Another Temagami Summer, 2010

[irishfield]

Leah and I were about 7 weeks late heading North, as some "dip" took on too much work for the fall and winter.... that pushed us well into June getting it done. We headed for the lake on June 30th, with boat in tow, getting to the lake by noon. Launched and off in the boat we made quick time in getting camp opened up, power on, water line into the lake, filled and pump running. Next day I did some cleaning up, including cutting the mass of 3 foot high daiseys.

 

 

While Leah quickly settled into her health camp and why we're there in the first place.

 

 

Unfortunately the super low water levels..

 

 

...and ice weren't kind to any of our docks. Lost a crib on the main boat dock and my airplane lift suffered some major stuctural damamge

 

 

 

Our "canoe" dock, or more so the 16' end I had on it for a sheltered aircraft tie up spot also caught the wrath of the ice.

 

 

It took a few days, but I tracked down a guy from Marten River that had a portable welder and a tig machine to fix my aluminum aircraft lift. Luckily I had also bought a 10' x 28' barge (the bottom off a Leisure Island houseboat basically) from a neighbour last fall. Welder loaded and then pulled with the steel boat to get the guys to work repairing my lift.

 

 

 

Me happy it's all repaired and taking the barge/welder/guys back to shore to send them home.

 

 

Airlift now repaired and plan was to go home for a day and get the airplane. While home we got an email/text from family that changed that plan. This year a better situation though, it may not have been but it was, my brother had an ECG in Ireland for his ATPL medical and they didn't like it. Sent home to Canada on Tuesday, Cardiologist Wednesday, Stress test and Nuclear test by Thursday. Angioplast on Monday and a QUINT bypass on the Wednesday. 100% blocked in his RCA.. 95% in 6 or 7 other places NO SYMPTOMS!! Told he would have had a 20% chance of living another month. Trillium in Mississauga is a wonderful place I must add. He was out and home by Sunday!

 

While home I purchased some steel and made new retainer hoops for my barge. I had nightmares the night before picking up the welding guys that a float was going to depart 1/2 way to camp because of the rusted/rotted retainers.. so I made some new ones.

 

 

Now back to the lake and lets get this summer going. Leah drove the 4 hours.. and I of course had the luxury of the 1 hr 35 minute flight!

 

Fish pens off Parry Island, Parry Sound.

 

 

Arrived back at lake and the next day got the boat ready to hunt lakers.

 

 

Our youngest daughter and her boyfriend arrived late that day, but of course this is what greeted us when we got up the next day to fish. Man that curtain is great. I'm too old to do the open boat crap anymore.. and these young ones sure appreciated it tooo. lol

 

 

Later in the day the sun poked it's head out. No fish to account for.. but Jessie is enjoying himself.

 

 

Kristal and Jesse dropped off at the marina to go home and later the same day my Niece, her husband and our great Niece arrived. After last summers "madness" I openly invited every member of our extended family to come and enjoy the lake. We only seem to get together for the bad times.. and I felt that needed to end for all involved. It was nice that a few saw the reasoning and the light on this one. They had a great time and I gotta tell you that their 2.5 year old is the best behaved kid I've ever seen. Not a peep out of her, other than her huge vocabulary and full sentences, for 5 days.

 

 

The way we learned to swim and glad to see some parents with reality in mind. You can't learn to swim with a life jacket on!(she's been taking lessons in a pool since she was about 5 months old)

 

 

Took my Niece's husband up for his "Young Eagles" flight (first ride in a small airplane). Almost needed the barf bag... but I got him back unscathed!

 

 

Oh... and did I mention I taught another one how to fish?!!

 

 

DANG.. is that the Corona or does someones parents need to do a diaper change....

 

 

Next up Tybo showed up with his "bit" of equipment in the truck and his 1900 Pro V.

 

 

 

Launched and on our way we came across these two hot chicks boating down the lake. We asked if they'd be willing to make us meals and fetch our beer for a few days and they gladly obliged. They liked the idea that we had a hot tub!

 

 

So we got them right on the job of making us a meal.

 

 

A shot in case anyone is interested in the free board difference between a Pro V and a Tyee/Baron.

 

 

Joey enjoying the beautiful day way up in Ferguson Bay. I think a few minutes later Paul RIPPED the lips off a Laker!

 

 

Paul, with Ferguson Mountain in the background.

 

 

She's got her shorts on... so must just be soaking her feet while sitting on the boarding platform!

 

 

We should meet some girls like this again next summer Paul, not many carry your bags for you!

