Week 13 Update – Summer in the North

During the long winter nights, the image conjured about summer in the north is sunny days, calm waters, a loon calling in the distance and of course hungry fish! It helps our guests and staff get through the “off season blues” which tend to set in about 1 week after leaving this special place. The group in week 13 were treated to a show rarely equalled in the northern boreal on the border of Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories. They had 5 days of sun, 5 days of light winds and 5 days of incredible fishing.

Long-time Scott guest Dick Hutson set the bar high right off the bat, on the first day Dick pulled a 44.5”er out of a weedbed. Not one to rest on his laurels Dick and guide Jan teamed up for an unbelievable 49” northern. Ed Sauger, a first-time pike fisherman got spoiled right off the hop with a 45” trophy northern pike. Ed’s father Joe came up last year and is already a veteran at catching big fish, brought to net a 46” pike, a 41” trout and a 17” arctic grayling to enter into the 100”+ club at 104”. Another father, son team used to catching big fish, Pat & (owner) Ron Spork got into a couple dandies, Pat caught a new personal best pike at 47” and the trout troller Ron picked up a 42” slob trout. The Texas boys were loving the weather at Scott, while 80F is hot for the Canadian staff, it’s a nice break from the 100+F club that the southern USA is in during the summer months. Jeff Ryan beat the heat and landed himself a fat 46” pike fishing with Poacher. Jeff’s partner Darrell Preston was hot! He landed a 44” pike, 39” trout and added grayling to reach exactly 100”. Seemed like the grayling were cooperating this week and sipping caddis flies off the surface. Kevin Morse and Len Dorr both took advantage of the hot grayling fishing to notch Trophy Triples catching each species in trophy size. Joel Tune put a grayling clinic on up at Labyrinth Lake, he plied the river for 8 trophy grayling….it seems 8 is his lucky number because Joel caught 8 big pike between 40 and 44.5”. Scott Lake’s top-flight accountant was visiting this week, Mike Hauser got into some big fish, he pulled up a couple of big trout at 37 and 39” then switched to the fly rod and to cast to a girthy 46” northern.

We give guests at Scott Lake a full last day of fishing before sending them on their way south. That last afternoon is important because it seems we have many trophies caught to end the trip. Scott Sarason waited until day 5 to reach 100.5” and entrance into the 100+ Club, Scott got a 44.5” pike, a 39” trout and a 17″ grayling. Waiting until the last moment before packing up the boat and heading home, Priscilla O’Donnell tried one last pass on a cabbage bed with guide Steve…it was a smart move, she hooked into and landed a huge 47.5” northern pike…her biggest to date at Scott!

While we can’t profess to control the weather or the attitude of the fish we can control a level of personalized service unmatched in our industry, personal connection with among the guests and staff and the fulfillment of making lifetime memories with friends and family with the striking northern backdrop. It just feels better to do it under sunny skies; skies that change to the canvas for the northern lights this time of year and offer a great reason to have one more cocktail in a chair on our deck…that is unless Owner Tom Klein doesn’t throw that chair on the fire first…it’s a funny story, ask us about it when you’re up here next summer!