"Rich, why don't you get out your spare, spare reel, and catch some fish?", my good friend Gene asked innocently. I gave him my very best withering look as I tried to keep my composure while I fiddled with my @#%*&! reel, but to no avail. He just sat there delighting in my misery. I guess my death ray vision just bounced off his bright yellow rain suit, so I took solace in my vision of Gene as a giant yellow dork who just happened to be fishing. You see, this already was my spare.

My good reel (a trusty Zebco 404) had fouled soon after we hit the Jack Hole and I was mad, because the water was practically boiling from the big jacks down there. Gene was reeling them in one after another, grinning evilly the whole time, while I diddled with my business (that means my reel you perverts).

Finally, I got organized and began to cast alongside Gene. My other good friend Craig "Booger" Ward would have definitely called these fish "Lunkers", his favourite term for the big ones of any species. But I am getting ahead of myself, because this happened on the last afternoon of our return voyage to Costigan Lake, where I once again experienced the best fishing of my entire life (well so far at least).

First of all, I want to thank our host, Don Lange, who was kindly referred to as "Management" by Gene's cousin Vic Lutter. Vic was the main reason Gene and I were here, because he had deemed us worthy enough for an invite us back this year. Whether it was because he figured we beefed up the pool winnings or for our wonderful personalities I don't know. Either way, I was glad to be back for the second year. Our trip was quite different this year. For one thing Gene and I were not the rookies this year, and there was an even bigger crop of rookies on this years adventure!

Let me begin by introducing the bunch, because you can't tell the players without a program. The veterans this trip were Don and Doug Lange (first cousins) and Vic Lutter, who are all from Goodsoil. Next is the former Commander in Chief (CINC) and most powerful man in the western hemisphere, Gerald Ford, who was the hardest working man on the entire trip. Just because he is retired doesn't mean he has stopped working. Why, he put all us young guys (yes I include myself in that category) to shame! He was first up in the morning (well before me for sure) and did a marvelous job as Chief Cook and Camp Master.

I guess the next category would be those who had been to the lake before. This would include Darrin Lutter (Vic's son), Cameron Lange (Don's son), then Gene and yours truly.

The rookies (thank God that only applies once) included a large contingent from Alberta, although they all link back to Goodsoil in one way or another, either by friend or family or both. Mario Ringwald is Vic's son-in-law, who also brought along his buddy Aaron Moore. Both hail from Cardston AB where they operate a butcher shop. From Edmonton came Pat Degenhardt (a.k.a. Back Woods and possible future son-in-law of Vic; no pressure intended Pat!) who brought his good buddy and major bad influence, George McKinlay (a.k.a. Deep Woods).

And last, but certainly not least, Wally Budnitsky who has been a long time co worker of Don's in the patch. Wally surprised us all with his prowess handling a cast iron frying pan over an open fire, as he was the designated chef for our first shore lunch. Let me say, you would not believe how tasty those cold water jack are, especially when fresh caught and cooked just right!