New Walleye Leader!

Last night Carrie decided to head out with a couple of the guys to get some fishing in.  We're nearly into the last month of the season so the pressure is mounting on the big fish competition between us.  Carrie has beaten me in three out of the past four seasons so I've been determined to even up the score.   I thought I perhaps had it locked down with the 26" fish I caught during the first week of the season.  Key word...thought.

Dave & George were nice enough to let Carrie jump in the boat with them.  I warned them before they left to not put her on anything TOO big.  To be exact, nothing over 26".  Less than 5 minutes after they started fishing, she landed this beauty!

A 28.75" Walleye off Red Lake, the biggest walleye caught and released this season!

The hostess isn't supposed to outfish everyone else.  But I learned a long time ago, there is no fishing justice.  Most guys spend 60-70 hours each week pounding the water and Carrie has probably fished less than 10 hours total the entire summer.  That's the way it goes.

This was right about the same time I was licking the Cool Whip container during supper clean up.  I think instead of doing dishes tomorrow, I may be at least fishing from the dock.  I won't beat that fish standing in the kitchen!

family week pictures

I hope everyone had a great weekend!

Well it has been about 10 days since our mid-summer recovery week when I got to spend 7 blissful days with my mama, my Gran, and some longtime friends.   And I'm still kicking.  So it doesn't quite kill me to be separated from my mama, but its darn near close.  She is the best.  I'm telling you, I come from good people.  Family is big time for me, so I am serious when I say how much I appreciate all of our guests and how close they have become like family.

Here I am with my mama and my Gran.  I love them so much!

We had a great relaxing week full of fishing, good stories, good food, and lots of laughs.  The weather was awesome as well!

My friend Emily and I became best friends in middle school.  This was before cellphones.  I remember coming in the door after school or practice, dropping my 50 lb backpack, snatching the cordless home phone (which was a BIG luxury) and instinctively dialing Emily's house.  My thumb just knew how to dial, I don't think it even registered in my brain.  I can't even fathom what we would talk about for hours on end during those formative years.  I must thank both my parents and her parents for putting up with what must have been mostly ridiculousness from the years 1998-2001.  Fast forward 12 years and we are officially lifelong friends.

She is the best and so is her husband, Ben.  We have been lucky enough to visit them a few times a year in Minneapolis where they live now - both when we head up to Canada and when we head home.  Neither of them had been walleye or northern pike fishing and they had a blast learning how during their week up here.

Travis is still a better guide than me for sure.  We got to teach them about back-trolling, jigging, casting, the whole gamut.  It is so rewarding to witness people who are new to fishing get just as hooked (see what I did there guys) as we are!

Here is Ben with his 22" walleye on Parker Lake.  

(Notice the Eagle Falls Lodge swag his is wearing!)

Emily was hesitant to hold this little walleye....

But had no trouble getting a picture with this 24" walleye off of Red Lake

That face is PRICELESS!

Emily's mom, Lisa, caught a smallmouth on Parker Lake

And my mama caught a 22.5" walleye on Red Lake

We made sure to have a traditional fish-fry while they were visiting

Nice looking stringer, right?

We are still just as ridiculous in 2013 I think.

All in all it was a much deserved and needed break.  Alas, there is plenty of work to be done now!

Red Lake & Parker Lake - late July fishing report

Happy Friday everyone!

I'm sitting in my favorite wifi hotspot - Timbit Town!  Read more about that here.

I feel like we barely blinked this week and it went from Saturday to Friday.  How the heck does that happen?

Every. Dang. Week.

We reluctantly said goodbye to everyone we just spent the week with and are again marveling at how it already feels like we are well into the second half of our season.  I'm telling you, owning a fishing lodge is a pretty good gig folks.

So, fishing report...

I think perhaps the biggest question this week was where summer went!  We woke up to temps in the upper 40's this morning.  With a decent wind blowing across Red Lake this morning it definitely felt more like September than late July!   The weather was much cooler all this past week with highs in the upper 60's and lower 70's.  Our group experienced lots of overcast weather and some rain as well.  Are you thinking what I'm thinking?

Walleye, walleye, and more walleye!

The guys and gals this week had big numbers as far as walleye go - the weather was PERFECT!

Some niced size fish as well, Tim caught this 27" walleye on Parker Lake.

 What a nice fish!  

As of now, that is the biggest walleye to come off of Parker Lake this season.  

Here is Kevin with another smallmouth bass (12.5 ") on Parker Lake.

We are happy to report we are getting more of these caught each year!

And a nice sized northern on Parker - 34.5"

Nice work, Paul!

It appears that most species have definitely moved a little deeper by this point.  Guests were fishing at depths of 10-15 feet on both lakes this past week, and were successful both casting and trolling.

These guys from Missouri and South Dakota are all related and it had been 11 years since their last trip to Eagle Falls Lodge.  We can't wait to see them again next year in 2014!

In addition to some returning guests we met some new people from Minnesota and Texas.  They had perhaps the best story about a fish they didn't actually catch.  Lets just say there is a monster Muskie out on Red Lake and now I know right where she lives.  I would give more details, but then one of you expert anglers would head straight there to snatch it.  I think I will try and get her myself, thank you very much.  

