- Prev
- 1 of 14
- Next
After years of talking about it, the stars and planets were finally in their proper alignment and I was about to make my first trip to the legendary Tree, or Kogluktualuk, River in Nunavut , to fish for what are arguably the worlds biggest Arctic Char. Now, if you think that I am going to spend the entire story telling you about how many we caught, the hottest lures and where we caught them - think again.
What I remember most vividly to this day, was taking the short boat ride over to the Tree River Camp from the landing area, walking into the small cook house, and being welcomed by our cook, Sandi Bennett, as she was taking a sheet of freshly baked cookies out of the oven. After exchanging names and greetings, a steaming bowl of homemade stew was set down in front of me together with a plate of warm cheese biscuits that were so light, if not for the towel draped over them, would have likely floated out of the window.
This was the quintessential outpost cookhouse featuring long wooden tables, bench seats, and the standard cluster of condiments including ketchup, Heinz 57 Sauce, HP Sauce, Tabasco and of course, a container of toothpicks.
There were plastic jugs spread across the tables filled with water and some sort of "juice," together with heavy white mugs that would eventually be filled with hot coffee or tea to help wash down the cookies. There is just something about starting your trip in the outpost cookhouse, enjoying the aromas, food and conversation that primes your pump for what is to come.
The cookhouse is one of several small white buildings scattered over a hill at the base of the rivers' first set of rapids that make up Plummers' Tree River Camp. There are also guest cabin/tents, privies, showers and the famous, although infrequently visited Kogluktualuk Store. When you first see the cluster of buildings from the air, they look more like a small flock of white sheep than an outpost camp.
Together with being a place of great natural beauty, the Tree River area is rich in Inuit history and was the scene of an Agatha Christie style murder mystery back in 1922. As the story goes, a Hudson's Bay Company employee by the name of Otto Binder and RCMP Corporal, Andrew Doak were murdered by an Inuit named Alikomiak on April 1,1922 at the small RCMP Station located at the mouth of the Tree - or as they called it then - Port Epworth. Corporal Doak had just recently arrested Alikomiak and his accomplice Tatimagana on suspicion of having murdered four Inuit at the Coronation Gulf in August 1921, apparently because of a dispute over a woman. These men were the first Inuit tried, condemned and executed by hanging under Canadian Law.
OK, so enough about history and biscuits - let's talk about the fishing. As mentioned, the Tree is noted for producing huge Arctic Char. The people who are paid good money to study and explain these things to us have commented that the Char in this river "are notable for lessened genetic variability." In other words, the fact that they don't have very many forks in their family tree explains, at least in part, why they are so big.
Most of our group went upstream from the camp above the first rapid, and began by fishing from shore, just south of a gravel bar known as "Trophy Island." After hitting several fish we hopped back into our boat and moved back into the main river channel, establishing a drift from the base of the second rapid to just above the first set.
Both areas proved productive, and by the time the dinner bell rang we had landed twenty one Char ranging in size from fifteen pounds up to a rather remarkable twenty six pounder. The other members of our group tried their luck down stream from the camp, and caught two char in the twelve to fifteen pound range.
After dinner, my fishing partner and I, together with our guide Craig Blackie, walked down river a short distance from camp to try our luck in small stream that feeds into the main river. I decided to switch over to a fly rod and Craig tied on a red and white rabbit hair streamer. While my first cast became firmly embedded in a trophy size scrub willow, my second offering was hammered by what turned out to be a twelve pound char. Given the self satisfied smile on "Blackie's" face, I began to suspect that he was on a first name basis with that particular Char, and the two of them had set this all up ahead of time.
We then moved upstream to fish a small run just above the second set of rapids. On my second or third cast, using the same red and white streamer, another fish was on, and after an incredible, and somewhat exhausting fight that lasted more than thirty minutes, we released a beautiful fifteen pounder.
I handed the rod to "Blackie" so I could give my arms a bit of a rest, and on his first cast he caught a twelve pounder.
The next day we decided to head downstream to do a bit of sightseeing. We visited the gravesites of Otto Binder and Corporal Doak, floated past an Inuit fishing camp and just otherwise enjoyed the scenery and being on the river. The rest of our group fished above the first rapid and managed to catch a couple more fish bringing our overall total to twenty seven char - none of which weighed less than ten pounds.
If you ever have the privilege to visit the Tree, I would encourage you to take advantage of what the entire experience has to offer.
Your trip to and from the river will take you across the magnificent Barren Lands with all its rugged beauty, and the scenery along the river is stunning in its own right. We saw Wolves, Muskoxen, Tundra Swans, Golden Eagles, Peregrine Falcons and millions of bright, colourful tundra flowers, so don't forget to have a good look around and watch and listen to the river.
The walk along the river up stream to the third falls is worth the price of admission alone, and if you do take the walk, be prepared to wear out the shutter button on your camera.
You will catch the biggest Arctic Char in the world, and last, but certainly not least, don't forget to stuff your face with those amazing biscuits!
Harold Ball
{jcomments on}
