A Win at Wynn Lake (kinda)

[ckewley]

This trip happened a little later than planned due to unforeseen events but I'm really glad it did happen. The plan was dead simple, this is the year I was going to catch a Aurora and Wynn Lake was going to give me one. Everything else was secondary, didn't care what other lakes, river systems Bain wanted to hit as long as I got due time at Wynn. For those unfamiliar Wynn Lake is located about 30 min outside of Larder Lake or Kirkland Lake (almost dead between) in a Provincial Park called Esker Lakes & is stocked with the elusive Aurora Trout that can only be hunted in 3 year rotations, added bonus they stocked 136 adults in 2016. Bain had picked the Montreal river & Lady Evelyn river (eastern arm) as the destination afterwards. We decided to leave after work on Thursday & head to North Bay for the night to help cut in half the 6 hr drive, I was thinking "great" because on our spring trip to Trident Lake when adempsey & I were driving through I spied a wing joint called Wacky Wings & made a special note ( I'm a chicken wing & hot sauce nut) I will say if you are like me & anywhere near North Bay give them a try, great wings & service, sauce wasn't hot enough for me but extremely flavorful.

From there we'd camp at a trailer park for the night.

 

I'm not sure what Bain is doing here but wanted me to take a picture! 6am pops & we were off to Wynn. We make pretty good time driving up there & stop in Larder Lakes at the bait shot (Larder Bait & Tackle) for some general filtered try again please (trying to put C hit chat but the filter doesn't allow it) chat with a local, nice store but not a very welcoming gentleman working that day, not unfriendly but seemed like we were bothering him. Within 20 minutes we'd be at the lake & once there we would set up our gear & cast our lines out, take our time unpacking the canoe & the rest of our gear, my float goes down! I race to my rod, pop it back "going to be a short day" fish on, wasn't big but it was fighting like mad.get it close only to have it throw the hook. Launch the canoe & troll all over the lake, surprising quite a deep lake for its size.

 

After trolling around for a few hours marking very little, my ass was tired so we headed back to the launch & fired up the HOBO stove for some dogers when a SUV pulls up & 2 guys get out & we start talking. Local guy's started sharing info on this lake, apparently something had happened in the lake & the adults they just put in died & not from the pike that got introduced into this lake. The pike they were sure were there but think they got fished out because they hadn't seen one come out in over 3 years, they wished us luck because they had yet to catch one this season. Outcome not looking to great but we fired out our lines & ate hot dogs, my float goes down again, reel up slack & pop, fish on but much smaller than the first, land him in a frying pan because Bain was eager to eat this bugger (not really) & my day was officially done. Not the adult I wanted but non the less a Aurora

 

Maybe a 6" guy if lucky, but we'd spend the next few hours seeing if Bain could catch one. He at one point started to use my set up & wouldn't you know the float goes down but Bain set the hook like he was Salmon fishing & pulled it from the fish...lol. We had planed on hitting Crystal Lake for Splake but opted for Larder lake as it was closing day. We'd camp there for the night & while the fishing wasn't great Bain almost boated a very nice Bass, next day we would make our way day to Mowats Landing. On the road fish stories are common but as we were gunning down route 588 I was talking about the time my bud & I were dive bombed by a seagull when a Grouse started off at the side of the road, Bain screamed "NOT THIS TIME M*&^%%&&%^&" & took the bird out (not really the bird committed suicide) but we had dinner.

 

Neither of us are hunters so cleaning a bird was alien but Bain managed his best, small but quite a tasty wild chicken. For the first day we thought we'd hit Evelyn & man what a beautiful place. Fishing was tough but did manage a few pike, bass, walleye & perch stopped & had a great shore lunch of pike.

 

 

 

From there we'd head back to set up camp & get ready for dinner. We had a surf & turf thing going with walleye & grouse as the main with whatever else we could muster, was some good scarf!

 

 

Got stuff together & grilled some grouse & pan fried some in butter, walleye followed with instant mashed potatoes, then sat back with a decent whisky

 

 

The next day we were to hit the Montreal river. Rain was forecasted but the morning looked like this

 

 

But quickly turned to this

 

 

 

Not real rain more a mist, the kind that chills to the bone, so after 4 or so hours I had enough as the bite was off anyway & we made for a camp. Bain wouldn't let the tug is the drug go & he'd solo for a bit while I sat back in between the rain & brakes with a nice fire & a nice whisky

 

 

 

Think he bagged a walleye or 2 slow trolling a worm harness but that pretty much closed out that day. The next day was our farewell so we planned on getting up early & fishing for a few hours before the trek back to the GTA. 6 am rolls & we enjoy the morning sleep, somewhere around 730 we start moving about cooking breakfast & then out to fish. We do a few passes around where we caught some pike the day before but didn't hit anything so we packed it up & headed home.

Overall it was a spectacular 4 days of fishing & exploring new places with a good friend & good laughs. Again the wildlife was somewhat sparse but Bald Eagles were beginning there mating dance I believe, river otters were doing otter things, red squirrels were cursing at Bain & grouse were committing suicide by van & a AURORA TROUT!!!!!!! A great trip to be done again for sure!!!

 

Some random shots

 

 

 

 

 

It's Nessy....3 otters messing about

 

 

& finally my whisky picture!!!!

Edited October 5, 2016 by ckewley

[FishOn]

Looks like a lot of fun

[chris.brock]

Yes, it's a win. You got one. Not many people can say they have done that.

 

Looks like a great little adventure. I want to go when the season opens again.

Edited October 5, 2016 by chris.brock

[Joeytier]

Really enjoyed that, awesome report!

 

And yes, Wacky Wings is killer man! Next you come thru North Bay I challenge you to a game of hoops!

[ckewley]

Challenge accepted man! For sure Chris im in for next year!

[Jds63]

Really enjoyed the report Chris !!

Congrats on the Aurora!

Edited October 5, 2016 by jds63

[adempsey]

Very cool! Maybe next trip it will be raccoon for lunch!

[hutch4113]

Excellent selection in Scotch

[jimmer]

What a beautiful looking area.

[misfish]

Great read dude.

 

Sweet.

 

[gino]

Really enjoyed that, awesome report!

 

And yes, Wacky Wings is killer man! Next you come thru North Bay I challenge you to a game of hoops!

oh yeah, Wacky Wings...i will always remember that...

[ckewley]

Julian, Adam & Brian thanks guys we should get out soon & I'm pretty sure raccoon's won't be on the menu! Jimmer if you've never been I do highly recommend the place, fantastic. Tupelo I do enjoy the odd whiskey. ...lol

[pics]

To clean a Grouse just stand on the wings and pull the legs... then pull the breast out and cut off the wings...