Thanksgiving At Chaudiere - A Near North Family Getaway

[solopaddler]

Travelling north up highway 69 in early October my mind drifted to past years when I spent many happy days camping and fishing on the lower French River. Loaded with gear and provisions we’d launch at Hartley Bay then make the long run downstream to camp at the Bad River delta where it flows into Georgian Bay. Rapids, amazing scenery, great campsites and lots of big fish - it was a favourite destination.
For a number of reasons I’ve neglected the French over the last few years, not surprising since I’m always away somewhere else during the open water season. However the French does have one big advantage over the more far flung places I travel to, it’s an easy 4-5 hour drive from home in southern Ontario. This makes it an attractive option for a short getaway.
The upper French River has always been a mystery to me. I’ve heard great things about it, especially from a few hardcore musky nuts I’m friends with, but I’ve never fished it. That happily, was about to change. Chaudiere Lodge located on an island right in the heart of the best fishing  was our destination on this thanksgiving family trip. Like the river itself I’ve heard good things about the lodge and by all accounts it’s a first class facility. The owner Steve Niedzwiecki and I have a couple of mutual friends and for the last couple of seasons they’ve been poking and prodding me to check the place out. Now was the time.



A Great Introduction

Pulling out of our driveway  in the wee hours of the morning, it was an easy drive north. Both kids napped in the back seat and there was virtually no traffic. By 9am we were already rolling past the huge steel girdered bridge spanning the French River and nearing our cut off. At this point I’d always turned left down Hartley Bay road but now we’d be venturing east along highway 64 towards Monetville and ultimately the Dokis Marine. It’s a small corner of the province I’d never seen before and it surprised me. The first leg of the journey takes you through pastoral farm land, a stark contrast from the rugged shield country left behind at the main highway. It left one pondering who the original settlers were carving a life out of the bush way back when. I’m sure there’s a story there.
Just past the small hamlet of Monetville  the pavement is left behind and the terrain takes on a more northern flair.

I shot this short video of the drive in to the Marina…





We arrived at Dokis Marina at roughly 10am and it was virtually deserted with no signs of life. A bit of a problem as we needed to contact the lodge to pick us up and there was no cell service. I found out after the fact that guests are advised to call the lodge while they still have service on the main highway. That way a boat is waiting for them. We unloaded our gear on the dock then found an old pay phone inside the boat slips. After a couple of failed attempts we managed to reach the lodge answering machine and left them a message. For the time being all we could do was wait. Fortunately it was a darned nice spot to kill some time…








All told we waited maybe 20 minutes when suddenly a large boat from the lodge appeared to shuttle us over. They had received the message! Greeted warmly by lodge staff Peter we soon had our gear loaded and were on our way to Chaudiere.








Pulling up to the dock we were ushered over to the main lodge while two of the staff loaded our gear into a large trailer to deliver it to our cabin. I’m not used to being catered to, but honestly I could probably get used to it. I can safely say that my better half Joanne was impressed!

















After settling in a large bell announced lunch and we ambled over to the main lodge with the rest of the guests. Fresh walleye with all the fixin’s served buffet style was awaiting us…











It was a pretty great introduction to what is a pretty special Ontario Lodge!



A Fascinating History

My tale wouldn’t be complete without some mention of the long and storied history of the lodge. The island was purchased in 1905 by American Merle Anderson who established what was then called The Pennsylvania Club. Over the course of the next twenty odd years he worked at expanding the structures before finally selling it to Joe Sheedy of North Bay.
One can only imagine how difficult a journey it was to reach the upper French in those bygone days.
Prior to 1920 travel to North Bay was by train as roads were few and arduous. Upon arrival in North Bay a steamer ship would carry guests and supplies across Lake Nipissing to the outlet of the French and ultimately The Pennsylvania Club.
The now very busy highway 11 was first established in 1920 beginning in Toronto then following Yonge Street to Bradford and Barrie. Continuing north it ended at the Severn River just past Orillia.
Beyond the Severn the road was maintained as a Northern Development Trunk Road which went all the way to North Bay. Can you imagine the drive from the Severn to North Bay back then? It would have taken hours with the road dissecting what was mostly untouched wilderness. Times sure have changed!

