irishfield Posted March 10, 2008 Report Posted March 10, 2008 Well I headed off to Temagami solo on Thursday morning, after having the usual suspects come up with lame excuses like “can’t get time off work” and “gotta go to my mother’s”… and nonsense such as that. Also dropped some hints around here, to some others, but guess they wuzn’t that desperate for free accoms or guiding. So…. I drove thru some pretty crappy conditions to get there, but it was nice enough to clear up just as I arrived. Drove down the lake and…. I know that nobody in the South would believe it but….. I couldn’t even find a snow bank to unload my sled… had to make one by hand. Great part was I didn’t even have to shovel the path to the cottage from when we were up three weeks ago! Got the power turned on and the wood stove stoked (and burning this time Terry!) and then headed back outside. One of the main reasons I went up was to cut down a couple trees before the “huggers” return for the summer season. I got one down… but chickened out on the pine, that’s leaning over my power line and cottage, without someone to at least drive the truck to pull it in the direction opposite the lean. May need to make another trip up now, with a few extra ropes and able bodies. Hint… hint… This shot shows it pretty good….. The reason I tell my Mother as to why I refer to the place as “Hump Rock” Got myself all settled in, thinking of where I wanted to head out to fish on Friday, and took a nice sunset picture. Had supper and was enjoying the peace and quiet when, I suspect, the lunch I had in North Bay had different ideas. Spent most of the night hugging “Ralph” and thru most of Friday as well. Needless to say, no fishing happened on Friday. Hadn’t it been for a few text messages with Leah and Dano to keep my spirits up… I may have ended things just to feel better! Saturday I’d arranged to meet up with Barry (my realestate agent) and Darren (owner of Lakeland Airways). I’d thought we were heading up Lady E way.. but they had a different plan. We headed east across Snake and Cassels lakes.. thru the bush.. thru a few small lakes, bush and onto Sunrise Lake… where we met up with 20 or so guys and I’d bet a 1/4 million+ worth of sleds! The boys sure love their toys… including me trying to keep up to Darren’s, I believe 900 something, Turbo Charged Polaris. I now know that I can get 71MPH out of my 500 Touring…..but he easily disappeared off into the distance! LOL The guys have a camp in there that belonged to a couple of their parents… 2 x 40 foot trailers joined together from back in the Sherman Mines days. Sleeps 20 guys. They have a rickidy old ice shack and had 4 lakers on the ice when we arrived. Maybe 2 guys where fishing.. the rest drinking. Asked Barry if the OPP/CO ever came thru this way and he said no… most of them are here and those on duty know better! The part that mesmerized many of us… while standing there on Sunrise Lake two guys came along pulling an ice fishing toboggan with their gear and a tent…. that they were going to spend the night in down the lake somewhere. Now we were a good 20 minute sled ride from the closest road at 45 to 50 MPH! Talk about dedicated fishermen! The wind that night was so strong while I was going across Cassels Lake I almost got blown off the sled…. had it right up on it’s side while doing 50MPH thanks to a wind gust. Hope they found a sheltered spot for the tent! Anyhow… we left Darren behind with the lads on Sunrise Lake and Barry and I headed off thru the bush to check on his camp on Lorrain Lake and get the wood stove going. Stupid me forgot to get a shot of it. Beauty spot… 16 miles of lake and nobody but him on the very south end of the lake. Lake is full of BIG pike and bass. No pickeral or lakers. Takes him 2.5 hours to get in there in the summer from town. Requires boating across two lakes, cached boats and two stashed ATV’s to do it. We left there and headed off down the bush trail to go fish some lakes that drain out of Lorrain for pickeral. Along the way Barry stopped at a bridge and got off of his sled. I thought he was going to check the bridge.. but no… he keeps a 5 gallon pail in the stream all winter long. Catches minnows in the fall and puts them in the bucket. Stops there for bait all winter long. Only one dead minnow in the bucket! So off we go down the trail and I follow him onto what he calls South Bear Lake (these lakes aren't named on any maps). This is where we got a little stupid and I just followed him. After finding both the well flowing inlet and outlets and avoiding them as best we could we stopped, leaving our sleds close to shore and drilled a few holes. Now coming off Lake Temagami where there’s 26 inches of ice at my dock… to now go only four turns or so on an auger and have a hole… it wakes you up pretty quick. Only 5 to 8 inches thick on our hole spread. Beauty spot though. Fairly small lake… I’d say maybe 1300 feet long as I know I couldn’t get a plane in and out of there to fish it in the summer. We weren’t very slow leaving the lake, after about 2 hours of fishless fishing. All stored in memory. It’ll be a walk on lake next time… especially if it’s a warmer winter. We headed back to Barry’s camp.. had a mid afternoon meal, that heated up nicely on his wood stove, and then went out and tried for some Pike on Lorrain Lake. No luck and the wind was howling at an estimated 55/60KMPH. Wasn’t much fun.. so we packed up and headed back to the camp on Sunrise Lake. Guys were all well into the “sauce” and watching satelitte TV (Family guy of all things!). Roughing it.. you bet. Just before total darkness fell I got a shot of the sunset and then talked Barry into leading me half way home before he got like the rest in camp. I might of found my way out of there, but better safe than sorry. He led me out to Cassels Lake and from there I was alright on my own. Was gonna stay up there and fish Sunday.. but couldn’t find anybody to do so with me and figured I’d forgo the safety issue of doing it alone.. packed up and headed home. Sorry about the no fish porn… but you know… I had a great time and only fished a total of maybe 3 hours. Greatest part was not having any snow to shovel and it all being done here before I got home! Son actually does know how to operate that plow truck after all !
