Gone Nip-Trip-And-Gone.

[Moosebunk]

Ultimately, this is why...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

... yes, the awesome speck.

 

 

 

Day 1. NEW BEGINNINGS.

 

 

A planned second trip out to western Ontario had been in mind since sometime late winter. Early season with newbies StevieZ and Mikey was a fresh and gnarly experience during which the spring fishing proved to be different, yet equally rewarding to any of my trips past. A later summer tour this round with the Nip's painted pretty specks, bed and shoal breakfast pike, and deep gluttonous lakers was taken to the more familiar task by friends Tony and Pat.

 

The trip didn't come about in any usual style though. Normally these details are ironed out well in advance, but this time around it wasn't until later that I recruited first-timer Tony to join me solo in the Lund. Pat as he does every year, had assembled his usual suspects to make their journey at their same regularly scheduled period, but once returning from Kesagami I was quick to learn during a roadside "pull-over" on Hwy. 15 that his two partners had bailed on him. When he asked to join us there was no question. In fact, having been tripping and on the road a tonne in just two months, plus working extra duty while home between northern vacations, I welcomed the idea of Pat's being with us. There was a feeling of quick relief now being able to pass over some responsibilities to him. Knowing his days of experience on the big water for specks has equaled my own since our first and only trip together there 5-years ago, we quickly agreed on his boat and my truck. There's no captain and guide I could trust more for this trip, and the thought of being able to actually take a vacation which doesn't have me pulling double-duty for others soothed the soul.

 

Departure day Tony arrived at my place around noon and we set off to nab up Pat and his boat. Nearing 3:00pm we were officially heading north, I took the helm until midnight once we reached Cochrane. Tony was raring to go and while I zonked out in the backseat from there onwards to pretty well Nipigon, he drove us safely across Hwy 11 through the night. All gear intact through the long haul, after a hearty breakfast, refueling and some last minute shopping we arrived at the lake.

 

After having left from my place with Tony a full 24 hours earlier, Pat got us started with the first fish of the trip. Worth every minute on the road...

 

 

Wasn't long after that when Tony got a taste for what he hungered for most...

 

 

And although my pecking order for this trip is usually specks first followed by the lakers or pike... well... this time around I didn't much care what tugged the line.

 

 

Tired sunken eyes, after a quick campfire I shut mine good with a smokey single-malt by Highland Park. Dreamland!

 

 

 

Day 2. INITIATION MILK RUN.

 

 

Rolling thunderstorms had passed through during the night, yet once we woke the morning skies gave way to blue. A few sips into my coffee and Baileys upon a calmed lake, from the shoreline waters more colors emerged with the rising sun.

 

 

A giant speckle indeed, Pat and I both marveled at this one. Tony on the other hand, being green to speckled trout for having never caught one before, probably didn't quite realize what a great fish it is. To this day, it is my second largest speck but biggest male specimen, and after releasing the fish I commented that everything to come for the week would certainly be a bonus now.

 

Back to Tony though... he wouldn't remain green for long. Through a double header, he made his premier.

 

 

Beginning to zone in, he made sure of himself with a second fish too.

 

 

After a quick change of locale Patty popped a cherry red of his own. What a smiley buggah!

 

 

The vermiculations, blue halos and white tipped red fins, salvelinus fontinalis must truly be one of the most spectacular freshwater fish primarily swimming within our Canadian waters. This picture perfect speck surely exemplifies that...

 

 

Not only was I having a heckuva day on the specks, Tony's numbers climbed right up there and for his first day ever catching specks, he was off to an amazing start.

 

During the afternoon we tore off on a pike fishing milk run which coughed up a few good toothies. At one point, Tony hooked into what was his personal best pike. Netted a little green, this thick mid forty-incher managed to somehow thrash, bite then slither through a hole it made in the net, escaping any photo and measurement. It kinda sucked but it was a caught fish regardless. Tony's pike luck was off to a shaky start, as the poor fella had a giant pike blow-up and miss the hook the day before too.

 

Pike guide Patty was out there making a few fish count though.

 

 

We made haste at one time to allow a big thunder, wind and hail storm to pass through.

 

Back on the specks come evening, I still wasn't sure if Tony quite realized the banner day he was having despite some missed pike.

 

 

I mean, C'MON!!! Some people fish a lifetime for a speckle like this one!!! A storm not dampening enough on this day, Tony remained on fire.

 

 

 

 

Day 3. SPECK SLINGIN' PIKE GUNNERS.

