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Bottom Bouncing

from Bottom Bouncing by Dr. Fishy

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about

Bottom Bouncing Explained James Powell


1. We were Bottom Bouncing me and Tina on the Skeena

This is a song about a love affair between the singer and a girl named Tina . We want save the definition of bottom bouncing to allow for imaginative ponderings.

2. We had a Spring Fling in the summertime that year

Spring Fling has three meanings in this song. First it refers to the annual dance hosted each spring in Terrace by the local community band, the dance that the song Bottom Bouncing was written for. Second, the love affair being described in the song between the singer and Tina is a Spring Fling ( in the summertime ). Third it is a description of the act of casting a fishing line out into the river in the hopes of catching a Spring Salmon.

3. You should have seen her smiling on the banks of Ferry Island

Before there was a bridge across the Skeena River at Terrace, there were two cable ferrys. One ran from Terrace to Ferry Island, the other from Ferry Island to Thornhill creek. Ferry Island is a popular Bottom Bouncing spot.

4. The loose bolts on the old bridge,

The old Skeena Bridge was built across the Skeena in 1925. The superstructure is steel construction but until 2000 the deck was Cocobolo planks from Africa. The bolts that held the decking to the bridge tended to work themselves loose.

5. tinkling sweet love songs in our ears

The old Skeena bridge crosses the Skeena just upriver from Ferry Island. Before the horrendously loud steel decking was installed it was possible for fishers standing at the north end of Ferry Island to just hear the tinkling sound of the loose deck bolts as vehicles drove across.


6. Riverboat day Parade

The first settlers in the Terrace area arrived in the 1890’s. At that time the only transportation into the area was by sternwheeler up the Skeena River traveling from Port Essington to Hazelton. These riverboats were powered by steam engines which required vast amounts of cordwood for fuel. There were several caches of cordwood established between the coast and Hazelton and each had to be regularly re-stocked. Small communitys built up around these cordwood caches including one at Ebys Landing, which is close to the location of Terrace.

As a celebration of its pioneer beginnings, Terrace holds an annual celebration called Riverboat Days. The highlight of Riverboat days is a parade.

7. In the Rain when I met her

While it may not rain as much in Terrace as in the nearest coastal towns, Prince Rupert and Kitimat, the rain does fall, and being nestled in the coastal mountains, the weather can be quite hard to predict. It seems that the days before and after the Riverboat days Parade are always sunny, but the day of, it pours.

8. In a REPAP cap

Before the local sawmill shut down it was owned by the provincial government. Before that it was run by a company called REPAP. Read it backwards.

9. And a Kermode Bear sweater

The Kermode bear is a white black bear. Not an albino but simply a black bear with a white coat. These bears were once common in the Terrace area and are still extant. Kermodes are the official animal of Terrace and vying for official animal status in the 2010 Winter Olympics. The fact that she was wearing a sweater is a clue to her being a local, it’s mid-summer, yesterday was beautiful, but this is the parade and it’s gonna be cold and wet.




Bottom Bouncing Explained James Powell


10. The firemen and the Shriner Clowns were Hosing Everybody Down

A common practice at parades throughout the world, children are enticed to the curb with free candy and then soaked with giant water pistols and portable fire extinguishers. In warmer climates it must be refreshing, but on a wet day in Terrace the extra dousing can be irritating.

11. We ducked behind a giant salmon statue

There is a giant fiberglass replica of an adult male Chinook salmon on the sidewalk in front of a fishing tackle store that is situated along the Riverboat Days Parade route. It is large enough that two people may find shelter from the water shooters on its lee side.

12. I asked her if the fishes here really grew so very massive

This is how you know the singer is a visitor to the area, and a bit naïve. The statue in question is more the size of a dolphin than a salmon.

13. She said “ only the ones that we make from fiberglass”

Here we learn that Tina is both local and witty.

14. If you wanna be a Terracite, You gotta keep your line tight.

Tina is insinuating that Terrace is a unique place with an accepted local protocol. Tight Lines is the name of a locally produced sport fishing show. When fishing from a riverbank, it is important to keep the line between your rod tip and the surface of the river tight enough that any action at the lure can be felt.

15. You’re a leaky pair of waders, but I’ll patch you.

Waders are the waterproof boots that are worn when fishing the cold river waters of the pacific northwest. Waders extend upwards from your feet to your chest and allow fishers to stand further out in the river while fishing. Tina is offering to train the hero in the art of living as a Terracite using waders as a metaphor. Alternate interpretations are possible.

~ Chorus ~

16. Ya gotta have a three way swivel on your line.

Now we start explaining the process of Bottom Bouncing. A three way swivel is the hub of the set up. It is a tee shaped bit of gear with eyes at each of its ends that are able to swivel as the line twists.

17. With some pencil lead on the perpendicular side.

The pencil lead is the part that does the actual bouncing on the river bottom. It is a tube of lead about .5 cm diameter cut to about 10 cm. length. The lead is crimped onto a short length of line that is tied to the leg of the swivel perpendicular to the main line.

18. About a meter of leader on the in line eye.

The leader is the length of line between the swivel and the lure. When Bottom Bouncing for Spring Salmon it is generally about three feet long. The leader is usually cut from a section of line lighter than the main line so that should the line part, only the last bit is lost. The leader flops around behind the bouncing lead in a manner very enticing to fish.

19. Whatever bait and hook you think a salmon will desire

There are tried and true methods, trends, fads, secrets and all manner of choices for the shiny thing that draws attention to the fish, making it want to bite the hook. A practiced fisher like Tina would not give away her secrets or profess to know the best possible set up. The weather, the water temperature, the clarity, the current, the moon, and your gut feeling are all important factors.


