First Muskie

My brother Carson caught and released the first muskie of the 2012 season.  He portaged the new kayak at Eagle Falls Lodge to Paulore lake.  The last cast of the day yielded a nice 39" muskie pictured below.  The lure used was a Mepps Musky Marabou with orange, green , & chartreuse coloring.  This fish proves once again that the next big lunker could be just one cast away.

 

Lure of the Year 2011

The winner for the 2011 lure of the year goes to the Williams Wabler.  We decided to bring a few with us last year after reading some rave reviews such as “spectacular...must-have lure...favorite spoon...my tackle box is full of Wablers”.  

We were pleasantly surprised after trying out a few varieties of the Wabler spoons.  Our favorite was a ¾ ounce hammered gold/silver, but Cabela's has several color and size combinations ranging from $5 - $8.  

Carrie landed her 42” Northern on the Wabler last season.  I has one that was likely bigger hooked and up to the side of the boat, but it shook loose before I could land it (Carrie doesn't believe it was bigger than hers).  We also caught some walleye on the Wabler too.  The spoon has an irresistable darting action on the retrieve that provides consistent strikes.  If you get tired of casting it, you should find success trolling it as well.  

It might be worth picking up a couple to try on your trip to Canada this season since we know many of you stop at Cabela's on the way.  We've got our eye out for the lure of the year in 2012, but we plan to keep using some Wablers in the meantime! 

What the...snowball?

Hey guys! Our first group arrived yesterday during a bout of sunshine to kick off the 2012 season. They have settled in nicely but are out facing rain and wind out on the water as I type.  Friday was much MUCH colder than it had been (I'm talking a high of about 42 degrees) and at about 1pm the rain started looking an awful lot like snow. It got to snowing pretty hard for about an hour.

That evening Travis and Carson went out for a bit to catch some walleye to make walleye chowder for supper. It was delicious! Weather will be continue to be cooler during the next few days, but we can see sun and 70 degree temps by the end of the week.

We've got the fire going and plenty of coffee while most of you are sweating in the sun.

Red Lake Fishing Update

Last Saturday was the opener for walleye season and we caught dinner off the Parker Lake dock.... a great start to the 2012 season!

We tried Red Lake for the first time today for a couple hours in Martin Bay.  We caught several walleye in 7-9' of water backtrolling lindy rigs with nightcrawlers.  The surface water temperature was 58 degrees, up from 56 on our first outing a few days ago.  The biggest obstacle today wasn't the fish, but the white fluffy cotton-like seeds from the poplar trees.  They are blowing in force and forming a coat on top of the water.  At times they were so heavy in the air it looked like it was snowing.  They get caught on line easily and gum up in the rod eyelets so hopefully they will clear out soon.  We seem to be catching up on rain too.  After a dry first couple weeks, this week has been pretty soggy.

Until next time...tight lines!    

Preseason Update Week #2

Hello everyone!

As we head into our second weekend up here we wanted to provide you with some more details as to what we've been doing.

Today we had our shiny new water system installed by Red Lake Heating & Plumbing.  They were out here by 8:15 am with the trailer loaded full of gear to help us update our water treatment to the recommended methods outlined by Ontario's Health Unit.  The Red Lake Heating & Plumbing guys are super nice; and Travis, of course, was giddy to watch and help them with the installation.

The weather continues to be unseasonably warm and mild, we have had virtually no rain since our arrival.  I've had the sprinkler going on my never ending attempt to grow grass out here.  However, the air temperature got up to around 80 degrees yesterday so I thought that I was fully justified in jumping in the lake to cool off.  Cosmo makes it look so refreshing.  Let me tell you...it was COLD!  However, it was nice to take a quick dip in the water and I may have to get back in this afternoon if it heats up again.  Definitely the earliest I have gotten in the lake!


We got all the boats and motors in the water this week.  The fleet is looking pretty good!  We ordered a new boat from Red Lake Marine last fall, and I think it is happy with its new home on our Red Lake dock.  Speaking of the Red Lake dock, we are getting ready to do some repair work down there that is much needed after the last few seasons of ice pushing it around.  It has been very pleasant to do all of these outside projects with the weather being so nice.  Bugs start to get bothersome at dusk, of course, but otherwise Travis & I have felt really lucky to spend the majority of our days in the sunshine.  That is one part of being at the lodge that we miss pretty badly during the winter months.

Cosmo has settled into his summer schedule.  Sleeping in late, patrolling the grounds, napping in the sun, hunting for frogs, taking his afternoon swim, and watching over the kitchen at meal times.  Such a lucky boy.

Oh, I almost forgot.  You may remember from our holiday letter that we planned to replace some mattresses this spring in the cabins.  We are super excited to hear some guest reviews, because they look pretty dang upgraded if you ask me!

Have a great weekend!

Carrie

Lodge Update

Hi everyone!  Eagle Falls Lodge is undergoing its seasonal transformation.  The power is on, the water is running, new mattresses are on the beds, and the boats are starting to hit the water.  The camp wintered pretty well (only 5 leaks that have already been repaired)!  The new water system is still in the works, but should be completed before week 1.  

We made a little time to test out one of the motors this afternoon and chase some Northern Pike.  No monsters yet, but we found a few hungry fish.  The water level was perhaps down slightly, but not far off the average.  The high water we've seen at times especially in 2009 and 2010 makes the lake seem low, but it looks comparable to last season right now.  It was surprising to see some weed growth with a healthy start already and much more weed remnants from last year than we are used to seeing.  Likely a result of the mild winter combined with an early ice out.  

