Week 1: June 9-14, 2007
The 2007 season opened with a perfect Canadian day: the sun was shinning on the two dozen anglers who traveled from all over the US and Canada to encounter the pike, lake trout and arctic grayling of this pristine wilderness area. And the fish did not disappoint. For eight months they have been dormant in icy waters and they were ready as well. The battle was engaged. The first trophy of the season belonged to John Turner who landed a 36” lake trout, a little bigger than the westslope cutthroats he’s used to around the Triangle X ranch in Moose, Wyoming. The gang from west had a great time and they were tough enough for what followed—two days of frigid weather. Yes, we had snow and sub freezing temperatures for a couple of days, the grandmother of all cold fronts. Pike did what they always do in cold fronts: go deep and close their mouths. A group of fly fisherman from Calgary had pike smashing top water flies one day but found themselves using sinking lines the next. Fish were still caught but it was tough.
The cold snap lasted only a couple of days and then some warmth returned. The fish responded. Paul Klenk had a whale of a day (or a pike of a day) with five trophy pike topping out at 44”. His dad, Jim, got only two and we wonder just who paid for the trip? Meg Freking on her first Scott trip got four trophy pike and loved every fish she caught. Brad is never coming with the guys again. Jameson Viljaste missed his plane connection in Minneapolis and had to overnight in Saskatoon. He thought his trip was toast, but Darren Hill, the Scott Lake Lodge representative in Saskatoon, pulled some strings and got him on an early morning flight to Stony Rapids, the float plane base 50 miles from Scott. The Scott Beaver pilot did tell Jameson that his instructions were to drop Jameson off not at the Lodge but right next to the boat his buddy, Mike Rogers, was fishing in. One step from the float plane and he was in the boat. The guide handed him a rod and within seconds he was into his first fish of the trip. But not his last. He has vivid memories of 44” and a 45” pike. Partner Mike did the hat trick, putting on the boards a pike of 44’, a lake trout (caught casting in shallow water) of 41” and a 16” grayling. Mike became the first 2007 member of the 100+ Club.
Big fish honors of the week went to Greg Schlitz who boated a monster 47” pike that beat his dad’s personal best caught last season by two inches. There are rumors of a rematch next season. The week ended with bright sunshine and a final day of solid fishing. The final trophy count—45—was low for the first week but there were no complaints. It was the NORTH in all of its unpredictable wonder. It was fishing at it best.
Week 2: June 14-19, 2007
The second contingent of Scott Lake Lodge anglers arrived in bright sunshine. It was great while it lasted but that wasn’t long. Clouds and a persistent north or northeast wind knifed through the region for most of the five day trip. Temperatures and fishing were a little on the cool side. What a contrast from a year earlier when during the exact time period an intense heat wave kept everyone in T-shirts and in big fish. Weather is the dominant factor in northern fishing. Even the experienced Scott Lake Lodge guide team (we modestly believe to be the best in Canada) can’t find a lot of big fish when the water temperatures have them spread all around the lake. Everyone at Scott during this fall-like weather caught lots of fish but the trophy count was far below the typical week at this time of year. Whenever the sun did make an appearance, the pike responded within a few hours. Pike were even charging top water flies and hard baits when the sun was out. The sub-arctic sun has some real kick and it doesn’t take long to warm up the shallow bays and bring in the fish. During these windows the action was terrific. The typical day had around 50 fish per boat. Not bad for tough conditions. Overall 61 trophy fish were taken, mainly pike.
This was a hard core group who fished right through the wind and cold. Nearly all were Scott Lake veterans who have seen these waters in all conditions. Some had their best fishing ever. Dave Lebovitz had the hot hand taking four pike over 43” topping out with a beautiful 46” fish. Ladd Spalla had a big day taking a 40” lake trout in shallow water and adding three trophy pike over the same day. Husband/wife team Lu and Andy Johnston decided not to compete with each other and each brought a 43.5” pike to the boat. That’s true love, love of fishing. Two anglers, Bernard Turek and Bob Nelson, did the hat trick, getting a trophy pike, lake trout and grayling, and earning the coveted Trophy Triple hat. One of the best stories was the wild but wonderful show Tim Copps and Dave Paulus put on while trying to land double trophy pike. The fish went under the boat. The guys traded positions with the guide trying to direct traffic. It was almost a Gong Show but the results got into the boat. Tim ended up with a girthy and beautifully marked 45 incher and Dave watched the guide slide the second trophy, a 41” fish, into the cradle.
There were many bear stories and some great photos of black bears who wanted a piece of shore lunch. The cold weather accented the rugged feel of the far north. This was a group, almost all members of the Scott Lake Lodge “regulars”, in love with the northern experience. They rebooked almost to the person for 2008. A little cold can’t keep these anglers from loving this pristine wilderness.
Week 3: June19-24, 2007
“Here comes the sun”. The Beatles sang it but the Scott Lake Lodge anglers enjoyed it. Finally the weather turned here in the north and as the weather goes so does the fishing. The third group in camp had four out of five days of intense sub-arctic sunshine and pleasantly warm weather. It was wonderful to see people fishing in shorts and t-shirts. It was even more wonderful to see the “big fish smiles” of anglers returning from a day on the water. The fishing action over the previous ten days had been steady but the big ones were MIA. With the warmer weather the big fish got moving. A total of 118 trophy fish were caught, mainly pike.
There were many savage strikes. In a single bay the size of an averaged sized supermarket, Dave Baum and Fidel Sapien felt the jolt of dozens of pike. It was one of those perfect late afternoons in the far north. With no wind at all in the three foot deep bay every movement of the fish could be observed. The big bow wakes of pike charging from 50 feet or more were just electric. Everyone knew they were going to crash the lure and they did. In just over an hour twenty-two pike in excess of 36” were landed including two over 40”. A perfect angling memory. Dave had two other great moments, catching a 45” pike a few days earlier and landing seven, yes seven, trophy trout in about five hours on his final day at the Lodge. He captured the Trophy Triple hat and will wear the 100+Club vest. Brad Bandt also earned his vest with trophy fish in all three of Scott’s species, pike, lake trout and grayling. Patrick Lynch got his vest with one incredible day: he put a 40.5” laker, a 44.6” pike and a 17” grayling to his guide’s hand in just six hours. That’s a day to remember—the 100+Club achievement “Done In One”, only the second time that someone totaled 100 plus trophy inches in a single day. But Patrick had an even better story to take home. He became the first person in lodge history to capture a trophy fish (a 36” lake trout) with his bare hands. It happened like this. While an injured whitefish, a prime lake trout prey species, was floundering on the surface the guide pulled the boat right up to the spot. Under the whitefish a big trout was making his best effort to grab it. The trout was so focused on his dinner that Patrick just reached down and pulled it out of the lake by its tail, and that’s no tale. A once in many lifetimes event.