Bottom Bouncing Explained James Powell



20. Then you cast upstream with all your might.

When fishing a big river, you are not always trying to cast out as far as you can, the fish may be right at your feet. Some of your casting effort can be directed toward getting the gear upstream as far as possible to facilitate a longer drift.

21. To a place where the riffle and the current look just right

There are certain water conditions that migrating salmon like to follow upstream and even rest in. The zone between the fast moving water and the back eddy that occur when water passes from a narrow to a wide portion of the river or when it travels around a bend is called the edge of the tail out. Tail outs are just one of many possible riffle and current conditions that might look just right.

22. As it drifts on down keep your tip up and your line tight so you can feel the little tug when the salmon bites.

When a salmon takes the hook, the line may tug slightly or there may be a tiny release of pressure. The fish is testing the bait by gingerly wrapping its mouth around. When it figures out it’s not food but one of those silly things the humans are always hanging in the water the fish will spit it back out.

23. And when you feel that tug you gotta set that hook.

Setting the hook is the act of jerking the rod tip backwards to force the hook point into the flesh of the fish.

24. This part is an art you’ll never learn from any book.

You won’t learn it here either. If you feel the little tug or slight slacking and you react and all the planets are in alignment you may succeed.

25. And then you yell “ Fish On “

The banks of the Skeena are often quite crowded. When there are dozens of people standing in a long ribbon along the bank of the river the potential for line tangling is high. There are all sorts of courtesies that apply and one is to let everyone know when you are playing a fish. Once a fish is at the end of your line the predictable drift with the current no longer applies and everyone nearby has to reel in.

26. By way of announcing, you are successfully Bottom Bouncing

Aside from the practical aspect of yelling “ Fish On “ there is a certain ego boost in proclaiming a tethered salmon.

27. We played horse shoes on the bench.

Terrace locals have special names for the different sections of the city. “The Bench” is the residential area of Terrace built on a terrace of land that stretches around the low lying “Horseshoe”. The only public horseshoe pitch in Terrace is on the bench.

28. We warmed some benches in the horseshoe

The horseshoe is the area of town that includes the downtown, George Little Park and the Millenium trail, all places replete with benches for new loves to sit and pass the time of day.

29. We really rocked in Jackpine Flats

Just outside of Terrace is the rural area called Jackpine Flats. Property owners find themselves ordering truckloads of soil just so they can grow a lawn. The land is all large gravel.

30. Got blown away by Thornhill

Thornhill is a town across the river from Terrace. When an outflow wind blows through the Skeena Valley, Thornhill gets hit hard.


Bottom Bouncing Explained James Powell



31. Never bored or ashamed snowboarding on Shames

The local ski hill is Shames Mountain. This is just a play on words that incorporates a Terrace area attraction.


32. I thought my love for her would never cease
And then one day I woke up
And my Tina had departed
She left a little note
It said now don’t be brokenhearted


33. ‘Cause love is like the northwest sun.
It’s rarely seen and it’s quickly gone.

While not scientifically accurate, this little description of northwest weather would not be refuted by many Terracites.

34. Best to always catch and release

Catch and release is the practice of catching a fish, reeling it in, identifying it, maybe having a picture taken, and then letting it swim away. In many cases, depending on the location and species in question, Federal regulations only allow for catch and release. In the cases where fish may be kept, a fisher must cease fishing once the quota has been killed.
In cases of love, there is a similar popular philosophy.

35. We were bottom bottom bottom bottom bottom bottom bottom bottom bottom bottom bottom bouncing etc.

This is a chance for audience participation, often involving appropriate body movement.

lyrics

We were bottom bouncing me and Tina on the Skeena
We had a spring fling in the summertime that year
You should have seen her smiling on the banks of Ferry Island
The loose bolts on the old bridge
Tinkling sweet love songs in our ears

Riverboat day parade in the rain when I met her
In a Repap cap and a kermodie bear sweater
The firemen and the shriner clowns
Were hosing everybody down
We ducked behind a giant salmon statue

I asked her if the fishes here really grew so very massive
She said only the ones that we make from fiberglass
If you want to be a Terracite
You’ve got to keep your line tight
You’re a leaky pair of waders but I’ll patch you

~ Chorus

You gotta have a three way swivel on your line
With some pencil lead on the perpendicular side
About a meter of leader on the in line eye
With whatever bait and hook you think a salmon will desire
And then you cast upstream with all your might
To a place where the riffle and the current look just right
As it drifts downstream keep your tip up, keep your line tight
So you can feel a little tug when the salmon bites
And when you feel that tug you gotta set that hook
This part is an art you’ll never learn from any book
And then you yell FISH ON by way of announcing
You are successfully BOTTOMBOUNCING

~ Chorus

We played horseshoes on the bench we warmed some benches in the horseshoe
We really rocked in Jackpine flats got blown away by Thornhill
Never bored or ashamed
Snowboarding on Shames
I thought my love for her would never cease

And then one day I woke up and my Tina had departed
She left a little note it said now don’t be brokenhearted
Cause’ love is like the northwest sun
It’s rarely seen and it’s quickly gone
Best to always catch and release

~ Chorus

Bottom bottom bottom ………………………bouncing
Bottom bottom bottom ………………………bouncing

The loose bolts on the old bridge
Tinkling sweet love songs in our ears

credits

from Bottom Bouncing, released January 1, 2000
James Powell

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Dr. Fishy Terrace, British Columbia

Dr. Fishy has been playing original Spruce Roots music for 24 years. They have grown from the singer-songwriter duo of James Powell and Greg Linton into a 5 piece multi-instrumental band exploring bluegrass, folk-rock, and many other styles in between. ... more

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