Canadian Fishing & Hunting Blog for www.seineriverlodge.com

And so it begins....

2011-05-21T14:02:00.003-05:00

Well - actually "began".

Great having a visit with Earl B & Shelley a couple of weeks ago. They did some early May fishing & did well with bass & pike. Earl's thinking of a return in September for any of you who missed him this spring!

The Sproat group is our first in Quetico this year. Dropped the 8 guys off @ Nym Lake a few days ago and we're looking forward to hearing all about their trip next Thursday.

The Hill group is in camp now - the first cabin based anglers of the year. Some great weather earlier this week - beautiful, sunny, highs in the mid to high 70's. Their first day was slow, but they did well with bass the second day - including 3 at 4 lbs+...Further to that, here we are on May 21 and the water temps are ranging from 57 - 65 farenheit!!!Word is the bass are moving towards the spawning beds ....topwater action should be getting better and better each day. Should be an awesome pre-spawn fish this year!

ANd, of course, today is the walleye opener. Lots of people out enjoying the wilderness and endless water we have. Mother Nature isn't really co-operating though - it's raining now & we're expecting 3/4 of an inch by tomorrow a.m.

The water was low for spring up until a few days ago. Now it's about average for this time of year on the chain. For those of you who always ask, the rock in the back bay is just under the water. Current, as expected, is a bit strong.

On the downside, the blackflies have started. Hopefully they'll run their course and finsih earlier than usual.

Anyway, things are looking really good for this season. Looking forward to meeting all the new people and seeing all our old friends. We're in the process of a few cabin renos - nothing major - some new flooring - new bathrooms in cabin 5 & 8.

Anyway - gotta get back to work. Maybe if I get my stuff all done I'll be able to wet a line later.....tough decision though - do I go after some tasty post spawn walleye or see if I can get some topater bass or pike action? Decisions......

Gear That I Love V2:The Red & White Daredevil

2011-03-26T16:07:00.015-05:00

Well the snow is melting and the phone is ringing a lot more - I can tell everyone is starting to think about fishing.

I have a lot of friends that only fish walleye. Nothing wrong with that. Walleye are a lot of fun and taste great. I always was more of a multi-species type guy though, and once spring arrived and the first lines can be wet (without a hole in the ice), I often would go after northern pike.

When I was younger I casted off shore a lot. The big pike used to (and still do) spawn in our back bay. These giants would absolutely never go after any kind of bait. They were procreating and that was that. They used to drive me absolutely nuts. I could see them splashing and swimming around like sharks - I`d cast and cast and cast but to no avail - they weren`t interested.

Once they were done though - that`s when the action really started!

I`d spend hours off shore - and later in a boat catching all kinds of pike. Some smaller, but in the spring I also got lots of action from the lunkers as well.

I through all kinds of bait & tackle....Rapalas (were great but the multi prongs were a pain to get out), various Mepps, Mr Twisters, Vibratails, topwater plugs, minnows, Little Joes....but the best hands down was the red and white daredevil.

I developed a lot of my preferences by fishing a ton - often when I should have been in school. I like and use all kinds of bait and tackle, but the R&W daredevil was (is) it for me for pike fishing - my favorite (along with the Heddon Dying Flutter - but we`ll get into that in another post).

I used to be a die hard Eppinger guy - but with a limited budget I soon went to cheaper brands...Lucky Strike et al. I found I had just as much luck but it was a lot easier on the wallet when I invariably lost one on a big pike or a snag.

I got so I liked big spoons - ie 1 ounce and 3.5 inch plus. Easier to cast and also the size I seemed to get the best response from.

And leaders - yep - ya gotta have èm when pike fishing. My personal preference is 9" - I found the 6 inch a little short when in the gullet of a huge pike, and the 12 inch tended to kink on me a lot.

I started guiding on a regular basis when I was about 10 years old. We had (and still have) some great remote lakes for pike fishing and often I`d be leading groups on these often non existent trails - some 2+ miles long - for a day of pike fishing. These guiding experiences taught me a lot and kept me in tackle (and later beer!) through the eighties.

Like I said - the trails were often pretty long and pretty tough. Packing light is essential. I had a small pack...experimented with different gear - telescopic rods etc. For tackle I`d put about a dozen red and white daredevils and leaders into one of my Dad`s tobacco cans....lid on - into the pack and that was it. Ready to go. I`d laugh - so many guys were insistent on lugging these huge tackle boxes full of all kinds of different tackle....and, pretty much all the time all they used was their daredevils.

Looking back I wasn`t that bright. I wouldn`t bring pliers and after unhooking and releasing dozens of pike each day my hands were beat to crap. I experimented with cutting off one or two prongs but it killed the action of the lure. I finally got smart - pinched at least some of the barbs and brought needlenose pliers. I`m a bit of a slow learner!

The daredevil is indeed a pike killer....but it is very effective for walleye as well. I`ve caught quite a few on it. I remember a group of guys who were out fishing èyes after a day of pike fishing. All their rods were rigged with leaders and 1 ounce daredevils (they took my advise!). They had an awesome day pike fishing and were completely exhausted.....too tired to change the tackle they said -they left the daredevils and leaders on and dropped them down and jigged them near an island on the Seine and started pulling in a fair number of really nice walleye. In fact these guys were having a very hard time catching `eyes before this. You just never know....the more I see and experience in fishing the more I really believe that there are no rules.

Of course this all works for me...I swear by my 1 ounce red & white daredevils. I`m a huge believer however in WWFY - whatever works for you. It`s amazing how one thing can work terrific for one person but be completely useless for another.

Mix it up - try different tackle, bait and techniques...don`t get stuck on one thing or idea....you just never know. I really believe that.

But - when I cast for pike in a few weeks (hopefully!) - I`ll likely have a red & white daredevil on the end of my line. As much as I mix it up, I also respect what works for me.

Take care everyone....hope to see you up here this summer! Looking forward to you die hards coming up for early pike & lake trout....keep checking in with me - once the ice is out I`ll let you know! New post coming soon!

GEAR THAT I LOVE!

2011-03-05T18:30:00.007-06:00

Actually I was going to call this "Gear That Kicks A**!", but thought that may be inappropriate!

Anyway, I mentioned in an earlier post that I would start getting more technical. Well, Im starting with a theme that I've wanted to do for a long time - talking about outdoor gear, tackle, equipment etc that I swear by. This will be ongoing and likely morph into "techniques that kick...." and maybe other things...like "people that kick...." yada yada...

