Moosebunk

Thanks doods.... Exhausted after some activities with the girls over a few days.... .... thinking may have to try the Ausable some Autumn for troots too. Wicked looking water. She couldn't cook, fish or save money when met her Mike. lol. Does all that stuff better than me now. News interview with lodge owner after we had left... Should be an interesting time in the season there... feedbaggin' pike and fat prespawn lakers and specks. We should talk before you go tho,

My favorite and Bren's is still the Tree too. Each trip unforgettable. Thanks Rick. Thanks Tyler. While on Nipigon couple weeks ago you crossed my mind, wondered if you made it out there again this year? Then, this week I'm talking to a buddy about an early fall roady trip and thinking we might rip through the Soo, got wondering again about hooking up. Not sure it's in the plans though now, may try for later season, but still want to head out that way at some point. Thought you were coming Ottawa way this summer too? You got a seat, anytime. We'll keep in touch man. It will be worth it. It's almost a 100% bet I'd make. With companies like Plummer's they don't need a guy like me trying to sell people on their services as outfitters, their reputation has stood at the top for decades. But these days, trips like this are becoming easier for people to do. Airmiles and Aeroplan for flights are an example. I used points, paid just the taxes ($170) to get two of us from Ottawa to Yellowknife return, with only short stop-overs each way in Calgary. An easy day of flying for nearly nothing. That's a start. As far as outfitters in the Northwest Territories go, here's a little bit of info as well. Angler tourism in the last 5 years is down from about 7,000 to 4,400 visiting anglers per year. These are people generally bringing in good money to not only the outfitters, but also airlines and some communities. This big a drop-off in anglers tracked through outfitting services, one can imagine those visiting as DIY types has declined as well. The NWT pushes for tourism quite hard, look at SpectacularNWT's adds online and nationally in the Globe, Lodges and outfitting services don't want to close up shop. They want to weather the storm, and hope for better days when the U.S. economy/dollar rebounds some, and angler interest grows again. In the meantime, it's primetime for Canadians, and as so, with some outfitters there may just be some negotiable deals to be had. A great thing considering angling pressure is lower now than over many years passed, but great services are still there and travel is made easy. Who knows what tomorrow will bring if the downward trend of visiting anglers continues??? If you and a buddy, or four of you have X number of dollars to spend but think one outfitters price tag is a turnoff, you're making a mistake by not at least picking up the phone and asking what can be done for what you can offer. Some money in pocket is always better than nothing at all. Anyways, thanks again folks for the kind replies. Enjoyed our trip, had to capture it, glad yous enjoyed coming along too.

"Looook at that JACK!!!" "Get it!!!" Your son netting your fish Simon is priceless and timeless footage, then netting your boys big walleye, even better. NETMAN Scoops!!! Great video Simon. You're so going to appreciate that in 10, 20, 30 years time.

First shot is the one Brian. Fish ain't half bad though.

Great report Rich. Nice to see friends and fish come together with you and Patsy this week. Despite it being slow for yas, the good weather and good times surely made up for it. It is a weird year for sure, and even up on Nipigon last week the cabbage beds that would normally be 4 to 6 feet high or more, were 1/2 to 1 foot. Found fish in transition but not too set-up in any one place, and certainly fussy in shallows. Anyways, nice muskie for your efforts.

LOL!!! We'd make a real cabin raucous together Bill.

