Brown, white, red, yellow and blue, along with the Pointer Sisters doing the Neutron Dance and Tina singing “you’re simply the best,” during our early departure from home it was all the potato colors that were on our morning minds… and some lucky socks on the feet too. Brenda along for the ride, her choices in music were actual kind of fun for a change, helping us pull through a heavier traffic day with a number of bad roady spots. On travel to our usual overnight pit stop with Stevie, Amelie and the kiddos, we first hit O’Briens in Kapuskasing for too big a dinner. It crushed me energy! Once settled in at Mattice our Happy Birthdays were shared with Neve, the eldest of three who turned 16 and was ready to drive, then later Bren won a traditional game of Rummy. Good sleep and a good start, Nipigon was up next!

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THROUGH A FOG.

Woke 5:30am heavy headed but quick to the road. Didn’t drink much at all the night before but just beat. Outside of Hearst through to Jellicoe the early drive would remain laden with patchy fog, albeit the drive was smooth and uneventful. Talking with Bren I would spew on awhile about just how much I’d love to live in northern Ontario and, how much more I appreciate people’s smaller homes with giant garages. That’s the way to do it.

We’d finally launch later in the day onto a glass calm lake and not before too long find a suitable camp. With Bren all the tasks of making camp come easier, she has years of reading my mind and plenty of stamina to work. A couple of hours to have the entire place the way we like it, lunch bellies full and both beds all made and ready for our later return, we set out to the lake on a good run to seek some laketrout.

Not a soul to be seen on the lake. Beautiful day but after spending much of my summer in the high arctic it climbed much too hot for my icy blood. Luckily we didn’t have to work too hard and were fast to find a pod of really active fish which coughed up three quick fish for Bren. She had the fire stick to start and this was great, I really hoped this trip the lake and brook trout fishing would be on for us but, especially her.

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Sweating, cooking, feeling it, gawd I really don’t care for summer heat… just drains ya! The bite slowed down some too and we had to work for the bites after the initial craze. Overall the fish were weary, moving and slowly tucking their heads into the bottom. We lost quite a few fish that we hooked too. Bren managed 8 and me 7 for total 15. On the water we managed a good five hours but less time jigging when including the travel. A respectable first attempt which included a few high teeners.

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Back at camp later in the evening Bren and I would strip down to our skins and bathe in the cool lake. She’d start a fire while I cooked supper, both of us with evening refreshments in hand. We weren’t sure how much longer we’d be able to stay out on the lake before having to return to mainland, several days of stormy weather were forecast ahead but, so far everything was off to a perfect start.

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HANDS TO SHOULDERS.

A warm, light southwest breeze with blowing fog patches we woke to the alarm clock of bird calls. Always slipping out of the tent first I put the coffee on for us both, then began making breakfast. It was a great sleep.

We were away to fish by 900am. Hope was to explore a couple of new areas before later returning to Fishyville. I found this interesting shoal holding a few lakers but warmer water temps there had me wondering if the mass numbers I’d hoped to see were temporarily off some place else? Marked fish though all the while locking in some waypoints, didn’t stay long there at all but the job was done.

At 1018am Bren punched the hook into the lips of our first of the day… and it was a beauty!

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Over the next couple of hours we just kept hooking ‘em! Double headers galore we couldn’t do wrong, both of us locked up into fish consistently and many, many in the 8 to16 pound range which is rather consistent to a 12 pound pound average I often find this lake gives.

It was at 1250pm Bren caught a heavier fish. She was loving every minute of this jiggin’ day! She caught this one, released it and 12 minutes later on the camera photos she banged out another pig. The days catch numbers were climbing quick, trying to compete with me she was keeping track on her phone.

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It had been a very fast four hours on the fish but then suddenly the fish Gods pumped the brakes. The hour before 300pm we banged out a couple more big goodies although the sonar was losing sightings and some lakers were dropping their noses into the mud. Maybe we stung ‘em all?

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We moved! Went looking again, trying elsewhere. The way the wind was blowing I had a hunch really. Can’t teach this shit to kids who play video games, it takes decades of fishing to develop Spidey senses… ahem, fishy senses if you will. Lol. Quick look about and there was an arc to drop on, got it! We’ll try here Bren!!

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While playing the one fish it must have drawn the attention of a nearby school. Before we knew it the games were back on. Pods of eagerly biting lakers came to us, the place was stacked, we barely had to move! One-after-another, again and again, hooksets and smiles all the while eating a late chowder lunch with handfuls of licorice..This time though, the fish were getting even bigger on average and finally instead of photographing high teeners some over 20’s reeled up into the studio.

