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Ontario Fishing Report
June 29, 2011
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Greetings From Thunder Bay:
It's summer holiday time on both sides of the border. In two days, it's Canada Day...our independence day. Our friends in the USA, stand in corn that is "knee high" and celebrate their hard won battles to form "a more perfect union" on Monday. So, this weekend, fireworks will light the skies for all of us. We are good neighbours with a common history of freedom ... well protected by the military might that we jointly celebrate as we send our young men and women around the world to defend the freedoms we'll celebrate this weekend. In just eight days, soldiers from both Canada and the US will be our guests for our annual Project Healing Waters event. Ten soldiers will hear us say thanks in a tangible way for their bravery. As we enjoy the hot dogs, the fireworks, and the family picnics we are mindful of these brave men and women who make all our freedoms possible...that is why we enjoy having them as our guests every July. Keep in touch...email is easiest...click here.
Alan and Krista
Alan & Krista Cheeseman
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News from Striker's Point Lodge
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Trophies Come Alive on Whitewater Lake
This week was a busy one at Striker's Point Lodge. We had three Master Angler Pikes caught and released and our first Master Angler Walleye! The Brian Scovil party from Champlin, Minnesota, had a fantastic week with two of the three Master Angler Pikes. John Scovil caught and released a 42-inch Pike off the first island from the lodge. He caught it on a gold Williams Whitefish. The next day, his uncle, Dave, (top photo right) caught and released a 45-inch beauty off the same island. He was using a 3-oz, 5 of Diamonds. The Pike were caught mainly in 12-15 ft. of water. The boys from Minnesota had some fantastic Walleye fishing as well, with great numbers. They found the Walleye in 17-20 ft. off the points of the islands. Sadly for Brian, who booked the trip, he was skunked in the Master Angler category. Our first Master Angler Walleye catch of 2011 belongs to the Mike Rowell party from Bristol, Tennessee, Mike, Austin, Adam and Chad. Chad Crump (middle with Walleye) caught and released this 26-inch wally off the southern tip of the southern Burnt Island, using a ½ oz white jig with a white tail and crawler. He caught it in 20 ft. of water. The next day, Adam Tabor (bottom photo right) caught and released a 40-inch Northern in the middle part of the Burnt Islands in 15-20 ft. of water. He was using a Mepps Spoon. The Rich Skalneck party from Lake Orion, Michigan who arrived mid-week noticed that the fish were suspended between 18-30 ft. of water and noted the water temperature changed from 63 to 70F in just a matter of days. By week's end, we were facing hot sunny days, with little to no wind, again leaving the fish searching for shade and going deep. This week brought us many honourable mentions. Nick Scovil caught and released a 38-inch Pike off Burnt Island using a jig and minnow. Dave "Lucky" Scovil also caught a 37-inch Pike using a chartreuse jig with white twister tail. "Captain" Nigel Blackheart and his partner, Antonio, caught and released a 39- inch lunker off the second point to the right of the lodge. It was caught on a Mepps double cross spinner in 12 ft. of water, just as they were reeling in. Congrats guys, it was nice having you in camp! We also would like to commend Tom Butman of Ypsilanti, Michigan who caught and released a nice 22-inch Walleye off the first island from the lodge. He was using a jointed black and silver Rapala.
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News From Miminiska Lodge
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Miminiska's Special Guest ... Darryl Morgan, wife Ann, daughter Alana, son Max and very special guest Victoria Maxwell (Ann's mom) were with us at Miminiska Lodge. Victoria Maxwell was lodge manager here at Miminiska from 1954 to 1961 ... in fact, two of her sons were born here!! It was fascinating to hear her stories from those times. On the fishing side of things, the Morgan family enjoyed a memorable shore lunch at shore lunch island and with Thomas and our staff. Simple white and yellow jigs caught many Walleye during their stay. The weather was fantastic every day and the Morgan family thoroughly enjoyed their stay here at Mim. Also in camp were Jeffrey Jones and his son Gordon from near Columbus, Ohio. Shore lunches were very popular, as well as a trip with Thomas to the Walleye Mine then on to Snake Falls. Jeffrey caught a 20-inch Brookie on a silver and blue Cleo spoon. Gordon caught a glimpse of what seemed to be a very large Sturgeon surfacing over a rock for just a moment in the fast water at Snake Falls. One morning out with Thomas at the Walleye Mine, Gordon decided to keep track of their catch before moving on...141 fish in 3 hours!!! Another day, out with Thomas, a 2-year old moose was seen swimming about 10 feet from their boat. The Jones' had a wonderful time here at the lodge and we hope to see them again soon. |
News From Makokibatan Lodge
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High Winds Make for Tough Fishing
This past week at Makokibatan Lodge, the weather was a bit on the unruly side. Although there was no rain, the winds made for some tough fishing.
