Week 18 in Review: The Leaves Dropped and the Trout Came Up

Week 18 in Review: The Leaves Dropped and the Trout Came Up

Week 18 in Review: The Leaves Dropped and the Trout Came Up

We wait all summer for it…the moment the lake trout migrate out of their deep water haunts and stage on rocky reefs and points in preparation for their fall spawn.  This annual event is driven primarily by water temps, though photo period also plays an important role. At the start of the eighteenth week at Scott, our water temperatures were quite high for this time of year.  Some north winds and cold overnights changed things in a hurry. Our group of anglers were treated to almost all four seasons this week, sun, rain, wind and about 50 degrees of temperature variation.  Some good rain gear a few layers and folks stayed fishing. The good news…the fish didn’t mind one bit.  Pike, trout and grayling were are all fat, feisty and ready to chow down.

With 14 super-sized pike over 45” this week, the big girls were out and ready to play. Our biggest pike was a Wholdaia Lake giant caught by Patrick Hurst, at 48.5”, one of the biggest of the season! Brian Floen got into a 46.5”er, while Mike and Veronica Strobel netted a pair of 46’s. Kevin and Don Thorp found success in a couple of big fish a 46 and 45.5’er, while Adam Strobel and Adam Sturdivant both fought and landed 45s. What a pike week! The average fish is substantially heavier this time of year, after recovering from the rigours of the spring spawn and 4 months of chowing down on whitefish, burbot and even other pike.  Weeds and rocks were the locations of our fall pike this week, guides playing the wind to their advantage meant success for the anglers. Knowing the daily and seasonal movements of pike across over 2 million acres of water is a challenge; we are fortunate to have a guide team that can crack the code.

The trout were starting to get caught in the shallows, mostly the smaller males eager to get on with spawning activities.  There were a few big ones found up top, though, Liz Snyder got into a 39” blimp on that tested her light tackle. Valerie Stobel got into a last day 39” hog also. John Deitz led the way on trout with a 41.5”er out of Selwyn, while his fishing buddy Greg Glenn got into a tug of war with a 40”er the same day.  Trout were plentiful and starting to don their white fin edges and orange bellies that mark the fall spawning run. Grayling are always putting on their most brilliant colours. Fall is prime time for these river dwellers, eager to feed on dry flies this time of year. Those who got into the rapids were blessed with incredible action.  The Thorps, Don and Kevin, Liz Snyder, Ron Jurgens, Jim Kusar, and Abby Sheinian became our newest members of the 100+ Club in a record-setting year for new entrants!

The fire at the lodge was cooking around the clock, keeping the cold weather at bay, saunas, hot tubs and bonfires filled the apres angling hours.  Anglers were patiently waiting each evening for a break in the clouds that would let the aurora shine through. On the last night, they were rewarded. The northern lights danced and morphed from white to green to pink and back again. A truly awe-inspiring sight: watching the northern lights from the deck of a cabin just shy of the 60th Parallel, it’s someth

Week 17 in Review: A Farewell to Summer

Week 17 in Review: A Farewell to Summer

Week 17 in Review: A Farewell to Summer

Fall Fishing is on the Way

For a few groups now, we’ve been circling the idea that fall fishing is on the way. There have been hints, yellow leaves on the birches, the sky a slightly darker shade of blue, and it gets dark just after supper. This week, the northern summer did its best to convince us the change in season was still weeks away, temperatures in the first few days were in the high 80’s even touching 90 degrees Fahrenheit, or 32 Celsius for our Canadian staff. It was hot, shorts off the dock in the morning kind of hot! What a feeling to be wet wading a wild river in the Northwest Territories at the end of August and watching grayling launch themselves after dry flies. Sight fishing for pike in water measured in inches instead of feet. It was an amazing week, the first three days, people were wondering how it could be warmer on the 60th parallel than at home. Then, all of a sudden, about 3 a.m. on the fourth morning, fall came. Canada geese led the charge from their tundra nesting grounds, and the north wind followed. Fall was here. The fish, however, were still hungry and cooperative as fall fishing begins.

Our anglers were lucky this week; 149 total trophy-sized fish were landed, of those 87 were pike, 54 grayling, and only 8 big trout came to the nets. This is a transitional time for the trout as they begin to spread out in the water column, preparing for their fall spawning season on cobblestone reefs.  Todd Schroeder was the top trouter, catching a 39 and 38” laker. Susan and Kevin Edwards added a couple of big trout of 37 and 36.5” on a tundra adventure to the far north.  While trout were a bit tougher to catch, the pike were plentiful and found in shallow water this week. 87 big pike were brought to hand, admired and gently released to fight another day. Some were even made famous on our nightly photo essay aptly named…Fish Porn.

