Welcome to Week XXXII of 'Fishing Parkland Shorelines'. Like most of us I am a novice fisherman, loving to fish, but far from an expert. In the following weeks I'll attempt to give those anglers who love to fish but just don't have access a boat a look at some of the options in the Yorkton area where you can fish from shore, and hopefully catch some fish for a good summer fry.
Whether its having a boring Boxing Day after too many presents, and too much turkey, or simply the long winter eves still ahead, or on a rainy day at the lake when fishing doesn't seem like a good idea, it never hurts to have a good book to read.
Imagine my surprise when I recently stumbled upon on sub-genre of mysteries being tagged as 'fish mysteries" or 'trout fishing mysteries'.
I was immediately intrigued.
The books are not mysteries based on fishing - not who stole the rainbow trout. Instead they incorporate an obvious love of outdoors and fishing, often as a hobby/interest of a key character.
Victoria Houston's Loon Lake mysteries fall into the sub-genre rather nicely.
It took no time at all to devour Dead Hot Shot, a 2008 release in the series. Of three titles in the series I have read, this was the best.
Houston did a nice job of connecting the dots between a murder and computer data theft. At times the book was a bit predictable, a situation a quick-read mystery can often suffer from. At around 240 pages there is not the capacity to throw the red herrings into the story necessary to keep readers really guessing at 'whodunnit'.
That said Houston's strength is in writing books which are easy to take in. Leave her books on the cabin shelf where they can be read in a couple of late nights, or rainy afternoons.
Dead Deceiver was a bit of a disappointment. The random opening murder seemed a bit overly staged, in the sense the reason uncovered at the end of the story seemed pretty thin.
The story also had an international ice fishing derby as a backdrop, and while it was the reason for a short-staffed police force, I was disappointed Houston didn't take us down on the ice to see some of the action. I say that because Houston in pretty darned good at writing about the majesty of nature around her fictionalized Loon Lake community in Wisconsin. She has an obvious affinity for the wilds and for fishing and I waited through the whole book for her to take readers down on the ice among the international fisherman.
Still Dead Deceiver again worked as a quick-read mystery.
Dead Tease was interesting. I loved the rather reprehensible Dr. Daniels as a character (I wonder why that was), and her equally non-likable mother. Houston gave her deepest look into the bad guys in this one, among the three titles I read, and I like that as a reader. I want to know the questionable characters and get to the point I either sympathize with what pushed them over the edge, or I simple come to detest them for what they are as human characters.
Again Dead Tease was a bit 'A'-to-'B'-to-'C' in terms of who the murderer was, but I liked it. Had I had to plow through 350 pages knowing the obvious for half of it, I would no doubt have grown bored. But at just more than 200 pages. it was easy to just go with the flow and smile at the end that you had it figured out long before police Chief Lewellyn Ferris., or her boyfriend/fill-in coroner partner Dr. Paul Osborne.
In email correspondence with Houston, as I was reading the books, the author said initially she did not know such a sub-genre existed.
"Quite the contrary," said the author whose first book in the series was Dead Angler published in 2000; followed by Dead Creek six-months later. "When I submitted the first book to my agent, I apologized saying that I was sending her proof that I could write fiction but I doubted any publisher was interested in books set against a background of fiction. Keep in mind that I had published seven non-fiction books prior to that so I was making a major move from non-fiction to fiction. My agent had taken me on with the non-fiction titles."
While not targeting the genre, Houston's book certainly reflect a passion for fishing and the Wisconsin outdoors.
"I grew up here in the north central 'lake region' of Wisconsin," she said. "Went off to college, marriages and life elsewhere but moved back here sixteen years ago. All my family -- father, grandfather, seven siblings -- have been outdoors folk.
"I fished daily in the summers when I was a kid. At age 11 I got more interested in boys -- but I saw the light at age 50, which is when I learned to fly fish.
"Earlier it was always with a bamboo pole, then a spinning rod for sunfish and walleye. I tried for muskie but have only caught a tiger muskie -- and that was on my first day of fly fishing!
"I learned to fly fish from Joan Wulff who is a famous fly fisherman. I also hunt birds, play tennis, windsurf and sail and now I'm into paddle boarding on a SUP.
