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?

Eagle Falls Lodge Art

I hope everyone is having a lovely Easter weekend.  The weather continues to be ridiculously beautiful here in Central Illinois.  I wanted to share some of the art that we have received since taking over the camp in 2009, all gifts from our beloved guests!  I'd like to think that I am someone who appreciates painting and photography and I love having these beautiful AND original pieces of art to show off in our home.

This first picture is of some note-cards that our super close/life-saving/adventure-seeker/makes ANYTHING fun-friend Mary-Jane Owen had made as a Christmas gift.  We are almost out (ah-hem...please give us more, Mary-Jane) and they have really come in handy for thank-you cards, etc.  She took both of these pictures while at the lodge - aren't they fun?

These next two prints were given to us by a first-time guest last summer named Stephen Gorman.  He painted while at the lodge and kept the original watercolors, but sent us very nice quality prints of his paintings showcasing both views of Parker Lake.

When my grandma came up to the lodge in 2010 she took a bunch of pictures to show everyone back in Missouri.  Our relative, Mary A. Shepherd Davies, does watercolor paintings and painted this next piece from a picture my grandma showed her after the trip.  She painted several, and Travis and I got to pick out which watercolor we wanted to have matted and framed.  What a fun present!

This next photograph is our most recent addition to the Eagle Falls Lodge art collection and was given to us by Jeff Zwieg.  He does some professional photography and always has amazing pictures to share each summer after his trip to the lodge.  He even made the frame just for me!  If you look closely at the top he included a view of the camp from the lake as well.

Finally, we have another watercolor painted for us by a very close family friend who traveled all the way from Rhode Island last summer.  Leslie Bostrom is an artist by trade and I was lucky enough to grow up in a house with Bostrom paintings.  We have not done this piece justice and still need to have it framed nicely.  However it is hanging in a position where Cosmo can see it, so he gets a little Eagle Falls Lodge fix during the winter months.  Yeah, we don't baby him AT ALL.

Impressive, right?  We may need to open a small gallery where these can be properly displayed.  We truly do love having them in our home, it makes us feel closer to Red Lake year-round, and it is always fun to show new people what the lodge is like.

Take care,
Carrie

ps.  We leave in 4 weeks!

Eagle Falls Lodge founders

While Carrie and I were in Milwaukee for the sports show in March we had the pleasure of visiting with Walt and Millie Rundle, the founders of Eagle Falls Lodge.  They had the foresight to build the lodge on the unique piece of property between Parker Lake and Red Lake.  The first group was hosted at Eagle Falls Lodge in 1985.  While the lodge has undergone many positive changes over the years we think it still retains the charm created by the Rundles starting in the 1980s.

My first trip to the lodge in 1995 was hosted by Nick and Wendy Mateja, but the Rundles still provided transportation to the lodge at that time on their houseboat.  I have always known them to be great storytellers and this trip was no different.  Walt & Millie both reminisced about their time at Eagle Falls Lodge and their lodge careers prior to that including time spent building Black Bear Lodge in the 1960s.

We certainly have it easier at the camp today thanks to the hard work of the Rundles, Matejas, & Aikens.  It is difficult to imagine building a camp from scratch in the 1960s or 1980s primarily with hand tools, hard work, and plenty of sweat.  Thankfully that's what the Rundles did and we are fortunate to enjoy the fruits of their labor over 25 years later at Eagle Falls Lodge.    

Buster's BBQ

Looking for a pit stop on the way to Red Lake?  Carrie and I have a new favorite - Buster's BBQ located in Vermilion Bay, Ontario.  The restaurant is located on Highway 17 about a mile west of the turnoff for Highway 105 to Red Lake.

My family turned us onto the place after stopping there in 2009 on a trip to the lodge.  They brought us a couple bottles of the now famous Blueberry BBQ Sauce and we were hooked!  If you're thinking that sounds familiar, you're right.  We use and serve the sauce with some of our meals at the lodge.

Buster's boasts an array of BBQ awards including several from the prestigious American Royal BBQ contest.  Growing up in Kansas City, I can tell you that is DEFINITELY a big deal.  The assortment of hardware, plaques, and award certificates in the restaurant is impressive, but don't leave it to the awards.  Go judge for yourself!

Whether you're a fan of smoked ribs, brisket, chicken, or pork you'll find something delicious.  They also serve an assortment of burgers, wraps, and salads.  Carrie and I stopped on the trip home last fall and we can definitely vouch for the Chopped Pork Sandwich and the Brisket Sandwich.  Our only regret is the restaurant isn't closer to Red Lake since we only have the opportunity to eat there twice a year.  For those of you passing through Vermilion Bay on Saturday mornings en route to catch The Barge out to the lodge, you'll be interested to know that Buster's also serves breakfast.  While we can't vouch for the breakfast, if the food is anything close to their lunch it will be well worth your trip.

Give Buster's a try this summer and let us know what we need to order on our trip south next fall.

The sauce picture is courtesy of Buster's website which you can check out here www.bustersbbq.com

Northern Pike Retrieval Patterns

There is plenty of material out there on catching Northern Pike.  Much of it advocates an erratic retrieve to attract the attention of fish in the area.  I won't disagree with the experts.  An erratic retrieve certainly draws fish in, but also leads to a poor hookup percentage especially when fishing topwater lures.