Yeah, I know - it seems self indulgent - and it is. But I know some things from growing up in a fishing & hunting camp, plus doing coutless sportshows from the time I was a baby. Outdoors enthusiasts (fisherman, hunters, canoeists etc)love to talk shop - tackle, gear, equipment, techniques etc. And hey - by all means post some comments. We'll have a "virtual bs session" - yakking like we do in the office at camp, in the yard, on the dock, in the boats, in the bush, at the sportshows etc. Sometimes I think that despite all the work that comes with this job (and there is endless work) it sure is great spending work time talking fishing etc. Beats a real job!

Anyway - nothing too techncal to start it off.....this first post about gear is about the very mundane but incredibly important.... footwear. And when it comes to summer footwear I am a die hard when it comes to my Vibram By Merrell boots.

The pic above shows my current pair of Vibrams. It is my second. The first ones I wore for about 3 years and was completely sold. After 3 years of spring, summer and fall abuse they still had full tread on the bottom. They were torn in the toes, and looking pretty ragged so, at the urging of Lori (my lovely wife who tirelessly tries to ensure that I look somewhat professional and civilized) I set out to find the replacement. I was lucky to fing the identical boot in the same place I bought the first pair - REI in Minneaplois MN.

Whe I say abuse, I mean abuse. They accompanied me on endless trips in the bush. From remote fishing lakes down nasty trails, to bear baiting, fishing minnows and hunting. I should have had a couple of broken ankles different times, but they provide deceiving ankle support. And the grips on the soles are terrific. I don`t know how many times I should have fallen off slippery rocks - either down a hill into the bush,getting into a boat on rocks that may as well be glare ice, or leaning towards a minnow pond on a steep slippery bank. They saved my bacon more than once. And often I`m alone in these situations. Inadequate footwear could result in accidents with tragic consequences.

These things are cool in hot weather - you often can actually feel the wind through them, and dry very quickly when they invariably get wet. They are very light and extremely comfortable.

So many people - loads on canoe trips - go into this rugged terrain with sneakers - or worse - flip flops. They`re OK for a day on the beach or while sitting in a canoe or a boat. Hey I get it - they`re comfortable - but so are my Merrells. My Dad was very adamant about proper footwear in the bush. He was a prospector who literally lived in a tent in the bush all over North America for over 20 years. He`s right - our number one injury with people on remote trips in the bush is twisted ankles é cut feet etc - foot injuries.

These are preventable. When I was a kid I used to head into the bush all the time with my running shoes. I`d get my butt kicked if my Dad found out. I just hated wearing my leather `bush boots` .....even though they were OK as far as comfort goes (once you got through whacks of blisters breaking them in), back then even the expensive ones were heavy. And if you weren`t diligent with `Dubbin`- ie waterproofing - they`d get wet and take forever to dry.

Now there`s no excuse. These new ones don`t even require a `break in`. Everyone has their favorite. Mine are my Merrells.

`Nuff said.

Talk soon!

Quent

2011 UPDATE

2011-02-17T18:07:00.004-06:00

Hey everybody....hope you're all having a fantastic winter.

Here in Atikokan it certainly has been a "real Canadian winter". We've had lots of very cold weather and a ton of snow. The last couple of days it's actually been very nice - above freezing - but I hear it's going to dip back down near -30 tonight & follow with even more snow this weekend.

Anyway - just a quick look at some of the things we did last season and some changes for 2011.

The biggest improvement in 2010 was definitely the new fish cleaning house. It's now right by the docks - large, clean, bright, and screened in along with some outside plugs for your trolling motor battery chargers. It received a big "thumbs up" from virtually everyone in 2010. Huge thanks to Howie Hawkes, Lenny Anderson, Wayne Menard, Daryl Warkentin, Cora Warkentin & Wyatt Branch for all the help with it. An extra big THANK YOU to Richard Spilchuk who pretty much was the driving force behind the whole project...from design to the pad and the first nail through the last this was pretty much Richards baby...and it turned out great. Fittingly, Richard cleaned the first fish in the new facility....not exactly sure, but I think it may have been a pike.

Speaking of docks, and thanks to Lenny, Howie & Richard and the others our older docks & ramps got a facelift in 2010. Plus we added a new floater....again this was very well receieved and appreciated by everyone who used them this year. We're planning to add two more new floaters in 2011 and continue to improve the ramps and older docks.

We've got a few things lined up for 2011 on top of new docks....

We now will be offering air conditioning in all of our large cabins. Right now it looks like window and / or portable units. We tend to not get too much sweltering weather - but it does happen. This should help the comfort level during those dog days of summer considerable.

On top of air conditioners, we continue to add newer furniture - mostly couches and chairs to the cabins. I think we'll have a few new fridges this year as well.

For our fishing package guests we now offer trolling motors with all the boats. Right now it looks as though they'll be transom mount...should help lots working the shoreline or slowly working fishing holes.

Facility wise we're looking at reopening our shower house for those guests coming back from remote fishing & canoeing trips or camping. Plus we'll continue to add new siding to the cabins and outbuildings.

One thing that we're really excited about is that we plan to considerably increase the amount of tackle, bait, souvenirs and supplies available in our office. We've always carried some...but we're going to ramp it up this year. It'll take a few seasons to get up to where we would like to be, and we will not stock things that don't work (just for the sake of having stock); but look for a better selection of tackle, maps and souvenirs in our office. This has especially been a demand of our canoeing and remote fishing trip guests. Gradually we'd like to become a real headquarters for these sportspeople coming to Atikokan for the vast wilderness and hundreds of lakes.

Our American Plan fishing packages are doing very well. It is growing at a very fast rate and we appreciate all of you that have joined us with the meal plan. Further to that, a huge Thank You to Jeff McNabb for helping us design our kitchen and to Jeff & Keith McNabb for lining us up with awesome suppliers! If anyone down in Florida is looking for a great kitchen you have to check out Kitchen Creations in the Tampa Bay area. Jeff & Keith are the best!

Slowly thinking ahead to 2012 / 2013 as well...thoughts of a new cabin on the lake and a new, large dining & office facility overlooking Banning Lake....but hey - I don't want to get ahead of myself!

And of course none of this would be possible with out all of you guys & gals coming to our camp year after year. Thanks you all especially!

