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Long Run Up The North French.

Moosebunk

By Moosebunk
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Moosebunk All Knowing Angler

Moosebunk

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Said I wouldn't mind one pike and one trout as with that I'd consider the weekend successful for fishing. Water is still near freezing, blown and stained right out. It's early yet, the river only broke last sunday and the ice flows didn't allow the first boats on the water until wednesday. Bren and I were eager come friday to bust out of town without the kids and take full advantage of the high river waters. Destination, way up the North French River 55km south of home for camping, fishing and exploring.

 

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Loving the new boat but even more so the new Honda 4-stroke. Quietly stalks the war canoe now. Loaded to the teets with comfort, lotsa blankets as the temps were to drop to -8C friday night.

 

Riding up the North French with good levels is tonnes of fun. Full throttle everywhere without a care, unlike years past when it has been shallow drive and depth probing for miles in many places.

 

First spot we stopped to try was a little sluice between a point and island that has undercut banks eddying out on both sides. Looking at the trees not one was showing the first sprouts of leaves... not even the buds. Thinking trout at this time would be unlikely, I was right.

 

Next spot got anchored and started casting about. Third cast snag. What the f...... a gill net. Didn't even notice it. Annoyed and cursing we left.

 

Mid afternoon and a few fishing spots gone by we stopped at the mouth of an incoming "trout" creek called Kagowask Creek. Anchored in fast water this spot could cough up trout, walleye, pike, sucker or fallfish... any mixed bag. This time it was two pike, one for Bren she lost boatside and mine.

 

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We left rather quick to get up river to our campsite. A cluster of 3 islands ahead had two suitable spots for pitching the tent. I named the islands while there beaver, owl and heron islands. We camped on owl as both nights an owl visited a dead tree looking over our site. Crane was across the way and two evenings a pair of cranes could be seen or heard there. Beaver was out back and it was a noisy tail smacking rucus when he swam by our camp each night at bedtime to warn us we were in danger.

 

Camp set, Bren and I took off to Menigan Creek for some evening fishing. She did well picking up a pike and the only walleye of the trip.

 

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And by 7:00pm we were back at camp for supper, a sunset and some down time by the fire. I toasted a few "Salmon Slammers" as I said I would, more than once....nearly half the flask of single malt to be precise.

 

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The sun went down, the air got cool and.....

 

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... it dropped below zero. Brrrrrrrrr.

 

During the night our air mattress obviously suffered a puncture. I woke about 4:00am for a pee and was laying on hard ground. Outside the tent there was a thick frost on everything. In the moonlight I could make out the water in our jug was freezing and at river waters edge in a couple slack water spots it was freezing up there too. Nipples and toes getting stiff I B-lined it back into the tent.

 

Saturday was miles and miles of travel and many stops at many fishing spots. Tried everything I knew, everywhere I knew, leaving no stone unturned. Pike, trout and even walleye spots nothing was biting anywhere.

 

Boating up through a long set of rapids called "Quarter Mile Rapids" which, is actually 1 1/2 miles long, the Honda's skeg took it's first good knock. That knock turned out to be the last knock of the trip too. After it occurred though, the pull start cord slipped off a little pulley inside the wheel encasing and when trying to start the motor later it was jamming up and shearing the cord. That set me back a few minutes fixing that up.

 

We turned back down river quite soon in the day as the fish weren't co-operating. Truth be told, normally by this point I'd be disappointed with my luck, but the weather was phenomenal, the river open to travel anywhere in it's short 2-3 week window of the year, and the new canoe and motor were just fun to test. Bren and I happily explored, and, by early evening we were way up Kagowask creek taking in the scenery and scaring beavers off the banks.

 

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And yeah, being it's a supposed trout creek we had to try a spot or two. Besides, Bren could only hold off on her addiction for so long.

 

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Coming off the creek around 6:00pm we tucked in behind an island and after a couple casts I picked up something kinda fiesty...

 

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... my only fish of the day.

 

And so we retired back to camp. No fresh fish for supper I had to substitute with bacon, cause we weren't about to eat sucker. A bigger fire on a warmer night, the owl, beaver and herons returned and we partied into the sunset. Picked up this nice shot of the boat too.

 

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That night we slept on the hard ground again. The tent frost leaked right through my crappy old tent and got the sleeping bag wet. I slept great. In fact, I woke both mornings feeling less stiff than if I had slept at home in bed. Bren on the other hand...... Pocahontas.

 

Winds completely changed direction overnight. The northern cool breeze was now tropical from the south, and so it pushed us along home quite comfortably. Along the way we made a dozen more stops to take some casts, and although I picked up another small pike (3 days = 3 fish) Bren picked up a couple more of her own.

 

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She outfished me again... think she got six. Bren used only three lures for the three days. An orange bucktail, a yellow bucktail jig and a silver in-line #3, all on a bent out of shape six inch steel leader.

 

Homeward bound on the Moose River we took time out for some pictures of the shore ice lining some areas of the river banks. Cool seeing the walls of ice nearly 25 feet high in some places.

 

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Great first open water trip of the season.

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bpsbassman Guide

bpsbassman

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Bunk,

Another Classic. I always save your threads till a time when I can read and reread, taking in all details.

Thanks for getting me out of the office and onto the water for a short time.

Where are you taking me next? ;)

Edited by BPSBASSMAN
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Moosebunk All Knowing Angler

Moosebunk

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Bunk,

Where are you taking me next? ;)

 

We're doing much of the same for the rest of the month and through June. North French, Cheepas, Moose River and a good few creeks along the way. Next report, or the one after, will be told by a visitor who has a great way with words.

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Moosebunk All Knowing Angler

Moosebunk

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Hope you're making a trip thru Temagami and getting off the train as well Drew !

 

Nothing as planned yet Wayne. Would love a tour up there with a local :whistling: Normally I drive through there a couple times a year but this summer I only have one trip planned down home. I'll be flying there as I have a detour out to BC first for some sturgeon and salmon fishing. You'll be first to know if I'm coming through with time to spare.

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