Moosebunk

Very nicely done Dan. I feel ya on the chilly part. The pelican shot is different eh...? Caught a few brookies of my own but just waiting for my guest to type up the report. Have a great season.

Toss up for Wednesday and Thursday May 9th and 10th. Go for trout then go for pike, or vice versa. Weather decided my fate and so it was pike first. North and East winds, little gusty at times the war canoe carved it’s way up river. Figured every shallow backwater bay or eddy would be worth a hit, and so with the sun trying it’s darndest to break free from the clouds, the 16km to the first spot the feeling grew ever more optimistic. Tucked in behind Arrow Island and reached down to test the water. Warmer, not much it seemed. New weed growth totally absent still. I looked up into a tree ahead and looking down on me was a bald eagle. If he’s hanging around I figured chances could be good. I was wrong. Nothing. Little creek coming in at the end of the bay, years passed I’ve always found minnows in the shoreline shallows near to it, this trip only tonnes of insect larvae. Pressed on. Hit Neskoshiyashi, Makishibayou, Nipiminanak, and Waterlily back bays. Usually one or the other is a hotspot, all with incoming creeks, shallow shorelines, less stain, and a quickness to warm in the spring. Nothing found but again tonnes of insects and no new weeds. Newer weeds being key I think to signaling prime water temps for that short stage of aggressive feeding pike. The favorite bay, Nesko, which had coughed up a dozen bigger pike last spring had a new resident. A beaver had sealed off the creek. No warm runoff, means no baitfish or sucker to spawn, probably means little pike. I was at a loss. Back in Moosonee some of the locals had been snaring pike on route to a specific spawning area, maybe they were around but just busy with other things. Desperation I switched gears and decided to head to a couple predominantly walleye spots but, places that have coughed up pike to me in the past. On route up the Cheepas River I realized I didn’t bring any extra gas. I was close to where I wanted to be so kept going and finally reached the big shallow eddy I was headed to. It’s a pikey spot sure enough, not as calm as could be but the smaller Cheepas is quicker to heat up. I probed the site with the usual Red Devle and came up empty handed. After swtiching to a gold Mepps Aglia #5; one on my top spring pike lures past, I felt a good thud on second cast. I thought I had a log. My boat anchored in the current working casts into shore this smart fish made a b-line for the current and, once in there was heavy. I prayed the hook would hold. The fish first showed itself well behind the boat and I saw a lot of flash, like silvery white, and just then I thought I had a BIG spring speckle. But the fight died in the fish and when it surfaced again mouth gaping wide open I had on the line a big OOS walleye. Took some time to drag it up the current to the boat, even with 20lb braid, but when I got it there things were setup ready to go so the pic was taken, the fish quickly put to the scale and I just measure it to the cedar strip marks on the gunnel. Came in around 24 inches and just a hair over 5lbs. Decided to stay and try some more but nothing else was caught there. Fearing my gas was maybe too low to get me home the canoe turned around and I fished another half dozen or so spots on the way home, picking up one more small eye and a small pike, finally. When I made it to the launch the tank had about 1/4 gallon of gas left. Quite impressed with the new Honda 4 stroke at home I measured my route and all my stops on the Fugawi software and came up with a total of 84 km’s, on 4.5 gallons. Not bad considering it was all upriver the first half and all against a good gusty wind home. Thursday