A Laker Lucky Leap Year On Ice Report.

[Moosebunk]

The 2012 winter seemed quite slow to get started this year. Warmer temps than usual in December and January had many area anglers scratching their heads, wondering what the best and most safe ice fishing options were available.

 

Some found fishing success around Ottawa and the on the river there, some temporarily on the favorite Bay Of Quinte. Anglers further south of that, surely found themselves traveling north to find decent iced over lakes.

 

The motivation for myself during that time, under a new and much busier work schedule, was sorely lacking. A short afternoon for panfish and one unsuccessful trip to The Bay for eyes in January was all I could muster up.

 

Feeling February's approach, it became apparent that the Leap Year Month of 2012 was quite possibly all the ice season to be had. In mind, plans to clump together times off work to take advantage of mini-trip-tours rather than just day outings, I was really looking forward to the remaining months. And so, it was February 7th when ice fishing got underway, and over the next five weeks I'd jam as much of it into me as I could.

 

 

 

FEBRUARY 7 & 8. OTTAWA VALLEY.

 

 

An earlier report was already posted but to revisit for just a second, it was back-to-back days on the ice around home on the 7th & 8th of February which were so surprisingly awesome. Racing around during the kiddies school hours to squeeze in some laker jiggin' proved fortunate, as it was the beginning of little laker luck which would follow me the coming weeks.

 

On the ice during that time, my personal best grey came topside, while I first fished a day alone and then a day with Grant. Still reeling over that big laker, it was definitely my favorite fish of the ice season and one I'll likely have a hard time trumping down the road.

 

 

 

 

 

FEBRUARY 16, 17 & 18. MADAWASKA.

 

 

A group of online anglers each February comes together up in the Calabogie area. It's a trip looked forward to as it's often the chance for friends from near and afar to come under one roof and spend time visiting, while fishing and exploring the trout-stocked backlakes found in the Madawaska Highlands.

 

This year my buddy Mike (SM05) would pay a visit with me into camp. While there all was prefect, as I had the chance to catch-up with him, familiar faces and meet some new folks as well. We eat like Kings in camp, play poker in the evenings, and during the days have fun, fish and explore by whichever manner we most enjoy.

 

Day one I joined friends Pat, Scotty and Thom to jig up some greasers. Laker-lucky rod in hand, two solid fish (a stocker and a natural) were quickly caught. I thanked my imaginary sponsors Mr. Champ, Yamaha Bravo, St.Croix Rods and Bass Pro Shops for outfitting me with the appropriate gear to get the job done right.

 

Day two Mike and I set out for speckles in the morning but came up empty-handed. That afternoon we shared a couple hours trying for lake trout with only one OOS smallie finding my lure. Come evening, Mike and I toured a distance to explore a new lake and try fishing the dusk for walleye... no luck there though. Tough day on the catching, but a heckuva tour it was.

 

After a couple quick and unanswered invites at breakfast, Mike and I found ourselves slipping away alone on the final morning to a new lake. The gang each year has a derby for biggest trout caught, and it just so happened that lucky money fish chose me during the rising sun. Come afternoon I got some down-time on the ice with the group and later alone with my ole buddy Kev. All-in-all, the group and private times with different friends, a great couple nights winning at the Poker table, and finally the big fish derby winner, I left Bogie a richer man in many ways, and looking forward to seeing the group again next year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FEBRUARY 22, 23 & 24. TEMAGAMI.

 

 

Couldn't tell ya how many years I've had to decline the offer from my buddy Wayne to join him up on Temagami for some ice fishing. Past seasons I was either already there with other friends, living in the north or, the Bogie group trip stood in the way. This years dates left me surely wanting to try and commit... even though, I secretly sit on the fence as to whether I despise fishing the lake.