splashhopper Posted March 10, 2008 Report Posted March 10, 2008 great story Irish. did u find out if the 'tenters" froze to the ice though? lol
Headhunter Posted March 10, 2008 Report Posted March 10, 2008 Good report and Pics Wayne! Too bad about the fishing, but at least you were out and about rather than sitting at home watchin it snow! Maybe next time! HH
Joey Posted March 10, 2008 Report Posted March 10, 2008 Well that certainly sounds like a nice way to spend a weekend. Out touring, doing a little fishing, even if there was no catching, and taking some pictures of some nice scenes and sunsets. I certainly don't remember getting any "hints" coming my way Maybe I'll catch on next time Great report hon. Joey
Whopper Posted March 10, 2008 Report Posted March 10, 2008 Sounds like a great adventure Wayne! That's probably the best non-catching report that I've read. No worries on the snow removal, I did enough this past weekend for the two of us. Thanks for sharing!
Terry Posted March 10, 2008 Report Posted March 10, 2008 it sounds like an interesting fun time but you didn't get to go the the Lady.....too bad..that would have been great.. so did you use the blow torch to get the fire going
walleyejigger Posted March 10, 2008 Report Posted March 10, 2008 no fish and i'm still sooooooooo jealous
Sandbag Posted March 10, 2008 Report Posted March 10, 2008 Great report Irishfield...fish or not. man that is some beautiful scenery there. Your right that it's hard to believe from down south that you couldn't find a snow bank to unload the sled on..lol Thanks for sharing... Cheers Craig
Roy Posted March 10, 2008 Report Posted March 10, 2008 Thanks for the report Wayne. Some really nice pics in there too. You're fortunate to be able to get away like that from time to time.
lew Posted March 10, 2008 Report Posted March 10, 2008 Good stuff Wayne and definetely better to be playing in the snow, rather that shovelling it all weekend like most of us
Clampet Posted March 10, 2008 Report Posted March 10, 2008 A big thanks, Irish, for yet another glimpse into what I wish I could also do. It goes to show that fishing can be pretty tough even on these seldom fished remote lakes.
fishindevil Posted March 11, 2008 Report Posted March 11, 2008 Nice fishing trip/report wayne !!!!. ..too bad about loosing a few days being sick,but at least you got to go sledding and hit a few new lakes to explore later on, and it must have been cool to meet up with all those guys and go ripping around on all those nice machines !!!! better luck next time...cheers
solopaddler Posted March 11, 2008 Report Posted March 11, 2008 Ahhh man, that sounded like a fun weekend! Great report Wayne .
Moosebunk Posted March 11, 2008 Report Posted March 11, 2008 Great adventures Wayne. Another enjoyable Temagami report.
lunkerbasshunter Posted March 11, 2008 Report Posted March 11, 2008 great post! thanks for sharing! i love that area of the province! cheers!
Dano Posted March 11, 2008 Report Posted March 11, 2008 You know I'd gnaw that tree down for ya bud! Just gotta find the time.
ccmtcanada Posted March 11, 2008 Report Posted March 11, 2008 The reason I tell my Mother as to why I refer to the place as "Hump Rock" Too much info Wayne! Let me know when you are going to take that other tree down...I think TJ is free that day! Great report...looked like a nice few days...well except for that puking thing...LOL.
tinbanger Posted March 11, 2008 Report Posted March 11, 2008 great report wayne even without (insert laker photo here) fish TB
irishfield Posted March 11, 2008 Author Report Posted March 11, 2008 ..oh and I forgot "and having to look after their dog" ! Thanks Steve.. and everyone.
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