Peggy Light was our top pike angler this week, catching a giant 47.5” northern as a part of an incredible day filled with seven pike over 40”.  Deed Whitney had a similarly epic day of catching six big pike on the fly. In all, ten fish over 45” were caught, Tom Granneman and Shad Smith with the 46” mark, Dennis Schroeder and Chris Goggans hit a pair of 45.5”s. A few big fish at the 45” mark from Todd Scroeder, and Tom and Pete Granneman made for some furious big fish action.

Desiree Curfman found a big grayling in the Mary River, an incredible start to a day that ended with the sighting of some Barren Ground Grizzlies…a sow and three cubs, truly an experience of a lifetime.  Chris Reimer and Susan Edwards both caught some 19” arctic sailfish. The week ended with both Peggy Light and Susan Edwards eclipsing the 100” mark to earn jackets and become new members of the 100+ Club. The real trophy was the weather, the Northern Lights, time by the bonfire, and the laughs and memories that permeated the lodge each evening.

Week 15 in Review: The Leaves Turned Yellow and the Fishing Was On Fire!

Week 15 in Review: The Leaves Turned Yellow and the Fishing Was On Fire!

Week 15 in Review:  The Leaves Turned Yellow and the Fishing Was on Fire

Trophy-sized Pike, Trout and Grayling

The past five days were truly a whirlwind! Each day so many stories permeated the happy hour and dinner conversations, excited anglers recounting just incredible fishing. Big fish, lots of fish, T-Bones, muskox, northern lights. This week really had it all. As the first few flocks of geese made their way past the lodge in the first evening’s twilight, guests were treated to duelling loons and geese as the sun set and northern lights began to dance. A campfire, a cocktail, and some true wonder of this northern wilderness – it was a quiet evening. What a way to settle into a week of fishing at Scott Lake…and what a week of fishing it was! Guests plied the waters of Scott Lake, and many of the flyouts, the fishing was good, great even for many of our anglers. It was a way to make a first impression with so many first-time visitors in camp.  Our week fifteen guests tallied an astonishing 269 trophy-sized pike, trout and grayling.  An incredible number and a true testament that the best fishing of the year can be on any week the weather blesses us with near perfection.

Despite the hints of fall, northern summer kept most of the layers tucked safely away in the drybags. Pike were shallow, trout were deep (mostly), and grayling were as eager as ever to pounce on dry flies. Our anglers landed 147 big pike this week, led by Dan Vogel, who found a fat fall 46.5”er on the flyrod. Justin Spence and Manda Gaskins both added 46’s to their photo album, while Laurie Yliniemi and Manda got 45.5s also. Proctor McInnis, Logan & Meagan Gaskins, along with Amanda Yackel were lucky on the 45s. Overall, 14 super-sized pike, eclipsing that 45” mark, were caught.

Grayling were on the menu for many of our anglers this week, late summer on a wild northern river, these iridescent beauties leaping in the sunlight. We get it…it’s a cool experience! 80 trophy-sized ‘ling were leaping into nets and the memory banks of our crew. Brad and Adam Couvelle, along with Van & Manda Gaskins all found 19.5” grayling, while Paul & Rebecca Sawyer were right behind with 19s.  The grayling bite was the key to so many Trophy Triple Hats and 100+ Club Jackets being earned.  It was really unprecedented, 16 of our anglers hit the Trophy Triple mark and 12 tallied over 100”. A quick search of the records shows this hasn’t happened before…truly amazing!

Top trout honours went to Bob Sotak with a 44.5” beast! His fishing partner that day Don Weiss managed to haul up a 44”er. Both anglers got into a few other big ones for a day of a lifetime! Brad Courvelle added a 43, Kellie Whittleman a 42 and Ross Emmerman a 41”er. Those are some hog trout! Truly incredible fishing, mixed with some northern lights, great weather and a pristine wilderness in northern Canada. It’s an incredible feeling and community each week at Scott Lake…no wonder so many of our anglers chose to book again for the next year.

