Moosebunk

No gate on the way in now... Two outfitters have boats cached on the lake plus the fly-in outfitter with two camps on the lake. As far as I know, it receives little to no ice fishing pressure because of tough winter access and BIG slush on the lake. You cannot drive-in and leave a vehicle there, nor launch. There are some nice campsites though. Anyways, a couple TV shows have been filmed in there in recent years as it's considered one of the better lakes in the area. Can't comment on many others. If it's walleye people went looking for I'd only guess to agree with your buddy as I have heard locals can be awfully hard on their fisheries. Hopefully life changes around PICS and you're back to making those summer trips. For next June you'd be lucky if you weren't booking right now. Nipigon walleye opens June 9th pretty sure it is, that's why that month to fish gets booked solid. It's the same for hunters in October, busy. Seemed to me most anglers are there for walleye, then lake trout, then specks. July is still a very busy month too, but August the bookings taper off some. Mid to late August in my experience (and Rob's at ORR) is best time for specks. I didn't fish Ombabika Bay on Lake Nipigon. Tried driving to it but a BIG rain the weekend before plus a hard downpour in the early morn before heading there in the truck, made for one deep mudpit that wasn't going to be overly kind to the new truck. Chose to fish the Ombabika river instead at Babika Lake. As said, your options are many. Nipigon is intimidating when you don't play safe. My radio receives the marine forecast at Flatland Island. Cell phones in some areas of the lake and all of the river do work, but not at ORR. The GPS is always on and Google Earth and mapping should be everyone's study if planning to go. No hydrographics and plenty contour, its the shoals that can get ya on that lake. Rob prints weather forecasts each morning from two sites, and he posts them on the office door. Boat size isn't a big thing really, it's being on or off the BIG lake at the right times. The 14-foot tinny with 25hp I used, moved 28-29mph, that's quick enough to get ya back in or too protected shorelines if weather does turn, and all other trips over the years have been in a 16ft boat.

Their zip line, slide and swings aren't for adults though... lol. And here ya Smitty... kept trying to score the sausages off the kid's plates today. They're awesome!!!

ORR would be right up your alley Chris. Pick a spot and go... but leave no weight behind for the trip. Trek easy into Onaman's any day you want.... Heck, we could plan one big group from here to book the resort a week and have right at it all bud! lol. Looking west to east on Onaman's through the gap there's no shoreline to be seen on the other side... big lakes like that just make you wanna run down the whole thing to check it out. There's life at both ends....

It'd be an easy stop for ya Shane on that route here. Geesh... I think it'd even be faster to access the camp from the Ompah side anyways.

Although none are ever too young for health problems like this, you're kinda too young ya know!?! Sorry to hear this Gerritt. You are as of stroke onset or shortly thereafter at your worst point. You WILL greatly improve from this time forward, you WILL get strong and heal, and you WILL learn from this. The fish God's are going to reward that BIG TIME when you're ready. But for now, rest easy, listen to advice and take your medicine. Get well dood!

Congrats on the PB. Planer boarding is killer on the eyes... downrigging not so much. but I suppose it could have it's moment. Average girth 26-27 inch walleyes are like 7 pounds, I think ya did better. 30's are probably around 10 pounds or more... Noice fish!!!

Arrrghhhh!!! Your new MOTOR!!! Sucks but could have been worse. You assume right too, between two markers all should be good. Thankfully you were only at troll speed.

Down the road from our place is Wheelers Maple Sugar Bush & Pancake House. The girls really enjoy breakfast there so we stopped in today. I hadn't checked out their Heritage Museum and still really haven't yet. Although, today Bren dragged me into one part of it where I had the chance to look over 100's of chainsaws and a few other things. Some of the chainsaws we found dated back to the 40's, and some were so big they had to be a couple 100 pounds a piece. Anyways, thinking how a few OFC'ers might like this too, with the phone I snapped some pics. For those not familiar with Wheelers, they are in the Guinness Book of World Records due to having the MOST maple syrup artifacts found in one place in this world. If driving up around MacDonald's Corners outside of Lanark, I'd recommend the "Canadian or Highland" breakfast and a look around. http://www.wheelersmaple.com/museum/ Anyhow, there was another couple buildings, plus the trails, plus the main lodge, making for plenty more to see. Bunk

My thoughts exactly. Sorry to HTHM, it sounds like a crummy situation. Agree with Mike though for sure... You've done plenty enough good for the guy already so take charge if it's not going good now.

