What a difference a year makes.

Last year on April 4, we posted a slideshow of the ice going out.  May 4/2012   Last year it was open water more than a month early.  It looks like this year we have a few weeks to go.  What me worry?

Opener is May 18.  Our first guests arrive on May 17. 

Let me do some calculations… May 1 lots of ice.  May 17 fishermen arriving.  Two weeks to melt a winter’s worth of ice.   The temps better start rising or Karen won’t have access to her hairdryer for a while and I am going to have one heck of an electric bill. 

Un-natural environment

This bird is all dressed up and has no place to go.  In early May, the Beaver and his airplane friends start getting a little anxious to begin flying anglers into our remote lakes for a little fishing vacation.  It is a working aircraft and it wants to work. 

Today it sits with the snow banks but in a few weeks it will be in its natural environment soaring above the wilderness doing what it does best.

April 20/2013

This morning we took the dog out for a walk.  This was our thermometer reading!

I really think someone needs to rethink this global warming thing.  My suggestion: we stop fighting it and try to sign up for some more.

How it is Done

As many are aware, we are one of the few fly-in outpost camp operators that still endeavour to have ice in our ice houses for our guests in the summer.   This is just another service we offer our guests. 

In Ignace ice is cheap.  In the bush, in July or August,  it is worth more than gold. 

The ice in the ice houses does not get there on its own.  There is a lot of work involved in cutting it from the lake and packing the ice house.  Just traveling to these remote camps is a challenge and best left to the professionals.  The last few years we could not get ice in all our ice houses due to weather and other conditions.  This year Paul and the guys are making a valiant effort to fill icehouses at our lakes, but may not achieve our goal due to such a heavy snow pack and slush.

Seseganaga Lake is the easiest to get to and the ice is done there now.  It is amazing to consider that last year at this time the lakes were open. 

Paul is a trapper and if he could, would live in the bush.  He has been “doing” our ice for many years.  Regular guests often see his comments in our cabin log books about his winter adventures.  The guys who help him are usually nursing sore muscles by the time the day is done.

 

Next on the list is Metionga and then the other lakes.  The guys will do what they can.

Maybe now it is evident why I am more than a little upset when ice is removed from the ice house just to replace ice already in the coolers.  And why I also insist that ice is not removed from the cabin to “cool off” beverages for the ride home.   

Simple fish recipes

I have a fondness towards walleye.  Eating tasty, well prepared walleye is high on my list of preferred activities.  I also like to cook.  Combining these activities makes for a pleasurable meal.

Recently, at a sport show, I was treated to some very tasty and well prepared walleye.  Starla Batzko from Starla’s Seasonings and Dips, www.ilovedip.com was doing a presentation on “Cooking your Catch”.   Besides, being front row center, I managed to be a “sampler” of the product and was duly impressed.  I am certainly going to add her recipes to my arsenal of camp cooking. 

Check out the battered fish (I wonder if there is a support group for that) recipe.  It makes a very light and tasty batter.  I am sure you can substitute any dark beer.   She also includes baked and pan fried walleye recipes to ease up on the oil consumption.  They are equally impressive – and simple.

See Starla’s website and be sure to come to your Ignace Outposts fishing trip prepared with some of her spices and recipes.  

Feb desktop calendar

Karen has put up her Feb desktop calendar.  You will find the various sizes here.

Feb is still in the middle of our winter.  This morning I woke to –36C (temp – not wind chill).  No matter what temperature scale you use, this is getting close to “rather cold”.  After the dog insisted on his normal walk, (he hasn’t learned to read a thermometer) it was nice to sit back and enjoy a cup of hot coffee.

Stay warm and think fishing!  Summer is coming and an Ignace Outposts fishing trip is a good place spend some quality time with a walleye or northern pike. 

Moose Hunt with Backwoodstv.com

Backwoods TV was up at our camp on Metionga Lake last fall to film a fly-in archery moose hunt. The episode they shot is going to be aired this week on the Sportsman Channel. Watch for it if you are interested in an archery moose hunt. Joey, our camp attendant on Metionga guided Dan to a successful kill. You can also watch the hunt online at this link. http://www.backwoodstv.com/index.php/television/episode/25 .

 

Later this year the same episode will go into re-runs in the US and will start airing on Wild TV. Our moose hunts are booking quickly so if you are interested, stop by one of our shows or send us an email and we will get you set.

A shorter video of just the kill part of the hunt is at this link. http://www.backwoodstv.com/index.php/videos/play/474

 

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HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2012 is behind and 2013 is unfolding.  We wish all our friends and guests a Happy and Prosperous New Year.  We hope to see our many former guests again this season and look forward to the new guests we will host in 2013. 

Fly away to adventure with Ignace Outposts and Airways in 2013

Karen’s Free January 2013 desktop calendar is now available.  Down load it from here.