2012 Newsletter

It has taken a while to get at it, but here is our 2012 annual update. 

 2012 Ignace Outposts Newsletter

We will be sending out our annual Christmas greetings soon, so if you are not on our mailing list, sign up now on our website. 

Ignace Outposts

It is getting easier

Word is that United Airlines will be offering daily direct flights from Chicago O’Hare Airport to Thunder Bay beginning in Feb. 

This is great news for our guests coming from the Chicago/Milwaukee/northern Indiana areas.  O’Hare airport connects to most areas of the USA.  Direct flights to Thunder Bay saves the hassle of landing in Toronto first.  Thunder Bay is only 2 1/2 hours from Ignace.  Planning your Ignace Outposts fishing vacation is getting easier.

Happy Thanksgiving to our American Friends

Enjoy the family get-together and consider all the things we have to be thankful for.  We celebrated our Canadian Thanksgiving back in October.  

While you are enjoying your traditional turkey, Karen and I will be chowing down some walleye.  We have lots to be thankful for here too!

Wrapping it up

The 2012 season is over.  The aircraft are out of the water and the closing up of camps is finished.  Now just a few items to wrap things up for the year. 

The motors are checked over, plugs changed, lower unit oil replaced, props filed and fishing line caught in the prop hub removed. 

The office will be winterized and the plow will be ready on the truck for the first snow storm. 

Joys of fall flying

Since the last post, our weather has turned decidedly fall like.  We’ve had snow, cold winds, and freezing rains. 

This weather brings, wet feet, cold hands, soggy clothes and a desire to be flying in the summer.

De-icing the aircraft before we fly is both required by law and common sense.  The effort requires waiting for the temps to reach at least freezing so the water doesn’t re-freeze and then using lots of water to melt the ice and snow from the wings. Water is warmer than ice or snow if you recall basic chemistry but can quickly become either if the temps are right.  Five gallon buckets, hoses, pumps and determination are evident around our docks.  This has been a daily ritual since last Thursday.  The delays are unavoidable in getting the aircraft moving and the hot chocolate supply is getting low.  

You may not have noticed, but I typed this rather slowly since my fingers are still frozen.   Actually I never was fast on the key board but my two typing fingers work better when warm. 

The aircraft are off.  Another hot chocolate and dry clothes and I will be ready to conquer the rest of the day. 

I thought we just did this…

Yesterday was a fine fall day.  Karen and I took advantage of it and headed out with Marc to start our spring cleaning early.  Karen’s plan is to make the spring cabin clean up a little simpler by doing some of the dirtiest jobs in the fall. 

Being a fly in outfitter may not look so glamorous but I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

At Ignace Outposts we offer more than just fishing.  As owners we are involved in every aspect of our business and work day to day in the business insuring your vacation is hassle free and memorable.

October Desktop

There is no doubt we live in a paradise.  Karen has been busy and this month has two desktop calendar options to help you keep Ignace in mind for another month. 

For the deHavilland Otter or Raleigh Falls October calendar click here for the different sizes.

The Otter shot was taken here in our yard and the waterfalls is about 12 miles from Ignace. 

To save the photo as your desktop calendar, find the proper size and right click the photo then choose “set as desktop background”. 

It is tough to make a choice.

For more of Karen’s photos here is the link to her photo blog.

http://imagesofmybackyard.com/

Fall walleye fishing on Metionga Lake

Metionga Lake just keeps on getting better.  It is hard to improve on a great thing but it seems that fall walleye fishing rivals the fall northern fishing on Metionga Lake. 

Big fish breed big fish and our policy of no trophies kept insures the big ones go back into the lake to enhance the gene pool. 

Jack B sent us this picture of a 30 inch walleye he returned to the lake earlier this month. 

Metionga Lake Fall fishing

Dave O has made regular fall trips to Metionga Lake for many years.  This year was in his own words the best ever.  Big northerns and chunky walleyes were the order of the day. 

Several big pike were landed and released.  It makes for a great trip when your arms get tired lifting these monsters. 

I guess the photographer was too busy to fish himself. 

Couples trip

Getting together with friends at on Outpost Camp is a great way to spend a vacation.  We see more guys bringing their better halves.  It is not uncommon to see the guy’s trip early in the season and then the couple’s trip later in the season.  I think it is a ploy to not only ensure next year’s guy’s trip but also gives the “master guides” a chance to scout things out.  

lots of action!

Check out the boat in the back of the photo.  Catching and releasing a walleye is just part of a day on the lake.  Capturing your partners in the background bringing one in at the same time is bonus. 

August fishing is still fast and furious at Ignace Outposts.  

Amazing end of August

The last week of August was beautiful weather-wise.  Fishing was great too.  On Seseganaga Lake it was just like mid summer.

Besides packing the fishing gear, a little sunscreen was needed. 

August at Ses

August fishing can be great.  Phil brings the guys up every June and this year decided to try a little later in the season.  Getting 12 professionals lined up with schedules and flights from across the country is a  logistic challenge.  Phil manages every year to get the guys together for a week at Ses. 

