_ Ken and the Coquihalla t was August of 1983. I'd just fin- ished fishing the School House Pool, and had nothing to show for my ef- forts. ] waded a shore, leaned the rod against a sapling, took off my vest, retrieved my lunch and a bottle of orange juice from the back pocket, then sat down to eat ina patch of tall yellowing grasses. After weeks of long hot days, the Coquihalla was low enough to reveal granite contours in all but its deepest pools. I washed down a mouthful of salami and cheese and scanned the pile of dirt and rock set against the rigged rampart of the mountain across the river and a half mile downstream. This was the beginning of the proposed Coquihalla Highway ans, should it proceed, the end of one of the finest little steclhead streams in the province. Whether the beast was dead or in a crouch was moot then. -The cost of paving the Pass was enormous. Bill Bennett Jr. and his Socred coalition were in power. These were times of fiscal restraint, and - Bennett the younger didn’t share his dad’s pen- chant for incessant road construction. _ The Coquihaila was Tom Brayshaw’s River and Bill Cunliffe’s river, it was Stan Hill’s river, and it was a favourite angling destination for a gener- ation of determined anglers who willingly made _ What was then a long journey through the Fraser Valley to chase the ferocious summer steelhead that fought their way through the canyon and over ‘the falls then settled into the riffles and shaded _ crystal pools of the rugged little river that cut through the Rockies on its way-to the Fraser be- ,, tow the town of Hope... os ei, y these, like those of the Thompson and the Dean were explosive. The day before I1’d come upon a ' winded fisherman sitting on a rock beside a pool between the Frustration Run and Suwakwa Creek, An Englishman who had fished some of the best beats on the best salmon rivers in Scotiand, he told me he’d caught hundreds of Adantic Salmon, most of them considerably bigger than the six- pound steelhead he'd just let go. None of them, he said in a tone of clear admiration and wonder, had fought as well as that, his first steelhead. If ?'d known the Coquihalla was in its last throcs — a last sweet bloom of steclhead enabled in large measure by the Ministry of the Environ- ment — I would have arranged to fish it more often and savoured those moments more. If I’d known then what I know now I would have _ caught more fish. I was about to learn more, for as.I washed the last mouthful of rye bread, salami and cheese down, an angler waded into the riffle below me, into the fast water at the top of the chop: the kind of place I never fished, and never saw anyone else fishing either. The guy was tall and heavy set with dark curly hair, dark glasses, wearing wom, unbelled waders and a black t-shirt. He flicked about a white float- ing line economically, and, in short order was fast on to a leaping steelhead which quickly came un- “stuck. I yearned for a pair of binoculars and a closer look as the white line shot out across the Stecam again and again. In maybe five minutes or so, the rock-filled riffle was full of splashes once more. After he’d released this hot fish and after I was sure he’d dove with the mn, ] put myself in a position where he couldn't avoid me on his way - back upstream. - Two guys with fly rods have at least one thing in common. We talked for some time. Ken Clark- son, he said extending a big hand, These fast rif- fles, he said, are one of the few places a suminer steelhead can hide in low flows. I looked over the tun and realized he was right —- and wondered why I hadn’t come to that conclusion myself long before this. This riffle was fast but the water be- hind the larger, current breaking rocks and the _Seams between them were two and three feel ‘had could easily bold in such water. on an old, but well-maintained truck, He pulled then, thin dark and tightly tied, Ken had fished many of the interior lakes and all of the well- known steelhead streams including the Bulkley, financing part of those trips with gold he’d panied from streams along the way. We swapped storles and notes. ‘I:was engrossed by his stories about the Co- quihalla, for he had returned to it after it had been closed for a long time to help it recover from the impacts of rail way lines, gas lines, mining an floods, and discovered steelhead everywhere and ‘few men fishing them, In the following years we fished the Skagit and the Wideene and met on the Bulkley and Co- | spring. Caledonia teams heat up courts