Catching the Good Life in the Canadian Wilderness

Hi folks.  A short update on the partner that has joined forces with Happy Camp Ontario!  Late this afternoon we reached a deal with Scentlok Enforcer to provide the opportunity for our Bear hunters to try the Scentlok Enforcer, a revolutionary ozone system to eliminate scent from clothing!  So, with them joining our force, we now have ThermCell, RayoVac and Scent lok Enforcer to use as tools for success in Bear hunting!

I am extremely excited about this opportunity and as anyone who has come to the Happy Camp Region knows, I tell it like it is and only promote a successful product that we use ourselves!

Rain for 2 days and today Brilliant sunshine with temps in the low 70s.  Heavy Mayfly hatch has left carcasses all over the shoreline.  Water has dropped a bunch so the dock was moved out about 20 feet today.  Summer fishing patterns should set in very soon with fresh weeds developing!

Until next time, keep your eye on the prize and whatcha waiting for, Come and Catch the Good Life with us at Happy Camp Ontario!

Good Morning Happy Campers, Catfish Chris here with an update from the Happy Camp Region!  The wild weather continues to raise havoc with the fish, bugs and of course the Campers!  We have gone from highs in the 90’s to just above freezing.  Yesterday while in Hearst it was well into the upper 80’s but as Magoo and I made our way back to Happy Camp Ontario, the rain came and heavy clouds and windy were the norm.  As nightfall came, the wind continued and heavy storms pounded us all night.  Early this morning the rain stopped and as I write the sun is shining and the wind is subsiding a titch!

With all the wild weather, the fishing was up and down all week.  Some days the fish would be very sluggish but others they ate like crazy.  While at Bound we would pick one off of a spot, then have to move to get another and the Pike were no where to be seen.  At White Otter one night in the trough, they were stacked like cord wood and eager bite often as the bait settled to the bottom.  Holy Hot Dog Ray and Dale, that cord of fish was so big it was hard to think there was any room for water!!!

We now are in the midst of the May Fly hatch.  In fact on Bound Lake the large brown ones are all over the place while on Ichi and White Otter the small ones are just starting, the bigger ones are still to follow and the Hexegena’s  seem to mark the end which maybe in a couple weeks if the weather shifts to more of a normal pattern! Weed development is behind schedule and the fish are still quite dis-oriented as this result.

Speaking of normal, the bugs have shown up with Black and Sand Flies along with Mosquitos peaking just near dark then slowing down while at the campfire.

Magoo and Sadie want to thank Lexi Young for her time and playfulness the last few days.  The 2 Happy Camp Girls certainly do miss you already as they look onto your deck with tails wagging waiting for you to come out and play!

So we will close out the month of June getting our hunting stuff going,  we may have another partner to join Happy Camp Ontario to assist our hunters in continued success, stay tuned for updates!

We have a few limited spots so whatcha waiting for, shoot us an email or give us a call today to save your spot to Come and Catch the Good Life with Us at Happy Camp Ontario.

Good Morning Happy Campers!  The Happy Camp region has seen brilliant sun and heat the last few days, in fact yesterday it reached 90, and with little wind, it was HOT!!  The forecast is for more of the same with the heat possibly breaking on Tuesday.

Fishing has been sporadic, with smaller walleye being the quarry.  Mayfly hatch has started in earnest and weeds are coming along slowly.  I have not been out in a few days, but our last time out we caught about a dozen walleye in a couple hour.  The bite seems to vary from very shallow to around 25 feet, which is very odd but That’s Fishing!

With little rain in the last few days, we tried to get into MooseSkull lake and all was fine until the last corner and I looked at the mud, walked in and thought best to back out the mile or so as we sunk in almost immediately!

Dale from the KeyStone State(Pennsylvania) showed us his tree cutting skills as he downed the last of the dead trees in the yard.  As always, something interesting happens and the 1st tree got caught in the top of another tree, we watched him work the saw and then we twisted it down with the ATV.  So the trees are down, and we cant thank him enough for doing that for us!!  Thanks Dale!

Jim from Michigan, Magoo and I traveled up to the north to look at some cabins yesterday, and while we did not see any Moose, we did see a couple of Bear, lots of Bunnies and birds.  Tried to fish in a couple of Beaver Ponds without any luck.  Jim did catch nice Brook Trout in a nearby creek, way to go Jim!  As we walked in the bush towards the cabin, Magoo saw a Female Goldeneye loafing near the shore and she immediately plunged into the lake after it.  A nice swim led Magoo back to us and then she encountered a Red Squirrel in one of the cabins and that was a hoot as the Squirrel dodged and ducked around eventually getting outside of the cabin, perched itself on a branch in a nearby tree and scolded Magoo!  Magoo sat looking at the Squirrel making waiting, but as luck would have it, we left before the Squirrel came down.  We also have Baby Ruffed Grouse near the lake that are about the size of a Ping Pong Ball, but as they chomp the bugs they should grow quickly!

