Temagami February 2009

[irishfield]

Headed for the camp mid morning last Wednesday...in driving snow..iced/slushed highways. Wasn't a fun drive in the least. By Port Severn (by Muskie Landing) I'd already stopped for the first time to check on a women that had rolled her car on the ramp for south bound and into the rock cut. Car was sitting on the drivers side and a few others got to her first from the south bound lane. They'd already called the folks and had things under control.. so I got on my way before someone nailed my truck over in the North bound lanes. About 1/2 way to Parry Sound from Port Severn I had a guy come up to pass me in a car. I watched him closely in the mirror.....as I'd been out in the mess passing earlier myself and almost lost my truck to the median as it hydro'd in the slush... he swerved once.. he started to swerve twice so I slammed on the brakes, just in time, as he came flying across in front of me... missing the bumper by no more than a foot. Then he rolled 6 times in front of me and slide onto the shoulder wheels down. Amazing how fast a car slows when rolling sideways... I almost pushed him. Sure didn't look like a Malibou anymore! Guy appeared okay.. about to call 911 and the 4th car behind me was an OPP.

 

On my way again after a quick how/what/why with the officer. Crappy drive to Sundridge and then fairly good from there. Stopped to see Bernie in Powasson and put him an hour behind in the shop. Send me the "labour" bill Bernie.... I'll put it with the others I got this week.. same container! lol Made it to the lake around 4:30 to find my good neighbour out in the driving snow plowing my section of the ice road and my parking area. Had a chat and then went about unloading and getting the place ready for the lads. 9PM my neighbour comes up to the cabin and I find out he's been out there the whole time plowing with his 4 wheeler right to the town dock.... so the guys wouldn't get stuck. Unreal !

 

Lloyd and Keith were to be there by 11PM... got a call about then and they hadn't made it to North Bay yet. Roads even worse than previous. They finally got in the door about 1am...we yaked to about 2:30 (about the time Dano was getting up to head North) and hit the sack. Up at 7:30/8 and could hear a sled running. Dano was here and talking with my neighbour who was plowing again for us. 9am the four of us headed up the lake a bit to fish and close enough we could run back and forth when Terry and Joe (Headhunter) arrived... as well as the expected visit from Moosebunk.

 

Wasn't long and Lloyd was into the first fish in 70 FOW. Unfortunate.. and you can see it in his face... slot size fish... with bladder out it's gill plates.. DOA! MNR needs to get rid of the slot. Just make it 3 under and one over 18 inches for the winter months at least. What a waste to push that back down the hole...

 

 

Joe and Terry showed up out where we were fishing about 1:30. Moosebunk had dropped by while they were still at the cabin for a quick chat... but had to get on his way considering road conditions to meet his family in Cochrane off the train. I can't remember what all was caught.. not much.. but a bit and lots of screen action. We were a bit spread out to run for pictures unfortunately.

 

Supper Thursday night... BBQ STEAKS! Thanks Lloyd!

 

 

Here's at least one that got skunked doing dish duty.

 

 

Then hours of libation and laughter...

 

 

Friday am early...like always with that Lloyd around.... set up and fishing by 7:45

 

 

Terry and Joe

 

 

After a few hours we moved to a spot we did well at last year. Wasn't long and I heard Lloyd yell for help. Just look at that smile as line screams off the reel.

 

 

Here it comes.....

 

 

And what turned out to be the fish of the week for the group. Great stuff Lloyd. RELEASED healthy !

 

 

Another day of fishing down and another night begins! Laughter... lots of it... good for ya! the alcohol... not so much! lol

 

 

Saturday weather looked like it was going to be good... so we decided to do an adventure to a brookie lake about 27 miles away! -28C though... lots of fresh snow. None of the 3 passengers saw ANYTHING the whole way. Talk about blind faith! lol

 

Joe..way up around Devil Island.

 

 

 

Terry, Joe, Lloyd, Keith and Dano.

 

 

After an extra hour of searching... we finally found the access trail to a back lake we wanted to get to. Lake had totally melted down the previous weeks and then a foot or so of fresh snow = nothing to follow to find it. Once I got in and out once and Dano got in I hooked the cutter on and took it and Keith in.

 

 

Dano got stuck on the hill with Lloyd and his hut behind and Terry stuck behind him and had an interesting time backing out of the bush. Decision was made to leave the huts behind and Dan/Keith and I fished the Speck lake and Lloyd, Joe and Terry Lake Temagami.

