Every year opening week is a wild one. And this year it was even more so. By now most of you know that we have added two more American plan lodges on the Albany River, and four more outpost cabin destinations. We’ve also replaced over 75 motors with clean -quiet four stroke Yamahas.

And, then of course, there’s mother nature. Our winter snows were marginal at best, and our lakes are down a bit. We had lots of rain this first week and that has helped…somewhat. Our early guests encountered snow, rough waters driven by high winds, some sun, and frosty nights… No Problem! These “first” guests always prepare for “all season” fishing. I truly respect these anglers for setting the pace. It’s good to see so many familiar faces again.

So did their preparation pay off? You Bet! We just totaled the most registered trophy pike for opening week, in our history. For us, this exceptional start helps answer the question; “ Do the lower water levels hurt the fishing?” Good anglers who are well prepared always succeed. That’s why we spend the time in pre-trip orientation – to ensure that every guest is well informed- a big part of being “well prepared”.

LIVE VERSES ARTIFICIAL …THE DEBATE GOES ON !

Many of our guests learned to fish with minnows or other live bait. However we have learned that the new artificial baits are worth considering, especially Gulp or other scented baits from Berkley. Where did we learn it? From our guests who are equally passionate about these easy to handle, always fresh alternatives to “live”. Either way we can help. If you want live bait make sure you get your order to us early…and as for “GULP” we have them too. Salted minnows pose a problem with the VHS viral issue so call us for orders or for more information. 888-465-3474