Attention
Master Anglers:
With so much going on this summer, we have tried to keep on top of things but have inevitably failed to honour some of you for landing magnificent trophies. If you have not received your Master Angler pin or been mentioned in the weekly fishing report, please send us your photos and contact info so we can mail pins out.
Thanks,
Wilderness North Staff | |
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Bait Suggestions For Your Next Great Catch:
Rapala Diver
Hot N' Tot
William's Whitefish
Johnsons silver spoon | |
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Krista's Recipe of the Week: |  | |
Walleye with Blueberry Salsa
Ingredients:
4 fresh fish fillets, (2lbs)
1-2 tbs olive oil, depending on the size of the fillets
salt and ground white pepper, to taste
Blueberry Salsa:
1/2lb fresh blueberries, washed and halved
1 large jalapeno pepper, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 green onions, trimmed and chopped
2 tbs fresh lime juice
1 pinch of salt Directions:
1. Mix all the ingredients for the salsa I hr prior to serving.
2. Preheat grill or fry pan to medium high
3. Using a basting brush, rub the fillets with oil and sprinkle each side with salt and pepper, (add extra oil for frying)
4. Grill fish 4-6 minutes per side, turning once, until the fish is cooked through.
5. Remove from heat, plate fish and spoon salsa over cooked fillets.
Enjoy!
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Hot Fishing and Cooler Weather
This past week was full of excitement and produced some great stories. The week started off with Wilderness North's first annual fishing derby, which took place at Striker's Point Lodge. Competition was fierce and resulted in a close call for the winner. Mid-week was filled with many of our guests earning their master angler status and continuing to reel in trophy catches. The week ended with the return of long time guests to Miminiska, who confirmed that fishing in the 'north" is as great as ever
- adding credibility to our conservation efforts and reaffirming last week's report.
Other features in this week's report include an interesting summer twist on grilled fish brought to us by Krista. Complete with a recipe and her weekly wine pairing, this dish is sure to be a hit. Following that, Scott presents readers with an opportunity to cash in on the full moon and possibly land a trophy during lunch hour... and no, its not for the best werewolf costume. Rounding out the report is a shocking dip in weather and a reminder that fall is around the corner- the perfect time to book a fall moose hunt or reserve your dates for next year's fishing trip.
Stay tuned next week for more great fishing stories, another culinary delight, and Scott's tips on how to beat upcoming weather fronts while staying safe out on the water. Congrats to a fresh class of master anglers and, as always, it's nice to hear from you!
Keep in touch, | |
 Alan Cheeseman, President Wilderness North Ontario, Canada
1-888-465-3474 (F-I-S-H)
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Reports From the Wilderness
First Annual Fishing Derby at Striker's Point Lodge
Last Friday, the crew at Striker's Point decided to endorse the healthy competition going on between the groups by hosting a fishing derby- possibly the first ever? The rules were quite simple; participants put $5 in a pot, and the winner with the biggest catch caught on camera took home the prize. Action on the lake was quick to heat up as everyone got involved. Steph, Jess, and JP, originally slated to be reporting "live on scene", quickly got swept up after failing to keep up with everything going on and tried their luck at some trophy fishing of their own. There were plenty of nibbles and enough stories of "the big one that got away" to keep everyone in high spirits. After a close photo finish, the winner of the derby and the $115 pot was Bob Hendry from Team 31 Inc who showed good sportsmanship by splitting his winnings with the three guides. Bob's 43in northern was just enough to sneak ahead of the Barren party who caught a 44in northern, but were unable to accurately get their monster within the image frame. An honourable mention goes out to Kyle Henke who thought he won the day after landing a respectable 37in northern of his own. The festivities ended with a candlelit steak barbeque on the deck complete with wine, dessert, and all the fixings.