This letter from original owner Merle Anderson dated July 12, 1947 paints an interesting picture. Have a look!






This follow up letter in two parts is even more fascinating. In it Merle describes how he skidded the cap stone for the fire place up poles with the help of four strong indians. Along with that he relates some fascinating history on his work as a bush doctor and a young boy ravaged by bugs.

You’re going to love this!

These photos circa mid to late 1940’s show the steamer boat approaching the dock at Chaudiere. The aerial shot is from the same era.

Great stuff!












What’s amazing to me is the main lodge is virtually unchanged today! It’s the very same structure, albeit updated, that you see in those old photos. Over the years Chaudiere has hosted celebrities, politicians, countless well known fishing personalities and thousands of everyday people. There’s a history here and you can feel it as soon as you step off the dock!

It’s an iconic Canadian lodge and I felt privileged being here with my family, finally able to share the Chaudiere experience with them…



Endless Water And Lots Of Walleye

Joanne and my daughter Riley were content to relax in the lodge the balance of that first afternoon leaving Brendan and I to fish. The first order of business was readying the tackle and boat. Chaudiere has a fleet of boats available to guests ranging from classic cedar strips to large comfortable fully decked out aluminums in a range of sizes. I chose a 16’ Lund Fury with a 30hp 4 stroke Merc. Full floor, padded swivel seats, bow mount trolling motor and good electronics - it was a great boat. Ironically I fished in the exact same craft minus the trolling motor on our summer trip to Lodge 88 and I was impressed then. The choice was easy. With such an abundance of angling opportunities and a huge amount of water to fish what to target and where to fish can be somewhat overwhelming. However I had a plan.

Here’s a map of the area to give you a better idea what the lay of the land is like. There is well defined deeper channel leading out to Nipissing, a distance of more than 17 kilometres from the lodge. The north side of the river is much different with an endless array of islands and maze-like channels offering a more sheltered out of the way experience…






I’d been told by a number of people that the amount of walleye in this part of the river would surprise me. So to that end I had my full walleye arsenal rigged and ready to go including jigging rods, bottom bouncing rods and simple live bait rigs. Walleye are walleye no matter where you find them and after studying the map I keyed in on a submerged rock pile about 10 kilometres up the river. Using my GPS and map Bren and I made the run straight to that spot and began our assault. Starting in 30’ of water on the upwind side of the hump we dropped bouncers and worm harnesses, trolled for maybe ten feet and Brendan caught a fish…






Not a big walleye, but a pretty good start. Continuing on we trolled for another 20 seconds and we both hit fish. Both small, but still fun to target and catch. This set the tone and for the next hour or so we caught one tiny dink walleye after another. If there was a downside it was the size of the fish, but I was totally blown away by the numbers!

Brendan’s birthday was that weekend and for weeks leading up to the date he’d been pestering me. “Dad, I want to catch a musky and I need a rod and reel to use! Everything I have is too light!” As a dad and an angler I find it impossible to deny the boy, so just before our trip he got his present, a light St. Croix Mojo Musky rod that he could handle matched with a Curado 301. He was ecstatic.

So while the kid patiently caught one dink walleye after another I knew what he really wanted to do. After his 10th fish he cracked. “Can we PLEASE go musky fishing now dad? This is boring!”
He just turned nine, but he’s already an angler and I’ll admit he makes me proud. I wanted to fish musky as much as the kid so that’s what we did. I warned him it might be tough, that we could fish for a long time for nothing. In my experience the French can be a tough nut to crack when it comes to musky. He was okay with that.

