TJQ Posted June 28, 2013 Report Share Posted June 28, 2013 Finally got a chance to post some of this stuff. We went up to Kesagami Wilderness Lodge last week for a 5 night trip, to eat some shorelunches and mayhaps get that big pike on weve been looking for.. and do some underwater video... AND get a chance to see Avery, who is working as a dockhand this summer there! We got to Cochrane, and checked in at the best western. Im sure that there are nice places other than the Best Western, but the last time we were in Cochrane, I cheaped out on the motel, and well.. lets just say for only the second time in my life.. we left a motel without checking out.. and wound up at the best western anyway lol. Top notch accommodations and a continental (really nice) breakfast available at 6 am so you can make the drive to the airbase by 7 am which is when they start flying out. Quite convenient. The flight in is about 45-50 min depending on headwind so we climbed into the Beaver and away we went! The scenery was awesome. Our Pilot Promptly upon arrival, we were treated to a full breakfast while the dockhands bring the luggage to your room/cabin. This dockhand seem genuinely happy to see us!! It was a cloudy day, but not Raining so our guide Brandon for the day grabbed us and out we went for some pickeral fishing! We were only out for three hours before lunch but managed at least 60. AS the weather started to degrade we deiced it was time for shorelunch, which the guide prepares... I gotta say after getting over the discomfort of not helping clean the fish or cook the lunch, being catered to was kinda nice!! We pondered the fact that life was good! Poor Brandon cooked us up a feast in the wind and rain! Warming up by the lunch!! LOL The wind picked up so after lunch we found a quite spot, put on some spoons and just trolled around for a bit. Was suprised that even in an area that wasn't "spot" we managed to pick up pickeral on our spoons! and they all went back in! After an afternoon like that we sat back and let our guide get us safely back across the lake where we retired to our room before dinner for a beverage. Then with BBQ Ribs on the menu, we sat down and had the pleasure of sitting next to these gentlemen. I told them Id make them famous. A quick view of the sunset and it was time to call it a day! We deciedd to strike out the next day on our own and explore some parts of the lake that we hadnt been guided to. WE didnt get the same amount of fish, BUT there's literally no where in that lake along the shoreline that you can catch fish. It was a beautiful sunny day and we made the most of it. With enough fish for lunch we descended on a beautiful beach, and did up our lunch!! Our Favorite dockhand had a few hours off and offered to give us a little tour of the lake... Momma was happy to have some face time!! Hes looking great, happy and is doing a bang up job!! (Im told!!) After and afternoon of that we went back, had a wonderful supper, once again watched an incredible sunset and got ready for the next day! For the next three days we booked a guide, one of the more senior ones, Stuart. We should have gotten aguide that couldnt fish.. because it rapidly descened into a competition as to who could catch more fish him or Monique. I am not at liberty to say who won... lol.... The next day started with us going out and getting what we needed for shore lucnh in short order. then staying and catching and relasing at least 60 more before going to lunch. The lodges policy is 2 pan size pickeral for lunch per person and everything should be on a single barbless hook. And then the best time of day... again! He cleaned hem while we kept fishing... (I almost wept with joy ... ok... ok.. I wept with joy) then prepared us a fantastic lunch. Lemon and herb spiced!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4x4bassin Posted June 28, 2013 Report Share Posted June 28, 2013 Looks like you guys had a great time , love the shore lunch pictures . It looks soooo good ! Thanks for post TJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joey Posted June 28, 2013 Report Share Posted June 28, 2013 Just awesome TJ. I'll have to get up there some day!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish Farmer Posted June 28, 2013 Report Share Posted June 28, 2013 Man you know how to make somebody hungry, more ways than one. Thanks for posting teasing. TJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris.brock Posted June 28, 2013 Report Share Posted June 28, 2013 awesome report! gotta love those pickerel on the spoons and spinner baits you guys were living like a king and queen up there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJQ Posted June 28, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 28, 2013 Here is the second half!! Then prepared us a fantastic lunch. Lemon and herb spiced!! And ohhhh did we eat!! After a few more spots we called it a day, with Stuart picking up a decent northern! Back at the Lodge... we find my wife in her happy place... lol.. by the fire.. The next day was a veritable pickeral extravaganza.. we honestly lost count of how many we pulled out that day. Events were much the same as the day before, which was not hard to take! I am pretty sure poor ol' Stuart had never guided anyone like the two of us before.. lol I think he'll be spending his summer earnings on therapy sessions... Today it was Cajun' Pickeral.. which turned out to be my favourite of the trip!! Best seat in the house! That afternoon we scoured the shoreline for big pike.. but the pickeral were ON!! and no matter what we casted (Stuart wouldn't let us troll... BOO HOO) we couldn't keep the pickeral off! We fished till late then called it a day.. once again exhausted, full and happy! The next morning the long days had taken its toll on Monique and she decided to sleep in a bit so I grabbed Stuart and off we went in search of shore lunch first.. then we tried for some underwater video. Which I knew was gonna be hard. Shore lunch was not hard.. in 10 min we had all we needed. Love this shot with the plane in the background. The underwater work proved difficult.. I got three strikes, but twice they hit the camera instead of the lure!! So shore lunch it was.. and I managed to get Stuart to cook over the open fire. (Teryaki Pickeral this time!) So after lunch we headed back to pick up Monique and feed her her share.. lol and then spend the rest of the day on a great spot and proceeded to haul out more than 70 walleye in a fierce competition between us (combined) lol and the Guide. Then... Monique gets THIS!! What a blast!! 