Still "40 something"

Karen calls it the party that won't end.

For me it's a different story. Being "40 something " is coming to an end.

Last weekend my "older" friends went with me to Irene Lake to let me know what it will be like to be cresting the "hill". In a day I make the half century mark.

It seems going to a cabin even for R&R entails a fair bit of work.

Still cleaning up the blow down from the summer of '07, we moved a surplus of wood from the point cabin to the beach cabin. This is wood we cut and split last year.











A few boat loads of wood moving and piling combined with pulling boats, removing motors, shutting down a cabin, re-roofing the sauna, shoveling another icehouse, yard clean up and replacing the furniture after the floor painting, left just a little time for fishing.

Please pass the "Ben Gay".

Office with a view

I know guys who spend their whole career chasing the prestigious corner office. Personally I gave that up years ago. I prefer the front office, left seat, a few thousand feet up. It's nothing fancy, no coffee delivered, the seat is slightly uncomfortable, no executive bathroom but the view is perfect.



One of the best parts of my job is moving into my favorite office for a few hours. I may spend a lot of time on the dock and in my land office, but this is where I'd rather be. I do get to do some fun stuff too.

















Spending a little time in the air over the greatest part of Canada makes my day.

















Even the view behind is awesome

















Dare I say, "Just another Day"

















There's gotta be some fish down there.

And NO! I don't see moose up here. Firstly, I don't think they can fly and secondly, if ever I did see one up here, I'd quit flying myself.

How it is done

A lot of what happens around here happens when guests are not here. Regular maintenance is of high importance with our aircraft. We follow stringent manufacturer's and government guidelines in maintaining our fleet.

Quite often I am asked, "How do you get the airplanes in the hangar?"

We have a lift cart which goes under the spreader bars of the Beaver or Cessna which lifts the aircraft up and allows us to move it with the truck. The Otter is too heavy for the cart so it has it's own wheels which attach on the floats and gives it mobility on the ground.

Better Late than never

Jeff Wideman visited us in August. Jeff brings a Wisconsin contingent to Metionga Lake each summer. Sometimes even the "chief in charge" manages to impress the boys with a nice fish or two.

Putting a picture like this on the office wall or desk will bring accolades - particularly from underlings.

See you next summer Jeff.

Brad and Karen,

I hope that this message finds you all well.

I am finally sending you the picture of the walleye I caught in August.

I caught this on 8/5/07.

It was 27.5 inches long and caught on artificial bait.

Thanks,

Jeff Wideman

Fall trout

I love fall fishing. It seems that the big ones are feeding often to get ready for our long winters. Generally fall fishing is in good weather, maybe a little rain and cool evenings but trumping all is very few bugs.



Lake trout season closes Sept 30 because of their spawn, but leading up to the spawn, the trout on Seseganaga Lake and Irene lake kick into high gear. Throw in walleye and northern action and you may just decide that two trips a year like Bobby is not out of the question.

Fall Northern

Fall northern fishing can be some of the best fishing anywhere. Of course we don't guarantee fish like this to everyone, but I will guarantee fish like this are in all the lakes. A little skill and a little luck make all the difference, but the biggest factor is that you must be on the lake. Like the old adage, "you gotta have a ticket to win." You gotta be on the lake to catch these monsters.



Roger M on Hilltop the very last few days of August. Not bad for a guy from Chicago.


Book your fall trip with us today www.ignaceoutposts.com

Fall camp work

As the season winds down we start seeing openings in our bookings. Since spring always seems to surprise us by coming early, we take advantage of breaks in the fall bookings to get some of the messy work done.

Painting cabin floors falls into that category of "it needs to be done and someone's gotta do it."

The other day I flew into Irene Lake and moved furniture, swept up and painted the floors of both cabins and porches.

I must be getting old since the muscles were a little sore that evening from all the up and down involved in floor painting.







Staying a leader in Canadian Outpost adventures means constant upgrading and maintenance.

The work really doesn't stop.

30th Ignace Outpost Trip

Ed Pierce returning from trip # 30

Ed Peirce made his first trip to visit us in 1987. Today he returned from Metionga Lake completing his 30th fishing adventure with us. Since Ed averages about 500 walleye caught and released per week (and yes he does keep count) that translates into about 15,000 walleye over the years. When Ed brings in 4 lbs of leeches just for himself, it is not hard to imagine the number of fish he has caught.

I suppose by now he has the technique down pretty well.

Over the years Ed has tried Flindt Lake, Hilltop Lake, Kawaeogama Lake, Irene Lake and Metionga Lake. It seems Metionga Lake is the one he keeps coming back to.

For the first 8 years or so Ed would make a June trip and then a Labor day week trip. Over the last few years he found the fall fishing to be just as good if not better, with better temps and fewer bugs so now it is a 10 day fall trip only.




Ed's first trip in 1987 at Metionga Lake. This is the old "burnt cabin" by the falls. This cabin has been replaced with a new modern cabin up the lake.

Whether it is trip number 30 or trip number 1, everyone is treated as we would like to be treated on vacation. Guests quickly become friends at Ignace Outposts.