And - ultimately you wouldn't be coming if it weren't for the fishing & hunting. So when it all comes down to it - that's what we really will be focussing on. We'll continue to actively be involved, keep tabs on new & old techniques, tackle & equipment and continue to work with anglers, hunters, the MNR and all other stakeholders to make sure this great resource is respected and flourishing.

That's all for now....spring isn't far around the corner....starting to really think fishing. Look for the next couple of posts to get more involved with actual fishing & hunting.

'Cuz that's really what it's all about!

Talk soon!

Quent

Happy New Year!

2011-01-02T19:37:00.003-06:00

Hey Everybody! Greetings from Atikokan...

2010 was a terrific year for us - very busy and for the most part, the fish and wildlife co-operated!

More specific info soon...quick highlights...

Walleye fishing was very good....still had lots of small "eaters", but - based on nothing scientific - I think the overall size is increasing across the board for our 'eyes. Good to see - makes sense as we've had a few years out of the last 4 or 5 that were eather early springs or late falls - longer growing seasons.

Pike were the pike...ferocious. We had loads of reports of pike being huge - incredibly fat for their length....we also had a lot more yellow perch caught than ever...I'm thinking that maybe the fishermen weren't the olnly ones feasting on the perch (?)....

Smallmouth bass fishing was phenomonal....it just keeps getting better....big numbers and many, many, many trophies. From springtime topwater action to jigging at 25' in late summer, the smallies were absolutely terrific in '10.

Right now - well - we have a whack of snow....snowmobiling conditions are excellent, although there is slush on some lakes. Wet a line on Banning a few days ago - about 14" of ice in the "non-current" areas....some terrific powder though.

Will update more soon !

All the best!

Quent

Mitchell's Stats & Fishing Update!

2010-07-11T21:46:00.004-05:00

Hey Everyone,

Here's some stats from the Mitchells' which I know many of you are waiting for. Steve's logging of info is terrific to check out for all you fishing junkies like me....

Hey Quent,
Sorry it has taken me so long to get these to you. Here are the stats for 2010 .We caught 426 total fish, 300 bass 125 pike, and 1 walleye. Last years numbers were a little better 358 bass to 300 this year. I think I can explain why. Last year when we got there the water temp was in the 50's this year it was in the 60's. I personally think the bass had already spawned and gone back out to 10-15 feet of water and only came to shore to feed, therefore the bigger bass were not relating to the shore as they were last year. I heard in camp both weeks we were there from other fishermen how the bass were not on the shore. Just had to work a little harder this year. The weather this year was not as kind to us as last year windy and cloudy most days, with some rain. By far the most productive lure was soft plastics creature baits ,paca craws, flukes, and hula grubs. Work them slowly on the bottom and you will catch fish . Top water baits, popr's, chug bugs, tiny torpedo's and jtterbugs also caught some fish. Also we caught fish on a various crankbaits, jerkbaits, and rubberskirted jigs. All in all we had a great time seeing you and Lori, same time! same place! next year can't wait!!

Steve an Deb

Stats
pike 125
bass
12" under 70
13-14 81
15-16 97
17-18 44
19 up 8
1 walleye
Biggest bass 20" we caught 3
biggest pike 34" we caught 2

Great stuff eh? It was great seeing Steve & Deb again - and a few followers of Steve's stats got to meet him. Lots of "fish talk" in the yard while they were there.

The last week of May / first week or so of June saw the biggest shoreline action from the smallies on the beds.

Right now there is still topwater action - not as much as June - but in the past couple of weeks the fishing overall has been fantastic. We're seeing a lot of 20" + smallies coming from the deep water (ie 25' ish) - plus the walleyes overall have been great. Some of the biggest average 'eye's I've ever seen here. Lots of guys using artificial so that helps size wise - but live bait has been doing great not only with numbers but with size as well.

Plus had loads of pike caught that were described as "huge girth" - "fattest pike I've ever seen"..... we really have seen an spike in the perch population on the chain this year. More than I've ever seen - some nice ones too - I'm thinking that maybe our friendly neighbourhood northern pike population are enjoying this perch renaissance as well?

Anyway - been a great year so far - still looking forward to much more fishing action!

Talk soon!

QB

2010 Update

2010-06-26T08:37:00.004-05:00

Wow - I can't believe it's the end of June already.....time flies - it's been very busy - one of our busiest Junes' ever - which is great!

Been a strange year - we had a very warm spring - as mentioned earlier, we had people in boats by around April 4. Usually the ice isn't even out until at least the end of April. Water levels are low - about a foot lower than usual on the Seine Chain....spawns were all early likely around 2 weeks early each.

Had some groups in during early May for pike & trout fishing. Most did very well.

The walleye opener was a little slower than usual. The week prior the 'eyes were hitting like crazy - people fishing other species threw a lot back.....the early spring & spwan moved them out of their traditional locations for opening week.

Late May & early June were overall pretty good for walleye though. Many smaller ones, but we've seen more 28" - 30" than I've ever seen - acouple 30" + already and quite a few in the 25" - 28"....still seeing lots of smaller ones though - everything from 6" - 7" - 12" - 14" +. Happy to say that the vast majority of the bigger fish were released, along with many of the smaller....

One of the big developments this year is that I've seen people bring in more perch than ever. We alwys saw the occasional one here & there, but this year the numbers were 'way up and many i the 3/4 - 1 lb range. A very nice surprise. Not sure what the implications of that are as far as what that indicates for the "big picture" on the Seine, but people are enjoying a lot of tasty yellow perch this year!

Late May & early June the smallmouth fishing was absolutely terrific. Many new groups that came asked why we don't "brag it up' more.....honestly sometimes it sounds like an exaggeration. We do say we have world class smallie fishing, but we had groups here this year that have fished at lodges that were specifically trophy smallmouth lodges and did better here - hands down. Crazy numbers and loads of trophies. They were on the topwater a little early this year, and the groups that hit that found the action almost unbelievable. By mid to late June they had already moved a little deeper, so were a little tougher to catch....BTW - Steve & deb Mitchell just left & Steve will be sending his annual smallmouth report. Last year they hit the topwater bite; this year the smallies were out a ways - a different dynamic with weather / conditions so a different type of bite for them this year. I'm looking forward to Steve's report as I know that many of you are as well.

the vast majority of the bass were released - I went weeks where people were catching loads of fish & still I never had to empty buckets from the fish house.

The pike were much less hesitant than last June when they were famous for follow ups but not actually biting. The pike bite has been pretty good this year - of course loads of smaller ones, but quite a few 40" + so far. I think we've seen more trophy pike so far this year than we have in a long time. Again - most released.

