Website Fishing Blog Archives

Week 10 in Review: The Big Girls Came Out and a Surprise Prime Rib Dinner

by Jason | Aug 2, 2026 | 2026 Season, Website Fishing Blog

Week 10 in Review: The Big Girls Came Out and a Surprise Prime Rib Dinner

What a week! It had just about everything one could expect or imagine from a northern fishing trip. Things started out anticlimactically as an aircraft maintenance issue delayed the incoming group until the next morning. The Edmonton team was working overtime to make sure everything went smoothly, and we could get some excited anglers fishing as soon as possible. Of course, the group was sad to miss the first evening’s prime rib supper, but after only a couple of hours of missed fishing, we stayed late the first day and set some hooks. With everyone settled, the week’s fishing started to ramp up. Big pike were on fire again, with 110 northerns over 40” being caught. It’s not quite clear how many mid-thirties were on the lines this week, but judging by the evening conversations, quite a few. It was a special week beyond fishing, as past owner Tom Klein and guide Jason Terris made a long awaited return to the island. It was emotional, but great to see them both, their personalities have been absent too long from the lodge.

Brad Salisbury was a man on a mission this past week. He had an incredible day on Selwyn, catching a 47, then a 47.5” er nearly back-to-back. The next day he landed big pike of the week honours with a massive 49” northern. Often Brad’s tally is a full week of magnum pike over 47”; however, the conditions were just right, and Gratz Peters and Dan McGowan both joined the 4-Foot Club with a pair of 48s. A whole host of 47’s were in the cards for Ken Williamson Jr., Dylan Williamson, Caype Johnston and young angler Felix Vaagenes, truly an incredible run of giants! Felix didn’t waste a moment on his first trip to Scott, and earned a 100+ jacket in a hurry! Mike Sumeracki found a fat 46.5 with guide Jordan, and Penny Lendarson caught a 46…in all, twenty-two fish surpassing 45” were caught by our lucky anglers. The pike are just on a tear this year at Scott and the flyout lakes; whatever combination of conditions, we aren’t sure, but we like it!

Turning to trout, the season is heating up, with big fish in the holes and some still being caught on mid-depth structure on the bigger lakes. A fun time to play tug of war with a fish that could be almost 80 years old! Lake trout at our latitude in these huge, sprawling lakes grow slowly, adding only about half an inch per year. It takes many ciscoes, burbot and whitefish to grow a trout to 40” or better…and a lot of years. Caype Johnston found out what one of these monsters felt like to haul in; he landed a fat 41”er for big trout of the week. Gratz Peters, Lachlan Williamson and Ken Williamson Sr. were all lucky enough to hook into 39” lakers. This fish vaulted Ken Sr, into his first-ever 100+ Club jacket. Charlie Stanford got his arm workout in with a 38.5, while Lonnie Thompson and Mike Sumeracki both netted 38’s. The time for trout is now!

Grayling fishing has caught the notice of so many of our anglers; many are choosing to spend time in the rapids, either by boat or walking and wading. Chasing these truly unique northern fish is a blast. They are most often very eager to strike anything that they see. Stories of double headers on the same line are frequent…one fish on the dry fly and another on the nymph dropper! That’s maximizing your casts.

In all, it was a fun week; we had some great meals, saw some incredible fish photos, and commiserated together when the weather conspired against us, delaying the second changeover in a row. The upside…the crew got that prime rib supper after all.