Watching a 40+" Northern boil, swirl, or hurdle your lure is pretty exciting.  An erratic retrieve may have drawn that fish to your lure, but also caused it to miss its target.  Many guests comment on the poor aim of these fish.  One thing to remember is that the eyes of a Northern Pike are essentially on the top of its head, especially on bigger fish.  So when they open those giant jaws to strike at your lure, their vision is temporarily gone since it is blocked by their massive open mouth.  The fish is aiming at the last place they saw the lure and an erratic retrieve will put your bait out of position for a direct hit.

Try a steady retrieve and watch the number of misses drop.  Don't focus so much on either a fast or slow retrieve as that can depend on a number of factors including weather, lake conditions, lure type.  Just concentrate on a steady pattern even if it involves some tricks such as a pause.  You will improve your hookup success if you can find a rhythm that produces strikes.  Crank-pause-crank or a similar rhythm replicated over and over will likely yield more fish than seeing how fast you can crank your reel or popping your rod so erratically that your fishing partner thinks you've gone spastic.  Give it a try this summer and see what you think!

We survived Milwaukee!

Hello everyone!

We got back last night from our big Milwaukee adventure and I thought I would share some photos from our trip.  However, I must share a quick side story from the trip home first.

Travis and I drove separately (an unfortunate circumstance of his work schedule) and we split off near the end of our journey so he could pick up Cosmo while I headed on to the house.  We are spoiled because Cosmo gets to stay at Travis' parents house whenever we are traveling out of town - which Cosmo REALLY loves.  I arrive at the house at 10:30ish very excited to be home at a somewhat decent hour.  Right about the time I turn off the car I remember that Travis has the house key.  Oops.  I figure he is maybe only 20 minutes behind me so I unload my stuff, put it by the door, and sit on the porch swing (which I love) and swing away.  Well, over an hour goes by and there is no sign of Travis.  You are probably wondering why I didn't just call him when I realized I was locked out.  That would require my husband to have charged his phone prior to our journey home.  His cell phone is long dead, while I am swinging away on our porch.  Did I mention that it started raining?  Anyway they finally show up and I ask if something happened to them (in other words: where the heck were ya?)  Turns out he got a nice 30-45 minute visit in at his parents before he headed home.  He is just as curious as to why I am standing in the driveway while its raining at almost midnight.  Good grief.  Makes us excited to be at the lodge - where its next to impossible to be locked out, but very possible to be standing in the rain at midnight.  Can't wait!

Anyway, our trip was really great and the Milwaukee Sports Show was very well attended while we were there.  I started off the show by myself on Wednesday and Thursday (with some help of our loving guests) and Travis joined me Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.  Black Bear Lodge was also at the show and Jillian rocked her booth alone for all 5 days!  She is a trooper.  I think her husband, Jim, and Travis would definitely agree that we represent the better half of our respective ventures.

We had several guests from the Milwaukee area stop by our booth during the show - which was awesome!  It is so great to see everyone and we appreciate you sharing all the reasons why you have made Eagle Falls Lodge your fishing destination.  Below are some photos we took with guests during the show.

We probably owe Andy and Jeff (pictured below) a special shout out for all of their assistance at the show.  They stayed until the bitter end while we packed up the Eagle Falls Lodge mobile, which was parked on the Milwaukee Mile race track (kinda cool, right?)  We sure do appreciate their help and all of the kindness shown by other guests while we were at the show.  It was a lot of fun to talk shop and think about the upcoming summer.

PS.  We leave in approximately 52 days!! How long until YOUR trip?

Sports Show Season Update

Hello everyone!

Last weekend Travis and I traveled to Des Moines, IA to attend the Mid-Iowa Bass Masters Swap Meet.  This is a fun 2 day show where we are one of the few lodges being promoted; it is a smaller show exhibitor wise, but gets a TON of traffic.

We also got to catch up with some of our Iowa guests and visit some of Travis' family local to the area.

Our friends Mary-Jane and Travis Owen came to help out as well, AND we had surprise visitors.  A group of guys from Sedalia, MO drove up for the weekend just to see us!  How cool is that!

We basically sat back while all of our guests pitched the lodge to everyone at the show.  We couldn't ask for more loyal and kind people that we have come to think of as our lodge family.  Talk about persuasive advertising - having people at the booth to tell prospective customers how great our lodge is and why they keep coming back year after year is awesome.  A big thank you to everyone who has come to visit us at the shows this year and in the past.

We will be at the Milwaukee Sports Show March 7-11, located at the Wisconsin Expo Center.  You can find more details about the show on their website here.  We would love to see any of our guests from the area while we are at the show.

A quick reminder to returning guests who have yet to send in deposits, please do so to secure your week with us at Eagle Falls Lodge this summer.  For new guests, we have some openings left - don't hesitate to email us or call Travis at (417) 522-3163.

Take care,
Carrie

Fishing Traveler Reviews

Thanks to everyone who posted reviews for us at fishingtraveler.com.  This site offers reviews, photos, and stories about the best fishing lodges in Ontario & Quebec.  These reviews are a valuable tool for prospective guests considering a Canadian fishing trip.  If you haven't posted a review, please take a couple minutes to do so.  We certainly appreciate it!  Here is the direct link to our page:

http://fishingtraveler.com/eagle-falls-lodge-fishing-trip-information-and-reviews/