Lots of lifetime angling memories were made this week. Andy Johnston successfully sightcasted his fly to six trophy pike in a single, perfect day. Michael Jaffe landed a 36.5” laker on his fly rod and added three more trophy trout on a spinning rod in less than an hour. Michael’s fly rod also brought home a 44” pike or tundra shark as he calls the north’s most aggressive species. Mike Borden and Roger Hinds shared an unusual angling experience that shows just how aggressive pike can be. Mike hooked into a good fish with a Jitterbug, a topwater plug, and was bringing the fish to the boat when partner Roger’s rod started to buck. They both had an odd feeling fighting their fish because “Mike’s” fish had grabbed Roger’s spinner during the fight: their fish turned out to be singular not plural. A trophy pike came to the boat with two lures in its mouth. That’s a hungry and mean fish. Two super fat pike were taken this week, both fish that looked like fall pike. Usually June pike are a bit on the thin side but this year for as yet unknown reasons (perhaps a high point in a forage fish cycle) all of this season’s pike have had substantial girth. John Perry and Thad Baird each landed super hogs of 46 inches with outstanding girths of nearly 20”. Everyone left with lots of fish memories and a good tan. It was the first week of summer and it was sensational.
Week 4: June 24-June 29, 2007
Every week at Scott Lake Lodge has a unique feel, a group chemistry that sets it apart. Some weeks the vibe is nothing but fanatic, hard core fishing, fishing, fishing. Others the tone is more mellow, even contemplative with people who just love being in this pristine wilderness. And then there are weeks of pure adrenaline, like the week just ended. A feeling of raw electricity surged through the camp. This was a high energy, high fiving, high stepping and high living crowd. They partied hard (and late) and fished hard (and well). There were many records set including the total bar tab.
The Gang of 16 from Green Bay has become legendary at Scott Lake Lodge. From dawn to dark (and that’s a long time because at this time of year it doesn’t even get dark) these guys just have an incredibly good time. The staff here rests up before their annual visit and recovers afterward. Despite very late night activities, this group is always ready to put in a full day of fishing. They have stamina. They were complemented by another group of 8 who share the same zest for a full experience. And did they catch fish! With another five straight days of sunny, beautiful weather the big fish were on the move. A grand total of 120 trophies, mainly pike, were caught and many hundreds of smaller fish kept things moving. In the supersized department four trout over 40” were tallied and seven pike over 45”.
We had four anglers into double digit trophies for the five day experience: Paul Turner led the pike parade with 17 total trophies; Bruce Kozlowski had 14, son Steve 10 and Rick McMillin, Paul’s partner, 10. That’s a bunch of big fish for four anglers. All four also earned their 100+Club vests by getting all three Scott trophies (pike, lake trout and grayling) in size large. There were some remarkable big days. Bruce and Steve Kozlowski had an 8 trophy pike day and a 6 trophy trout day. Paul Turner and Rick McMillin had a record pike day with 15 trophies between them, each getting a pair of 44 inchers. Bob Weyers had a 4 trophy pike day including a 45.5” fish. LaVon Wenger and grandson Sam had a super final day on the water with LaVon getting a 46.5” pike along with a 40” and 42” while Sam captured a 42” and 44” pike. So many big fish this week: Lee Reynebeau caught two 44” pike; Peter Hietpas got a 45”; Larry Noesen a 44.5”; Brad Wenger a 46”; Mike Maedke a 45” and Scott Vandenheuval a 44.5”. The list of trophy holders was way too long to recount them all. Suffice to say that the sun kept shinning on Scott Lake Lodge anglers. It was a very good week.
Week 5: June 29-July 4, 2007
Wind, fire and water. We had them all during the late June visit of 24 anglers from across North America (even a couple of Canadians this time). The wind came on the first day this group hit the water. It was fierce but it didn’t stop anyone from spending the full day hunting for big pike and a good time. Although Scott is over 100,000 acres, it doesn’t have (like many big Canadian lakes) a lot of open water. It’s really dozens of fairly small lakes connected by small channels some so tight the 18 foot boats barely squeeze through. So all the guides can find protected areas to fish and many put their clients on very nice fish: Jerry Nye, Neil Young, Brennan Hutson and Randy Doerter all found trophy pike at the end of their lines despite the big blow.
The big wind however did breathe a lot of life into the many fires burning around the region. On fly out trips customers saw dozens of columns of smoke scattered over the landscape, reminding everyone of the raw, elemental nature of this vast wilderness. There is no one other than Scott anglers to even watch these lightening caused fires much less put them out. They burn until they hit big lakes, until heavy rains stop them or until winter snows puts them out for good. It’s big country here. A few thousands of acres or even tens of thousands of acres of fire get lost in this vast, uninhabited landscape. The nightly picture show after dinner had many fire shots where boats were able to drive right up to the flames. Lodge owner Tom Klein and his guide Paul Hamilton saw some fire up close, probably a little too close. They were exploring a potential new grayling spot upstream of a fly out lake. To get to a stretch of unfished river, they hiked through a wooded area that had lots of small but harmless looking fires apparently started by earlier wind blown cinders. Nothing too threatening. They just walked around the patches of smoldering fires thinking nothing of it, like walking around burning piles of leaves in a suburban neighborhood. They may have whistled nervously. They don’t remember. But this spot looked so good from the air that they just had to try it. They weren’t on the river for more than five minutes when they heard the roar. It was like a freight train. A front had moved in and generated strong winds that caused the area to literally explode. Paul asked Tom “Should we be nervous?” They kept fishing of course until the smoke chased them up river but found pike in the river, not good neighbors for grayling. About an hour later the wall of flames less than a hundred yards away had consumed the very area they had walked through not long before. Their boat was a long way downstream, tied to shore. They had no idea if it would be a pile of slag or a way back to the plane. Walking along the river they saw that the fire had burned right to the river until just before their boat. A wind change had saved the boat and the day. Bottom line: don’t fool with fires in the far north and don’t bother to fish grayling in rivers with pike. Exciting stuff anyway but no big, fat grayling for the nightly picture show that follows dinner every night at the Lodge.
The picture show already had plenty of fish to ogle. On this second day of the five day “week” 23 trophy pike were boated. Dick Hutson and Derek Hamm each got three. John and Lisa Ripley combined for four and another dozen anglers got into big fish. Andy Rice had the mojo on the third day. He had three nice pike including a 44 and 44.5 incher. Thirteen anglers scored trophy pike on the third day of fishing. With so much water to fish on Scott and the eight fly out lakes no one saw the same spot twice and the fish just kept coming in. For the first time of the season a group flew to Lefty Falls, a spectacular and fishy destination, about twenty minutes from the Lodge. They found the scenery and the fishing breathtaking. The grayling eagerly offered themselves to flies and spinners. Dozens of the acrobatic fish were caught and lots of digital images were filed. Lefty Falls, also shown as Hunt Falls on some maps, is like a national park minus the people. The four Scott anglers are always the only ones to enjoy the splendor of this isolated and inspiring place.
Lots of other fish—big and small—were caught and many memories were made. Almost everyone got at least one trophy (almost) but trophy is a state of mind. Everyone caught lots of fish. And with sunny days and warm weather everyone left the Lodge with a trophy feeling and nearly everyone booked their trip for 2008. Who could ask for more?
