It is our most popular remote cabin destination. And for good reason. The lake and adjacent lake – Crescent – produce lots of fish regardless of weather or time of year. It is a perfect model of a remote boreal fishery and it is right in the bull’s eye of a major hydro electric dam project scheduled for completion during the next decade. Most of our guests know that ZigZag lake is an “off shoot” of the Little Jackfish River. Its quick currents have created a scenic and healthy place for walleye and northern pike to live and prosper. And perhaps lake sturgeon as well?

Zig Zag Science
In 2009, Cam Portt, part scientist – part surgeon, chartered a flight to the lake, with the goal of catching walleyes, and quickly inserting little radio transmitters in their bellies, and releasing them. Then he placed signal receivers along the 40km outflow from the Summit Dam to Lake Nipigon  to  learn more about their migratory habits. All of this to give regulators “current in-the-field” data to determine the impact the hydro dam will have on these native fish.

In the first of two podcasts about ZigZag today, Cam updates his activities, gives us a peek at the changed plan to actually put two dams in place, and chats a bit about the impact all of this may have on our cabin destination on this great fishery. Listen to the update here. There is also a website you may visit, that provides considerable detail about the stages of the dam project, including maps and detailed drawings to examine. Here is the link.

Our second podcast is with recent guest Leo Shumaker, of Florida USA. He and his son, have been to Dawn Lake, D’Alton Lake, and now to Zig Zag. He talks about his successes and the lures and patterns he found to be effective. Click here to listen.