Week 14 in Review: Of Rapids and Grayling

Week 14 in Review: Of Rapids and Grayling

Week 14 in Review: Of Rapids and Graying

Targeting the Arctic Sailfish

It may have never happened…pike representing a minority of our trophy count throughout a five-day trip.  It wasn’t because the pike fishing wasn’t good; there were lots of fish and a lot of big ones. Our anglers were just so eager to get after that cool arctic sailfish, the grayling.  Days spent rock-hopping along some northern rapids kept smiles on the faces of our adventuring anglers.  Getting boots on the ground and in the river brings the feel of the wilderness just a little bit closer.  The smell and spongy feel of the thick moss that carpets the riverbanks, the shoreline willows that do their best to ensnare every back cast and those purple iridescent fighters that don’t just sip dry flies…they attack them. Grayling fishing is downright fun.  19.5” was our top grayling trophy this week, a lofty mark hit by John Replogle and Luke Shauer, then came a whole host of 19” ers…too many to name all the lucky anglers.

The pike fishing didn’t take a week off, 85 big fish hit the nets, and a solid 10 of them eclipsed the 45” mark!  Dave McCarty was a top piker with a 46.5” fatty.  Luke Shauer and Carl Tanner hit 46’s. Then Dave Shauer, Johnny Powers, Kevin H., Andy Chafolias, Dave McCarty and Steve Tomsche all added fat 45” northerns to their photo albums.  Kevin H. had a day with Poacher that raised the bar in his lifetime of pike fishing, landing 8 northerns over that magical 40” mark. Steve Tomsche similarly caught 6 “overs” in a day, leaving a lasting impression of this wilderness and the fish it holds. Our guests this week found pike shallow, deep and in between. On the rocks and in the weeds, but most fun still in the bays, sighting fishing in August was a possibility again! Similarly, the lakers were in the holes and still on the shorelines…our anglers weren’t quite sure what the next bite may mean!

Trout leader for week 14 was Steve Tomsche with a 41” tundra shark that came from the near shore areas of Flett Lake. Dale Sellers wound in a 40.5, and Dave McCarty 40” er to round out the top three.  Trout became the quarry of choice for many on the 4th day of the trip. Wind, waves, and fog kept the flyouts grounded, and our anglers dropped in for a chance at some big lakers. Many chose to sauna, shore lunch at the lodge and relax on the island that afternoon, though a few intrepid souls braved the conditions in search of fish all day. Remember the adage, there are no bad days, just bad gear, very true, but also, it’s your fishing vacation, fish as hard or as little as you’d like. The good news, the final day dawned sunny and warm, sending the crowd off in typical Scott Lake style. Our guests took advantage of hikes, morning yoga, photography, hot tubs and more. The kitchen whipped up some great meals, and our crew paired these with many great wines from Canada and around the world. The 14th week was like many that came before it; we caught fish, laughed, cheered, and enjoyed ourselves so much that the majority of the group decided to do it all over again.

Week 13 in Review: A Return of Summer and Beginning of Fall

Week 13 in Review: A Return of Summer and Beginning of Fall

Week 13 in Review: A Return to Summer and the Start of Fall

A Great Time to Fish

In five days, it happened… we felt summer’s fleeting grip on our subarctic home slip away for another year. There were clues for a few days now, the fall skies turn a slightly different shade of blue, our resident tern colony headed south for warmer climes and most notably, it’s getting dark.  Sitting a few hundred yards from the 60th parallel, so much of our summer is characterized by almost twenty-four-hour daylight. Not too long after the evening trophy announcements, the sun is setting, letting those northern lights shine over Scott Lake. It’s a great time of year. A great time to fish.

Our guests for the thirteenth week enjoyed samplings of both seasons, hot and calm to rain and wind, it didn’t dampen their spirits, nor did it slow the fishing down. This week, big fish were coming in with great frequency; exactly 200 trophy-sized pike, lake trout, and grayling made their way into the nets for a quick measurement and release.  That’s incredible fishing! By the numbers, 123 pike over 40” were landed, 20 big lakers, and a season best 57 grayling trophies.  As with many of the other weeks, once the guides and guests found the big fish, they came in bunches; many of your week 13 guests enjoyed days with 4, 5 and 6 big pike. Many photos were Airdropped in the office with well-deserved bragging rights going out to friends and family at home! Scott Lake veteran Jim Williamson was a top trout man this week, hauling a 42.5” fish up from the depths of Selwyn Lake. Jack Chapin got his arm workout in reeling up a big 42” trout, as Skylar Hribar did with a 41”er. Tyler and Bill Williamson added a pair of 40” brutes as well.  The strength and stamina of lake trout is almost unmatched in the world of freshwater fishes. They grow slow, live long and are top predators in these deep northern lakes. The minute you hook into on…you know it!

