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"The Best Laid Plans...
....by Alan Cheeseman
...of mice and men, do often go astray." No - I have not been sniffing exhaust from the DeHavilland
Otter. I am thinking of this week's podcast featuring the voice of Chris
Clemmons. Yes, that Chris Clemmons! Winner of last year's Walleye National Team Championship (and half share
in a new Ranger Boat as well as $30,000.) Listen to the podcast now. Just a couple of weeks ago - before his annual trip - Chris
shared his advance plan for approaching big Whitewater Lake in the Wabakimi
Park with us. "Find moving water, cold and rich in oxygen," he said. "Look for
walleyes in the shallow grass. Fish, don't read fishing magazines," Chris told
us, "... so break the rules a little." That was then - This is Now! So, about that headline from Robert Burns poem, To A Mouse. Once Chris and his group got to the western end of the
26,000 acre Ogoki River based Whitewater Lake - well, good bye plan. Perhaps Charles
Darwin's quote is the best set up of all for the Clemmons' interview. "It
is not the biggest or strongest creature in nature that survives - but the one that
is most adaptable to change." Anyway. These six smiling Master Anglers in  the photo are proof
positive that while fish may not read... a little lesson from the literary world
goes a long way in helping anglers succeed here in Northwestern Ontario's Boreal forest. Listen and learn. (No it will not be on
the final!) Photos - Please - Photos: We are again issuing the call for your photos from your trip to Northwest Ontario. While we always get plenty of the "grin and grip" - angler and fish shots, its the natural beauty and the wildlife that we're looking for as well - for our 2011 calendar. If your photo is selected as a "main page" photo, we'll send you a Wilderness North cold weather vest. You may attach these photos in an e-mail to us - in the highest resolution you have. Don't forget to include your name, mailing address, and phone number. I look forward to seeing your pics soon...and thanks in advance. Click here to start the e-mail. I always value hearing from you, and answering your questions, so drop me an e-mail by clicking here. Alan
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Old Man Fisherman catches Old Man Pike
in Battle Royale !
...by Tristan Yuswak
 Dr. Vic
Thomas arrived with his family all the way from Dearborn Heights, Michigan, not suspecting that he was to have the fight of his life bringing in a 45-inch
monster pike. It was a loaner rod, fleuger medium spin/cast combo, the tackle
was a silver spoon with some red tape and a white twist-tail on the back-end
and the fight...one of the greatest fishing stories the Miminiska Lodge bar has ever
heard. Dr. Vic
snared a pike, which he and First Nation guide Thomas Nate barely managed to haul into the boat by using two
nets. As they struggled the Leviathan into the boat, the pike snapped the 30lb
steel leader and started struggling. Then the struggling pike whacked Thomas onto the 25hp motor, knocking the wind out of him. Dr. Vic
lost control of the pike and it went back into the water  bumping its head on
the side of the boat. Dr. Vic's son, Tim reacted in time to get another net
around the head of the pike while it was still stunned and Thomas managed to get two
hands on the tail, after recovering from his yoga-like position of bent backwards over the
outboard motor... haha. Not the right time for yoga Thomas... hehe. They
finally got the monster in the boat! After seven years guiding on Miminiska Lake,
Thomas Nate says it's the biggest northern pike that has been caught here...crikey, Dr. Vic,
bloody well done. The group
finished up with three Master Angler pike, plenty of good times and bloody
good fishing. The
Goldberg group from Toronto spent four days fishing and enjoying Lake
Miminiska. Eddy Weisz grabbed himself a 42-inch pike just 50 meters from the
Miminiska Dock, which made his day. The boys were here to have fun and catch a
lot of fish...mission complete! The walleye were turning on the charm and everyone
had their fill of fishing every day. Enjoying shore lunches and even bringing
up their own lamb racks for shore lunch, which had this Aussie belly rumbling
like mad! Love the lamb! Anyhoo,
hoo-roo for this week, with our good friends the McCabe party coming in this
week, we are sure to have a bloody great time up here, as always!! |
The Wheels on the Bus Go Round and Round
...by Joe Pichey
 Wapwallon,
Pennsylvania is over 1000 miles from Wilderness North in Ontario. No problem.