Other stuff ....

Thanks to Richard, Howie & Lenny, our docks are in better shape than they have been in a long time ....bought 1 new one - more to follow.

Also thanks to Richard, Howie, Lenny,plus wayne, Daryl & Cora we have the frame of a new fish cleaning house right by the docks. Waiting for the steel roof to come in, and, when finished, it'll be a terrific fish cleaning facility - including stainless steel counters, power otlets etc.

They've also all cleaned our grounds up in a big way - the debris from all the windfalls we've had is mostly gone....a lot better looks wise in our yard!

This will also provide a number of electrical outlets at the docks for trolling motors plus lighting for those nights that you stay out into the dark!

Howard H - mechanic extroadinaire tuned up our outboards and cleaned up our props & skegs this spring - huge help and very much appreciated by all!

Richard S has been the driving force behind these and many of the other improvements at the camp the last couple of years and we can't thank him enough! We'd be several years back in improving the camp (and our home) if it weren't for Richard. Most of the improvements over the previous season that you repeat guys notice when you come into the yard is due to Richard. Plus many things that you can't see. We owe him big time!

American Plan has been going great - very busy with the meal plan through late May & early June - hoping it continues!

BTW - many pics to come on the site www.seineriverlodge.com .....

Keep checking our Facebook page under "Branch's Seine River Lodge - starting to post lots more specific comments & pictures.

talk to y'all soon!

Spring Update

2010-04-24T08:41:00.005-05:00

Well....it sure is a strange year.....

The spring break up came earlier this year than I ever remember.....In the past, if you were to check back through history, the date when the ice is "out" on Banning Lake (ie when you can get a boat in the water), is around April 27. We're usually ahead of land locked lakes due to the river current.

Last year the ice was out pretty much on schedule on April 27. At that point, I spewed out my predictions on how everything should be just ducky...spawns on time etc etc.....The problem was though, that it took forever for the water to warm up after that. It seemed like we were stuck in May weather through most of the summer. It was cold & wet, but overall the fishing was very good.

So, in light of last years lessons, I'll be cautious at spewing out my predictions this year. Mother Nature gave me a well deserved slap in the spring / summer of 2009 and showed me who was really boss.

This year though has been a complete exception.....we had some friends launch a boat here & go fishing on April 4!!

Daytime temperatures have been in the 70's (20's for you Celsius types). There was little run off and we basically have had no rain all for a month + . Water is low....very low for this time of year. We already have a fire ban.

Right now the pike are spawning in the back bay....that's at least 1 week, maybe as much as 2 weeks ahead of the normal time. Surface temps on the water are between 8 - 11 celsius.

This can be a good thing for our fishery....early spawns, longer growing seasons....some warm years in the past have spiked fish populations and helped produce larger fish on average.

But it's not necessarily all that simple. There is potential for more negative circumstances as well.

In this weeks Atikokan Progress, Jessica Smith wrote a fantastic article on the implications of an early spring. The effect on both the fish and the wildlife. You really should check it out... here's the link....

http://www.atikokanprogress.ca/

Anyway, we're full steam ahead for the 2010 fishing season....right now we have a group on the Namakan River, another coming in today for some bass & pike fishing on a nearby lake, and some lake trout anglers due in later this week. Although the dry weather is a huge issue, it's still terrific to be out in the boat in April fishing with just a T-shirt on....

Been great talking with y'all lately. I gotta laugh how, once the weather warms up I get a whack of phone calls / emails from people just chomping at the bit to wet a line....keep 'em coming.....and thanks to all of you who have reserved as well......we're working at improving the camp every year for you.

Further to that, we're busy getting the camp ready to open.....Cabin #3 is getting a complete facelift on the inside & some new siding on the outside. There's lots of fresh paint going on the outside of cabins.

Water will be on on most of the cabins this weekend. Doing some finishing work inside the big new cabins (ie the "classrooms").

We've ordered lumber and have made plans to start the new fish house in early May, plus we're looking at 2 new docks along with fixing up the 3 older ones....

Might not be all ready by the walleye opener next month, but will be sometime this year!

Talk to y'all soon!

Quent

Fishing Licences / Boat Regs Snowmobile Trails / Ice Fishing etc

2010-01-16T09:27:00.007-06:00

Hey Everyone,

A quick update with fishing licence info / prices....

For non-residents of Ontario...here's the new licence fees...

Non-Canadian Resident Temporary Fishing Outdoors Card and Application only. Valid for three years. Annual licence tags must be purchased.
$9.00
One-year Sport Fishing Licence Tag (for holders of a valid Outdoors Card)
$69.50
One-year Conservation Fishing Licence Tag (for holders of a valid Outdoors Card)
$42.75
Eight-day Sport Fishing Licence *
$44.50
Eight-day Conservation Fishing Licence *
$25.75

If you were to Ontario last year & bought a licence, you should have received your plastic "Outdoors Card" in the mail...IMPORTANT....remember to bring it with you this year...otherwise you'll have to purchase another one. I know it's only $9, but why pay double? You may need that $9 to replace the classic Rapala that a monster pike tore off your line!

I've written about the new boating regulations that took effect in Canada last September before in this blog. As there's still lots of questions I'll address it quickly...

Basically, if you're renting boats from us, we now go through a checklist with you (which you sign off on)....basic operations and safety issues. As many of you know. if you rent boats & motors from us, I usually spend 2 - 3 hours out on the system with you going over hazardous locations, reefs, fishing spots and motor operations...so really, adding a check list to this is no big deal.

If you bring your own boat & motor, you don't have to worry about getting certified unless you are spending 45 days (or something like that) consecutively....so even you guys that come up 4 separate weeks per year you're still fine as is.

Ok - feel better?

Anyway...the last few days here have been unseasonably mild....which is a really nice change.

Our cold weather in December & early January made for some great ice on the lakes....lots are out ice fishing this weekend enjoying the warmer weather.

I guess they've started grooming some of the snowmobile trails....we've got snow, but could use some more...I'm sure we'll get it. Still enough to get around on the sleds though.

Mount Fairweather - Atikokan's downhill ski hill opened last weekend. Conditions are pretty good...more snow wouldn't hurt. Wyatt was out skiing there last weekend.

Lori's been out on Atikokan's world class cross country ski trails and reports that the ones she was on were "very good".