41 inches of fun fun fun!! With our quest complete we sadly went back to the lodge to watch one last sunset and pack our gear. The next day, a quick flight back to Cochrane and our trip was over... (till next time!!) Thanks to Charlie, Jacob, Avery, Frankie, Stuart, Brandon and all the girls.. (They put up with alot!!) The staff there are fantastic and are always on the lookout to make your trip as good as it can possibly be.. We only had one glitch/complaint... one time they put ice in my whiskey... I mean come on.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solopaddler Posted June 28, 2013 Report Share Posted June 28, 2013 Great report TJ, thanks for posting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Clemens Posted June 28, 2013 Report Share Posted June 28, 2013 Sweet ..... Great trip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davey buoy Posted June 28, 2013 Report Share Posted June 28, 2013 Looks like a awesome place! The action certainly couldn't get any better! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kickingfrog Posted June 28, 2013 Report Share Posted June 28, 2013 Great stuff TJ and Monique. I would say I don't recognize those fishing show guys without their logos but that would't be true… or fair, but it might be a little bit funny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJQ Posted June 28, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 28, 2013 OH YA!! I forgot to add this photo of Monique coming across a section of the lake with a pretty good chop..hahahaha (shes gonna kill me for this one..) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basskicker Posted June 28, 2013 Report Share Posted June 28, 2013 Looks like an awesome time .......incredible fishing!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danklegrand Posted June 28, 2013 Report Share Posted June 28, 2013 Awesome report and great photos! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kickingfrog Posted June 28, 2013 Report Share Posted June 28, 2013 OH YA!! I forgot to add this photo of Monique coming across a section of the lake with a pretty good chop..hahahaha (shes gonna kill me for this one..) How do we know what you are doing on the other side of the camera? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJQ Posted June 28, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 28, 2013 How do we know what you are doing on the other side of the camera? LOL.. Dont worry, nothing i could show her can shock her anymore.... lol or anyone else for that matter... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kickingfrog Posted June 28, 2013 Report Share Posted June 28, 2013 I don't know about that. I think there might be a plumber in Virginia that wakes up with bear nightmares every now and then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJQ Posted June 28, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 28, 2013 I don't know about that. I think there might be a plumber in Virginia that wakes up with bear nightmares every now and then. OK.. Point taken... lololololol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adempsey Posted June 28, 2013 Report Share Posted June 28, 2013 Looks like it was a great trip! Kesagami is definitely one of the few lakes that I want to fish both summer and winter. Someday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishindevil Posted June 28, 2013 Report Share Posted June 28, 2013 Wow !!!! Awesome family trip boss !!!! Some very nice pickerel eyes !!!!! Man that shore lunch bonanza looked amazing !!!!!! Just curious can you pm me what that cost ball park for a trip just like that ?? Thanks. Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCTFisher9120 Posted June 28, 2013 Report Share Posted June 28, 2013 Nice report TJ, thought I posted this already but it didn't work...Awesome pics, Stu and Brandon are great guys, glad they got out with you and you got on em!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJQ Posted June 28, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 28, 2013 Wow !!!! Awesome family trip boss !!!! Some very nice pickerel eyes !!!!! Man that shore lunch bonanza looked amazing !!!!!! Just curious can you pm me what that cost ball park for a trip just like that ?? Thanks. Cheers PM sent And Mike.. Brandon will be ok.. but Poor Stuart... 3 days in the boat alone with us... hell never be the same... nope never be the same... we were relentless... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCTFisher9120 Posted June 28, 2013 Report Share Posted June 28, 2013 Haha, Stu will make it. I think the best part was driving back in that fog and wave with you two the hole time your screaming your head off haha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roy Posted June 28, 2013 Report Share Posted June 28, 2013 You're killing me TJ. What a place! I've gotta get my ass up there...and I will. I hope Avery is still there though. Thanks for the report. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Posted June 28, 2013 Report Share Posted June 28, 2013 Looks like way too many chits and giggles were had up there. To see a fishery like that, how can you NOT have a fantastic trip. I hope you tuned them in about the whiskey n ice. That there is almost a deal breaker on a return visit! hahaha. cheers, Ron... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCTFisher9120 Posted June 29, 2013 Report Share Posted June 29, 2013 (edited) You're killing me TJ. What a place! I've gotta get my ass up there...and I will. I hope Avery is still there though. Thanks for the report. Do it Roy, it's heaven man flat out....the lake is loaded with fish. I wouldn't mind being up there around the same time of some of you next season...plan er out...I want to go solo so share the boat and you have a free guide haha. I cook pretty cook shore lunch nothing fancy but it works. Edited June 29, 2013 by MikeTheBassFisher Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now