trouting on the creeks in Moosonee was... weird. I’m still dressing like it’s winter but the temps today rose to 31C. I snuck away at 9:00am, grabbed a taxi boat to the mainland then borrowed my friend Megan’s car. Zipping around I was confident again that today would be a good day. First stop Butler Creek. “The Dam” Jiggin first a brown bucktail tipped with a salty, then casting a homemade inline#3 followed by a small five of diamonds tipped with minnows as well, it was quick to be noted there weren’t any searuns about. So I took off. Next stop, Maidman’s Creek. “The Culvert” Same tactics, no results. One thing about searuns I find is, if they’re there in the pockets they’re there to feed. You don’t miss them, as it takes little time to cover the area. Next stop Maidman’s Creek. “The Quarry” The Creek pours into the quarry real quick. You can see in this pic the water comes around a bend and hugs one side. Way up the creek, many miles, are ponds that pike go to for spawning. The locals have set up here at this corner a series of four ledges, made by rocks, to create pockets for the travelling pike to naturally want to stop in, or, use to climb through, instead of battling the big current. This is where those pike get snared and taken home for the dinner table. The other end of the quarry can be pretty deep by standards around here. There’s a hole about 18 feet, but much of it is around 4-8 feet. Not much of a trout area I figured while here I’d cast for pike. Best day here in the float tube was 12 pike a few years back, and although one of locals I know who regularly snares here said pike sizes are getting smaller and smaller (go figure) he does tell me a 25lb pike was caught on line here. But no one owns a scale in these parts that I’ve met, so it could have been a 12lb’er Next stop was the beer store. It was 10:30 and I knew it was open and needed some for the hockey game that night. Rolled over to Store Creek. “The Train Bridge” Three doods already fishing there, I asked if they’d caught anything. Nada. Last stop was back over on Butler’s Creek. “The Treatment Plant” I took some casts but again got nothing. I watched the helicopters go by with full slings of food and supplies for Moose Factory. Thursday is a good day at the store cause the fresh produce comes in. Airborne bananas and oranges and everything else had a great warm day for flying. Could have been 0C today and the produce not so good upon arrival. Barge should be in soon so then it’ll be good stuff all the time. Note the chopper flying by in the pic. So, trouting sucked. For a one fish report this one is really long. Fingers are flying tonight. Local in the know told me last spring when I was struggling to catch trout in the first weeks of May, that, until the trees (poplars and alders) are sprouting leaves from the buds, the searuns won’t be in. Wishful thinking. Today was my last day out before what I’ll be calling the "opener" come this weekend. Today sucked. Today was cold at about +4C with strong NNE winds. While up on the French river about 11:00 am a little snow came through. Underdressed I had the chills much of the day but had to get 20 gallons of gas stashed away somewhere in the bush near to wherever I was planning to camp this weekend. By about 2:00pm I finally found that spot. On the way home I tried a couple pike spots but wasn’t much into it. The winds were bad, I was tired of battling it and the chop. I did manage two very small pike and a real small eye that hit an orange Syclops. And so it ends. Before opener last year I had already picked up one searun and 17 pike with a skinny 38" being the best. Hope things pick up this weekend. Should be busy out there with a derby on for the Saturday. Win or lose, I’ll never know. Won’t be anywhere near town until Monday.