Me? I haven't been out doing much yet....made a few rounds on our snowmachines....getting bugged by Lori to go with her cross country skiing. gotta get some skis, but in the meantime I may tag along with snowshoes....Who knows...maybe I'll get a hole drilled and get some ice fishing in this week?

Hope you're all having a great winter so far!

Talk soon!

Quent

Merry Xmas & Updates

2009-12-29T09:55:00.004-06:00

Hey Everyone...

Hope you're having a great Christmas season, and that this posting finds you all healthy & happy!

A couple of quick updates....

FYI - June 2010 is really starting to fill in quickly. As an example, for the weeks of June 12 - 19 and June 19 - 26....we are currently out of boats & motors for those weeks. As of right now though, if you bring your own boat & motor, we have 2 small LHK cabins open for those weeks - none of the larger HK cabins. Of course, check in with us anyway as cancelleations do happen.

Otherwise, the rest of the summer is peppered with bookings...still pretty good availability, but, being a smaller camp we do fill in quickly so if you've got some dates in mind, let me know & I'll hang on to them for you.

Beautiful weather here right now....got about a foot of fresh powder (ie snow!) on the weekend. Snowmobiling has been awesome, although the snowmobile trails aren't open or groomed yet.

Atikokan's world class cross country ski trails are open though. Looking like anothe great year for skiers! I'm hearing rumours that Mount Fairweather - Atikokan's downhill ski facility is opening soon. Should be a great winter for that too.

We're making a big rink on the ice on the lake today. As we had some cold weather in December with no snow, the ice is nice. Shouldn't need too much flooding to make it very good.

Anyway - take it easy everyone. Hope to talk to y'all soon!

Quent

An Update - Rapid Fire Stuff

2009-11-01T12:48:00.004-06:00

Hey everyone!

Almost the end of the season....last group of hunters are in now.

Overall, the fishing was great this year...so much so that we have more groups than ever already booked for '10. June is flilling up very quickly....2 weeks in June are already booked as far as boats / motors are concernes ( we still have a couple cabins open for those bringing there own boats with them during those weeks).

Hunting is the same....moose, deer & grouse have been great....regulars have rebooked for '10. Still room though.

Hoping to see some of you this winter snowmobiling & ice fishing.

FACEBOOK

We now have a Facebook page ....we are updating it more frequently than this page (not that that is very hard - but we're getting better). Search Facebook under "Branch's Seine River Lodge" and become a fan. We love seeing your posts & pics!

BOAT RENTALS

New laws in september 09 re: renting boats in Ontario....basically, we just have to give you a quick tutorial and you have to sign off on a saftey check list & liability waiver. Not a big deal....but there are rumours all over that you need to take a course etc etc.

As many of you know, we usually spend 2 - 3 hours with Fishing Package guests reviewing motor operations plus hot spots, rocks & reefs so it's really not a big deal to work these new regs into our current procedures!

Talk to y'all soon!

Fishing Update

2009-07-11T14:39:00.000-05:00

Hey Guys & Gals,

A quick update as promised in the last post....

Late June / early July saw some good fishing....

Jeff & Judy Welch were uop for the 1st time & did terrific bass fishing...good numbers / good sizes etc.....they did very well despite the weather, which was pretty much crappy through their whole stay...High winds have been a standard this summer....yes it has been rainy at times, and it has been unseasonably cold, but the strong winds seem to be the most consistent weather feature this summer.

The Haulotte / Hardin group was up again from Milwaukee.....the guys, like the Welch's had bad weather....the inclement, inconsistent weather seemed to produce smaller walleye for the guys, but Gerry & Scott in particular switched it up & worked the shoreline & had a great time with smallies.

Both Brian & Larry Killeaney were up again with their respective groups....as usual they did very well walleye fishing...which is a niice reward when you're out in the cold, wet conditions.

The McNabb family was up during thsi time period and, as always did great with whatever they seemed to go after. The bulk of the group like the bass and did really well with those (am I starting to sound like a broken record?).....Mike did manage to get some out jigging for walleye & a couple of times & they had no trouble at all catching them. BTW - David got a few nice bass on his fly rod late in the week (around the 3rd of July)....the mayflies started & it was just what was needed to get some smallie action on the fly!

Another thing that happened really quick in early July is that the weeds took off. I've never seen them "pop up" that quickly - it seemed almost overnight. Needless to say, all thos bays that were free & clear of weeds a couple of weeks ago are now loaded with them, so you may wish to keep a few weedless lures in the tackle box...especially if you're throwing for pike.

We weren't quite as busy in early July as usual, but it's starting to gear up again now...

The Klocksien's have been doing great with walleye numbers....again, wind is a hallmark, but they are making it work. Thanks to Dale Stus for some great guiding this week.

A few check ins today should bring some new things to report later this week. We have some new groups checking in, some old guests of ours, and some groups that are new to us but veterans of the Atikokan area, so it should be fun!

If you're coming in the next few weeks, be prepared for virtually any kind of weather.....

Water is average....not too high, not real low.....for those of you who guage it by the rock in our back bay, it's maybe 3" - 4" above the surface right now.

The 'eyes seem to be anywhere between 15' or so feet to 25' give or take. Good old jigs, Lindy Rigs / Little Joes as always, plus some Thundersticks, Raps, Wally Divers that'll give you 15' - 18' depths should be good.

Smallies still hitting topwater, but many will be moving deeper soon....some of our biggest smallies last year were in August off of 25' ledges (guys jigging live bait for walleyes).

I always like using buzz baits for pike in the weeds this time of year....I never go pike fishing without my 1 oz red & white daredevil though....plus trolling with big Raps can usually produce some nice ones this time of year.

Like clothes, prepare for any type of fishing.....topwater, shallow, deep water....live bait & all kinds of artificial....As much as there are rules and consistencies in fishing there are tons of inconsistencies & the so called "rules" are blown apart every day ....whatever works for you. Stuff that I can't buy a bite with, others hammer 'em with. You never know...when it comes down to it, there really aren't any rules...go out, try different things & have fun. The only thing I can really say with certainty is that the fish are in the lake. After that, the ball's in your court (& we're in your corner to help any way we can)!

Talk to y'all soon!

Stats From The Mitchells!

2009-07-04T10:26:00.005-05:00

Hi Guys & Gals,

I have a few things to report....nothing earth shattering - just conditions etc....will do so in the next few days.....

I just received an email from Steve Mitchell - he & his wife Debra just spent a couple weeks bass fishing here....their 2nd trip after being here last August as well.

