It looks like a tough job

Pete caught this 28 inch walleye within site of the cabin on Metionga Lake.  I’d be smiling a little more but I understand this isn’t Pete’s first. 

weigh in

Safety, regulation, aircraft design and plane old common sense dictate we follow the rules.  Your load will be weighed.  And believe me I’ve heard every joke there is about “last year or the other pilot and getting 400 yards further”.  Speaking of last year, telling me that you have exactly the same stuff isn’t going to work either.  Transport Canada is now also requiring that we weigh our passengers so be prepared to stand on the scale.  We will weigh you as a group to avoid embarrassment, but some groups are small (in number). 

We will weigh your gear in two batches.  One batch will be what is coming out and the other will be what will not be coming out such as food, beer, etc.  And no you won’t convince me that “Joe” or “Pete” or whoever is not coming out with you.  At Ignace Outposts no one is left behind. 

Please keep in mind that the 100 lbs per person limit is arrived at quickly if your group wants to fly in water or lots of beer and pop.  Please let us know in advance and we will expedite your “liquid” order before you arrive and fly it in when we check the camp before your arrival.  We do not charge for this service but we may charge for an over load if we have to make a special trip with your extra stuff.  Besides, Canadian beer is better anyway!

And now for the rest of the story.  This is what the other half of the group was doing while the first half was weighing in as seen in the back ground.  I know who is calling the shots in this group.

Give it a try

When the Arkansas guys are staying at in cabin on Irene Lake, Stan and his crew (which hail from N Carolina, Colorado and Wisc) are usually staying at our other cabin. 

They also target bass but have great success with the walleyes too.

Irene Lake is a great lake known for its beauty and fishing.  The bass are always consistent as well as the lake trout.  Northerns have been known to bend a rod or two.  The walleye can be tricky due to the clear water, but the reward is great when they are brought in.  Some anglers even manage the elusive and tasty whitefish too. 

all the way from Arkansas

Dean, James and Ken drive all the way from Arkansas each June to fish Irene Lake.  Bass is their target but occasionally they manage something to change up the day.

 

Whitefish are good eating fish and fight like a supercharged bass.  

The Beaver Ballad

The Beaver

The Beaver is the proverbial bush plane.  Personally it is my favourite.  I have been flying them for over 30 years and hope to be flying them for 30 more.

Remember the trip…

I know there are many who check my blog just to see the fish (I’m sure it’s not the writing).  Big fish are common around here and some lakes like Seseganaga Lake just keep on being the setting for fish pictures that amaze even me. 

Age and experience don’t necessarily make better fishermen.  Youth and ambition works well too.  How could a father not beam with pride at his offspring hoisting such a trophy.  No more “I remember when I was a kid” stories.  Now it is “Remember the trip we were on together at Ignace Outposts and the northern you caught that was as long as the boat was wide?”

Seseganaga does it again

Seseganaga Lake is well know for the potential of catching a large Northern Pike.  Not everyone who fishes the lake will catch one of these monsters, but seeing a 47 incher and a 50 incher (see post earlier in the week) in one week is good evidence that at least the odds are in your favour of a once in a lifetime fish.

Of course, it seems that for every monster caught, photo'd and released on Ses, there are two tales for ones that got away.  

Singing for supper

Camp rituals always amaze me.  Some groups have formal meals planned during their week at Ignace Outposts, others take turns doing a little gourmet cooking, and it is not uncommon to have cocktail hour with fancy snacks.

It appears that these seagulls have a ritual of singing for their supper. 

Let the fish live

We do encourage “catch, photo and release” (CPR) fishing.  Of course it is not a fishing trip if you don’t eat fresh fish.  Our company policy is to kill only the fish you are planning to eat.  Let the rest live to not only fight another day but to reproduce and keep our fishing lakes the envy of anglers everywhere.  Big fish don’t taste as food as little fish and big fish not only have good genetics for getting big, they generally produce lots of little fish. 

When taking the fish from the water for a photo op, please do not use anything other than your hands to hold the fish.  Yes they are sometimes slimy but your hands will wash and the fish will thank you for not removing his protective slime.

My message here is please do not use pliers, rough gloves, towels, big fish jaws etc. to hold the fish.  The slime on the fish may be slightly messy to you but is vitally important to the fish.

safe fishing

Catching walleye at Ignace Outposts is definitely a highlight.  Being safe while doing that is smart.  The law does not require the wearing of a life jacket but it is good practise to actually wear the device.  The law does require that every person on board a board has a life jacket or life preserver that fits and is accessible. 

Safe fishing…

Seseganaga Lake monster

Last week the big northerns turned on in Seseganaga Lake. 

Tom landed this 50 incher and put it back into the lake. I can’t get over the size of the fish’s head.  I herby resolve to no longer skinny dip in Seseganaga Lake.

If you haven’t booked your 2012 fishing vacation yet, now is a good time. 

THE BIG ONES ARE STILL HERE!