A quick reminder for those guests heading home (and probably reading this blog on their fancy schmancy smart phones in the car) - please email any photos we didn't get from you last night.  We would love to feature you on the blog, website, and out at the lodge! 

Beef, It's What's For Dinner...

 Click play for a quick 1990's throwback - you know when you actually HAD to watch commercials on television...



Does anyone remember these commercials?  I wonder how the composer, Aaron Copland, would feel about his song being used in these commercials.  Wouldn't it be ironic if he had been a vegetarian?   Aaaand now that song might be stuck in your head all day.  Aaaand you're welcome.

While this commercial highlights meals you can prepare in under 30 minutes we kind of do the opposite.  Here at Eagle Falls Lodge it is all about "low and slow".  For the past few years Travis has been preparing a delicious beef brisket that has become a bit legendary here at the lodge.  He uses his super secret original dry rub and starts the cooking process the night before we actually serve the meal to our guests.  In a dream world Travis would probably smoke the brisket, but we usually have a few (read: endless) distractions at Eagle Falls Lodge on a daily basis that it would be near impossible to watch and baby a giant smoker full of meat each week.  Keep dreaming baby!

 Here is Travis getting everything seasoned to perfection

All ready to go in the oven!

Yummy!

This meal has definitely become a guest favorite.  I tell you, I hardly need to show up to work anymore!  But seriously, Travis does a great job with the brisket.  Oh - I almost forgot.  We get our beef (brisket and steaks) at the small grocery store in town.  It is called West End Groceries and they have a fantastic meat counter with a true butcher to boot!  We LOVE West End, and have been very pleased with the Canadian beef products all around.   Thank you West End Groceries!

2014 schedule + cute Cosmo picture

Hey everyone!

I know you are wondering why the heck I am posting on a Wednesday.  Wednesday?  What, is she nuts?  (Definitely possible!)  We are trying to catch up on our "to-do" list today at the lodge - I know we are WILD!!!  In all efforts of making that massive "to-do" list shorter we have updated the availability blog post to reflect the 2014 season reservations.  Please follow this link to view the post which now lists updated 2014 availability.

Also happening on this Wednesday at Eagle Falls Lodge:

cream puff making

Cosmo napping

shore lunching

Travis weed-whacking

barbeque chicken grilling

Another guest birthday we are celebrating!

Isn't he just the best?

Have a great day!

Ladies and Gentlemen, Start Your Engines!

Many of you are boating veterans while some of you are making your first trip to Eagle Falls Lodge this summer.  No matter how much experience you have, it doesn't hurt to watch a refresher on how to start your boat motor below.  If you're new to boating, you'll have a head start before you arrive.

Watch both videos to see the difference between the new electric start motors we are in the process of upgrading to and the older pull-start motors.  Half of the motors on each lake are now electric start.  Next year 75% will be electric and we will be 100% electric for the 2015 season.  Don't worry, if you don't like pushing a button to start your motor, you can still pull the handle on the electric starts for nostalgic purposes.

What do you think is the most confusing/easily forgettable part of boat motor operation?  Let us know if we can clarify anything else - we are here to help!

Red Lake and Parker Lake fishing report - mid July 2013

Hello everyone!

Long time, no post!  I just dropped off my mama and my gran at the Red Lake airport and am now busy gearing up for our next group to arrive.  It was so nice to have some recovery time last week with my family visiting the lodge.  Hopefully Travis and I are well rested as we launch into the second half of the season!

I wanted to share the pictures from the group that was here during July 6 - July 12th,  the week before our mid-summer hiatus.  We had a mix of return guests and some new guests at the lodge - all of which had a great week!

Here is Nate with a 13" smallmouth off of Parker

He also caught a 16" sucker fish on Parker

Here is Matt with a bit of a unique catch -  a clam!

Nate also caught this nice 25.5" walleye on Parker

Nate and Dave with a late night stringer

Old college friends after a good day on the lake!

I managed to crash a shore lunch during the week.  

We determined it was my first time actually frying the fish!

Yummy!

Cosmo putting on his shore lunch sad puppy dog face...

We had a nice representation of guests from central Illinois (where Travis and I live in the winter)

during that week, so we got an obligatory group shot.  

Can you see Cosmo peeking through the deck railing?

Our good friend, Bevin, (on the right) was here with here parents - Beth and Frank

Here is Beth with her 29" northern on Parker Lake

Our friend from IL, Heidi, talked her parents into coming up for a week.  

Debbie and Russ LOVED it, so now its your turn, Heidi!!

As per usual, Debbie out-fished Russ pretty much the whole trip

Russ did catch this nice 30" northern on Red Lake

Debbie held her own with this 24" walleye on Red Lake

Russ also caught this 25" walleye on Parker Lake

 These two love birds celebrated their 31st wedding anniversary 

during their week at Eagle Falls Lodge!

As you can see, people are still catching loads of fish up here.  Most of the new guests from that week had a lot of success using lindy-style rigs, back trolling for walleye.  They are definitely moving a little deeper, but our guests had fun learning how to fish this way and many of them learned how to tie their own!

We are looking forward to some cooler temperatures this week.  Travis checked out the extended forecast and it looks like the highs will be lower 70's for most of the week.  Sounds good to me!  After a light week in the kitchen I will get back in the swing of things as we bring in another nice sized group.  Looking forward to seeing the rest of our guests make the trip up and catch some BIG fish!