqua-Vu at the same time. Instinctively, I give a strong jerk to really get it on my hook, and then begin calmly to reel it in. (Okay, that's not strictly true. Instinctively, I screech: "I got one, Nick, now what do I do?!" and then madly try to follow his directions.)
Mentally, I'm already squeezing a lemon over this baby when suddenly the line goes limp. I have been outsmarted by a fish. Even though I'm disappointed, I'm still grinning. Those moments when I thought I had him were pretty exciting. My pulse is still racing, but I realize that was my one chance with this guy. He's at the other end of the lake by now.
Nick is beaming. He tells me, "That's what really gets me excited. I like to catch fish myself, but seeing someone like you, who's never caught a fish before, and watching how much fun you're having, is so great. When that happens, I go home at the end of the day and think, 'I've done a good job'."
Even though I haven't technically caught anything, I begin to understand the appeal of fishing. I think it's about hope. No matter what happens with any given fish, there is always the chance that the next one will be bigger - or will actually stay on the line. And so I can hardly stand to leave, wanting just one more chance to land a biggie. As Nick packs up the gear, I look into each hole in the ice, peering down to see if any fish are lurking there, laughing at me. There aren't any that I can see. But they've been warned. I'll be back.
If You Go:
Wapiti Sports and Outfitters can be found at 1506 Railway Ave. in Canmore, or on the Internet at www.wapitisports.com. Contact them by phone at 403.678.5550.
Jennifer Groundwater is a Canmore-based writer who is determined to catch dinner sometime soon, even if she has to rip a few lips to do it.
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