Mike. I think you're spoiled. lol. No more complaining about how tough it was. C'mon... how tough IS it going to Algonquin to camp, fish, and take pictures. Although, you'd have to carry most people after the first fifth of that portage into lake D.

I dunno.... OK results I guess..?.?.? lol. Nice stuff Dip, Raf and Ben.

Avatar is old news dude. Sens have been there sure, but, it doesn't hold true anymore. This is the farthest they've been. They beat the League's best scorer and his support of young talent, then they turned around and beat the League's best goalie and cast of seasoned veterans. Buffalo or Ottawa is a toss up. Should be one heckuva series though, and, either team is worthy of beating the other. Win or lose for the Sens at this point... no one can say they choked. They've rolled over Pitts and NJ like a team possessed.

Nothing as planned yet Wayne. Would love a tour up there with a local Normally I drive through there a couple times a year but this summer I only have one trip planned down home. I'll be flying there as I have a detour out to BC first for some sturgeon and salmon fishing. You'll be first to know if I'm coming through with time to spare.

We're doing much of the same for the rest of the month and through June. North French, Cheepas, Moose River and a good few creeks along the way. Next report, or the one after, will be told by a visitor who has a great way with words.

Said I wouldn't mind one pike and one trout as with that I'd consider the weekend successful for fishing. Water is still near freezing, blown and stained right out. It's early yet, the river only broke last sunday and the ice flows didn't allow the first boats on the water until wednesday. Bren and I were eager come friday to bust out of town without the kids and take full advantage of the high river waters. Destination, way up the North French River 55km south of home for camping, fishing and exploring. Loving the new boat but even more so the new Honda 4-stroke. Quietly stalks the war canoe now. Loaded to the teets with comfort, lotsa blankets as the temps were to drop to -8C friday night. Riding up the North French with good levels is tonnes of fun. Full throttle everywhere without a care, unlike years past when it has been shallow drive and depth probing for miles in many places. First spot we stopped to try was a little sluice between a point and island that has undercut banks eddying out on both sides. Looking at the trees not one was showing the first sprouts of leaves... not even the buds. Thinking trout at this time would be unlikely, I was right. Next spot got anchored and started casting about. Third cast snag. What the f...... a gill net. Didn't even notice it. Annoyed and cursing we left. Mid afternoon and a few fishing spots gone by we stopped at the mouth of an incoming "trout" creek called Kagowask Creek. Anchored in fast water this spot could cough up trout, walleye, pike, sucker or fallfish... any mixed bag. This time it was two pike, one for Bren she lost boatside and mine. We left rather quick to get up river to our campsite. A cluster of 3 islands ahead had two suitable spots for pitching the tent. I named the islands while there beaver, owl and heron islands. We camped on owl as both nights an owl visited a dead tree looking over our site. Crane was across the way and two evenings a pair of cranes could be seen or heard there. Beaver was out back and it was a noisy tail smacking rucus when he swam by our camp each night at bedtime to warn us we were in danger. Camp set, Bren and I took off to Menigan Creek for some evening fishing. She did well picking up a pike and the only walleye of the trip. And by 7:00pm we were back at camp for supper, a sunset and some down time by the fire. I toasted a few "Salmon Slammers" as I said I would, more than once....nearly half the flask of single malt to be precise. The sun went down, the air got cool and..... ... it dropped below zero. Brrrrrrrrr. During the night our air mattress obviously suffered a puncture. I woke about 4:00am for a pee and was laying on hard ground. Outside the tent there was a thick frost on everything. In the moonlight I could make out the water in our jug was freezing and at river waters edge in a couple slack water spots it was freezing up there too. Nipples and toes getting stiff I B-lined it back into the tent. Saturday was miles and miles of travel and many stops at many fishing spots. Tried everything I knew, everywhere I knew, leaving no stone unturned. Pike, trout and even walleye spots nothing was biting anywhere. Boating up through a long set of rapids called "Quarter Mile Rapids" which, is actually 1 1/2 miles long, the Honda's skeg took it's first good knock. That knock turned out to be the last knock of the trip too. After it occurred though, the pull start cord slipped off a little pulley inside the wheel encasing and when trying to start the motor later it was jamming up and shearing the cord. That set me back a few minutes fixing that up. We turned back down river quite soon in the day as the fish weren't co-operating. Truth be told, normally by this point I'd be disappointed with my luck, but the weather was phenomenal, the river open to travel anywhere in it's short 2-3 week window of the year, and the new canoe and motor were just fun to test. Bren and I happily explored, and, by early evening we were way up Kagowask creek taking in the scenery and scaring beavers off the banks. And yeah, being it's a supposed trout creek we had to try a spot or two. Besides, Bren could only hold off on her addiction for so long. Coming off the creek around 6:00pm we tucked in behind an island and after a couple casts I picked up something kinda fiesty... ... my only fish of the day. And so we retired back to camp. No fresh fish for supper I had to substitute with bacon, cause we weren't about to eat sucker. A bigger fire on a warmer night, the owl, beaver and herons returned and we partied into the sunset. Picked up this nice shot of the boat too. That night we slept on the hard ground again. The tent frost leaked right through my crappy old tent and got the sleeping bag wet. I slept great. In fact, I woke both mornings feeling less stiff than if I had slept at home in bed. Bren on the other hand...... Pocahontas. Winds completely changed direction overnight. The northern cool breeze was now tropical from the south, and so it pushed us along home quite comfortably. Along the way we made a dozen more stops to take some casts, and although I picked up another small pike (3 days = 3 fish) Bren picked up a couple more of her own. She outfished me again... think she got six. Bren used only three lures for the three days. An orange bucktail, a yellow bucktail jig and a silver in-line #3, all on a bent out of shape six inch steel leader. Homeward bound on the Moose River we took time out for some pictures of the shore ice lining some areas of the river banks. Cool seeing the walls of ice nearly 25 feet high in some places. Great first open water trip of the season.

