Author Description

The idea for the book was sealed with a handshake on the bank of the river with the two men agreeing from the outset that the story of the Babine had to be something more than just another "how to catch them, where to fish" manual. To achieve this goal they listened to and now present the voices and images of a large and distinguished cast of Babine fishermen. Contributors include Joy (Madsen) Jenkins, window of Ejnar Madsen, the pioneering lodge owner who left Denmark for Canada in 1952 when he was 26. The following year Ejnar was working for Mac Anderson, another pioneering visionary whose dream it was to see Norlakes, and its even now remote wilderness setting, recognized as an internationally famous destination for discerning rainbow trout and steelhead anglers. Within a matter of a few years Ejnar and his first partners had bought Norlakes and he had married Joy, then just out of high school. Together they raised their family of two sons and a daughter and welcomed their Babine guests until Ejnar's death in 1983. Three years later the Madsens decided to sell the property and Norlakes continued to build its reputation under new owners, the Cleggs. The ensuing quarter century has given Pierce Clegg a unique view of the fishery and of the entire Babine watershed, one that has led him to become a dedicated and often vocal champion of its fish and wildlife and indeed of its entire ecosystem.