July 29

Don’t let the clouds fool you! Ken & Jan enjoyed the day as they always do & caught this gorgeous laker! #LakeTroutFishing #fishinglifestyle #getoutthereandexplore #fishingcanada

July 28

Look at the head on this hog! Dan felt that beauty of a pike bite and set the hook with intention. What a fish! #pikefishing #northerncanada #nature #saskfishing #fishinglife

July 27

Arctic grayling turn every cast into a story worth telling. With their shimmering scales & spirited fight, there’s never a dull moment. Jeremy got a glimpse of that silver-blue colour & here’s the outcome! A beautiful pic of a beautiful fish #arcticgraylingfishing #fishinglife #exploremore #herefishyfishy #luxuryfishinglodge

July 26

Two heavy pike in a row, the kind of moments the lake only gives to some & Brad was the one! An unforgettable day for both. #pikefishing #getoutthere #fourfootpikes #herefishyfishyfishy

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Week 9 in Review: Big Fish and a Bonus Evening

by Jason | Jul 25, 2026 | 2026 Season, Website Fishing Blog

Week 9 In Review: Big Fish and a Bonus Evening

It’s not too often we get to keep people around for some extra time, but this week was one of those times. In the past 15 years as GM, this is the fifth time this has happened. The weather was perfect, sunny and high skies; our crew were relaxed and ready to head home, but luck wasn’t on our side with some unplanned maintenance on the RJ90 Jet we fly from Edmonton. The understanding of the north and southbound crews was appreciated; this one was out of our hands, and we just hate to lose. After another prime rib supper, all were in bed early, ready for a trip back home after a stellar week of fishing. One windy, rainy day with four perfect northern fishing days is a pretty good run. That stormy day, let everyone hot tub, sauna, read, or head to the Stone Haven Spa for some treatments. It’s a holiday, and the crew seemed to enjoy some downtime.

The fishing this week continued its incredible track of good numbers and some very nice fish. For the first time this season, pike were not the trophy leader; the grayling rapids were full of anglers looking to find these feisty dry fly eaters. From the chatter around the bar each evening, it must have been a blast, as there were lots of fish tales going around about adventure on these wild northern rivers and animals spotted. Ninety-eight larger-than-average grayling hit the banks and nets this week; a heck of a week admiring these beautiful creatures. Suzanne Noble hit up the rapids at Dubawnt River to great effect. Mosquito Lake was a hotspot this week; Dallas and Wade Clark both hit 19.5” ers, as did Susan Murphy on her first trip to Scott Lake. Her partner, Dale Sellers, found an 18-and-a-half; this boosted all four into the 100+ Club! Of note: Wade is the season leader up to this point with a tally of 107” total for his three trophy fish, a 45” northern, 42.5” trout and that 19-and-a-half-inch grayling.

Wade’s big trout led the way this week, while dad Dallas was right there with a 40” er. Cindy Bixler worked on her bicep curls with a 41” tundra shark, and Jerry Kolek hoisted a 40.5” from the depths. As the trout begin to concentrate in the summer holes, our anglers were able to target the big ones both by jigging and trolling. Lots of fun was had battling one of the hardest-fighting freshwater gamefish, the forked-tail lake trout.

The pike didn’t take the week off either; big fish were found both shallow and deep. Flies, plastics, spinners and spoons all seemed to have their moments. Big fish of the week went to Darren Deeter with a 47.5” jumbo; Harry Moulopoulos and Randy Lail also netted 47’s. This is big news as it ties our annual total of giant pike over 47 inches from last year, with a whole lot of season yet to go! Who knows where things may end up this season. Aris Moulopoulos and Matt Yackel both got fat 46’s, while Cindy Bixler, on her hot streak, landed a 45.5” supersized pike. In all, ninety-four northerns better than 40” were caught.

The wildlife sightings were hot this week; more moose than ever were making an appearance, and some muskox on the northern flyouts were coming down from the tundra. This was topped off by a sow black bear with three young cubs, caught swimming a channel. One rascal was left behind and caused quite a fuss, according to Dale and Susan. Even though the group were treated to two prime rib welcome dinners at Scott Lake, everyone took the hiccup in stride, and we appreciate you for that. The 9^th week was one we won’t soon forget!