 

Dano happy that nonsense was over and the day is ticking by pretty quick.

 

 

Some holes drilled and chasing specks.

 

 

Gorgeous scenery..

 

 

They (Terry/Joe/Lloyd) got skunked... we got into some fish. We'll Keith and I did. Keith's first tugger was this fella. Guessing Lake Herring.

 

 

Then what we were after..

 

 

 

 

Never seen a guy with so much energy.... Keith running and gunning with the auger!

 

 

..and it pays off again.

 

 

We were only going to be in there for an hour or so... the other three started to wonder where we got to after a couple. I'd hit a tree coming out the first time hooking a ski and coming to an abrupt stop. Guess it screwed a carb float up as machine was flooding and wouldn't start. Cranking with plugs out had fuel blowing out the plug holes! We got it running and regrouped and headed for Kokoko lake. Joe trying to coax a fish up..

 

 

Terry doing the same with Dano and Lloyd way off in the distance.

 

 

Just another gorgeous place to be! Absolutely ZERO breeze.. sunshine.... temp up to about -10C and us sitting in the open in sweaters!

 

 

Laker and a Pickeral were the catch from there by Lloyd and Dano respectively...with Keith also getting 3 Lakers that he released.

 

 

Tired and sore from 60 miles of trail bashing... what to do... Give Joe the new guy "gift"! Thanks for the laugh Dano!

 

 

Also Joe skunked... so dish duty. He even brought his own lovely gloves!

 

 

The old guy kicking back watching the leafs flutter again...

 

 

Lloyd cleaning the days catch. Now THAT's a knife! All Brookies just STUFFED with Crayfish!

 

 

Anyone wonder why Lakers hit my big 8" white tube last year... I think I know why.

 

 

So after another short nights sleep... what do we decide to do....the 60 mile rounder again.. and this time in driving snow. Bound and determined we can get everyone in the back lake this time. My sled seems to pull like hell... so we'll take everyone in and I'll round robin for our huts. Dan in and out first.. then he took Lloyd in and then I took the cutter in the trail..

 

 

and in is an understatement.

 

 

What a difference a day makes ! Learned to stop and walk first next time!

 

 

Terry drove in about the time Dan and I started taking turns shovelling to get the rig turned around. ticked off and ready to say lets just get out of here Joe and Keith walked all the way in. Figured we were all there anyhow.. lets fish it so I went out and got 2 huts and Dan got one... after packing a trail across to the other side of the lake first.

 

Here speckie speckie...

 

 

Terry starting to look miserable... lol

 

 

Then the curse lifted...

 

 

and again

 

 

 

With Terry rounding out the day in there with 7 nice Brookies. 2 Released.

 

Joe with the curse removed... another Lake Herring?

 

 

He also caught a brookie but was too far away to get a picture for him!

 

I caught a couple 11.5" brookies and then this fella hammered my jig and started pulling out line. 18" x 9.5 girth.

 

 

Stocked lake = keeper. Wild I would have let it go.

 

 

We stopped along the bluffs for a quick 50 minute fish. Wind was brutal and we had to make the Chinese restaurant before 6pm! Had a great supper and then time to clean some brookies again. Lloyd fell ill to a Crohns attack... so that was a real downer for him. No Chinese (well we brought him white rice) and he wasn't up for the morning fish either.

 

 

 

Another night of laughter (except for Lloyd tucked in about 7:30) and again 5 out of 6 of us up at 6am and out to get some fishing in before the lads wanted to head home at noon. Sun shining but wind again brutal at about 50K.

 

 

 

We fished until 11am and headed in. Guys packed up and on their way by about 12:15 for a sunny drive home. I stayed the night to kick back and try to get my neighbour out the next day, but he was busy doing drywall. Speaking of which they tested the ice on Friday. Lumber yard fork truck and a full lift across the ice!

 

Another great trip lads! You're a great bunch to share laughs with for sure. Everyone gets along and things run smoothly. Issue now is how we do it in future years seeing our group of 6 has really grown to about double that with cancels and fill in's each year. Guess we'll have to do two trips next year! lol And to think I couldn't get any takers for trips a couple years back... now there are waiting, cancel and begging lists ! lol

 

Note that ALL our fishing was done with artificials! No bait.