I’ve never fished this part of the French but I had some ideas. My thought was to stick close to the deep channel and focus on structure that was directly adjacent to it. We ran from spot to spot dropping the electric each time and methodically casting and combing the water with a variety of different baits. One thing I’ve learned over the years, too many people including some pretty decent anglers will motor right up to a piece of structure sit on top of it and cast. Big mistake. Large wary fish will instantly be spooked and it may be some time before they’ll hit again. It’s far better to start on the deeper fringes and work your way slowly towards your chosen spot either with an electric or simply drifting with the wind. It was a good approach but the fish weren’t cooperating. I still got a huge kick out of watching the kid cast the heavy baitcaster, he did well.

Deciding to try another approach we switched to trolling hoping to cover more water and fluke off a fish. Again we didn’t just troll blindly, instead keying on similar windblown structure directly adjacent to very deep water.

Thus began a trend which was repeated throughout our trip. Both of us badly wanted to catch a musky to the exclusion of everything and boy did we put in our time!

This is a shot which will be repeated throughout my story. There was a whole lot of time spent combing the water for that one elusive bite…  






By early evening a chill wind was beginning to blow and as avid as Brendan is his enthusiasm was waning. Still the purple hued sunset was a beautiful sight as the sinking sun poked it’s way through some low clouds as we neared the lodge. It was time to call it a day…  





Back at the lodge we joined the girls for dinner and experienced our first taste of just how fine the cuisine is here. We all chose the duck with a blackberry sauce with potatoes and veggies followed by double chocolate cake for dessert. Warning: Do not visit Chaudiere if you’re on a diet!










The Hunt For Fish And A Welcoming Atmosphere

The next day dawned cloudy and cool and both girls opted at hang in the lodge again for the morning. They were in no rush to hit the water. Brendan and I had other plans. There was a young man and absolute musky fanatic named Patrick Tryon staying at the lodge. He’s been visiting Chaudiere for over 15 years and he and his lovely wife were actually married there last summer. Talking with him about Musky he pointed out a couple of spots where he’d recently raised some large fish. Pat mostly casts for his fish and he also gave me a lure to try - a brightly coloured Shadzilla, an oversized plastic bait with a huge paddletail and plenty of thump. “It’s been a hot bait recently Mike, give it a shot!”. Nice guy that Patrick.

So with everything laid out for us on a silver platter the boy and I ventured out to catch a musky of our own. Until now many of Brendan’s angling experiences have been at remote locations where fish come easier. This kind of a grind was something entirely new to him and maybe that’s a good thing. Learning how to adapt and find fish on tougher bodies of water is all part of the learning curve. And grind it out we did. For several hours we combed a bunch of prime spots including Pat’s money spot and drew a blank.

After a spell we once again turned to trolling hoping to cover more water and intercept a fish.

Similar picture as before but again there was a whole lot of this…






Around 2pm we zoomed back to the lodge to warm up and enjoyed a late lunch of chicken wings and fries. By this time the sky was beginning to clear and after lunch Joanne joined Brendan and I in the boat. Having been beaten down a bit by the musky my goal was to get the two of them onto some fish so we turned our attention back to the walleye.

Once again every single spot we tried had large numbers of small fish and we caught them easily. Some on bouncers and harnesses, some drifting jigs, and a handful trolling deep diving crankbaits. All told we put well over 20 in the boat and enjoyed a leisurely afternoon. My feeling is that the next few years could see something very special happening on the walleye front in this part of the river. There’s currently a tremendous year class of fish that should continue to grow and get bigger! An early spring trip with walleyes being the main focus might prove to be pretty interesting.












That evening we had another amazing meal, this time prime rib, yorkshire pudding, potatoes, gravy and salad. The fact is I haven’t been to a ton of lodges where we’ve been fed, usually I bring my own food and cook it myself. But I’ve been to a few. Hands down the food at Chaudiere is the best I’ve experienced and is a large part of why this place is special.

The other thing about Chaudiere that’s hard to express in words is the warm and welcoming atmosphere. Everyone was incredibly nice and made us feel like family with each evening at the lodge becoming a mini social event. The owner Steve is perhaps the ultimate host. He’s an instantly likeable guy who puts everyone at ease and makes you feel at home.

