Greetings everyone! Man does it feel good to be back! After 22 long, agonizing months of worry, disappointment and yes, anger, it all came to an end (we hope permanently) when the announcement was made that the US/Canada border would be opened to fully vaccinated Americans effective Midnight August 9, 2021. We greeted our first guests to camp later that morning for the first time since September 2019. Wow… took a while for us have that reality set in.
From the time that Chris and I arrived in camp (June 22nd), our weather here was nearly picture perfect. Oh sure we had some warm days, even border line hot, but with very little wind the entire time. All that changed of course once guests arrived…when typical NW Ontario weather patterns set in, you know, changing every 24 hours! One thing that has remained constant though is it remains very dry and we still desperately need rain as lake levels are as low as I have seen them in 25+ years fishing this lake. Further, our fire ban continues to be in effect.
One thing I can say for sure is that the fishing has not disappointed! I know that when Chris and I completed quarantine and we started getting out on the lake that it was nothing short of fantastic. This in July, with heat, mayfly’s and zero wind almost every day. It simply didn’t matter, these fish are hungry. After almost zero pressure after two years, they are not only hungry but when you hook one they are “pissed off”! I’ve never caught so many hard fighting walleye here ever. I will admit thinking to myself as our first guests were arriving and our 7 weeks of stable weather was suddenly transitioning into a daily potpourri of weather, “doesn’t this figure” and “this is gonna screw up what had been great fishing”. Boy was I wrong, some windier days did cut back on guests time on the water a little bit, but when they got out it was great.
Wabaskang Lake, long known for very healthy, well fed, chunky fish of all species has certainly continued the right to be well respected in that regard. So many fat, healthy 16-18″ walleyes, a nice compliment of fish 18-24″ too over the first couple of weeks and overall outstanding numbers. No pike over forty (yet), but several already caught ranging 35-39″ and man are they fat too!
We appreciate the extra hoops that guests have to jump through to get here this season. Being vaccinated, a negative covid test and using the ArriveCan app. The good news is that the border crossing process (after the first day backup) has been extremely smooth for all of our guests and those who are braving these unchartered waters are being rewarded with some outstanding fishing. We appreciate you all very much, and hope that many more will find their way back to camp yet this fall or next summer!
Until next time, tight lines and Fish On!