There is a long standing debate each season at Mattice Lake Outfitters about ice.  Each Spring we ask two big questions “when will the creeks join on Mattice Lake?”  and “when will the ice be off Mattice Lake?”  Both questions bring about great debate and guessing which can make the hum drum of Spring a bit more fun.  Well fun when we think the ice will be off on time for opening weekend for walleye fishing!  Incidentally,walleye season always opens the third Saturday in May each year.  All that said today (May 1st) the creeks joined and Annette takes first place for that guess!  On a typical year we will see Mattice Lake ice free 7 days after the creeks join.  Further to that discusssion is when does the ice start to break up to the north?  Well, we like suggest that happens 7-10 days after Mattice Lake is ice free.  Do you follow?  This is where it leads to you and your best guess.  Do you have a best guess based on this brief discussion?  If so, place it by stating so on our facebook fan page or sending us an email at www.walleye.ca or post it at on this blog.  Once you have done so we will take your name and enter it into a random draw for a cozy, fleece Mattice Lake Ouitfitter sweater.  We will take all submissions until May 15th.  All guessing will automatically entered! 

Have a wonderful weekend folks.

Bob Izumi with camp attendant Austen Elliot

The Ogoki Reservoir covers over 34,000 acres and is 35 miles in length. This reservoir was formed as a water diversion to divert water flowing north and east to James Bay, south into Lake Nipigon for hydro generation on the Nipigon River. Construction on the project took place during the 1930’s and the dams were closed in 1942 combining three lakes into one large body of water.

Ogoki Reservoir is best noted for it’s exceptional walleye fishing with above average size walleye ranging from 3 ½ to 4 lbs in large numbers and it also produces large northern pike, whitefish and sturgeon.

Our camp on the Ogoki Reservoir is located on a 50-acre island, a couple miles from Eight Flume Falls over which the Ogoki River enters the reservoir. At this camp we have five guest cabins spread out along the east and north shores of the island.

This camp is suitable for fishing trips between 3 to 7 days and is capable of accommodating groups of 2 up to 36. 

Come join us!  This will be a fly fishing vacation you will not soon forget as the Elliot family is best noted for it excellent service and attention to detail.  You will not be disappointed.

Day's catch on the shores of Whitewater Lake.

Our Whitewater Lake lodge is located in the heart of Wabakimi Provincial Park. The lake covers over 26,000 acres and is almost 25 miles in length with the Ogoki River flowing in on the west of end of the lake and out on the northeast end.

Whitewater Lake provides some of our most spectacular northern pike fishing for those after the big one. Each season we see northern pike caught exceeding 30 lbs. Walleye fishing is extremely abundant, averaging 2 ½ to 3 lbs. The lake boasts some of the nicest sand beaches in the north.

At our Whitewater Lake outpost camp you will find four, two bedroom guest cabins situated on one of the most spectacular sand beaches in the north. Each of these cabins has adequate separation from the other cabins for privacy between groups.

Whitewater Lake is one of our two deluxe fishing lodges where you will find exceptional fishing trips for any group whether it be a couple, a family retreat, just the guys or a business trip.   This camp is suitable for those parties wishing to stay for 3 to 7 days and is capable of accommodating groups of 2 up to 28.

Northern Pike

Canada fly in fishing for northern pike in Northwestern Ontario Canada.  It is the northern pike fishing that bring about the most fast action any angler can handle.  Bring along your fly fishing reels for added adventure.

Fly in Fishing for Northern Pike

I’ve been on a few Canada fly in fishing trips – and I keep going back because of the northern pike fishing!
Canada northern pike are bigger and more aggressive! Northern pike lures are important to select before you go fishing

Many of my fishing buddies prefer to go fly in fishing in ontario – the remote wilderness, trees and rocks are so beautiful and rugged.

Canadian fly In fishing outpost camp launches new facebook fan page http://tinyurl.com/ccjyu7

Illinois Fish & Feather Expo

January 23-25, 2009

Interstate Conference Center
2301 W. Market
Bloomington, IL 61704

Hours

Friday, January 23 Noon to 8:00 PM

Saturday, January 24 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM

Sunday, January 25 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM

Enjoy Seminars by

Ted Takasaki: A top competitor on the In-Fisherman Professional Walleye Trail (PWT)

Jerry Martoglio: 2008 Illinois Bass Federation Angler of the Year

Ken Freeman: Dedicated to the great outdoors promoting competitive fun, Kenneth Freeman is President and CEO of Ken Freeman Outdoor Promotions.