 

 

Finding some stride by the third day our posse galloped up and outta thar for an early morning chase. The young gun Tony's pistol still smokin' from the night before, he was able to shoot down a couple bandits before sunrise.

 

 

The Speck Slinger's second fish of the morning was one real bad outlaw. The reward great for it's capture. Tony's PB speck!!! Howdy!!!

 

 

Kinda makes this next average criminal of mine look rather innocent in the eyes of the law.

 

 

Daylight broke over the trees quickly burning off our morning cover, but we barely took notice. We was roundin' up the bad guys purdy good at the time!!!

 

Patty in official Ranger Rockin' uniform had broken off the beaten trail to wrastle up some wild reds hiding out in deep and treacherous caverns nearby. Single-handedly, he was responsible for the capture and conviction of the Trio Trout Gang.

 

 

The boot-legging smelt smuggler!

 

 

The cold-blooded amphibian killer!

 

 

The sculpin rapist!

 

Good shooting Pardner!!!

 

Come afternoon we retreated to the saloons where pike are known to hang out. Sipping on spirits and spitooning my Jelly Bellies one after another, Tony kept lookout at the door for any suspicious characters.

 

BANG!!! He shoots one dead in it's tracks!

 

 

BANG BANG!!! And another falls victim to his smokin' gun.

 

 

Patty and I just tipped our hats. Tony sized up a new PB pike with that second kill and our compadre was officially worthy of rest and drink within the trophy club.

 

The day on the trail was tiresome, but the bounties we collected kept our glasses full. Sun down approached and before long business in the saloon picked up. A few speckies of the night stopped in for some quick jiggins' and when this one pretty lass bit to my lure just a second, I could help but set her my hook and take a long dance. In the future they'd maybe say, "she was on like Donkey Kong!"

 

 

Patty on the other hand was well intoxicated by these beautiful speckles. All that cash in pocket from his day shootin' down bad guys, foiling crimes and capturing dirty wrong banditos, the ole feller had some quality tail in mind. When this fine little filly caught my bud the stud's eye, he was quick to fit her for horseshoes and ride her off into the sunset. Ride On Cowboy!!!

 

 

 

 

Day 4. HARD TIMES.

 

 

Journal notes for the day...

 

First day of tough fishing.

Red boat guy with dog.

Pike right off, specks shut down.

Trip to town.

Cute girls from T.Bay around.

Coffee & donuts.

Patty gets on the lakers.

 

It had been a mint three days so far. Well... okay... fishing wise by usual standards it had been "interesting" and "good." Some quality fish for all.

 

The specks were biting awesome although the pike were hard to come by. We had worked some great toothies but there were a lot of missed fish, follows, mere sightings, short biters, and some spots just weren't producing at all. The pike were right off and required far more than the usual work to catch. Patty on this day managed a good one and our best in the boat.

 

 

The weather on this day turned sour though. Rainy and windy, it was forecasted to build and go super-gong-show bad with wind gusts expected to blow 90 km's. We were preparing for the crap.

 

Around dinner I offered to go to town. We needed fuel and ice and I figured a quick hot shower would be refreshing. Tony wanted to come along as well to pick up some lures and a much needed downrigger ball clip. Gone for a few hours we came back with everything planned plus a belly full of Tim's coffee and donuts.

 

While we were gone Patty dropped a ball and had a go for the lakers. One jubilated angler dood grinning ear-to-ear met up with us afterwards to tell his successful yet harrowing tale of wind, waves and gargantuan lakers on the great angry seas... Tony and I were jaws on floor and all before Patty even showed us one of the casualties of war.

 

"We're eating a lake trout this week boys," says Pat.

 

 

 

It was certainly the toughest day of fishing but one where Captain Patty Ahab persevered in the end. Having picked up the second rigger ball clip in town, we hit the hay excited that night that lakers would be on the docket come morning.

 

 

Continued...

[Moosebunk]

Day 5. SASQUATCHES, WINDIGOS AND OTHER BEASTS.

 

 

The big storm must have skirted us because those nasty winds never came. However, through the darkness it did pour buckets and a few things went bump in the night. Come breakfast the skies cleared right up though, and as we had hoped, the lakers were on the morning menu. I was up in the rotation first and boated the only sunrise fish. A quality fish at that!

 

 

Giving up we laid chase again to specks and pike. Both remained tough to catch. This would be the second day the specks would totally elude us but also another day by which the pike would be weary and lock-jawed. Only the right key could get the odd one to open up. Yeah... he's a locksmith at times that Pat fella!

