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Graham Guest, left, stands with Gordon and Joyce Stomp in front of the new exhibit. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)
heritage

‘There’s nothing better,’: Stomp commercial fishing forms new archival exhibit

Jan 30, 2025 | 2:31 PM

Air Ronge’s Gordon and Joyce Stomp have been commercial fishing for more than five decades and their story will be on display starting Monday as part of Archives Week.

The Stomps began fishing in 1972 on Wappaweka Lake and, throughout the years, they built a successful fishing venture that went on to include their sons (Rick, Robin and Randy) and extended family. They also had many workers assist them with Moses Halkett and Kelly Irving at the top of their minds.

The Stomps currently do most of their fishing on Lac La Ronge, Bigstone Lake and Egg Lake, but used to fish in places such as Sikachu Lake and remote lakes only accessible by aircraft. They fish for species such as pike, walleye, whitefish and burbot.

“It was a hard life for all of us, especially for Joyce and myself, but nothing else that I would like to do,” Gordon Stomp remarked.

“There’s nothing better than this. I got tied up in it and liked the life on the lakes and all of that kind of stuff and liked fishing.”

Stomp explained there has been several changes to the industry since they began fishing all of those years ago. He noted the weather has become much more windy and the price of transportation has gone up. While they used to harvest fish and transport the produce via aircraft, they no longer to do because it is prohibitively expensive.

Stomp also added there’s isn’t as many fishermen in the North as there used to be.

“There was a lot more involvement by all the fishers in Northern Saskatchewan,” he said.

“We used to have meetings in Prince Albert and there was a lot more fishermen. That’s sort of down to hardly any fishermen now.”

Stomp doesn’t advertise his business as his customers come to him via word of mouth. He mentioned many of them are repeat customers and demand always outpaces supply.

Pahkisimon Nuyeʔáh Library System (PNLS) archivist Graham Guest is inviting all residents to the archives next week to see the exhibit about the Stomps. Previous exhibits will also be on display, as well as four other news ones about the Wollaston Lake Caribou Project, classic photos of La Ronge and Waskesiu, Department of Northern Saskatchewan photos from the 1970s, and photos of families enjoying trapline life.

“I have dozens of collections now after 20 years of local families who kindly donated their pictures and their documents, and they have been stored and kept in the archives,” he said.

The archives will be open for visitors Monday to Friday between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.

derek.cornet@pattisonmedia.com