What a sight! You're standing on the bow of an 18' boat looking down into the incredibly clear waters of Scott Lake. You can see about a dozen pike, several in the 10 - 15 pound range and one a monster of 20 pounds or more. You lay out 40 feet of line placing a red and white deceiver about two feet in front of the big fish. Three quick strips. She turns her body in an S shape and explodes, engulfing the streamer. You're both hooked.
This happens everyday at Scott Lake Lodge. Unlike most other Canadian fly in fishing destinations, Scott Lake has all three of the critical ingredients for successful pike sight fishing: lots of fish (obviously), clear water (so you can see the fish) and water perfectly protected from wind and waves by Scott's irregular shoreline, over 200 bays and 500 islands. Fish, clarity and calm waters. That's the Scott formula for the most exciting fly fishing you can imagine.
At Scott Lake Lodge, our fly fishermen get used to shouting "fish on!" On a typical summer day, they get lots of practice - 20 to 50 times a day. And these are not small fish. The average fish is 6 to 8 pounds with lots of daily 10 pounders and plenty of fish near 20 pounds. A monster 50" pike with an enormous 24" girth, was taken on a fly. In past seasons several pike over 48" were taken on flies. Each season around 500 trophy pike are taken by fly fisherman plus a few trophy trout.
Unlike bonefish, permit or spring creek trout, the pike of Scott Lake are not spooky, nervous quarry. They are fearless top of the food chain predators. You don't need to throw perfect split-second 80-foot casts here. Generally, a close-enough cast of 30 to 40 feet will get you in the action.
While pike are the main event at the Scott Lake Lodge fishing show, they are not the only fish in town. During June (even into early July) there are plenty of hard fighting lake trout mixed in with the pike in the shallow bays. Often prey for the pike, these trout don't hang around for a second look at your fly but our fishermen do get some bonus trout while fishing for pike. If you want to target trout in June or early July have your guide take you to some of the many sand bars on Scott. You can actually sight cast for trout in water 2-6 feet deep. Spring trout love sand. By mid-July the trout go deep and require level 5 fast sink line to get in their zone. Some fly fishermen do go deep effectively for trout but it's not as much fun as surface action.
Anytime at Scott is arctic grayling time. These beautiful, acrobatic fish evolved, it seems, to provide thrills to an angler with a three or four weight rod and some dry flies (elk hair caddis, humpies or royal wulffs are all you need). While there are not grayling right in Scott Lake, there are plenty the several flyout lakes just a short flight from the Lodge. Many offer a day of both pike and grayling fishing. If you're a person who loves top water trout you may want to spend a full day with these opportunistic feeders. Imagine being on a western river and hooking 40 - 60 cutthroats in the 12-20" range per day. That picture is very close to a day on a grayling stream. Can you take it?
At Scott Lake Lodge fly fishing for pike (or lake trout) is not a passing fad. Since Scott was established as a catch and release Lodge over a decade ago, fly fishing has always been a prime focus. The professional guides at Scott have been trained by some of the best fly fishermen in the country including Lefty Kreh, Dave Whitlock, Dan Blanton and world distance casting champion Steve Rajeff. In addition, a professional works with our guides each season at ice out to improve their casting and guiding skills. No guide is hired unless they have a strong personal interest in fly fishing. You will not have to explain what a sink tip line is or point out a right shoulder wind. These guys are good. And they make a mean shore lunch of fresh (usually 10 - 20 minutes out of the water) trout or pike. The shore lunch tradition here is alive and well but goes way beyond fried fish.
Our guides are only part of the extraordinary customer service program at Scott. From the hot coffee delivered to your room to the late night bull session around the fire pit, we are committed to providing the fly fisherman a trip-of-a-lifetime. This is a no excuses operation. Your guide has been given some great tools. Like our 4-stroke 40 horse Yamaha motors that get you around the sprawling 100,000 acres of Scott quickly and quietly. Our boats have front deck six-foot casting platforms and flat, carpeted flooring throughout the interior. Complimentary use of St. Croix tackle is included (top-end 9wt for pike/4wt for grayling and large arbor reels). Bring your own gear if you like but all the good stuff is here for your use, even spinning gear if your arm gets too sore to cast.
Scott has a great selection of pike, lake trout and grayling flies. We also have a well stocked tying bench. Most of our guides tie and some will create a unique "fly du jour" for your use. It's all in the spirit of having fun with fish - the key ingredient in your Scott Lake adventure.
If you think fly fishing is just for trout ask someone who's tackled big pike in clear water. It's both exciting and a bit exotic (without leaving North America). Most importantly, you will be with people who speak your (fly fishing) language and work hard all day to show you a great time. It just doesn't get any better.