Week of September 19th – 25th
Hello again from Jim at Wabaskang Camp. Our final week of the season has come to an end and Julie and I sure had a great week to end the season. The weather was perfect for fishing but probably too warm for our moose hunters. The hunt was frustrating for our hunters who could hear a bull in the distance but he would never come out in the open or come close enough for a decent bow shot. Our hunters actually had one bull swim around an island that they were calling from and watch them from a safe distance with the wind in his nose, pretty smart for a moose Id say. The hunters went home on Saturday with lots of great memories and plenty of what ifs. Our fishing this week was very good for some and slow for others. The walleyes were in 28 to 40 and they were in 12 to 16, it seemed that the shallow fish were more widely scattered and a fish here a fish there was the common theme. Our guests that were fishing deep water did better and once a school was located the fish would bite steady for hours at a time. The water is still fairly warm on the surface, near sixty degrees and the bait fish were scattered in loose schools sometime near the surface and at times in deep water almost 40 down. Dave Goodlund hoisted a beautiful 25 walleye to the boat this week to take home bragging rights for the week for the biggest walleye; he released his trophy after a quick picture. The northern fishing hasnt taken off like it usually does in late September, maybe the warm water still has the big brutes scattered along the weed lines since our guests are still seeing some good green weeds in certain areas of the lake. Dave Goodlund once again shot to the leader board with his 30 northern he released, he caught his fish deep while jig fishing for walleyes. Tom Ebert released a chunky 31 northern he caught in deep water while fishing for walleyes as well. Mark Steinfeldt released a 33 northern that he thought was going to win him a hat but Bob Friendshah came through in the end, he landed and released a 36 fish he actually caught with a Sandcat in the shallow weeds. Roger Graney was new to camp but his 11 crappie he caught in Keynote Lake won him a hat and admiration from Kevin and Steve in his group. Not much more to mention about the fishing last week, sorry Terry your 11 1/2 bass isnt really note worthy but ok yea nice fish! Our work is just beginning now for a very busy next four weeks, new generator going in next week along with the big cabin being remodeled and some preliminary work being done for a new septic field next season. We also are busy cleaning cabins and draining water lines to be ready when the cold weather does arrive. I will begin taking the main dock apart in a few days and finish dismantling the small dock as well. We had the road graded last week and the grader will be back next week to pretty things up and finish smoothing things out. Julie has been busy cleaning and if the weather stays nice she will have all the cabins cleaned and the linens down in record time. Julie and I want to thanks all our guests for making our 16th season such an enjoyable one! I will try to update everyone on our progress here at camp next week, thanks again to all of you, see you next season, this is Jim from Wabaskang.
Week of September 12th -18th
Greetings from Jim and Julies Wabaskang Camp. Week number 18 of the season is in the books and we have plenty to talk about. Our walleye fishing was superb again this week. The bigger fish have moved down into 28 to 35of water and are biting on Lindy Rigs tipped with super sized minnows and jigs tipped with a minnow or twister tail. We had a camp full of seasoned anglers who know where and how to catch the big brutes. Vern Hanus and Joe Pairon each caught and released 24 1/2 fish. Dave Harms had a beautiful 27 walleye he released, Curt Schurman landed a 28 1/4 trophy he is taking home to hang on his wall, Im sure Marge is happy about that! Once again Brett Langfritz was in camp and he just cant seem to keep the big fish off his line, he landed and released a chunky 28 walleye but he wasnt done yet, he also released a 29 walleye that had his whole group shaking their heads, even old timer Harlan Kruse was impressed, he didnt even try to come up with a story about a bigger fish he had caught forty years earlier! Our northern fishing continues to frustrate some of our hardcore northern fishermen. The big brutes are certainly scattered and a long day of casting Sandcats and Suicks may only produce a few decent fish. Darlene Katzung released a chunky 32 northern she caught while trolling spinner rigs in about 15 of water. Harlan Kruse definitely struggled all week long and the best northern he had all week long was only a mere 34 1/4 long, Harlan talks the talk but tripped and fell when he tried to walk the walk! Benny Vaughn landed a beautiful 35 3/4 fish, Vern Hanus always catches a big northern and this week his best was a 36 1/4 brute. Once again Brett the fishing machine Langfritz showed his stuff when he released a monster 37 northern, his fish didnt hold up for long though when his buddy Dave harms landed and released a 37 1/4 fish, Vern Hanus waited until the end of the week but his 37 1/2 northern he released was the winner of the big fish of the week! Bass fishing was slow this week mainly because none of our guests were really fishing for them. Many of the bass caught were caught while fishing for walleyes in about 30 of water. Curt Schurman released a 15 baby bass and Doyle Brocka finally made it onto the board when he released his 17 1/4 nothing special bass, the best bass of the week belongs to Brian Luecke, he landed a chunky 18 bass to take home top honors for the week! We did have a lake trout caught by Doyle Brocka, it was 20 long and rumor has it he wasnt really sure what he had caught, great job Doyle. I guess. Next week we have another group of regulars in camp so I expect to be writing about some big fish next week. Lets meet here again next week, this is Jim from Wabaskang.
