A view back in time

About 20 years ago this was one of our finest cabins. Today it is a shed. For those who may not recognize this cabin, it is on Seseganaga Lake. It is the old cabin 2. In its day, it was state of the art. It was one big room, 8 beds in the back half and kitchen eating area in the front. And the luxury was the screen porch and deck. No shower, no hot water, no couches, no bedrooms.

We've come a long way in providing some of the best outpost facilities to augment some of the best walleye and northern fishing in Canada.




Check out our new modern outpost facilities yourself. Book your 2009 trip today while there are still spots available.

Between archery and gun season

Spike bull I called out for a photo op. My only weapon, a camera.

We are right between archery moose and gun moose seasons. Our camps are empty for a day or two. Our archer moose hunters managed 2 moose taken (one on Seseganaga and one on Hilltop) and between the 2 groups they saw 20 moose during their hunt. Not bad for a week of weather not conducive for hunting - windy and wet.



The gun hunters at our north camp (Flindt Lake) where the gun season opened in Sept have come and gone without bagging a moose. They saw moose but didn't have a fair shot. A little catch and release moose hunting. Maybe next year.
The regular gun season opens this weekend and we will have all our moose parties in the bush by Sat.


Randy and I have been seeing moose almost every flight now. All indications are a great gun hunt next week.

Wild Cranberries

One week today is our Canadian Thanksgiving. Here in the north we celebrate our Thanksgiving a month or so earlier than our US friends. This allows us to consume our turkey and other fixings well in time to let it settle and digest before we start thinking about Christmas.

Karen was out for the afternoon on Sunday picking some wild cranberries.



not bad only minutes from our house





On Monday next these berries will be right beside the turkey and potatoes. yum.

As much as I like walleye and other wild game, many foods are readily available in this neck of the woods. We may as well take advantage of the bounty in our own back yard.

ps. no limit on berries and no catch and release!

Lindor tries to help

3 guesses as to what has Lindor's attention on board the aircraft.

First clue: It is not a nubile young chocolate lab named Fifi.

Second clue: Archery moose season has begun.

Metionga fall fun

Sure beats working eh guys? Unfortunately many still have to work just so they can do this.

The count down clock has started however for next fall's trip.

No doubt Sept is a great time to be fishing at Ignace Outposts.

What not to do.

OK, I am not drawing a picture of a moose. I like to add a photo or two to each blog but all I have is a story about why I have no photo (or video).

We had archery moose hunters in Hilltop lake last week. They managed to call out a 50 inch plus bull. The bull approached boldly at first but halted short of archery range. Then two cows appeared. They managed to divert his attention from the hunter who was imitating a cow moose. (Not difficult if you saw these hunters.) They watched as he courted his honeys and even tried to have his way with one. Great material for a moose video.

I asked them whether they managed any video or photos. Here is where the story becomes interesting.

They did bring a video camera with every intention of catching their hunt on film. However when they opened the camera case, one fella's wife had planted a little "love note" wishing them luck and included a little dab of her favorite perfume.

Archery moose hunters go to great lengths to mask any human scent. This hunter had washed his hunting clothes several time in scent free soap and stored them outside for weeks so as not drag human scent along on the hunt. They had bottles of "moose juice" to attract an amorous bull. A perfumed camera kind of defeats the purpose.

Not surprisingly, moose use much different perfumes to attract their mates than humans do.
The guys did manage to bag one nice 43 inch bull, but it certainly wasn't the "big guy". In any case the hunters bragged about the lost chance at a monster.

And no video to back up their claims. But I did see the scented camera and it definitely does not smell moosey.

More from Metionga Lake

Paul R. from St Paul sent up a few more photos from his group's trip in mid Sept. at Metionga Lake.

The "Boys in Blue" certainly managed a few nice fish.

Paul wrote: "More pics, what a great trip."

Of course he also added the big ones were put back. Only small ones were kept to eat.













29 inch walleye was the week's biggest.

No bones about it

A few weeks ago, I promised a video showing the proper technique to fillet a lake trout. Here's how to do it to end up with no bones.
In August my buddy, Darren Elder, our local biologist, was with me at Irene Lake and we taped this demo. Being a bio doesn't make Darren an expert filletter, but being an expert fisherman seems to.