 

The cure

It doesn’t take long to get the first behind you on Metionga Lake.  Getting the first walleye and the first northern pike notched on the rod relieves the symptoms of a long winter.  I suspect that at least one of the several physicians in this group could write this prescription. 

What would the ailment treated by this prescription be called; maybe non-resectable long winteritus  palliated by walleye dinner on the lake?

Let the action begin

How long does it take to unload the aircraft, organize camp, get onto the water and hook the first walleye?  

High Water

We are struggling again with high water on the lakes.  Seems only a short while ago I was lamenting the low water situation.  Things can change around here quickly. 

I suppose a dock under water isn’t all bad considering where it is.  Being at an Ignace Outposts camp certainly beats sitting in an office thinking about fishing. 

My thought of the week:  “It is better to be at the lake wishing you were at work – as if -  than being at work wishing you were at Ignace Outposts fishing.”

Rush hour

Need I say more?

Healthy Lake

Not every fish is a monster.  It takes small fish to ensure a stable population for the future.  To have a variety of age classes (sizes) indicates the lake is healthy.

 

This little guy was released and if his luck holds out, in about 6 years he will be an average sized walleye in the 20 inch range.  A few years more and he will be photo worthy for an office or man cave wall.  Catch, photo and release is our mantra.  Killing only the fish you are going to eat ensures a good population for for future generations.

A great memory

Marie managed to land a 45 inch northern on Metionga Lake  last week.  It appears as though she enjoyed the fight.  I think catching the biggest fish was also a thrill considering she was the only woman in the group. 

Hi Brad and Karen,
I have attached some pictures from our trip.
…the Northern I am holding was 45 inches…
Thank you for a great and very memorable trip!  Hope to see you again in the future.

Sincerely,
Marie

Father and Daughter

We see many fathers bring their sons fishing.  We also see fathers bring their daughters.  In fact we also see sons and daughters bring their fathers. 

Last week on Metionga Lake Rick and his daughter Marie enjoyed some quality time together.  Rick has been fishing with us for many years and this year the group expanded to 8 with Marie filling in as one of the guys.  I venture to guess she may have out fished some of the old “pros”, but it looks like dad held his own.

 

Another anthropomorphism

If I don’t get some fishing photos soon from our guests, I’ll run out of these little gems.  Yesterday I posted the intro-duck-tory flight.  That was an anthropomorphism.  Here is another.


I wonder, did this hawk get his fishing licence on line or did he visit a licence issuer?  I have posted before that fishing licences are now available on line but if purchased that way, be sure to print the temporary licence not just the receipt.  The receipt is not a licence.  And don’t forget it at home.  It must be carried with you while fishing.
Karen was taking pictures of the ducks when the mother began paying a lot of attention to the sky.  Karen looked up and saw this hawk circling.   Imagining how tasty ducklings are to hawks, Karen was hoping the mother duck could defend her brood when the hawk folded back his wings and made a dive into the water pulling out this nice bass.  The hawk seemed a little over gross (good thing Transport Canada wasn’t around) and struggled to get the bass (which by the way appeared a little larger than the allowable 13 inches to keep) to join him for lunch.  The mother duck let out a sigh of relief and continued her flying lessons. 

Intro- duck-tory flight

When learning to fly, pilots take an introductory flight to see if it is something one really wants to do.  Usually the instructor will begin with an introduction to the aircraft and its basic parts and their functions.  Then they will board the aircraft and the instructor will perform some basic manoeuvres and and let the student pilot take the controls to try his hand at controlling the aircraft.

I was a flight instructor many many moons ago and did introductory flights many times. What I never realized is that mother ducks also do what appears to be an intro-duck-tory flight.

I can just imagine her patter (narrative)  “This, kids, is a Single Otter, probably one of the best bush planes ever designed.  Amazingly it has no feathers.   It works hard turning money in a very load noise.  We enter here at the back and when your legs are long enough you can sit up front and drive…”

June Desktop

Karen has her June desktop up on her website.  Here is the link.  June Desktop

Check for delays

Last week we had an unprecedented amount of rain in the area.  Thunder Bay was hit extremely hard with widespread flooding and road washouts.  Some highways near Thunder Bay are currently closed due to washouts and hotels are booked to capacity.  For our guests planning to arrive in Ignace over the next week or so I suggest you check highway conditions before you depart so you can plan your routing to be efficient.  Here is a web site of highway conditions and closures in the Thunder Bay area.  Highway 11/17.

This photo is a washout on Highway 11/17 near Thunder Bay.  There is routing around the washouts on highway 102 but traffic is heavy on this secondary road.

Also a reminder for our American guests, there is a website where you can check for border wait times.  This is handy when planning your routing.  Sometimes the Fort Frances/International Falls crossing can be backed up.  Often the Pigeon River crossing near Thunder Bay is smooth sailing.   From Duluth, it is virtually the same distance to our place in Ignace.