Week of September 5th – September 11th
Hello again from Jim and Julies Wabaskang Camp. Week 17 is in the books and we have plenty to talk about. Our walleye fishing continues to be nothing short of spectacular. The schools of walleyes have moved into deeper water now and 28 to 35 seems to be the best depth. The best baits by far are a jig tipped with a minnow or a Lindy Rig also rigged with a big juicy minnow. Tony Wilhelm released a nice 25 1/2 walleye this week, Scott Willms released a 26 fish, Tim Wuethrich released a beautiful 27 walleye, Larry Pencock stayed with us for two weeks this season and he caught many nice walleyes, his biggest this week was a chunky 27 1/2 fish which he released. The biggest walleye of the week was caught by James Willms, he land a beautiful 28 1/2 walleye which earned him top honors for the week. Our northern fishing was spotty again this week, tons of small fish but big brutes were hard to come by. Steve Rathe and Larry Pencock each released nice 35 fish, Rick Zender managed to catch and release a chunky 36 northern, Tom Sandt released a 39 brute; Mark Zender brought a 39 1/2 fish to the boat, his biggest ever! The biggest northern of the week was caught by a camp regular, Chuck Zender released a beautiful 40 northern which was tops for the week in camp. Many of our guests were using Suicks and Sandcats but the best lure seemed to be a Rattle Trap or just a spoon, one thing for sure we had some mighty serious northern fishermen in camp this week. The bass fishing was decent this week. It seems that the Zender boys had it figured out for bass as Chuck Zender released a 17 fish and brothers Guss and Dave each released 18 beauties. Next week we will have plenty of camp regulars back in camp so we should see some impressive fish numbers and sizes. Remember no poultry products being allowed into Canada so just pick up what you need after you cross. Lets chat again next week, this is Jim from Wabaskang.
Week of August 29th -September 4th
Greetings from Jim and Julies Wabaskang Camp. Another great week here at camp, lots of big fish released and plenty of the smaller eater sized fish for the frying pan. Week 16 was a week of hot and muggy days and cool nights. The walleye bite has moved even deeper this week for the bigger fish but we had many eaters caught in 12 of water. The best rig to use in deep water was a 3/8 ounce white or green jig tipped with a minnow. Kip Elm started things off this week with a chunck 22 walleye only to see Dave Muhs clobber him with his feisty 24 walleye. Daryl Miller jumped into the mix with a nice 24 1/2 walleye. Larry Pencock released a 26 and a 26 1/2 walleye to climb to the top of the leader board but in the end it was super sensation Kip Elm who wins the hat with his 27 1/2 prize that he quickly released after a few quick pictures. Our northern fishing just hasnt been as good as it usually is this time of the season. Large spoons and stick baits were the ticket but it took plenty of casts to hook a big brute. The weed lines are dying back now so any green weeds are holding fish and of course the shallow rock piles are attracting the northern to all the bait fish huddling in the rock crevices. Paul Dennert landed and released a chunky 32 northern, Jeff Lechlitner was new to camp but he certainly made a statement when he caught a 36 beauty, Carl Detwiler, also new to camp released a 34 1/2 northern but it was Paul Dennert who takes home the hat with his 37 brute. The bass fishing was spotty this week but we did have some nice fish caught.. Jeff Lechlitner released a chunky 16 bass but Larry Dorenkamp released two 18 bass he landed using his fly rod, great job Larry. The season is going fast now and we only have three weeks to go. Remember to leave any poultry products at home and purchase what you need after you cross into Canada. Lets all meet back here again next week, that’s all for now, Jim from Wabaskang.