TERRACE’S high school basketball teams are coming togelher after two solid matchups here last week, The senior boys team called their shots and worked hard to beat Charles Hays Senior Secondary Wednesday, Jan. 7. Coach Cam MacKay said that both Charles Hays and Caledonia had a lot of tum-" overs in the first quarter but Cal settled down and played a decent game, Neufeld coaches Caledonia’s first girls bas- ketball team in more than a year. He says his team of Grade 11 students have one goal: to get better every game they play. He figures they had a good chance at beating Smithers in last ‘week's toumament, but the team was denied after a close game Saturday morning, The girls’ attend an eight- ae hare BET Oe cee tet Cesare 2 oe Prince: Rupert?-Rainmakers ; ‘Almost all summer steelhead are Scrappers but — P deep, Any Gish with the kind of stamina these fish We repaired to Ken’s camper, an old musty one . out cald bottles of beer and boxes of flies, most of ° “quihalla when the highway was far up the pass , and the river had been tumed inside out. [t's been ” a decade or more since I’ve spoken to him, but I | member him when I fish fast thin water inthe The score at the half was 39-32 Caledonia, Jobn Sim- mons hooped a couple key team tournament in Hazelton on Jan, 15-16 only The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, January 13, 1999 - BS to sce the Hazelton girls here on Jan. 20. The girls’s next road trip lakes them lo Quesnel. on Jan, 22-23 for another eight- team matchup, On Jan. 30. the girls travel west to meet both Charles Hays and Prince Rupert - Senior Secondary. If they do well, the girls head to the zones in Prince Rupert on Feb. 20. Winners of the zone competition are off to the provincial championships in North Vancouver March 4-7, shots and the team gained cnough confidence to pull ahead by the end of the third quarter 59-47, “Braden Meashaw didu’t miss too many,’’ MacKay said, The Kermodes had at least four players in double digit scores, making their offense hard to take down. Hays on the other hand, seemed ta be playing short- handed because one of their key players, Steven Colussi nelted fewer points tian ex- pected. ‘MacKay thought Hays seemed ‘‘sluggish’’ and wasi't: sure if they had come with their best game. The game ended 85-62 Caledonia. ; The senior boys play al home again Jan. 15-16 when their ‘‘archrivals’’ the come here. Game time is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. and 12 noon, Kak kk Allan Neufeld’s wins don’t come quite so easily. WEAVING THROUGH TIME OUT: Caledonia Senior Girls coach Alan Neufeld talks to the team which is made up mostly of Grade 11 girls. The team lost their game against Smithers by nine points, after leading the game in the first quarter. The top Kermode scorer at the half was Terrace’s Danna Haworth. MEN'S SOCCER BM starts year with double shut out ‘THE TEAMS in the men’s futsal league didn’t miss a beat wilh the first games of the new year. Super BM extended its first-place lead bul the three-way battle for second place continues 10 heat up. FORESTRY FC 1 — CANADIAN TIRE Forestry FC almost took the lead as Shane Pauls put a shot off the goal post in the middle of the first half. At the mid-point of the second half of this tight-checking game, the scoreless tie was broken when Forestry took ad- vantage of a quick play after a foul by Canadian Tire. Canadian Tire didn’t let up and were awarded by a goal after Forestry’s defensive coverage broke down, NORTHERN KNIGHT 3 -~- WESTERN PACIFICS Westem Pacific started the second game of the night with a couple quick goals, including a sensational redirected shot by Gary Galuska. At half time the score was 4-0 for Western Pacific and it looked like the game was theirs. Bul Northern Night came on strong in the second half, led by the play of Corey Trogi who scored three goals to bring Northern Knight within one shot of a tic, a Northem Night continued to press, but Western Pacific's keeper, Gil Rego made several saves to maintain their lead. Then with a few minutes Icft to play Western Pacific’s Stewart Melsack scored anolher goal off a free kick. ©, SUPER BM 2— INTERNATIONALS 0. against the league-leading Super BM, In the third game of the evening the Internationals ran up - - ; - oa ent “Northern Knight. 36. 89. 