: Bé - The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, October 13, 1999 SKEENA: ANGLER- ROB BROWN Fishing at Usk Part Ill he Copper is green. There are steelhead everywhere. I'd like to do some exploring. You wanna come along? I asked, “Sure,” said Sky with no hesitation. “I'll mect you at the other side of the river.” The other side of the Skeena to Sky is this side to me, I checked to sec that all the gear was in the truck then roared off. A lone fly fisher stood in the Ferry Island riffle. A young lady hitchhiker with a big red pack was standing on the shoulder of Hwy 16. I pulled over across from the spot where a chainsaw sculptor has been hewing a giant bear and waved. The girl stowed her baggage then pried open the door and climbed up into the cab. “I’m going as far as Usk,” I told her. “Its about 10 miles out of town.” “I go lo Smithers,” she said. “Well, hop in. Al least you'll get the feeling you’re getting some place. Where are you from?” “Germany,” she said adding, “I come from Vancouver Island yesterday.” She had straighl, straw-coloured hair and aval wire glasses. She was studying ecology in Europe. It was her first time here, and she thought B.C. was “so big” and “so beautiful.” | alerted her ta the thou- sands of pinks spawning in Kleanza Creek, to new setlings, greening cut blocks and old forest along the highway then pulled into the tumoff and dropped her off at the Usk Chapel with an admoni- tion to be selective about whom she hops in a vehi- chapel and pray fora ride if the wait gets loo long. Half an hour ahead of schedule, | decided to take the Ferry across the Skeena. I wondered why there were two ferry men aboard, When I returned with my young partner there were six men aboard, and the craft was dangling mid river. One of the men threw a life preserver downstream, whereupon another leapt into the jet boat, fired it up and sped downstream in pursuit. “Oh yeah, they’ re practising safely drills,” said Sky, “They do this every month.” Soon we were climbing up the hill from the grav- el plant on Copper River Main. We made the upper part of the lower river without mishap. | swung the truck off the road. We undid the dog, waded up, and made our way through the thicket to a spot | hadn’t fished in 10 years. There were fresh tracks and the orts of bait fisherman — roe netting and yarn — on the shore. | decided they had to have been from the day before and determined we should give the run a go anyway. I sent Sky to probe the high probability water in the tail with a waking fly then made my way 4 good distance upstream where I fished per- functorily paying more attention to his fishing than mine. His line shot out over the water in a graceful loop. When the currents dictated it, he mended the line. Many of the Buropeans I’d been guiding for the last month could cast miles. They all threw the same way. Their flics spent as much time flying as they did swimming, And, when their flies were in the water they fished them awkwardly or not al all. You can only learn so much from a video; expensive equipment will not fish itself. Sky Richard with his boltom-of-the-line bruised Garcia graphite rod and nearly dragless generic reel has caught more fish and acquited mare hands on experience then these men can ever hope to. He has the focused, efficient, graceful approach of veteran and he’s still an ado- lescent. A fish boiled behind his fly. He made an identi- cal cast and the fish rose again, “Bear down, Sky,” | yelled, “If you don't get him f will.” I hoped this taunt would prevent him from losing heart. The fish slipped back and would not come up again. Maybe 10 minutes later, it came up behind my fly, On the next drift I set the hook on him. We moved down to the next run, It was too thin, but the next looked fine, Sky to turned to me as he reached the point at the middle of the run where the water slowed. “It looks. good here,” ie said, “You're absolutely right,” I said, Then up she came. A leaper, a beautiful fish. It ran hard. Sky’s reel barked. The line went dead. Sky examined the hook. “It’s broken,” he called back. The bank was high. He was at the bottom of it, He'd ticked the fly against a rock. I gave him another. He sent il out for a skate. On its third trip he brought up another steclhead. He fought it with a kind of skill taught by catching hundreds of fish: not so long to over tax the animal, not so short that it will flip madly at the beach. ; “H’s your first on the top,” I said as he looked down al a beautiful hen lying in the shallows. “You want a picture?” “No,” said Sky, “We should leave him in the water.” He let the fish go. I shook. his hand. . TERRACE STANDARD amir fi. SP ORTS — cle with, and the suggestion that she go into the’ Nice run Carolina! CAROLINA POLANCO was the first woman to finish the 18th Annual All Season's Half Marathon at Norihwest Community College Oct. 3. Polanco ran 21 kilometres in 1:39:43. The first man to cross the finish line was 25- year-old Martin Guido who ran the race in 1:24:33. About 130 runners from Terrace, Kitimat, Prince Rupert, Hazelton, Telkwa and Smithers turned up to run either a five, 10 or 21 kilometre race. Terrace Men’s Hockey Scoreboard Oldtimer League stats to Oct. 2 Saturday, Oct. 2 Northern Motor Inn 4 Terrace Timbermen 4 Subway 4 SRD Biues ? Wednesday, Sept. 29 Subway 3) Northern Motor Inn 6 SRD Blues 3 Terrace Timbermen 3 Recreational league stats to Oct. 3 Sunday, Oct. 3 Skeena Cable Sharks 1 ~~ Back Eddy Bullies 6 ‘Thursday, Sept. 30 . Skeena Cable Sharks 3 Precision Builder Blues3 Tuesday, Sept. 28 White Spot ~ 1 Back Eddy Bullies 8 Stock car association names 1999 winners YOU KNOW it’s been a fast, tight racing season at the Terrace Speedway when the award winners are settled by less than 20 points. That's what happened at the Terrace Stock car association's 1999 awards ban- quet Oct. 2. in Thornhill. By far the most prestigious award, is the Member of the Year trophy. os The award is a recognition. by racing peers for hard work throughout the season, 64 points, Paul Fleming was a distant third‘: with 818 points, And in the “A” Hobby event Gord Klas- sen beat Dave Reinhardt by 13 points while Randy Chalifoux trailed in a third with 944 points. oo Other light races include the Sportsman of the Year, where Dan- Dollemore beat Casey Vandenbroek by one vole, The Best: Looking Car award went to Car #635, which beat out the Dollemore's car 690 by Cindy Dollemare tock home the trophy bul said: Debby Re- Goodwrench 100 one vote. oo The overall points winner inhardt and Dawn Patterson Overall Points Winner this year was. Kevin Pon- shared the honour, Bomber: Kevin Pongracz praca in car 117 who took “It was ‘a three-way tie,” Street: Tom Bolton said Dollemore. “Everyone Hobby: Leslie Quast home the bomber trophy, while-Tom Bolton and Leslie worked hard — I just got one more vote than other the others.” Reinhardt and Patterson took home the President’s award. - Points standings in the closest races — the “B” Bomber, “A” Street, and “A” Hobby events —‘were determined by 19 points orless, - ~ rr : Yves Thibodeau won the .“B” Bomber award at 972 points, Shane Severid ~ and Kelly Hilton took second’and third with 958 and 867 points each: © 0". os _ Kevin Pongracz. and Dan Dallemore bat-' tled for first In the “A” Bomber class, but’ in the end Pongracz beat out Dollemore by Quast: took. home street and hobby stock tilles. ; And, when it comes to next year, the ra- cing just keeps getting beiter. “We'll have a big bomber class next year,” said Cindy Dollemore. In the boni- ber’s second ‘season; the club had ten cats competing, 7:of which showed up consist- ently, 2000S re ““We should have almost double that number-next year,” said Dollemore, ~The ‘other new feature’ planned next sea- son-is a Nascar-style team racing, where ‘individual racers: form teams of three or 7 four in a battle for-first place. Sports Scope Preschoolers learn to skate THE TERRACE skating club is offering a new program for preschoolers aged three and up who want to learn: how to skate. Thirty minute lessons run every Tuesday from 5:40 p.m, to 6:10, beginning Oct. 12, Classes run all season, or until mid-March, The program is designed for children who have never skated before and are old enough to take instruction. To put your child on the ice call Debbie at 635-2477. You asked for it THE TERRACE Skaling Club has added yet another Canpower session to their already jam-packed season. Added sessions on Thursdays (level 1) and Sundays (level T] and TM) will hopefully, alleviate the club’s waiting list this year. Canpower teaches basic skills to children who al- ready know how to skate and want to improve their speed and agility. Great great for hockey and ringette players looking ta better their game! Call Debbie at 635-2477 for more in- formation. : Women’s Basketball DO YOU like to shoct hoops? Know your way around the basketball court? Why not try basketball? , A group of local basketball enthusiasts are looking for women, interested in playing ‘ball this winter. Ex- perience is not necessary! Call Debbie Scarborough at 635-3597 tor more information. Shames plans annual general meeting THE SHAMES Mountain Ski Club is holding its annual general meeling at the Coast Inn of the West Tuesday, Nov. 9 at 7:30 p.m. All club members and interested members of the pub- lic are invited to attend and contribute. Your success is needed..jo,ensure: another.,fun, successful ski season. — Call Paulette Kelly at 638-1833 for more information. Casino Night benefits fastball team JUST BACK from Nationals and figuring out how to pay off their credit card bills, Terrace’s hot-shot fast bal] team, the Northwest Merchants want you out having fun on Casino night. Casino night, Oct. 16 at the Kinhut from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m., is a fundraiser where participants pay an admis- sion fee in return for $20,000 of phony money, Participants then gamble the night away and use there earnings to bid on donated prizes. Organizers urge even gambling novices to turn up and get their names entered in the team’s lucrative door prize — a re- turn trip for two to Vancouver to see the Philadelphia Flyers battle The Canucks at GM Place Dee. 29, ac- commodation included. Cail Debra at 635-1258 or Norm at 635-2249 for tick- ets or more information. Learn to wrestle THORNHILL STUDENTS are invited to learn the ba- sics basics of wrestling, gel in shape and develop their wrestling skills Tuesday and Wednesday nights at the Thornhill gym. The lessons are coached by Caledonia and Skeena Secondary wrestling team members, in hopes of promoting wrestling in Thornhill. Wrestling is one of the few high school spurts where athletes compete in weight categories, making if a great sport for all sizes of boys and girls, Clinics run 90 minutes and start at 6 p.m. on Tues- ‘days, and 4:30 p.m Wednesdays. The last clinic is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 20, Students must be in Grade 7 or older to participate " Call Joe Murphy at Caledonia Senior Secondary for more information. Shames Ski Swap SHAMES MOUNTAIN Ski Club and the Canadian Ski Patrol are co-sponsoring the annual ski swap at the ; arena banquet room Oct. 22-23. Drop off your unwanted equipment Friday, Oct, 22 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the arena banquet room and the sale siarts Saturday morning at 9 a.m. (No Friday night sales allowed), Cash and cheques will be accepted and a 20 per cent fee will be charged on ail sales. . Pick up is scheduled Saturday at 3 p.m. Water polo THE ANNUAL General Mecting for the Terrace Water Palo Association will be held in the Aquatic Centre meeting room at 8 p.m. on Thursday, Oct, 21, All members, former players, and anyone interested in the sport are invited to attend to elect officers and make plans for the 1999-2000 season. Special Olympics REGISTER for the Terrace Special Olymples 1999. 2000 sport season Friday, Oct. 15 at the Skeena mall. ” Registration runs from 5:30 to 8 p.m. For mare infor: mation call Jo after 6 p.m. at 635-7936, amen ree an eames ee ee ee a ee ee eae Serene eer ew era en ee a ee re) ew.