 

 

Older Daughter and her boyfriend up next. Jen loves to have a fire and cook popcorn. A tradition for her since she was a little kid. Smores took a back seat to popcorn somewhere along the line.

 

 

Managed to find her a Laker. They were far and few between this year. Not sure if it was the early water heating or what.

 

 

Continuing to search for more..

 

 

30 degrees... break out the tube!

 

 

Josh even managed a little pike off the dock.

 

 

Now to work painting those 14 retainer hoops for the barge and installing them about a week later after the paint was well cured.

 

 

 

 

 

Next up was Leah's sister's boys. These nephews of ours are high energy non-stop and extremely tiring, but the fact I was able to teach them to fish 6 summers ago and they come every year with bright, wide open eyes wondering how big a fish they can catch makes me overlook everything else!

 

 

 

Big step up for J this year was moving up to a spinning reel from the push button. He had no problems getting the hang of it by the third cast.

 

 

No matter how many times you say pick up your feet or wear your flip flops.... there's always sliver duty!

 

 

The next coming of Jesus?? Walking on water...

 

 

And there's probably a law against making boy soup.. but what the hell !

 

 

The winter boys are going to be so disappointed... I retired the Fiesta 4000 and blew a whole $198 on a new BBQ at Walmart!

 

 

Flew into a back lake Lloyd and I had been into last September.... found a few bass and this pike. Not a great shot, but it was long armed.

 

 

With the water so low... my "floating" airplane docks were sitting on bottom and getting the crap beat out of them by boat traffic. I had to lengthen the ramps by 6 feet to get the docks into water.

 

 

 

 

Back to fishing with my sweetheart. I could care less if something hits a line at this point! One on one time can't be beat!

 

 

But I got a fish anyhow...

 

 

Highlight of my summer and actually brought a tear to my eye. My brother, 7.5 weeks after his Quint bypass, riding his Harley into the marina with his wife on the back. All the way from Orangeville in the rain. First time he's been to the lake.

 

 

We took them up to Caribou Mountain and got out of the truck to be greeted by this. Some people just p iss me right off. Closest Timmies is New Liskeard or North Bay!

 

 

Shot from the tower with the train going by.

 

 

My brother and his wife at the top of the tower.

 

 

Climbing back down the tower. My brother is hell bent on getting his ATPL back in 6 months to the day of his bypass. He's walking 10K a day.

 

 

They stayed for 3 days, but the weather was absolutely terrible so not much to report other than a lot of good conversation that we haven't had in years. We had hoped to get up flying together, something we haven't done since 1991 together... but it wasn't to be.

 

Time to go.. of course in the rain again.

 

 

An appropriate sign we found in New Liskeard.

 

Edited October 13, 2010 by irishfield

[irishfield]

Flew into a back lake and found some fiesty bronzebacks.

 

 

 

Gives you an idea of the rolling terrain that you have to be sure you can outclimb on departure. The hill behind the airplane is approximately 240 feet above the water. Thankfully there was a low spot in the shoreline beside it.

 

 

 

 

Oh..and then Lloyd arrived in September. He's easy to keep entertained on a rainy day.

 

 

 

Lloyd with a nice Temagami fish.. jigged up from bottom.

 

 

Took Lloyd out to a back lake and he'd say "there's one" and I'd say "Ya, I know, it's already on my line"!

 

 

 

Over 100 Lakers in one day.. none kept and all released for another day... was reason for a celebration I GUESS.

 

 

SO next morning, where do you think we were off to?? Same place. Leah got a really nice shot just as we were breaking water with the fog lifting in the back ground.

 

 

We found a nice log to pull up on against shore and tie off before dropping the canoe.

 

 

Doesn't get any better than this, does it Lloyd!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

We actually went thru our tackle to see what wouldn't catch a fish. Nope.. not even the Fuji Film freebe could let you down!

 

 

Day after Lloyd left I took Leah into the same lake. We caught enough to keep entertained and she sure does look a lot better than Lloyd in the bow!

 

 

 

This one was funny.. we went to shore to have lunch and Leah's line was twisted up.. so I casted out and ran up the hill behind me to get the line to come off the spool. Just as I topped the hill the line started screaming off the reel..

 

 

What a lake!

 

 

 

Hey Honey.. lunch is ready!

 

 

 

Like I said.. much better looking than Lloyd. Don't know why guys whine about getting away from their wives. Mine can fish with me every day and it would never get old.

 

 

Another laker for me.

