Quality better than Quantity any day of the week!

[irishfield]

Waited a year to get our group ice fishing trip to Lake Temagami off to a start and here I wait for Terry and Dano to show up with their stuff, 9am Thursday Morning.

 

 

Right on schedule....arriving within minutes of each other, we loaded Terry's Quad and then Dano's sled and the TON of stuff they brought. Thank goodness for a large supply of ratchet straps!

 

 

Ready to roll and Leah out to see us off, despite the fact she shouldn't be out in the cold. Gotta love a women that stands behind what you do 150% and came out to say hi to the lads.

 

 

She also of course came out to take a picture so she could post an amber alert for us if we didn't return. Terry, myself and Dano.

 

 

Shortly after leaving my laneway we had the opportunity to pick up some free meals.

 

 

A non-eventful 4.5 hr drive to Temagami and instead of finding an iceroad to greet us, that my neighbour usually has plowed, we found 12" ++ of snow on the lake. Choice was unload and sled everything out..... Or go for it! We picked go for it and had no problems getting the ¾ mile out to my island, did about a dozen circles to pack a parking area and unloaded.

 

 

Dano, got to shoveling his favourite trail! And I went in and turned the power on, and got the wood stove going.

 

 

Then we got all the machinery unloaded and our stuff into the cottage.

 

 

Had some supper and went out and drilled some holes just off the island to see if we could get a few pickeral.....while waiting for Ron and Lloyd to arrive. They got delayed due to an accident on #11.....but arrived around 9:30 PM. Ron.... via cell phone with me..... attempted to negotiate the path I left in the snow, with a bit of wandering one side or the other, making it out no problem either. We helped them unload their gear and we settled in for the night of laughter, fish tales and other lies.

 

Got up bright and early.. thanks to Lloyd and his 6am alarm. Had a quick breakfast and got ready for the run up the lake.... About 8 miles!

 

 

Tried out my new ice finder. Had some battery issues, but Ron had a spare that he was nice enough to lend me.

 

 

Dan, Terry and I set up on a 20 to 30 foot hump..

 

 

and Ron and Lloyd set up in 50 FOW a short distance away.

 

 

Well it took about 38 minutes before Dano yelled fish on!! I was getting ready to reel up and run to take pictures of his fish when I saw a BIG arch below my triangle jig pattern showing on the finder. I gave my bait a couple good 5 foot pulls and FISH ON!! and what a fight. Stripping 100 feet of line at times. Dan landed, released his fish, walked over, watched the fight for awhile, asked me for my camera, got action shots, etc.

 

 

I thought my rod was going to break. When I finally got it up by the hole it started swimming in circles and I thought for sure it was going to cut my line. But I got it up the hole and got a hold on it. Sure glad Terry cut me a 10 inch hole!

 

 

I look like I'm wasted on crack....but we were laughing pretty hard on this one. Massive head. Fish was 37" long x 19" girth and weighed 18.5lbs..then released very well back down the hole for someone else to enjoy. Wish I had of got a better hold on it..but what can you do after it's down the hole!?

 

 

 

Friday was a beautiful day. About -12C or so, sunny..but the wind came up. Sure glad I made the Clamp-it shelter on the side of my cutter. Worked GREAT to block all the wind while sitting on the sled set.

 

 

I heard Ron mumbling something from his shelter... fish on! Nice eater Whitefish that Lloyd and Ron seemed to have dialed in....taking home 6 or 7.

 

 

 

Friday over and we all settled in to a good supper and some TV. What else... Pete Maina muskie Videos ! Ron, Dano, Lloyd Daume (Fishhunter)

 

 

Next morning it was a balmy -31C !! Up the lake we went again and about ½ way there my ears started stinging. Guess a bit of a draft thru my old helmet. Lloyd was right on the Whities. We couldn't move him off his spot. Three days on the same spot.

 

 

Ron running the take out window from his hut. Mr. Noodles and wraps heated on his hut heater. Calls you over for you meal and hands it out the window of his Eskimo.

 

 

Dano had a BIG laker on and was in a big fight. I had time to walk over from about 400 feet away and get a shot of him in action and a shot when the lakers head hit the ice and the hook ended up embedded in same! GONE!

 

 

I prefer Quality over quantity any day. Big bait! big fish !! Red October Muskie tube!

 

 

Lloyd still at it !

 

 

 

Ron with another.....this one he released.

 

 

Slow day for the rest of us and the cold took it's toll a bit early so we headed in as we were going for Chinese Food at 6pm. Our gear wrapped up ready for the next day.

 

 

Was VERY glad to see my stone work still on the wall!

 

 

That night my left ear lobe was really sore and swollen. It then started oozing clear liquid. Next thing I know many THICK layers of skin started peeling off. Frostbite had taken it's toll on it and I learned a very important lesson. Buy a new helmet! Use a hoodie or bellaclava at all times when running at 30 MPH in -31C temps! It's a real mess today.. my ear that is.

 

I'd arranged for Johnnyb and his "buddy" to join us Sunday am early (7am) and we took them up the lake to our "spot". His gal Jesse put on a clinic for us !

