I recently had the opportunity to try something new with a few good friends. Growing up in Northern Ontario, I have always had a passion for bass and pike fishing, but since moving to Barrie I have been hearing more and more about rivers and float fishing. After giving it a few attempts, I have fallen head over heels in love with float fishing.
Drifting with a center pin is hard work, being used to spinning and bait casting reels my frustration was evident right off the hop. Even though I have been using a centre pin for a month, last week after landing my first fish was where the river really began to plant its roots in me. I didn’t hook the first fish I landed, Daniel was generous enough pass me the rod once he hooked into a salmon so I could finally fight a fish, I was lucky enough to land it.
The feeling was amazing, after loosing a few I was so proud to finally land a fish on a center pin. After a few more hours fishing with no success or fish showing them selves, we moved on to another river. Once again a fish was hooked and Jordan decided to pass me the rod to fight and land my first rainbow trout. I was ecstatic at this point, but after not hooking and landing two fish my confidence drifting with a center pin was starting to grow and by mid afternoon I had hooked and landed a gorgeous brown trout. My first fish from start to finish!
I wish I could compare bass and pike fishing to float fishing in rivers, but they are both unique experiences. A certain calmness only found on the river takes over you, it is something that you won’t find on a boat. It is hard to explain, but it is like everything around you disappears.There are no words to describe how this day felt. It was one of the most incredible feelings and I really could feel my love for river fishing grow as the day went along. If you have had an opportunity to drift a river, have friends who have been asking you to go out, or just been curious, you should really give float fishing a go! You will not be disappointed.
