My only other official fishing trip was about a year ago at Sonora Resort and while I didn’t catch a thing, it was a fun morning out on the water. Looking forward to exploring Harrison Lake, its river, and venturing down to the Fraser River, I began yesterday’s fishing excursion with my group at the Harrison Hot Springs Resort.

Sturgeon Fishing on the Fraser River in Harrison

There we picked up our fishing licenses, followed by a couple coffees to help kick-start our early morning, and we headed down to the water with BC Sportfishing Group.

BC Sportfishing Group offers fishing trips (sturgeon, salmon, fly fishing, walk and wade) as well as eco-tours of the region including explorations of the Harrison River, the Fraser Canyon, Yale, and Hell’s Gate.

We headed west from the lake to the river and tucked behind evergreen-covered hills as the morning fog rolled across the rippling water. We crept past other fishing boats as one crew celebrated a salmon catch then cruised past the flat lands where hundreds of eagles and sea gulls were also celebrating the salmon in their own way.

One eagle began to follow our boat and ended up over-taking us. Everywhere you turned there was an eagle in the air, in a massive nest, perched on still driftwood, or crouched on land enjoying its latest catch. Geese also decided to do a few flybys that day.

We rolled around to Harrison Mills, just around the corner from the Kilby Historic Site that I visited last year. The hooks were baited by our helpful guide Lucas, and within just a few minutes the fish were biting.

The first sturgeon was reeled in by Rodney of FishingWithRod who was on the trip with his partner Nina. They run the fishing website and provide videos, tips, forums, and information about fishing around the Vancouver area.

Our BC Sturgeon are the largest freshwater fish species in North America and are protected. As such, when the fish came aboard Lucas measured it and scanned for an identification tag. All information was recorded, photos were snapped, and the sturgeon was released. We heard stories of a 9-foot sturgeon that was recently caught — that would make the fish about 100 years old.

After a few more hours around the same location we headed out toward the Fraser River, and that’s where I got lucky. Just a few minutes after casting into the churning water, the rod began to tinge every-so-slightly and the veteran fishermen on the boat announced that we had a sturgeon on the line. The rod was handed over to me and after several minutes of working every arm muscle possible, I reeled in a 137cm sturgeon.

Photo credit: GoodLifeVan on Flickr

I’m certain my technique wasn’t the best, but I reeled with all my might.

We returned up the Harrison River to attempt one more catch before returning to the resort. The fog had lifted and the sun exposed the plethora of fall colours around us. Oranges, yellows and greens lunged from the shore toward the turquoise river water as the bright green fairway of a golf course across the way glistened with dew.

Sitting at the back of the boat I stared at the foamy white wake as we made our way home. My jacket slimy with white sturgeon goo and my hair wind-blown to pieces, it was definitely a successful trip.

Last night I enjoyed great company, fabulous music, and hazelnut-crusted halibut in the Harrison Hot Springs Resort’s legendary Copper Room. The preserved dining experience from the heyday of the supper club is complimented by an illuminated dance floor brought to life by the sounds of the Jones Boys.

From Sinatra to Buble, women in their best dancing shoes and flowing gowns accompany men who either keep up in exact time, or plant their feet and watch their partner slip around them on the dance floor. Fox trots, are followed by waltzes and jives as the friendly wait staff cater to your every need.

About two hours from downtown Vancouver, you not only leave city life behind at the Harrison Hot Springs Resort – you are also transported back to a day where little girls where party dresses danced atop their fathers’ shoes after dinner. Where couples who have been married for decades can ignite a spark and sway cheek to cheek like courting teenagers first in love. Whether it’s the nostalgia factor or a pining for a classic dining experience, I found the Cooper Room absolutely lovely.

When our group was finished our meal, and stuffed with white chocolate mousse, we retired to the outside patio area adjacent to the resort’s legendary spring-fed pools. There, under the brightest stars usually invisible to the urban eye, conversations continued as the fire-pit warmed our toes.