After dinner he pulled out a guitar and proceeded to entertain  the lot of us. Great times…








Sometimes Simple Is Best

During a quiet moment the previous evening Steve had approached me about my plans for the next day. “If you’re interested I’d love it if you and your family fished with Billy for the day.” Billy is a local native and a long time Chaudiere guide. He’s also a bit of a local legend as he’s known to have an uncanny ability when it comes to finding and catching walleye. Part of the deal is a shore lunch, something that’s a highlight for many of the lodge guests.
As mentioned I’m not used to being catered to or guided for that matter but the thought held some appeal. No one ever stops learning and I was really curious to see how Billy goes about his business. I knew Joanne and the kids would love the experience and that was the most important thing. It was a no brainer, we’d be in Billy’s hands the next day.

Meeting at the dock after breakfast we loaded our gear into one of the lodges larger 20’ Lund Alaskan’s. A gorgeous craft with a 115 horse Merc tiller on the back.







Billy greeted us at the dock and suggested that it was going to be a good day. Of that I had no doubt. I was curious to see how he fished and we found out soon enough. Zooming up the river full throttle towards Nip he stopped every so often at a number of spots to check the graph. After 3 or 4 check stops he hit pay dirt and the screen on the graph was literally black with fish. We were in 30’ of water adjacent to an island. There was a deeper slot on this side of the island and the fish were stacked in it.

With a lifetime of knowledge under his belt the man knows every spot on the river. Like many old school guys I know he’s also pretty stuck in his ways when it comes to targeting walleye - he only fishes one way. A tiny locally trapped minnow threaded onto onto the shank of a 1/4 ounce jig head. Anchor, lob jig over the side of the boat and drop to the bottom. This style of fishing is foreign to me as I despise being static. Also I’d brought several dozen larger minnows with me from home, beautiful dace and chub in the 3-4” range. I simply could not bring myself to rig the way Billy and the rest of my clan was with the tiny minnows. I did my own thing.

Billy dropped his crude looking jig to the bottom and caught a walleye - a nice one! Then Joanne  and Brendan each caught one. Hmmm…..okay. Still stubborn I lobbed out a 3” lip hooked dace on tiny short shanked live bait jig head. I caught one finally, a microscopically small dink walleye that Brendan mocked me for catching. Then Billy caught 6 more one after another and the kids caught two more each.

I was thunderstruck. Never in a million years would I have believed the fish would hit such a crude rig. Like I said you never stop learning!

We hit 5 or 6 more spots and each time it was the same deal. Billy would drop his oversized jig with a tiny minnow threaded onto the hook shank and catch a fish. Seemingly at will. Joanne and the kids caught more than their fair share as well and I soon became the butt of jokes. “Dad, why aren’t you catching any fish?” “Well son, I’m experimenting with different things right now, that’s how you learn.” “No, you just can’t catch fish!!”

Billy sly old dog that he is looked on with wry grin as he released yet another fat walleye. The man is walleye catching machine.

Regardless of how poorly I did the day was a smashing success with lots of fish brought to hand and lots of laughs. By mid afternoon though it was time for lunch, something all of us were looking forward to. Billy slipped the big Lund into a small bay ringed by sloping granite rock, tied us off and went to work. With the quiet ease of someone who’s done this countless times before he filleted the fish, got a fire going, then fried up a mess of potatos and onions along with the fish. The rest of us lounged around soaking up the atmosphere and stretching out on the sun warmed rocks. It was glorious.












































We were back at the lodge by 5pm and Joanne and the kids wanted to relax for a bit. On my end it was a beautiful if windy evening and I decided to head out by myself and troll for musky. Making a good strong cup of coffee I poured it into my insulated mug, zipped up my floater suit and headed out into the waves.

