By Ed Doering
A team from Edmonton fished its way to top spot in Roblin’s third annual Bug Chucker Cup stillwater fly fishing tournament held May 30 and 31, 2014.
Jason Doucette and Josh Gelinas caught 15 fish over two days of competition with the largest three measuring a total of 455 cms.
“We put a lot of work into this,” Doucette said moments after he and Josh Gelinas were awarded the trophy. “Hours tying flies, practicing, getting here—it took 10 hours to drive. But I was here last year and I loved it. It’s amazing.” Doucette made his first visit to Roblin in 2010 for the Canadian National Fly Fishing Championships and has been back every year since then.
“It’s awesome,” he said, of the scenery, the hospitality, and—of course—the fishing. Gelinas, who took up fly fishing just two years ago, was shaking with excitement with the victory. A total of 23 teams took part with fishing taking place at West Goose, Bench, Twin and Persse lakes. The event was emceed by Dauphin-Swan River-Marquette MP Robert Sopuck. He says he wouldn’t miss it. “It’s a great time—aren’t I lucky—and I’m very pleased to be here,” he said.
Sopuck is an avid fly fisher, who caught his first fish at the age of four. He’s also a fish biologist by profession, a past-president of FLIPPR (Fish and Lake Improvement Program for the Parkland Region, the visionary group which first raised the idea of stocking local lakes with trout to diversify local economies) and as a Member of parliament, he sits on the Environmental and Sustainable Development Committee, as well as the Fisheries and Oceans Committee.
He is also chair of the Conservative Caucus’ Hunting and Angling Committee. Sopuck says the Bug Chucker represents everything he holds dear to his heart—fishing, sustainable economic development, and economic diversification for his riding. “(This event) is so important for tourism in our region,” he said, noting recreational fishing is a $200 million industry in the province.