 

Temagami is a beast of a body of water. With it's short lake trout ice season, the area receives some hard and fast pressure. More structure and shoreline for fish to hide by than possibly any other inland lake on the eastern side of Ontario, my fishing there for years now has consistently been more difficult than anywhere else. This aside, the lake still harbors in it's depths some of the largest lake trout to be found. In fact, just some summer's back, a 50-pound plus fish was caught. It's that chance of any lunkers and the opp to chill with Wayne and company in the comforts of his cottage, which put me behind the wheel to make the drive up.

 

I arrived early on the 21st and actually got in a couple hours on the ice once finding Wayne, Lloyd and Terry already out there. A quick little laker iced, things felt promising to start, and knowing Wayne had released a giant 38-inch laker around 20-pounds the day before, Lloyd had caught a solid fish that day too, and Terry was actually catching fish... this Temagami trip already had the makings for some greater fishing memories than usual.

 

The following and first day out, with newcomer Mark joining the ranks, our five-some jigged the day away under a total hodge-podge of different weather conditions. Some may have caught a few small fish, I marked two on the sonar all day despite breaking off solo and moving a dozen or so times to hand-drill hole coverage over a five mile stretch of different lake structures.

 

Second day the group travelled it's greatest distance out to an area which my buddy Keith and I stumbled on a few years back. I think everyone but me caught fish... I lost two. But, the area was promising because fish were being marked regularily. We left early for a back-lake I wanted to show the guys, although that gamble turned out to be a mistake we would regret.

 

Last day for me and the fish turned on for the morning. Waking that morning to find and finally meet online friend Andy in person, may have been the luck changer. Touring twenty-miles into the Temagami abyss, the gang all set-up off an island where everyone started catching fish. For the short few hours before the blizzard hit, I managed four lakers, with the best coming on a white-tube which had been left deadsticked off the side of the Bravo. Come afternoon while hut-less in the snow storm, in a different area back towards home, two more little lakers hit came on a spoon. Thanking the fish God's I caught something on Temagami, a six laker day would actually be the best day ever on the lake.

 

It had been an absolute pleasure spending time with friends old and new. Definitely in their company and being hosted by Wayne is the way to experience Lake Temagami. Glad to see the big laker luck found a friend this trip as well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MARCH 9, 10 & 11. THE OUTAOUAIS.

 

 

The coming week of high temps in the teens, it was only luck by good timing that this past weekend of primo icefishing weather fell on some days off from work.

 

Last Wednesday Grant returned my call with much enthusiasm, to join up come Friday morning and hit the road. No plans, just jump in the truck with Big Red, head north to PQ, find shelter and food along the way, then return at some time on Sunday. The only real goal was to have fun picking cucumbers while beating off the lakeroaches.

 

First day around noon we'd made it to Maniwaki, secured a room in a local hotel, shopped the SAQ and grabbed some snacks on route to the lake. Once there, we were quick to offload the bike and make haste down the lake several miles. First stop in mind had not treated us well the year before, but Grant had confidence in it. After drilling a half dozen holes, I dropped line and iced a whitey before the lure hit bottom. It was game on!!! Initial fish were nutz in the area. Grant was quick to play too. Perch mixed in with whiteys and lakers, the sticks warmed up fast. Easily my best afternoon ever fishing whiteys. One particular point we named the Nursery held a number of smaller OOS lac troots, but the final spot referred to as Huddy's Island, coughed up the big whitey of the day. A solid five hours fishing, we returned to Maniwaki to later feast at the Rialdo and by 9:30pm were dead asleep.

 

5:15am wake-up day two, we nabbled down a full breaky at the hotel, hit the Tim's for jambon and suisse sandwiches and were fishing by 8:00am. Day started cool at -14C but was supposed to warm to -4C and get windy. Grant kicked off the morning but it took awhile of fishing through lakers and several relocations to finally tap whitage. Zipping around on the bike for me was half the joy, as Big Red could cruise it pretty quick under the present snow-less conditions. Forgeting the time is easy too, it's an exceptionally beautiful area to lose yourself in. Grant and I hopped all over the place smacking fresh fish, taking pics and having fun. A few double-headers made the day even better but the whiteys remained trickier to find on this day. The morning bite had been so wicked right through into about 2:30pm when strong southwinds began to blow. The fish and day went chill with that as everything seemed harder to motivate. Grant and I put in the last hours ducking and tucking into spots where the winds found us harder to reach.