Week 6: July 4-9, 2007
In boxing, it’s saved by the bell. In Northwest Territories fishing, especially in a hot, dry summer, it’s saved by the rain. With fires burning throughout the region, people here (not including Scott clients whose brain capacity is totally absorbed by thoughts of fish) were getting a little nervous around the Lodge. In 1998 fires burned so long that the lake was often blanketed in a veil of smoke, making navigation by either plane or boat tricky. Many here in 2007 still remembered that summer. Those nagging memories were drowned by a heavy rain that saturated the landscape on the second day of this groups’ adventure. With the rain came a wicked wind which drove the moisture deep into the heart of the fires and drove our anglers off the water. With a following day of on and off rain, the fire threat was effectively extinguished. That was the good news. The not so good news was the day off the water for 22 of the 24 guests in camp. The two (Mike and Jack, we will not mention last names to protect your reputations—sanity something most people want to be known for) not in camp braved howling winds to fish within 100 yards of the docks in some protected water. Despite the wild conditions they caught nearly two dozen trout, some within casting distance of the docks. The rest of the group enjoyed the day off sitting by the fire in the main lodge. Poker games ensued and fish tales were passed around like poker chips. Watching the storm rage over a bowl of hot soup was entertainment enough for most. It was a classic north of 60 nor’easter. And it brought moisture and cool temperatures for just over two days.
The best the weather did for the entire five days was just OK. It was not the sun and light wind that wakes up the pike and keeps rods bent for most of the day. This group worked hard fighting the cold front to get into fish. Numbers were pretty good but the big pike dropped into deeper water as they always do in these conditions. Finding them becomes more difficult. The guides know the routine and were able to put their clients on some good fish. A total of 69 trophies, mostly pike, were caught including fish over 44 inches by Russell LaFave, Robert Rini and Bill Smith. Bill had his final day at Lefty Falls to get a grayling to earn his Trophy Triple hat. Mark Graf landed a huge grayling of almost twenty inches, a monster in this corner of the north and added one of eighteen as well.
The real fish stories came in the trout department. On the first day, before the big blow, George Bandow was jigging for lakers in a hole well know for action. Typically the fish here caught jigging are the school trout in the 24-30” size slot. He was using a spinning rod, not the normal heavy trout gear. He didn’t know what to think when his rod bent right to the cork. The guide wasn’t sure either. This fish was not acting like a jigging hole trout. About 15 minutes later bubbles the size of baseballs floated up to the surface giving the guide all the information he needed: this was a big trout adjusting its air bladder as it came to the surface. Then it was in the cradle, a magnificent 45.5” lake trout with beautiful color and substantial girth. On a light rod with 12 pound test it was quite an angling achievement. And certainly the fishing thrill of George’s trip. It was caught in a well known hole about 15 minutes from camp. Bill and Kathleen Smith rather liked the picture of that trout on the big screen and wanted one of their own. They were trolling only 5 minutes from the lodge when Kathy’s rod doubled up. After a tugging contest with at times a questionable outcome she watched her guide cradle a trout with an enormous girth. From head to tail it was 42” but the girth was 26”, a fat trout to say the least. These “fresh water tuna” provide some wonderful memories for Scott Lake Lodge guests.
So this group knew how to make the best of a less than best situation. They appreciated the raw edge of the weather and enjoyed the entire experience of being in the north. And nearly all will be back in 2008, maybe to enjoy some sunny days and wild fishing action.
Week 7: July 9-14, 2007
Summer has finally settled in here in the far north. In early July the day to day weather has been wonderful: lots of sun, some clouds but always pleasant temperatures. As most of North America is suffering with extreme heat, the 60th parallel is enjoying almost a perfect summer. Life for the 24 guests who spent July 9th to 14th with us had close to a perfect time in the embrace of the good life at Scott Lake Lodge. Fishing was solid with some big fish thrown in. The days on the water were warm but not sultry. Just right for most. Some guides would have liked more wind to keep the fish active but guides are like farmers—the weather is never just right for them. For most our guests watching the expanse of Scott as still as a millpond was a fine tradeoff for perhaps a few less fish.
It was an interesting mix of people at the Lodge this week. We had a few diehard anglers, three couples who liked shore lunches and the ambiance of the Lodge as much as the fishing, three sets of fathers and sons who shared memorable days of fishing and bonding and several groups of just good buddies who trek to Scott every summer to renew their friendships and their love of fishing. As a group they put 77 trophy sized fish in the boat but had many more trophy moments—seeing an eagle or osprey, listening to the calls of loons at night, playing cards in the lodge, watching the amazing lingering sunsets long after dinner from the lodge deck or just soaking in the peace and serenity of this wilderness.
And of course there were trophy moments involving big fish. How about BJ Meek watching an absolutely perfect monster lake trout ( 42 inches long with a massive 24 inch girth) slide into the guide’s cradle? The Rogers’ gang that landed dozens of beautiful arctic grayling at a remote river? Don Granata, RC Kreider and Mike Rogers landing pike of almost the magic 45 inch mark? Joel Leisch getting his first big lake trout, just over 40 inches? All trophy moments of course. And some experiences did not even need trophy-sized fish. Claude Bourguignon got several trophy fish but what he really wanted was to get a lake trout on a fly rod. July is not the best time but using a sinking line he pulled up four lakers from 80 feet of water. He did it his way and with a great sense of accomplishment. It seemed every guest left the Lodge with that sense of personal reward. It’s summertime and the living is easy.
Week 8: July 14-19, 2007
“Sling the ling”—the battle cry was on. “Ling” of course is the Scott Lake Lodge guide shorthand expression for arctic grayling, usually the most overlooked member of the game fish living in these northern waters. “Sling” is short hand for landing one. Neither the guides nor the lucky anglers do any slinging at all but the phrase has alliterative value so it stuck. Actually all the grayling caught, most on small flies, are carefully released to do their acrobatic dances for the next angler on the river. Our mid-July group had several groups of fishing friends interested in this compact but spectacular northern fish and the ling were willing. With lots of sun and plenty of bugs (the non-biting kind like caddis and mayflies) on the water the conditions were perfect on all of our six grayling fly out locations.
All of these grayling spots produce lots of action but some are extraordinary. The pools and riffles below Lefty Falls are legendary for giving anglers dozens of “takes” a day in a setting featuring stunning scenic power. Its pristine beauty rivals any national park and for the day at least it’s yours. No one else fishes this spot. The grayling at Lefty were really on this week and the anglers there had steady action all day. Dry flies, elk hair caddis or Adams, were the answer at Lefty and most of the other grayling spots fished this week but grayling are not famous for being selective. If it looks “buggy” grayling will eat it. And eat they did. Our dozen grayling hunters caught literally hundreds of grayling. Small in size but extra-large in sporting value, grayling around here are typically 13 or 14 inches with plenty in the 15-16 range. When they get to 18 inches they are a substantial fish on a four weight fly rod or ultralight spinning rod. We had a baker’s dozen over 18 inches this week and two over 19 inches with substantial girth and considerable fighting ability. Blake McGhee came close to a 20 incher, the top of the tape in our area.
