From West Virginia to the North Pole Part II: FRC Takes Summer Excursion to Flyfish for Arctic Char
By Julie Perine on August 16, 2015 via Connect-Bridgeport.com
This story is Part II in a mini series, "From West Virginia to the North Pole" featuring Bridgeport's own Curtis Fleming, show host of The Outdoor Channel's "Fly Rod Chronicles." Read Part I HERE.
Curtis Fleming has fly-fished waterways throughout the world, but a recent trip to the North Pole brought him some unique firsts.
The mid-to late-July trip was the first time the "Fly Rod Chronicles" host caught an Arctic Char in the Arctic - and the first time he's witnessed a herd of caribou swimming beside the crew's boat - their massive racks floating above the river.
The excursion was on the Payne River in northernmost Quebec - on the 60th parallel, 1100 miles due north of Montreal - and it was definitely one to remember, Fleming said.
"We were in the Arctic - where during this time of year here is only three hours of darkness," Fleming said. "We were in a very remote area where tribal people called Inuit - not Eskimos - guided us on these trips at a remote camp called Arctic Adventures on the Payne River."
The location was 30 miles from sea, but because the area is a major Arctic river flowing into Ungava Bay, Fleming and his group were fishing in salt water. Prime angling time was determined according to the tides.
Fleming said the daily routine was to eat breakfast at 2 a.m. and launch the boat at 2:30 a.m.
"With my lifestyle and my job, I'm often still up at that hour," he said.
The team set out daily on a Peterhead - a huge canoe with an outboard motor - traditionally used by the indigenous people inhabiting the Arctic region. The excursions were 12 hours in length and they yielded an incredible catch. The spot is said to be the world's best place to catch Arctic char.
"Arctic char is hands-down the best edible fish I've ever had," he said. "The meat was so florescent red - so pure and so good that for lunch, our guides kept a handful on the boat, sliced it up and we ate it as sushi."
Area wildlife took notice.
"At one point, a black bear - that we estimated to weigh 450 pounds - was following us down the river," Fleming said.
The fishing was so good that permits were purchased for his camera crew.
"Knowing that this was the kind of trip that takes place once in a lifetime, I gave a day to our producer and field producer to fish and I just sat back, took photos and enjoyed the scenery," he said.
FRC Producer Jarod McClure (pictured third from top) said the fishing - and scenery - were amazing. It was actually all a videographer's 
dreamland.
dreamland.
"Traveling to Northern Quebec was a great shoot for 'Fly Rod Chronicles.' The amazing landscape and animals that call this wilderness home are breathtaking," he said. "This was the first time the crew has been above the tree line - where the trees stop growing. The vast tundra and Payne River made for some great shots and the Arctic char fishing was world-class. Being so far north, the daylight was extended to around 20 hours a day. The sunrises and sunsets seemed to last forever, which is ideal for a videographer. It basically gave us more than three times the amount of soft light than what we are used to here in the states."
The footage was spot on, he said, but the real story was the Inuit people that accompanied the crew every step of the way.
"Our trip gave us the opportunity to learn from their culture and I was privileged to 
be a guest on their land," McClure said.
be a guest on their land," McClure said.
The team sported survivor suits that were insulated to brave temperatures as low as 20 degrees F. and waterproof just in case of a man overboard incident. It was a most interesting place to visit, said Fleming, who was particularly impressed with the method in which the natives - who live off the land - work together to provide for their families.
"Set up right there in the village is a community locker room and if somebody harvests a caribou, black bear, seals or fish and they have excess, they leave it for other people in the community," he said. "It's all set up with a place for processing."
Seal hide is utilized for the making of clothing, which Fleming witnessed from observing the Inuit. With regard to food, Arctic char is an area staple. During winter months, when there are only three hours of daylight and temperatures are even more frigid, the char are caught via ice fishing. For the FRC excursion, special hand-tied flies made by the Inuit were utilized, as were flies which Fleming previously used in Canada.
The remote - and quite chilly - fishing trip came into play after the "Fly Rod Chronicles" received a call from Quebec Tourism.
"They wanted to promote what they have up there. It's a hidden secret," Fleming said. "With our fan base, they wanted us to film a show up there to show to the Americans."
The show will air in January of 2016.
