This past week – here at Makokibatan Lodge – was very exciting for the Anderson family from Illinois – including Brad and his two son’s, Matt and Tim. Brad reported catching at least 50 walleye – this past Monday – the last day of trip. Overall, fishing has been great…Tim and Matt took a river trip with First Nation guide Errol Coaster creating “once in a lifetime” memories as only fishing Ontario’s Albany River can. On the way down the river, they did some fishing for walleye – fishing deep, fishing slow – when they were surprised by the weight of a huge fish. Tim worked the “heavy log” for a while, being determined to get this one in the boat when suddenly out of the water jumps an Ontario White Sturgeon. It snaps off the line and in a blink it’s gone. Whew- is there an instant replay here? You want to see excitement? You should have seen Tim’s face, just telling us the story of a fish he claims may have been 7 feet long.
Okay calm down now…so then it’s on to the brookie’s, where Tim caught a 21 inch beauty. Then Matt hauled another big one in – this time 20 inches. He said, when you get the guide saying, “Holy *&%$% that’s a big one!” Well, that’s not the end of the excitement, next was a big pike. He got that one to the boat and lost it along with Matthew’s Little-Cleo lure in the tussle. Moments later, brother Tim hooked a big pike and upon trying to get her ready for the net, he saw his brother’s Little Cleo in the pike’s mouth at which point he snapped his little Cleo off. How’s that for a “The One Who Got Away” story? Both brothers said, “anyone who catches that pike – we want our little Cleo’s back”…talk about excitement for one day!
…Meryl & Bernard Carroll