Pasha Lake Cabins Report – September 2016

It has been a few years since I’ve had the chance to fish the Nipigon area but after trading emails with Chad Thompson, owner of Pasha Lake Cabins, on and off for most of the summer, things finally lined up to make the run up to do some fishing with Chad the week of Sept. 26 – 30. The plan was to drag the Skeeter up to Nipigon and take a shot at getting in on the big pike that would be transitioning back into the shallows as water temps started to fall. The area around Nipigon had seen some cool overnight temps prior to our trip so the conditions were looking like they were going to line up perfectly. Over the 4 days we spent fishing with Chad we were blessed with some of the finest fall conditions I’ve ever fished in! Light winds. Cool temps. Fog in the AM as the sun rose above the trees and blue bird skies once the sun burned off all the fog meant the weather was as memorable as the bite.

The pike had moved back up into the shallows and were found hunkered tight to any heavy weed growth that could be found in 2′ – 4′ of water. The shear number of big pike up shallow was really pretty incredible and when you take into consideration that this is a “paved all the way” drive-to fishery… big pike on Nipigon is one of those bites that should be on everyone’s bucket list. We didn’t have any mega-giants but fish in the 38″ – 42″ range were incredibly common and the fish were about as aggressive as pike get with fish hitting a bait multiple times on a single cast before getting hooked up!!

Highlights from the trip include doubling on 40″ pike multiple times, going up into a river and casting #5 Fluted Muskie Buck and #8 Vibrax Super Bou Tandem spinners and catching 18″ – 22″ walleye on every cast, and making a minnow run with Chad at day break as the sun started to break through the fog on one of the most glorious mornings I’ve ever spent on the water!

I had so much fun Chad’s going to have to put up with me and 7 buddies next year Sept. 16 – 23, 2017! 50 weeks to go… and counting!

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Hey James awesome read. I couldn’t have captured it any better.

It was way cool to have everything to come together and the bonus was catching huge Pike and Walleyes

Look forward to our 50 week reunion

PS. attached is the monster that was harvested that day you got here

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Wow! is all I can say What girth on those beauties.

Jealous for sure.

If one of your 7 bails on you count me in! I’ll clear the calendar today.

Dutchboy wrote:

Jealous for sure.

If one of your 7 bails on you count me in! I’ll clear the calendar today.

You’d be welcome to fill any opening that might pop up but I wouldn’t anticipate one. The group of “buddies” headed up with me are all IDO employees going on an all expenses paid “team building” trip. Anyone that drops out would have to have their head examined.

James Holst wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Dutchboy wrote:</div>
Jealous for sure.

If one of your 7 bails on you count me in! I’ll clear the calendar today.

You’d be welcome to fill any opening that might pop up but I wouldn’t anticipate one. The group of “buddies” headed up with me are all IDO employees going on an all expenses paid “team building” trip. Anyone that drops out would have to have their head examined.

Sorry to hear that.

Dutchboy wrote:

James Holst wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Dutchboy wrote:</div>
Jealous for sure.

If one of your 7 bails on you count me in! I’ll clear the calendar today.

You’d be welcome to fill any opening that might pop up but I wouldn’t anticipate one. The group of “buddies” headed up with me are all IDO employees going on an all expenses paid “team building” trip. Anyone that drops out would have to have their head examined.

Sorry to hear that.

Doesn’t mean you couldn’t be up there at the same time and help us drink through a pile of expensive canuk beer.

Ummm, may need to see if I can round up another Pike guy and call Chad.

Dutchboy wrote:

and call Chad

If you do remind him that he needs to find a way around the beaver dam that is currently keeping up from accessing Pike Nirvana before we arrive next Sept.

James, you mentioned you brought the Skeeter up. Paved roads all the way? How long a drive from the Metro? How long a run from Pasha to the prime Pike area? I assume there was no trolling going on. All casting?

Seriously interested, my LOTW Pike trip was disappointing.Kinda funny, sounds like you were at Pasha a week after I was at LOTW. I’m looking for big fish and it sounds like Chad might have them tied up waiting for me.

Dutchboy wrote:

James, you mentioned you brought the Skeeter up. Paved roads all the way? How long a drive from the Metro? How long a run from Pasha to the prime Pike area? I assume there was no trolling going on. All casting?

Seriously interested, my LOTW Pike trip was disappointing.Kinda funny, sounds like you were at Pasha a week after I was at LOTW. I’m looking for big fish and it sounds like Chad might have them tied up waiting for me.

All casting, no trolling. At least at that time of year. The fish were very shallow and very tight to thick weed growth. I have no idea how you’d troll effectively in that situation.

We launched at High Hills Harbor. I think the drive from MPLS was right around 10 hours. Pat split the driving with me… he slept while I drove.

Thanks.