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After taking a break from our annual Northern Trip in 2015, KT and I felt somehow that life was missing something last year. The question was, after experiencing Nipigon’s bounty 2 years in a row (the last of which gave me 4, 40+ inch pike in 4 hours) the question was – what could compare, or if not compare, at least offer an experience that would not be a let-down in comparison? Oh, the choices – read this site, check out Mike Borger’s site, check the ‘net. Endless are the choices. Well, for a few reasons, we decided on Lac Seul. We heard it had good to great fishing, there is the Northern Scenery, a OFC regular lives not far from there, and I have never jigged for fish (all those currently exhaling gasps of disbelief – refer to name and avatar). First determination”: Not drivable distance if one only has 8 days. So itinerary: Toronto – T-bay, car rental and lodge. Decided on a lodge based on some input from here (some that were waaaaaaaayyyy out of my price league I would have really liked to try, but ….. such is not my lot in life) and responses from enquiries. And the envelope please…… 2 men, boat, 36 minnows a day, 1675 lund outfitter with a yammie 40, unlimited gas, for less than a G a week. Boat has fishfinder (kinda .. see below) and all the usual. Kinda. Hate Air Canada – will fly with almost anyone else if I can, anywhere, anytime. Porter won out. Positives – free beer on flight (if you aren’t the DD); negatives: Bathurst and Lakeshore (blech). Spring fishing show in January provides me with a cool device for the trip and I go for the whole enchilada, knowing I will be able to use it in lots of different fishing situations: http://www.fishfindermounts.com/#!product/prd1/2792762631/10ah-7.5-magnetic-boat-mount-kit%2C-up-to-9%22-screens After months of waiting through my least favourite season (anything other than full-blown summer) the day is finally here. We pack with the goal of minimising those darn baggage fees and I’m pretty sure all is good. The above mentioned fishfinder mount with elite 5 , battery, ducer cables and all in my carryon with the tackle, ‘cause I figure it would scan kinda interesting, and I might never get to Lac Seul if I am not there to explain. All is good – we check in, 1 set of rods, 2 carry-ons – until they ask to weigh the carry on… Weigh the Carryon? Seriously? Hm… seems I have doubled the allowable carryon limit and it must now be checked in. Ok, well, that’s disappointing $63 dollars’ worth of disappointing… but I better explain this to the baggage screener…. Hi baggage screener – I guess I have to check this in, and I need to explain that you will a fish-finder that looks a lot like a bomb on your fancy machine…. Please remove it sir and put it through here. Somehow it goes through, I don’t get arrested (but am advised, don’t use the word bomb, even if it comes after the words “only looks like a”. Just say something interesting). Anyway off it goes – with no particular notes or handling to identify “contains interesting package” on the outside. During the screening my coffee blew its lid, and had to be sealed with the Howie Mandel secret sealing compound Needless to say the 2 hours early we arrived were consumed with check in. Now, you just know that with a check in like that, things can only get better……….. right? Well…. Ya, kinda. Flight is scheduled for 12:00 depart Delay 1 – crew is from the US and needs to be cleared by customs (15 minutes)… now we board Delay 2 – just doing some paperwork (KT and Spincast exchange knowing glances but do not say Interesting or Bomb) Delay 3 – Just have a baggage discrepancy (KT and Spincast exchange knowing glances and mentioning interesting luggage in the screening process) … Suddenly, stewardess approaches our row with a boarding pass in hand (and poorly hiding the fact she is hiding something behind that pass, likely my picture for the check in) and says “14C” – She mentions a name that has no relation to mine (occupier of 14C), to which I say, “Nope” ; then she says, Oh, I have the boarding pass from the last flight……. You didn’t happen to see a hat here did you…. The gentleman from this seat on the last flight is looking for his hat” “No hat” say KT and I (inside our head – ok, is this where they escort us off the plane and the only fishing we are doing is very unpleasant?) … but no, off she trots, and all is good…… 5 minutes later we are in the air and on our way…………………………. Late, we take a shortcut right over my wife’s hometown, trying to make up lost time. It looks a lot nicer from 25,000 ft. Touching down in T-bay, we get back to the business of experiencing our get away. We collect our car (I don’t care what Budget says, Kia Optima is not a full size car, nor comparable to the Impala we reserved) and hit the road. We have an invite pending in Dryden. One quick stop at a place we have both driven by more than once but never experienced. Apparently this is second only to Niagara Falls for water quantity. The scenery begins to speak its magic and starts to unwind the stress of Monday to Friday routine. Arriving in Dryden some 5 hours later, we call our OFC friend who has invited us for dinner and are provided water taxi to the ultimate location and served fresh walleye fish tacos with homemade salsa and guacamole… yum. A more gracious host you could not meet Despite the generous offer to stay for the fireworks we make an exit just before sunset and head back to the motel for the night. For the next 7 days we experience Lac Seul at her best, and not so best. We were the “Ontario Guests”. The Lodge owner Andrea is an efficient and organised woman. You are greeted with commands barked to her staff to get your cabin ready and an invite into the office, where in no time flat she has marked all the spots big fish were caught last week – way more than you can hope to hit in 7 days. But you better pay attention, because this is the “one and only” time this will be presented to ya J. Before I let the pictures do the rest of the talking, a couple comments on the camp – beds, 10+ for comfort – defintiley the best I have had. The guys who look after the boats were friendly and helpful – if somewhat hard to understand (got “Boyo out of almost all the sentences, but the rest could have been double Dutch J ) The boats were reliable although the Live wells didn’t work and “some dey has nav lights, and some, dey don’t) We had 3 cold fronts pass through in 7 days – including the one in the vid which some guys got caught in miles from home and had to sit out. Wabigoon River on the way to Lac Seul - just a little blown out. Had to stop and try, but no takers Some incredible sunsets and sunrises .. our cabin - making plans.... plans starting to gel hey, look, this jigging thing works! check out them chompers... sweet morning bite Jigging success... did I mention the storm? That some guys got caught in (the same guys who left their windows open?) We had a guide for a day - let me tell ya - this guy knows his fishing up this way, even looks the part sometimes - professor Walleye and cooks up a wicked shore lunch that had the locals swarming and a few more to close out this long winded report... a visitor stopped by thanks for reading (if you got this far)... now, for the big water......