Jimmy... you gotta be doing the graph thing right if you want to up your odds 1000%. You've done it through the ice with a graph or flasher methinks, so make that same vertical action happen on the softwater... and tweak from there. You got this dood, no problems.

I had typed, Geesh! Then chickened out. But Shane stepped up with Yikes! So I'm following his lead.

Had a Symetre do the same not that long ago. Took the reel apart and the big, rubber seal (see diagram part 11121) was worn and torn. It's basically there just to help keep some water but mostly dirt and debris out so I removed it, put all parts together again and the reel works great again. Only thing will be, I'll have to be more careful if dunking it and maybe clean it out a little more often. Check it out, could be the prob.

LIfe is good brutha Nick... and with a GF interested in fishing and the outdoors life will continue to be good brutha Nick. lol. Great looking day getaway dood!

Hehehe!!! Jimmy, you're one busy dood on the net and adding this place will only double that. lol. Enjoy.

That is a goody, why yes it is!

Smallie action like that is always a tonne of fun. There's a hike into spot I like to take the kids to for that kinda fun now and again. One after another. Good fishing dood!

Great colors on that spinnerbait. Bri... one warm little cottage lake I used to slip the toon into for largies with the odd smallie, I'd always and only have to chuck a gold Aglia #5. Tipped with a worm. It would cast a mile and lord man would it call fish in. Try that out sometime.

Sorry again Matt! Surely a loved dog with a great life.

Turns out it was the impeller. The housing was a wee tad worn too. 1/2 hour labor and those new parts plus all new seals wasn't that really a ding at all. Peace of mind now. Diagnostic on the engine showed no red lights, no further troubles. Oil changes at 100 hours and impeller inspection at 300 hours the manual recommends. Engines been going spring 2010 ti'll now, so into it's sixth year has almost 1000 hours, could say it was time for something to happen. It's seen it's oil changes and filters almost every 100 hours and other than that nothing. Still impressed; and in disbelief, we made it back the 40 kilometers with no engine coolant. The impeller gave no early warning signs of quitting until it just did. I think you're right with this point. So far the Lund is sucking on specks in the north which boggles me some, though they haven't been top priority by any means either. The boat has invested about 3 full days worth of hours during its two week long trips, for three fish total, but two of those fish were impressive at 5 and 6 pounds. There's been a few lost now as well. One group the week prior to my arrival really beat some up one day, but during the week I was there nobody reported anything other than a group which caught two 16-inchers. That area with it's huge lakers, huge pike (when ya find them), and walleye numbers with great sizes up to double digits too, seemingly always has something that's biting.... or at the very least really really worth chasing. There's a great number of guys (and gals) on this board I'd fish with in a heartbeat, the list would be long. You'd be right up there though Clive. That ginger power would be colossal bud. lol. Thanks to those reading, enjoying, and for the kind replies.

Gotta love that kinda fishing and fun 4X4. You're lucky to have a few buds I'm betting were friends from highschool or college that you're still doing these annual treks into the wild with. Great report... and that campsite and set up are MINT! Quite the damage on that EGB too. lol.

Thanks brutha Matt! And you, green&orange guy! Still not diagnosed... but I'll post when I do know. Got me wondering and worrying a little with the wait now.

Anything nasty eye related gives me the old heebie-jeebies bud. Don't slow down though... ever. Follow Doc advice and get'em worked on again if need be. As they've said above, it's amazing what can be done nowadays for the eyes. You'll keep float tubing where ya wanna be and not unknowingly kicking yourself into the deep blue. lol

An under-rated fish that provides one heckuva tug on the line. Nice catching dood!

Heard you found some of those specks I was although barely had time to look for. t'll happen down the road Tyler... It's too good a place not to revisit. Run with that good idea of yours too.

That's what I was thinking too. lol