Basskicker

Yup, 6 guys said the hell with it and turned around and went home. Its a shame because the next morning things were rock hard as I went back down the lake the 11km to retrieve my fishing hut and gear. I'm glad they were so many guys there because of the seriousness of our predicament. Its one thing to be stuck in the slush, but if anyone had to spend a night on shore somewhere, the outcome probably wouldn't have been too good. It really put it into perspective how dangerous remote travel during the winter months can be, it really good be a life and death situation. I mean its so remote that you really have to be prepared for anything and everything. I think my days of solo travel are over during the winter months, I never want to experience those feelings again.

It's funny you say that. because I had a go pro with me, unfortunately due to the circumstances, the last thing on my mind was strapping a camera on my head!!

I was riding an 2013 Ski-doo Expedition Sport with 154" track, I was the only one who decided not to tow something.

Last Thursday morning we left in great anticipation of our adventure north of Aroland into Ara Lake. Our adventure started at 5:00 A.M. with the 4 hour drive north, followed by a brutal 36km bushwack into the vast remote wilderness that is normally only enjoyed during the warm summer months by float plane. We started our adventure on the Ogoki road and traveled north with a convoy of 18 snowmobiles all towing toboggans, supplies, or fish huts, we were told to STAY ON the broken trail from the guide at the camp who broke trail only 2 days prior, unfortunately the weather had turned mild during the last 48 hours, not going below 0 degrees...the melt had started. It was a disaster from the moment we left the trucks, what is normally a 1-2 hour trip, took over 6 hours!!! There was still over 4-5 feet of snow on the road and it was extremely soft. Nearly everyone at one point in time fell off the trail into the deep abyss, only to be buried alive, taking 2-3 people helping to get back up on the none existing trail, the warm weather turned everything to soup. After nearly 4 hours of hell and only 22kms we arrived at the shores of Meta lake to an image that I will never forget. The lake had taken its first victims ....as I looked out not more than 300 yards, there was a mass of snowmobiles, toboggans and people scattered across the lake in 2-3 feet of slush....ALL STUCK. I was the rookie of the bunch, at 40 years of age and the least amount of experience, I stood at the edge of the lake watching all this go down feeling extremely stressed and nervous about the outcome........I still had to get 11kms down the lake to the camps!!!! We had a conference at shore to decide on how to progress from here. Some of the more experienced guys unhooked their sleds and went on the rescue mission, some of the CRAZY guys decided to chance it and pin it....hoping for the best as they ripped across the lake into the distance, not to be seen again. Finally someone came back, and let everyone know that the WHOLE lake was a shitstorm of slush all the way to camp. At this point I was shitting my pants, do I turn around and face 22KM of soup snow or 11KM of slush, chancing getting stuck in the slush. After 2 hours on shore watching more people get stuck, 6 of the guys finally got unstuck and hobbled back to shore, they were done. Not all of their tow behind sleds were recovered and they didn't care, they vanished back down the 22km trail and went home. So we were down to 12 guys, when the moment finally hit me, I really don't have any choice at this point, I was the last guy standing on shore and decided to unhook my fish trap, repack my gear and only take my essentials on the back of my sled. I really don't remember much after that, it all happened so fast. I finally decided to grow a pair and hit the throttle full tilt, my skis lifted and away I went on the most adrenaline pumping snowmobile ride of my life. At about 90km/h I rocketed down the lake and according to the guys (still stuck) I had water shooting back 10-15 feet as they watched me fly by holding on for dear life, as a rounded several corners I found another machine stuck and another machine stuck...and another. The further I went, the deeper the slush got.....when it finally dawned on me......I didn't even know where the camp was located because this was my first trip. I had a general idea where it was located and I really couldn't slow down, I had no choice but to follow the previous huge slush ruts!! At one point I hit a ridge at over 100km/hr and flew about 15 feet into the air, I nearly sharted in my pants right there. After passing another 2 machines stuck and what seemed like an eternity I finally reached the upper limits of the river where the slush was even worst, even at 90km/h I started to sink. I has no choice but to pin it even more, not the smartest thing to do but anything was better than the thought off standing in ice cold water stuck! So finally after more white knuckling I had the cabins in sight.....I can honestly say, that I have never been so relieved, as I slowed down to come ashore at the camps the slush took hold and I started to sink....I had no choice but to pin it again and I ended up launching myself up the embankment into more soup snow......was I ever happy. I buried my machine into a 4-5 drift where I happily left it. I can honestly say that I will never forget that day, the memories will be etched into my brain forever. I was only the 3rd guy who managed to make it into camp. At the end of the day, all 12 survivors made it to camp in one piece, a lot of gear and food was scattered across the lake to be recovered the next day when the lake hardened up. Some of these guys have been going here for over 20+years and have never seen the lake in these conditions. It was the first time ever that there was no fish fry on the first night.....but we made up for that The shear amount of snow and ice was astonishing for this time of year, with over 4-5 feet of snow in the bush and over 48" of ice the fishing conditions were extremely difficult. The weather was beautiful, actually to nice, it would cool at night to harden the lake up for a morning fish, but by afternoon you would break threw the top to crush back into the slush!! I had wanted to explore the lake but we all ended up staying close to camp, still catching our fair share of fish. It was definitely a trip to remember, winter is not over up here. We awoke this morning to heavy snow and white out conditions making in rather difficult to get back off the lake. The thought that people are expecting to fish this lake in only 4 weeks in a boat is crazy.....all that slush is going to freeze solid adding another 12-18" of good hard ice in the the next 3-4 days. Cheers Jason

Thanks for the awesome report.....can't wait to get back on that big old lake....you never know what she's going to give up!! I can't believe you didn't try for some PIKE!!

