Tenting at Lakair

[woodenboater]

Just came back (couple of days ago) from a short vacation at Lakair so thought I'd post a brief report with photos taking up most of this post Started coming here last year and fell in love with the place and everyone there (Kevin, Leslie, Zach, Ryan and Veronique etc) are super friendly.

 

So with a couple of weeks vacation to use up, I figured what better place to spend it, tenting in the campground. Started off in my 4 man but finished it off in the wall tent. Didn't take many photos of the wall tent but it definitely beats sleeping in a nylon tent, no matter what size Missus and I stayed in it two weekends ago so I was used to the squeeky door hinge. I have a smaller canvas winter tent (Snowtrekker) so this was luxurious by comparison at 14x16 with proper beds ! Next time we come up, it'll be W9 or the wall tent lol.

 

So the fishing wasn't too bad for me this trip. I didn't explore too much of the waters last year so this year I tooled around a bit more trying to get familiar with the weed lines etc.. Was primarily after bass and pike so getting slot walleye was a bonus. Didn't have the camera handy most days so not too many photos of my prey. Brought up a variety of rods (spinning, baitcast, fly and ultralight) but the spin and baitcast saw the bulk of the action.

 

Also brought up a variety of lures that are my tried and true and some I was not as familiar with. As it turned out Rapala Cranking Raps (2-3' and 8') were used the most. Got all three species using these in mostly weedy bays and 8-10' weed lines. Not as much success using harnesses but then I'm not a big troller, maybe if I go back in the fall I'll try to use them more. Also used white jigs with worms with some success on the smaller pike (under 15").

 

The one brain fart I had during this trip involved the first pike I landed and the measuring ruler I had. Fan casting a small bay, I had brought the cranking rap back and was about to lift it up for another cast when a nice pike made a lunge for it in the air. Dayum that pumped me. Made a few casts and reeled it back slowly and on the second toss, a 27" pike inhaled the lure. Love pike fights, no matter what size, they always giv'r.

 

Landed this baby and was going to keep it since the lure was down pretty deep. Measured it out on the tape I keep on the canoe and saw that it was in the slot. Yup, if I'd paid more attention to the regs, I would have known there's no pike slot for the West Arm and the tape was for the French River where I usually fish ! So not knowing this at the time, I realize I have to get the lure out cuz no way it was going to survive if I cut it off and left it down there. In the end, I could have kept it but hindsight is always 20/20. At least it's drilled in me that there's only the walleye slot for those waters. C'est la vie.

 

Suffice it to say, it was a pain to remove. The front treble was fine but the rear hooks, even though the barbs were pinched, were not making it easy for me even though I had cutters with me. I kept the pike in the net in the water and lifted the net out only to try and extract the lure since I wasn't going to return a dead pike back to the water so I kept at it. Eventually, the only way I could cut the rear treble was to carefully go through the gills and cut the points off. Not ideal but it seemed the best solution at the time.

 

After a few minutes, the pike eventually swam away, not with the usual tail slap, but he swam away.

 

Oh and in a nod to another thread here, I also landed what everyone else seemed to dread, the sheepshead.

 

Met some folks I saw last year and it was nice to catch up. Also made some new friends (hard not to up there). Gotta say nothing beats downtime and spending it talking to Leslie and Kevin about everything under the sun, esp their time working in the bush doing geological work in the winter. I wish I could still be up there in August when the next informal G2G happens.

 

Here's some photos of my time at Lakair...

 

 

Campsite 7. very breezy, kept the deer flies at bay. kinda

 

 

 

What happens when chipmunks get into your muesli

 

 

 

Totally love the Coleman oven. Roast chickens, bake cakes, cornbread. you name it.

 

 

 

veg, black beans and garlic chicken with mushrooms dinner

 

 

 

The wall tent is totally luxe, not the same mod cons as the cabins but more connected to the environment though

 

 

 

Edith and Marty trolling for eyes one evening

 

 

 

gratuitous shot of one of my paddles. Ray Kettlewell makes fine canoe paddles.

 

 

 

Motoring back to the lodge after an evening out on Warren Bay

 

 

 

On Monday 23rd, we got absolutely hammered by a quick changing system. Hail, wind and not enough rain for the ground.

View is s/w after the storm has done it's thing

 

 

 

Looking s/e at another system

 

 

 

When they first hit, it feels great. Then they do nada, just sit on the bottom.

 

 

 

This was a very weird bloom in a back bay near the cut.