Edited February 26, 2009 by irishfield

[diggyj]

Awsome report. Looks like quite an amazing outing.

 

Who was the recipient of those special pink gloves? LMAO

[Terry]

great report Wayne

 

it sure was a good time

[walleyemaster]

excelent report wayne...looks like you guys had a blast...and what can i say .. you guys are a bunch of troopers in that snow... wish i was there with yah ...maybe next time...looks like i would have to get me a pair of pink gloves if i come up with you guys, your all a bunch of fish slayers... well maybe not terry..lol

[Spiel]

I'm sooooooo envious!

[BUSTER]

very nice report

 

stuck in the slush didnt look fun tho

[Jigger]

Thanks for the story, Irishfield. Great read! Awesome looking Specks and a beauty laker! Congrats to the lucky guy! Looks like a great time.Thanks for sharing.

[brkygetr]

ah...time with the boys...always eventfull. Good on ya for goin the distance to get them brookies...a man after my own heart...it's the only thing better than bacon in the mornin'!!!!!!

Great report Wayne. Keep up the good work!

[misfish]

The ol Moosebunk has his work cut out, to beat that report Wayne,

Great report and pics,

I just have a mental problem with the following pic,s,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

 

 

 

 

Terry you can fish the bow anytime bud

 

Dano,I,ll get back,or is that ,,,,,,,,,,,,

[irishfield]

Ah Brian... you're just jealous that you weren't the new guy ! lol

[fishforfun]

Great report Wayne You really have got that lake dialled in !

[Bernie]

It all looked great until you mentioned the slush......Been a long time since I bogged one out in that. Not much of anything more frustrating!

And what's with this going out for supper thing? Roughing it ???????????

Seriously though, it sure looked like a fine time with a good bunch of guys.

Good to see a fun post!!!! Thanks Wayne.

[irishfield]

Everyone laughs at what I carry around on the sled Bernie.. but that metal coal shovel comes in real handy. Should have had a jack all with us as well !

[Terry]

Roughing it ???????????

 

for me roughing it is a hotel that ends room service a 9pm

[fishhunter]

Thanks wayne once again. I look forward to out next trip together. I'm thinking salmon this summer and dont forget our quinte trip. As for the other guys it was a great time like always. I'm thinking next year ill have a very nice outfit made up for the guy that gets shut out. Terry its ok no way you can go 3 years with out a fish on the big lake so i think you will be safe. lol Could not ask for a better bunch of guys to enjoy an outing with!!!!

[fishhunter]

Roughing it ???????????

 

for me roughing it is a hotel that ends room service a 9pm

Terry that was last fall in Quinte. I love those roughing it trips lol

[Tomcat]

Nice report and pics. Thanks for sharing.

[Joey]

Just a super report Wayne, I can imagine the laughs.

 

Awesome.

 

 

 

Love this pic, nice Turban Ahmed

 

 

Joey

[bigugli]

Now that was a report

 

Great pics.

 

Obviously some great fishing as well. That was a prime laker there.

[misfish]

The ol Moosebunk has his work cut out, to beat that report Wayne,

Great report and pics,

I just have a mental problem with the following pic,s,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

 

Terry you can fish the bow anytime bud

 

Dano,I,ll get back,or is that ,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

I have been informed that this pic

Is not Dano

Sorry for that.

 

HH,we need to talk.LOL

 

Ah Brian... you're just jealous that you weren't the new guy ! lol

Yes I am but,,,,,,

We,ll have a talk come April Wayne.

[Dano]

Nice report Wayne, thanks again, I needed that.

[Terry]

I still find it interesting that we went all that way to a back lake and couldn't get on it

 

and that same night we decide to go back to it the next day and we decide to take the huts and everything else and everyone of us say yes, right a way no discussion just ,yup lets go

 

hardcore

 

 

hey, lets do it again next weekend...LOL

[irishfield]

Well we have to do it fast bud... only 3 weeks left of this short laker/pickeral season....but we can hit the brookies/whitefish all year long.

 

Leah's down and out though... I can't go anywhere right now!

[solopaddler]

Excellent Wayne looks like a blast!

Was up at my camp at the same time and had to break trail to get into a couple of back lakes. It's fun isn't it?

[Cookslav]

Good stuff there,

Great way to spend some cold days for sure.

And of course Specks through the ice would be mighty tasty...mmmm

That lakers is a beauty As well!