 

 

Absolutely wonderful flesh and taste from these Lakers. I'd never touch a Pickeral again if I could eat these all the time.

 

 

 

Finally getting some good flying weather, I took my neighbour from the island across from us into the same back lake. I've found he's good for about an hour in the winter fishing with us before he goes in. This trip he was like a kid in the candy store and couldn't fish/explore enough. Unfortunately we had to cut the day short to make it back in time for the all candidates meeting in town. Yah I look like a dork in that outfit, but I carry all my survival gear on me when float flying. It's useless in the back of the airplane if it's sunk in the lake!

 

 

 

 

Then unfortunately.. even with sticking it out for a week or so more than we usually do we conceded that it was time to pack up and go home. UGGGHHH

 

 

But not too fast... lets break out the fly rod first.. lol

 

 

And on that same final evening Leah got some beautiful shots..

 

 

 

Well unfortunately that's a wrap for another summer. Now it's time to get the workshop all lined up for this fall and winters work, and oh ya...slip in as many Muskie outings as I can get away with !

 

Link to the thread with nine flying videos from the summer.

 

http://www.ofncommunity.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=47639

Edited October 12, 2010 by irishfield

[BUSTER]

[WeedLine]

You are one busy man. Lots of work and lots of fun. Great post and pics

[Guest gbfisher]

 

 

Now that more like it....

[solopaddler]

What a great summer Wayne, definitely better than last year.

Glad to see/hear your brother recovered.

 

Awesome laker fishing on that back lake. I know a lake exactly like that one in your region (slightly N/W). Could be the same lake.

Tiny planktivorous red fleshed lakers by the bushel load...

 

"Boy soup" That brought a chuckle. My neighbor has a hot tub and a 7 year old son who I'm fairly certain is the antichrist. I had a similar thought last week LOL!

[Joey]

Really great report Wayne. Lots of pictures to really show what a good summer you had. Thanks for taking the time to post all that, I know how long it takes. Thanks again for having us up there. We had a super time and I'll cook and do dishes with that woman of yours any time.

 

Now we can always tell the story of the Legend of the Lipless Laker!!!

 

Joey

[irishfield]

Now we can always tell the story of the Legend of the Lipless Laker!!!

 

[Gregoire]

Thanks for taking the time to put together the report. It was a really nice read.

[Terry]

really good report

 

 

 

I enjoyed reading it

[Twocoda]

now that was a great read...all i can say now is WOW! you are definatly living the life man ...

 

i now need to go rest my eyes...

Good on ALL of yous!

[SRT8 smoker craft]

WOW your a lucky dude great report.

[asdve23rveavwa]

Great summer rundown, Wayne!! Heard some more of the back lake laker story from Lloyd on Sunday. Sounds pristine and amazing!! Thanks for a great read.

[Gerritt]

wicked Wayne! thanks for sharing another summer with us.

[MCTFisher9120]

Looks like a thrilling summer, so many great visits and adventures.

 

Thanks for sharing,

MTBF

[Carp]

Great report from your summer Wayne.

 

Thanks for sharing.

[danbouck]

Fantastic summer report Wayne, thanks!

[nancur373]

Excitebike gets the best of us eh Lloyd?

[johnnyb]

That report was well worth the wait....and the last couple pics gave me the Temagami chills....beautiful country up there. And really really special that you had so many family members up

[TC1OZ]

You have a working copy of Excite Bike on NES... you are officially cool in my books!

[irishfield]

LOL.. we actually have 3 copies of excite bike and three NES units... That unit was found in the shed when we bought the camp. We also have our original here that we bought the kids in about 1989 and another that our daughter picked up somewhere along the line when going to Ryerson.

[spinnerbaitking]

WOW now that a REPORT A+

Thanx for taking the time Richard

[spincast]

Beauty Report Wayne. Great to meet you and Leah up there this summer while we were up for the week. After finally getting up there all I can say is its gotta be hard to leave. The scenery is amazing - and those back lakes look fantatstic! I can understand why Lloyd was so excited - although as he always posts in capitals the only way we could tell was his dailiy status countdown !! Those flying vids are cool.

[Rich Clemens]

Sure looks like you folks made the best of the time you had up there. Mix a little play time with work - nuttin' wrong with that.

[Tarzan's Jane]

That was a really nice read. Love the pictures and your sense of humour. Maybe its an age thing, or maybe an attitude adjustment.... whatever it is....clearly you are proud of your family, you love your wife and you are a good friend to many.