So as you read, our adventures continue at Happy Camp Ontario!  I hope to trek into a pond I found last Moose season in  hopes that it has some fish swimming around, guess we will not know until we try do we!

Until next time Happy Campers, take care, enjoy your adventure and whatcha waiting for, Come and Catch the Good Life with Us at Happy Camp Ontario!

To combat the onslaught of Canadian bugs, Mother Nature blessed us with these precious dragonflies to fight back on our behalves. Here you see them on the back of the dusty trailer waiting to take off on their missions. Thank you, O Dragonflies!!!

Hi Happy Campers from pure white, windy and cold Happy Camp Ontario!  As we ushered in our first guests of the year, the wild adventure begins!  Ray Wheaton and the Beans from Pennsylvania brought along some of the wildest weather we have seen here in quite some time.  Yesterday started out normal with white puffy clouds and a light breeze from the west.  Around 1 p.m. the clouds had built to mostly cloudy and a brief shower took place.  As I was working on a motor at the lake I noticed a wind shift to the north.  Coming back to the Fish Shack for a few things, by the time I got back to the lake the entire lake was White capped from the north like I have never seen before.

Now those of you who have followed us know of the large storm that capsized my Crestliner a few years ago.  This wind which is still howling today is bigger than that wind!  If one stands on the beach and looks to the north, the wind is so strong that you can see the sandbar at the narrows which is totally sand right now, not the normal 2-3 feet of water!!

We were able to venture after some fish and got a nice bunch for dinner this afternoon!  Ray and Dale helped me clean the bunch and sure will be good!

As you know the wind can be friend or foe, now seems like a foe with large whitecaps again.  But I got the crew packed up with a smaller rig and they are off to venture into a lake in search of who knows?

Irving is the Chap who has taken up home near the dock, actually the reeds next to the dock.  I have seen him grow each year and he splashed to say Howdy this morning!  I sure hope that crafty son of a bitch grows to be a behemoth like the other brutes we have lurking in the water!  One thing is for certain, Irving will be well cared for and fed as long as I am at Happy Camp Ontario!

So with that I am off to venture into the Bush in search of a lake where the loggers got close to.  Maybe there will be a new spot to check out, never know until you try!

Until next time, take care and Come and Catch the Good Life with Us at Happy Camp Ontario!

Hi Happy Campers, Catfish Chris here with a brief update!  The Dock is in and  I put a boat in and took Larry fishing for a while.  Water temps are about 58 degrees in various spots in the lake.  Weeds are slow in developing and the bug hatch is incredible with Mayflies all over the place.

We caught nice Pike up to about 25 inches and Walleye over 28 inches!  In the bunch of Walleye, which outnumbered the Pike, we had around 8 or so over 20 inches!  We did keep a couple of smaller Walleye and Pike for supper tonight!  As I hoisted the walleye out of the net, I said Larry where is the camera?  Of course it is in the lodge, but such is life, that big girl is still swimming and either learned its lesson or will devour another cute bait in hopes that the lucky angler will let her go to swim again!

As Larry brought a Walleye to the net, I noticed a large shadow behind the Walleye.  At first I thought Pike, but as the fish sunk a little, turned and waved its tail, white was visibly seen.  That fish was bigger than my 28, maybe a 30 incher, who knows, ,maybe you will find out??

Please remember to bring your favourite insect repellent as the Black Flies and Mosquitos are quite healthy already!  Weather forecast calls for intense heat early next week, if that comes then maybe it will kill this first batch of bugs, keep your fingers crossed!

Hopefully soon we will have new reports and who knows what will happen next!  So whatcha waiting for, give us a call or shoot us an email today to save your spot to Come and Catch the Good Life with us at Happy Camp Ontario!!

Good Morning, welcome to the 2016 Happy Camp season Happy Campers!  I trust this finds you all well, enjoying life and chomping at the bit to get to Happy Camp.  As of this writing we are open for the season!

