East Arm Extravaganza

[DRIFTER_016]

Well I finally made the trip to the East Arm of Great Slave Lake in my third summer in Yellowknife.

I got together with a co-worker and a couple of his friends to take a 4 day weekend to Francois Bay about 110 KM away. We got off to a bit of a late start on Friday due to some thunder storms in the area. We actually had to pull off the lake to wait one out. It took about 3 1/2 hours to get to our destination, but since it never gets dark at this time of year no problem setting up camp.

We ended up fishing on Saturday and Sunday.

I'll let the pictures tell the story.

 

TJ don't be deleting my post because of the map.

I don't expect to see 10,000,000 Southern Ontarians there next week.

 

The Route

 

 

The Scenery

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Around The Camp

 

 

 

 

The Wild Life

 

 

 

 

The Fish

 

 

 

 

 

The Crew

 

 

 

 

 

 

The End

[Fang]

spectacular

 

how much gas do you need to carry

[solopaddler]

Amazing stuff buddy, looking forward to joining you up there next year!

In the meantime see if you can suss out where the big girls will be in late August. That would be a better time to go, no?

 

(What freaks me out is the amount of lakes around Great Slave on that piece of map that shows your route, almost more water than land. Looks like some incredible canoe country.)

Edited July 8, 2009 by solopaddler

[DRIFTER_016]

spectacular

 

how much gas do you need to carry

 

We went with more than we needed.

My buddies boat with a 50 hp 4 stroke used 25 gallons for the whole trip.

We had another 15 gallons in reserve, could have got away with 2 less cans of gas and still had a can and a half to spare.

Better safe than sorry though.

[Paully]

Thats an amazing looking place! Good fishing and good friends.

 

btw.. cool lookin dog you got.

[DRIFTER_016]

Amazing stuff buddy, looking forward to joining you up there next year!

(In the meantime see if you can suss out where the big girls will be in late August. That would be a better time to go, no?)

 

 

August gets sketchy for weather Mikey.

We start getting wind come August and getting stuck for a week sucks.

 

This trip should have produced some big fish but as the ice went out late this year (about 10 days ago) the water was still pretty cool with temps in the main bay at 39 degrees F.

 

Late July or the first week of August might work though.

[solopaddler]

August gets sketchy for weather Mikey.

We start getting wind come August and getting stuck for a week sucks.

 

This trip should have produced some big fish but as the ice went out late this year (about 10 days ago) the water was still pretty cool with temps in the main bay at 39 degrees F.

 

Late July or the first week of August might work though.

 

All factors considered with Joanne being the main one, the later the better dude.

Besides I wouldn't mind a few bug killing frosts.

[BillM]

Holy crap Dave, how much did that monster weigh in at? lol

 

Mike, making plans for next year already eh?

[solopaddler]

Mike, making plans for next year already eh?

 

Actually I've got major stuff planned for at least the next 5 years. Don't know if I'll be able to do it all but I can dream.

[lunkerbasshunter]

sweet report! Thanks for the map im going to call all my friends and tell them yoru hot spot lol

 

Really nice fish and great pics from the very far north of our great country!

 

Cheers!

[corvette1]

awesome trip

[BillM]

Actually I've got major stuff planned for at least the next 5 years. Don't know if I'll be able to do it all but I can dream.

 

Count me in for that Alaska trip

[blarg]

Is the ice off the whole lake now? Why did you go all that way when you could have stopped at jackfish alley! lakers kinda bore me. Nice fish though.

[DRIFTER_016]

Is the ice off the whole lake now? Why did you go all that way when you could have stopped at jackfish alley! lakers kinda bore me. Nice fish though.

 

 

Not a big fan of Snot Rockets.

Love Lakers though.

[Sinker]

Trip of a lifetime for most of us Drifter. Great report.

 

Love the look on that chessie's face in the one picture. Great dogs!

 

Sinker

[b2kptbo]

Quite the outing, beauty, thanks for the report...

[Joey]

Wow, that looks like an awesome vacation. Great pictures and some darn nice fish there.

 

Joey

[taz4432]

Thanks for the pictures and the report! Looks like a beautiful location and looks like there's some great fishing to be had as well judging by some of those beauties! I bet they make for a great meal!

[troutologist]

Beauty trip Drifter. What an amazing place. Next time head down a little (well, alot) further to Wildbread Bay. I've never seen fishing like that in my life.

