B4 - The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, April 18, 2001 --SKEENA ANGLER ROB BROWN Herman’s Point: A Plea f you scan a map of the lower Skeena you will notice that the mouths of its | affluents have the designation "IR." for Indian Reserve - that is if your charis are old and yellowed like mine. Apparently these lands were set aside as a result of the efforts of some patronizing, but kind hearted, governors who recognized that these fish rich locations had been intensively used by First Nations for millennia and were central to aboriginal culture: Many of these sites are the holdings of Tsim- sian from the coast, who paddled up the Skeena and set up summer camps on rivers like the Git- nadoix, Exstew, and Lakelse to take advantage of abundant natural riches there. Mike Whelpley tells me that archaeologists he has ferried into the Gitnadoix in recent years have found the remains of fishing camps on the lower section of the river as well as evidence of First Nations’activities at a site on Alastair Lake, which may date back thousands of years. There’s plenty of evidence that the Lakelse had preat appeal to nalive peoples too. There’s a clearing just below the canyon ~ a place know as the Ball Park to veteran steelheaders — that looks suspiciously like it was cleared then turned into a fishing camp by adze wielding Tsimsian. Adding weight to this speculation is a jong trail that winds through old growth to that site passes more than a dozen old cedars that have been peeled long ago for use in the man- ufacture of baskets, nets, and other First Na- tions’ toals. ' The places where lakes turn into rivers. are the richest parts of our river valleys. On the La- kelse, that rich place is Herman’s Point. Ac- cording to the maps, it belongs to the Tsimsian from Port Simpson, who almost certainly cleared the area just below Herman Creek in order io exploit the fish and game there. Appreciative of the magic and importance of such places, the First Nations treated them with respect bordering on reverence. I wish the same could be said for my Second Nations brethren. The natural beauty of Herman’s Point has not deterred people from driving trucks and all ter- rain vehicles to the rivers edge; it has not stop- ped others from hacking at, and whacking down, the riperian vegetation in search of fire wood (even a memorial sign erected by Reg -Sieben's grieving family was cut, quartered and burned by some insensitive cretin on a quest for fire); and it has not prevented others from leaving all manner of trash strewn along the stream bank. And it is not only the landscape that takes a beating at Herman's. This is the place where a large proportion of the sia// run of Lakelse River steelhead lie, awaiting a biological spur to spawn. The fish that arrive at Herman’s every year are survivors of an arduous journey begun in the ocean a year earlier. After their ocean career, the fish enter the narrow confines of the Skeena, move into the even narrower confines of the Lakelse, and ultimately crowd into the small pool at Herman’s, where they attempt to rest, some as long as eight months, ripening in preparation for their most important task. In most years, these steelhead get little rest. bent on dragging steelhead around by the lips have worn down the path into Herman’s. Ex- posed as they are, you’d think the fish would be skittish and reluctant to bite ~- no such luck. their nature. Any glittering bauble of feather, fur and tinsel will provoke them. The sport is in finding an individual in a species of fish that is never really abundant, nol in provoking it to strike, which is almost always an easy task. Knowing this, ethical steelheaders do not fish for vulnerable dark steelhead holed up in low water waiting to spawn: it's simply too easy to catch them and, for that reason, unsporting. Moreover, inflicting additional stress on such fish after they've spent such a ong time in the river increases the possibility of mortality. Concern for these steelhead prompted Doug Webb to erect a sign on the trail to Herman’s years ago. The message is clear, yet every year more fishermen choose to ignore it. These fishermen are apparently unaware that the upper Skeena is closed to fishing to protect steelhead in similar circumstances. By harass- ing these animals, they risk provoking a similar closure on the upper Lakelse and with it the consequent loss of a fine cutthroat trout fishery. To prevent this sad eventuality, anglers who want ta keep fishing the upper Lakelse in the spring have to treat it with respect and encour- age others to do the same. This can be done by using a floating line, a small fly, and a delicate tippet that will part in the unlikely (but not in- conceivable) possibility that a black steelhead should grabit. = This winter an increasing number of fishermen - Steelhead react aggressively to interlapers. It’s . TERRACE STANDARD cee SPORTS 638-7283 Hebert nabs triple crown NORM HEBERT is already teaching his two-and-a- half-year-old son, Damon, the tricks of the trade. Sports Scope Ultimate challenge Tf’S LONG been said that winning isn’t everything, - it’s how you play the game that counts. And the old cliche couldn't hold more true than for a sport called Ultimate. The spirit of the game is at the heart Terrace’s Ultimate club. The team game combines skills from football, basketball and frisbee. The season is about to kick off and the club is on the look-out for new members. Beginners are al- ways welcome. To register or for more information phone Ri- chard or Kelly Klein at 635-6636 or David Jones at 615-0215. Extreme wresiling comes to Kitsumkalum WITH names like Count Monstered, Disco Fury and Adam Firestorm, this year’s presentation of Extreme- ly Canadian Championship wrestling is bound to be a good one. The