 

Spent the final day an entire hour behind the times. Clocks ahead we never knew nor cared, we were on the ice at some hour and remained on the ice until some hour. The morning was fast and furious as we had rediscovered some whitey whereabouts but, by 11:00am the bite tapered off in the warming sun. Grant again had the hotstick early, icing a few whites while I dropped a couple. The fish needed a little more coaxing than we had experienced on Friday, and some different lure changes for us finally found each with better working presentations. The day wouldn't be without incidentals too... yet they were less active, maybe sensitive to the warming weather changes ahead. Still, they like micro and so the odd grease would gobble a turdy-tot and come topside. Once that late morning arrived Grant and I got ansy to start experimenting with some totally new locales... "rumored spots" as they were. We hit the road awhile picking up nada at the new before retreating back to rested holes. Through the early afternoon, we picked at fish here and there while taking it easy and soaking up the hot sun.

 

Planning on calling it a day early, the lake getting soupy now but yet finally giving the ATV some traction to grip, we booted'er at 52mph down towards the truck to fish out the last hour or so. Kindly, the move rewarded us with some extra whitey-snacks to end the tour on.

 

Never a dull time with Grant, what a rad slay! Thanks for the company.[/b]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MY SPECTACULAR.NWT AND THE GLOBE & MAIL.

 

http://www.myspectacularnwt.com/content/andrews-story'>http://www.myspectacularnwt.com/content/andrews-story'>http://www.myspectacularnwt.com/content/andrews-story'>http://www.myspectacularnwt.com/content/andrews-story'>http://www.myspectacularnwt.com/content/andrews-story'>http://www.myspectacularnwt.com/content/andrews-story

http://www.myspectacularnwt.com/content/andrews-story

http://www.myspectacularnwt.com/content/andrews-story

 

 

I recently had an opportunity to interview with Northwest Territories Tourism as part of their latest push through the new MySpectacularNWT website. Much like all the Maritimes, PQ and BC have pushed of late on TV and other medias, the websites aim is to promote tourism to the NWT.

 

March 10th as I understand, the Globe & Mail ran "My Story" as an add in their paper. The website has also included "My Story" on a page and created a short video using edited audio from our phone interview, as well as old photos of mine.

 

During the fall I received an email from someone with the NWT asking me to take part... I relucatantly said yes, because at the time I was feeling busy and they wanted a committment to possibly go to Yellowknife and sit for a TV interview. Another email was received afterwards by a Julie someone with hopes to set things up and I actually erased that email accidentally and lost all contact.

 

After Christmas several new folks emailed, steered my way by a guide with Plummers Lodges. But, it was finally a dood named Mathew; who seems to be spearheading the add campaign, who pinned me down to make good on an interview.

 

Well... Just a couple weeks ago, it was the day before heading into a 76 hour 7-day work week, I found an email from him wanting to chat 30-45 minutes the coming friday. I sent him my "itinerary" for the tuesday to tuesday coming, and he phoned immediately upon receiving that.

 

35-40 minutes or so our conversation was being recorded and I REALLY wish he had of got me on a day that I wasn't so sleep deprived. I sounded slow and retarded on tape..... or maybe that's just me. After the interview he says, "Now I'm gonna need you to find time for a photoshoot by Tuesday." I told him that's not doable. What he wanted was a self portrait wearing basically the clothes I normally would for fishing. So, Saturday morning following, I had a couple hours before work and I was able to set-up some extra light in the basement with the tripod ready, and snap some timer-portrait shots against a white wall. Quick photoshopping and sent via email, Mathew's "art" guy was more than happy with that.