I'll go with ya Doug. Glad you came back with your beard intact. One falling ember hits your chin and your hairy head would ignite in an atomic blow NASA would report. But seriously, enjoyed the recap you sent and very happy you got to experience that Doug. Check one off your bucketlist bud. Late response here, working, and seriously had to give your next question some thought... Not that I hadn't pondered some on that already... Most ideal time to go to Slave is last week of July, first two weeks of August. At least that is what my guide and some other's feel is best. Lakers are stacked up together best, staging, and in easy to reach location. Bren and I chose earlier because our girls were being looked after at camp, and also because a friend recommended this earlier period as his favorite time to go. If choosing Bear for lakers alone, I'd think anytime is a good time to go but I'd probably go second or third week into their open season. Fishing nearer to the main lodge from what I know is better then, and so are catch numbers. They tend to troll only at Bear and so the fish would be quite shallow then too. Dave (DRIFTER) used to guide there and he'd be a good one to ask what he thinks best time at Bear is. Is the guide covered. YES. But tipping is a must, and that's pointed out in a handbook Plummer's provides when booking. I'd recommend both for different reasons. Places like this once they get into you, you're wrecked for life. Visiting somewhere like the Tree, you'll go years afterwards thinking about it at least once a week... Price: Slave wins. Cheapest package to start with and no added costs with the fly-outs necessary. Main Lodge: Slave again. Both are great, though Slave's is nicer with a million dollar view and better fishing right from shore. Rooms: Both. Bren's and my cozy Cabin #8 on Bear with the windows looking to the Narakays was our favorite. Staff: Amazing at both lodges. Boats: Same at both lodges. Travel: Slave. You get to the lodge earliest on day 1 and can have a full days fishing, (half day or so at Bear) You depart earliest as well final day, and can more easily make one day flights and connections to get all the way home, without the possibility of incurring extra travel costs. Fly-outs: Bear wins. There are no fly outs at Slave. There is some mind-blowing fishing to be had on Bear's fly-outs. Fishing... it's kinda equal and depends how you want to fish, who you're fishing with and what your goals are. Through my experience and others the PROS to Slave are... Jigging. Using lighter gear, hunting archs on the sonar, playing that game for lakers is more fun to me than trolling, but people catch plenty fish trolling at Slave too. Numbers. I'd guess Slave consistently boasts better numbers of fish caught by guests over a week long period. A consideration if taking kids, newbies, spouses... Area. At Slave the fishing is done much closer to the Lodge. Travel times in the boat tend not to be as long, again no fly-outs are needed and there's more time fishing. Safety. I believe there are more protected areas on Slave to fish if the weather turns nasty, and there are never any no-fishing days. Fish. Slave is a 30+ pound laker factory. You go there and you have a legitimately excellent chance at fish like this, maybe multiple times over in a week. Twenties are commonplace as well. On an "average" trip expect your boat to likely catch about 200 lakers, and lose 100 too. Our guide tells me that 70-80 fish days can happen at Slave... within sight of the Lodge. Comparing with the PROS of Bear... Trolling. My wife likes this better as it's more relaxing. Covering lots of water and taking in the scenery, while pulling lures like Huskys and Flatfish on heavy rods is for most part the Bear life. Numbers. I haven't put a full week in at Bear because of the Tree, nor gone earlier or late season, nor paid for more than one fly-out to best spots, so I'm not sure what an average weeks catch is, I do however have a friend that's spent numerous weeks on Athabasca, Slave and Bear on different occasions, and he tells me that your numbers go down as your potential for bigger size goes up. Area. Plenty area to cover near the main lodge, other lodges on the lake you can book into, fly-outs, guided river trips onto the tundra's rivers, the Tree River, with Bear it's an endless world to cover. You could go on many trips over and over, and do something different, some place different, everyday. Fish. This is where the serious hunt World Records, and where you have a best shot at a 40+ pound laker on your trip. 20+ pound Arctic char too. If getting down to business fishing only lakers, I'd probably by a hair choose Slave even despite those hog fish being up at Bear. If choosing one trip over the other for an overall experience combining all things available, myself and Brenda for sure, everytime, would go to Bear with the Tree. That's the trip which got us into all this mess to begin with. Hope that rambling helps ya out.

That's the link Dave. Thanks. My buddy Dan's cabin was in trouble too, not sure how that all ended up. Understand yours is your life blood right now dood, hoping the winds are in your favor. It'd be a real shame that kind of set back with the work you've put into it. AHEM!!!!!!!! From: A Bunker Sent: December-09-13 9:40 PM To: Bolgert@.... Cc: A Bunker Subject: 2014 Trip. Arctic Trip Planning. “Have been thinking it would be a decent time to try and sort out a group trip for 2014........ a trip to one of these BIG three laker & pike fisheries of Northern Canada.......” Didn't forget ya!!! As always, I keep the real in it buddy. Didn't plan on bothering with them at all, although there's some pike fishing to be had there for sure. Northern Store shelves are wiped out eh!?! Can't go nowhere either eh!?! Remember those days during fall freeze and spring break ups. Least we could breathe. Did you get the rain yesterday??? Thanks tonnes OFC gang, as always, happy you're enjoying the report. Exceptional time for us, tried to do it justice in the report.

For me... notepad and two pens. One bottle of single malt. Earplugs. For buddies... copies of a map, and measuring tapes. Lost lying basstards the lot of them. lol.

My friend Susan posted on her FB tonight how she's praying for rain. How many different fires are actually burning up there now? Dan while I was there showed me some website that marked red dots on a map as to where the clusters of fires were burning, there was something like 103 fires at the time. Up behind Niven some place I guess, there's a road that veers off and a popular park or spot for marriages, well that was in trouble last I was there. I really quite like visiting Yellowknife and think it's such a cool place in a cool place... Your fall rains can't come soon enough, although I guess after all these fires burn down the Territory, you should be good for 100 years or more. And, the fish aren't feeling a thing right now. My big laker pics great, Bren's big laker pics even better really, but the one shorelunch photo, the orange creamsicle laker shot you speak of and, probably the last grayling pic are definite favorites from the trip. Thinking might first need to just archive it some place like a website. Probably never a book, who'd pay to read my kinda crap. lol. That's putting it mildly. lol. Wind shifted the following day after we left, and it came out of the south. This gave the firefighters a window to back burn the land behind the airstrip and camp, and so they did. Risky business, they actually started a huge fire to avoid an even bigger fire moving closer. And so that back burn along with the real fire is what you can view in the final picture. Once the winds would shift back and pushing the fire towards the lodge again, the land would already have been scorched leaving no fuel for the fire to move forward and burn down Plummers. It was no miracle this lodge being saved, it was the act of very dedicated and brave souls who risk harm fighting fires. What are we chasing after first bud? Absolutely me too Tom. Thanks bud.