SPL Master Anglers of the week:
- Emma Yao from China caught her second fish ever, landing a 38in northern on a 10lb test line with a johnson silver minnow
-Monte Doerr from Bismark, North Dakota caught a 42in northern on a rapalla diver off the back of Best Island
- Bob Hendry from Canton, Ohio landed many trophies this week:
27.5in walleye on 10lb test line with a silver hot n' tot, 43in and a 38.5in northern on 10lb test line using a william's whitefish in the Bay of Pigs and the second point down river,
- Billy Hendry from Chicago reeled in a 42in northern on 12lb test line from the depths of Mice Creek
Miminiska Lodge...Always a Great Choice
This past week, we welcomed long time guests John, Jim & Pete from Chicago area to Miminiska. They have been fishing in this area for over 20 years, and actually saw Cabin two being built back in the day. Returning after a few years break in their travels, they enjoyed checking out all of their favourite fishing areas and, as Pete soon found out, the fish are still very plentiful here. Aside from taking advantage of some great fishing, they enjoyed fresh shore lunches every day and even took the time to venture out to Snake Falls. They thoroughly enjoyed their visit and we hope to see them again soon. | |
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Krista's Corner
The weather is great, the fish are biting, and the blueberries are in season...
While most people wouldn't associate blueberries with fish or salsa they add a nice element to the subtle taste of the fish and really make the dish pop. The fresh, sweet taste of the blueberries is offset by the heat of the peppers and the bright flavor of the cilantro. To add to the flavor profile, I suggest a nice white wine such as Tramin Pinot Girigo which will complement the meal nicely due to its light fruit flavour. Adding fresh tastes of summer turns an ordinary piece of grilled fish into something that will be the star of your next meal. | |
Happy Cooking!
Krista |
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Scott's Words of Wisdom
 The Truth About Lunar Landings About 2 years ago I started paying attention to how moon phases relate to animal activity - particularly fishing. For some reason I never really gave any thought to the moon. Then one day in a casual conversation with Alan Cheeseman, he mentioned the positive effects of a full, or new moon, on animal behavior. At the time I just happened to be learning how to use my hand-held Garmin GPS. This little electronic gismo has an application called "Fish and Hunt". This app gives the user instant intelligence on the best time of day to fish and hunt. These times change daily and each day is categorized as one of the following: Poor Day, Average Day, Good Day, and Excellent Day. Good and Excellent days correspond to the days on each side of a new or full moon. What is particularly interesting about these lunar events is that the best time for fishing is in the middle of the day - usually in the early afternoon. I started paying attention to these times of day and making note of my success. Over a two-year period I noted that mid-day fishing during a full or new moon paid huge dividends. As one example, I caught numerous rainbow trout last summer while fishing in the early afternoon on a full moon. The results were phenomenal. I was fishing near my cabin on Lake Superior. It was hot August day and the lake was flat; in fact, without a ripple. Normally this is not productive weather for trout fishing, yet during that two-hour window of opportunity we landed and released several nice rainbow trout ranging from 4 to 7pounds. I've also tested the fishing on "Poor" days - and times of day other than what the GPS notes as being productive. The results were exactly what you'd expect: unremarkable. Maybe technology does have a role in the bush... Yes, you can still catch fish during the poor times but overall it is nothing like the success you can have during a full or new moon. I don't have time to discuss "why" these moon phases have such an effect on animals, both two and four legged, but I do know from my 30-years of experience as a police officer that a full moon makes people rambunctious, so why not fish! So from August 17th-19th, get out on the water and wet that line in the middle of day. Let me know how you make out, and whether you land a great catch of your own. Tight Lines, Scott Earl-Smith |
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Ontario Weather - Graham Saunders
Early Fall...?
It has been a remarkable summer in terms of both weather and fishing. Most people likely appreciated the switch from record high temperatures in June and early July to the more temperate temperatures of recent weeks. Yesterday and today continued with the cooler theme featuring below average temperatures.
Saturday is likely to continue the cool trend but with afternoon sunshine temperatures could reach 21º C(70º F) during the mid-afternoon. Compared to the potential warm afternoon, Sunday morning could be quite chilly as temperatures cool off overnight to just above freezing Yikes!
Mainly sunshine with occasional afternoon showers are likely on Sunday and the following days. After a possible cold snap, temperatures should return to the average range between 23 to 25º C(mid 70s) in the following days.
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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