As all of you know, life is always an adventure for us and my will you hear the tales when we swap stories and swat Skeeters!  Yes, those fellows have arrived in force!  Already on Day 2 we have had heavy rain, wind, and temps have now tumbled into the mid 30’s.  But brighter days are ahead, we needed all the rain as the fire ban is lifted for now!  So time for a campfire don’t you think?

In our travels 2 Moose and a number of Bears were already seen.  In fact, Larry and I were checking out Bound road last night and we saw a Real Big fellow who was in no real hurry to leave the road.

A local chap stopped in and while the fishing is still slow, he did state a couple of Huge Pike were taken by netters this spring!  Now I have never personally seen a Pike over 25 Pounds, these were close to and over 30!!  I do remember Rick and Dave from Pennsylvania who claimed to see a monster Pike in their secret spot last summer, but 30 pounds, that is a real WHOPPER!  Time will tell what lurks out in the waters?

So as the 2016 season begins, I remind you to tighten the knots, sharpen the hooks, smile and get ready for your Happy Camp Adventure!  So whatcha waiting for, Come and Catch the Good Life with us at Happy Camp Ontario!!

Good day and Happy Spring Happy Campers!  Catfish Chris here on the Prairie with an update!  Spring appears to have showed up on the Prairie, 1st Thunder of the year happened along with good amounts of very much needed rain over the past weekend.  Many ducks, geese and shore birds are now around.  The sloughs are chuck full of waterfowl!

Magoo will have her 5th Birthday this weekend and certainly Dilly Bars will be in order.  We have a Siamese Cat who has found a nice place under the shed.  We call him Charlie and Magoo and Charlie have fun romping in the yard.

The Spring Bear hunt is going forward, and with everything, there is always changes.  Some major changes are a quota system based on some formula.  What that means is while in the past there was no specific set number of tags, we will now have a maximum number of harvest tags for spring and fall, not both.  Based on preliminary talks, I was told that with the current formula, Happy Camp Ontario would be allowed 2 bear Harvest Tags.  So time will tell what develops with that, and it is not good news to say the least.  I guess it is always something eh!

I was told most of the snow is gone in the north and hopefully this will lead early ice thaw, spawn and fish putting on the feed bag when we open Camp on June 11th!!

We still have a few openings scattered around, so if you’re looking for a trip of a lifetime, whatcha waiting for, shoot us an email or give us a shout on the phone to reserve your spot today and Come and Catch the Good Life with Us at Happy Camp Ontario!!

Good evening Happy Campers, Catfish Chris from spring like northern North Dakota with a short update.  Spring is coming quickly to the northern Prairie.  We have lost most of our snow and some sloughs have opened up.  Our first Canada Geese have arrived and with temps expected in the 60’s later this week, the Snow Geese should be close behind!  Magoo is eagerly awaiting her first Spring Goose hunt and helped me put the gloves on the Bigfeet the other day.

With Spring coming, Happy Camp will soon be coming along for 2016.  While many hunters have asked us about a Spring Bear hunt, we still have no confirmation from the Ontario MNR.  We will let you know when we hear anything!

As for this year, we plan on being open on June 11th.  Ray Wheaton will be coming up to visit us earlier this year, and it will be nice to see him as well as all of you who have chose to come and have an adventure with us at Happy Camp in 2016.   We have some scattered openings until late August, then we are open until Mid October as our Moose season has been reduced to only 3 weeks!

We wish all of you a Happy St. Patrick’s day, enjoy all of the festivities.  If you are thinking of coming up for an adventure, whatcha waiting for, give us a call or shoot us an email today to save your spot to Come and Catch the Good Life with us at Happy Camp Ontario!

Good evening Happy Campers!  Catfish Chris with a brief Mid-winter update.  We are starting to fill weeks in June and have our fingers crossed that the snow will melt quickly and ice out will happen by early June getting the fish chomping for action!

We still have no definite confirmation on a Spring Bear hunt in Ontario.  While many people are saying it is a go, the MNR has told us that they know nothing definite yet.  If it happens, it certainly will be a work in progress for us or any other outfitters as there has not been a Spring Bear Hunt in Ontario since 1999!!

Winter has set in on the Prairie, and snow is starting to pile up.  Magoo is hoping that Spring is right around the corner and the White Geese show up early and stay late for her!  Many pheasants are showing up pecking grit on our daily travels to school!

We are looking forward to seeing all our returning Campers and welcoming the new Campers to the Happy Camp area this year!

If you are looking for an adventure of a lifetime, shoot us an email or give us a call today to save your spot and Come and Catch the Good Life at Happy Camp Ontario!