912 Caledonia’s John Simmons dribbles his way to the basket, Wednesday, Jan. 7 en route to gaining two more points to his total against Charles Hays. The Kermodes swept Charles Hays 85-62, NE has, THE COMPETITION: wn 38-7283 Sports Scope | How good is your game? HEAD to Northwest Community College Sat., Feb. 6, 1999 and see how your scrabble pame rates nationally. Scrabble enthusiasts from across the northwest will meet here for the first sanctioned National Scrabble as- sociation tournament. Game results will be ranked by a computer-rating system and Milton-Bradley, the com- pany that owns the Scrabble trademark, is contributing a prize package for the winner. Organizers expect 20 novice and seyious players to attend the tournament. Everyone will meet at the col- lege in room 2001. Players must pre-register by calling Walter Raedeke at 638-0433. Register for gymnastics TERRACE Peaks Gymnastic club is planning two registrations sessions at the Skeena Mall. The sessions will be held Jan. 29 from 6 pam. to 8 p.m. and Jan, 30 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Recreational gymnastics classes are aimed at kids two and up and fees vary. Call Susan at 635-0912 or Maria at 638-0447 for more information, Skiing at the lake SNOW, rain, more snow and great grooming makes for great skiing at Onion Lake’s cross country trails. Whether you prefer skiing or classic, get out and en- joy trails that have been set for you and racers. The club hosted some of the fastest skiers in the northwest at the Kitimat Open Saturday, Jan. 9. The next event, the Women’s Fest, is Saturday, Jan, 23. The fest is a chance for women to ski as a group, Jearn new skills and enjoy a whole day of fun on the trails. Call 798-2227 or 632-2004 to register, Winter games countdown WITH ONLY a month to go before the Northern B.C, Winter Games in Prince Rupert Feb, 5-7, organizers have announced (hat five events will be canceled, One-act plays, floor curling, wallyball, judo and squash were canceled because not enough people signed up. The games now hast 25 events from archery to snow- boarding with Terrace residents entered in 22 events, Chalky’s winners CONGRATULATIONS to the winners of Chalky’s weekly poo! tournament: Dauny Rennhack started the year off by winning $70 on Sunday, Jan. 3 and $50 on Dec. 27. Finishing sec- * ond and third Dec. 27 were Dustin Houland ($30) and Chanh Huynh ($10), Chuck Gowen ($35) and Lonnie Aloisio ($15) finished second and third Jan. 3. Cougars sign Hurricane draft pick THE PRINCE George Cougars McDonald Monday, Jan. 4, McDonald, 19, is a ninth-round draft pick of the Carolina Hurricanes and already has 17 goals and 18 assists in 38 games in his play with the Red Deer Rebels. At 35 points this scason he already leads the Cougars standings. The five-foot-cleven, 185-pound forward has ac- cumulated 64 penalty minutes this season. In his place, the Cougars give up forward Jordan Walker who has 27 points this season in 37 games. Walker has 20 penalty EECSETETeS minutes this year, 7 : goals and 20 assists. Score Board Walker stands five-foat- eleven aud weighs 165 Terrace Minor Hockey pounds, Atom division signed Brent . Team Brian Barwise and Stephan Granander gave Super BM two quick goals and it looked like an easy win for Super BM. The Intemationals, led by Frank Marelli’s goaltend- ing then closed the door to the goal and pit pressure on Super BM’s defense, ; At the other end, Super BM’s kecper, John De Medeiros, was up the task keeping the Internationals off the scoreboard, including a save on a penalty shot late in the second-half. SUPER BM 1 — WESTERN PACIFIC 0 The evening’s final game saw Super BM duplicate De Medciros’s slit out against secand-place Western Pacific, The game ended 1-0 Super BM. Co-ed drop in soccer continues Mondays from 9-10 p.m. at Caledonia Senior Secondary and at Thomhill Elementary on Thursdays from 7-9 p.m. These informal, fun games are organized in 4 pick up format. The exercise is good and the cost is a reasonable $2 per player to cover gym rental cosis. All are welcome to participate. _. MID-SEASON LEAGUE STANDINGS GF GA GP WL FF Pts - Super BM 70 22 13 101 2 =~ 31 . WestenPacific 40 30 12 5 3 4 19 "Forestry FC: 44 36 11 64 #1 #19, ‘~ Tntemationals 47 4 #12°5 5 2 #47 “Canadian Tite 3145 12 2 BA 1-10 1 4 games Sunday, Jan. 3 All West Trading 7 Copperside Foods 5 Wednesday, Dec. 30 Capperside Foods 7 Kinsmen 6 _All West ‘Trading 3 Lazelle Mini Storage 4 Monday, Dee, 28 The Bargain Shop 3 * Centennial Lions 3 Novice division tournament Harbour Air 3 Alcan 0 Hazelton Grizzlies 6 Long’s Logging i Ptacings: . Harbour Air— Pr. Rupert Alcan — Kitimat Hazelton Grizalles Long’s Logging — Terrace Most Sportsmsanlike team: Ikon Office Solutions Terrace