My Lake Brennan Canadian Experience

I’m just finally getting my two feet back on the ground after enjoying an extended vacation. The first part was spent putting in food plots up in McGregor on Saturday and Sunday thew weekend before Labor Day weekend. Then the next day I flew out on a float plane on Monday morning out of Duluth. I was excited as a kid on the last day of school. I heard many good things about Lake Brennan and the Outpost camp that I would be spending the next 5 days at, but nothing that was told to me could truly compare to what I was going to experience on this adventure. We left my house around 6:40am and the experience started @ Sky Harbor in Duluth as we were greeted and quickly packed on a float planes with our group of 12 guys (6 from MN and 6 from Wisconsin). We touched down on Crane Lake Canadian side to go through a quick Customs and we were back in the air arrived at Lake Brennan @ 11:20 am. A nice quick trip and we were already there. No long car or plane trip here. We immediately found our rooms, our bags were brought up and the Chef had lunch waiting on the table. We quickly met everyone, ate, and quickly made it to the docks where the boats were running, loaded with bait, cooler, etc. and awaiting our gear.

Lake Brennan is appears to be a typical Canadian shield lake, but with a flowage. The first 2 days were picture perfect weather and the last 2 were a bit gloomy with a lil rain, but not to bad overall. The unstable weather on Wednesday and Thursday did but a big damper on our plans to fly out and chase big walleye on another lake, but man this was still a trip of a lifetime. Most of our time was spent vertically jigging minnows with a 5/16 to ½ oz jigs. The best colors were either Northland’s Pink Gumball jig or BFN’s Sunburst H20 Precision jig. The best depths seemed to be mostly in the 24-32’ depths and if it wasn’t rocky, you weren’t catching fish. We did notice most of the bigger (25” plus) did come from the same area that held some decent current located at a pinch point. I believe the 5 or 6 biggest fish of the trip for our group came from this area. This is where Mike and I targeted pretty much the entire last day @ and were rewarded with a few dandies. The #’s were not as good, but when they moved up it was FISH ON for about a 15 minute stretch until they moved back off. You just had to wait it out until they moved back up.

We observed oodles and oodles of walleyes being brought to the boat and quite a few of them, fell prey to the most aggressive northern’s I have ever seen. WOW, these things were relentless and would hammer that walleye time and time again until it had it. No matter if it was boat side or not. This would happen a handful times a day. Fishing was absolutely phenomenal for numbers as I know we had multiple True 100 plus fish days. Size was mainly running from 14-18” for most of the fish. I believe I ended the trip with 7 fish over 21”. The biggest Walleye in our group of guys was 27.5” and man those fish are pretty up there. Real dark, most were golden but we did notice quite a few straight black ones and some with a blue twinge to them also. The biggest Pike of the trip by the group was 44.5”. However, we (the boats I was in) did not target these solely. This is something that would change if I ever get the chance to go again. My biggest pike was probably in the mid to low 30” es and I probably caught a half dozen or so.

The Lake Brennan Experience with the Outpost can not be described. It is truly just one of those things that need to be experienced to get the full effect. My feet never touched ground or dirt the whole time I was there. They have decks or docks to everything. The 3 meals a day prepared by a chef, were always outstanding and Freddy can make a mean desert man. Happy hour starting @ 5pm followed with Dinner by 7 pm. Anything you wanted was accommodated and given to you. The boats were the best set up I have seen yet for a fly in Trip. 16 footers, with a 20 Hp Honda’s and Sonar/GPS, all the minnows you wanted, with rods, tackle, rain suits, etc. supplied if you wished. You just needed to bring clothes and tooth brush. The cabins and rooms were top notch and very, very well maintained. Not to mention the Sauna or the cabinet full of adult beverages and refrigerator full of pop of your choice. The game room with pool table and W11 machine captured our nightly fun. Best part of it all only a few hour trip from the Twin Cities. All there for the taking and enjoying. Orv and his crew were absolutely outstanding hosts and camp companions. I would like to thank the guys in my group, Lee, Jimmy, Bill, and Brad for an incredible time and even the Wisconsin guys for many laughs. But mostly I would like to thank Mike Oelrich & APi ELECTRIC for the invitation and the hospitality on a fishing trip of a lifetime. THANK YOU

Next on Lip’s list………. Fall trolling on Mille Lacs and of course Bow Hunting Whitetails baby!