A Solo Roady North II. "Fishin' Impossible."

[Tomcat]

Thanks Drew for making the time to put this report together. Like all the other posters have stated, your report is a real beauty - a super enjoyable read.

[Dusky]

Amazing fishing, write-up and pictures.

Thank you for sharing such a wonderful experience.

[Old Ironmaker]

Drew I just reread the stories. Like some food better a day latter. I don't want to be one of those older guys that say enjoy it while the body can but....... We used to head to Klotz Lake and take advantage of all those back lakes on the logging roads. We lugged in 9.9's over our shoulders, gas and equipment. We would train at the gym for 8 weeks before we took that ice out trip. Portaging over several beaver dams in and out was a breeze. We weren't carrying canoes we were lifting 14 foot tinnys and the 9.9's. Enjoy, I hope you can continue these wonderful adventures well after you don't need to buy a fishing license because you may have a disabled parking permit.

[fishnsled]

Great report Bunk!! Your humour and wit throughout the report really add to a very enjoyable read. Thanks for taking the time to do this up!

[mr blizzard]

Moosebunk, terrific read and amazing pictures, I cannot imagine the time it takes to compose this thread but it is truly enjoyable

John

[Jds63]

wow what an amazing fishing trip as usual ... thanks for sharing your adventure

[Moosebunk]

.... But I must say I'm disappointed...only one speck photo? I know, you can't share everything. Thanks for the great read.

 

My good man, that'll likely be fixed at a later date. Only managed a short 2 - 2 1/2 hours or so really on specks this trip. Just the way it unfolded. Will try not to disappoint ya again Alan. lol.

 

Drew I just reread the stories. Like some food better a day latter. I don't want to be one of those older guys that say enjoy it while the body can but....... We used to head to Klotz Lake and take advantage of all those back lakes on the logging roads. We lugged in 9.9's over our shoulders, gas and equipment. We would train at the gym for 8 weeks before we took that ice out trip. Portaging over several beaver dams in and out was a breeze. We weren't carrying canoes we were lifting 14 foot tinnys and the 9.9's. Enjoy, I hope you can continue these wonderful adventures well after you don't need to buy a fishing license because you may have a disabled parking permit.

 

Still young but feeling it a little bit more every year, although slow down and it'll all just slow to a stop that much faster. Can't leave these kinda days for old age when it'll be all that much more difficult to do. Coming months hoping to prove to myself that I can still work and play like I did at 20 years old.

 

You can still carry those 9.9's deep into the bush can't ya?

[TDunn]

Bunk, great trip!

I spoke to Rob the other day, he mentioned your double header..... Wild!

Everything you preach about O.R.R. Is bang on...its truely my favourite destination in Ontario.

To bad our trips didn't align this year....maybe next year

 

Talk soon man

[Moosebunk]

To bad our trips didn't align this year....maybe next year

 

Heard you found some of those specks I was although barely had time to look for.

 

t'll happen down the road Tyler... It's too good a place not to revisit. Run with that good idea of yours too.

[muskymatt]

Awesome! Very nice indeed.

[green&orange]

Thanks for the post. I always enjoy reading about your adventures. I appreciate that you often have a DIY type of trip because it is something that I can relate to. Some of your earlier trips down river systems you posted this winter were classic as well.

 

What ended up being wrong with the Yamaha?

[Moosebunk]

Thanks brutha Matt! And you, green&orange guy!

 

What ended up being wrong with the Yamaha?

 

Still not diagnosed... but I'll post when I do know.

 

Got me wondering and worrying a little with the wait now.

[Pickeral eater]

Great report and awesome fish! Congrats!

[wkrp]

Absoutely incredible!

[can u fish]

Thanks for taking the time and putting this all together Bunk another great read and awesome photos.

 

Cheers Mitch

[pics]

Awesome trip! Timing is everything when it comes to specks in that area. My buddy was just up there and they caught 29 with the biggest at 26". I moose hunt south of ORR and the country up there is heaven to me. The September bow hunt can't come soon enough..

[solopaddler]

Glad to see your trip went well Drew, great stuff!!

[mepps]

Awesome stuff Bunk! I gotta join you on one of these trips someday! (or is that too much ginger beard in one boat?)

[Moosebunk]

What ended up being wrong with the Yamaha?

 

 

Turns out it was the impeller. The housing was a wee tad worn too. 1/2 hour labor and those new parts plus all new seals wasn't that really a ding at all. Peace of mind now. Diagnostic on the engine showed no red lights, no further troubles. Oil changes at 100 hours and impeller inspection at 300 hours the manual recommends. Engines been going spring 2010 ti'll now, so into it's sixth year has almost 1000 hours, could say it was time for something to happen. It's seen it's oil changes and filters almost every 100 hours and other than that nothing. Still impressed; and in disbelief, we made it back the 40 kilometers with no engine coolant. The impeller gave no early warning signs of quitting until it just did.

 

 

Timing is everything when it comes to specks in that area. My buddy was just up there and they caught 29 with the biggest at 26".