Two things of note happened. First as I trolled around the point of an island bucking the waves a large cruiser appeared out of nowhere - it was the MNR. Our conversation went something like this:

MNR: Hello there sir, do you have a fishing license?
ME: I sure do!
MNR: Are you fishing for musky?
ME: Yep
MNR: Have a good day sir.  

That was pleasant and it’s always nice seeing them on the water.

Not long after that I approached a rocky shoreline that was literally being pounded by waves. Maybe 4 boat lengths behind me the bottom dropped into an abyss of deep water and this little shelf was a perfect ambush spot. Quickly changing lures I clipped on a 10” walleye patterned Jake and lobbed it out. Just as I engaged the reel I felt a teeny little “tick” and remember thinking “geez that felt kind of fishy!” Glancing quickly at the graph I saw that I was in pretty shallow water and thought for sure I bumped a rock. Wrong! Slipping my rod into the holder I made straight for the island then turned the boat sharply and sped up slightly. The hit was so savage I was literally stunned. Battling the big waves close to the island I couldn’t wrestle my rod out of the holder quickly as the pressure was too great. With one hand on the tiller and the other grabbing my rod I finally freed it but by that time the fish was gone. I’m sure if I’d have had the rod in my hand and got a good hook set I’d have had that fish.

I had half expected to catch something heading out by myself that evening, that’s usually the way things go. At least I’d had my shot.

Later that evening I found solace in the home made lasagna, caesar salad and fresh trifle with cream and fruit served in the dining room. I was really starting to like this place.



A Brilliant Day And A Memorable Feast

Our last full day was far more leisurely. Most of the guests had left leaving just us, Steve’s wonderful family and the staff. It was thanksgiving and the mood was festive, everyone anticipating the feast in store for us that evening.

We lingered over breakfast then in no particular hurry geared up for one last crack at the fish. It was a brilliant fall day, and we spent some time simply exploring some of the back channels and bays.















For a good portion of the day we fished for walleyes and just like before we caught a lot but all were small. On the plus side we jigged almost exclusively for them which is always my preference. Both the tried and true jig/twister and worm, as well as my favourite Northland paddle tail minnow all caught fish.








The star of the day though was Steve’s young son Michael who went out with his dad and caught this gorgeous 27” walleye close to the lodge. On…..wait for it, a jig with a tiny minnow threaded onto the hook shank. Sometimes I need to be beaten over the head with a two by four to have a point driven home.

Well done kid!





There are still some dandy fish swimming around in that system and I firmly believe that with time and persistence one could do surprisingly well on the walleye. Not bad for a 41/2 hour drive from home!

Thanksgiving at Chaudiere lived up to everyone’s expectations, it was spectacular. Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, a variety of other vegetables and some amazingly delicious pork tourtiere.

A buffet was set up along one wall and everyone including all of the staff sat down and enjoyed the meal together. The tables were all pushed together so we could celebrate as one. It was something special and a true testament to just how welcoming Chaudiere and the people behind it truly are.












As I always do I filmed a tour of the facilities. In this case the video is much longer than normal  simply because the lodge is far more substantial than my typical destination. Have a look it’s pretty impressive!






It’s safe to say that lodge owner Steve Niedzwiecki is now a friend. He truly is a genuinely nice individual and his entire operation reflects that. Like most of the places I travel to Chaudiere is NOT ultra remote and the fish aren’t jumping in your boat. BUT it’s close to home and the fishing is pretty darned good considering. It’s also a stunningly beautiful part of the province and the lodge with it’s long and rich history offers an experience that very few places in this province can match.

Thanks Steve I’ll be back!

[wormdunker]

You always amaze me with your trips! Amazing, scenery, fish pics! I enjoyed your video of the drive in to Dokis. I was just there the week end after Thanksgiving. I stayed at a remote cabin near Chaudiere operated by Norman Dokis.

[bigugli]

Sounds like a great family trip. Chaudiere is a fantastic place to stay.