Love it! Bits and pieces while at work the other night to get this whopper read Pete. You shy a partner for some future chapter, write me in dood! Although it appears you two make a successful team.

Take a call yesterday... you got one of my buddy's droolin' Ashweig on me now. Thanks Mike.

http://bunksoutdoorangle.com/to-slave-for-lakers/

http://bunksoutdoorangle.com/to-slave-for-lakers/

http://bunksoutdoorangle.com/to-slave-for-lakers/

During 1938 while in Yellowknife on business, Warren Plummer and his father had heard stories from local folk about an incredible fishing area called the "Taltheilei Narrows" on Great Slave Lake. Curious, the two traveled by canoe some 150 miles with a 4hp motor to discover the legends were true. In a short time afterwards, Taltheilei Narrows became the site for Plummer’s Great Slave Lake Lodge. Adventurers began visiting to enjoy some of the finest fishing, scenery, and outfitting service in the Northwest Territories, a tradition that continues to this day. Trophy lake trout up to 60 pounds, arctic grayling and northern pike, can all be caught from the lodge. Choosing to jig the narrows for lakers to 45 pounds or, trolling the bays for that chance at a 60, Great Slave Lake Lodge and it’s surrounding northern beauty provides the perfect stage for anyone’s Arctic fishing memories. But could July 2014 be the year all this history is lost??? Early winter Brenda had asked if we could go fishing come summer. When she requests such, that usually means we'll be breaking the bank and heading some place to be overly pampered while afforded the incredible. Okay by me. Back 2008 she cut her teeth on the travel fishing experience at Plummer's Lodge Great Bear Lake and Tree River. A return trip in 2011, it was evident that being together and fishing like this is time we both deeply cherish. Trying to make every three years become our ritual, this winter after inviting a number of friends to join in with the hope of creating a group trip, the two left standing were just Brenda and I... Fine by us, our only concern afterwards became where to go. Lake Athabasca and Great Slave were the choices, although Brenda wanted Great Bear and the Tree again more than anything. All things considered, I chose Great Slave for these reasons. Protected waters, for the safety the area provides and the knowing that there are never any "no fishing" days. As well, Slave is quite likely the lake trout jigging mecca of all, and Plummer's as an outfitter provides services second to none for experiencing such. Finally, it is a place possessing a long fishing history, yet at the same time is completely new and interesting to us. I was eager for it. After earlier angling growth and experiences on James Bay jigging walleyes to more recent years dropping jigs for lake trout all over my local Hell's half acre, I thought it good time to tackle Great Slave's legendary lake trout. "To Slave for Lakers." For the full picture loaded story visit here... http://bunksoutdoorangle.com/to-slave-for-lakers/ Thanks for reading, Bunk.

Had no idea you needed anything to go floating in a belly boat... other than the boat. lol. Glad the fuzz didn't confiscate your fun Brian.

Onaman's is one great place now matter how or what you wanna fish for. Specks are a trickier start that end of the lake but the eyes and pike are plentiful. You get a laker, expect it be a tank. Thoroughly enjoyed this and any report that comes off that lake. Good fishing guys, thanks for posting.

Lakers get no respect. lol. Where's the pics? Good fishing Farmer!

Some day I gotta get me my first open water King. Maybe when I do it'll be a lucky one enough to win the derby. Stellar fishing as always Aaron.

That's some quality family time right there. Place looks purdy sweet and what a big, fish-loaded lake to explore. Another goody Mike!

Just got out of there yesterday with Bren. Hopefully our week wasn't the last for that Plummer's lodge. Beautiful place, exceptional fishing, incredible history. Slave's finest.

Joe said it all first. Agreed too... that is a great idea with the bottle cap.

Thanks gents. Middleville Ontario Brian. Pretty well middle of the road along a country route called the Wolf Grove between Hopetown and Almonte, but turning off to head north on the Galbraith Rd. This farmer's fence line is made up of derelict farming equipment. In the field behind graze Highland Cattle. First time turning down that road it was a scenic drive from there over to Clayton.

Hopefully more and more your wife will tag along with ya Buck. My girl is a quiet one most of the time, but when it comes to catching fish while out with me, she's an animal. It's always a great thing to get out there with the better half.