Canada Day 2022
Happy Canada Day all! From windy, wet, thundering Happy Camp Ontario we greet you today! It is shortly before 2, and the wind turned from the west to Northwest while Magoo and I were out fishing. Whitecaps poured into the 1st bay, and if anyone remembers, White Otter Lake can turn terrible quickly. I still shake my head today with how this lake can have whitecaps from 2 different directions at once! Folklore tells of a great sea monster that lurks in the depths of the narrows, there maybe some truth to it.
Magoo and I found some fish that were not full of Mayflies and had a nice bite going before the wind spiked up. We repositioned a few times only to have the anchor torn free from the bottom, maybe the Monster pulled it up. Fishing was sporadic but some nice Walleye over 23 inches came to the net today. Anchored again I tossed out my lure and let it sit on the bottom and had a sip of Ginger Ale and gave Magoo a Biscuit. I noticed the rod tip bending so slightly, hmmm, what is up with that, I am out in about 22 feet so there are no weeds? I watched the rod pump a couple times, then lifted it and felt the heavy weight of something swimming out to the main lake. I set the hook and the thump thump of something really big didn’t stop at all! Drag started singing as the Monster pulled me where ever it wanted to go. I noticed the stern of the boat turn into the wind with the Monster and noticed how the Monster had pulled the anchor loose. We were anchored in about 8 feet and I noticed now on the locator we were in 24 feet. As any of you know me very well know that I have been lucky enough to catch some pretty big fish in my day, from 35 Pound King Salmon casting with a spoon, to walleye in excess of 12 pounds and Pike over 20, not to mention Muskies in the 30 pound Range. This thing was nothing short of doing what ever it wanted! The constant pulling was like nothing I have encountered before. Not much head shaking or runs, just constant pulling the boat with Magoo and I in it out into the waves of maybe 3 feet.
I noticed how we left the 1st Bay and tried to ease the Monster up, nothing doing! Just constant heavy weight is all there was. Reeling down, I noticed how the St. Croix 7 footer was bent all the way over and while I am not as strong as I once was, my forearms are now aching! What is heck do I have I am thinking and even Magoo who doesn’t pay attention to the fish, is back at my side looking into the water. Pulling and digging deeper I continue to put as much pressure as I can without any luck. I can feel the Beast shake its head now, but no running, just a shake here then dig down. I pull up and watch the fishing rod pump and bend in half! I do all I can just hang on, then the Monster pulls one last time down and I feel heavy weight become very light, the line has broke. Magoo looks at me and puts her head down, walked to the front, climbs on the deck, lays down and closes her eyes.
I sit and think what was that, and I still do not know. Do I think a walleye, no. Pike, no, the action and fight was something I have not experienced since catching huge Sturgeon on the Wolf River. But there are no Sturgeon here, are there? Perhaps a Monster that nobody knows, one thing is for certain, that thing will pull anyone around the lake, no question about it!
Weather has been erratic, lots of strong storms, wind and rain, keeping the Bugs very, very healthy. Earlier this week we traveled to Pagwa in search of a new Bear hunt area. The current area now will have no access of 2022 and while we are hopeful for 2023, one never knows. I do know that the area we checked out yesterday is wilderness, in fact there are NO roads north of the new area, just Hudson Bay if you get that far, so that is more adventures, who is up for them?
Camp is still a work in progress and getting there slowly. Propane now got delayed for some reason, if I was to guess, they haven’t got prices high enough yet? But alas, gas is at $2.25/liter so there is definitely enough gouging there. Difficult to get some things, and the rumor is that by fall many things will harder to come by yet! Guess this is the world we live in today, anyone else think the Merle’s tune, ” Are the Good Times really over for good” may have been a few years too soon?
One bright spot is the animals, bunnies are starting to show up, and Grouse clutches are showing up more and more. Mayflies started to fill the air and water, so the fish will be full and sluggish for a few days.
With that said, I shall shove off to watch the next storm roll in! Enjoy your Canada Day, take care!!