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The LiveScope would eventually die, had been running it nearly nine hours. A frantic bite we could have honestly done without, considering Bren simply fished blind all day while I had the screen. Some subtleties with both our presentations styles helped pop more fish, a bit of fine tuning as the day went on so to key in on the main preferences Bren managed 27 lakers and I caught 31 for a grand total of 58. We popped a couple easily over 20’s and so many mid to high teeners it was hard to keep track. Hands to shoulders totally spent this was an unbelievable laker slay day both of us will never forget.

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Another bath back at camp followed with a gin and 7 and a delicious re-heated meatloaf dinner we didn’t stay up long at all. Sipped a quick scotch, wrote some notes on the day then tucked in cozy for the night. A heavy rain hit at midnight which woke me a minute, in the tent I always like the sound of rainfall.
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SHOOTING FOR 100.

Very, very, very damp morning, everything soaked and nothing spared a wash. First to see the sun, Bren remained inside the tent to pack up all sleeping and personal belongings for much later this day after all things dried out, we would be returning to break camp and head back to the launch. Appreciated, I soon slipped Bren her morning coffee through the door.

We’d been awake since 700am but not on the water until 1030am. So much to dry out, some packing to get done and I wanted to be sure the MinnKota and Garmin were at full charge.

The day one and two laker catches combined were 15 + 58 and being so I felt like we needed to push for a hundred. 100 lakers. 100 lakers in like 2 ½ days of fishing. 100 lakers in like, twenty hours or less. To reach the target 27 lakers would need be caught and we were against the clock. We dropped the first jig at 1100am with storms expected to roll in later afternoon. The first fish that hit me Holy fawk! Beat me already stiff and beaten arms up. Is this how it’s gonna be today?

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I was up six fish to three over Bren on a very quick start despite her (both really) having rubber hooks with a number of bites. I think she lost like five in a row and I dropped three. As it had day before the bite slowed again and before we knew it time was catching up to us while we struggled getting hooks in. That said, the fish we were bringing topside were of rather great caliber. From the first laker to the ninth caught in only one hour and five minutes, bigguns!

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Same as the day before we made a move after exhausting the first spot and same as the day before we started catching again. We needed thirteen more fish to make it to 27 on the day and that give the special 100th laker. It was nearing 300pm and to get it done I knew we had but just a couple of hours remaining before expected storms were to arrive. In fact, we could see distant shorelines already under threat and our own skies growing cloudier. I was thinking we weren’t going to pull this off.

But it was on! Bren at this point was beginning to mix jigging with her crafting. FFS focus woman, we got a job to do here, beading earrings can wait! One of the first lakers I hooked up with was an absolute lunker too, gave me the gears awhile and during that process kept Bren’s line out of the water. It would turn out to be the biggest of our three days, a big ole grey pushing up on thirty pounds. What a fish!

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I got right riled dialed in after that too, popping most of our fish. Bren struggled to keep up, not hooking near as many and losing a number as well. Same with me though, I dropped a fish at boat side after a longer tug-of-war which was very likely give or take a 25 pounder. With me carrying much of the ball control and often pushing hard into the paint, Bren often booby trapped me and did everything in her sweet powers to try and distract from our goals. Damn her for making us lunch!

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The more bluey skies of the morning were now threatening grey. Nearby a small cell was approaching and in the far distance something bigger was visible on route. Those short two hours and change I banged out ten more lakers and Bren got a couple to, we needed one more…………….

And at 505pm I got it! The 100th lake trout.

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We sped out of there like rockets making our way back to camp!

One thunderstorm narrowly missed us. Frantically we took down the tent and gazebo and loaded the boat with everything. A second storm rolled in and skirted us enough that it began to rain so I quickly tarped the boat and all contents then we put the gazebo back up and stood under that. The storm passed and we made the long ride back to the launch no issues.

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A change in the weather ahead we would have enjoyed staying longer and continuing our laker slay but forecast ahead was a 72 hour Hell that would have meant being stuck in camp and in the tent for the duration. Felt life would be better lived and certainly more comfortable back on the mainland. Insurance too that come expected departure day we would in fact be able to do so. Winds can plague Nipigon for days and days.
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HOUSE CALLS.

A roof over our heads, soft beds, running water and working appliances it was sure nice to be tucked in safe and sound. Pounding heavy rains and winds off the lake to 90K gusts the morning was a consistent wet shit overhead until the afternoon gave way to regular passing storm fronts. There would be very little fishing this day.