wrestlers are making an appearance at the Kit- sumkalum recreation centre April 20 as part of their Northern Hell tour. This year’s event features native wrestler Dream Warrior who wil! take on the 6’5” Juggernaut in the ECCW Hardcore title match. And a iadies event will see Miss Deer Heaven battle it out with Roxy Mon- oxide. Tickets are available at Sonny’s Collectibles and Comic Encounters in Terrace. Ringside seats are $12 and general admission is $10, Doors open at 7 p.m. and the action starts at 8 p.m. For more information call (604) 685-3229. Saddle up THE FIRST clinic of the year was extremely success- ful for the Terrace Totem Saddle club April 6th. The club is hoping to see a turn-out just as good at their next clinic April 20-23. The clinic will be con- ducted by Gennie Cash. For more information call Cathy Jackson at 635-1907. Also mark your calendars for the Spring Mini- horse show. lt will include dressage, jumping and reigning. Proceeds will go to the indoor arena fund. For information call Cathy Gavronsky at 638-1439. Rugby returns AFTER TWO years of declining rugby activity in the northwest the spring of 2001 will see a resurgence of the sport in Terrace and the northwest. The Terrace Northmen Rugby Football Club, est. 1970, the oldest club in the North Coast Rugby Union had been in recession the last two seasons as competition from Prince Rupert and Smithers had ebbed and eventually ceased, But this year ali three cities are looking forward to developing the sport and getting back in the game, The Terrace Northmen Rugby Football League is holding an organizational meeting for all club mem- bers, alumni, supporters and interested players. Any- one interested in taking part in rugby this season is invited to come. The meeting takes place at the Oasis Sport Club on the Northwest Community College campus April ‘| 18 at 7:30 p.m. For more information call David D, Hull, club secretary at 638-1327 or 638-7320, By SARAH A. ZIMMERMAN NORM HEEERT is posit- ively beaming, And no wonder. in the past 10 weeks he watched the birth of his second child, he’s gotten engaged and he’s been re- crowned King of the Hill at the Mecca of snowmo- bile hil) climbs in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. It’s a warm, sunny spring day and Hebert is cleaning out the pick-up truck he’s been living out of for three weeks. Coffee cups, wrappers and napkins tell the story of a man who’s been spending a lot of time be- hind the wheel. His trademark red Po- laris sled sits naiselessly on the gravel driveway. “It’s been a crazy sea- son this year,” said Hebert. The 24-year-old spent most of this winter travel- ling around the province competing in B.C. Snow- mobile Federation (BCSF) sanctioned hill climbs. But the highlight of the season came in Jackson Hole March 25, The yearly competition is considered the major event for hill. climbers B.C. champ heads to the nationals LUCK GAVE Judy Green the winning edge at the provincials during her final round, when she skunked her opponent twice. “It was just unbeliev- able when those cards changed, I'll tell ya,” says Green, bound for the Royal Canadian Legion’s Domi- nion Cribbage Champion- ships in Nova Scotia. Green learned strategy from mom, “She taught me every trick in the book,” Green says. “She stole points from me and |} caught on real quick!” across Canada and the U.S. and is known as “the preatest show on snow.” Hebert was cool as a cucumber as he screamed his way to the top of the ski hill’s Exhibition run, said to be the steepest ski run in North America. His time of 1:04 beat out the other nine qualif- iers in the final and earned hirn the title of King of the Hill for Improved Stock. This is Hebert’s third King of the Hill. He won the king stock title in 1995 and the trail modified title in 1997, Hebert continues clean- ing out the pick-up and keeps a watchful eye on his older son, Daman, as the tyke teeters around the backyard in the sun. Being away from his fa- mily so much in the winter hasn’t been easy, he says. “T talk to Jen and Damon on the phone ail the time, but it’s not the same,” he says. And now with baby Seth around leaving home ta compete is even harder. - "Jen has been great,” he says of his soon-to-be wife. It’s apparent that his family is the real crowning glory in his life. With only a short, four- day stop-over in Terrace before heading down to Penticton and Kamloops to compete in the last two BCSF sanctioned hill climbs of the year, time with his family is precious. And when he can’t be in Terrace the hill climb- ing circuit becomes his home away from home. “All the guys I go out and race with are pretly much like family to me.” High up aon the list is friend Rocky Turcotte from Clearwater who accomipa- nied Hebert to Jackson Hole as his mechanic. While Turcotte kept Hebert’s sleds in peak condition Hebert got a chance to study the course. His strategy: keep an eye on the veterans. “Those are the guys to watch,” says Hebert. Their years of experience gemer- ates astute route finding skills that prove valuable when it comes courses on the steep slopes. Norm Hebert may think he has many more hills to climb before he calls him- self a veteran, but with three King of the Hill titles under his belt he’s already joined the ranks of royalty. JUDY GREEN hoids the perfect cribbage hand that she hopes will come her way at the Laglon’s Domi- nian cribbage championships April 27-29. mg What a view! FHIL ASLIN takes in the view 30 metres off the ground, He was one of many climbers who took advantage of the sunny skies last week to get in a faw routes on the face of Capper Mountaln. From the top of the first pitch of Houdini climbers can see all 18 holes of the golf course, the en- tire clty of Terrace and mountain ranges that seem to stratch on forever.