Restoule Vacation Report

[danbouck]

Well after some research and posting on here about places to go on vacation, we chose Restoule Provincial Park.

 

 

First off, this place is amazing! It has everything that you need for the family to have a great time.

 

We left on the Sunday morning around 8:30AM with everything loaded up the night before. We tried something different this time and removed the middle seats in the Tahoe allowing floor space for the dogs and placed the laptop down with DVD's playing for the trip. It was actually quiet!!!

 

 

It was an uneventful trip with a couple stops for gas and some stretching.

 

We got to the park and got everything settled at the campsite. It was an awesome campsite, large, flat, private, with rock steps down to a sandy beach where you can beach your boat.

 

 

Last fall we bought an old tent trailer to use and it is so much better than a tent when you have kids.

 

 

The first few days we didn't do a whole lot. Just went for little walks and played at the campsite or in the water.

 

 

 

There were TONS of Deer in the park and I mean TONS!

 

 

 

 

 

 

The only times that I was able to get out fishing was in the evening after the youngest went to sleep. We had a plan of making them go all day non stop, have a shower, then a 5 minute truck ride and they both would go to sleep. Worked like a charm all week.

 

The first few nights in the boat I didn't get anything but did find a few promising spots. It's hard to get a lake dialed in with only about an hour to fish per day.

 

 

 

I hit the river between Restoule Lake and Stormy Lake and my first fish up there was no surprise.

 

 

 

 

 

There were a few trails to go down and we went down them all except the Fire Tower trail. It was just too much for the kids.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Friday was by far the busiest day. We headed down an old logging rd in search of some places to fish and for an off roading adventure.

 

 

 

 

We found a spot but it would only give up some very small bass, sunfish and rock bass.

 

 

 

 

 

That evening Jacob and I went out for a few hours in search of some fish.

 

 

 

 

 

I finally got a fish I was looking for after working a rock pile for a bit.

 

 

We went in as it got dark and watched the shooting stars by the fire.

 

A couple random pics

 

 

 

The way back was a complete nightmare. Just out side of Barrie I heard a strange noise and pulled over. 3 out of the 4 tire bolts were gone out of the left side and the last one was JUST hanging on I removed the destroyed rim, threw on the spare and stole 2 from the other side to get it to a safe spot down the road. Not 50 feet down the road the same thing happens I now am down to 3 out of 8 bolts, 1 good rim, 1 kinda ok rim and one destroyed rim. I leave the trailer and go to the nearest Canadian tire. I grabbed 10 new bolts and they didn't have the rims in stock (uncommon rims). So we head back to the trailer. I jack it up and try to mount the rim again with some permanent locktite as well. The holes are no longer round which makes it very difficult to center them. I start tightening until my arms are ready to fall off and end up stripping 2 of them I broke my jack and almost had a heart attack. After about 4 hours of that we were back on the road and made it home

 

Something had to go wrong, that's just what happens.

 

A owe a huge thanks to both HTHM and Bowslayer for helping me out on this trip.

 

 

Dan

Edited August 15, 2010 by Dan Bouck

[Musky or Specks]

Restoule is awesome and very underutilized for a PP. Glad you had a great trip. Family vacation time is great any fish you can get are gravy.

[Pigeontroller]

Looks like a great vacation!

[SBCregal]

looks like you had a great time.

 

we were thinking of going up to that park, i really like the idea of being able to have the boat right at the campsite. which campsite up there did you guys camp at. having never been there its hard to tell which sites are right on the water with space for the boat.

 

ryan

[John]

Welcome back Dan. Sounds like a great trip except for the drive home.

[SudburyAngler]

good report, next you could try fairbanks near sudbury, great snorkling and swimming and biking

[danbouck]

looks like you had a great time.

 

we were thinking of going up to that park, i really like the idea of being able to have the boat right at the campsite. which campsite up there did you guys camp at. having never been there its hard to tell which sites are right on the water with space for the boat.

 

ryan

 

The only sites that you get that little beach and are able to pull the boat right up are 426, 428, 430 an 432. We had 430, then best one is 426 then the one we had. It is extremely shallow. I had to paddle out about 50 feet before putting the motor down. Perfect for the kids though.

[bow slayer]

Great report. Glad you enjoyed yourself. The water looks to be down at least 2 ft from when I was there in July. The little rock pile underneath the cedar tree was completely under when I was there,and there is alot more beach at the back of the site. I caught a few nice smallies using topwaters wading out from the site in the evenings.

[danbouck]

Great report. Glad you enjoyed yourself. The water looks to be down at least 2 ft from when I was there in July. The little rock pile underneath the cedar tree was completely under when I was there,and there is alot more beach at the back of the site. I caught a few nice smallies using topwaters wading out from the site in the evenings.

 

How bad was Sand Lake road when you went? I couldn't see a minivan getting through there. I rubbed the side steps on a couple hills.

[bow slayer]

never tried this year,last year had a few tough spots but could make it. Next year I hope to keep going to shoal lake,did it once about 15 years ago.

[Moosebunk]

Thanks for the report Dan. Some great pics of the place but especially the young lads. Cool stuff.

[Guest Johnny Bass]

Great report. Been wanting to fish Restoule for quite sometime!Sucks about the limited time of fishing and the car problems but other than that, it looked like a nice trip. Some really nice deer shots!

[corvette1]

way to go dan nice trip except for the the bolts

[Roy]

Beauty report and pics Dan. I'm sure the lads loved it.

[asdve23rveavwa]

Great report Dan! Park looks great, we leave in five days (can't wait).

Sorry to hear about the rough luck on the way home, fortunately nothing serious happened.

I'll send you a PM later for some other details.

[ehg]

What a great thing to do for kids, they will always in some way remember!

Love the photos, looks like a great place to go.

Awesome stuff

[Spiel]

Awesome Dan, kids and camping go hand in hand, I feel for the young ones who have never experienced it.

 

My kids have missed it over the last couple of years and they're 15, 16 and 18.

[ciceri]

Was there Friday night till Sunday night. Was up visiting a friend that works there, got to stay free at the little campsite on that one trail on Stormy Lake. I was smart enough to bring my tackle, but not my rods, duh, lol.

[Harrison]

That's awesome Dan. I hope to do that with my little girls soon. Hopefully next year!

[bow slayer]

I really need to post a report and post some pics from my Restoule vacation ,I have only been back for a month now.