"I live all summer in a tiny little cottage just 20 feet from the lake that I grew up on."
I loved the fishing elements in the three Loon Lake books I devoured in six days recently. In fact I wanted more fishing, and asked Houston if she heard that from other readers.
"I am not an expert fisherman so I am hardly one to give advice," she said. "A few readers will comment that they wish there was more fishing in the stories but I use it as a 'device'; i.e. a reason to be outside, on water, to run into strangers, etc. The stories are first and foremost mysteries so I refer to them as 'murder, mayhem and fishing in the northwoods. (In that order.)
"I do try to set some of the books in the winter with ice fishing as a background since that is big here. "But I personally hate to ice fish. I freeze!! That said, I know lots of fine, experienced fishermen whose brains I tap for information."
"I can't tell you how many readers say they buy every book in the series to keep on the shelf at their cabins. ," said Houston.
Houston said the series will continue, with Dead Insider to be published in spring 2013, with plans to write at least three more after that. However, Houston said a series was not part of the plan after completing her first book.
"I did not envision it as a series until I had turned in the first book to my agent and she got back to me ASAP, saying 'it's not bad but publishers like series. Do you think you could write more books using these characters?'" she said.
"All it took was one glass of wine and I had one-page synopses for the next two books in what was now going to be a series. I was so pleased because I really liked my three main characters and had been kinda depressed at the thought of coming up with a whole new crew. So I had not been thinking 'series' when I wrote but I fell in love with the concept -- and I'm still pleased with them."
Check out Houston's books at www.victoriahouston.com
In the meantime let's head back to the kitchen.
You are likely tired of turkey at this time of year, so grab the last few pike fillets in the freezer, and make a hearty pot of Pike Chili.
This is a rather simple dish, but a great one for a cold winter's day.
The first step is taking the thawed pike and giving it a thorough rub on both sides of the fillet with chili powder. Set it aside to let the chili permeate the meat a bit, while you work on the rest of the dish.
I used the slow cooker, although you could use a pot on the stove if you don't have access to a good crock pot.
Since this is a fish dish, and I like spicy, I used spicy Clamato® as the base. Now how much you start with really depends on how much chili you plan to make. Most of us have made a chili in the past, so adjust the ingredients accordingly.
Pour the Clamato® juice into the cooker then add corn. I know not everyone uses corn in chili, but it has always been my belief corn works well in compliment to fish, even as a vegetable side to a good fish fry, so it's a natural here.
Next throw in some small (pinto) black beans. Kidney beans may be more traditional in chili, but with a milder fish dish the large bean could be overpowering, and the black colour is a nice visual contrast to the yellow corn.
Stewed tomatoes come next, along with onion and green pepper diced small. The peppers are for visual presentation as much as taste.
While not essential I added shrimp at this point too. You can usually buy cocktail rings rather cheaply. Just pop off the tail and add the shrimp to the cooker.
Chili flakes and powder go in to the pot, again to taste.
Put the lid on the cooker, set it to high, and turn your attention back to the pike.
It's time to fry the pike. Use lots of butter (or margarine), and high heat. You want to near blacken the rubbed pike. Once cooked through, it won't take long on a high heat, set it on a plate to cool.
At this point you can get back to one of Victoria Houston's fine books for a chapter or two as the slow cooker does its work.
You will need to get back to the kitchen about 45-minutes ahead of serving which is where the real work of this dish starts.
First check that crock pot. Give it a taste test and add salt, pepper and more chili to taste.
Then address the cooked fillets. Here you want to make sure your hands are washed because you are going to be flaking the fish. The idea here is to get rid of the 'Y' bones, although I always remind eaters that there is no guarantee I found every bone (and in this case I missed a few).
What you should end up with is a pile of flaked pike that is cool from sitting. Well take it back to the fry pan with more butter, a healthy shake or three of your favourite hot sauce and a few squirts of lemon juice. Once re-heated you are ready to serve.
Dish out a bowl from the crock pot, add a scoop of pike, and serve with a good crusty bread and butter. If you want to up 'the look' for guests, a sprinkle of parsley and a dash more chili powder would set off the dish nicely.
This one is easy to make, but very tasty indeed. Try it and enjoy.