July 23

It’s been easy laughs and good times with Eddie & Bryon in the boat…plus beauty pike like this one! #getoutthere #memories #pikefishing #herefishyfishy #canada

July 22

Ron reeled in a birthday pike like it was meant for him! Big smile & a fish that showed up right on que. Happy Birthday Ron! #northernpikefishing #exploremore #fishinglife #canadianfishing

July 21

A perfect picture for a perfect day. Cheers to Randy for reeling in this giant! #fishinglodgecanada #fishinglife #northernpikefishing #exploremore

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Week 8 in Review: Island Vibes…Big Pike…Mahalo

by Jason | Jul 21, 2026 | 2026 Season, Website Fishing Blog

Week 8 in Review: Island Vibes…Big Pike…Mahalo

Floral prints were spotted everywhere, and Don Ho classics echoed across the calm evening waters of Scott Lake. The Eighth Week always brings the feeling of Hawaii to this 12-acre island on the 60^th Parallel, with the annual Mahalo Night festivities. This year we had the weather to match it! The weather was stunning, with guests and guides leaving the dock in shorts and flip-flops; northern summer was in full force. It was another superb week of fishing, adventure and just downright fun around the island. The sauna was in use daily, the hot tub some evenings, and a crowd was lounging on the new inflatable party barge anchored out in the bay. The fish showed up to the party as they have been all summer, big pike in shallow water, the athletic grayling leaping after dries in the rapids and trout, making their way to the depths and waiting to test the arm strength of our anglers.

In total, this week 262 trophy fish were landed, an incredible number of those almost there and enough wildlife sightings to keep the crowd buzzing over moose, bear and muskox videos each evening in the lodge. Northerns over 40” made up the lion’s share of the announcements this week, with 161 being landed by our intrepid anglers. Rusty Brown capped off an incredible day at Selwyn Lake with an enormous 48” pike, joining the 4- Foot Club and taking big fish honours for the week. He also added an overly fat 46” er on the final day’s fishing, commenting that it may be the heaviest fish in his tenure at Scott. The next spot- well, the next three spots- in the top pike category went to Dave Wallace. What a run of hawgs! Dave caught a 46.5, 47 and a 47-and-a-half-inch giant on an incredible streak. The 46s came for Floyd Burnside and Warren Wheat; Mike Johnson added a 45.5. Then Cole Booth, Marian Bensema, Eric Brown and Dave Snyder all added big 45s, leaving the week’s total at 16 supersized Esox.

The trout are slowly making their way down to the holes; Floyd Burnside found a 41” er down in the depths of Scott Lake for the largest trout of the week. On the last trolling pass of the day on Snowbird Lake, Steve Parminter nailed a 40” laker on a custom saltwater bait, a valid reason to be a minute or two late for the pickup! Some of our crew had incredible days up on Mosquito Lake; the grayling were stacked in the rapids, and the big trout came to feast on them. Cole and Jessica Word-Booth were spotting muskox on the way north and caught tons of grayling and trout in the inflow river coming from Mary Lake, a truly amazing tundra adventure. The guests and guides really took an interest in the Arctic sailfish this week, many moments in the fast, wild northern rivers to make memories while the iridescent blues and purples of the oversized dorsal shimmered in the sun. Not that it was on purpose, but the colours of the Hawaiian shirts and leis did their best to mimic the Grayling’s unique colours. Another great week, another annual tradition and some time and memories shared among a great group of people drawn to this special place.

July 19

Rock seat with a pretty good view. Sometimes the best place to spend the day is somewhere quiet, surrounded by nature. #bear #exploremore #thegreatoutdoors #canadianwilderness

July 18

Reeling in the good times & big fish! Marian & Nick pictured here after another fantastic day on the water. #herefishyfishy #tourismsaskatchewan #canadianfishinglodges #pike

July 17

Just Warren & Poach enjoying the moment after landing this absolute tank. That “worth every cast” feeling. #orvisflyfishing #pikefishing #getoutthere #exploremore #saskatchewan

July 16

Mike & Paulie hooked on good memories, lots of laughs… oh & big fish! #herefishyfishy #lakeliving #luxurylodges #northerncanada #pikefishing