 

Finishing product is about 1 minute of video which came from editing all the blah blah blah which must have sleepily slurred out while trying to sound smart. It was tough not to talk about the Tree River in the interview, as that's where the heart belongs most. The Tree being in Nunavut, it wasn't really to be considered for the NWT adds, although we both knew char can be caught anywhere up there, and the gateway to the Tree is through the NWT. Anyways, that was that. Mathew asked the hows, when, wheres, whys, whos and whats is it about fishing, Great Bear and both trip experiences there with Bren, and when all was said and done, he clipped it into a story of it's own I guess.

 

Anyway, it was pretty cool to go National in print with the Globe & Mail for a day on March 10th. Writing online and finding much time to travel for fishing pretty much made this new and interesting moment in time happen.

 

 

Here's the link to the NWT site with the story and video if interested...

 

http://www.myspectacularnwt.com/content/andrews-story

http://www.myspectacularnwt.com/content/andrews-story

http://www.myspectacularnwt.com/content/andrews-story

 

Anyways, on to the coming spring season...

 

Thanks all.

Edited March 16, 2012 by Moosebunk

[johnnyb]

Ahhhhhh I can now be at peace with the end of icefishing this season. I have read Moosebunk's report

[Jds63]

Congrats Andrew !!

I am sure your photos and trip logs have caught the attention of many a angler....

[davey buoy]

That one fish looked a little thin,very bony:rofl2:Great pics!!!!!.Looks as though you had a better winter than most!

[Harrison]

 

Awesome report Drew!!

 

You're obviously a great angler, but I guess it helps too when you fish with friends with special powers from out of this world.

Edited March 16, 2012 by Harrison

[fishindevil]

awesome report drew as usual !!! wow

[cityfisher]

as always fantastic!

[steverowbotham]

Awesome report as always!! Keep em coming, I always look forward to them

[Moosebunk]

it helps too when you fish with friends with special powers from out of this world.

 

 

Grant has had one TOUGH road the past 8 months. Dood certainly does wear the wizard touque for good magical reason.

[limeyangler]

a pleasure to read your report as always mate!

 

Great season.

 

Thanks for sharing.

[irishfield]

Man that's a pig of a fish the one guy has!!! Wish I'd got the freight train that started spooling me and snapped me off a few days later, that ate something small I was already reeling up.

 

Great to see you got out with Grant! I know you where both SO looking forward to that trip and admire the extra effort it took for planning to work it in.

[bucktail]

Please never stop posting!!!!

 

Can you post the pictures of the groceries and the prices you took a couple years ago. I was hoping to show my daughter. That laker is a maker baby!!!

[Terry]

Great reports as always

[solopaddler]

I never thought I'd say this, but I think I like your photos even better than your writing bud.

 

Just stellar!

[Rod Caster]

You're a man of many Provinces and Territories! It's always a pleasure to read your stories.

[lew]

Thanks MB, another epic read.

 

The quality of your pictures is always amazing, so darned clear and sharp I always feel as if I'm actually there.

[Moosebunk]

Hey Buck! The report with the grocery prices is "An Arctic Expedition." The first trip to Plummers. Groceries were from up in Kugluktuk. The report is still here on the board.

 

Mike... Personally feel the writing has suffered more often that not the past while. You're a guy who could relate to the "motivation" best needed to better make a quality story like some of the ones we've both done over the years. Needing a trip soon that catapults the creative juices. Pics... Yeah, I like them when they're of big fish. lol.

 

Later doods. Thanks for reading.

[trapshooter]

Stellar recap Drew. Looks like an awesome winter and I'm really loving the laker pics!!

[lovetofish]

Wow! I always enjoy your reports! Trophy fish and Beautiful pictures! Thanks for sharing.

 

 

LTF

[LeXXington]

Amazing post's as always. Great meeting you at Wayne's.