The stories have been rolling in and we thought it was time we shared the success with you! Read below as staff from each of our lodges share how the 2017 season is going so far!
Makokibatan:
We’ve had quite the start to the season, here at Makok. Let me start off by introducing myself, I’m Reuben your friendly Makok staffer. I come from New Zealand and my background is in dairy farming and commercial fishing, but I am an avid fly angler.
Most of the our success seems to be in about 6-15 feet of water. Jigging remains the most popular way of reeling in those trophies. To date we have seen 41 trophy walleye caught and released, with the largest being 30 inches caught by Kevin last week. Our next largest was a 29 incher caught and release by Gary in June.
Strangely enough, we have seen more trophy pike caught and released here than we’ve ever seen. To date, we have had 4 trophy pike pins given out this year.
2 40s caught and released by Alex opening week, a 42.5 incher caught and released by Doug the first week of June and another 42 caught and released by Kevin last week.
The Alley and cut have been on fire. Water level started out a bit high, but is dropping at about 2 feet a week.
With the water temps rising, fish are headed down to cooler water.
We have had a few river trips guided by Eli Jr.—very successful ventures with the best trip resulting in 14 fish landed and released and another 10 lost. It’s always a great experience and if you’re headed here, it’s something to try!
Guests are enjoying our new motors at Makok and we are eagerly awaiting delivery of the new boats and depth finders.
Strikers Point Lodge:
Hello from Striker’s! We have had a wonderful season so far! Guests have been reeling in master angler length pike after pike! The largest was a lunker at 43.5 inches, with many being caught down river!
Guests have also been having success in the back bay, a great spot to check out after dinner. The latest pike was caught with a spoon across from the Bay of Pigs! Keep your eye out for the Pike that lives under the dock as it is a return feeder, persistent enough that the lodge has even given it a nickname!
Miminiska:
The year started off with a bang, with cold water temperatures and fast moving water the numbers and size of walleye were plentiful. Guests and staff are seeing more 22-25″ walleye at Miminiska than in years past. Fast water has been the secret with Ferguson creek, Wattom creek and the honey hole being chalked full of minnow-filled walleye. Why are they there? The minnows of course, being washed down stream from the heavy current draw in walleye. The best times to fish these spots is before the water levels drop and temperatures rise making these locations uncomfortable and less attractivee to pike and walleye. Two groups have also ventured to Petgawanga lake, where staff pointed them in the direction of a close by creek. By cocktail hour the location had the name “stupid hole” as every cast for multiple hours resulted in a walleye or pike flopping beside the Lund boats. The actual name of this creek can only be revealed if you venture to Mimimiska lake yourself.
What is working? For walleye the talk has all been about 1/4 or 3/8 pink jig heads and white twister tails. though this has brought the most fish boat side, do not be afraid to experiment in search of walleye, as fish have been caught on original rapalas, and tube jigs. Even a 7″ suick brought a 25.5″ in front of the camera.
There has been some nice sunny days at Miminiska allowing early aquatic vegetation growth causing larger pike to move from the highly competitive heavy current spots and set up on mid lake humps and weedy bays. Two master angler pike have been landed from mid lake structures along with multiple 35 inchers. Shallow aggressive pike have been caught on subsurface baits like the Rapala glide’n rap, large swimbaits and spinnerbaits. The deeper more lethargic pike are falling victim to oversized crank baits and large, weighted soft plastics.
On the fly fishing side of things the brook trout fishing has been remarkable. Though the base of rivers and creeks have seen many fish fall victim to swinging flies, it is the river trips that have stole the show! The first two trips of anglers floated down the freestone river catching multiple 3 – 5 lb brook trout on woolly buggers and cone headed bunny leaches. A very special trip saw our first female guest float down the freestone river. Liz our highly decorated and seasoned fly fisherwoman left her surpassing her personal best brook trout by 3.5 lbs as the guide wrapped his hand around a 5.5 lb trout. That day also provided other trout pushing and surpassing the 5 lb mark. Whats better than that? well catching all of them on dry flies. The top performer was a golden stonefly!
Mike and Matt Myers headed on a fly-out trip to the Keezhik River as well and landed around 20 brook trout! Fly-outs for brook trout at Wilderness North are a relatively new offering, providing an opportunity to fish on even more remote waterways where massive brook trout are waiting! The Myers also had success with pike; Matt caught and released a 41″ lunker!
Believe the unexpected: Miminiska has seen walleyes on top water baits, pike on almost every cast and 5 lb brook trout on a 1X(10lb) leader tied to a dry fly!
Whitewater Lodge:
‘The pike factory!’ This year Whitewater Lodge has been reeling in monster pike! We keep getting requests to send more master angler pins! That’s a great sign!
Goldborough Creek has been providing massive pike; with Paula reeling in a 44 1/2″, Polina with a 40″ and Cary with a 41″!
As in previous years the pool below Ogoki rapids is home to monsters with Wayne reeling in a 40″ pike! Guests have also had success at porter creek where Jen caught a 41incher!
Successful lures include: blue/silver spoons, river runts, white jigs and walters cove lures.
Needless to say monsters live here! Good luck to those heading to Whitewater Lodge!
Outpost:
For the latest news from Outposts guests check out the article and podcast provided by groups from our Zig Zag Lake Outpost!