Above is the rocky reef north of the 3 islands on Parker.  We don't usually see weeds until June.  

Two beavers came to visit this evening.  We have already seen 

eagles, ducks, loons, bears, and a moose as well. 

Beaver in the water + boats (without motors) in the background.  We thought they might come ashore, but Carrie scared them off trying to get a photo.  

We still have loads of cleaning to do, some dock repairs, and motors to test so we should stay busy.  Until next time, tight lines!  

Almost there

Hello everyone! We are currently in Dryden, and have had a great trip up so far. Border crossing went super well (yea!) and we are happy to take it easy tonight before finishing the trip up highway 105 tomorrow morning. Hopefully everything will have wintered well at the lodge and we will try to get the generator going and have the water on by this time tomorrow. The weather forecast looks reasonable and we are excited to start gearing up for an amazing summer! Look for a post update later in the week. Take care, Carrie

Red Lake Ice Out

The ice is off the lake and we are making preparations for our journey north in a few days.  We don't have word yet on the official date that will be recorded, but it will likely be between April 13 - April 18.  That will certainly set a new record for earliest ice out.  The previous record was April 20th and our friends at Red Lake Marine informed us the ice was mostly off the lake by April 15th.  To put that in perspective average ice out is May 8th.

You might be wondering how that will affect fishing.  Our best guess is this will lead to an early and plentiful spawn.  The above average temperatures will cause warmer water which should keep fish active and feeding all summer.  We are very optimistic about 2012 being the most productive fishing season yet!   Another question is will a mild winter and warm spring make for a HOT summer?  Time will tell...

We will have a few extra days of preparation this year and hope to put an extra dent in our wish list of projects.  We will try to get a post up as soon as we get everything running at camp.

Red Lake Map

Every part of the week in Canada is magical, but let us talk about a little magic found in the map of Red Lake. There is a beautiful map hanging in the main lodge.  I have one stowed away in my tackle box and one on my wall at home.  If this summer brings your first trip to Eagle Falls Lodge, your waterproof copy is awaiting purchase. This map is good for finding fish, planning adventures, and recounting the day's successes.

I like starting out the day in front of the map in the main lodge with my fishing partner.  If there is a wind blowing across Parker Lake behind us we can use the map to locate all of the shores awash by wind-swept waves - the shores with mud-lines.  These mud-lines attract walleye with the promise of food washed in from the banks. After a successful morning catching the most edible sized walleye (16-17") we meet at the predetermined (using the map) location for our shoreline lunch.

Following the finest fish dinner I have found anywhere, sometimes I feel like adventure.  This might be found in casting or trolling for the aggressive and hard-fighting northern pike which are frequently found in the pools below flowing water.  I reference the map to find rivers and creeks feeding into Red Lake and Parker.  Sometimes I feel like finding a new walleye fishing spot.  Walleye depth is usually figured out during the morning fishing trip.  Using this knowledge and my trusty map I can fish at similar depths, which are frequently very productive.  If I feel like a sight-seeing adventure, the Red Lake map also highlights historical landmarks which include wagon roads, abandoned gold mines and pictograph island which depicts the 'Legend of Red Lake'.

At the end of the day I have used the map several times.  It helps me catch fish, meet for lunch, locate new fishing locations and explore.  Through all of this I don't get lost and I don't hit rocks with my new 20 hp motor because I have navigated with the map as well.  I have one last use for the map before the day ends.  Near the wood stove in the main lodge (see right side of the picture below, courtesy of Carson Mack) the map on the wall collects the tales of the day's feats.  It is the perfect visual aid for showing where the walleye were brought up as fast as I could get my line back in the water, where the I caught and released the 42" northern pike as the wind washed the boat farther up the creek that was emptying into the bay, where the eagles are nesting this year and where a miner's cabin from the 1930s can be seen from the water.

I might hear stories of a moose on the shoreline, a portage trip that found small mouth bass, a northern pike too big for the net (don't let this be your story, bring a big net), or a 29" walleye that was caught and released so it can reproduce and grow to be bigger next year.  In the telling of these adventures I am certain that sometimes the fishing location is pointed out a little ways away from where the fish were actually caught - imagine that - but on the whole the Red Lake Map is an excellent tool to make the trip to Eagle Falls Lodge a success. 







    

Medical Upgrade

The newest addition to our extensive first aid collection this season is a Philips Heartstart AED (automated external defibrillator).  Carrie and I both renewed our CPR training this spring and practiced operating an AED.  Carrie has been affectionately calling him Phil.

An AED is a portable electronic device that is capable of diagnosing a heart arrhythmia and treating it with electrical energy to reestablish a regular heart beat.  Untreated heart arrhythmia can lead to cardiac arrest and every minute is critical.  AEDs have been proven to save lives on multiple occasions.  We are hoping ours collects dust and is never put to the test.

The most likely medical situation we face is probably dealing with a flesh wound due to a fish hook.  We have successfully removed a few hooks in the last few years, and this is also an injury that lots of anglers can handle themselves.  Of course if you aren't comfortable with us taking a hook out, we'd be happy to take you in to the clinic in town.  The lodge is about 20 minutes away from the hospital in Red Lake via boat and vehicle.  We took a guest in last year with a particularly nasty hook injury and the clinic successfully removed the hook for about $50 and only lost 2 hours of fishing time.  Not bad, huh?