 

 

Didn't take much reasoning to get back on the lakers for an earlier evening troll. Tony was next up and the dood’s uber-quick reflexes set hook into a third PB fish specie of his trip. Crazy good man! I think this was the fish that really ripped the line off this week!

 

 

Patty had success on a Whitefish night before and it took the morning fish as well. We had switched up to a Great Bear Lake favorite out of my box which the guides up there call the Big Jim. Well, when this lure took it's first rip off the rigger something smashed it and peeled off like a salmon. From then on in the boys started calling it the Angry Al.

 

Patty reels in another great laker.

 

 

Then it was back to me in the rotation. This next fish was an absolute slob. It would become my Ontario PB laker once it finally reached the net. Thanks Angry Al, Pat and Tony.

 

 

I think she might have swallowed a five pound speck.

 

 

This day it was pretty much all lake trout and with results like this there was certainly no complaining. Between Pat and I we had made 11 trips and both of us have only ever had good laker fishing once each. Awesome for quality big lakers.

 

The eagles and gulls had disposed of our laker carcass from the day before. It was nearing the full moon now and we hoped the fishing would pick up for the pike and specks again. Around the campfire we enjoyed a later night than usual and some second helpings to the spirits. Clouds playing tricks with the moonlight, something on a near shore was heard splashing and coming our way.

 

Was it the Sasquatch? A Chupacabra? Windigo...?

 

A century or more ago in Northern Ontario during the peak of the fur trade there was said to be a Cree trapper too greedy for his own good. The Natives of the time would speak of the Windigo too, and how it would take revenge on those who abused their harvesting of animals. The Windigo also enjoying to feed on humans.

 

The trapper in the bush one day came upon a wolves den and found pups inside. Pulling them one-by-one from their bed he slaughtered each for their tiny and relatively useless furs.

 

That night in the bar back in town he bragged about his killing the pups. Other trappers thought him either drunk or mad. They knew the pelts to be worth little, and the act of taking the wolves so young was nothing but wrong and greedy. Some other trappers told him so, and this only served to get him angry and drunk.

 

Leaving that night the greedy trapper stumbled home and fell to a drunken slumber in his rocking chair on the porch. In the daylight the following morning, a passerby found his body bound to his chair by bloodied roots and vine with his chest completely cracked and torn open, and absent of his heart.

 

 

Good thing we'd only harvested the one laker... and ate it.

 

 

 

Day 6. NORTHWIND.

 

 

Totally freaked out all night by ghosts and goblins we didn't sleep a wink. Kidding of course. I think actually by Pat's super early wake-up standards we probably slept in. Anyways, back to the business at hand it was Tony who was up in the rotation for a juicy Nip laker and by gawd the man was happy to see one come to hand.

 

 

Maybe this one was bigger than his last one? I dunno? PB's just kept rolling in for Tony all week. He even caught a PB sucker at one point.

 

 

A late morning speck attempt coughed up the first one in three days. A sign of things to come? Well, a start really. Later on in the evening I would pick up one more and that'd be it for specks on the day. Two quality fish for sure...

 

 

 

The pike were still off all afternoon; and anytime of day for that matter. Great spots that guide Patty had, many of them I've dabbled in a time or two but a few completely new to me. They all reeked of potential and we were sighting big fish in many of them, but the fish were just so negative. Even the smaller ones were elusive. I know Tony found it good and he even had a hot stick on 'em for much of the week too, but Pat and I have both seen the pike fishing at it's prime, and it was far from prime. We still held hope... but in the meantime, the big lakers were still crushing Angry Al, so laker fishing is what we did more of instead. Glad we did!

 

Patty's up for a slobasaurus laker. Bazinga!

 

 

Northwind and sun burnt and days on end of eating way more food than I usually do, I fell early to bed. Pat and Tony weren't far behind.

 

 

 

Day 7. UP IN SMOKE.

 

 

Patty woke us up with a warm cup of speckled trout and once getting my bearings I joined him at the party for a sip of my own.

 

 

 

What I can really appreciate about Patty's angling is that it's often so different than my own, yet we both do pretty darned well by our own right. Look into his tacklebox and I'll swear we have maybe 5% of the same kind of lures. If he's chuckin' an 1/8 ounce I'm tossing a 1/4. He's on a small spoon, I'm on a big. He's floro, I'm braid, I'm mono, he's braid. Scottys versus Cannons, short casts over long ones. I jig a grub, he jigs a spoon. I'll fish with worms sometimes, he'll call me an idiot. Regardless, it's his matter of thought on the fish and fishing that makes me second guess my own, and at the end of the day whether we choose to accept or conform to the others ideas or not, we still both often learn something. That makes for an interesting angler partnership on the water, and one which has seemingly worked well for us in the past.

