Return To The Sutton - A Teaser

[solopaddler]

I recently returned from another incredible trip to the Sutton River in Ontario's far north. You'll have to wait for the full story as it will be published in Ontario Out Of Doors early in the new year, but until then here's a short teaser!

 

It was a different trip this time as I didn't paddle the entire length of the river, instead staying at an outpost tent camp in the heart of the best fishing. Water was lower than the last time, but if anything the fishing was even more amazing as the fish were concentrated in the pools. Almost all the fish were caught swinging streamers or skating mouse patterns across the surface and it was pretty much non stop action with literally hundreds of fish caught!

 

I was able to spend a couple of days on Hawley Lake checking out the spectacular Sutton gorge and sampling the lake trout fishing in the lake itself. Although the lakers aren't huge, 4-8lb's on average, they're as thick as fleas and provided some icredible sport on light tackle.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I've put together a short video with some of the fly fishing highlights from the river, pretty awesome stuff have a look!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hope you enjoyed the teaser,

 

 

Cheers,  Mike

[Musky or Specks]

 

Holy freak of nature!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Is it just perspective or is that the longest Speck I've ever seen.

[kickingfrog]

Real beauty. Will your partner in crime be able to add any?

[solopaddler]

Holy freak of nature!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Is it just perspective or is that the longest Speck I've ever seen.

 

Not perspective Brad, that was a big fish!

 

Real beauty. Will your partner in crime be able to add any?

 

Don't think my companion on this trip is even a member here Rob, so not likely. However I'm going to put together a detailed report that will be posted after the magazine article comes out. I have over 50GB's of video from this trip LOL!

[Tomcat]

Great teaser Mike. Thanks for sharing. I'll keep any eye out for the full story in OOD.

 

Jay

[onthemountain]

Looks like paradise! Just incredible. I always love seeing these reports from you. Glad you had a great trip.

[spinnerdoc]

Wow right on Mike....quite a teaser you got there bud. Definitely something to look forward to

[fishindevil]

Wow !!! Just amazing mike !!!! Fish of a lifetime

[Joeytier]

Oh my god, I need to experience that system for myself someday. Were you able to take some lakers on the fly?

[solopaddler]

Glad you enjoyed the teaser guys!

 

 

 

Oh my god, I need to experience that system for myself someday. Were you able to take some lakers on the fly?

 

Hawley is an interesting lake, it's nothing more than a deep featureless crevice with almost no structure. I'm positive you could get lakers on the fly earlier in the season, but the fish were too deep last week.

We were jigging for them in 50-90' of water, 20lb braid with a stiff spinning rod and 1oz jigs. Almost every single time the jig hit the bottom you'd lift up and have a heavy hit. It actually got boring. The lake trout fishing is so good that a trip to Hawley just to fish for them alone is totally worth it.

[Ralph Field]

What a great way to make a living !

[solopaddler]

What a great way to make a living !

 

I'll never make a living at it, but I am finding a way to subsidize my sport. Experiences have always been 1000 times more valuable to me than things, so in that respect I'm a rich man.

[Christopheraaron]

Awesome teaser Mike! You'll have to get all of the pics and video up after the article comes out, you can't let all of that go unseen! It's good to see the flies got a work out too.

[solopaddler]

Awesome teaser Mike! You'll have to get all of the pics and video up after the article comes out, you can't let all of that go unseen! It's good to see the flies got a work out too.

 

Honestly anything would work on the Sutton Chris, but your streamers kicked butt! The white and olive zoo cougars were lethal.

[Gnote]

Awesome stuff mike! Some beauty fish for sure.

[davey buoy]

Great,teaser Mike,only a few more months to wait!!!

[Jds63]

Looking forward to reading the article in OOD, Mike !

Those specks are gorgeous fish !

[Moosebunk]

Friends from Attawapiskat make an annual run at freeze up to Hawley Lake to fish lakers there. What you described for numbers and size is dead on with what they do too. Hordes of five pounders kept to be smoked later.

 

Will make for an interesting read in OOD.

[BillM]

Did Joe have that camera @ 10mm the entire trip? Crazy at how low that river is compared to when we floated it! Nice to see the fish cooperated.

[4x4bassin]

Looked like a great trip Mike , can't wait for the full report in a couple months !

Question for you though , where did you get that tailing glove ?

Have not seen one like that before .

[GRINGO LOCO]

Mike;

 

I look forward to your report. I talked with you before you left about a fly-in and ended up with White River Air to Granite Hill lake and Buck Lake. I found a fishing partner and caught plenty of walleyes (over 300) once we figured out to forget jigs and minnows and fish Lindy Rigs with crawlers.

[solopaddler]

Friends from Attawapiskat make an annual run at freeze up to Hawley Lake to fish lakers there. What you described for numbers and size is dead on with what they do too. Hordes of five pounders kept to be smoked later.

 

Will make for an interesting read in OOD.

No kidding eh? That must be quite the trek for them! Are they flying into Hawley?

 

Did Joe have that camera @ 10mm the entire trip? Crazy at how low that river is compared to when we floated it! Nice to see the fish cooperated.

Dude, all those photos are mine! I have zero clue what the camera was or wasn't at LOL! (I missed your photo taking skills)

 

Looked like a great trip Mike , can't wait for the full report in a couple months !

Question for you though , where did you get that tailing glove ?

Have not seen one like that before .

 

I bought it when I was in Michigan last March, great little glove.

http://www.thefirstcast.ca/mesh-tailing-glove/

 

 

Mike;

 

I look forward to your report. I talked with you before you left about a fly-in and ended up with White River Air to Granite Hill lake and Buck Lake. I found a fishing partner and caught plenty of walleyes (over 300) once we figured out to forget jigs and minnows and fish Lindy Rigs with crawlers.

 

Right on glad to hear! So you flew in with WRA to Buck Lake? Which lodge did you stay at? Normally they fly out of Hornepayne so that's a little unusual.

[fisherman7]

This wing tip looks a lot like the Hearst Air colours. Was it them you went with?

 

[solopaddler]

This wing tip looks a lot like the Hearst Air colours. Was it them you went with?

 

Yep, Hearst Air. As far as I know they're the only outfitter currently flying into the Sutton.

[GRINGO LOCO]

Mike

We stayed at PK Lodge on Granite Hill and fished both Buck Lake and Granite Hill. Buck lake was only ten minutes from PK. White River Air is only two miles out of White River and the flight was only 20 minutes. We easily could have caught many more walleyes(caught over 300, my partner counted his and caught 173).Nearly all our fish were caught in two hot locations, but we spent a lot of time scouting the lakes.(Buck Lake is advertised as three different Lakes with two lodges).