The Annual

[spincast]

Some people you can go weeks, months or even years with only the occasional chat and each time you do, you just pick up where you left off. Kev is one of those guys – we met about 15 or so years ago. We share a passion for fishing. Him trout and walleye - me bass & pike. Every trout opener, and on occasions when we could, we would hit the streams. Without fail he would devastate me, catching beauty fish while I looked at the skunkeroo or dinks. Every bass opener we would hit my lakes and rivers, I would be nailing them all day long and he would be wetting lines in frustration. Over the years we have tried to help each other learn the other's skills. From this friendship, as the years have wrapped the anchors of responsibility around our lives, we have once a year taken a break together to a place where those anchors can be cut and we can relax and explore our fishing fanaticism fully. We usually get up at dawn and fish till it's so dark getting home is a reason for caution, pausing once at some point in the day for a refreshment for an hour or so. Most days will result in 15+ hours in the boat.

For the last 4 years we have headed to the near North. Kevin summed it up on the drive home - I'm not sure what it is about up here, but it just feels so good to be here. Bingo. Another good friend has joined our annual escape the last few years. He doesn't share our fishing passion, but enjoys the quiet. Initially we discussed a trip to Lady Evelyn Lake. Unfortunately the budget made that a no go, so we moved to other choices, and after much emailing (and a discussion or two with lodge owners at the Spring Fishing and Boat show where it was noted that Bass is open all year round), we decided that Gowganda would be our destination for 2011. At the last minute Keith, our third experienced one of those work issues we all hate - he would miss the first couple days of this trip, but join us later.

 

Leaving Paris at 4:30 sharp, we rolled into Gowganda shortly after noon. After a brief discussion on boat launch locations and introductions we surveyed what would be our cruising grounds for the next week: We are not displeased with the view:

and it made a great resting place on ahot afternoon later in the week

.

 

No sooner did we get the last box in the cabin then the rain started. There as a snot load of truly dedicated anglers out there getting soaked. We admired their devotion – 12 months ago that was us. Not so this year - my wrap around set up I had made last year paid out in spades

We lit up a cigar to celebrate our good fortune We decided to drift a shore line. After a few casts it was fish on. A decent gator gave a good fight and screamed the drag on a couple good runs, and finally came boat side. At that point we realized in our hurry we had left the big net ashore in the cabin. I handed Kev the folding Rapala net with one hand while keeping the pike under control with the other trying to tire him out just enough to net but still strong enough to release. Kev reached over the side as I brought him close… the net got under the fish .. and… folded in half. Kev had accidentally (?) clicked the folding release clip on the net and the fish, which may well have been a new PB, shook of the treble, turned tail and dove back to his home without posing for Team 3. . That seemed to set the stage for me, because with one or two exceptions after that it was a tough go to get the big fish in the boat for me. Or, perhaps Kev got all my good Karma, because not long after that it was almost like his rod had the fish pheromone ooozing out every pore. He got a pike: ;

I got a pike (kinda)

This became routine

 

Day two was much the same – rain, slow fishing, and most of what did bite wasn't worth a snap – with an exception or two. Guess the fish thought Kev was the better looking of the two of us - a nice 17" er

 

The classic comment of the week - "hey Kev - is your rod meant to bend like that?" "Hell No." This one came in like a log. Biggest of the weekend at 29"

To add isnult to injury, my St Croix Triumph snapped on snag…. GGGGRRRRR.

 

 

Day three dawned bright and sunny

We headed out looking for anything, but the change in weather was not helpful. We found them, in a place I came to call the dorm – for all the time we spent in this drift, not 1 hit and the screen looked like this most of the time. But the weather was great and we passed the day chatting and catching some dinks. There was not a breath of wind, so I took some shots while the fish slept:

As the sun started to lower in the horizon we headed where all the locals were going and watched their spots, speeds and offerings.

Seems Kev is a good learner – limited out in 1.5 hours after we found them (Mine is the one on the right - the rest - well you guessed it).

Day 4 Keith was arriving so we spent the morning nearby listening for the horn to announce his arrival. It was pretty much a repeat of day 3 – more time at the dorm and some shorelines with little to no luck, followed by a couple hours of success in the evening. Suppers were great!

 

Day 5 – this was the planned day for the portage into Hangingstone lake. Postings on OFC and chats with the camp owner said expect 60 – 100 bass, mostly in the 1 – 2lb range, but with the occasional lunker. Our lodge had a great offer (sarcasm)– carry in the 2hp trolling motor, gas and your kit for a 30 minute portage to meet the boat which "was a little rough – she may leak a bit". To say this was to be an eventful day is an understatement. We made the 30 minute hike with only a couple stops and transfer of the motor. When we got to the boat storage place, our little gem was no where to be seen. There were a couple of boats, with motors conveniently attached So we set off to find our ride. Turns out someone stashed it in what was probably dry land last fall, but was now 3 foot of swamp. Kev was not happy when he discovered that. We washed it out, transferred our kit and launched, watching for the submerged boulders that "ding the prop every time". Rough she was, the transom looked like a car at a fall fair where the kids pay $2.00 to take a sledge hammer to it – the gunwales were separating from it at both sides, and within 30 minutes I was bailing an inch + of water that was keeping my feet cool in the hot sun

 

About 20 minutes in I realized the sun screen was at the big boat 30 minutes walk away + a short putt-putt away. It was blazing hot, not a cloud in the sky. Sunburn day for sure. I kept covered all day but man was it hot – my light skin in that all day would have been no fun for the rest of the trip.