 

 

 

 

Started to snow VERY hard about noon on Sunday. Only way I knew which way was home was based on the way I was sitting on the sled seat.

 

 

It went from a blizzard to freezing rain..to rain in very short time. Jesse showed us how it was done a couple more times and we stuck it out to 3pm or so and then headed back.

 

 

Can see Terry was a boy scout leader in another life! LOL

 

 

We knew Monday was going to be a right off. That foot of snow was now about 8 inches of heavy wet slush. We had a hard time even loading the sleds on the trailer.

 

 

 

 

Loaded up, cleaned up the cottage, re-antifreezed the plumbing drains and turned the power off until we make it up again.

 

Want to thank everyone for making it a GREAT weekend away. Thanks to OFC we've put together some great fishing trips with the same lads over the last couple of years and it's always a GREAT time!

Edited February 19, 2008 by irishfield

[Ramble]

AWESOME report, and a great laker....i am definatly jelous.

 

Sounds like you guys had a great trip.

 

-R-

[fishindevil]

Awesome fishing report wayne !!!!! congrats on that huge lake trout ,right on !!!! great fishing pics ,and nice catches for everyone .. .well done,man that scenery looks so nice in winter,glad everybody had a blast & caught lots of fish !!!! so what time is dinner anyway ???....cheers boys

[Garyv]

Nice to see everyone had a great time

[icefisherman]

Thanks for the nice report and pictures Wayne.

Tried to figure out where were those pictures taken but I guess I need few more trips to Temagami to be able to guess it.

Seems like you've got the smaller brother of the 20 Lbs. laker I got last summer ;-) I am sure it was even more fun through the ice.

 

Cheers,

Ice Fisherman

[ccmtcanada]

WOW!!!! Amazing report guys! Some awesome fish there...looked like a great time. That is one heck of a fish you got there Wayne!!!!

[Rustic-Fisher]

AWESOME report, and a great laker....i am definatly jelous.

 

Sounds like you guys had a great trip.

 

-R-

 

Great read,

that 18lb laker is what keeps us going every year.

Truly a magnificent specimen.

Rustic

[irishfield]

Sorry for the condensed report ! The lads will fill in the blanks I'm sure. I wanted to get this posted up before I head to the city, for an undetermined amount of time, as our older daughter's into St. Mikes's tomorrow afternoon for pre-op and an operation on Wednesday.

Edited February 19, 2008 by irishfield

[Joeytier]

I am very envious of you.

I have yet to go on a northern ice fishing excursion.

Oh, how I despise southern ontario

[bigbuck]

Very very nice Laker!!!

I saw a big honking 21 foot Baron at the show, HOLY FREAKIN' COW!!! It's HUGE!! I guess that's the Cadillac of Lunds. SUWHEET!!

[danc]

Fantastic report Wayne. And congrats on the Laker. Looks like a great time!!

[Roy]

Great report guys. Super pics...gunna be lotsa memories in that one for sure.

 

Wayne, good luck in the city, hug Jen and please give her our best.

[Sinker]

BEAUTY!!!

 

Looks like fun boys!!

 

Sinker

[Moosebunk]

Awwwwwwwww Crikey.

 

That one was almost unbearable to read Wayne. I can't stand being this envious, wishing I had friends to fish with, big fish to catch, a cabin on Temagami... and a weekend of good times and success like that.

 

Great laker man. GREAT.

 

Thanks for the report.

 

Great laker... again.

[solopaddler]

Fantastic report Wayne, and a truly incredible fish to catch through the ice. You must have been shaking .

[Smokey]

Great post Wayne. Nice to see the boys had another successful outing and some fish were caught. Congrats on the huge laker and it's release.

 

Thanks for ther report.

 

Mike

[Joey]

What a super report Wayne. That is one brute of a laker, well done

 

And I must say, we missed your smart aleck comments for a few days

 

Joey

[carll2]

awesome report and amazing lakers..i cant wait for the next report...keep it up

[tbayboy]

Great report Wayne, sounds like a wonderful way to spend some time with friends. Beauty laker too!

[iceguy]

Nice pics/report. Awesome Laker!

[douG]

Great report, Wayne. Some great photographs, and HUGE LAKERS!! Very nice, very nice.

 

Best to you, Leah, and to your little one visiting Toronto, hope she's made to feel welcome.

 

Best,

 

Doug

[johnnyb]

I think you covered all the bases on that report Wayne -- thanks again(!) for the hospitality -- Jessy and I can't wait to explore more of Temagami. We actually dropped in on Jim Monday morning and he pointed us down the road to Cassels lake. Public parking, walked out 100 meters or so, and, well, since Jessy still wanted to fish, you know the rest She pulled up a decent trout, and all I could do was keep pace with a smallmouth bass, of all things!

Anyway...glad that everyone got home safe....good luck to your daughter at the hospital.

 

JB

[gone_fishin]

that's a beauty lake trout.

 

looks like an awesome trip!

[medmart]

Sounds like every one had a great time nice laker

 

rob

[KyleM]

What happened to Danos slimer Kitty Cat sled from last year???