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Fishing with Cataline
This fishing excursion follows in the tracks of the well-known trailbrazer and packer, known as Cataline. He was born Jean Caux, in the Catalonia region near the Spanish/French border, and blazed trails from central to northern British Columbia, Canada. The numerous gold rushes and homesteaders kept him busy supplying their camps during the 1860's, when much of the country was untouched. He was able to experience an untouched wilderness full of fish and game. This region still has some of the best rainbow trout fishing on the continent; moose, bear, caribou, mountain goats and sheep are plentiful too in this mountain region. My recent excursion followed in his footsteps from Clinton, B.C., in the south to Babine Lake in the north. He traveled on foot with a pack train of as many as 80 mules, following old Indian and wild game trails where he could, and "bushwacked" where he couldn't.
Angling his way to the world championships
Eventually the truth would have to come out and if finally did when Todd Oishi's wife Robyn grew concerned that the family's cat might have mange. Oishi, a national champion fly fisherman from Maple Ridge, never reveals what he uses to make his flies unless he has to. In this case, he had to let his wife know Tinker Bell was fine; Oishi had just snipped off a few off the cat's hairs in order to make a fly. As Oishi puts it, you can use any sort of feather or fur to make a fly, as long as it looks life-like. For example, he made numerous flies using the feathers from the three African guinea fowls he purchased for his wife's birthday. Sadly, they died a few years ago and their feathers are now part of Oishi's fly collection. It wasn't what he planned - he gave the birds to his wife for a birthday present, along with some jewellery - but it ended up working well for him.
Fly-fishing (and eating splendidly) with a gourmet chef
T he people: If he isn't behind the stove at The Heathman Restaurant & Bar, executive chef Philippe Boulot is probably fly-fishing. Whenever he can get a few days off, this Normandy transplant turned wild Westerner drives his pontoon boat to sporting destinations such as the Deschutes, John Day and Grande Ronde rivers for some floating and casting. Sommelier Erica Landon also is an outdoors buff, and whether she's rafting, hiking or fishing, she's always got a bottle of wine stashed in her pack. The place: The deep wine list at The Heathman Restaurant & Bar highlights local Willamette Valley producers, while the menu marries classic French techniques with fresh Northwest ingredients. (1001 S.W. Broadway; 503-790-7752; www.heathmanhotel.com) The problem: Too many summertime fishing, hiking and camping expeditions are rendered dreary by a diet of oatmeal, Top Ramen, Gatorade and Budweiser.
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