Grayling were the headliners but not the only fish encountered this week. The pike and trout fishing both were solid as well. A total of 163 trophies were taken, a high for the season. There were lots of Trophy Triples: Patrick McGhee, Kurt Landherr and Rob Borden all got the hat. Four more of our fisherman got the hat plus the 100+ Club vest: John Dix, Blake McGhee, Jason Lukert and Jim Landherr will all wear the custom vest after getting trophies in all three species whose collective measurements exceeded 100 inches. Jim and Kurt got the trout portion of their hats within sight of the Lodge and both supersized, Jim getting a 40.5 inch laker and Kurt a massive 43 inch trout with impressive girth. Jim ended up with the biggest trout and biggest pike, a 45 incher, of the week. Other anglers did well near the Lodge also. Kevin Adams got three big trout just a mile from his cabin with the biggest taping at almost 40 inches. Just a bit further down the lake John Dix and Bill Gray landed lakers over 41 inches. Plenty of big trout were taken.
Perfect weather, lots of fish, trophy shore lunches, and again this week NO BUGS, except the good ones at grayling holes. Just like all of these anglers dreamed it would be. We will see almost all of this group back again next season—same week, same cabins, same guides and we hope, the same great fishing.
Week 9: July 19-24, 2007
It was round 2 with the fires during the ninth inning of our 20 inning season here at Scott. The first round was won cleanly with a big rain in early July. The fires behaved until the sun of the past two weeks combined with a huge blast of wind on July 20. The blazes flared up violently and put gave us some LA quality sunsets—the mars look to the sky.
Three of the five days of our July 19-24 session had overpowering winds. Thanks to the stamina and fanaticism of our group everyone kept fishing through the big blow. The raging fires just added an element of the exotic to the experience. Watching dozens of individual fires burning added to the drama of the fly out trips. All of the fly out lakes stayed open for business despite the smoke. We kept getting lucky with wind direction and the smoke always seemed to be just out of breathing range.
Despite the tough conditions the group fared pretty well with the object of their obsession—big fish. Just under 70 trophies were tallied. Some huge trout were taken: a monster 44 incher by one of the Grinders, Jack Barlow; a 42” laker by Ray Rausch and a 43.5” by another one of the Grinders, Joe Derrico. Magic Mike Wagner continued the big fish spree he started last season, getting three trophy pike on each of his two fly out days. One of Mike’s group, Frank Ray, got the biggest pike of the week at 44”. We did have the biggest grayling of the season. The irrepressible Doc Bradford landed a beautiful fish of just barely under 20 inches at Lefty Falls. Don Hansen got in the grayling game as well, getting three over 18 inches.
On the last day of the session the winds finally abated and the fire risk diminished. The break from the wind was welcomed by both the fishers and the fish. Several nice trophies were caught on the last day.
POSTSCRIPT: On the first day of the next group, July 25th, a wonderful all day rain stopped the fires in their tracks. We will see if there is a round 3 later in the summer.
Week 10: July 24-29, 2007
In baseball going 4 for 5 is a pretty good game. In fishing it’s pretty good as well. Our tenth group of the season (exactly the halfway mark) opened their fishing adventure with a cold, rainy and windy day. Fishing was, as one might expect, very tough. Pike are quite moody and slink off to deep water when the temperature drops. That didn’t stop George Quay from capturing a 42 inch pike. Stacy Lobaugh found a big trout in exactly the kind of water they should be in. He pulled in a thick 40 inch plus lake trout from a deep hole while jigging a buzzbomb with light spinning tackle. It was the fight of the week and he won. Those were the exceptions for that first cold day.
Fishing follows the weather and in cold weather most fish just turn off. The group toughed it out and were rewarded with four consecutive perfect days. The fish responded to the improved weather and mild temperatures. In the final four days of the trip 90 trophy fish, a nicely mixed bag with pike, lake trout and arctic grayling, were taken. There were lots of singles, doubles, a few triples and one grand slam. Singles (just nice trophies) were caught every day. One long double was Joe Takats’ two 38.5” lake trout along with a third trophy in a single day of fishing. The triple was Russ Lobaugh earning the Trophy Triple hat, collecting a trophy pike, lake trout and arctic grayling. And the grand slam was cracked by Patrick Takats who landed one of the biggest pike of the season, a 48 inch monster with a massive 20 inch girth, and followed it with a 39 inch lake trout and a 17.5 inch arctic grayling. It was a trip Patrick will never forget. He will of course wear the 100+Club vest proudly. Stacy and Nathan Lobaugh joined Patrick in the Club as well each getting trophies in all three species whose collective measurements exceeded 100 inches. And there were plenty of just plain big fish: Don Lumax caught a 42 inch laker; Mike Schiedt landed a 39 incher; George Quay Jr. got a personal best 46 inch pike; Pete Tewskbury successfully battled with a 42 lake trout and Adam Adelman caught his first ever big pike, getting three trophies in a single day. Lots of action and plenty of big fish to keep everyone’s interest.
Our group enjoyed some beautiful days in the far north. The weather here is unpredictable but that only adds to the drama. Getting four perfect days in a row is a wonderful bonus to an experience that includes a healthy dose of wilderness tranquility mixed with the powerful adrenaline of hooking a big fish. It was a great game, played well and enjoyed by all the players.
Week 11: July 29-August 2, 2007
At Scott Lake Lodge no one notices when the calendar turns a page but we do notice the small things that signal the start of fall. Yes, fall. Even though it’s only early August there are unmistakable signs that a wonderful season is almost upon us: the loons are flocking and starting to call wildly; a few birch leaves are turning yellow; the wild blueberry bushes are going red along with some of the other groundcover; cool nights are replacing the warm evening breezes we’ve had for about six weeks now; morning dew decorates the big deck in front of the lodge nearly every morning and, most revealing, the solar powered yard lights are in place illuminating the edges of the wood-chipped walkways around the island. That’s the big one—it’s actually starting to get a little dark. From now until we depart the island in mid-September (the early phase of winter) the daylight drops like a bomb. By the last group in early September we will be down to just over 12 hours of daylight, a very different world than the one of late June and early July where you could sit outside and read the New York Times (or the Wall Street Journal) at any hour of the day or “night”. The changes are so subtle that a five day stay reveals nothing but the staff, with their 100-day perspective, knows that fall and exciting fall fishing is right around the bend.