August fishing is just fine at Seseganaga Lake.

Irene Lake in August

“Hello Brad & Karen -
Just a quick note to say thanks again as we had a great time on Irene and caught some nice fish.
The attached photos has our newest fisherman Jim with the biggest fish, a 38" northern.
Also Ray has a nice smallmouth and the lake trout caught on the eve of our last day.
Best wishes,
Terry”

Irene Lake can sometimes be a challenge in the summer months with the clear water and seeming lack of structure.  Some guys however keep going back year after year and and are rewarded for their knowledge of the lake.

This group drives up from Oklahoma to experience Ontario’s finest.  The long drive builds anticipation and the action on the lake turns the anticipation in reality and then great memories.  The drive back is spent planning the next adventure. 

Random thoughts

Canada, NW Ontario, Ignace, Seseganaga Lake, July, walleye, perfect day, on vacation…    wish I was there.

the team

Somewhere there is a football team missing its defensive line.  No worries tho’ they are just relaxing on Metionga Lake.  Bring the whole team!  Team Metionga is a good team too.

Decisions

Do you throw it back or save it for the frying pan?  We like to think vacations are a time to relax but sometimes we have to make the tough decisions. 

Oh to be on Metionga Lake

Metionga Lake  One more reason to visit Ignace Outposts.

More experience

Many of our guests know Joe at Ses as a congenial guy with the best job in the world.  In fact at least weekly, someone returning from Seseganaga Lake is volunteering for his job. 

What many don’t know is that Joe started his career working on bush planes in 1974 with Ignace Airways as an Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (AME).  He moved on to other parts of Ontario for many years while specializing in DeHavilland aircraft. Several years ago, Joe moved back to Ignace and again worked for Ignace Airways in the hangar before beginning a second career as a camp attendant on Seseganaga Lake for Ignace Outposts.

It is in the behind the scenes, non glamorous part of aviation, that the AME toils. Keeping aircraft airworthy is a job with great responsibility and requires skill and diligence.  Similar to being a camp attendant. 

While Joe is currently partially retired from working on our aircraft, he still keeps his fingers in the pie so to speak. Viking Air, the owners of the DeHavilland DHC-1 to DHC-6 aircraft type designs (the Beaver is DHC-2 and the Otter is DHC-3), has established a certificate of recognition for AMEs who achieve 25 years working on their aircraft types. In recognition of his 38 years working on the Beaver and the Otter, Joe was recently awarded a certificate of achievement and a 25 year pin from Viking Air. (They only go to 25 years since so few guys even reach that.) 

Marcel (who many remember ran our shop for years) once commented that there was seldom a day working with Joe in the hangar that he didn’t learn something from Joe. Joe is respected in the industry a being very thorough and knowledgeable in his trade. It can be said that Joe has forgotten more about these aircraft than many will ever know.

Now you know the rest of the story.

Experience counts

Over the years many of our guests have got to know Randy.  And I can not count the number of times guests have commented on his skill and ability as a pilot.  I think some come here just to fly with him. 

Recently, Randy was awarded a DeHavilland achievement certificate and pin for surpassing 10,000 hours of flying time on one type of DeHavilland Aircraft. The DeHavilland Otter is a Canadian made aircraft designed for bush flying. It is the flagship of Ignace Airways. Randy actually surpassed 10,000 hours several years ago.  Randy has been flying Otters for over 30 years (accident free) and is well known in bush flying circles as one of the most experienced and talented Otter drivers in Canada. Randy began his career in 1976 in Manitoba and besides Northwest Ontario, has flown in Northern Manitoba and the low arctic. Randy never pursued an IFR rating and has flown these special aircraft his whole career. Randy has been our chief pilot training and mentoring our other pilots since 1988.  Of course Randy has several thousand hours on our other aircraft too. 

On behalf of Karen and the rest of the Ignace Airways Team, Congratulations Randy!  We are pleased that you are part of the team.

And tomorrow (I gave him today off) he will be back in his office (the front left of the Otter) transporting our guests to and from our Ignace Outposts camps. 

Forest Renewal

We’ve had a forest fire burning on Flindt Lake since July 12.  The government is “observing” it rather than “actioning” it.  Since the fire was started naturally by lightening and is in the Wabikimi Park, the response is to let it take its course unless it threatens life or property.  So far it has stayed away from our cabin.  Fire is nature’s way of renewing the forest. 

Last week, it had reduced it self to just a smolder and we put guests in camp.  While they were there it flared up again.  

Presently the fire is over 400 hectares or close to 1000 acres.  Here is a link to the Ontario forest fire map.  The Flindt Lake fire is “Thunder Bay 35”.

In a couple of year both the blueberries and the moose populations will be awesome in this area.

August Desktop

Here is August’s desktop. It is Randy greasing it on at Seseganaga Lake.   For a PC click on the photo, and then right click and save as desktop.  For an Apple, send Karen an email for instructions or get a PC.