If my memory serves me correctly, the first few days of angling for Steve & Deb this year were a little slower as they figured out where the smallies were in the earlier part of the season....after that though, they did awesome as you'll see.

As promised, Steve kept stats on their fishing & tackle used.....I love reading this stuff. It helps with tackle selection for others plus it's just darn interesting....anyway, here's Steve's email....

Hey quent, sorry I have not got you the results yet,but here we go. we caught 500 total fish,358 bass,135 pike,and 7 walleye, a big bonus for us. by the way they tasted great. we had a great time and look forward to coming back next year.
stats:
12" under 75
12 1/2" 5
13"-14" 41
14"-15" 53
15"-16" 97
16 1/2" 8
17"-18" 49
18" up 30
79 bass over 18" is really great fishing in any book.
the largest bass was 20 1/2"
the largest pike was 32"
the largest walleye was 22"
top water was the most productive as we caught 229 on a chug bug,devil horse, and jitterbug. sure paid off getting up at 3:30 each morning.
next was the zoom super fluke in bumble gum, white,smoke and silver
last was a variety of soft plastics creatures,paca craws and tubes in white, and black blue tails.
again we had a great time and look forward to doing it next year. if you have any questions, email and I will help anyway I can. Talk to you later. Steve and Deb

There ya have it....great stuff eh? Steve & Deb worked very hard, but it paid off big time....they found those early mornings before the sun got real high & hot gave the best action...a time of day that many people don't fish anymore.

A note that all the bass & pike were released....just a few 'eyes were kept for a meal.

Like I said, I'll post some other current info soon, but I just wanted to pass this along....part bragging them up, but also some great info for any new anglers coming up bass fishing...

BTW Steve - pretty nice catching 7 walleye on topwater and or shallow conditions.....wish I was that lucky....

Here's a couple of pics...will post the rest on the main web page soon....

Another Update

2009-06-26T19:45:00.002-05:00

Hey - I'm posting 2 days in a row...that's a record...

Anyway, it's been a busy day...biggest news is that the walleyes turned on in big way for the Milow group....everyone in the group did great with the 'eyes today....saw lots of fish....all kinds of sizes....from little ones all the way through to lots of nice ones...

Most of the guys & gals were jigging with live bait...I believe they said around 15'....Cjad & Betsy weren't getting much action jigging but they started really getting into them in a big way by trolling the ledges with Wally Divers...

It was a hot day - everyone is about 3 shades darker from when they went out this a.m.....the wind was negligible .....the fishing Gods smiled today....

Oh - & hey...remember that I mentioned that 10 year old Jarrod caught a nice 29" pike? His sister Ellie caught a 30" tonight....and Jarrod even came over to tell me about it. Now that's a classy fisherman!

The Sell / Klug group went lake trout fishing today.....it's been hot the last few days so the lakers are starting to dive. Joe tells me that they were suspended between 60' - 80'...still they did very well including a real nice 8 or 9 pounder...

Mitchell's are wrapping up a very successful bass fishing trip with another great day......

Still a few boats out, so I may have to do a second post tonight....we'll talk to y'all soon!

Fishing Update

2009-06-25T08:29:00.003-05:00

Well, it's been a busy couple of weeks since my last post....

Hey - remember when I was spouting off that ice was out on time....the pike & walleye all spawned on time....the first couple of weeks looked like it would be consistent & predictable? Well....

The problem was that, although things happened on time, we still continued to have colder than usual weather.....after all those first benchmarks of the season, the weather stayed cold (& wet) and in a nutshell, the water took forever to warm up.

The result? Well, for the most part, the walleye fishing was pretty good throughout.

The pike though.....many groups, starting with the Krings reported that they were lethargic - acting like musky....lots of follow ups ....not a lot of action. Even when they bit, many didn't fight like they usually do. Miranda Lake was great for pike action though for the Krings....

The bass seemed to be taking longer to get up to their spawning beds....water warmed up quicker upstream, so that action was a little quicker there......

The Frazier / Epley group did very well...mainly looking for smallies....they were the first to find the warmer water. Gary & Lisa stayed 4 or 5 days longer than the rest of the group, and it really paid off. They did amazing their last few days.....on the one day they counted, they landed 80 fish...some great sizes.....and they were all released to grow even bigger for next year.

The Schroeders' were back....3rd or 4th trip ....first one in a few years. It was great to see them again. They had some good walleye, and a some nice lake trout at Big McCauley Lake....

The Otto group was up for pike & encountered the situation I described above.....kind of lethargic...

The Lynch family did very well......the kids in the Powell group seemed to have a lot of fun with topwater smallies (based on the number of topwater plugs that they bought)...

The Greenwell brothers were up....Bill for the 1st time....I think it was Paul's 3rd trip....they did good with the 'eyes & got some really nice pike as well. Paul's really worked on his walleye jigging technique & it seems to have paid off.

Rick Stewart was up...Daniel couldn't make it this year.,...Brandon Candler came with him. They had a great day pike fishing on Miranda & got some nice smallies.....really nice smallies....did I mention that Rick caught a 7 pound smallmouth?

Most of the groups found the walleye slow during this period....when I mentioned this to the Flier / Finlayson guys though, they looked at me like I was crazy. They did very well upstream with walleyes, even better downstream plus had some great 'eye action on some nearby lakes as well. When I said that others were finding that the walleyes weren't biting well, Josh said "I've never seen them not biting here!"....'Course they've been coming for years & years to the area and ALWAYS do great......even in -40 in January when they come ice fishing.

That's the thing with the walleye - they're finicky, and usually take the longest to figure out. Once you do, the action can be fantastic....lots of the "system veterans" find that the walleye are almost "too easy" to catch. At the same time, many newer groups often struggle.

Talking to our great MNR Area Biologist Brian Jackson (who always seems to have time to patiently answer my barrage of questions), walleye nettings on the system last year(?) showed stable numbers versus 1999......that's good news....but the real good news is that the number of 'eyes over 18" increased by 8%!

So basically, the walleye are there....the people that are consistently having trouble getting them should mainly look at where they're fishing, and technique (including bait / tackle). They're obviously doing something different than the vets who have no trouble most times......most times it seems to be location.....and many times it's just not getting your bait down deep enough. I've seen "new guys" from a few years back struggle with the 'eyes, but work at it....try different techniques / tackle / bait / locations etc....now a lot of those guys are the "system veterans" I talk about.

