“Did anyone here order a pizza?”
Not the typical way that you start a weekly fishing report, but trust me, I am going somewhere with this! But first, let me get the fishing stuff out of the way.
Last week started with many new faces, eagerly attending our Pasha Lake Cabins New Guest Orientation. In the meeting, we discuss how things operate, current fishing trends and techniques, and weather among other things. In addition to bringing people up to speed on current events, it also puts them at ease knowing we are truly here to make sure they have a good experience.
To say the fishing kicked off with a fizzle last week would be an understatement. Wait, let me clarify. Fishing was good, weather sucked! Three days of torrential rains left people in their cabins, peeking through the blinds, wishing and praying it would end. On Sunday, though, despite heavy down pours, I accompanied long time guest and good friend Dick Hassler and his crew of 9 to Onaman Lake. We refused to let the rain keep us from exploiting that opening day bite on that famous BIG WALLEYE fishery. It turned out, rain didn’t matter. Within less than a minute of stopping, Justin and I hooked into the first of MANY 23 – 24 inch walleyes. And those weren’t lifeless logs we were pulling in, they bent fishing rods to the point of breaking. I remember thinking several times that if this gal doesn’t take her foot of the gas pedal, my fish stick is doomed! Biggest of the day was a FAT 27 incher.
Many miles to the north, a fresh new group (Steve Brightwell from Missouri and his 5 cohorts) were learning the meaning of “it’s always an adventure”, a common saying heard among the veterans of Pasha Lake Cabins. As they slogged through a ½ mile of wet bush, I can only imagine some of the thoughts running through their heads. “What the heck did we get ourselves into?” or “are we going to make it out of here alive?”. If only they could’ve known what awaited them on the other end of the trail; a super dark stained lake, teeming with walleyes in 4’-6’ of water and catchable with nothing more than a simple 1/4oz jig and minnow. When they made it back that night, they were begging to go back, but only when the weather was a little nicer.
So you’ve got to be asking yourself at this point, what does pizza delivery have to do with fishing? Well, hold on a sec, I’ll get to that!
Last year, I was introduced to a young couple from New York state, Dave and Julie Moore. They booked with us after seeing one of the many fishing shows we’ve filmed here at Pasha Lake Cabins. They were hooked on the idea of catching trophy coaster brook trout on Lake Nipigon, a task that I wanted more than anything to fulfill. With the late ice that year and unbeknownst to us, my go to speck spots were still buttoned in, making travel unsafe and preventing me from holding up my end of the bargain. We opted for the safer pike fishing, for which we were handsomely rewarded, but left them thinking about what could’ve been. (Insert note: less than a week later, I experienced the apex of all things brook trout fishing. I sooooo wish they could’ve of been there).
So in 2014 when they called me up, I told them this was the year! And that it was. Dave landed his first speck ever and shortly thereafter, was treated to a line peeling, rod pumping, boat turning lake trout that had us all jacked as we watched the battle unfold. Seeing the shinning glisten of Dave’s reel as it was expediently being evaporated of its fishing line, I turned to Jason and said “you’d better get on that motor and start chasing this thing”. All Dave could do was watch in horror as his line kept coming closer and closer to the termination point. Without missing a beat and in a true angler’s style, Jason revved up his I-pilot and started following the laker like a cop chasing a bank robber. The only thing we were missing was lights and sirens, but I don’t think it would have matter because it was obvious the fish had no intention of yielding. Strategically, and after several minutes had passed, Jason positioned the boat for a head on collision with the monster fish. Seeing the opportunity I slipped the net underneath her and Paparazzi bliss soon followed. The prize? A 16 lb. lake trout with a 14 inch girth!
Ok, so what is this talk of Pizza and fishing? Well, as many of you are aware, the 2013 motor on my big boat blew the #2 cylinder (On purpose I’ve opted not to mention the name of the manufacture to protect the innocent). This is important to the story because I was unable to guide out of my big boat. Enter Colin McMillan and his two twin boys, Nathan and Nolan. With my boat down, they hired a backup local guide to take them pike fishing on Lake Nipigon. It seems my motor curse followed them to the lake, as the boat they were fishing from also experienced motor problems. This left them stranded 17 miles north of where their truck was parked.
That night after the all camp fish fry, Michelle came to me and said, “Cabin 3 isn’t back yet”. Knowing Colin and the boys were in good hands, I told her not to worry, they probably had good fishing and would arrive safe and sound any moment. When the sun hit the tops of the trees and they still weren’t back, Michelle’s (and mine I might add) anxious meter skyrocketed. She immediately jumped on the horn with Ontario Search and Rescue and with that, the wait began.
As dawn broke the next morning, the engine on the Bell 407 Search and Rescue Helio #45 ignited its engine causing the chopper blades to begin turning slowly. Within minutes all safety checks were complete and the bird was in the sky looking for signs of our tardy fishing party. I had an inkling on the secret hole they were fishing, but was unable to convey that to the rescue boys before they departed. It didn’t matter though, as by 7:30am, the chopper touched down on an exposed sand bar in the middle of a bay. When the officer on the board jumped out the bird carrying a piping hot pepperoni pizza, he looked at everyone with a big smile on his face and asked “Anyone here order a pizza?”.
A little tired, somewhat bug bitten and with a tint of newly dawned pink from the sun on the previous day, everyone turned out to be just fine. In fact, they were more than fine. Between the chopper ride, the middle of nowhere pizza delivery and catching two 40” northerns, everyone was pumped. Happy to be safe, but pumped nonetheless! Thank God, He kept everyone safe!
This week, absent any search and rescue missions, the fishing should continue to be red hot, especially for walleyes. With warming water temps the best is truly yet to come. Right now, we are in a bit of a weather system, but once this clears, things are looking GREAT for the rest of the week.
And with that, early arrivals are eagerly waiting for me to finish up so I can go “talk a little shop”. I better sign off for now. As always, until next time!