[Hank Jr]

My son and I been there a couple times also to Lunge Lodge which isn't to far away it is a nice lodge . Thanks for the pictures and the report it was well done .

[Roy]

Thanks for that, Mike. This one's a little different than the others. Always great stories, photos and video clips but this one also has some very interesting history. I'm glad you're on "our side" showing us all of the fishing/vacationing opportunities.

[solopaddler]

You always amaze me with your trips! Amazing, scenery, fish pics! I enjoyed your video of the drive in to Dokis. I was just there the week end after Thanksgiving. I stayed at a remote cabin near Chaudiere operated by Norman Dokis.

Thanks! Sounds as though you might have been able to offer me some advice.

 

Sounds like a great family trip. Chaudiere is a fantastic place to stay.

Indeed! It's not an ultra remote destination but it does have its charm.

 

My son and I been there a couple times also to Lunge Lodge which isn't to far away it is a nice lodge . Thanks for the pictures and the report it was well done .

Really? What fish do you guys target up there?

 

Thanks for that, Mike. This one's a little different than the others. Always great stories, photos and video clips but this one also has some very interesting history. I'm glad you're on "our side" showing us all of the fishing/vacationing opportunities.

Thanks Roy. Personally I thought this write up was far from my best, so thanks for the comment. I did love the historical stuff myself though. (I'm a part of this board, why wouldn't I be on your side? )

[mr blizzard]

Mike as usual, breath taking, pictures and narration, composing this probably took as much time as the actual time u spent there, but we all truly appreciate it,

 

I was particularly partial about the shore lunch :clapping:

[highdrifter]

Great read Mike! I have relatives in Dokis (the Restoules) and have been going up there since I was a kid so your report really hits home. It truly is a magical place.

 

I was ice fishing right near Dokis marina last year and you're right about the amount of 1-2 year class pickeral.. There's tons of em! But there certainly are big ones..

 

cheers,

HD

[solopaddler]

Great read Mike! I have relatives in Dokis (the Restoules) and have been going up there since I was a kid so your report really hits home. It truly is a magical place.

 

I was ice fishing right near Dokis marina last year and you're right about the amount of 1-2 year class pickeral.. There's tons of em! But there certainly are big ones..

 

cheers,

HD

 

 

No way man, you're just full of surprises!

[can u fish]

Thanks for sharing your Thanks Giving weekend with us Mike looks like you and the family had a great time Chaudiere Lodge sure is a beautiful place.

 

Cheers Mitch

[kickingfrog]

Great stuff. I love the French River. Was that your daughter eating the shore lunch?

[solopaddler]

Thanks for sharing your Thanks Giving weekend with us Mike looks like you and the family had a great time Chaudiere Lodge sure is a beautiful place.

 

Cheers Mitch

 

Thanks Mitch!

Great stuff. I love the French River. Was that your daughter eating the shore lunch?

Yep, she's growing up awful fast!!

[kickingfrog]

 

 

Yep, she's growing up awful fast!!

 

Eating fish and turkey will do that.

[Pigeontroller]

Great report, Chaudiere is a great place! Steve is an awesome host, beauty water.

 

 

Lose the smokes though...They just make you look dumb...Just sayin!

[Steve]

Absolutely enjoyed this one.

 

The history portion of your adventure is awesome. Imagine using a straight mercury solution to heal a wound I would love to see a photo of the poor kid who became bug food, coming out of the bush....ole Merle the bush doctor sure was confident about his abilities...

 

Brendan's caught the muskie bug.......that'll be an expensive hobby...but a fun one. Too bad your little man didn't run across a muskie for his efforts. Perhaps a trip to St Clair is in order.

 

fun times.

[2 tone z71]

Awesome trip ...nice looking lodge

[chris.brock]

I can't think of a better way to spend Thanksgiving, family, good food, fish and the magical French River.