Right now, about half the guys in camp are doing really well with walleye. The Murphy group is back...they're trolling & getting some great walleye & pike....using plugs I believe....Thundersticks.....they're getting nicer fish with the artificial bait than the guys using jigs / Little Joe's & live bait. The live bait guys tend to do much better with numbers, the artificial guys do much better with size.

The Mitchells' are here now ....in their second straight week of hard fishing. The fishing has gotten better & better for Steve & Debbie over the last week and a half. They're mainly smallmouth anglers and are literally tearing them up......I've never seen numbers like they're getting....plus lots of big bass too. They fish hard & it pays off.....they work the shore....they even have been catching some great wallyes working the shoreline(!). Steve has kept stats this year & I'll post them....like I said they're doing great....somehow the smallies are getting even more numerous & bigger....

The Milow group is in camp....a big group....having some trouble with the 'eyes......that's only a matter of time....some nice pike & lots of nice smallmouth. Mike & Kyle K were tearing up the smallies & pike the last few days.....Chad actually beat his record of a 38" pike .....he had caught a few 38"...thought he was cursed...finally got a 39" this year! 40" + can't be far behind! Betsy caught a great bass - 6 lbs I believe...Jarrod Olson got a real nice 29" pike - way to go Jarrod! They're all out fishing right now ....Gerald & Terry were out for a bit this a.m. & said that the 'eyes were starting to cooperate for them....should be interesting to see how they do.

Joe Sell & Co are in camp....haven't spoke to them in a couple of days, as are the McKenzie group for the 1st time....lots of lines in the water, so should have lots to report....plus the Killeaney's are coming todays, the McNabbs & Haulotte group Saturday etc etc....lots of fun coming up....

The pike by the way are back to their normal, vicious, aggressive selves. People are catching lots.....some nice ones too....the usual activity...attacking walleye & other pike as you reel them in.

The bass continue to be amazing.....they always have been, but I've never seen the action like some of these groups are getting....loads of numbers, 18" 19" - 20" 21" ......loads of 3 lbers, 4lbers....a bunch of 5 lbers...even 6 lbers & 1 that hit 7 lbs. And they're topwater...loads of action.

Anyway - gotta go....talk to y'all soon!

Now though?

Well,

Fishing Update

2009-06-07T07:43:00.003-05:00

Well, the first few weeks have started off well....except for the weather which has been mainly cold & quite wet. Water levels remain high....for all you who are wondering & call to ask, surface temps are around the mid fifties (farenheit).

The Schaffhauser group was up in late May as usual......and, as usual did very well almost everywhere they went. The guys have been coming to the area for years......they fish varied waters near here & do great with all species. They fish hard, but it pays off...hope to gut some pics from them soon...plus any tackle pointers they may have (feel free to leave in the "comments here guys!).

First time at our camp, but veterans of the area, the Hollander group did very well too. They were our first group to hit the lakers (outside of Quetico) this year.

The Endres party was up last week - first time to the area. The guys did quite well considering this....actually they did better in lousy, windy weather than any other conditions. Although last week that was pretty much the story with the weather....lots of wind especially.

Dan & Alan fish all species.....they left some advice for the pike. They said the pike were still pretty inactive - not a lot of fight in them....lots of follow ups etc. Their best bait for pike was a "Manns 5 1/2 Platinum Black Swimshad". They said almost all their pike were caught on that....It's a shad type rubber bait...the nose is harder and helps the hook stay in place. The guys said it's great for going through weeds & nasty conditions. It reminds me a lot of a large Vibrotail which I used to use a lot (& still would if my suppliers wouldn't always backorder them on me). My tried & true Daredevils & Raps took a back seat to this swimshad this past week.

The guys found walleye drifting....some nice ones, but we're also starting to see more & more of the smaller ones showing up. Minnows seemed to be the bait of choice for the 'eyes.

They caught lots of nice smallmouth. The bass continue to be the marquee with their numbers & size.

We have a very busy week this week - actually very busy right into July. We have the Krings in this week who always deliver, the Schroeders - first time in a few years and they always do well, the Fraziers who did great with the smallmouth last year & are bringing some friends / family with them this time around, the Finlayson group, plus a bunch of new groups. And that's just this week - I should have lots to report the next entry. I'll try & get details re: tackle / techniques that are working for y'all!

To that effect, please feel free to email me or post in "Comments" tackle / techniques that I may be missing. No matter how long we've all been fishing, there's always stuff to learn. Hopefully this blog can become a good resource for anglers coming to the Atikokan area (or anywhere for that matter!).

Talk to you soon!

Passport Required for US Citizens To Re-Enter US

2009-05-28T17:18:00.005-05:00

Yep....after years of delays, it appears as though that you will need a passport to re-enter th US effective next Monday June 1 2009.

There's lots of stuff on the web regarding this.....here's one link that may help.

http://www.getyouhome.gov/html/eng_map.html

If you don't have one & you're stuck here in Canada - great - we've got lots to keep you busy!

May Update

2009-05-26T11:56:00.002-05:00

Hey Everybody.....

Quick update...

Well, we're in the thick of it now....so far so good. Walleye opened last weekend (May 16) and that usually is the official kick off to the season....

That said, the walleye fishing has been great......sometimes a bit slow action wise, but many days / evenings the action has been great too. The only problem opening weekend was that it was hard getting the 'eye's under the slot (18"). Lots in the 19" - 20" range....pretty much all males.

Lori's brother Scott was up from S Ontario with his daughter Heidi, and they did great with walleyes....ditto Darryl & John from Atikokan.

Saw a few smallmouth opening weekend.....19" - 20"...very nice smallies.

The Benson group from Nebraska were up this past week & officially opened our new American Plan dining services....the guys did really well overall.....after a day or so, they really got in the walleye groove....good action & some nice sized ones.....including a 25". Also another nice bass - 4 + pounds and some pike. They also did a day in Miranda where they caught lots of pike.

BTW - cleaned a 13" smallie for the Bensons & it had eggs.....reinforcing that, one of Pauls S's group last night caught a 20" right up near the shore, so look out....topwater smallmouth action is about to begin! Based on the last week and a half, we've seen a bunch of trophy smallies already - 4 pounders almost seem the norm (without anyone actually fishing for them!). Should be a great bass fishing year again.

Anyway - will update y'all again soon!

Quent

WMU 12B Now Open For Non. Res Deer Hunt & Other Hunting Stuff!