Flooding? There still 4 feet of snow in the bush with another 25-30 cm for tonight and tomorrow!!! I hope that things melt SLOWLY this year. Still need the extension on the auger on ALL the lakes up here.

That's too funny, I put my extension on the auger last week, if we didn't have all the snow we have, i'd probably need an extension for the extension!!

Up here in Manitouwadge, I took my ice hut off on May 8 and there was still over 2 feet of ice and there was still 3 feet of snow in the bush. I thought I would never get to go snowmobiling in May ever again, but if things don't start to change soon, I'm thinking snowmobiling in May is a real possibility again this year. We didn't get on the lake last year until May 28!!! But things can change real fast. There is 40+ inches of ice, 5-6 feet of snow in the bush and over 10 feet of frost in the ground this year. There are over 70 houses here in town that have had no water due to frozen water lines!! People who lived here all their lives say that its been the coldest and snowiest year in a long time!! Cheers Jason

Last year we missed walleye opener due to ICE!!! Not looking good for this year, but as stated, things can change quickly.

That was awesome....brings back memories when I up there before Eddy had officially opened with Mike Borger. That camp has certainly come along way since then. And for those travelling from Manitouwadge to Caramat.....DO NOT the road has been washed out since last fall and is not being maintained. The road is washed out in 2-3 different spots.

Looks like an awesome time .......incredible fishing!!!

Golf Ball......works awesome!!

Now that looks that a well planed out trip with some awesome fish!! Congrats

Thanks for the read Mike, that was a perfect way to start off my day...thanks. My trip was OK this year, lots of BIG pike but we couldn't locate the lakers and nobody was fishing them in our area. Heading home for two weeks to fish for some atlantics with my dad in a couple of days!!

Looks like you guys did rather well, thanks for putting up this report for all of us to see.....really much appreciated!!

Thanks Drew, awesome fish as always!!!!.....but wheres the monster pike I look forward to seeing...lol Cheers

I can report that the ice finally left our lake in town here yesterday (May 19th), but some of the bigger lakes still have some ice.

It looks the same here in Manitouwadge, most of the snow is gone here..last Tuesday we removed our huts and snowmobiled for the last time. Still 2 feet of ice on the lake here in town, but the ice popped 2 days ago.... Not a chance in hell for fishing next Saturday, just crazy but its snowing here right now

Congrats on another year of life, another friend of Bill here. Its amazing how good life gets when you get rid of those demons........the truth will set you free. Jason

I have all my fishing stuff, except for the electronics out in the garage......everything seems fine.

Spring has finally arrived and we decided to go out to the huts this morning to try for some pike, will I screwed up, I left my ice hut a little to late this year and it's sitting in 18-20" of ice/slush with 40+ inches of ice under it. (it actually made more ice since our last trip) How is the easiest way of removing it? It is about 2KM from the landing, and another 5km to the plowed road. I am hoping that the snow/slush will run into the lake when the lake pops and then the snow will be melted on the road so we will be able to drive out and tow it back to the landing. The last 50+cm of snow really screwed things up and created this mess. I will let the pictures do the talking. This is the 1st time in 7 years that my buddy has ever had to use the extension This is where the auger got stuck just before breaking through!!! This is my hut ........ It's sitting on 12" wooden blocks under the axles, have 10" skis incorporated into the tires still to be put on the axles SOMEHOW!!! This is my buddy's hut......everything was floating when we opened the door!!!! We have 2 skidoos, 2 atv (winchs) and argo (winch) and my new to me japanese mini truck (winch)...... We are hoping that everything melts soon and we can siimply drive out with our trucks and tow them back to the landing......there is still the motherload of ice for this time of year!!! Any ideas? This is all new to me....never had to deal with this much snow/ice/slush before Cheers Jason

That's an awesome pic and some beauty lakers!!!

Things have not changed much, since the 18th we got 50+cm of snow (crazy).....but things are about to change QUICKLY around here, its looks like spring is finally coming.....double digit temperatures and some rain. The snow will leave quickly but people still need extensions on their augers. I'm about 2.5-3 hours south of Nakina. You'll be fine for the 1st week of June, my buddy is flying in from Vancouver on May 29 for our annual 10 day trip.

To say its been a hard winter would be an understatement, we have had between 120-135cm of snow in APRIL.....yes that's not a typo. We had 30-40 last Friday and another 30+ today. There is still over 36" of ice under my hut ( hoping to remove the 1st week of MAY)......people who have lived here for over 40 years have never seen this much snow fall in April. I can probably just walk onto my garage roof and there is another 14' aluminum boat and trailer with a canoe strapped to the top of boat behind my bass boat :clapping: , there also a utility trailer in there somwehere The snow in my backyard has drifted so much that it is almost touching the eavestrough But I got to go snowmobiling again today and didn't have to fight any traffic to get to work!!! Life is awesome in the north and I don't regret moving up here. Cheers Jason