I like what Lew said. OK Mike, thanks for putting me #1 too. I'll have ya up, we'll go winter camping on Kesagami for a few days in a prospector, and just pound pike and eyes ti'lls we just cants pounds'em no more. Planes, trains and automobiles to get there. Seriously, I really hope this works out for ya. There are a good number of fishing shows that are just like a good number of fishing shows. Your concept will break the mould. People like new and interesting. Remember though, we're not all hardcore bushwackers like yourself, so, like Survivorman... give us some insight.

Fished barbless out west Dan. All new species and territory so I can't really compare, but, after a week long trip this July where it's mandatory, should be able to formulate a solid opinion on this one. The penetration think... don't think any hook can go much further beyond the bend in the shank. lol. Caught my first brookie ever on a barbless mickey finn.

Yipper, thanks Dan and clan. You know all this info is a great help. I have it in my head to get there too, soon enough. In the meantime... I'd better learn how to fish... single barbless is something only for pro fly fisherman. lol Dan, when I'm there you're calling in sick if you have too.

I'd watch it. Over and over and over and over again. And if ya ever need a third. lol.

Just the one creek out/in - not sure. The whole region is tiaga, kinda skeg like, a sponge but more elevated than the skeg. Run off isn't as quick in many parts, and so that's why I believe some lakes hold what they've got so well. Same lure but in black and silver has worked well for lake eyes in the region. Edgar should have a very subtle point about halfway up the lake on the west side. Fishing can be good there as well as right out in front of the cabins.

I believe I remember reading or hearing somewhere that Edgar coughed up a 48" as it's biggest known pike. Wouldn't be hard to believe as it does connect to Kesagami by about 3km of creek, and where that creek enters the lake is near a large shallow spawning bay for pike and the Kesagami river for spawning eyes. I had looked at Edgar before and for it's size and location you have great odds of catching great fish. There wasn't much snow at all up here this winter so water levels may be a little lower than the normal. The season should be about par though as ice-out is later this year than last, and, without the snow to insulate the lake ice this year, that ice seemed to freeze good and thick. One thing to these lakes when hunting big pike in the early spring is, large baits will work and you should try them first always for bigger fish, but, early season baitfish are smallish but abundant, and so, like here on the Moose in the warming back bays you can find a good number of largish pike taking frequent small meals of fish like dace. Don't be afraid to burn small spoons and #4&5 in-lines just across the surface. Tonnes of voles and mice last fall. TONNES. It was that odd 7 year cycle and they were everywhere. Brought lots of hawks and owls into the area. If many vermin still survived the winter, think topwaters of the like as those little blind buggahs that tend to fall into water alot.

The Pete dood is skinnier than I thought. Couldn't tell him apart from the rake. lol. Must be all the musky, drugs and rock and roll.

I sleep with nightmares only. When I'm awake it's the dream. lol.

I've lived up here for 7 years and have never even suffered 1 mosquito bite. Seriously, I can't remember anything but a spider bite, blackfly bites and an ant bite on my shoulder while camping in the swamp during a real serious Canada day heat. Green nasties, grey wimpies, brown elusives and killer whites they've all tried. The whites riding the first north winds off the Bay have come closest as they don't land, they just dive bomb. Missisaks have come close on the ankles but still haven't taken a chunk. The key's to beating mosquitoes... hard liquour. Just ask beerman... three 9lb'ers on Twopeak... he had to be drinking more than just beer. lol. j/k Bugs aren't bad on the water. So, keep fishing and never go to shore.

You're cheering amongst the wrong crowd. But, I got your message loud and clear... and will pass it along.

1 month.. all species or just sport species??? Either way... I'd bet impossible.

Yeah... this is one tricky buggah of a thread. Into the Glenlivet.... was thinking for a second about a response.... but maybe I'll wait ti'll tomorrow.

Stunning stuff. Another "kick in the head" great bow report with super pics. Makes me just the slightest, teenie weeniest bit envious.

