West Arm Last Week.

[DanD]

Yea I'm just back from the West Arm had a good time, spent a lot of time on the water fishing; but the catching was on the bit of the lean side.

Not that it makes any difference but talked to a number of people at the camp (Memquisit) and out on the water and they all had the same report.

Now don’t get me wrong it was still a great fishing trip; we had a good time just being there and enjoyed spending time together. Along with exploring new waters to us; waters that we have never bothered trying, when the main (larger) areas were producing well. Places like the length of water between big cut and little cut; a bit of a boat ride but well worth it; for the scenery if anything. That is where we caught most of our meals of pike and pickerel (walleye LOL).

Here’s a few pic’s; not so much of the fish we caught but of the trip in general.

 

After leaving home our first few stops were; well what can I say you have too stop; you can’t drive by. LOL

 

Needless to say I left a few dollars at BassPro; talk about a kid in a candy store.

 

Heading up Hwy69 we seen a number of these classics pulling trailers; looked pretty cool but what a shame putting a trailer hitch on a hot rod. LOL

 

 

After getting to Memquisit we launched the boat, loaded it with our supplies and then unloading it at our dock.

 

Our home for the next week; a bit of a climb from the dock but what a nice view from the cottage’s deck.

 

 

From left to right are Owen my nephews’ step son, then Adam my nephew and then my older brother Morris (Adam’s dad); resting after organizing the cabin.

 

 

Owen (12 years old) has really never been on a fishing trip before let alone being away from the city for a week.

Going “up North”, seeing the different landscape, staying in a 1920 built log cabin, feeding the chipmunks from his hands, fishing from an open boat, building his own camp fire; the kid was in a dream world.

It made the week for me; seeing the look on his face with every turn we made.

 

 

I have to post this picture of my brother and his annual sheephead; I don’t know how he does it but he always seems to get at least one of these, every year. LOL

 

 

Here are a couple of the entrance and of the channel of big cut; what did they do with all the rock they dynamited out of there to make the cut?

 

 

The last couple are of the thunder storms that rolled through; they don’t screw around on the West Arm, when it storms it storms big time.

 

 

 

This trip was a little extra special for us; my brother Morris has been diagnosed with a form of blood cancer that there’s no treatment for; only chemo to hold it a bay. He wasn’t strong enough for the trip last year but was this.

My Son Andy gave up his spot in the boat for his cousin Adam; so that Adam could be there with his dad. Andy knew how important it was to me and Adam to spend some one on one time with Uncle Moe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dan.

[Rich Clemens]

Great report Dan. Hearing a lot of reports like this, with the bite off and all that. But, it seems there was so more more to this trip than catching fish. Glad ya had such a great time - and a memorable one at that. Thanks for sharing.

[lew]

Good to hear your trip went so well Dan and best of luck to your brother.

 

Memquisit is a nice place, we spent a week there last summer and are heading back up next Saturday again. Don't feel too bad about the poorer than normal fishing up there this year, it's happening to most foklks because of the lower water levels and late start to the weeds. Hopefully things will be better next year.

 

Surprised to see you were able to get thru the cut as that's a tight squeeze even when the water is at normal levels

 

Thanks for the great report !!

[Terry]

great trip, nice to see a few generations on a fishing trip together

 

I know about the thunderstorms, i got them where i was too

[DanD]

 

Surprised to see you were able to get thru the cut as that's a tight squeeze even when the water is at normal levels

 

The one time before this that I went through big cut, I was at the wheel of a 40 foot pontoon; during an “ecological tour” held by Saenchiur flechey.

Rick the owner of the lodge and I were out on the main lake fishing and got back to the lodge late. There were about 15 people waiting for him at the dock and his wife was pissed that he was late for the tour.

He looked at me and said; HELP! You drive and I’ll entertain the guests. So off we went; I didn’t have a clue of where we were going; he pointed in the direction to go, as he was showing the people the different sites.

When we got to the cut; which I didn’t know was there; he said, trim the motor and turn right into the channel. Man was that a time for a fresh pair of shorts; this pontoon just fit and there was only about 8 feet of water under us in the centre of the cut. LOL.

 

This year in my tinny we had no problem; even in the shallowest part we still had at least 4 ½ to 5 feet of water under us. It did seem a little tighter though; at the narrowest part there was less then 10 or 12 feet of water surface between the rocks.

 

We had a number of good hits with pike about a ¼ mile before the cut; on the north side just before the last turn to the cut. There is a small bay with a couple of large rocks at the west end of this small bay. Full of weed and the not too cooperative pike were lying in there; you could sight fish them; but they sure were lazy and only taking half hearted swipes at our offerings.

 

Dan.

[lunkerbasshunter]

I wish your brother nothing but the best!

 

That was a great report! Looks like you guys had an awesome time! Love the old log home!

 

Cheers!

[Sandbag]

Awesome report...nice to see the younger generation out there and enjoying themselves.

 

Cheers

 

Craig

[Joey]

Great report. Thanks for finally showing what the view from that cabin looks like, I've only seen it from down below

 

All the best to your brother, and it sure sounds like you raised a heck of a boy! Kudos to him for giving up his spot

 

Joey

[Fish4Eyes]

Nice report and thanks for sharing. I wonder if the locals are struggling to catch fish as well.

[Guest Johnny Bass]

Sorry to hear about your brother. Hope he pulls threw. Fish or no fish, its always great to spend time fishing with your family. That water looks really fishable. I'm surprised that the west arm is not loaded with fish like Nipissing. Maybe one too many Lakair get togethers.lol Still, like you said. The area looks very scenic.

[DanD]

I'm surprised that the west arm is not loaded with fish like Nipissing.

 

 

Now I didn’t say no fish; just not as many as other years. LOL

We had more then enough to fill our bellies a couple of times but you just had to work for them a little (some days a lot) harder the usual.

You know your in trouble when you can sight fish pike; drop your offering literally on their head and they take no or very little notice.

 

Also thanks for the kind words for my brother; there’s no real “cure” for this one; he goes in every three months and gets zapped and that has seemed to hold it a bay for the time being.

But like he has started saying to us; I aint dead yet and I’m not missing any more fishing trips. LOL

 

Dan.