Adventure Fishing travel memories

Having had the opportunity to fish in many exotic locations, fishing stories are not the only memories I come back with.  The first "big" trip I made was to Canada's NorthWest Territories at Courgeous Lake.  During the flight into the barren lands I recall seeing monsterous herds of caribou running across the vast tundra.  Lakes after lakes are seeing and it seems there is more water than land. Later had the opportunity to fish on Great Bear Lake and the Tree River which flows into the Arctic Ocean.  Here I met President George Bush Sr. and had a great conversation with him.  He was extremely polite and loved to talk fishing with the clients.  Great Bear is massive and full of monster lake trout.  On a trip to Victoria Island which is a few hundred miles from the magnetic northpole, I recall seeing herds of muskox, peary caribou, and an occasional polar bear.  On trips to the Alaska Peninsula have seen hundreds on monster brown bears many over 10ft tall and had a very close encounter years ago

.  The Peninsula has some of the harst weather on earth and one can go miles after mile without seeing another human.  On trips out to the sea for halibut, recall seeing numerous orcas, beluga whales, walrus, otters and a vast array of sealife.  Recall catching hundreds of giant shrimp which tasted so good!  Not getting enough, trips then went into the jungles of Venezuela and than deeper into the Brazilian Amazon jungle.  Recall seeing the giant otters laughing at us as we floated down the river.

  Giant macaws and large butterflies can be seen each hour.  The jungle is so hot it felt as fishing inside a sauna!  Wanting more we travel into the jungles of Africa.  Here the scenery reminds me of a Wisconsin fall day.  The jungles are nothing like those seen on the tarzan television shows, but vast plains full of Cape Buffalo and others.  Elephants come close to camp one morning and hippos walk right next to my tent!

  Large gators are seen everywhere.  The weather was not as hot as I expected.  Argentina is my favorite country with Buenos Aires my favorite town.  I have my favorite restaurants here and know the town streets better than those nearby home.

  In Thailand we visit the golden temples and of course the nightlife in Bangkok!  Fishing is different here as they are no public fisheries.  Monster fish can be caught day after day in private ponds.

The traffic in Bangkok makes Chicago rush hour look like a breeze!  Perhaps the best memories I have returned with are from Papua New Guinea.  Here, we are allowed to visit a remote village in the unexplored Gulf Region.  A ceremony is had for us with all the school kids dressed in uniforms.  Each of us are present the "golden rulers" to the village by a beautiful school girl.

We then give the rulers back to the tribe chief along with generous donations made by Cargill and Tom Ashby and a few others. I recall getting talked into trying the local betelnut.  The entire tribe came and watched so I figured something was up.  Well if you ever want a good high, give the betelnut a try!  The best things about these trips are the great friends you make for life!  I am in constant contact with many of them especially my great Argentina friends.  Hopefully and I am sure more memories are down the road along with more monster fish.  The key is to get outside and live your dream!!  I am!!!!!!!!!