 

On most of my "speck" trips I haven't spent nearly the amount of time on pike that Patty clearly has. Probably because I get my pike fill on trips that are designated more to just pike. During the past few years I have enjoyed venturing out quite far onto the lake and finding new areas for specks, and this sometimes has brought me into pikey areas too. I don't mind making more longer runs in a week if the fishing should be worth it. All week I'd hoped for a day to go check out a worthy pike spot Keith and I trolled into for specks the previous summer, and with the lake flat calm it was time to rip. I was pumped for this day most as it served as both an adventure and a chance for a big payout if all goes well. I think Pat and Tony were looking forward to it too, for the pike on the milk run were off and this was a shot to find some fresh fish to go.

 

On route Tony found one...

 

 

Nipigon pike are a wicked worthy big fish. Between it, Attawapiskat and Kesagami, when the fish are biting at their best I would admit that by my experience the fishing there nearly rivals the other two trophy-classed pike fisheries. Trout feeding pike grow giant for sure, and the fish are often as wide as they are deep. Of the three lakes my guess would be the lunker of all lunkers would come out of Nipigon's inland ocean. Numbers days can be great too, but Kesagami and Skat when they're hot are ridiculous for bigger than average fish so they get the edge overall. Nipigon has coughed up my second and third PB pikes and for this trip Patty and I were both hoping for Tony to get a true giant of his own.

 

A trophy pike is what Tony wanted most of his trip. It kinda started as a forty plus but by midweek he was praying for a 45 incher. In actuality he pretty much had that in the net second day of the trip. The dood can really fish too. He's a sponge, quickly adaptable, energetic and experimental. A bass guy for sure, he employed some drop-shotting during the week on some finicky specks we couldn't get to bite, and low and behold showed Pat and I a little something. Best of all was Tony's demeanor. An obvious and deep competitive determination he keeps it well in check and uses it to drive his own fishing. I like that.

 

Arriving at the long shot we quickly realized we were going to be rewarded. The fish there were still a little skittish overall, but after downsizing for this one, the bite definitely picked up.

 

 

 

Finally after some searching around then returning to a hot bed, Tony finds what he's looking for. The fight of this fish really surprised him. It is afterall, a muskie-sized pike swimming in it's primo cooler northern waters. Lots of runs!!!

 

 

I hope he doesn't mind me saying but at 44-inches it was truly remarkable for it's girth. The pic doesn't really do it justice. Patty looked at it once it was lying in the boat and called it a "railroad tie," as that's exactly what it was. It had almost equal square thickness through it's diameter and was one of, if not the healthiest muscular thick pike I have seen. Only a couple of overflowing fully-egged slobby ice specimens would compare for weight. Great fish Tony!!! This week you were so spoiled man. Haha!!!

 

 

 

 

Day 8. THE EASY GOIN'S.

 

 

The Extreme 7-day Coleman cooler actually lasted closer to eight days. Both Patty and I had brought food, both equally delicious. From Patty's end, his sausage, egg, potato and veggie goulashes for brunch really took the cake. I came home seven pounds heavier after this trip... mostly from my own gluttony.

 

Final day to fish, the morning started with specks. The lakers had slowed down so we were hoping that'd mean the specks were back on. Well they were.

 

 

 

 

 

Seemed we couldn't go wrong. Tony and Pat had the hot sticks and were dueling it out purdy good while the bite was rocking.

 

By the time the dust settled between them, we took another crack on the slowing bite lakers. Had to put in a couple hours for this fat mama, but man, she was worth it. I was getting some slobs this week.

 

 

The average size of the lakers are just awesome. Looking forward to some more of that in the future. Hopefully I'll be able to do it as much justice as our laker guide Patty did this week. Good show dood!

 

 

Through the afternoon we kept it pretty light and fun. Some more piking, laker trolling and speck fishing. Whatever the moment called for. Here and there we found more good results.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They all had a bite on during the final day.

 

The final night we set a giant bonfire ablaze, chugged the rest of our booze and ate a couple meals worth a piece. It all happened just the way it should. An incredible week by which the fishing was simply fantastic as always, and the company great. Gotta thank Patty for taking the tiller on this one, and Tony for putting aside the time to fish along side us.