[wormdunker]

No Mike I didn't do very well. A cold front moved in the day I arrived. You & your family definitely caught more walleye than I did. For the other posters you may want to read the history of Dokis, how they originally settled on a point on Nipissing then move their families to present day Dokis. Norman Dokis is a very interesting person. He teaches native studies to the university students attending Nipissing University right from his waterfront lodge, which is a 2 km boat in only facility. Scenery is awesome such as you & your family witnessed.

[spinnerdoc]

Looks like another great trip Mike. Drove by the French river twice when we drove around Georgian bay. That duck dinner sure looks mouth watering. Thellodge looks awesome.

[kickingfrog]

Note the dates on the letters. A letter was sent on July 12th, A response written on the 18th and was received on the 21st. From Florida to an Canadian island fish camp in 1947. No paved highways, no regular air flights. I'm not sure if you could do that short a turn around today.

[Moosebunk]

Your writing just flows with ease man! Plenty practice.

 

I'm with Steve too, enjoyed that history... but wish I'd seen that muskie.

[solopaddler]

Great report, Chaudiere is a great place! Steve is an awesome host, beauty water.

 

 

Lose the smokes though...They just make you look dumb...Just sayin!

 

Thanks!

 

You seem to be concerned so I think it should be you who tells Billy smoking makes him look dumb. Because it won't be me. The only person smoking in my story was our native guide Billy. Not me....Just sayin!

 

 

 

 

 

Absolutely enjoyed this one.

 

The history portion of your adventure is awesome. Imagine using a straight mercury solution to heal a wound I would love to see a photo of the poor kid who became bug food, coming out of the bush....ole Merle the bush doctor sure was confident about his abilities...

 

Brendan's caught the muskie bug.......that'll be an expensive hobby...but a fun one. Too bad your little man didn't run across a muskie for his efforts. Perhaps a trip to St Clair is in order.

 

fun times.

 

Thanks Steve! Yeah don't know how or why the kid caught the musky bug, but he's definitely got it! A trip to St. Clair is definitely in order!

 

No Mike I didn't do very well. A cold front moved in the day I arrived. You & your family definitely caught more walleye than I did. For the other posters you may want to read the history of Dokis, how they originally settled on a point on Nipissing then move their families to present day Dokis. Norman Dokis is a very interesting person. He teaches native studies to the university students attending Nipissing University right from his waterfront lodge, which is a 2 km boat in only facility. Scenery is awesome such as you & your family witnessed.

Would love to learn more about the history of Dokis! One thing I personally found both interesting and enlightning, our native guide Billy talked at length about how his ancestors and he himself only take what they need (fish) to survive and no more.

 

He seemed just as frustrated as anybody with the native netting situation. (my intention was not to open a can of worms so let's not go there LOL!)

 

Note the dates on the letters. A letter was sent on July 12th, A response written on the 18th and was received on the 21st. From Florida to an Canadian island fish camp in 1947. No paved highways, no regular air flights. I'm not sure if you could do that short a turn around today.

Yeah I noticed the dates too Rob and thought the exact same thing!

 

Your writing just flows with ease man! Plenty practice.

 

I'm with Steve too, enjoyed that history... but wish I'd seen that muskie.

Thanks dude!

[Pigeontroller]

I stand corrected! Though I do seem to recall seeing you in pics with a smoke hanging out of yer mouth....Nothing ruins a fishing picture for me quite like that! YES, I'm an ex-smoker...Finally quit after a few deaths and seeing my Mom lose a good portion of her tongue...

[solopaddler]

I stand corrected! Though I do seem to recall seeing you in pics with a smoke hanging out of yer mouth....Nothing ruins a fishing picture for me quite like that! YES, I'm an ex-smoker...Finally quit after a few deaths and seeing my Mom lose a good portion of her tongue...

 

You are correct sir. It's a nasty habit.

[Steve]

my father has a smoke hanging from his mouth on 80% of his photo's....

 

and it doesn't "ruin" a single photo.

 

it's my dad... it is what it is.

 

any photo of dad is valued and certainly isn't ruined by a smoke in his mouth.....