The group here between July 29 and August 2, a four day fishing adventure, fit the theme of a change. They liked their fishing but they were not as obsessed as many of our groups. Instead of four or five daily fly outs to even more remote lakes this crowd loved the fishing right here on Scott. On the first day not a sound came out of the throats of the three Beavers parked at the front docks. The quiet was refreshing. Peter Bernadich liked the quiet as well but didn’t mind at all when his drag screamed. On his first day on the water he landed a 45” pike. His fishing partner, Steve Reckker, waited until the last day to get his big fish, a 44” pike, providing bookends to their trip. Maybe because the intensity was lower (not helped by one day with a huge wind which made fishing difficult) the trophy count was lower, 36 trophy sized trout or pike in the four day span. Michael Gresser contributed significantly to that total. He got three trophy pike in a single day and had a 39.5” lake trout as well. Peter Polijan also caught a 39.5” laker and Paul Poljan was just a half inch off that mark with his fish of the trip. The big trout went to Bev Paquet who battled the fish of her life and won, bringing a very girthy 43 inch lake trout to the cradle. It was at the first stage of fall a mellow and most pleasant week at Scott.
Week 12: August 2-5, 2007
How many engineers does it take to catch a fish? The answer to our surprise was just one. Scott Lake Lodge hosted a gathering of engineers and their accomplices this week for a short (three day) fishing adventure. We knew they could run computers but we weren’t so sure about fishing rods and reels. We were wrong, dead wrong. The group specializes in air-handling equipment but they can now add fish-handling to their resumes. They caught a lot of great fish and had a great time in the process. They filled the bar at night and were on time for every fishing morning. As a group they netted 59 trophies, almost a 20 per day average. Not bad at all.
They grabbed 18 big fish on their first day. Bob Burkhardt led the charge with three nice pike trophies including a fat 43 incher. Keith Barry, Dan Hobbs, David Lunow, Chris Willemssen, Art Borland, Lynn Bishop, Mark Leuders, Don Steward and Arch Hatfield all contributed to the take on a beautiful first day of fishing. Nearly all of the rest of the crowd netted the one that didn’t get away before their trip was over. Kevin Trowhill, Don Stewart and Arch Hatfield proved to be the grayling masters, all getting a batch of beautiful fish of up to 17”. There were of course a lot of bigger fish, like Brad Marshall’s 44 inch pike, but grayling are elegant fish with a determined and often acrobatic fighting style and can hold their own in angling enjoyment. Plus they just look cool.
Cool was the right feeling here as well. With most of southern Canada and the US enduring record heat waves the gang at Scott Lake Lodge was enjoying sunny skies and very comfortable temperatures with virtually no humidity. There continues to be a touch of fall in the foliage and very pleasant sleeping temperatures. You couldn’t engineer anything better if you tried.
Week 13: August 5-9, 2007
Right after our engineers departed another corporate group invaded. This time it was a group of cotton experts, nearly all from the deep south. The accents were a little heavy at times but the fish didn’t seem to mind. This was a group of hard core anglers. They went at their work like boll weevils on cotton plants and they picked our fields of fish nearly clean. In four days they brought home 120 trophy fish, an incredible average of forty a day for twenty-three anglers. The first day was an onslaught. It seemed that the big fish came in pairs. Kevin Eblen had a pair of very girthy pike, a 40.5 and 43.5 incher. Randy Dismuke landed a pair of 40 and a half inch pike. Jim Willeke kept the pattern going with a 40 and 43” pike. Same with Louis Rodrigue with a 40 and 42 and a half. Chris Kelly too—a 40 and 41. Chris Hage couldn’t be left out. He got a 40 and 42. Jed Turner turned the double with trout, a 36 and a 39 inch fatty. It took boat partners Jan Blanchfield and Peter Peerbolte to get a double but with Jan’s 41.5 inch monster laker no one in that boat was complaining. Neither were the two pike guys who managed only a single trophy that first day. Tim Dlabaj and Ken Avery both landed beautiful 44 inch pike to share top pike honors for the day and collect the pool for pike. Jan grabbed the pool money for trout. And that was only Day 1.
The trophy parade continued on the second day. Planes filled the skies over the Northwest Territories and pike, trout and grayling filled the cradles. Ken Avery kept the mojo going with three trophy pike and a trophy trout on his second day out. Randy Mize got two 43 inch pike. Chris Kelly and Alan Morgan found the sweet spot for grayling each getting dozens with 17.5 inchers at the top. Jay Blanchfield also landed a 17 and a half grayling. With his big trout and a trophy pike he ended his second day with the Trophy Triple hat and the 100+Club vest. But it was Martin Long (remember that name) who was in the money. He ended up with both the biggest pike at 44 inches and biggest trout at 38 inches. Both money fish.
The next day was more of the same. Lots of flying and lots of big fish. David Farrell put three trophy pike in the boat and a trophy trout. Ken Avery had a 40.5” very fat trout to earn his hat and vest with a 100 plus score and take the trout pool. But the big news of the third day was Martin Long, a passionate saltwater angler who has landed some huge fish. He got the pike of the week by skillfully bringing in a spectacular 48 inch pike which had just one small barbless hook on the edge of its lip. It was a close call but it ended up in the cradle of Chester Porteous, a guide who just loves to hold up big fish. Chester was as excited as Martin who only understood just how big that pike was when Chester told him it was the freshwater equivalent of a thousand pound marlin. In their excitement they forgot to measure the girth but it was a massive fish (pictures, at least ours, don’t lie—no photoshop nonsense here) estimated by the guide at 30 pounds, truly the pike of a lifetime. Martin had started the day with a 41 inch trophy and thought he was done. For the second day he was winner of the pike pool.
The final day on the water featured a “gong show”, to use a guide phrase, full group shore lunch. It was anything but disorganized. With a dozen guides cleaning fish, cutting vegetables, stirring the 10 foot long fire and creating sauces and batters it was a ballet of culinary activity. Two dozen anglers and their guides shared their last hours together enjoying six different varieties of trout and pike, fresh salads, baked and fried potatoes, stir fried vegetables and a big cake to celebrate two birthdays. Nothing could have topped the festive lunch which also featured a surprise visit by a curious white wolf. Except the fish of the day and certainly a rival to Long’s giant pike.
Just before lunch Michael Sanders thought he was hooked on the bottom. But the bottom moved and it turned out to be a monster trout. When the fighting and measuring were done the tape read 45” lengthwise and 26” around the middle. Michael had two earlier trophy trout but they were bait compared to this one, another fish of a lifetime. What an experience. Beats the heat in the cotton by a long shot. See you next year.
Week 14: August 9-12, 2007
It was round two of the Attack of the Engineers. Another 24 professional air movers descended on Scott Lake Lodge on August 9th. Like their counterparts a week earlier this group was ready to have fun. We knew it right away. The atmosphere in the lodge over the first dinner was electric. And we thought engineers were stuffy. Some came with a long history of angling. Some had never caught a fish. In between were all levels of experience and skill. (Fishing does have some skill, except for ice fishing, right?) The Scott Lake guides are used to handling all situations and they were proud to say that everyone caught fish. Some caught big ones.