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July 20

Two monster Northerns, two new personal bests! Aris and Harry are already on fire and the week’s only just begun. #northernpikefishing #luxuryfishinglodges #northerncanada #herefishyfishy

Week 7 in Review: It Feels Like Summer

by Jason | Jul 16, 2026 | 2026 Season, Website Fishing Blog

Week 7 in Review: It feels like summer

Lucky number seven could easily have been the nickname for this past week. Anglers were treated to superb summer fishing weather and big fish action galore. Draw a blueprint of the perfect fly-in fishing trip in northern Canada: a chance at big fish, easy weather, great food, some moose sightings, lots of laughs on the deck in the evening…all felt great. Our fishing continues to be excellent, the staff providing a great experience, and the landscape never falters in its remote beauty.

In all, 259 trophy-sized fish were brought to hand this past week, an incredible number, once again. Of these, 148 were pike surpassing the 40” mark, not to mention countless great fish that were not quite at 40, but were great fighters, boat side strikes, memorable locations. They are all great; they all make a memory, and all add a sentence to the story that is our anglers’ trip. The giant fish are pretty fun; also, Don Mewhort and Nic Manship found that out when they each set the hooks into a 4–foot northern, a truly fish of a lifetime. Next in line came the 47’s, being caught by Tom Granneman, Marc Schlossman, Mike Rogers and Connor Patrick. Mike’s other grandson, Cole Hardwick, was lucky on a 46.5” er also. A whole host of lucky anglers were catching fish in the 45 range, 15 between 45 and 45.5”. Dylan Szakacs tried fly fishing for the first time at Scott Lake; his first trophy was 45”, setting the bar pretty darn high for big pike on the fly. Dave McCarty nailed a 45.5” fish that fit quite well with the massive 45” laker he hauled in trolling some mid-depth structure on Snowbird Lake…over 90” in two fish! Our guide team is still on the big girls with 23 over 45” being caught and made famous on the nightly Fish Porn show. The daily photo essay follows dinner, to recap the day and prove that it wasn’t just a fish story!

Trout and grayling are starting to garner more focus from our anglers as spring fully transitions to summer and both become a little more accessible. We already mentioned Dave’s big trout, but a 45 can be mentioned twice. His fishing partner Mike Winegar waited until the final afternoon and set the hook into a 42” tundra shark. Watching those big trout come into view with sharklike fins is always impressive. Mike Rogers and Cole Hardwick both got 41”ers, Nic Manship a 38 and Connor Patrick a 37 to round out the top trout.

Dave Stewart, from the Wet Fly Swing Podcast, and contest winner Paul Plum headed to the tundra to chase grayling and lakers on the fly up in the Dubawnt River system. Reports were excellent, and they had a doubleheader of a 35 and 36 in the current; their guide even hooked another big trout on a grayling fly at the same time…it would have been a blast to be in the boat for that pandemonium. You can listen to Dave’s podcasts here https://www.wetflyswing.com/852-sight-casting-to-giants-in-shallow-water-with-jason-hamilton-scott-lake-lodge/ to hear about Scott Lake Lodge and more. This was a great event in partnership with Tourism Saskatchewan.

Grayling were found in abundance in the rapids of various flyout lakes. Ken Wiles and Tony Garibaldi were on Ingalls Lake with a pair of 17’s, giving them Trophy Triples. Team Deadwater, aka the Rogers crew, were finding dry/dropper success on NE Wholdaia, a part of the Dubawnt River system. All four of them got into the Trophy Triple, and Mike, Cole and Connor had over 100”. Mike and Nic Manship also were in the 100+ Club this week, with big grayling from Tukto…a pair of 20s.

What an opportunity we have to explore the boreal forests, the tundra and lots in between as we chase fish around this remote Canadian wilderness. There is always new water to explore, another bend in the river, another to try to get the boat in. I think it keeps our guides and guests coming back year after year. Adventure and exploration with a little luxury…that’s what we’re talking about!

