northern fishing lodge Archives

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 4 in Review: The Sun Kept Shining and the Fishing Was Hot

by Jason | Jul 1, 2026 | 2026 Season, Uncategorized, Website Fishing Blog

Week 4 In Review: The Sun Kept Shining and the Fishing was Hot

Putting five full days of hot summer weather in the north, we’ve passed ten and are still rolling along with hardly a cloud and days well into the 80s. The fourth angling group at Scott were treated to the full experience of a perfect northern summer; it was hot, the animals were out in full force, and the fish were in a particularly angry mood. Happy hour stories of the topwater strikes, swims at shoreluch, adventures on a new flyout lake…the crowd was buzzing, and the fish just kept coming. No small portion of this was the exploratory forays by our guides and anglers into the new water of Snowbird Lake. Nearly 50 miles long, this inland ocean is 130 miles east of Scott, just about to the Nunavut border, the treeline cuts through the lake and offers incredible northern landscapes. So far the pike fishing has been stellar, we’ve yet to explore too much of the storied trout opportunities, but of note Letty Johnson found a 18.25” grayling living dangerously by hanging out in a back bay. Perhaps the first “lake grayling” we’ve run across in a lot of years fishing some of these waters, it will be interesting to see if this trend continues, or these pioneering grayling get chowed by the big pike and trout.

Our emcee, guide Mike “Nuggets” Demyen, nearly needed an intermission on some of the evening trophy announcements; you were filling the screen with incredible memories of big fish and wildlife. The bar got raised again with 291 total trophy fish being landed by our angling cadre this week, edging out the previous record set just last week! Long time Scott Laker, Joe Novicki led the pike fishing charge with a 4-foot jumbo, caught with Jan up on Smalltree Lake. One of our younger anglers Coyen Kristo, perennially at the top of the torphy charts nailed another 47” fatty, as did Curt Johnson on his first foray up to Scott and subsequently Snowbird Lake. The 46.5”ers came next with each James Kracum, Rod Porath, Andrew Godden, and Loki Johnson bringing these special fish to hand. Rory Wright also got in to a 46.5” pike on the fly during the final afternoon of the trip, this paired nicely with the 46”er his partner John Kroner landed earlier in the day, putting a cherry on top of a great ten day trip. In total 29 pike over 45 inches were landed this past week, again a highwater mark for big pike success at Scott Lake Lodge. Both Scott itself and the flyout network are fishing incredibly well, pike are shallow, plentiful and hungry. There are many stories of burbot or whitefish tails sticking out as the guides carefully unhook these predators for a quick release. Although a pike shore lunch Scott Lake Style is tough to beat, each week our crew becomes more creative with the shore-side culinary program. It’s not one to miss!

The grayling rapids were hot this week. The Kracum crew, Rich, Matt, James and John spent a fun day on the Dubawnt River nailing these feisty, fast-water dwellers. Terry and Amy Jones waded through high water at another river to explore and catch a few ‘ling, while Bill Calabresa and Joe Novicki added the last few inches for entrance into the 100+ Club.

Otters, moose, bears, mink, countless birds, and a wolverine caught red-handed excavating a beaver house added to the excitement in the boats. The evenings were reserved for fine dining and Mario Kart. The Week 4 Mario Kart Tournament drew huge followings, with 3 nights of qualifying before the finals. When the dust settled, it was Matt Kracum and Graham Coulombe taking the bragging rights for 2026. Everyone loves catching big fish, but year over year, the memories that are brought up are the time shared over a cigar on the deck, an animal sighting, and laughs with the group over a shared mishap or misadventure. Most come for the fishing, but come back for the people caught up by this 12-acre island on the 60^th parallel.

Want to learn more about how you can be a part of these memories? Email Jon, j5@scottlakelodge.com head guide and sales manager. He will get you set up for a trip up north

June 29

After reeling in the day’s catch, Gary returned to the island with an unforgettable joy. Truly a pleasure to see! #fishingcanada #catchandrelease #huntfishsask #explore #luxurylodges

June 28

Andre hooked the perfect pike on a perfect day! #CatchAndRelease #flyfishingcanada #orvisflyfishing #fishingcanada

June 27

Amy & Nick throwing the fly and catching fat hogs! Big smile! The photo says it all. #thenewflyfisher #OrvisFlyFishing #pikefishing #catchandrelease #canada