Fish on! Fishing season opens

“They are stayed by neither by snow nor rain nor heat nor darkness from accomplishing their appointed course..” wrote Herodotus about mail delivery in ancient Persia.

Although that thought was written thousands of years ago, something very similar could be said about fishermen at the beginning of the season today. That certainly holds true for Larry Shortt, a devoted fly fisherman in the east coast province of Nova Scotia.

The regular fishing season opened this weekend in most parts of Nova Scotia, and several other areas across the country as well, and if it wasn’t for his part-time job at fishing store, Mr Shortt would be out on the Sackville river casting his self-tied flies over the water.

Larry Shortt claims he’s been fishing since he could walk, and discovered the joys of fly-fishing some thirty years ago.

A retired police officer, now aged 65 and working part time in the fishing store, he says its incredibly relaxing to be river or lakeside fishing. He says catching a fish is no longer even the most important thing, although as he puts it “ a tug (on the line) is a drug”, rather its just be out in the beauty of nature. He says he’s even been out in terrific blizzards  and still found it enjoyable.. As he puts it, your troubles seem to drain out of you into the water and they’re carried away with the current.

He is concerned that younger people aren’t taking up the hobby which he says is important to instill a sense of the importance and value of nature. He says they are the stewards of nature of the future and if they don’t learn that lesson, they could allow nature to be lost to development forever.

Larry Shortt also works with several groups to restore and maintain rivers in the province. He says if he had to choose, he supposes fishing for Atlantic salmon would be his number 1 fishing experience, but followed very closely by several others. He points out again, that just being out in the peace of nature is its own reward.

As today is the Easter Monday holiday in Canada, he says, You were lucky I had to work in the store today, otherwise you wouldn’t have been able to phone me…I would have been out on the Sackville river going after trout” Which, he adds, is where he will be tomorrow!

RCI’s Marc Montgomery spoke to Larry Shortt at the Fishing Fever Fly and Tackle Shop in Halifax about the joys of fly fishing in Canada.

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NS Fishing facts

  • Nova Scotia has 6,000 lakes of more than two hectares in area, countless streams and rivers, and 7,400 kilometres of coastline.
  • There are more than 100 angling derbies annually in the province.
  • 60,000 people buy fishing licences annually.
  • Angling contributes $94 million to the provincial economy.**
  • Nova Scotia has more than 50 active angling conservation and river enhancement groups.

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Categories: Environment & Animal Life, Society
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