 

Did you guys mostly troll or cast? Catching them on the reefs all summer is the bee's knees. Can't wait to get back there.

[DRIFTER_016]

Beauty trip Drifter. What an amazing place. Next time head down a little (well, alot) further to Wildbread Bay. I've never seen fishing like that in my life.

 

Did you guys mostly troll or cast? Catching them on the reefs all summer is the bee's knees. Can't wait to get back there.

 

Because we had such a short amount of time Francois was the best option. When I get Solo up here we will head down a lot closer to the narrows and the awesome fishing there. I can't think of anything more fun than tossing big streamers on a 7wt for shallow trout.

It's my favorite way to catch them.

Still too early to waste time casting for them as they have not set up in their summer pattern yet and are very scattered.

 

Wildbread is a ways for sure!! With a fuel resupply at Plummers it's about 300 KM from YK.

Maybe when I put a 4 stroke on the boat I'll make the trip. I don't think I want to pull a fuel barge that far for refueling.

How is Wildbread for camping spots?

Bears?

 

I'm thinking the next trip will be to the Narrow Island area, tons of fishy looking structure there and closer to boot.

Edited July 8, 2009 by DRIFTER_016

[solopaddler]

Wildbread is a ways for sure!! With a fuel resupply at Plummers it's about 300 KM from YK.

Maybe when I put a 4 stroke on the boat I'll make the trip. I don't think I want to pull a fuel barge that far for refueling.

How is Wildbread for camping spots?

Bears?

 

Well after talking to Jay (Troutologist) he says there's a cabin out there we can use. Plus he's got all his gps waypoints from guiding there...

Sounds like a no brainer to me buddy fuel barge or not. (Plus if Jay comes I get to fish with two guides )

[DRIFTER_016]

Well after talking to Jay (Troutologist) he says there's a cabin out there we can use. Plus he's got all his gps waypoints from guiding there...

Sounds like a no brainer to me buddy fuel barge or not. (Plus if Jay comes I get to fish with two guides )

 

You guy's pay for the gas and I'm in!!!!!

It will take close to 2 full barrels to do the trip with my thirsty 2 stroke!!!!

Plus we will have to make a deal with Plummers for refueling as we can't carry that much fuel with us.

That won't be a problem though.

It might be tough getting the three of us + the dog and all our gear in one boat though.

It will be a 7 or 8 hour boat ride to boot. Prepare for a sore by the time we get there.

[johnnyb]

dddddddrrrrrrrrooooooooooooooooollllllllllllllllll I love your posts, Drifter

[Moosebunk]

Some people sure do live in paradise. Excellent recount of the adventure. I can't believe how many huskies I see with two different eyes.

 

Some huge lakers... makes trips like that worth it. Ya pull spoons, flatfish or jig'em up.

 

Yellowknife surely was an interesting place when I went through. My friends tried convincing us to come to work there for the hospital....... now I'm thinking I may have to look into some contract work. A buddy of mine makes trips like the one you did. Has a boat there. Works for FirstAir at the hangar and his fiance for the hospital. I like that town but man... that's some real short softwater season.

 

Bren and I are saving the Aeroplan points. We will have enough for next year... and she wants another pampering with Plummers, but this time on Slave. If we can manage it with our new jobs we'll try for an extended stay in the city.

 

Thanks for the report.

[DRIFTER_016]

Some people sure do live in paradise. Excellent recount of the adventure. I can't believe how many huskies I see with two different eyes.

 

Some huge lakers... makes trips like that worth it. Ya pull spoons, flatfish or jig'em up.

 

Yellowknife surely was an interesting place when I went through. My friends tried convincing us to come to work there for the hospital....... now I'm thinking I may have to look into some contract work. A buddy of mine makes trips like the one you did. Has a boat there. Works for FirstAir at the hangar and his fiance for the hospital. I like that town but man... that's some real short softwater season.

 

Bren and I are saving the Aeroplan points. We will have enough for next year... and she wants another pampering with Plummers, but this time on Slave. If we can manage it with our new jobs we'll try for an extended stay in the city.

 

Thanks for the report.

 

Hey Bunk

They were all caught pulling metal, mostly with belly strip trailers.

The softwater season is short indeed, but the ice fishing and snowmobiling is pretty decent.

There are some of those snot rocket things you like too.

The biggest I have heard of so far is a 53" monster out of the North Arm.

How'd you like to pull that up through 5' of clear black ice?

Let me know if you are going to make it up.