I remember much about the first time Brenda and I fished together. It was spring of 2001 in Attawapiskat and a perfect sunny day. The Monument Channel was flowing at a good level, the poplars had all budded and the new leaves were a fresh and vibrant green. We had walked well out of town on the muddy road and river trails to beyond the Healing Lodge, where the bush path meets up with the water again. There were no blackflies or mosquitos to bother us, only a single early mississak which oddly buzzed around.

A little spot where one might catch a pike or two, we fished that small eddy at a bend in the river. On occasion, the slacked current could hold a decent one. With just a single pole, Brenda sat quietly to watch me cast awhile until I got hung up on some shallow rocks.

Trying unsuccessfully to free the lure Brenda came up behind and asked to try. Studying the rod, reel and line a moment, she then gave several subtle jerks to pop the lure free. From then on, it was me who sat awhile to watch her fish that afternoon…

Some anglers and friends over the years have said such things as, “you live a charmed life” or, “you are a lucky man to fish all the fish you do, in the places you do.” In many ways they are right and I certainly know it. And it is in great part because of Brenda, a love and understanding we have with one another and the experiences we work and choose to pursue, which creates our opportunities.

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From our beginning Brenda has been incredible! Ice fishing for hours during very long cold days, camping out in the spring rain, portaging through a park during an August heat wave while eight months pregnant, traveling to the top of the world to hike on the tundra, vomiting her way through ocean swells… you name it and Bren’s done it. And she has often done it for me. She’s always patiently and unselfishly supported this crazy need I have to run quite freely and experience more. There is certainly no one as perfect a partner. For those reasons, it is a “charmed life,” and even more so when she is there at my side.

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In the WarCanoe during spring 2006, Bren and I had been on the North French River for a few days camping. Ice out high waters, at Owl Island we took a quiet little spot to ourselves for the weekend. The fishing had been mediocre, the weather cool with some rain, but we enjoyed the safe travel, some evening fires and our company.

On the way home we stopped at a spot to fish awhile. On a errant back cast I accidentally hooked Brenda with a floating Rapala on the side of her head. To make that worse, ahead of the lure was a one ounce bottom bouncer which really drove the three trebles into her scalp. Pretty sure after her initial “OUCH,” I started to cry more than her.

Across to the bank, up a hill to a cabin and picnic table I assessed the damage. One treble had come loose but three points were still stuck. With nothing but the pliers and time I tried to carefully pull the hooks free until Bren’s patience wore thin. “Just pull them out,” she told me! Three quick pops and some bleeding the hooks released. We sat silently for a few minutes… “Well, are we gonna go back fishing,” she finally says!

Ironic, but a couple months later I finally proposed.

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Fishing has grown on Brenda over the years and I believe she truly enjoys it. We are coming up on our tenth wedding anniversary and she mentioned wanting a trip away together. Of all the places to choose from, she requests the Tree River in arctic Canada… And it will hopefully come…

Our visits the Tree in 2008 and 2011 remain our favorite times away together. This scenic oasis amidst the barren lands of western Nunavut is something indescribably special, and so is the fishing. Getting there alone is a great journey in itself.

During both trips it’s been Brenda who has patiently worked for and waited out the hook-up with the biggest of arctic chars. While I may have caught plenty, including some big beauties too, Bren has been able to land the best trophies. On the second trip, for hours she kept her eyes and casts on a big fish she had spotted before finally catching it. I think this is her happiest and proudest fishing memory to-date. However, her first ever char as well, was a 21-pound brute which tested her in more difficult ways than one. That was a wild and scary catch which ended beautifully.

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The first time we ever visited Kesagami for a full days fishing the bite was on fire. If I was to best guess, Brenda and I likely hooked ninety walleye. Right off the hop the walleye were slamming small spoons and we could barely keep up. But with holes and tip-downs to attend to in the distance, I would often walk away to clear slush or occasionally play a pike.

After a couple hours had passed, I remember noticing that Brenda had thrown every walleye she caught onto the ice. There had to be a dozen and a half or more already, and they were beginning to freeze with a full afternoon of fishing still ahead. I asked her to stop keeping fish and it’s funny, but I can still picture her perplexed look and pissed-off reaction in my mind today.

My limit is four walleye but Brenda being Status her limit is limitless. This was our first time fishing together that the catch was so great we found ourselves in a situation. If she wanted to keep everything she caught it is fine but, who was going to clean all those fish later? Did we even need all of them? A newer culture of catch and release met a tradition that always harvests the catch.

Seven or eight meals worth for the family, end of the day twenty-six frozen walleye-cicles went home in a box, although it could have been many more. A full 12-hour outing I was some tired on the back deck, frozen fingered and dry-eyed filleting all those fish before bed. From that time on we never kept that many again on any fishing trip, but Bren still loves eating ‘em so much she surely wishes we would bring home more.

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Without a doubt her trophy hunting began in 2006. We would fly into Kesagami for the day to fish, harvesting some walleye for the family. While she would jig for the food I would always set up for big pike. The trophy northern fishery is incredible and 99% of the catch would be released. Usually just one mid-thirty inch pike would be kept to cedar plank on the BBQ each season.

While jigging with her light rod she hooked into a big pike. In fact, over the years she has hooked into many big pike while fishing walleye but this was the first. It was that true test and feel of reel peel which peaked her interest in what I had been doing with the pike set-ups. Our next trip into the lake, Bren now wanted us taking turns with the tip-downs for the bigger northerns. As an angler, it was quite evident she was evolving to the second step. She wanted quality over quantity, and as said, when it comes to pike and eyes, Brenda has plenty of both in her time.

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One would be hard pressed to ever hear Bren brag about any catch, it’s just not her way. She does however love to chase trophy fish and get a great picture of her accomplishments. Bitten recently by the muskie bug she nearly had her “super tanker” last fall, but so many times over with other species she has landed a big one.

Two 21-pound arctic char, a very fat 47.5 inch pike, 28-pound lake trout, 6-foot sturgeon and several 50+ inch longnose gar to name a few, Bren’s also knocked many more species like chinook, grayling, muskie, walleye, crappies and bass off the catch list. It’s awesome and I can not wait to see her play and land even more fish.

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With style and grace, her love and respect, my partner and friend, in our future I hope when my lure gets snagged on the rocks, stuck in a scalp or cast into some great new waters, it’s Brenda who is with me to make all of it better.

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Meegwetch!
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Bunk.