We waited until the last few minutes of the week for the biggest northern to be caught. In the final moments, Amy Brown hooked into a giant. It finally hit the net, and the boat broke out in celebration…good thing her husband Matt was paying attention, the net with 48” of jumbo pike almost took a swim toward freedom. It sounds like a fishing story that will be retold more than a few times! Earlier in the week Fin Higginbotham scored on a fat 47” pike, to one up himself from an earlier 46”er.  Fin’s big one ties the pike larger than 47” tally from the whole season in 2024!   Matt Brown tossed a fly out and got a big old 46.5” northern to chow down. Tyler Williamson added a 45.5 and a 45 while Bill Holvey a 45” to round out a fine week of supersized pike. A great time to fish for pike.

The grayling rapids were busy places; some walked and waded, others used the high water to advantage and fished from the boats. All our grayling anglers found success, and a lot of it! Wallis Higginbotham and Bill Holvey led the way with a pair of 19.5” grayling.  These arctic sailfish were key in the “Quest for the Jacket”, we had 4 new members of join the 100+ Club this week, Alex Mark, Skylar Hribar, Fin Higginbotham and Ken Williamson.

The sauna was lit most of the week, we drank wine by the fire, stared up at Northern Lights and the Perseid Meteor shower. We laughed, told fish stories, applauded the photos each evening and just had fun. Enough fun, the group decided to all come back next year to do it again.

Week 12 in Review: Wet and Wild

Week 12 in Review: Wet and Wild

Week 12 in Review: Wet and Wild

Fishing the Northwest Territories

It started with an exclamation point! The energy coming in for the twelfth week was high, happy and ready for fun.  The first evening in the lodge was wonderfully wild; the sun was out; it was downright hot. Things simmered somewhat quickly the next morning as some low clouds, coupled with the haze from distant wildfires, put a stop to any flyouts.  The crew hit Scott and connected Wignes, Premier and Wayo Lakes in search of fish…they found a pile. Steve Nicholas and Jerry Kyle were almost worn out hauling in lake trout on the jigs. Watching the fish chase your bait on Livescope is an incredible scene!

After the clouds blew out, fishing the Northwest Territories was our playground as planes headed to all corners of our area in search of pike, trout and grayling. They found them too! The weather was HOT and fishing followed suit, pike were shallow, trout were deep (mostly) and grayling were eager to feed on the small spinners and flies our anglers were throwing. In total, the group tallied an impressive 170 trophy fish, as usual pike make up the bulk of the “overs” with 114 of the toothy predators beyond 40” hitting the long-handled guide nets.  The big pike of the week happened all at once in J5’s boat. Andrew Fierbaugh nailed a giant 47”er and then his boat mate Jacob Benson set the hook into the big fish of the week…a super jumbo 48” northern. Truly a day to remember for these guys who added big trout and grayling to join our 100+ Club!  Mike and Tiff Skogen found his and hers big pike, with a 46.5 and 46” caught in short order, by the end of the week they both joined the 100+ Club ranks after an amazing trip north to the tundra for big trout and grayling.  Travis Barner, Don Cape, along with Jarrett and Garek Peters, all hauled in 45” pike this past week. Gina Benson added a 44.5 pike.

The trout were snapping, especially for the Walker and Skogen crew that headed WAY north to Tukto, catching them shallow and sight fishing in the rivers and lakes on the tundra. Jacob Benson led the anglers with a 41” trout, and Tiff Skogen was next with a 40”er. Andrew Fierbaugh and Scott Lake Lodge’s longest standing staff member Mike Hauser pulled in 39.5” lakers.  As summer wanes into fall the grayling activity ramps up, this week the ladies led the charge on big ‘ling. Tiff Skogen was lucky to find a 20” arctic sailfish, while Tina Walker and Shavon Cape plied the rapids for success with 19” grayling.

The big fish came to play again this week, pushing our season’s total trophy count above 2000! It’s almost an unbelievable number. We love big fish, but as always, the fishing is only a part of the tale.  Northern lights danced overhead on clear late summer nights, the bonfire crackled while guests were treated to the dancing aurora, and the Perseids meteor shower sent streaks across the sky. Laughter from the lodge deck seemed to be answered by the haunting call of the loons starting to raft up for the fall migration. Our crew was treated to fine dining, fine wines and spirits each evening and pre-dinner watersports show. There was wakeboarding, waterskiing and swimming as the northern summer treated us to a perfect streak of weather.  The week was a reminder to enjoy the whole adventure, charter to charter…this crew certainly did.