Over dinner right after his arrival Michel Ringuet announced to his table that he was going to catch a big trout. Unlike most of the other anglers who wanted a big pike, Michel had just one goal—big trout. The very next morning he found himself at the top end of a tug of war with the object of his quest. When the drag stopped screaming and the tugging was over, Michel had his dream, a monster trout, 45” inches long and excessively fat. There were cheers for Michel when after dinner that night the pictures of his big trout were shown on the equally big TV. It was a storybook tale with a very happy ending. Michel’s booming laugh and his contagious joie de vivre (he is French Canadian of course) were the joy of the Scott staff. His was not the only big trout of the day. Peter Fung landed an over 40” laker that on almost any other day would have made the Cover of the Tundra Times, our modest daily paper. His fish was equally beautiful just a little smaller. It was his biggest trout ever and a lifetime fish for most people. Other trophy trout were taken by Jim Tarala and Ron Paul. Big pike were caught by Bill Pool and Owen Gholki. It was a windy and stormy day but these guys engineered a perfect day out of it.
The second day action shifted to northern pike when Rocky Santulli got a headliner of his own, a hefty 44 inch “jack” that tested his drag. Dave Huntley, Michel (even though he doesn’t like them) Ringuet, Don Klein and Jim Tarala also brought one or more trophy sized pike to the guides’ hands. Everyone caught lots of pike and brought a considerable level of enthusiasm to the dinner that night, especially the two New Yorkers, Peter Arbeeny and Chris Ferraro, who were proud just to have survived another wild and stormy day in an absolute wilderness with not a Starbucks in sight. Armed with his satellite phone, Peter did stay in touch with civilization but loved every minute of his experience here. There will be stories. . .
Stories of big fish and good times are what Scott is all about. All will remember the giant shore lunch with 24 anglers and their 12 guides on the big beach near the lodge. There were a half dozen kinds of fish, enough French fries to feed a big part of Manhattan and plenty of healthy stuff as well. Some took the 45 minute Tundra Trail hike to build up an appetite. All ended their trip with the satisfaction of experiencing a beautiful place on its own terms and took home lasting memories and plenty of stories.
Week 15: August 12-18, 2007
Over the previous couple of groups there were early warning signs of fall, some yellow birch leaves, a few southbound flocks of geese, the gathering of common loons. But it was subtle. There was nothing subtle about the cool north wind that greeted the anglers arriving on August 12th. Fall hit you right in the face and for nearly all of the arriving customers it was a huge relief from the heat waves that were embracing most of the US. Most were a bit startled by the blotches of color on the ground and in the foliage. They left home in the middle of a hot summer and just a couple of flights later were in a different season. This was an interesting group: half a gang put together by Pepsi and Budweiser and half our regular hard core anglers coming for their annual fix of Canadian fishing.
And a fix they all got. The daily wind (guides here love wind) got a few fish excited—170 trophy sized fish to be exact: over two dozen big pike, over three dozen big trout and over eight dozen trophy grayling. Late season is always prime for grayling but the sleek, acrobatic “icon of the north” was really on this week. Scott has six grayling destinations and two, Lefty Falls and the river flowing out of Labyrinth lake, were fished with great success by three groups this week. During the dinner conversations it started to feel like a grayling lodge not a pike/trout lodge. Often this beautiful and cooperative game fish is over looked by anglers but not this week. Grayling were the stars. John Thomas, Ed Ptak, Rich Calhoun and Stuart Sullivan flew south to spectacular Lefty Falls where they had a grayling festival. Stuart got the biggest (three at 17” and one at 18”) but the satisfaction of grayling is not measured by a tape. Rather it’s being in their world: moving, pure, clean water and experiencing a fish perfectly adapted to their environment. Fishing for grayling just feels right.
Everything was right on Labyrinth. A group from the Twin Cities, Dave Anderson, Warren Schwecke, Steve Hegele and Fred Hegele, had the most exciting day of their trip with grayling. Dave turned out to be the grayling master, using his light fly rod to bring in 14 trophy sized fish. The entire group stayed into grayling for most of the day each getting fat fish of 18” or better. Grayling fishing is a lot like going to Montana or Wyoming for trout except grayling fight harder and are considerably less picky. And there are more of them. Who said fishing should be difficult? Gerald Pion found nothing difficult about catching grayling, getting an 18” fish and having a ball just wading around in a pristine wilderness river. Mike and Chad Standford have been a father/son team here for many years and have had a lot of big days with many large pike. The day they liked best on this trip was their grayling day. It ranked right at the top of their list for lasting fishing memories. With amazing, almost spooky, symmetry they had a mirror image day, each landing 22 trophies and each getting four at 18” and three at 18.5”, a perfect outcome to a perfect day.
And of course this is big pike country. We had more than a few this week. It was the Attack of the 45s. Mike Thornbrugh and John Wilson hit that number right on the nose and Ron Hansard added a half inch to that already big number. Randy Word caught a 44 incher in a day that featured two other trophies. Robert Agnich picked a nice pair: a 44” and a 43.5”. Jon Agnich, Mike Standford and Mike Thornbrugh got 43s. Plenty of +40s were in the mix as well.
With a total of 39 trophy trout captured there had to be plenty of trout tales. None were better than Chad Standford’s 11th hour trophy. On the last afternoon of the last day, right at the closing bell, Chad’s guide announced the two minute warning. “We’re just going to go over this hump” he announced. The words were hardly out of his mouth when Chad’s lure stopped cold. A huge girth 42” laker was at the other end. And this story ended well with Chad capturing his personal best trout, a great ending to a great trip for Chad and his dad who broke his long dry spell with trophy trout that afternoon, getting a 35 incher. Al and Kathy Riss made the best of their 24th trip to Scott (usually twice a season). They just love trolling for trout and trout they found, again. Every year we watch the screen after dinner when the fish of the day are shown and see the big smiles of Al and Kathy. This year the smiles were wider than usual. Between them they caught three lakers of 40 inches and one at 39.5”. Those are huge fish. And they caught many smaller trophies, each appreciated and enjoyed. (Stay tuned. Al and Kathy are here for 5 more days.) Dick Anderson and Warren Schwecke teamed up for a 5 trophy day. John Thomas got a super-sized trout at 41,5”. Robi Baruth had patience and was rewarded with a beautifully colored 42 inch monster laker. Robi and Fred were the clear wildlife trophy holders this week, seeing several black bears and a group of nine pine martens.
We need to give a tip of the Triple Trophy hat to winners Mike Stanford, Chad Stanford Randy Word, John Wilson and Rick Calhoun. For all the anglers here at the beginning of fall it was a trophy experience, start to finish.