Come noon we rode off to do some exploring on the 801 round Onaman River Resort. Take some pictures, get the truck filthy, maybe catch some walleyes somewhere and have a picnic fishfry supper. Coffees in our mugs and candies on the dash it was nice!

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At Onaman Resort we walked about a short while too, down to the rapids and dock. Cast our lines there as well, the fish not co-operating during the cold front and big rise in water.

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Very few but Bren would be so willing and chilling to follow along but this day and everyday she does. I visited some good hours during the later afternoon with Robert and his dad Wilf, as well as his mother Diane and resort hired help Jazz. Bren and I cooked supper in the cabin and visited even more into the evening. A great day off the water, I love this place!

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A POPULAR POINT.

We slept in good and late, enjoyed a big brunch and I edited some photos awhile and Bren beaded. It was again miserable outside, Lake Nipigon holding its own weather system which included being the windiest place in Canada this very day. A no fishing day obviously.

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On the mainland wasn’t so crazy as one can see but, the lake itself would be a really hairy spot to go surfing in the tiller.

After taking food inventory and re-planning our coming week’s menu, Bren and I hopped in the truck to enjoy a drive and explore. We ended up on the eastern shores of the lake taking in some views and pictures, snooping around a couple of homes for sale there and otherwise just passing the time. The water itself was just as I said it would be, pretty rough.

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Ohhh to be chill on a rather chilly day.

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RIVER’S EDGE.

A shit sleep, shit morning, shit drive, tough launch, nasty big blows coming from every shit way, shit fishing, shit loading and both of us entirely shitty I scratched this day from shitsistence.
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BACK IN THE SADDLE!

We were camping again! Day before Bren and I hit the road, reached a launch, found a site on the lake to pitch a spot and slept quite OK enough..? Come 830am it was time to blast off and go fishing. A dewy and cool morning the speck fishing from the hop was pretty off. We weren’t sure how the lake was gonna lay down too, waiting on a SAT weather report. While bobbing around though we were approached by a big white boat and a familiar friendly face. It was past conservation officer Nico now an officer of the law with the local O.P.P. What a great young guy to chin wag and catch up with on the lake.

The specks shut down for the morning Bren and I set off in search of lakers. Over 3 ½ hours through the afternoon we enjoyed picking up 17 fish, 9 for Bren and 8 for me, as well as two over 20 pounds for my lady.

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Great sizes overall once finding an active pod of fish we stayed as long as I thought wise but ended up leaving earlier than need be. Some gusts of wind picked up and weather looked to be changing, it was forecast to do so and rather than beat ourselves up on a ride back I felt maybe we could try some other things..?

Well the fishing everywhere else sucked! No specks, no pike and no other lakers to be found on many spots I know. Essentially an eleven hour day on the water boiled down to a great 3 ½ pounding those greys. No sooner had I moved on from that great lakertrout fishing did I want to go back. Instead we shit the bed… and to make things worse the traffic on the lake was just getting stupid round camp.

Mixed Bren and I some real stiff gin and 7’s to wash down our lamb and italian sausage tortellini and just like that, we were both in bed early.
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GREY JAYS, EAGLES AND SPECKS.

Poking me head out of the tent a grey jay in a tree greeted a good morning. I really like those northern birds!

We rose early for some speck fishing and our hours started with some decent sized catches but also a number which Bren unfortunately lost. Weather was calling for some big winds to kick up early afternoon but otherwise stay hot and sunny ti’ll then. Having done little with specks the trip so far, we planned to stay after them for the duration.

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Many other boats made an appearance, the lake the busiest we’d seen yet. A bald eagle seemingly followed us a short time too, kind of weird? We were spot hopping and it was keeping with us a couple of stops.

Bren continued to blow her speck chances everywhere we went, and we went all over the place. A tough go! The winds too, well they never arrived, not until the supper hour, so sadly we wasted an opportunity to stretch out far and explore.

The specks which had been biting more in the morning wound down but picked up again later afternoon. Casting I pulled a nice one to near the boat, it only inspected the lure and wouldn’t bite. Going back to which rock it crawled out from under Bren a few casts later made sure she set a good hook and make it count. Finally a little better luck for her, and a great big fish too!

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Two more trout tugged my line as well, one we kept for supper. In this lake specks are about the tastiest fish you could ever enjoy. As the winds were just beginning to ramp up a notch we made a last move where I would find luck enough again to catch a bigger trout of my own.

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5:00pm and those winds finally arrived, a big northeaster, so we called it and made our way back to camp. A consolation prize for having our time cut short and many bad luck misses, a most delicious pan-fried brookie with some hash browns was so delicious.