We had the Noel Bon Ami group from Clermont, Florida, and from Lexington, Kentucky, the Dennis Anderson group. Both groups caught lots of nice Walleye and Pike but still just missed a Master Angler.
Tom Moore and his group from Traverse City, Michigan fought hard for a Master Angler and got many fish over 20-inches but not the elusive Master - 26 inch plus - Angler glassy eye.
The Rob Neese family from Rochester, Minnesota braved the winds every day and night and it paid off with the week's only Master Angler, a 26-inch Walleye caught by John Neese of St. Paul, Minnesota on a swim bait. They also thoroughly enjoyed a river trip with two of our guides Joe and Andrew Missewace who put them on top of some nice Brook Trout, the biggest being 21 ½-inches.
The Bernard Lillie group of Cheboygan, Michigan enjoyed some solid fishing and had an exceptional river trip with First Nation Guide Andrew Missewace who helped find the boys a nice 20 ½-inch Brookie. Despite the rough weather, our guests had great adventures inside and outside the lodge.
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Graham Saunders Weather Ahead
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The Summer Winds - Look out!
 Last week featured sunshine, wind, and warmer than seasonal temperatures on most days. Forest fire danger rose with these drying conditions, but clouds and a few showers on Sunday and Monday slowed this trend. The Short Term Forecast Today and tomorrow will be mainly sunny with light winds becoming moderate in the later afternoon. Expect more cloud cover as the week unfolds with some showers likely on Friday or early Saturday. Temperatures will be 70 to 78 F (21 to 26 C) most days, normal for this time of the summer. 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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PHW Countdown
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On July 8th, soldiers who have been wounded in battle will arrive in Thunder Bay for a little peace and quiet as our guests for our annual "Salute to Soldiers" event.
Both U.S. and Canadian military men and women who have been injured while defending our nations, will climb into our float planes with fly rods in hand, and enjoy the natural beauty of Ontario's Boreal Forest.
To learn more click here, and if you can make a financial contribution to the event, please click here.
Project Healing Waters- is our way of saying THANKS to those who serve.
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| Worth 1000 Words |
The photos above prove the point. A picture IS worth a thousand words.
We love it when guests share their photos with us. You can send them in an e-mail. Click Here to start the e-mail.
There are a few rules.
All trophy fish pictures should be of the fish in a horizontal format. Our belief in "catch and release," has taught us that the highest survival rate for fish is the result of carefully landed fish and for fish that are always handled on a horizontal plane.
Take the photo with the sun over the shoulder of the photographer, shining on the angler and the fish.
And leave plenty of space around the angler and the fish, making cropping for our use that much more successful.
Then carefully release the fish into the lake or stream, so that it can swim off.
Keep the fish out of the water for a very short time...just enough time to get the photo.
If you plan to have a trophy for your den, take the photo to a taxidermist (we can send you a brochure on a company we really like) and they will create a beautiful replica for you, painting the details from your photo on your trophy mount.
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PHW Photo Gift
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The call came out of the blue. Just like many of our Project Healing Waters gifts do. This time it was from Laura Hughes and Ken Postema of Lowell, Michigan. They run a business called Freeze Frame Publishing, that converts digital photos into memory books. They told us, that they will create a PHW Memory Book, for each solider - as a gift - because they believe everyone can give a little to say thanks to the men and women in our armed forces. You can learn more about this gift and their company by heading over to their website. Thanks - Ken and Laura...we are very grateful.
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