 

We went for about 2 hours with little success. Then I put on a crayfish lure, and it was hit after hit – sometimes 5 – 6 casts in a row. They were just inhaling it. In the next 45 – 60 minutes I must gave landed 20 fish. We took a break for lunch and talked about what was working, and how we could cool down , and where the big ones where – 1 answer to both those questions – troll the middle of the lake. We hit the right speed, and had a variety of stick baits on – all of a sudden Kevs rod bends in a half, and then in the distance a nice lunker jumps – twice

Fish and boat in all their glory :

 

 

We tried the same hump a few more time but no success so headed to check out the other shore, I gave Kev a different crayfish and the competition was on. Fish after fish and we were bringing them in tandem / double headers as often as not. Shortly after we started what I later called "bass class" I heard a weird sound coming from behind me – it sounded like water clapping in the wind – I turned around to see this!

 

This was simply amazing to watch. It grew from a circle of little white patches that almost looked like fairies from a Walt Disney movie going around in a perfect circle, grew into the full spout you see in the pictures, and then traveled about 300 yards before shrinking down to the circle of dancing water spots again going around in circles. It traveled half way across the lake and slowly faded away. Afterwards we kicked ourselves for not thinking of filming it.

 

 

That excitement done, we resumed fishing.. In the next 2 -3 hours we figured we each banged of 60 + fish - each. The last spot we hit before we decided to call it a day was an inflow we found just as we were deciding it was time to head hack. I dropped my lure right in the middle and it barely touched the surface before it was lost in a swirl. It felt like I had a really big fish going in two different directions at the same time. I found out why when we got it to the boat – I had 2 on a single lure barely 2 inches long

 

We finished the day off with more walters, bass (a perch) and some good times over dinner and beers

Day 6 was a day searching for Pike on a river 10 minutes up the road. We launched and I saw a beauty looking spot, so I cast a spinner provided to me by my friend zamboniewaterboy (thanks Michael) under a tree and the water exploded. This fish just opened wide and inhaled the spinner halfway down her throat.

We weren't able to get it out without making a real mess, so we decided to keep it for lunch. Keith caught his best fish of the trip about 20 minutes later (he's not real sure about that slime ) We the checked out the river with no real success for a few hours – had a shore lunch

and then drifted home. As we came out of one bay we spotted a movement in the next bay, and say a cow and her calf snacking on weeds and taking a bath. She smelled us before we got too close so we couldn't get a great picture – but here ya go

We closed out the trip with some more fishing, and a great sunset.

a great supper

 

Think we're going back next year.

[BUSTER]

[rufus]

Great report! Looks like a fun trip and some really nice catches too

[irishfield]

WINE... what's with that??

 

Beauty trip fella !

[spincast]

WINE... what's with that??

 

Beauty trip fella !

 

 

ummm, Keith? Mine was the whiskey

Edited June 23, 2011 by spincast

[danbouck]

Awesome!!!

[mercman]

What a life, eh

[asdve23rveavwa]

Been waiting for this report, and, you didn't disappoint buddy!!! Some adventurous moments, good fishing, good friends, good meals. Doesn't get much better than that!

Hope to get out on the water soon, and, you can fill me in on some more of the trip.

Edited June 23, 2011 by FRANKIE65

[vinnimon]

Excelent report Rick

[vinnimon]

Excelent report Rick

Im sure thats an adventure that you will never forget, good times, good friends. Nice fish

What more can you ask for

 

 

[TJQ]

Sweet Report, thanks for sharing!!Man knows how to clean a pike!

[lookinforwalleye]

Looks like a great trip!

[corvette1]

great trip guys tons of fish congrats

[GreenCanada]

Thanks for sharing your adventure! Great story and lots of memories, good and bad!

[bigbuck]

Nice!! Great report. I guess you guys will be heading up there again for the next few years.

[NAW]

Great report. Never thought of using a padle as a cutting board..

[Leecher]

Great report, fish and pics spincast

Cool shot of the water spout forming

Thanks for sharing your trip with us!!!

Leechman

[TroutnMuskieHunter]

Looks like you guys had a great time.....nice report!!

[Joeytier]

awesome report.

[spincast]

Sweet Report, thanks for sharing!!Man knows how to clean a pike!

 

 

Good eyes on the Pike TJ - Kev was shown this couple years ago by a guide on the French. What a great way to get some big fillets out of a Pike with hardly any bones. I dont usually keep Pike, but it sure comes in handy when they self destruct by swallowing the hooks halfway down their throat, and you REALLY want to keep that spinner / lure.

 

N.A.W. Posted Today, 10:55 AM

 

Great report. Never thought of using a padle as a cutting board.. -

 

Neither did I till then - mother being the necessity and all. Works great though, so now mine has it has two uses - one keep the paint off the rocks and two prep the shore lunch!

 

 

[GBW]

nice report and pic's, cheers.

[Rob]

Very Nice read Spincast! You did an awesome job on that boat cover, as I get a bit older I am finding myself not really enjoying the hot sun and the torrential downpours as much. Next boat will definitely have a Bimini top on it!

 

Rob C

[mattyk]

looks like a really nice trip, thanks for sharing.

[lplp]

We were at gowganda last year,, stayed at lookout point camp,, great place,, did you fish mainly on main lake,, that is what we did ,had some luck but not the way we like to ,, need the fish to jump into boat by themselves.. our first line dropped in when we got there and we had a huge walleye on ,after that our boat never caught another one, bass and pike.. the other guys did o.k. on main lake,, great pics .we went with a crew of 17 last year,, shared two cottages ,try lookout point camp ,larry and vicki are the best and do anything for you.. she showed us how to fillet the pike perfect.

[zamboniwaterboy]

Looks like you had a great time!