Between us we caught six specks while losing or missing that many and more. With a gin in hand I made some notes while Bren beaded earrings. The sun would set.
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MIKE & IKES GOODNESS.

A rather late summer this year, we woke to the coldest morning yet, the season then really reminding us fall was soon around the corner. Setting offshore the nights rolling waves made for a rougher send off, we were ready for it in wet gear with hot coffees in our travel mugs.

A milk route of brookie spots we’d hit ‘em all. Most were a miss but one gave us a few great fish to photograph. The colors on the specks this trip were really popping!

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Northern fronts, wind and waves continued to impede any kind of fast flow and big runs and that was okay. Beaching awhile we enjoyed a hot lunch, Mike & Ikes, a Pollock wash and some down time out of the wind to simply soak up and dry off in the sunny rays.

R&R rejuvenated, late afternoon we got back on the speck train and this time really hit ‘em right. Two double headers plus several other fish caught over a couple of short hours we quickly put another seven beauties to the boat. Bren would finally find her hot stick and catch the better of our fish.

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One of the doubles our lines got crossed and wrapped and as we reeled the fish closer it was remarkable how both were of equal distance to us on the line and stuck close together. One swoop of the net I luckily put both fish in at the same time. Bren’s measured 23-inches and mine 22. Hers was released and because some sausages we’d planned for dinner had spoiled, we took the smaller fish as our second and final trout meal for the trip. Ten specks for the day, two double headers, two nice ones at 24 and 23 inches, a supper fish, it was a very enjoyable time on the water.

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The lady would finish with six to my four and when that happens she tends to celebrate with a little more vitality and red wine. While cooking up the meal our friends Keith, Kevin and his son John would arrive to camp. A later evening than usual would ensue.
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GOBBLING THE BIG DICKS.

Our final day to fish Bren and I along with Keith and company set our sights on fishing a round of lakers. Boat riding was bumpy to start but once settled in on some fish we found Bren and I were onto a hot start, in under two hours popping seven with one laker easily over the coveted twenty pounds.

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With the wind a bit pushy throughout the day we remained on lakers jigging for a total six hours. They’d gone deeper and to get down I was stuffing a tube with bigger weights, cone and ball heads in the rubber which created a rather signature “dick-like” form. That of course became the running joke, that our lakers were gobbling on big dicks.

After that initial hot start the bite really took a lull though. Keith, Kevin and John really wandered around all over in search mode, Bren and I continued to scrimp and scape gobblers from the bottom when we could catch up to any on the graph. One of the early afternooners that came up was another quality catch for me.

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Mostly bottom feeding this day we’d drop and pop along in the depths oftentimes trying to find a finesse that made ‘em eat. It wasn’t all that effective, the fish were really just in a random state. It was around 3:00pm when both boats relocated to find a few more lakers podded together and fresh. The bite there wasn’t by any means all that great yet it was on enough that Bren and I would double-header our last two lakers of our trip. Two awesome big fish came together for another amazing photo op.
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A befitting finish that followed the same as had happened the day before on the specks, and now the lakers. Too awesome!

Another fifteen greys to add to the trips count Bren and I caught and released 133 in about 27 to 28 hours of fishing time. An incredible average of about five lakers an hour with a great number over twenty up to nearly thirty pounds, and too many teeners to count. We had that 58 laker day which is a new benchmark for us on this lake, and plenty double-headers. Our arms were sorely beaten too, by those fish and counteless more which managed to break free. The speck fishing, well it may have started slow but it ended just fine as well. Three at 24-inches I know Bren’s one catch had the most girth and so I measured it at 14.5-inches, likely the heaviest catch. There’s never been a time before that Bren has followed along for a second summer take to this lake, it was great that she did this year.

Bren and I wouldn’t fish out the entire day. Expected to leave the following morning we made it back to camp early evening to cook up some leftovers and begin packing a few things. The fellas would eventually join us as well, and into the late night we’d chin wag and cheers until finally walking sideways to our tents…
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There is no place I’d rather fish than Nipigon. There are amazing fisheries and locations across Canada I have visited to fish and it is easy to love many things about all of those but, none allow me the same luxuries of having my family and friends, my boat with all my gear, camping as it is enjoyed best and, fishing for the amazing species of brook trout, lake trout, pike and walleye which this lake offers up in incredible numbers of trophy sizes. Special that all is, on Nipigon!

Thanks again for reading and stopping by here at the site.
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Bunk!