2009-05-09T12:24:00.003-05:00

Well, after years of hoping, the Ontario MNR has officially opened WMU 12B for non resident deer hunting.

Prior to this, non residents were only allowed to hunt in WMU 11a...a great deer area, but with 12B open it gives us hundreds more square miles of wilderness to choose from.....much of 12b doesn't see many deer hunters at all. Plus, our camp is actually located in WMU 12B (a mile from 11A).

I canvassed my guides a few years back, and they all said they'd hunt 12B if it were open for their American hunters. Not sure if they still would, but at least we have the option!

12B will have the guide requirement (1 guide / 2 hunters) for non residents of Ontario just like 11A, so our Non Resident Deer Hunting Packages will remain the same.

Seasons for 12B non resident deer hunters are Sept 19 - Oct 9 for bow only. Oct 10 - Nov 15 for rifle, bows, muzzleloaders & shotguns.

Of course for all you Ontario resident deer hunters you can still choose tags from either area. For your doe tags, it's best to get them in advance (prior to heading to our area) - especially for 11A which is the most popular area & usually sells out all the tags each year.

Having said all that, we've been seeing lots of deer this spring. Any of you who know our area know this is a good sign. Often you never see any deer along the road, with all the thousands of miles of dense cover our area provides. Seeing them seems to indicate a decent winter survival. We thought there may have been quite a bit of winter kill between the deep snow last winter & all the wolves.

Animals of all type are on the move.....seeing lots of moose including two part albino calves the other day. Got a video of one of them ....will try & post.....The moose survey of 12B last winter showed an increase in population, as did the survey for 11A the year before. All good signs!

Grouse are looking good....hopefully they'll have a good year for reporoducing. Seeing lots around right now though.

Bears all over the place....ditto timber & brush wolves & all kinds of other small game

Should be some great fall hunting this year...I'll update you all with anything important!

Open Water

2009-05-08T10:05:00.002-05:00

Hey everyone....

Quick update re: breakup....

Everything is right on schedule here this year......we could get a boat onto Banning Lake from the camp on April 27.....most other area lakes are pretty good now too. The 27th has been a real common date for final ice out in Banning for the last 40 or so years. We're always a little early compared to other area lakes due to the river flow.

Of course, the ice out / water temp. affects much as far as fishing goes...especially when spawns will happen & in turn the early season action.

The last few days, the pike have been hard at the spawn in our back bay.....after early years in '06 & '07 & a real late year in '08. we're back to average in '09.

Talk to ya'll soon!

Quent

Stanton Bay Road Washout

2009-05-05T13:43:00.000-05:00

A quick FYI - Stanton Bay Road is washed out......anyone with Pickerel Lake entry permits to Quetico will have to enter Pickerel via french Lake until further notice....

Here's an email I just received from Ontario Parks.....

In early May a break in the Stanton Bay Road grew from a hole to a full breach. Late ice melting and high water has washed out the road to make it impassable. As of yesterday a break of approximately 50 feet x 13 ft (16 meters x 4 meters) was formed. The gap is expected to widen with further rain and possible thunder storms forecast over the next few days.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and the Forest Companies who use this road are monitoring the situation and investigating options. The road is impassable and will likely remain so throughout the summer. Site evaluation and project plans will be considered during this period. The wash-out has occurred in a location that has had frequent culvert and fill repairs. Potential future treatments may require bridging or similar more expensive responses.

Park users with French Lake - Pickerel Lake permits will need to enter Quetico through French Lake for the foreseeable future..

As always, I'll keep you posted with future developments!

Quent

Coming Soon - Fishing Season

2009-04-24T14:06:00.005-05:00

Been getting lots of calls about ice out.....looking good - here on the Seine, the ice is 20' - 100' from shore....should be able to get a boat in next week.

Other lakes without river flow are a little further behind. I know lots of you want to get at some early lake trout & other action. I'll let you know the minute it's a go. In any event - we're 'way better off than this time last year.....should be able to get some good spring time action soon.

Just as a quick note though - the walleye opener last May was great - here's a couple of pics from "the opener '08"....

The weather was nasty - cold, windy....but the fishing - particularly the walleye was great.

Lower Marmion Lake Walleye Fishing

2009-04-05T12:20:00.000-05:00

Great news for many of you Marmion Lake fanatics.....walleye fishing has been re-opened.....like many of you know, the fishing is terrific on Marmion, & we have every reason to believe that the walleye fishing will be world class...http://www.atikokanprogress.ca/articles/2404/1/Marmion-walleye-fishery-recovered--angling-vlosure-lifted-after-11-years/Page1.html

Krings Party Pics June 2008

2009-03-27T20:16:00.000-05:00

Bear with me - I'm going to try & get a few of the Krings groups pics up from last June....

Looks like some nasty snags where they were fishing!
Nice 25" 'eye!

19.25" smallie!

The guys had a great time and their experience on the Seine was very apparent with some of the action they had....I'm guessing they'll have a bunch more pics for me in a couple of months so I better get going!

It was great seeing their fishing action, but it was even better having some pints with them & yakking about pretty much everything...

I'll put some stats up from their trip too....everything from # & size of fish to how many beer were consumed!

Riveting stuff eh?

Early Season Fishing

2009-03-27T20:04:00.000-05:00

Hey Everyone,

Just a quick post...with this new format, I'm hoping to stay more current with my updates & especially photo posting.....

I'll be sharing a few stories /pics from last year...we have tons of pics to go up....2008 was one of the overall best years fishing we have seen on the Seine Chain. I even got out a lot more often (and caught a few too)....

For now though, we're really looking forward to a great 2009. Our bookings are (touch wood) looking terrific, with a very high number of old guests coming back. We have all the regulars that come up every year (sometimes twice or three times), plus a whole lot of groups that came once or twice a few years ago that all seem to be coming back this year.....

It's great having new groups come, and we're blessed with quite a few...and it's sure nice to see old friends again.

Anyway, we're hoping to kick it off this year by April 23 for some lake trout, pike & smallie fishing with the Blackwelder group from Florida. This'll mark a number of years that Earl has been up in early spring....last year we had a late ice out & it wasn't doable.

Of course, we're hoping for another early (or at least average ) ice out this year.....Anyone who's interested check in with us re: ice condditions. I know lots of you are chomping at the bit to wet the line for some great laker & pike fishing ASAP....if Mother Nature cooperates we sure will as well.

Will keep y'all posted!

Quent