Last week, Mark Snyder, an experienced and enthusiastic fly fisherman became the first angler of 2008 to take on the Keezhik River from out at Miminiska Lodge. Mark was a guide in last fall’s Fly Fishing Adventure and discovered last August what many have learned about this amazing clear cold waterway: It’s loaded with Brook Trout. Big, fat, and ready to pull back on a fly line with the strength of a pit bull. Last fall the river was more like a hustling stream, than the rushing high water he and Dr. Tom faced last week. Mark credits First Nation Guide – Issac Nate with exceptional boat handling and spotting pools that turned out to be very productive for him and Tom. This confirms our commitment to build and maintain lasting and meaningful partnerships with the First Nation communities wherever our paths cross in the wilderness. By the way – that “football”  pictured below is 21 inches long.

I asked Wayne to chat with Mark and build a mini podcast about his adventure so you can hear his comments about the adventure on the river in its high and fast spring condition.  As you may recall, Mark is also the U.S. coordinator for our July 12-20 Healing On the Albany event and lives in Washington D.C. He is a good friend of Wilderness North and a fun guy to meet and fish with.

Our first anglers in to Makokibatan were also rewarded with a great trip. They arrived one week ago, and caught more than a dozen Master Angler Walleye (Pickerell- since they were Canadians) in the 25 inch category…and one over 30 inches. In addition they caught literally hundreds of Walleyes under 25 inches.

Last week’s article about Charles G’s “lure in the hand” trick brought suggestions that we ban barbed hooks to avoid similar problems in the future and for the fish’s well being too, and a comment that I should put my phone number as well as e-mail address on these reports. OKAY, consider it done

I welcome your e-mails to guide us in creating a report that works for you…
you can send me one now, or give me a call 888-465-3474.
Alan