There is no "average" or "typical" day at Scott Lake Lodge. Every day is a unique blend of anticipation, weather, fish activity and personal chemistry between the guide and clients.

To get a feel for the structure of your time at Scott Lake let's follow Mike and Cathie Hauser on an August day at Scott. The day begins with a soft knock on your cabin door - morning coffee or tea is served. A short walk brings you to Laker Lodge where you enjoy a made to order breakfast. Bacon, eggs, omelets, pancakes, cereals, warm pastries and of course classic Red River are always on tap.

Like everything at Scott, breakfast is a time for leisure and relaxing. With over 140,000 acres of water accessible from our dock, there is no hurry to beat the other boats to the best spots. Each guide has exclusive use of a large chunk of Scott Lake, over 10,000 acres each. There's never a rush.

Most anglers leave the Scott dock around 8:00 a.m. However there is plenty of time to check out the tackle shop before you leave. Typically your guide will go over the day's "fish plan" and discuss with you the type of fishing to be expected and tackle to be used. At Scott you don't have to bring a single rod. Bait casting, spinning, trolling and fly rods are all available for your use at no charge. And everything is top quality. After a quick look around the shop you're ready to go.

Unlike a lot of Canadian lakes, Scott Lake does not require a long boat ride to start your day of fishing. Often you make your first cast within sight of the Lodge. Long, pounding, boring boat rides are not part of the Scott Lake experience. You're here to fish & have fun.

Getting you to great fishing quickly and comfortably is the top priority for your experienced guide. The fishing decisions aren't very complex: Scott has but two game fish - northern pike and lake trout. It is a tough one, though, both are hard fighting, beautiful fish. Since trout and pike are generally found in the same area, you can change your mind often.

Your morning will typically include both pike and trout fishing, making the menu for your shore lunch a mixed bag. Shore lunch at Scott is not your standard Canadian fare of fried fish and beans. The Scott guides take shore lunch very seriously. It's a production and the results are fantastic. Want one of a dozen or more different baked fish recipes? How about a pike "poor man's lobster?" A stir-fry? Gumbo? Chowder? How about honey-garlic pike? You can even have fried fish if you like. Or, the Lodge kitchen can always pack you a deli sandwich if you prefer.

After lunch you have many more hours to fish and explore the clear waters of Scott. Your fishing might be fly casting, spinning, jigging or trolling. Guides will employ whatever methods and techniques necessary to keep you into fish. Again it's a client-driven process. You can fish with any tackle or techniques you prefer, even if it's not the best way to catch fish. It's your vacation. Most people do listen to their guide's advice and usually anglers will stay "in fish" for most of the day. Trout like this one are not rare at Scott. We get hundreds every season.

After returning to the dock, there is time to relax in your cabin, shop a little, take a hike on the Tundra Trail, play some pool or just hang out in the Lodge, enjoying the pre-dinner hors d'oeuvres and comparing notes with your fellow guests. Everyone has a fish story to share.

Dinner is served at 7:00 p.m. It is a first-class dining experience. There are always several entrees to choose from ranging from prime rib to pheasant, tenderloins to stir-fry. Each meal is served with soup or salad and freshly baked bread. Save room for the desserts, which are legendary. Afterwards, you might want to take advantage of the massage therapy services, have a drink at the bar, have a soak in the hot tub, or sit around the campfire watching the twilight fade.

It's all in a Day at Scott Lake. Tomorrow, you get to do it all over again.