Cribbed cabin

On Saturday, Joe, Randy and I went to Seseganaga Lake for the day. We have archery moose hunters at camp now so we spent a little time visiting with them and then got on to work.

Cabin #3 was needing a little foundation work. We built 3 cribs under the cabin.






After a final inspection it was deemed "good to go" for another 15 years.

Fall sunsets

Serenity!



Sure beats developing couch potato skills. The scene is better than any high def TV can produce.



Evening in the fall is a great time to be on the lake. The sun is setting early so the fish seem to be feeding more getting ready for winter.

Caribou at Seseganaga

In August the Dodwell family spent a few quality days at our West Bay Camp on Seseganaga Lake.

Phil Dodwell challenged his family to spot a caribou while on the trip. The last morning of their stay his wife Tammy spotted a bull caribou swimming across the lake right towards the cabin. Dillion, their son, grabbed his video camera and filmed the caribou through the bedroom window as it munched near the outhouses.

Some people get this close to a wild animal only in a zoo.






At an Ignace Outpost camp it is possible to see wildlife in their own habitat. As I have been know to say, "Sometimes the fishing is just a bonus".

Good old camp cooking

Before he became an electrician, my son-in-law Scott was a chef. I have top admit, not only does he produce some great grandkids, he puts together some great meals.

Being in the bush doesn't stop his creativity.



Fresh walleye, potatoes, BBQ ribs and mushrooms a la Flindt Lake




Ribeye, mushrooms and fresh corn

The nut doesn't fall far from the tree

No doubt about it! Like father like son.

I previously posted a picture of my grandson Zachary catching his first fish. His expression was priceless.

Now I know where the excitement comes from. Zach's father Scott was at Flindt lake and caught about his 8 millionth walleye and it still produces a thrill.




Zachary's first walleye



Scott's 8 millionth walleye... yeah right

It wasn't all work...

Fall fishing can be pretty darn good.

Scott and Robesy managed a little "play"time last weekend on Flindt Lake. The 3rd weekend of Sept is often shunned as a good fishing time but this proves that walleye still feast late in the fall.












The work got done and the boys had a chance to play a little too. Nothing like having a father-in-law with some of the best fly in fishing in the country eh Scott.

Son-in-law or not...

While visiting from BC, my son-in-law Scott wanted to catch a ride to our Flindt Lake cabin last weekend to exercise his walleye muscles. Living on the west coast offers him limited walleye exercising time. I capitulated to his request but reminded him of how empty the wood shed often is at this time of year.

Knowing his next walleye adventure might be contingent on his ability to please his father-in-law, Scott and his buddy Robesy exercised their wood cutting muscles too.

A job well done.

Fall Metionga Lake fishing

Even tho' the fishing parties have given way to moose hunting, pictures are still trickling in from this fall's fishing.

Jim Pierce and Jeff Worple joined Jim's brother Ed on Ed's 30th trip with us over Labor day week. (see the post for Sept 8)

Jim has been a long time regular guest as well. No problems catching Sept fish on Metionga Lake this year.

Things are wrapping up already

As our fishing parties phase out for the season and with hunters coming soon, we start shutting down camps and facilities not needed for the rest of the season.

Water systems are drained, and boats are pulled and turned for winter. We fly out all our motors for winter maintenance and/or replacement if needed.




Metionga Lake boats ready for winter



About a third of our motors are now out

Every trip north now seems to bring more equipment back for the winter.

5 to 6 weeks from now the season will be over.

We are already planning for 2009. If you haven't made plans yet for your 2009 fishing adventure with Ignace Outposts, give us a call or send us an email. we would be more than happy to help you plan a trip that you will fondly remember.

Tying one on

Another segment of our how it's done series.

This boat is being flown from our Gamble Lake camp to Seseganaga Lake.

All our boats are flown into the lakes with the Otter. This is how it is done. The boat is tied onto the side of the Otter. We use Herc straps however ropes are sometimes used. Making sure the boat is secure is very important.
There are also certain conditions of flight we must abide by when carrying external loads such as boats. Of particular concern are winds and wind gusts. We certainly will not carry boats outside the aircraft when thunder storms are forecast for the intended flight route.

St Paul's Finest at Metionga Lake

Earlier this month the Republican National Convention was held in St Paul MN. With a convention such as that there is a very large police presence. The days of the RNC were long and busy. Stress levels were stretched to the max. Understandably, several of St Paul's finest took a little break after the convention to unwind and kick back at Metionga Lake.

These guys have a job which sometimes goes unthanked but in today's society we wouldn't enjoy the freedom and security we have without guys like this on the front line.

It is easy to see why a few days on Metionga Lake helps restore the batteries.

more from last weekend

OK so it wasn't all work. Last weekend after the job list was done, we did get a little fishing time in.

Fall fishing isn't always non-stop catching but it is well worth the time on the lake. We caught northern, bass and lake trout but the walleye were not cooperating. It happens on the best of lakes sometimes. Perhaps with the Lake Trout preparing to spawn the walleye get a little concerned with those voracious eaters moving into their territory.




Reminds me of my football playing days. I didn't want to let go of the ball then either.



My "un" cousin Neil Greaves with a slot size northern. Same name - no relation.




Neil fighting up a northern from the deep. It was hooked about 50 down.


ps being on the top of hill isn't so bad... now for the slid down the other side.

