Week One Blog: Kickoff party!

The First Fishermen of the Year

The spring construction crew stepped off the helicopter mid-May onto an island still in the grip of winter. There was ice and a lot of snow…unusually late, even for the 60^th Parallel. As they got to work, the weather showed signs of improvement, then all of a sudden it got downright hot, in the mid 80’s, another unusual twist that melted the snow and ice and let the Week Oners trip come to fruition. After the heat came some much-needed rain and a few days of cold and snow, this weather pattern settled in for the first 10 days of June and greeted our first anglers when they stepped off the float planes. The good news, after about a day and a half the sun peeked out…once it started, the fish started coming shallow and were hungry! It was one heck of a kick-off to the fishing season. All the dreams of the shallow bays and sight fishing that keep our anglers charged up in the winter came to fruition.

There is something about the anticipation of the first week that brings anglers back often. The first cast to fish after a long winter, the first fishermen to fly into a lake for the season…it’s exciting stuff! A total of 136 trophies hit the nets over the first five days, a lofty bar so shortly following ice out.  Pike action dominated the photos each night during the aptly named Fish Porn, which highlights the big fish and wild adventures of the day. While only 10 big trout of trophy status were landed, these were some beauties.  Top trout honours went to Jim Stickley with a jumbo 42”er, followed closely by David Klein at 41”. Next came Harry Moulopoulos with a 40” specimen, and Mikey Betz added a 39.5. Those big trout on casting gear will plumb wear you out.

Pike began to move shallow and soak up the sun, offering the truly unique experience to stalk and sight cast to them in crystal clear shallow water.  Derek Shelt led the way with a giant 46.5” northern, Peter Myhre, Chase Masuga, Benny Russert and Rob Shaffalo were hot on his heels, all setting the hook into 46”ers.  As they often do, the big pike came in bunches; water temperature dictates where they will be holding. When our anglers found the warm water, they found the big pike! Peter Myhre had some incredible days of multiple trophy pike. Paul Hanna ended the week with seven over 40 on the last day. What started out with wind and rain ended in a pleasant summer evening. Week One was in the books, it was a good one, and each guest chose to book again for next year.