The Fishing Trip of a Lifetime (so far)

[Dr G]

Hi folks. It all started almost exactly a year ago when I decided that I wanted to finally add fishing to my passion for backcountry canoeing. This site was one of the first places I came to learn about fishing because I had never really fished before and didn’t know a thing. This site and all you folks provided me with a boatload of information about rods, reels, baits and technique and it was also through this site that I met Garry 2 r’s. He took me out on his boat a couple of times in the spring and gave me practical instruction in knots, casting and generally how to work the shore for Pike and bass. The point of all this culminated in a recently concluded 3 week canoe trip with my wife to Quetico Provincial Park which is east of Thunder Bay just on the Canadian side of the Ontario/Minnesota border. It was an amazing trip and I fished for and caught some of just about everything. Quetico may be one of the best places in the world to fish for smallies, walleye, Pike and lake trout. There is no pressure on these lakes. We often didn’t see anyone for 2, 3 days at a time. I didn’t catch any trophy fish but I sure did catch a lot of 1 to 2 pound smallies and Walleye as well as medium sized Pike in the 7 to 8 pound range (but I can’t stand Pike so the fewer the better for me.) I tried all kinds of different baits – cranks being my favourite but also, surface plugs, jigs with tubes and twister tails (new for me) and Senkos fished wacky and T-rigged.

My favourite day on the water was one that was clear as a bell with a wind blowing to beat the band. 2 to 3 foot white capped swells is no big deal for a bass boat but try it in loaded 16 ½ foot canoe some time. It’s like deep sea fishing. So we’re paddling to our next destination and I decide, what the hell. I'd heard this lake had Lake Trout and even though it was late summer I figured I had nothing to lose in throwing out a Rapala Deep Tail Dancer a big 30 foot deep diver. The lure was a last minute purchase so I figured I might as well use it. 10 minutes out and I’ve got a tug. By this time the wind is really blowing and my wife is in the bow working like an expert trolling motor to keep the canoe from going broadside into the waves and us getting swamped. Meanwhile I reel in a nice 2 pound Laker. I get it on my lipper to weigh it and I’m already smacking my lips when the damn thing slips the lip and heads back down. So I toss out my line again. I’m completely digging this, the wind, the sun, the hint of danger – what a thrill, but my wife is starting to get pretty anxious because the wind continues to pick up and she really wants me paddling not fishing. Basically she lays down the law – “one more cast and then you better be paddling us out of here.” Another 10 minutes and I got a major tug on the line. I feel like I’m doing a re-enactment of the Old Man and the Sea. My rod is bending, the wind is blowing and my wife is white knuckling her paddle. Up comes a real beauty, a 4 pound Laker which this time I do get into the boat. We immediately head for shore where I fillet this beauty before we head out on the water again. That night we ate our fill – fresh Lake Trout fried in Ghee (that’s clarified butter and one of the best ways to fry fish.) What a way to end a perfect fishing day.

Anyway I want to thank you all for your generosity – some in answering my specific questions and others for just generally sharing your experiences as fisherfolk. You all helped to make our time in Quetico the trip of a lifetime. Next up is a short 4 day trip up to Algonquin Park at the beginning of October to hunt for small mouth.