Jonn Graham: Jonn has fished in excess of thirty different bass streams throughout the Midwest in addition to famous waters such as Dale Hollow and Pickwick Lake.

Jim Crowley: Jim has fished in the Caribbean, the Atlantic, the Pacific, throughout the Midwest, and Canada. His pictures are featured in the 2006 and 2007 Manitoba Travel and Adventure guide

Steve Welch: is an accomplished writer, with articles published in several magazines, such as Heartland Outdoors, Adventure Sports Outdoors, North American Crappie.

Terry Brown: Journalist, tournament angler, radio host, fishing educator, sports broadcasting and television personality.

Parking

Free Parking Sponsored by Dennison Toyota

Directions

The Interstate Center in located directly west of Bloomington-Normal and is accessible from the junction of I-39, I-74 and I-55. Take exit 160B and follow Route 9 precisely one mile and the facility is located on your right.

Map

WIN A TRIP TO CANADA!

GRAND PRIZE
Latreille Lake Lodge
Northwest Ontario Fly-in Fishing Lodge

Value: $3000

Situated in pristine Northwest Ontario, Latreille Lake Lodge offers the very best for your Canadian fly-in fishing trip…

FISH FRY
Illinois Fish and Feather will be hosting a fish fry all three days of the event.

CASTING KIDS
Friday: 3 pm – 7pm • Saturday: 10 am – 7pm • Sunday 10 am – 3pm

The Illinois Fish and Feather Expo will feature over 120 different exhibitors covering the entire spectrum of the outdoor recreation industry. This page will be updated frequently with vendor specials and promotions that can be used while attending the show. 

Doubletree Bloomington

Eastland Suites Hotel

Burr House Bed & Breakfast

Restaurants to experience

Avantis Italian Restaurant Pizza, Italian Restaurants, Carry Out & Take Out

Carls Ice Cream Factory

Fiesta Mexican Restaurant Authentic Mexican food at an affordable price. Great place for large groups.

For your travel enjoyment in Bloomington

Miller Park Zoo
Beer Nuts and Bloomington Sale Barn

Shopping

Bloomington Commons, East Empire St. There are seven stores here including Schnucks, Toys ‘R Us, Barnes & Noble, Peggy’s Hallmark, Jo-Ann Fabrics & Crafts.

Eastland Mall, East Empire St. Shop over 90 specialty stores including Old Navy and five major department stores, Bergner’s, Famous Barr, JCPenney, Kohl’s and Sears and more…..

Take the family. Make it a holiday!

More about the Illinois Fish & Feather Expo

http://robinsrumination.blogspot.com/2008/10/you-always-tip-pilot-well.html

“…think twice about the tip for the bush pilot if you ever go a-fishing in sunny Alaska (or anywhere that requires a fly-in)”

K8 Pic

WE WENT ON OUR FIRST CANADIAN FLY-IN FISHING TRIP AND WE WERE VERY IMPRESSED WITH THIS RESORT!!

LOTS OF FISH – GREAT FOOD -GREAT GUIDE!!! CHECK OUT THIS SITE sandybeachlodge.com

Join the new group on Flickr!

Canadian Fy in Fishing Pictures

Kashabowie Outposts has created a new group. You can add your Fly in Fishing Pictures to the pool. Any remote, fly-in access only fishing location qualifies, but you must fly there in a plane!

See monster northern pike, trophy sized walleye and smallmouth bass!

Lawrence Bay Lodge is setting new standards of excellence for the best in northern pike fishing, accommodations, and service. Northern pike and walleye fishing on Reindeer Lake at Lawrence Bay Lodge has never been better! For your additional comfort, we have added 18′ deep transom boats and 40 horsepower Mercury motors!

Lawrence Bay Lodge is located on Reindeer Lake Saskatchewan which to many people the best Northern Pike lake in the world.