Week 16: August 18-23, 2007
The 16th group of the 2007 season started fishing on a day that was the perfection of fall. The north wind brought down dozens of big flocks of geese with its cool air. The loons were extravagant with their pre-migration calling. The northern lights put on their celestial show. Big numbers of birch leaves surrendered to the pull of fall adding yellow accents to the predominately spruce landscape. And the big pike were on the prowl. On the first day of fishing ten trophies were landed. Ron Palmer gathered three of those and his partner, Joe Cheavens, added a pair with a 43 incher measuring in as the biggest. John Ibling also caught three big pike on his first day. Brian Legghio caught the biggest trout of the day at 38”. While the big trout were still deep, smaller lakers started to move into shallow areas off inflows. The barometer of lake spawning on Scott Lake is the small inflow called the Northwest River, located of course in the northwest corner of the lake. It is the first place on the lake where lakers congregate before the fall spawn starts. And they arrived a bit earlier than they normally do, pushed no doubt by the colder than normal water temperatures. They also brought a visitor. In addition to the eagles which always show up waiting for a trout to make a mistake, this year a large, pure white wolf was in the shallow river chasing the trout just like the grizzlies of Alaska chase salmon. It was a rare and beautiful sight observed by Lodge owner Tom Klein, from a distance of no more than 100 feet. Tom was successful in getting a few trout on his flies but the wolf was a less successful, getting only a lesson in the ways of slippery lake trout.
The balance of the week alternated between pleasant, sunny weather and northern cold fronts. The pike were more cooperative in the sunny spells and often shut down when the clouds rolled in. The grayling were more consistent giving everyone who tried an unforgettable experience. Father/son team Brian and Adam Legghio had a great day with the high finned wonders landing dozens. Adam’s topped out at 18” while Brian’s tape stopped at 17.5”. Chalk one up for the kid. Last season Adam got most of the big fish and a 100+Club vest to boot but this year it was dad’s turn to get the big fish. He got a girthy 45” pike to go with a 38” trout and a nice grayling, missing the 100+ by only a half inch. They both will take home a Trophy Triple hat this season. Dave Schmitz wore one home too. Mike Weiss Jr. and Jeff Siebert had a top notch grayling day as well with their top fish reaching 18.5”.
The Kathy and Al trout show continued through the week but with not as many huge trout as during the previous five days. Al and Kathy each had a 38 incher as their top trout of the five day period, nothing shabby there. Steve Goessling had the biggest trout of the week pulling a 41” monster from the depths. Big pike were caught by Dave Schmitz (44”), Nathan Ibeling (44.5”) and Joe Cheavens a beauty at 45”. A total of 85 trophies were tallied during this stretch of great fall fishing. All the pike were fat and feisty as only fall pike can be. None of the slowly “suck in the leech” of June or July. These fish were linebackers just leveling the first thing around them that looked like food. Fun fishing and fun times. The fish and the group will be back to do it again next year.
Week 17: August 23-28, 2007
Fall is quickly moving to its dramatic conclusion. So are the fish of Scott Lake Lodge and its fly out destinations. Like the deepening colors of the landscape, especially the new reds and burnt orange of the ground-covering mosses and berry bearing plants, the fish are transforming beneath the waters. The trout, now moving up the water column as they head for their spawning reefs, have added vivid white markings on their fins and have taken on a wonderfully surreal mixture of red, orange and brown on their sides. They are truly an amazing fish. And nothing in freshwater fights with the power and stamina of a laker hooked in shallow water. A Bozeman, Montana fly fisherman, Rich Baumann, experienced the savage strength of lakers while trying to get a 31 inch laker to the boat on a six weight fly rod. It was a struggle which he finally did win but the issue was in doubt for about 15 minutes. A bit later while targeting pike, he landed a 29 inch lake trout on a nine weight rod and still had a real contest. Rich also witnessed how the pike change with the seasons up here. Pike start feeding heavily on whitefish, burbot and anything else that swims in mid-August. By late August they are pigs. Forget all about length: girth is the thing. Pike now often conform to the magical 2:1 length to girth ratio. That’s when they really put up a fight and, by the way, look cool as well. Rich on his last day got his first trophy pike of his trip, a massive 41X19” pike, almost at the 2 to 1 ratio. But later in the day got one nearly as impressive, a 38X17.5” non-trophy. We really need to look at the 40 inch trophy standard and create a special category (sort of like a Barry Bonds special home run category) for these fall fish. It’s like they too have gotten into steroids. These pike just aren’t missing any meals. Rich’s wife, Karie, is not a fanatic angler like her husband. She loves all of the north, the solitude, the sights and sounds, but she did like the feel of her 41 and 43 inch pike. She’s now hooked.
Everyone at Scott this week got hooked on fall fishing. Despite some nasty weather the crew kept fishing and catching. Father/son Mark and Kyle Baker opened their week with a bang, each getting two beautiful pike trophies. Mark had a 41 and 43 and Kyle got a 42.5 and a very fat 44. Kyle was feeling a big pumped up over his extra inch until the next day dad landed three trophy pike with the biggest a 44.5” beauty. Kyle did get a big trout and nice grayling to earn his 100+Club vest, the only one of the week. Bill Sellon got his Trophy Triple hat and had a spectacular 39” laker on the fishing show after dinner. Mary Smith got a 39” trout as well but stole the show from everyone by sight casting and hooking a huge 47X19” pike, one of the heaviest pike of the season. The guide spotted the big gal who was with a friend almost the same size in just a foot of water, completely the wrong place for this time of year but pike are allowed to break the rules up here. And Mary is new to this fishing game but was suitably thrilled. Husband Steve watched with pride as the monster slid into the cradle. He got his own big pike on the last day. Bruce Galloway lead a contingent from the Toronto area and found plenty of big lakers (most Canadians think lake trout are the only real fish of the north), including getting three trophy lake trout in a single day. Both Mark and Bill Sellon enjoyed a perfect day of grayling fishing each getting close to a dozen big ones, topping out at 17.5”.
The group included some, as they put it “fair weather anglers”, who stayed in camp on a couple of very cool days (alright it was cold and miserable, but it’s still fishing.) Despite many shore luches at the main lodge and mid-day breaks to warm up the group still managed to put down 57 trophy fish for the five days. The northern lights peaked through the cloud cover for one night and the loon calls were again impressive. Just another exciting week of fall fishing. Only three more groups to go. Stay tuned.
Week 18: August 28-September 2, 2007
It was an amazing week in many ways. This was the first group of the season (seventeen of them have gone by) without a “super-sized” fish: a pike of over 45”, a trout of over 40” or a grayling of over 18”. Yet not a single person felt short-changed. Certainly not Tom Grenneman who landed a perfectly beautiful 39” lake trout. Not Terry Walker or Joe Daugherty who caught fat, feisty, fighting fall pike of 43”. Or Conrad Schmidt or Pat McPherson whose big pike were just under 43. Nor Jim Ricketts who had a great day fishing for grayling and ended up with 17.5 inches of a high finned fighter. NOne of the 24 anglers at Scott were disappointed this week. They ended up with 62 trophies but that was not their measure of success. All had a trophy experience and that’s what counts. All enjoyed fall at its best —the dramatic sights and sounds of the changing of the season. The northern lights lit up the sky most nights and the wildlife turned out for cameo appearances for several guests. Moose, wolves and bears were spotted. And on a long northern flight the clan of Ricketts saw caribou and two herds of muskoxen.