 

 

 

Shallow cranking rap found some lumber

 

 

 

Might try replacing the trebles with single hooks and see how that goes. Thank god for cutters.

 

 

 

Small pike that went for the jigging worm in about 8-10 fow

 

 

 

This is the younger sibling to the 27" one I let go the previous night.

 

 

 

crank found this slot eye in the morning in around 10 fow

 

 

 

Beautiful sunset over Warren Bay.

 

 

My last night was rewarded with this gorgeous sunset that just seemed to linger forever.

 

[Roy]

Nice report, WB. I'll be up there next week. The water levels seem pretty normal. Are you sure they were chipmunks and not red squirrels into the muesli? When I saw the muesli and the green tea in that second pic I was pretty sure there'd be no beer bottles in the following pics. Some great pics thanks and I'm glad you had a good time. I wasn't up there last year so I'm really looking forward to meeting up with some dear friends for some R&R.

 

Thanks again for taking the time.

[lew]

Always guaranteed a good time up there and happy to hear you enjoyed your vacation....it's definetly a beautiful area !! Like Roy, the Mrs and I are also heading up on Saturday for another 2 weeks.

 

I was thinking about you guys when that storm went thru. The radar pictures we saw down here pretty well showed tornado warnings going right over your head so it's good to hear it wasn't as nasty as it could have been....specially in a tent.

[motv8tr]

Great pictures and report! I'll be staying in the prospectors tent next week, glad to hear it has great reviews

 

Maureen

[limeyangler]

Great report WB...and some stunning pics

[MCTFisher9120]

Great report. Thanks for sharing.

 

MTBF

[Fish4Eyes]

Thanks for the report. Always a good time up there. T-3 weeks until I'm up there again this summer.

[RangerGuy]

Thanks for the post and pics.... Man it's gonna be a long week!... I will be up there early Saturday morning!

 

Me and the new pup, she needs some boat time before the fall.

[backbay]

Great report, and great tent, you know how to camp in style!

What effect did you use in pic 15, the one of the pike? It's an interesting look....

[Rich Clemens]

Beautiful County ... Wishin' I was there.

[Millhouse2020]

Great report! Im counting the days till I can hit the west arm again for muskies. I just have to get my little wedding out of the way first... LOL

[woodenboater]

Nice report, WB. I'll be up there next week. The water levels seem pretty normal. Are you sure they were chipmunks and not red squirrels into the muesli? When I saw the muesli and the green tea in that second pic I was pretty sure there'd be no beer bottles in the following pics. Some great pics thanks and I'm glad you had a good time. I wasn't up there last year so I'm really looking forward to meeting up with some dear friends for some R&R.Thanks again for taking the time.

Coulda been a red squirrel Roy. Never caught them red handed, just saw the evidence of their handiwork. Cold beer would have been most welcome during the heat wave up there but the cooler was already jam packed. Maybe a six of Sapporo next time

 

 

Always guaranteed a good time up there and happy to hear you enjoyed your vacation....it's definetly a beautiful area !! Like Roy, the Mrs and I are also heading up on Saturday for another 2 weeks.I was thinking about you guys when that storm went thru. The radar pictures we saw down here pretty well showed tornado warnings going right over your head so it's good to hear it wasn't as nasty as it could have been....specially in a tent.

You got that Lew. Can't help but enjoy oneself up that way. Too bad my wife wasn't with me, she had to work Yeah, that system seemed to turn on a dime. One minute we're thinking poor guys up on 17 and next thing you know it shifts southward. By the time I ran to my car for the camera, well I sat in the car while the hail pelted the place.

 

 

Great pictures and report! I'll be staying in the prospectors tent next week, glad to hear it has great reviews Maureen

It really is nice Maureen, will this be your first time sleeping under canvas ? They've got it set up with fans, lights etc.. Best part, well this depends on your connectivity dependence, the wifi reaches the tent No more taking the laptop to the snackbar. I think you and your friends are going to enjoy sleeping in the tent, I know I did !

 

 

Great report WB...and some stunning pics

thanks Simon ! Trying to keep up with the bar set by you and all the others here !

 

Great report. Thanks for sharing.MTBF

thanks Mike, it was about time I contributed more than just replies since I've gotten so much from this site as it is.

 

Thanks for the report. Always a good time up there. T-3 weeks until I'm up there again this summer.

grrr...I envy you

 

 

Thanks for the post and pics.... Man it's gonna be a long week!... I will be up there early Saturday morning! Me and the new pup, she needs some boat time before the fall.

ha ha, your pup will have fun with Digger and any other dogs that way. Riley (belongs to Cameron friends) may or may not still be there when you arrive.

