Our family lived on an ice road or boat-to only island for eight years. Before that, I worked a year and half on a secluded fly-in Reserve in Northern Ontario. The past seven years, I have been jetting away to some of the most remote communities in Canada to stay and work for weeks at a time. So, in March of 2020 when asked to socially distance, wear a mask here and there, and to quarantine before and after Arctic contracts, the only real issues I had were with shaving off the beard, worrying just how bad this bug really is and when it will end, then later finding while at home I was missing some work days and friends from the local E.R’s.

Isolation and social distancing have never bored or bothered me much though. Don’t keep a data plan on my phone, and never have! Disconnecting is easier that way and if being honest, it’s probably a good reason for why I fish and enjoy life outdoors as much as I do. There are much bigger and better connections to be made out there, alone or with friends and family. Online stuff should just be in one’s downtime, the morning coffee or evening entertainment, because everything else in the real world should be what we’re living for.

I would say it was a great fishing year for me, for my girls and certainly for some friends too. Within this report you’ll find links provided for all the full stories posted earlier in 2020… Not since 2015 has a full winters ice fishing season been something I could do. Working at home in the E.R. early 2020 for a couple of months while waiting to switch out northern employers, a first amazing fish and honestly the one choice as the absolute favorite for the year, in January I iced my biggest and best splake ever with my friend Trevor there to cheer me on.

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ONE “HUGE SPLAKE!!!”
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After that the ice fishing stage would be set. Caught more splake, then some lakers, and remember spending a great day out with my buddy Jesse who pulled a few good greasers out of his own ice hole. (repeat the last half of that sentence and ask yourself if that sounds right..?) Bren and I also joined the annual group up at Bogie but unfortunately my contracting an early case of Covid required I depart early. A second time rather sick in 2020, nearly six weeks of the winter I’d carry a gnarly cough. Though a couple weeks after Bogie I had the chance to join some buddies and my old friend Patty out west near Atikokan. Tougher fishing, it was certainly time well spent eating, drinking and exploring!

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BROWN’S CLEARWATER, OTTER CASTLE & “TOUGH” GREY TROUT
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Spring brought in six weeks work in Coral Harbour Nunavut and once returning home many eager angler’s were stuck waiting for the Government to open up some fishing launches. Once a go, Leah and I were quick on crappies and gar, and the kiddo would reel in one longnose just eight ounces shy of the Canadian record. Friends Chris and Jay would join in too, catching some of the biggest toothy fish of their lives. A side of walleye followed by some main course lakers would finish off the home water buffet. Spring was “essential” to restoring some normalcy.

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SPRINGS SOCIAL FISHSTANCING
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First trip to Nipigon with Bren, Amelie and StevieZ would start with a summer snowfall for our drive up. A shortened and tougher weather week we did quite alright for specks, lakers and pike, with Bren catching her longest northern to date. Stevie and Amelie reeled in their PB lakers too. There were some good times to be had and we all made the best of the last minute changes. I’d catch a nice big grey of my own, tying for weight another best Nipigon fish from some year past.

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NIPIGON WARNING IN EFFECT.
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After the fishing distancing in Nipigon, I soon traveled up north for a five weeker to Taloyoak Nunavut on a second 2020 contract. First another two week quarantine once arriving there, and further beaten up tired by a busy clinic, once allowed to finally go outside I managed to escape a few evenings for short laker trips on some nearby waters. Three times on different weekends my friend Jordan would also see to it I’d have the chance to ATV away with him for arctic char and many, many more lakers. It was heaven on earth those trips, and had it not been for him, the arctic fishing would have really sucked.

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A NUNAVUT NOMAD VI. By Way Of Netsilik.
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Came home, packed the boat, camping and fishing gear, did a tonne of meal prep and then hit the road for sixteen days back to Nipigon. Part time first with StevieZ, the second half of the trip I’d head off solo. Enjoyed every moment of it, for as said at the beginning of this, there are no problems going with or without people along on the ride. Well, it was walleye, pike, lakers and specks pretty much in that order, and watching StevieZ boat his biggest ever gator was a joy. The whiskey and campfires that followed, sleeping in a tent, weathering the storms, all of it was just as much fun. Met some great folks along the way too.

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A SOLO ROADY NORTH IV. Every Which Direction….. still to come!
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After a short break from fishing, it was second week of September when muskie season began. For eight weeks I had that fever pretty bad, fishing with Bren and Leah, and friends Trevor, Chrish, Lenny, Paul and Jason. Real nice to pop some fatties for the muskie virgins aboard the Lund and, I’d see to it my girls caught nice ones too. Amazing as well to break out from skisolation and spend more time with solid anglers like Chrish and Trev, both fishing banner seasons of their own. Stole a few short breaks from the muskie grind, taking Leah into the Highlands for a tour, Bren out for sturgeon and, meeting Shad and Chris for a snow-squall Quinte walleye day. Once back to skis I’d finish out the season happy on the hunt and lastly join up with Chrish and Trevor again to win the first Muskie Capital Cup tournament.

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MOOSKIE LOCKDOWN
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Slipped the boat away first week of November because of necessary work up in Kimmirut Nunavut. That’d be all 2020 could offer. Fished no different than usual, ended on a real high note and had a great year watching friends and my girls absolutely crush big fish of their own. Aside from the fishing, I consider how fortunate we are as Canadians to have such an awesome, vast and inspiring country to retreat to for our health and peace of mind. Had the days out on the ice, land and boat with great people not balanced all else crazy in the world right now, I’d have considered 2020 a rather big kick in the knackers. But in the end that wasn’t the case at all.

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Remember fresh air is found outside, your phone can easily and always stay home and, just around that next tree or bend in the river could be something much more real to explore.

Best to all for 2021.
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Bunk.
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