Interested in being a part of the fun for 2027? Things are booking up quickly. Send Jon an email j5@scottlakelodge.com he is our sales manager and head guide and will help you find a spot for the coming summer.

July 14

Oscar really is the island’s sweetheart. Sunshine in his eyes, tail-wagging nonstop, making anyone who meets him feel right at home. #IslandPups #exploremore #saskatchewan #luxurylodges #fishingcanada

July 13

Mike & Nic, the father-son duo who absolutely crushed it out there with Poach. Both landed trophy triples and stacked up over 100 inches! A seriously awesome day! #pikefishing #LakeTroutFishing #fishcanada #luxurylodges

July 12

Dave hooked into this monster laker out with Bryon, a moment of pure adrenaline, pure joy, & a catch you remember for a lifetime. #LakeTroutFishing #canada #exploremore #luxurylodge #troutspawn

July 11

That heart‑stopping jolt when a monster fish hits…nothing else compares. #catchandrelease #pikefishing #luxurylodges #canadianfishingtrip #exploremore

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Week 6 in Review: The Big Fish Came Out to Play

by Jason | Jul 11, 2026 | 2026 Season, Website Fishing Blog

Week 6 in Review: The Big Fish Came Out to Play

Well, we didn’t miss a beat in the sixth week; the staff were firing on all cylinders, in mid-season form, the weather cooperated just enough to keep the fish happy…and the fish- boy, were they ready to rumble! Through rain, wind, and sunshine, our anglers were chasing fish across northern Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories, many choosing to fish Scott Lake, while some ventured out on the flyout network, taking the Northern Uber, the DeHavilland Otter, or a Cessna Caravan. From early-morning saunas to late evenings spent reliving the day’s fishing tales, it was a fun week.

A total of 196 trophy-sized fish were brought to hand over these 5 days, pike, lake trout and grayling. Pike again accounted for the lion’s share with 172 over 40”, simply stellar fishing on the best weather week, but jaw-dropping on a week that saw weather of all sorts each day. The guides have the fish patterned, and the results speak for themselves! Top pike of the week and top pike of the young season went to Jason Sikkenga, who had a wild fight with a massive (and tight-taped!) 49.25” Esox with guide Paul Hamilton. Jason rolled into the office after the day of fishing with unbridled enthusiasm; it was special to share in the fun. For a short time another week 6 angler held big pike honours for 2026, Maverick Watson started off his first trip to Scott with a bang on the first day: a 49” northern sliding into guide Nicholas’ net! Amazing to see two giants in the same week. Veronica Strobel, waited until the final day with catch her giant 47.25” er on a flyout in the fog. Terry Wilson added a 47, while Craig Hackworth hit a 46” er to cap off an incredible day. Zig Ziegler, Ron Wamsted, and Veronica Strobel all took 45-and-a-half-inchers, as did Jake Jaffe, whose fish was an incredible silver pike. In all 15 pike eclipsed the super-sized mark of 45”, those big girls are hungry this summer!

Just a few big trout were found with most of the effort focused squarly on pike. What’s the old adage? You don’t leave fish, to find fish…when the big pike are chowing, you stay shallow and catch ‘em! Paul Sawyer found a fat 39” laker, while teammate Laurie Yliniemi landed a hard pulling 38. Laurie’s partner Zig was chasing closely with a 37.5 and 37” trout. Paul, Laurie and Zig, all used those big trout to launch them into the 100+ Club for 2026!

The grayling were starting to respond to dry flies nicely. Some great stories from the rapids were told, Hunter Steudle and Mel Deane found some great success at the Smalltree outflow, while Chris Cutro and Cole Jenkinson fished Ingalls to great success.

In the 6^th week, the incredible fishing and memories continued, as they have been so far this summer. Some much-needed rain cooled the water temps and dampened some distant wildfires. Week 7, here we come!