Two groups savored the tranquility and national park level grandeur of Lefty Falls while catching dozens of cooperative grayling. Mainly these anglers came for a good time and they had their objectives met in spades. They enjoyed long and festive shore lunches, after dinner campfires complete with the guitar and vocals of guide/entertainer Matt Cornell. It was for this group a perfect time despite the shortage of mega-fish. And they all booked for next season, the true vote of confidence.
Week 19: September 2-7, 2007
The landscape on September 2nd when the second to last group of anglers arrived at Scott was just bursting with fall: the birch were vivid yellow, the tamaracks were a seductive smoky gold, and the ground cover was flashing scarlet as the blueberry, bearberry and other plants put on their fall colors. Against the bluer than blue water it was a sight.
But this group was interested more in the fish than the landscape. Every group has its own personality and this one was focused on one thing — fish and lots of them. They hit it just right. Something was in the air and in the water. The big fish were on the move. When their five days ended a total of 110 trophies, evenly divided among pike, trout and grayling, were in the books. And probably 20 times that many fish were landed.
So many fish stories. Like Ed Cutter, an experienced fly fisherman. He had never caught a pike in his life. So he made his first one a dandy—a 46 inch savage pike with a girth of 18”. A lifetime catch on your first try. It’s not fair to the 1000s of serious pike anglers who have never caught one that size. But, this is the far north where big things happen. Ed went on to get lots of fish with his fly rod including a trophy lake trout and grayling, the first angler of the season to get a hat with only a fly rod. Trophy Triple hats were also captured by John Horner, Ken Wollin Jr. and Jim Klos. Jim didn’t stop at the hat. His monster 48” pike pushed him right into a 100+Club vest. And he did it all (except the grayling) with his trusty Daredevil, red and white of course. (He’s old school but look at the results.)
There were several father/son stories. Garth Olds brought his dad and they had a memorable day on a grayling river each getting many trophies. Garth got a whopping 19.5” ling, one of the biggest of the season. Ken Wollin and his son had a big day with lake trout on the fly, getting several trophy sized fish. Doug Roche and his son Mike had a trip they will never forget. Doug has been to Scott many times and has had some big days. This trip featured his best day ever, anywhere: pike of 40, 41, 42 and 45 inches, all on the fly. Mike loved casting to lake trout in shallow water and even went out solo in a canoe to stretch out his day.
There were some periods of wild action. Clint Lohman and owner Tom Klein hit the jackpot in a small cabbage patch. Tom’s first cast with a monster sailfish fly brought a savage strike. In his first four casts he landed three trophy pike. Clint was too busy taking pictures to throw his fly, but he caught up in a hurry. All the fish in this spot were big. Tom and Clint each caught four trophy pike in just over an hour with a few 37 and 38s thrown in for good measure, all with the same fly that casts about as easy as a dish towel but digs out the fish. It was incredible. All the guide could say was “this is crazy”. It was. And fun. Just about everyone in camp had stories like that. Terry Walker, fishing solo, caught 72 pike in a single day (he’s a counter) and had some great fis, indluding a 45” pike and a 40” trout. Some very fat fish were also caught like the 43” pike that Jim Bernards landed with a girth of 19”.
The best story and day of the week belonged to a father/daughter team. On their second day on the water Mark Cross and daughter Heather hit the fish jackpot. Heather got pike of 41,43 and 45 but added a trout, caught casting on a shallow reef, of 41” and one of 36”. A trout of 41” in shallow water is rare and wonderful. Dad was enjoying the show but wasn’t sitting on the sidelines. He got a pike of 44.5” and a trout of 40” off the same reef. Both ended up with the 100+Club vest. What a day! It was actually “what a week!” And some of the best northern lights ever seen here in the fall to top it off. You should have been here THIS week.
Week 20: September 7-11, 2007
The final group of 24 anglers arrived at Scott Lake Lodge at the peak of what we modestly call “reefer madness”—that glorious time when Scott’s thousands of lake trout swarm the shallow rocky reefs for their fall spawning ritual. They leave the comfort and security of deep water for a brief period, usually 10 days starting around the 1st of September. This season’s cold water drove the water temperatures down and brought the trout up right on schedule. It is a rare and dramatic sight to see these sleek fish darting around in water sometimes less than a foot deep. They are a sight: fins edged in brilliant white; sides a rainbow of rich orange, red and brown on a canvas of silver. Nothing in fresh water is as outrageously beautiful as a fall laker.
Our intrepid group braved without question the most challenging weather of the season. It was a cold north wind that blew hard but the trout didn’t mind. The pike, like they always do in a severe cold front, dropped into deep water and were tough to find. Ironically these anglers came mainly from the deep south. They traded temperatures in the low 100s for highs in the 30s. For most it was a good trade, a relief from the oppressive heat. This was a tough crew and they could handle the cold. They were not a group of trophy hunters. They just wanted to catch fish and were quite content to land 24” to 30” trout that cruised around the shallows. With the fish spread all over the lake many fished close to the lodge and came in at noon for hot soup and chili.
It was a relaxed crowd. Trophies were few but no one complained. Most were catching more fish than they had ever caught before. And a few big pike were still active in the cold front. Erick Close, Jim Jones and Pat Haney each got pike just short of 43” and Pat added a beautiful 39” lake trout to his memory bank. Terry Clark found a 38” mixed in with the “smaller” trout on the reefs. Considering the near freezing temperatures and stiff wind, these guys believed every fish was a trophy. There were just as many fish stories as during the warm days in June or July when 20 or more trophy pins were handed out every night. Big fish are not the only measure of a successful, satisfying experience. This group made the best of very tough conditions and left with a high level of satisfaction. So did the Scott Lake Lodge staff.
After one hundred consecutive days on the island the Scott Lake Lodge crew was ready to call it a season. But their energy and enthusiasm lasted right up through the last hour of fishing. The 30 people who call Scott home for over three months all love their work and the magnificent setting they live in. Nearly all of the staff comes back season after season. It’s in their blood. Some years though it’s easier to leave than others. In 2006 warm, pleasant weather ran well into September and no one wanted to go home. This year it was OK to leave. The guides looked at their cut up hands and reflected no doubt on the thousands of fish they handled over the season, anywhere from 4,000 to 8,000 grabbed and released. The maintenance crew surely remembered the nearly 100 tons of fuel, food and supplies that came off the Beavers and Otters at the back dock. The kitchen team probably recalled the 1000s of chocolate chip cookies as well as the 100s of their signature dish, the crowned rack of lamb served on a cedar plank. And the hospitality staff didn’t want to remember the hundreds of times they cleaned the rooms (and bathrooms). As they closed down the cabins, drained the water lines, dragged the boats to land, gave the kitchen one last spic and span and boarded up the doors and windows, the entire staff felt the solid satisfaction of having given their best, of participating in something much bigger than a summer of fishing. It is a unique experience here at Scott, for our staff as well as our guests. All left the island feeling good about a great season that went way beyond the 1,500 trophy fish landed. The fact that 380 out of the 462 customers put down a deposit for 2008 is a clear affirmation of the world class level of service that the Scott team delivered. They did their job.