Waking up in the darkness this morning I patiently waited for sunlight to define the view from my balcony, and it didn’t disappoint. We’re off to fish in the river today for the next few hours. You may follow all of my current and past Harrison region posts under this tag.

Disclosure: cmp.ly/2

The West Coast Women’s Show returns to the Tradex in Abbotsford this Friday, Saturday and Sunday for its 10th year.

To celebrate this anniversary in style they have special guests, demonstrations, displays, and plenty of eye-candy.

When
Friday October 22, 1:00pm – 10:00pm
Saturday October 23, 10:00am – 9:00pm
Sunday October 24, 11:00am – 5:30pm

Where
Tradex in Abbotsford [Google Map]

What
Main stage appearances by Steven and Chris, Peter Bergman (known for his role as Jack Abbott on Young & the Restless), and So You Think You Can Dance Canada’s Tara-Jean & Vincent. Other stages include Health and Wellness, Home and Travel, and Kitchen Theatre.

Dove, London Drugs, and Frostings Cupcakery are just a few of the sponsors who will most likely have some goodies and while you’re there you can enter contests such as the “The Ultimate Girls Night Out Prize Package” and “Sony’s Pretty In Pink Prize Package”.

If you would like to attend, I have two 4-packs of tickets to give away (as it’s always better to attend the West Coast Women’s Show with a group of gal-pals). Here’s how to enter:

I will be on the road all day today so I will draw my two winners at about 6:00pm tonight. I also have the tickets on me (they’re not at the event) so I will need to arrange delivery on Thursday or Friday during the day. Best of luck to everyone and I hope you can check out the show regardless.

Update The winners are Janice and Sandra – have fun!

John “Gassy Jack” Deighton had a saloon in New Westminster but it wasn’t until he headed around to the Burrard Inlet that he left an indelible mark on our city. In 1867 he told mill workers along the harbour that they could have all the whiskey they could drink if they helped him build a saloon. The Globe was up and running in 24 hours [source].

1909 – Bus for the Dominion Hotel in Gastown. Archives Item #Trans P149.01

Nowadays Gassy Jack’s town is still a hub for good times, spirits, and sudsy beverages – and The Lamplighter has had a lot to do with that atmosphere over the last 85 years.

1905 – Hotel Dominion and Mainland Cigar Factory. VPL Accession Number: 55287

“The Lamplighter Pub opened its doors on the ground floor of the Dominion Hotel in 1925, obtaining British Columbia’s first liquor license and becoming the first speakeasy of its kind to serve alcohol to women. The pub is named after John Clough, who lit the coal oil lamps along Gastown’s brick streets in 1887 before Vancouver introduced electric lights. Today, much of the original exposed brick, tin stamped ceilings, stained glass windows and railings still remain, with the addition of a new sound system, flat screen televisions, French doors and garden-style patio. Located at 92 Water Street, this Gastown institution is now the go-to place for live music, DJs, sports or hanging out with friends, old and new [source].”

Photo credit: bmann on Flickr

On November 7th, 2010 The Lamplighter will host an anniversary celebration in honor of its history thus far – through prohibition and endless transformations of our city.

Many have been concerned about the fate of Vancouver’s only memorial for Terry Fox on Beatty and Robson as BC Place undergoes a massive renovation. However PavCo, the operators of BC Place and coordinators of the stadium and plaza’s revitalization, has just announced that they have commissioned local author and artist Douglas Coupland to create a new Terry Fox memorial.

Photo © i.craigus on Flickr

Terry Fox Plaza is slated for renovation as part of the current revitalization of BC Place and surrounding grounds, and the existing memorial must be removed as part of the upgrade to the plaza. Both PavCo and the Fox family have agreed that removal of the current memorial provides an opportunity to replace it with a new and lasting commemoration of Terry Fox’s “Marathon of Hope”. Coupland, who wrote the 2005 fundraiser tribute book “Terry”, was retained by PavCo to create the new memorial in consultation with the Fox family.

Coupland’s latest piece of public art is the “Digital Orca” at the Vancouver Convention Centre. In 2005 he published “Terry”, a tribute book in collaboration with the Terry Fox Foundation.