An evening on the lake

Good evening everyone!

Travis and I just came in off the water for the last time this season.  It was one of those perfectly calm evenings with yet another breathtaking sunset.  It was as if every creature was aware of our imminent departure and came out to say goodbye one last time.  Most of the loons have migrated I think, but to hear their haunting cry is absolutely moving.  We could see its silhouette on the water while it swam in the bay.  The beavers were out being very busy (as always) and we had one come right up to the boat.  Travis was casting into a weed bed as a last attempt for a smallmouth bass this season and we cut the motor.  The instant silence is totally awesome.  Out of nowhere we could hear an incredible snorting sound.  It had to be a bull moose and we could hear it just off shore into the woods for a good 10 minutes.  I had never heard that before and it was something.  As the sun was setting, bats fluttered around us eating the last of the summer's bugs.  Sometimes it takes these quiet moments for me to truly appreciate how lucky I have been.  The end of the season is always tougher on Travis, it breaks my heart to watch him have to leave this place he loves so very much.  But how truly truly lucky we are.  We are here for five months a year - and find happy, unforgettable moments each day.  And the view from the office isn't bad either.

As we docked the boat I asked Travis what he was thinking about.  His response: "I was thinking about how cool it would be if we could get a camp boat up into a tree."  I kid you not.  That guy is unpredictable.  But you have to admit, a camp boat tree house does sound kind of amazing.

I hope everyone has a great Sunday and a good start to the week.  We will be traveling home early next week.  As much as I look forward to Chinese food, being able to talk to family and friends, quick runs to the grocery store, and settling back into our Illinois life, our Eagle Falls Lodge portion of life is pretty darn grand.

All good things must come to an end...

Hello everyone,

We haven't blogged in a good solid week and there is no excuse.

We helped our last group pack up this past Friday and Travis and I have been enjoying a few quiet days out at the lodge.  It is hard for us to believe that the 2012 season is already over.  We pretty much blinked at the beginning of August and it was Labor Day.

As we start to pull boats out of the water and winterize everything out at camp we stop and soak in our last few moments of Canadian wilderness.   It is something that I have really grown to love and miss over the winter months.  How lucky we are to enjoy this view, the remoteness, and all the guests who have truly become our friends in the past few years!

We can't thank our guests enough, it is because of all of you that we had another great summer!  Thank you, thank you, thank you!

We have much more blogging headed your way throughout the off-season, so stay tuned over the winter.  Travis and I have lots of work to do before we head south, but are also finally relaxing and enjoying some time on the water and the deck while we are still here.  I think Cosmo knows his trip is coming to a close, because he has been outside ALL day these last few days.  The weather has been beautiful and very fall-ish.

Hopefully you all had a great Labor Day weekend and now that summer is over you are looking forward to fall - my favorite season!

Carrie

Year of the Pike

2012 seems to be the year of the Northern Pike at Eagle Falls Lodge.  We've had a record year for numbers of big Northerns caught and released.  You might remember a few days ago we had a flurry of activity on the catch & release board.  The group that was targeting Northerns has headed home, but the numbers they left behind on the board are staggering.  They caught and released 154 Northern Pike measuring 30" or more and 20 Northern Pike measuring 40" or better.  That's an average of fourteen fish 30" or better and nearly two fish 40" or better in each boat.  Not bad right?

Here's how the group fared over the last four years with us.  This is even more impressive considering this was the smallest group size over the past four years.

It's especially great to know that so many fish are being caught in the 27.5" - 35.5" slot and many of these fish will survive to become trophy sized.  Here are a few more shots of big fish from the week: 

Scott's 42" Northern

Dakota's 39.5" Pike

Marty's 37" Northern

Dave's 44.25" Pike