Real cool pics of an elusive and usually shy cat. Once saw one in the wild atop a bluff overlooking a logging road I was driving up in Zec Dumoine. A rarity, but definetly not an encounter forgotten. Cool cats.

Esox, Real Fishing, ODC, OOD and Canadian Fly Fisher. A couple will likely not be renewed but all are good magazines. Anything fishing, in fact makes good reading material.

Thanks all, glad ya's enjoyed the Kesagami Reports. What a fish factory... real fun times. See yas again on the soft water. C'mon break-up.

Had every intention when RJ and Jaz left of getting back to Kesagami for one last time with Bren. The warm weather that flooded the ice roads and runway, refroze when an early April cold snap came through, then, 60cm of snow fell over 4 days and basically just gave us winter back. Thursday rolled around and we had our window. With a voucher to fly one last time we took to the skies and headed to heaven for some pike and eye fishing. Plan was, get Bren into her first "real" pike on the ice. Landing on the lake with all the recent snowfall I had no exact idea of where we had set-up in March. We wandered a little, but the snow was tiresome so thinking we were close we set-up. I drilled two holes for eyes and four for pike, and so with Bren exercising a little Right, dropped 3 deadbait set-ups and one lure for the pikeys, and the 2 of us took to jiggin' in the eye holes. Wind slowly built through the day as the sun eventually dipped behind the clouds for good. Temps were warm out of the gusts around zero, but the wind sure had a wee chill. The holes were filling with about 4-6 inches of slush every 15 minutes, and I got tired of making the long treks through the deep stuff to clear them, so I made it work suited for about every 45 minutes. Bren had been jiggin the one hole she just wouldn't leave and was really putting the hurt on the walleye population. I was happy to see she was being respectful to the fishery and releasing many fish without me having to remind her that, the family for now has enough back home for a number of meals. It was around noon when she hooked into a little drag peeler of a fish. Her eyes lit up with excitement. The drag on the little Mitchell ultralight sang a few short sweet tunes as the fish tugged away on the 10lb test Power Pro. Before long, she iced her new personal best pike, a 31 inch rocketus. Score 1 - 0 It was but only 10 minutes or so afterwards while jiggin eyes that I hooked into a tester of my own. Short battle over and a 35 incher came to hand. Score 1 - 1. Things went a little weird after this. While off tending to the pike lines Bren ices a 35 inch pike of her own while jiggin eyes. PB #2. She affectionatley calls it a teenager, as her 31 was the baby. She made no measurement but said it was the same as my fish. Upon returning to her, she nails another one. I'm watching my woman in awe. She's never caught a fish through the ice much bigger than a 3 pound walleye, now, she's playing what is another big fish like a champ. Only coaching I gave was brief, when I just said, pull up with the rod then reel down on the fish when it's not taking line. Be careful and slow when you think it's close to the hole, and, don't reel against the drag. She listened well, but in all honesty didn't really have too. She's seen bigger fish played before. After a good long stuggle, she manages to pull this 36 incher up a 36 inch deep hole, and, it's barely pegged on her favorite little Pixie spoon. See what I mean. She's a champ. Up comes PB #3. After a quick second lesson of the hold. Grip tight, don't let go if it tries to jerk free, watch the gills... yada yada... a little tentative Bren get's right in there. After this biggun she wasn't even close to done. Same hole, back to jiggin, Bren ices her new personal best walleye; PB #4. A testy 22.5 incher..... ....only, to minutes later lock into battle with another big pike on her jiggin rod. The pike tussles but Bren over muscles, and stone to forehead a Goliath falls. Bren ices another new personal best (PB #5) a healthy looking 37 incher. Which, doesn't get photo time here as camera mode was wrong and all shots were a blur. By this time I'm racking my brain trying to understand it all. It's about 3pm and all the pike set-ups haven't even had a nudge. Bren's been pounding them from a hole only 20 feet from mine, and her numbers on both the pike and eyes are sky rocketting. I took a walk to try and figure out where the heck we were set-up. The shades of the snow now much different from mornings, reveal the telling