Dan Januszewski, loads up eleven of his best friends in the Greyhound bus he
has rebuilt (what he calls his retirement account) and comes over to Mojikit Lake and the Ogoki Reservoir. He knows these waters well; he's been coming here
for years. He's heading home now after what he calls, "A fishing experience on
a whole new lake." It's all about  water levels he says since lake levels are
down about six feet. So did he catch
'em? You bet. Not as many as in
previous trips, but good size. And in predictable summer patterns. Jigs and
tails - deep and slow. While his group had no Master Anglers, they all ate
their share of tasty walleye, and said, "See you next year," when the big bus
started the trek home. Thanks, Dan for your years of dedicated support. The Chris
Clemmons group was on the west end of Whitewater Lake - 26 mile long "wide
spot" in the west to east flowing Ogoki River. They stayed on the west end and
came out with six Master Anglers: two walleye and four pike. The walleye pins
went to Brad Clemmons for 27.5 incher he caught and released using a jig and
"secret" lure (knowing Brad it is a chunk of Spam or niblets of corn), and to
Dan Solecki, for a 28.5-inch walleye, he reeled in from using a 3-way rig with
a floating jig and sucker minnow. The four pike Master Anglers are Tom
Kaltenecker, with a 40 incher he caught on a 3/8 oz jig, Anthony Beinarauskas, a
41-inch on a Williams Whitefish, Frank  Kaltenecker a 44-inch who caught his on a
bucktail, and the big girl of the week: (drum roll please) Scott Sanders' 46.5-inch Ms. Sharptooth he caught on a "Depth Raider." (Photo right.) It's
summer- hot hazy days - even a little sticky - so summer patterns are the
success rule of the day. I look forward to
hearing from you all soon! Send me an email. |
 Hot Days - Hot Pike Fishing on Whitewater Lake
...by Katelyn Johnson
This past
week at Striker's Point Lodge we played host to the Rowell group from Bristol,
Tennessee. Dad, Mike Rowell, son Austin and friend Adam Tabor battled it out to
see who could bring in the biggest fish. In the end it was Austin who became
group champion with a 44.5-inch northern caught down river by the rock wall.
The fish emerged from the depths several times and even did the famous "tail
walk" on the water at one point
before Austin was able to reel her in - take her photo - and send her back home.
Previous to this, Austin also caught a 35-inch and a 36-inch, also at the rock
wall. Adam came in second place with a pike measuring just over 40 inches. Mike
was just shy of Master Angler status with a beautiful 39-inch pike. Austin also
won the competition for the largest walleye at 23 inches.
The Nazaruk group from Chicago, Illinois came to Whitewater Lake with an
interesting goal: to catch the smallest fish. Mishail Shapiro succeeded,
catching a tiny walleye that measured about 8 inches in length. He also learned
an important lesson: always bring your rain gear with you in the boat... hey,
Mishail, your friends - Igor
Shkarovsky and Sasha Nazaruk warned you that bad weather was coming. As the day
went on, Mishail got progressively wetter and wetter. When he suggested that
they return to the lodge, Igor instead decided that the group should go explore
Ogoki Lodge. By mid-afternoon, the group returned to the lodge and Mishail was
soaked "to the bone", uncomfortable and disgruntled.
Here on Whitewater Lake,
the weather can change so frequently and rapidly throughout the day that it is
important to be well prepared.
Sun screen and rain suits - yup, both in the same
day.
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 Great Weather, Great Fishing, Great Experiences
...by Meryl and Bernard Carroll
The
weather has been breathtaking this summer. While water levels are still down,
the fishing still holds up here at Makokibatan Lodge. Total master anglers 113!
This week Bob Spencer and son Matt from Kewadin, Michigan took a trip with Eli
Baxter down river on a very windy day, but that didn't stop them. They caught
some beautiful brookies. In Bob's own words, "Thanks for hosting our fishing
trip! Matt and I had a lot of great experiences."
The Hassett group from Medina Ohio, were also our guests...John and his
son Patrick and friend Henry Oakes did some great fishing on the four day trip. The wind was blowing white caps on the lake, but it didn't slow those guys down.
It was our honour to have Herb Stoller from East Peoria, Illinois with his son,
son-in-laws and grandsons. Each and everyone of them bowed down, "to the one
and only Master Angler of the group, Brent Gutwein," who caught a 26-inch
walleye on a black jig and yellow twister tail. They had a wonderful trip, and
his grandson, Pete, celebrated his 13th birthday complete with a surprise birthday
cake from our staff.
Oh, I (Meryl) caught a Master Angler walleye this week my first ever, 27 inches...
and I will admit I was quite excited too. Now I know the pride of wearing a Master Angler pin!
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 Summer Time - And The Feeling is Easy!
...by Graham Saunders
Afternoon
temperatures in the previous seven days were mainly in the 70s F (around 25 C)
although some locations experienced highs up to 84 F (30 C) on two of those
days. There were showers and some thunderstorms during the period but they
usually were scattered and of short duration. At times they produced considerable wind bursts and
downpours especially at our Armstrong base camp and points east.
If you liked last
week's weather, get ready for something similar this coming week. Hot and
sticky. Temperatures will be near 80 F (27 C) today and in the 70s F (22 to 26
C) in the following days. Showers are likely on most days but generally will be
of short duration. This all seems more like Florida than Ontario!
Wilderness North
lodges and outposts had a comfortable distance from severe weather last week -
and probably this week. Manitoba to the west, southern Ontario to the southeast
and parts of the American Midwest have been coping with heat advisories and
flooding situations. Some regional forest fires are burning but expected rain
this week should be enough to maintain a distance.
It is
likely that you will need both sun screen and rain suits all on the same day
during your fishing this coming week.
Wilderness North Weatherman Graham Saunders teaches weather at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, and writes a weather column for the Thunder Bay Chronicle.
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