It’s the Aussie in the great pozzie signing in for 2010 up here on the Albany River at Miminiska Lodge. Well, a lot has happened in the last year, my wife (that’s her on the right) gave birth to our daughter Julia and they are both back in Australia while I am up here in the magnificent boreal forest.

Fishing is off to a great start this season. With two groups in camp, the lodge has been full of the sounds of bloody good people having a bloody good time. The Jordahl group out of North Dakota had their first taste of the Albany River this year and loved every minute of it. The three adults and three kids arrived on a windy day and before I could rub two sticks together the kids were all rigged up and down in the boats ready to go, tough buggers! They started off well, really hitting the walleye hard and MJ snagged himself a 36 inch pike just before shore lunch. The wind was strong enough to blow a dog off its chain, but the kids were loving every minute of it…really, really tough buggers! They averaged 70-90 fish per boat and with the help of our expert First Nation guides they had the fishing trip of their life. In the kids own words, “we would recommend this place to anyone.” Thanks for coming you great Blokes and Sheila’s.

The Kammerer group, from Texas and North Bay, Ontario started off with some amazing fishing, snagging over 100 walleye in the 19-20 inch bracket in their first afternoon of fishing. Orange twister-tails seemed to be the preference. The next two days were followed up by repeat performances with “too many fish” in Mike’s words. Haha! Crikey, never too many fish!

Well, with some big groups coming in this week, we are looking forward to even more great action and hope to see you all up here soon. Hoo-roo for now… Tristan Yuswak