signs of where feet once walked below. I found our old tracks and pathways below the foot of cover and retraced. As it turned out, we were too far north from my previous visits. In fact, my most southern pike set-up was about 30 feet off from my most northern set-up on the previous visits. We were also a little too shallow, with the exception of our eye holes and our southern most pike set-up. The way things were now I was able to imagine how the channel ran through that kilometer stretch. I wished I had brought the GPS. While I had been gone Bren iced another "teenage" 35 inch pike. I settled to cook some chowdah on the camp stove when again, the woman pegs another line tugger. But this time, it's an eye. And a good one. Personal best #6 (#2 for eyes) for the day, Bren decides she's letting this 24.5 inch healthy gold bar go after a pic with her other biggun from earlier. I'm tickled proud of her now. After lunch, I take a seat in the chair and pick up a few eyes and one snot rocket of my own. Bren is doubling me from her hole. I catch myself often just watching her technique. A technique that isn't even really a technique. Drop it down, hold the rod, jiggle once, then let the wind push you slightly and often off balance so the tip moves by accident, and "POP" another fish. For the life of me, I couldn't duplicate it's simplicity and effectiveness. Finally, 4pm and Bren's southern pike rig drops the rod tip. She says "you go, you haven't caught many." And so off running I get to the set-up, peg a fish... or so I thought, little reel peel a few times, and it's gone. Put the set-up back, action again, leave it a good while to take the bait, pick up the rod... it's gone. Nothing after that. Over on PikeSlayerinator#1 about 20 minutes later, after just cleaning out the hole and resetting the meat, I get some play. Wait.... wait.... hit.... play, play, nibble, nibble.... good solid tug at the meat by the fish.... tip holds down.... grab the line.... DRIVE IT.... reel peel.... gone. Defeated I return to Bren. Racking my brain again... cursing the proven lousy hook percentage of quick-strikes and wishing I had gone old school. To add salt to the wound, Bren's into another solid chunky monkey. No questions, good long fight with some big runs and a couple worrisome headshakes, Bren then at the hole turns it up with ease. Personal best #7. A chunky, really battle scarred, big momma 38 incher at 18lbs is in my baby's arms. Bren says, "I like catching the big ones....." .... And so, exasperated, awestruck and happy as a pig in poop, to show me that the previous 5 personal best pike weren't flukes, Bren about half an hour later locks into another Kesagami giant. Battle details aside, the seasoned pro plays another fish perfectly. Again, like all others before it, it's barely hooked. She has no leader. All fish were taken on a 1 1/2 inch Pixie on the tried, tested and true 10lb Power Pro. Unfrickinbelievable, Bren is 9 for 9 on pike for the day. Personal best for my girl (PB#6 for pike, #8 for the day) a 39 incher weighing 17 and change. Did she need my help, I guess not. Really strange to see all her fish come in succession like that. Nearing time to go home off on Bren's southern pike rod set-up the tip drops like an anvil from the sky. Bren gives the nod and I'm gone. At the hole the reels screaming. Pick it up once it stops, feel some weight, tighten the drag and hammer it home. One fish pee'd off it heads for the hills with a lightening fast first run, but after that, puts on it's boxing gloves for a good few rounds of drunken boxing. I knew it was a good fish, not my best, and I told Bren that when she arrived to me and dug at my side for the camera. Finally, up "he" came. We completed the run in inches from 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, and then the topper, my good shouldered, big headed, yet anorexicly tapered 40. What a day. That put the end to 2007 ice fishing. Was amazing what Bren pulled off in the final hour, going 9 for 9 on the pike and getting 25 walleye as well. Results for me were dismal in comparison with 12 walleye and 3 for 8 on the pike. Way to go Bren. Enjoy "your' report ya spoil sport. Totals on the pike for 2007 went like this.... RJ - 44" - 22lb to take top honors this year. me - 42.5" - 20.5lb me - 42" me - 40.25" me - 40" me - 39" Bren- 39" Bren- 38" RJ - 38" Jaz - 38" me - 38" me - 38" me - 37" Bren- 37" Bren- 36" me - 35" me - 35" Bren - 35" Bren - 35" Jaz - 35" Jaz - 35" Total pike = 31 caught. 2 kept. Largest walleye = 28" @ 8.5lbs. Get's better every year.