Take your wife fishing

August is a great time to fish. Weather is stable and the fishing is incomparable.




Taking your wife on a fly in trip with Ignace Outposts makes a great vacation. Get away from the phones and emails for a little quality time together.



Kathy and Eric spent an extra long weekend with their good friends on Hilltop Lake.



Fishing feisty walleye a current in only 6 feet of water is a good way to introduce someone to our northern fishing.

Seseganaga August fishing

A week on Seseganaga Lake in August can produce some nice results. We've dealt with high water, bad weather and bugs this summer but it has been worth it when the fishing has been "on".



Craig Sherven added several more photos to his bragging wall with some of these fish. One of these fish would make a trip but to have such a variety, either he is on a great lake or rather lucky. He tells me it has something to do with skill but my thoughts are location, location, location.



Walleye were not bad at all.



Lake trout in 70 to 80 feet, right on the bottom with a white jig and white plastic tail.



Northern pike this chunky fight like a turbo charged bass.

Burbot

We don't see many of these fresh water fish but they are actually rather plentiful. The burbot is also known as a ling, an eelpout and a lawyer. These fish dwell on the bottom of cold lakes and are often caught while lake trout fishing. Although they are rather ugly to look at, they make a fine meal. The meat is similar in texture to lobster or scallop. Boiled with salt and dipped in melted butter they make a mighty fine appetizer.

Apparently their livers are prized for their oils and vitamins.

Last week this ling was caught on Seseganaga Lake.

"Bigger than my brother!"

Lane Krenzen returned from a fly in trip with a huge smile bragging of a fish "Bigger than my brother!" An inch or two more and it would have been bigger than Lane too.

The northern was 42 inches long and put up quite a battle. Maybe next time he will hold it himself. The rule around here is you bait your own hook and hold your own fish... right Lane.

Lane's brother Nolan looks on with mom. His turn will come too. Big fish are more a function of time and effort with a great deal of luck thrown in. Rest assured the lakes in this area have big fish. Our conservation policies on fly in lakes make sure the trophies are returned to the water to spawn more fish and to fight another day.

A long time coming

At the first sport show I attended 24 years ago, one of the first guests ever I booked was Craig Johnson. I was a rookie outfitter with big dreams and Craig was a rookie fisherman with dreams of big fish. It seems both our dreams have come true.

Since then Craig has made many many trips to our place, usually 2 to 3 times per year. He has brought over 100 different people to Ignace Outposts, many of whom have spawned into their own groups.



Last week Craig brought his wife (and favorite fishing partner) along with another couple to Hilltop Lake.











Craig told me that during his many trips to Ignace Outposts, he has caught more than a lifetime's worth of fish (big, small and everything in between). And he still enjoys it!
Fishing last week near the inlet on Hilltop Lake produced countless walleyes in 6 feet of water and less.









Not to be outdone, Craig's wife went fish for fish with Craig in landing old marble eyes. Double headers were common with it becoming almost a contest who could get the fish in quicker only to release it and land another.

An Un-tethered Vacation

People are so stressed out and overworked these days. They know they should be taking time off for vacations, yet keep coming up with excuses not to getaway.

Check out this article on enjoying a wireless vacation away from the tether of laptops, blackberries, and cell phones.

A vacation Challenge to Ad People: Unwire!

I especially like these suggestions:

"Head to a destination where connectivity is not even an option (sacre bleu!)."

"Don't bring any wireless devices with you -- for any reason."

Of course your vacation will be enjoyed even more if you are at an Ignace Outposts Camp. Our camps are cellphone and laptop free zones. No wireless here. Take that little break and get away from the tethers of the instant information world.

It is sad, we hear all the time from guests who tell us this is their first vacation in "x" number of years because they are too busy at work.

Life is to be enjoyed. When you sit and daydream, I doubt you dream of more work that needs to be done. Instead if you are like me, you think of fun times in your life like your next Ignace Outpost vacation.

Blueberry Time

August is one of my favorite times to head off to the bush. There are several reasons for this. The weather is great, fishing is unbeatable and the blueberries are ready to be picked.

Blueberries are so plenty full you'd think they grow wild around here.





Blueberries are literally bursting with nutrients and flavor, yet very low in calories. Recently, researchers at Tufts University analyzed 60 fruits and vegetables for their antioxidant capability. Blueberries came out on top, rating highest in their capacity to destroy free radicals.

Read more about Blueberries and their reputation as one of the world's healthiest foods.









They taste good too.


Karen and I managed an over night at Hilltop Lake this week and before we went fishing Karen had picked some fresh berries right in front of the cabin and whipped up a blueberry coffee cake.



I managed to con her out of her recipe so I can share it with you. You'll need to bring your own "bundt" pan however.

Karen's Blueberry Coffee Cake

4 eggs, separated (what ever this means)

1 ¾ cups sugar

3 tsp vanilla

1 cup oil

Juice and rind of a lemon (¼ cup lemon juice)

2 ½ cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

2 cups fresh blueberries

Beat egg whites. Add sugar, egg yolks, oil, vanilla and lemon juice. Combine dry ingredients and berries. Fold into batter. Pour into a greased Bundt pan and bake at 350 for 1 hour. Turn out to cool. Combine 1 cup icing sugar with approximately 1 tbsp milk. Drizzle over cake.

Hilltop Lake June 08

It may not look much like June weather, but these Hilltop Lake photos are from the middle of June 08. It only rained twice that week, once for 3 days and next for 4 days.

Gary Patton took his wife, son and grandson on trip to Hilltop and found the fishing great in spite of the unseasonal weather.

"Hi Brad,

I have attached photos from our June trip. These are pictures of fish caught by my son Randy, my wife Janet and my grandson Adam.

I know, where's mine? well I didn't catch one like these. Maybe next year."

Gary Patton

As Gary knows a good guide will get his folks onto fish. A great guide will let them catch fish themselves.


See you next year Gary, and thanks for the pictures.