Rangifer tarandus-caribou

Did you know that caribou and reindeer are the same animal.  In our area we have many of these majestic animals.  Our outposts on Flindt Lake, Kawaweogama Lake, Seseganaga Lake, Hilltop Lake and Metionga Lake are within some of the most southern caribou habitat in North America.  Our guests will often catch a glimpse of a caribou.  Sometimes they are fortunate to get a good picture. 

These photos were taken on Seseganaga Lake about a week ago.   Both the female and male grow antlers but the male’s antlers are often considerably larger. 

Summer walleye

Many folks think walleye fishing isn’t good in July.  I know a few who would disagree.  Steve and his group have been coming to Seseganaga lake every July -mid July - for many years. 

Walleye fishing is consistent in these cold waters all summer.  In my opinion, fishing in nice weather beats fishing in lousy weather.  July is usually very stable weather wise and nice days out number lousy days. 

Assigning the jobs

Every group should have some kind of leader.  This applies to groups a small as 2 right on up to the size of a country.  Determining a group leader can be as simple as marrying one, enduring a drawn out election every four years or as may happen when no one is happy , instigating a revolt.  How a group is lead is up the the group, but I do suggest the leader of the pack looks back once in a while to see if anyone is still behind him.

In camp, assigning jobs is vital to the moral and happiness of the group.  Having everyone standing around wondering who is going to do what usually ends up in some things not getting done and more than a few pointing fingers and blame to spare.

One of the the jobs that needs “a volunteer assigned” is fish offal disposal.  In the event you haven’t heard that term before, offal is a nice way of saying fish guts.  Once fish are filleted, it is good camp practise as well as smart critter control (read bear avoidance) to empty the fish offal bucket across the bay or lake for the animals to consume away from camp.  Smelly fish remains can attract a host of undesirable visitors. 

Putting the offal up on shore ensure that nature’s garbage cleaners have a good chance at removing every trace.  Burying it or dumping it in the lake produces many unwanted consequences. 

Good thinking

Beer seems to be a staple for many groups on a fly in trip.  Cold beer is best in my humble opinion.  

Much like your fridge at home, if you fill a fridge with warm beer and then open and close the door 30 times an hour, the beer will never get cold and your food will not be cool either.  Putting your beer in a cooler with ice insures cold beer very quickly and frees up fridge space for the food.  It doesn’t take much ice and the ice lasts a long time. 

We do have fridges in our cabins but they can not cool beer when 6 guys keep opening the door for a little liquid refreshment.  But if you prefer warm beer and warm food just jam the fridges full and keep opening the door.

Something else to ponder, ice is ice and there is no advantage to throwing out ice to make room for more. 

A great tradition

It may not be a Michelin rated dining establishment, but you’d be hard pressed to beat a traditional shore lunch on the shore (hence the name) of a northern Canadian Lake. 

Cooking in the bush will likely insure that no matter how delectable the fare is, bugs, pine needles and a little wood ash should be considered condiments rather than a source of complaint.  Finding a new master chef may prove more difficult than complementing the one you have.

Reservations for lunch not required. Reservations with Ignace Outposts are required.

Bring your friends and catch your own shore lunch.

Where’s the cape?

This walleye made a valiant effort, which apparently paid off for him, to return to the water.  It looks as though the only thing this walleye needs is a cape. 

Never underestimate the effort walleye make in these northern waters to stay in our northern waters. 

Walleye for lunch

A northern pike invites a walleye for lunch. 

This happens so often around here that I have no sympathy for someone who has his rod yanked out of his hands when he is not paying attention to the task at hand.  I’ll admit catching a hundred or so walleye in a day can cause you to let your guard down, but “who knows what lurks below”

For future generations

You never know what you might see if you pay attention while fishing in our area.  We certainly were not the first folks on these lakes.  This pictograph is several centuries old.  I am not sure if it is a moose or caribou, but it does tell us that others before us lived here off the land.  They preserved the wilderness and its bountiful harvest for us. 

We also have taken responsibility to preserve our natural abundance for future generations.   Our camp policy is to only kill those fish you plan to eat like the smaller tastier ones.  All others are returned to the lake – this means all trophies go back.   Hanging a fish on the wall can be done with graphite replicas which allow the big fish to go back and continue supplying good genetics to the waters. 

It has been my experience that no matter how impressive a fish mount is, it can still be measured to prove or disprove a little exaggeration.  A photo however can gracefully increase in size as the stories is embellished over time.  

Please practise CPR (catch, photo, release) and then let the embellishment begin.

“… a most excellent and enjoyable experience.”

“…  Attached are some of the pictures I took on our fly-in trip July 7 to 12th.   The trip to Lake  Metionga Lake was a most excellent and enjoyable experience.

A week away from the everyday hustle and bustle of the rest of the world in the wilderness was awesome.

The fishing was exceptional,the weather was great, and we ate too much.

The group thoroughly enjoyed the trip.  As you told us, Joey was very helpful and knowledgeable about good fishing spots throughout our stay.

The trip leaves us with many memories.

Thank you.”    Bill B

It is always good to hear reports from first time Ignace Outposts fishermen.  Bill and his buddies had never done a fly in together and from the photos and smiling faces had a time to remember.