 

 

 

What a trip, and what a summer!

 

 

Bunk.

[Handlebarz]

Dang wow that was yet another amazing report love the colors

[Terry]

wow

[kickingfrog]

Seriously? You couldn't let your buddy put 2 feet on dry land in that last photo?

 

Oh ya, the fish were nice.

[danc]

Awesome once again Drew. Sorry I couldn't hook with you this time. Next year I hope. And say hello to Pat for me.

[Jigger]

Read through the first half and was shaking my head at the fish you guys got into. Then the second half was great until starting to unfold and then the pics werent showing up! Stupid iphone. Cant wait to re-read later on the desktop. The story is a banner one MB! Cant wait to see that pike! Thanks for sharing. Huge fish wow

[Fang]

simply put that is my bucket list trip. Those first 4 pics say it all. I keep trying to talk my friends into doing a trip for specs but needless to say I'm alone on this one.

 

Great pics and what a trip.

Edited September 5, 2012 by Fang

[asdve23rveavwa]

I have run out of compliments for your posts, so I'll just say

 

THANK YOU!!

[Moosebunk]

Seriously? You couldn't let your buddy put 2 feet on dry land in that last photo?

 

I placed that rock there just for Pat to put his foot on. You have no idea the lengths I go to for my buddies. lol

 

 

Awesome once again Drew. Sorry I couldn't hook with you this time. Next year I hope. And say hello to Pat for me.

 

Will do Dan. Would have been nice to see you and the boys for sure. Was quieter up there overall this year. Must be a good salmon run happening. BTW... just caught your fly-in laker lake photos, what a place man!

 

 

Thanks doods! Still buzzing pretty good after that week but now I gotta unfortunately get some weight off my belly. lol.

[solopaddler]

That was a pleasure to read, thanks bud!

[LefroyFisherman]

Awesome Report! Tons of fish!!

[gino]

that's just sick! awesome !

[Pikeslayer8]

"Leaving that night the greedy trapper stumbled home and fell to a drunken slumber in his rocking chair on the porch. In the daylight the following morning, a passerby found his body bound to his chair by bloodied roots and vine with his chest completely cracked and torn open, and absent of his heart."

Talk about a great campfire story

 

Awesomely well written report. Next best thing to being there. You guys just slayed em!

[Moosebunk]

"Leaving that night the greedy trapper stumbled home and fell to a drunken slumber in his rocking chair on the porch. In the daylight the following morning, a passerby found his body bound to his chair by bloodied roots and vine with his chest completely cracked and torn open, and absent of his heart."

 

 

Ohhhh I gots lots of that kinda stuff from back in me days with the Spirits of the North Woods. All true... and don't you go thinking otherwise.

[Jds63]

Speck fishing is my favorite, but never could I ever imagine holding a beauty like the first picture under Day 2.

The lakers are all amazing and the pike.

Your report is incredible.

Fang , i'm in.

[Christopheraaron]

Awesome! That's just all I can say! Oh and where's that sucker? LOL!

Edited September 5, 2012 by Christopher k

[wormdunker]

Great story & beautiful pix. Thanx for your efforts.

[corvette1]

awesome trip drew and the size of the fish well done congrats to all of you

[spincast]

another great report full of amazing fish - I envy both the opportunities to get away you have and the ability to bag endless beauts. Nip is definitely on my bucket list

[Roy]

World class fishing, photography, writing and comradery my friend. World class for sure. Thank you for taking the time to share it with us. Fantastic!

[Fish Farmer]

Thanks for taking the time to post such a great post Drew. That was better than any fishing show.

Take me a month to post something like that and a life time to catch that many fish. I keep saying one of these days.

[Moosebunk]

Thanks again gents.

 

My buddy Tony caught the report at F-H, enjoyed it much, and seeing his big fish pics first time has gotta be grinning ear-to-ear today.

 

Oh and where's that sucker? LOL!

 

Speckie fishing good, laker fishing great... so I know I hesitated for Tony before chucking back that sucker. No live bait on the lake but some strips of sucker on the spoons mighta been helpful. Anyhow, it got tossed back. Was probably around 35 pounds. lol. j/k.

[Live2fish85]

Awesome report. There is always something about your reports that keeps reading. Even when the wifes talking I don't hear her lol.

[TDunn]

Great trip Drew! Some really amazing fish! I love that lake!