Significant Milestone

Congratulations, Brad, on reaching 50 years! Keep on FISHIN'

Our 3 year old grandson (and Papa's biggest little fan) shares his special version of Happy Birthday:



love Karen,
Krista and Scott, Zachary and Jonas Gothard
Mike and Caralyn Greaves
and Jo Greaves

Still "40 something"

Karen calls it the party that won't end.

For me it's a different story. Being "40 something " is coming to an end.

Last weekend my "older" friends went with me to Irene Lake to let me know what it will be like to be cresting the "hill". In a day I make the half century mark.

It seems going to a cabin even for R&R entails a fair bit of work.

Still cleaning up the blow down from the summer of '07, we moved a surplus of wood from the point cabin to the beach cabin. This is wood we cut and split last year.











A few boat loads of wood moving and piling combined with pulling boats, removing motors, shutting down a cabin, re-roofing the sauna, shoveling another icehouse, yard clean up and replacing the furniture after the floor painting, left just a little time for fishing.

Please pass the "Ben Gay".

Office with a view

I know guys who spend their whole career chasing the prestigious corner office. Personally I gave that up years ago. I prefer the front office, left seat, a few thousand feet up. It's nothing fancy, no coffee delivered, the seat is slightly uncomfortable, no executive bathroom but the view is perfect.



One of the best parts of my job is moving into my favorite office for a few hours. I may spend a lot of time on the dock and in my land office, but this is where I'd rather be. I do get to do some fun stuff too.

















Spending a little time in the air over the greatest part of Canada makes my day.

















Even the view behind is awesome

















Dare I say, "Just another Day"

















There's gotta be some fish down there.

And NO! I don't see moose up here. Firstly, I don't think they can fly and secondly, if ever I did see one up here, I'd quit flying myself.

How it is done

A lot of what happens around here happens when guests are not here. Regular maintenance is of high importance with our aircraft. We follow stringent manufacturer's and government guidelines in maintaining our fleet.

Quite often I am asked, "How do you get the airplanes in the hangar?"

We have a lift cart which goes under the spreader bars of the Beaver or Cessna which lifts the aircraft up and allows us to move it with the truck. The Otter is too heavy for the cart so it has it's own wheels which attach on the floats and gives it mobility on the ground.

Better Late than never

Jeff Wideman visited us in August. Jeff brings a Wisconsin contingent to Metionga Lake each summer. Sometimes even the "chief in charge" manages to impress the boys with a nice fish or two.

Putting a picture like this on the office wall or desk will bring accolades - particularly from underlings.

See you next summer Jeff.

Brad and Karen,

I hope that this message finds you all well.

I am finally sending you the picture of the walleye I caught in August.

I caught this on 8/5/07.

It was 27.5 inches long and caught on artificial bait.

Thanks,

Jeff Wideman

Fall trout

I love fall fishing. It seems that the big ones are feeding often to get ready for our long winters. Generally fall fishing is in good weather, maybe a little rain and cool evenings but trumping all is very few bugs.



Lake trout season closes Sept 30 because of their spawn, but leading up to the spawn, the trout on Seseganaga Lake and Irene lake kick into high gear. Throw in walleye and northern action and you may just decide that two trips a year like Bobby is not out of the question.

Fall Northern

Fall northern fishing can be some of the best fishing anywhere. Of course we don't guarantee fish like this to everyone, but I will guarantee fish like this are in all the lakes. A little skill and a little luck make all the difference, but the biggest factor is that you must be on the lake. Like the old adage, "you gotta have a ticket to win." You gotta be on the lake to catch these monsters.



Roger M on Hilltop the very last few days of August. Not bad for a guy from Chicago.


Book your fall trip with us today www.ignaceoutposts.com

Fall camp work

As the season winds down we start seeing openings in our bookings. Since spring always seems to surprise us by coming early, we take advantage of breaks in the fall bookings to get some of the messy work done.

Painting cabin floors falls into that category of "it needs to be done and someone's gotta do it."

The other day I flew into Irene Lake and moved furniture, swept up and painted the floors of both cabins and porches.

I must be getting old since the muscles were a little sore that evening from all the up and down involved in floor painting.







Staying a leader in Canadian Outpost adventures means constant upgrading and maintenance.

The work really doesn't stop.

30th Ignace Outpost Trip

Ed Pierce returning from trip # 30

Ed Peirce made his first trip to visit us in 1987. Today he returned from Metionga Lake completing his 30th fishing adventure with us. Since Ed averages about 500 walleye caught and released per week (and yes he does keep count) that translates into about 15,000 walleye over the years. When Ed brings in 4 lbs of leeches just for himself, it is not hard to imagine the number of fish he has caught.

I suppose by now he has the technique down pretty well.

Over the years Ed has tried Flindt Lake, Hilltop Lake, Kawaeogama Lake, Irene Lake and Metionga Lake. It seems Metionga Lake is the one he keeps coming back to.

For the first 8 years or so Ed would make a June trip and then a Labor day week trip. Over the last few years he found the fall fishing to be just as good if not better, with better temps and fewer bugs so now it is a 10 day fall trip only.




Ed's first trip in 1987 at Metionga Lake. This is the old "burnt cabin" by the falls. This cabin has been replaced with a new modern cabin up the lake.

Whether it is trip number 30 or trip number 1, everyone is treated as we would like to be treated on vacation. Guests quickly become friends at Ignace Outposts.