Don’t wait too long; spots are booking up quickly for 2027. Email Jon, our sales manager and head guide. j5@scottlakelodge.com to make sure you don’t miss out!

July 9

After a 10 day visit with us Veronica hit the jackpot on the last day! Her & Poach never fail to have a great time reeling in hogs like this one. #pikefishing #explorecanada #fishhuntsask #catchandrelease

July 8

The energy Jason had walking into the office to tell us about his day was truly unforgettable. His personal best caught with Paulie & just look at this beast! Welcome to the over 4 foot club! #memoriesforlife #fishingcanada #pikefishing #herefishyfishy #catchandrelease

July 7

Hunter is experiencing the beauty & wonders of the great north one day at a time, wearing a smile as he goes! #explorecanada #herefishyfishy #fishhuntsask #catchandrelease #memoriesforlife

July 6

Sarah was on fire! Reeled in many great fish including some hogs. Needless to say, it was a good one! #catchandrelease #explorecanada #luxurylodges #getoutthereandexplore

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Week 5 in Review: We celebrated Canada Day, Independence Day, and caught a lot of fish

by Jason | Jul 6, 2026 | 2026 Season, Uncategorized, Website Fishing Blog

Week 5 in Review: We celebrated Canada Day, Independence Day, and caught a lot of fish

This fifth week is always special, as it spans both Canada Day and Independence Day, both of which are causes for much revelry and celebration. In usual Scott Lake style, we all stood, sang the anthems, and took a celebratory shot… It’s tradition. The evening trophy announcements and Fish Porn were packed with wildlife, memorable fish, and less-than-memorable casts, and were a cause for great excitement. The nice weather continued, although a few welcome rain showers were interspersed with the sun. As it always does, nice weather means excellent fishing. The big pike, just like warm, stable weather, slide up into the shallows and are hungry, ready to attack just about anything thrown at them.

Another incredible trophy total of 246 was hit this week; a combination of big pike, lake trout, and grayling was being scooped into nets and admired before a quick release. The largest pike of the week went to Ikinilik Sagert, who found a 47.75” giant sitting near the mouth of a bay on Snowbird Lake, an epic fish for an 11-year-old angler. It’s a rarity to have visiting anglers; they have to travel south to reach us. Ikinilik and his family are Northwest Territory residents and came down from even farther north to spend a week chasing fish and adventure. The big pike weren’t done yet. Kevin Edwards found a 47.5”er on the fly rod, while Ron Juergens, Jim Kusar and Wes Williamson all accounted for 47s of their own. Ron and Jim added 46” northerns to their tally, as did first-timer KT Thompson. It was just a big fish sort of week! 19 supersized pike hit the nets, and they made lifetime memories for our lucky anglers. Just incredible pike fishing.

In her second season fishing Scott, Kristi Kantor was the top trout angler this week, finding a 40.5 and a 40” er to vault her into the 100”+ Club with a big Trophy Triple. Gerry O’Brien was also inducted into the 100+ Club for a great week on the water. The summer just keeps getting better. We are finally ice-free on our farthest north flyouts; it’s time to explore the tundra and keep the adventures rolling

July 4

One last cast… and it’s a personal best! Wes ended the week with a huge bang. #catchandrelease #explorecanada #fishhuntsask #coupleswhofishtogether

July 3

Imagine pulling up to the beach in the middle of nowhere on a lake in the Northwest Territories. Your guide prepares an incredible shore lunch with a fish you just caught & that’s just lunch. #explorecanada #beautifulcanada #gonefishing #shorelunch

July 3

Imagine pulling up to the beach in the middle of nowhere on a lake in the Northwest Territories. Your guide prepares an incredible shore lunch with a fish you just caught & that’s just lunch. #explorecanada #beautifulcanada #gonefishing #shorelunch

July 2

The natural Trophy Triple! Kristi absolutely crushed it & had the best time doing it! #explorecanada #luxurylodges #fishingcanada #catchandrelease