So Long Poke

One of our long time customers and friends from Wisconsin never missed a chance to go fishing. Randy picked up his crew last Friday after a week of fishing and sadly Poke passed away on Sunday morning the day after he returned home. Poke had already been up this summer before this last trip. When he left on Friday he told us he hoped to see us yet again in Sept. Poke was 87.

So long Poke...

Brad, Karen, Randy, Marc, Joey.

A bit of Drumming

When at a fly in fishing camp, fish and the acquisition thereof are usually of prime importance.  There is a time however when after the day’s adventures have ended on the water, a guy’s talents are revealed to the group.  Some cook, some play cards and some provide entertainment. 

Travis is talented and at Metionga Lake a few weeks ago, he entertained his comrades.  Fortunately, the event was recorded and you can share in his Metionga Lake solo.    Sit back for about 5 minutes and enjoy.

 

Metionga Lake Drum solo

I always wondered about the dents on the bottom of the pots. 

Ignace Outposts fly in fishing

Spick and span

Not only do we take pride in our facilities, we do our best to keep equipment in tip top shape.

Then and now con’t.

Irene Lake beach cabin in 1985.

Irene lake beach cabin in 2011

Irene Lake beach cabin is our oldest cabin but has been completely remodelled over the years.  Notice the wood burner is still the same.

Different strokes…

Some guys take the hard work of fishing seriously and others don’t.  If you are on vacation, Ignace Outposts makes a fine destination to just do what ever you want. 

Bobby sometimes finds the busy life of a Chicago suburb a little stressing and will make more than one trip each summer to enjoy an Ignace Outposts camp.  Since we’ve been here in Ignace, Bobby has not missed a summer.  I guess it is just a matter of priorities. 

He says he has nothing against a walleye so once he has a few to eat, he will kick back and let time go on by without him.  

I couldn’t find out whether his nap was before the walleye above or after.  Either way I am jealous.

John still has the touch

Over the years many of our guests at Seseganaga Lake became good friends with our camp attendant John.  John retired from Ignace Outposts and Seseganaga Lake about 4 years ago. 

He still finds time in retirement (he’d already retired once before we hired him) to fish a little on Sowden Lake.  John’s home is on Sowden Lake (about 20 air miles from Ignace and about 45 miles by road.)

John  is doing well and occasionally stays in touch with many long time guests. 

Worthy of a photo

Roger M from Illinois can catch fish.  No doubt this walleye is a beauty and we are pleased it went back into the lake.  The only thing Roger needs to work on now is instructions on how to use his camera. 

Or maybe, it was planned that way and his wife thinks he was in Vegas last week.  Either way, good to see you guys and we look forward to seeing you next season. 

At least the horizon is straight.

We’re tired of this

Irene Lake, Hilltop Lake, Metionga Lake and now Seseganaga Lake. 

Seems as though summer storms are meant to provide us with more work and firewood. 

More Then and Now

Seseganaga Lake West Bay in 1985

Seseganaga Lake West Bay cabin today

Seseganaga Lake cabin # 2 (old cabin #2 is now our “garage” )

Seseganaga Lake cabin # 2 today

We’ve come a long way

It was 26 years ago this week that Karen and I began our adventure in Ignace.  We were young, full of energy (what’s that) and so green that we actually thought this outpost thing was a good idea.  It was a tremendous amount of work but still a good idea.

As we begin our 27th year we couldn’t imagine a better way to make a living, raise a family and get up every morning wanting to go to work.

Old Hilltop Lake cabin as it was when we arrived in 1985.

Hilltop Lake cabin 2011.

 

Hilltop Lake cabin exterior from 1985 as we started renovations slowly by little as we could afford it.   And today with a totally new cabin.

Over the years our philosophy has been to put money back into the business to make an Ignace Outposts vacation one that we would like to do ourselves. 

Join us to experience the Canadian Wilderness as it is meant to be.  It is not too early to be planning for 2012. 

 

Who got the piece of tail?

“Hey Brad,

How big do you think the pike was that took the bite outta this guy’s tail??  Had a great time this year at Flindt, fishing was phenomenal.

Dave J

Bedford, Indiana”

Makes you wonder eh Dave

nice Northern Pike

“Here is the photo of my 39 inch Northern on Seseganaga Lake. I caught the fish but Mike took it off and I wanted back in the water quickly as I did not want it to die. So we snapped a few photo's and put him back in...Hind site is 20/20...I should have just gotten at least one picture with me holding it! It was the third Northern I caught when I pulled in this beauty. Hopefully I will catch him again next trip up!”  Kathy

Best during a rough situation

A couple weeks ago I blogged about a rescue of some wayward fishermen of Seseganaga Lake.  They sent me some photos to share of their ordeal.

They did make the best of a tough situation.  The moral of the story is be sure to know where you are on the lake and watch the gas levels in your tank.

“Just wanted to take moment to thank all of you again for all your help on on trip to Ses! We are still telling the stories and everyone is amazed when they read the article on your blog. Again many thanks and God Bless all who helped.” 

I agree

Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after.  ~Henry David Thoreau

Take the kids

Family vacations are the times that kids will remember and talk about for a lifetime.  “One on one” time is critical to kids as well as parents and grandparents. 

What more can I say.  These kids will be remembering Seseganaga Lake for many many years.

Three generations

Jerry has been hunting and fishing with me since before we came to Ignace.  When I was a young pilot earning my strips working for another outfitter I flew Jerry and his dad in and out of the bush.  When Karen and I came to Ignace in 1985, Jerry switched outfitters and is still with us fishing as well as hunting in the fall.

This summer he brought his wife, daughter and son-in-law and 3 grand daughters.

Seseganaga Lake was the destination and fun was the game.  I understand the girls out fished grandpa and dad.  They also toasted some mean marshmallows too. 

I’ve said it before…

When you go fishing with your kids, or grandkids, don’t look at the fish, look at their faces.

Advice – take it or leave it

I have never been a fan of rubber bungee cords.  They have their uses, but they can be very dangerous.

The bungees, if they let go, which they can do at the most inopportune times, can cause damage either to a person or an object like a car.

Notice the duct tape on the back window of the vehicle.  As guests were leaving our place on Sat to drive back to Wisconsin the bungee slipped and flicked up to strike the glass on the back of the vehicle.  The glass instantly shattered and a bush repair was made.  Fortunately no one was hurt.  I was standing only two feet away talking with the guest who had the bungee miss his face by inches.  Accidents tend to happen fast. 

Ratchet straps do the job well and are much less dangerous.  The vehicle parked right next to this one was being loaded too.

My advice, use ratchet straps instead of bungees. 

Turtle eggs

This painted turtle created a place to lay her eggs right in front of our cabin at Irene Lake 

I suspect there is a gaggle, a flock, a herd, a murder, a swarm, a litter, a brood or whatever they call a group of turtles, swimming around the area. 

OK I looked it up, the collective nouns for a group of turtles is a nest, a bale or a dole.

Walleyes?

Even though we don’t push Irene Lake as a walleye lake, it does produce nice walleye. 

These trophies are normal for Irene Lake but you just don’t catch a lot of walleye.  It is a clear water lake with trout and bass as well as northern pike.  The walleye are there but can be fussy sometimes.  The catching of one of these is rewarding. 

Book it for the northern, bass and trout fishing and if you are determined and moderately lucky, you can boat a trophy walleye too.  Just be sure to let the big hogs or hogettes go to keep breeding more ‘eaters”.