 

 

I think you're right with this point. So far the Lund is sucking on specks in the north which boggles me some, though they haven't been top priority by any means either. The boat has invested about 3 full days worth of hours during its two week long trips, for three fish total, but two of those fish were impressive at 5 and 6 pounds. There's been a few lost now as well. One group the week prior to my arrival really beat some up one day, but during the week I was there nobody reported anything other than a group which caught two 16-inchers. That area with it's huge lakers, huge pike (when ya find them), and walleye numbers with great sizes up to double digits too, seemingly always has something that's biting.... or at the very least really really worth chasing.

 

 

Awesome stuff Bunk! I gotta join you on one of these trips someday! (or is that too much ginger beard in one boat?)

 

 

There's a great number of guys (and gals) on this board I'd fish with in a heartbeat, the list would be long. You'd be right up there though Clive. That ginger power would be colossal bud. lol.

 

 

Thanks to those reading, enjoying, and for the kind replies.

[chris.brock]

Yeah, there's life at both ends of that red dirt road.

 

Nipigon looks awesome but Onaman Lake has been on my radar for a while and I hope to get there someday.

 

Awesome as usual Bunk.

[Moosebunk]

Yeah, there's life at both ends of that red dirt road.

 

Nipigon looks awesome but Onaman Lake has been on my radar for a while and I hope to get there someday.

 

ORR would be right up your alley Chris. Pick a spot and go... but leave no weight behind for the trip. Trek easy into Onaman's any day you want.... Heck, we could plan one big group from here to book the resort a week and have right at it all bud! lol.

 

Looking west to east on Onaman's through the gap there's no shoreline to be seen on the other side... big lakes like that just make you wanna run down the whole thing to check it out.

 

 

There's life at both ends....

Edited July 6, 2015 by Moosebunk

[pics]

A guy I hunt with has intimate knowledge of the area. The lake was hit pretty hard before the gate leading in was put up but it looks as if it has recovered nicely .. he figures that only one in seven lakes up there has decent fishing and he never tells a soul when he finds a good one because it's easy to fish them down. My best day of fishing had us catching 20-25 walleye an hour in a relatively small lake... sadly, life has gotten in the way of any more trips up for fishing..

[LeXXington]

Always amazed and your travels

[adempsey]

Thanks for the report, I finally took the time to read it in full. I had hoped to make it to ORR this year, but didn't work out. Maybe next year. How difficult is it to get a booking? Similar great value drive-to places like Happy Day Lodge and O'Sullivans Rainbow fill up incredibly fast.

 

I would be a bit intimidated fishing NIpigon, especially in a small boat. It looks like there plenty of options if the weather isn't cooperative though. Also, by Ombambika Lake are you referring to the bay? or the widening of the river?

[Moosebunk]

A guy I hunt with has intimate knowledge of the area. The lake was hit pretty hard before the gate leading in was put up but it looks as if it has recovered nicely .. he figures that only one in seven lakes up there has decent fishing and he never tells a soul when he finds a good one because it's easy to fish them down. My best day of fishing had us catching 20-25 walleye an hour in a relatively small lake... sadly, life has gotten in the way of any more trips up for fishing..

 

 

No gate on the way in now... Two outfitters have boats cached on the lake plus the fly-in outfitter with two camps on the lake. As far as I know, it receives little to no ice fishing pressure because of tough winter access and BIG slush on the lake. You cannot drive-in and leave a vehicle there, nor launch. There are some nice campsites though. Anyways, a couple TV shows have been filmed in there in recent years as it's considered one of the better lakes in the area. Can't comment on many others. If it's walleye people went looking for I'd only guess to agree with your buddy as I have heard locals can be awfully hard on their fisheries. Hopefully life changes around PICS and you're back to making those summer trips.

 

 

Thanks for the report, I finally took the time to read it in full. I had hoped to make it to ORR this year, but didn't work out. Maybe next year. How difficult is it to get a booking? Similar great value drive-to places like Happy Day Lodge and O'Sullivans Rainbow fill up incredibly fast.

 

I would be a bit intimidated fishing NIpigon, especially in a small boat. It looks like there plenty of options if the weather isn't cooperative though. Also, by Ombambika Lake are you referring to the bay? or the widening of the river?

 

 

For next June you'd be lucky if you weren't booking right now. Nipigon walleye opens June 9th pretty sure it is, that's why that month to fish gets booked solid. It's the same for hunters in October, busy. Seemed to me most anglers are there for walleye, then lake trout, then specks. July is still a very busy month too, but August the bookings taper off some. Mid to late August in my experience (and Rob's at ORR) is best time for specks.

 

I didn't fish Ombabika Bay on Lake Nipigon. Tried driving to it but a BIG rain the weekend before plus a hard downpour in the early morn before heading there in the truck, made for one deep mudpit that wasn't going to be overly kind to the new truck. Chose to fish the Ombabika river instead at Babika Lake. As said, your options are many.

 

Nipigon is intimidating when you don't play safe. My radio receives the marine forecast at Flatland Island. Cell phones in some areas of the lake and all of the river do work, but not at ORR. The GPS is always on and Google Earth and mapping should be everyone's study if planning to go. No hydrographics and plenty contour, its the shoals that can get ya on that lake. Rob prints weather forecasts each morning from two sites, and he posts them on the office door. Boat size isn't a big thing really, it's being on or off the BIG lake at the right times. The 14-foot tinny with 25hp I used, moved 28-29mph, that's quick enough to get ya back in or too protected shorelines if weather does turn, and all other trips over the years have been in a 16ft boat.