At Reindeer Lake and the surrounding outpost camps, you will find that the Northern Pike, Lake Trout, and Walleyes in our area are very heavy for their length, with the smaller heads and large stocky bodies. The lakes in our area have a large number of islands with many bays and large wood flats for big northern pike. We also have the rocky points and deep waters for the lake trout, which gets up to 760 feet deep.

Our guests were catching Pike up to 53″ long and a very large number of Northern Pike from 40″-49″ long. For great fishing, it doesn’t get any better. To make all this quality and quantity work for you the guest, we have hired and kept the best fishing guides in the area, THE KEY TO YOU EXPERIENCING YOUR BEST FISHING TRIP!!!

We also have two floatplanes (a Beaver and a Cessna 180) that we use for our modern outpost camps. The floatplanes also bring a lot of diversity to the main lodge if you like fishing different small lakes for unbelievable Walleye fishing. All the cabins at Lawrence Bay Lodge are fully modern with showers and flush toilets in every cabin and are also cleaned daily for your comfort. The meals served at Lawrence Bay Lodge are first class and include Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner with the Lunch being the great shore lunch and the breakfast and dinner being at the main lodge. There is also a large tackle counter in the lodge and it is always a busy place in the Evenings. Fishing in the evening at Lawrence Bay Lodge is also very good, just ask us and we will set it up for you. With the quality of fishing , the excellent equipment, great guides, and the diversity that the float planes offer us (with fly-in fishing), we know that Lawrence Bay Lodge is one of the very best at delivering a perfect fishing trip.

Here’s a gallery of photos from a recent Fly in Fishing trip with Kashabowie Outposts!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/54664017@N00/sets/72157605781265144

The dock at Minor Bay Lodge on Wollaston Lake

It’s a place I had always wanted to visit–northern Saskatchewan–and fish its abundant waters for pike, lake trout and Arctic grayling. I had been in the north before, both as a biologist and an angler, and I was hooked. The country is so different and wild from what we know in the south, and there is so much territory to explore. So, when I had a chance to visit a fly-in fishing lodge in northern Saskatchewan, I took it.

The lodge was Minor Bay and is located on Wollaston Lake. We flew from Saskatoon to Points North Landing near the lake. The trip from Saskatoon revealed a large landscape of abundant water–lakes and streams as far as the eye can see. Once at Points North, we were transported to the lodge in one of my favorite bush airplanes, the deHaviland Beaver.

Dining room and lounge at Minor Bay

Once at the lodge, we were quickly put into boats to go look for lake trout. The ice had only recently left this end (south) of the lake, so the trout were still relatively close to the surface. We caught a few but nothing of size. All were released. The policy at Minor Bay is to release all fish, except for a few smaller ones for shore lunch. This ensures there will always be large fish to catch in a climate that only provides three or so months of growth.

A monster pike taken on a fly

In the following days we fished for monster pike both on the lake and at a fly-out location. The guides ensured we found some great fish and we had a great time fighting some beautiful fish–all returned to fight again. My fishing partner, Doug Stamm, caught a nice trophy pike on a fly.

Fly fishing for Arctic grayling

As well, we took a little time to fish for Arctic grayling on the Wheeler River. Once we figured out what we were doing, we caught some very pretty fish.

All in all it was a great trip with lots of variety and good people helping us out. I would recommend this lodge if you are looking for a place that knows how to treat anglers while ensuring the conservation of the resource.

So, what’s wrong with that?

www.donmeredith.ca

Hi Don,

Just wanted to send you an e-mail to say thanks for a nice enjoyable family trip. We had some memories that will last a very long time. My son and I (and probably a couple others) will be returning next year (we put our names down for the same lake/time next year.) We also would like to thank Jim, Fern, and Carol for making everything go smoothly. I guess the catch phrase for the trip was ‘You can’t control the weather.’ Can we order better weather for next year?

During the nicer weather that we did have, we managed to catch some great fish. I attached a photo of my son Joe’s 47″ northern.

Thanks again,

John Kaiser


Click To Play

www.kashabowieoutposts.com

Fly in Fishing trips in Canada with Kashabowie Outposts.
Remote Outpost Cabins on private lakes in the wilderness of Northern Ontario.
Fly-in access only.

If you have plans to attend the Des Moines Boat and Sport Show – watch this little video clip of pictures from a Fly in Fishing Trip in Canada last year.