Edited by Mark Daul
(Outdoors Niagara Webmaster)

"FISH TAILS" AND

"THE FIGHT"

Did you ever hear when hell freezes over? Well it didn't this day because God made it the hottest day on earth.

There was only two ways to keep cool, and that was to be in an air-conditioned building or go fishing. I took the boat and headed for the Lewiston Sand Docks.

The morning dew was rolling off the leaves as I launched the boat. I also knew it rained overnight because the air was so thick you could cut it with a knife.

I hopped in the boat and pulled away from the docks on my way to the Canadian side to fish the Queenston drift. I knew there would be a lot of boats in the water because when I parked my car, I noticed a dozen or more empty boat trailers.

When I reached my destination at the Queenston Sand Dock, at the tip of the launch ramp, I got set up to fish, complete with my Canadian Depth "Founder". (This is where the Canadian Depth "Founder" was born).

With my depth founder, I could see I was in 15 feet of water, and I'm about 20 yards from the shoreline. The swift Niagara River took me to the landmark better known as the "White House". The current worked my jig action enough, so all I had to do was jerk that jig off the bottom. After countless drifts, I had to pack up because the sun was just beating on me. I needed shade!

I was on the water for about four hours. Instead of putting the boat back on the trailer, I tied up on shore because I'm going back fishing on this god awful day. I climbed ashore to tell fish tales with the other fishermen. This was during the Mark's Tackle Walleye Contest. The weigh station was there.

This is where I told the Canadian fish founder story. It was a great "tail" to tell because the fishermen always chuckled.

I told them you need to be in Canadian waters for this Canadian depth founder to work. The "Founder" is a special pair of very high-tech. Sunglasses! These are a polarized pair of fishermen's sunglasses. The color lens I used was brown. If you want to know the depth you use these sunglasses. If you don't have these special sunglasses, you can't do it.

To check the depths of the water stick your head or face in the water with them on. Your eyes have to be open! You will be able to define and identify the bottom. That drift is definitely rocky!  

The Canadian depth founder is good only for 30 feet. Modern technology couldn't advance it and it works the best on a hot day!!

It was still hot, but time to go fishing again. I said my good-byes and jumped in the boat only to head to that famous drift again to try to escape the heat. On my way over in the boat, I giggled because of the fish tails I listened to. I arrived where I wanted to be at the Queenston. After several passes, I thought of why I love to fish. It's the fight the fish gives. I can guarantee an identification of the fish by the fight.

"THE FIGHT"

I noticed a fallen tree off the shore of the drift. Every time I drifted by that tree, I caught a fish. The drift is perfect because the trees on shore kept the sun off me. This provided an air-conditioned air for fishing.

As I drifted down river in the swift current, I knew I had a big fish on because of the fight. This fight lasted 15 minutes! From the fight, I just knew an eel was laced and it was by that fallen tree! That eel kept me very busy by taking my line. The drag on the reel worked very hard and the rod looked as if it was going to break. I couldn't believe all that was involved in fighting an eel.  

I finally brought it to the surface and reeled it in. I looked down and to my surprise, it was the biggest darn "stick" I ever caught, and it was near that

fallen tree! (Did I say Guarantee I.D. earlier?)

Fishing the Niagara River is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you're going to get.  

THE END