 

 

Great report, and great tent, you know how to camp in style!What effect did you use in pic 15, the one of the pike? It's an interesting look....

Thanks Backbay. Big white tents is the way to go from now on ha ha. re:the photo. I tend to expose my photos on the dark side so as to keep the highlights from getting blown out. Dragged the levels (all three points) here and there till the photo looks nice in Photoshop.

 

 

Beautiful County ... Wishin' I was there.

Tell me about it Rich. and btw, never did see that muskie of yours

 

Great report! Im counting the days till I can hit the west arm again for muskies. I just have to get my little wedding out of the way first... LOL

Lakair honeymoon cabin !!

[motv8tr]

I've tented lots over the years, but usually in the smaller tents, when I was young I was in canvas tents, and with my scout troops as well. My friend and her boys are used to their pop up trailer with the canvas top so we're all good, and wow, I'm glad the wifi reaches...those boys have ipods and will be thrilled at night

 

Maureen

[woodenboater]

this tent is gonna seem like a circus tent it's so huge ! you could have a square dance in there...well maybe with little people

[Rich Clemens]

this tent is gonna seem like a circus tent it's so huge ! you could have a square dance in there...well maybe with little people

 

We checked it out when we were up in June. Pretty cool. Lots of room for our two dogs. might be fun to stay there for a bit

[adempsey]

Thanks for the report. Was a nice read. So, did you rent that wall tent from Lakair or did you bring it up??

[Joeytier]

That is one incredible canoe, sir.

 

Awesome report. Never seen those coleman stoves before, but they look awesome!

[Joey]

Awesome, we're heading up there Saturday for a week, just makes me want to get up there faster. Really great pics and great report

[woodenboater]

Thanks for the report. Was a nice read. So, did you rent that wall tent from Lakair or did you bring it up??

 

It's the lodge's tent. They have another platform further back but no tent set up there, yet. Good bridge for people who don't want or can't afford a cottage but yet love to 'camp'. I'd love to see a few more there since they're very in step with the lodge/camp/fishing camp vibe. If you're familiar with Lakair's layout, it's steps from the wash house and clothesline. Same side as Campsites 7 and 8.

Edited July 31, 2012 by woodenboater

[fishnsled]

That tent sure is a nice alternative to bringing your own. Nice pics and report.

[Rich Clemens]

It's the lodge's tent. They have another platform further back but no tent set up there, yet. Good bridge for people who don't want or can't afford a cottage but yet love to 'camp'. I'd love to see a few more there since they're very in step with the lodge/camp/fishing camp vibe. If you're familiar with Lakair's layout, it's steps from the wash house and clothesline. Same side as Campsites 7 and 8.

 

 

I think the rate is somewhere around $250.00 for the week (Pending reliability of my memory). There is an old one clear at the back, along the back roadway, which the summer help had used for a while. The tent has been removed - and not used anymore (not that I am aware of anyway). Still like that tent idea, but I wonder how hot it gets in there during the hot days of summer.

[Fish4Eyes]

but I wonder how hot it gets in there during the hot days of summer.

 

I was wondering the same actually. I suppose you could always bring a fan up. Then again, other than when it rains or if the bugs are real bad, there is no real reason to be in the tent until night time anyway.

[woodenboater]

I think the rate is somewhere around $250.00 for the week (Pending reliability of my memory). There is an old one clear at the back, along the back roadway, which the summer help had used for a while. The tent has been removed - and not used anymore (not that I am aware of anyway). Still like that tent idea, but I wonder how hot it gets in there during the hot days of summer.

 

It's $25 per person and has four beds so for a couple, it's a great price vs tenting.

 

My last couple of days there were pretty warm and the tent was fine inside. There are two small clamp on fans and one floor fan inside to help move air around and they've also got a tarp setup over the tent for rain and to provide just enough shade to keep the sun from baking the tent.

 

The work tent is indeed gone but the platform is still there so that would be an obvious spot if they wanted to add another wall tent

 

 

 

I was wondering the same actually. I suppose you could always bring a fan up. Then again, other than when it rains or if the bugs are real bad, there is no real reason to be in the tent until night time anyway.

 

It really is a comfortable place to be when the rain is coming down like it did one day. I found the sound of the rain hitting the tarp quite relaxing.

 

fwiw, a 3 1/5 point Bay blanket looks quite fine on the bare plank floor as well and is nice under bare feet