Week of August 22nd – 28th
Hello again from Jim and Julies Wabaskang Camp. We had another great week of fishing here at camp, plenty of nice sized walleyes and lots of decent northern as well. The weather had plenty to say about fishing the first few days of the week, we had thunderstorms start on Saturday afternoon and after the rain finally quit Sunday afternoon we had over 4 of rain in the rain gage. We also had very strong winds Saturday evening that actually caused one of our guests boat to swamp, next season Ed Traeger might want to invest in a periscope or at the very least an automatic bilge pump! The walleye bite was best in about 28′ to 32′ of water, a white jig tipped with a minnow was the ticket. Tim Reints released a 25 walleye, Mike Lammers managed a measly 27 fish, Kevin Reints and Jeff Bruncheon each released 27 1/2 walleyes to take the top spot for the week. Our northern fishing was spotty again this week, not much for good green weeds now and that can make finding the big brutes tough. Once again Mike Lammers was on the inside looking out with his scrawny 38 1/2 fish, he did eventually land and release a 40 northern but too little too late Mr. Has Been. Kevin Reints had a respectable 41 brute but no one can top the incredible abilities of Brett Langfritz, he easily took home the hat for his week winning 42 monster, all in a day’s work right Brett? Other nice northern caught this week included Don Sick’s 34 fish, Ed Entzs 37 fish, Leon Luhring caught a 37 fish, Bill Scharnhorst caught a scrappy 39 brute, Chris Davis caught a nice 35 1/2 northern and Jeff Bruncheon caught a 38 1/2 northern. Most of our guests were throwing or trolling big stick baits like a Suick or a Sandcat. The bass fishing this week wasnt like a June week but was pretty good. Larry Luhring and Mike Kukral each had 17 bass, Kevin Reints released a beautiful 18 bass, but the real champion in camp this week was Jim Peters, he caught and released an incredible 18 1/2 bass to walk away with a free hat and pewter pin. Jim also fed most of the camp delicious pork loin one night and Chad Heim made us some prime rib that would melt in your mouth, thanks guys. Remember no poultry products allowed into Canada so pick up what you need after you cross into Canada. Also grab your fishing license on the way to camp and save some time when you get here. Another great week ahead so stay tuned for more action, talk soon, this is Jim from Wabaskang.
Week of August 15th – 21st
Hello friends, this is Jim from Wabaskang Camp. Sorry it took so long to get week 14 news out to you but week 15 has been just as crazy. Our walleye bite has definitely moved to deeper water now, a white jig and minnow or Lindy Rig and big minnow will catch you all the fish you want. If you desire smaller eater sized fish then the weed lines are still producing big numbers of those fish as well. Last week we had a group of camp veterans and they put up big numbers on our fishing board. Eugene Thomas started things off with a feisty 22 1/2 walleye, Rob Lerum added a 23, Lenny Sonnek released a 25 3/4 walleye, Kim Schaeffer released her best walleye ever, and a nice 25 fish as husband Tim looked on in amazement and awe. Susan Langfritz caught and released a chunky 26 1/2 fish only to see her husband Brett smash her hopes of a hat winning fish by releasing many fish over 25, his biggest being 27 1/2 for the week. Danny Edeker did give Brett a run for his money by releasing a 26 brute and 27 1/2 walleye but Brett says his was caught first and we all know Brett never stretches the truth! Our northern fishing was spotty this week but our guests did manage to catch some impressive fish. Rob Lerum started things off when he caught and released a 37 fish, Kevin Holm landed a 38 northern only to see Lucky Larry Pothast land and release a monster 40 1/2 brute, his fishing buddy Harlan Kruse tried to take credit for the fish because it was caught while Larry was fishing in Harlans boat but hold on there Mr. Kruse, the days of you taking credit for everyones big fish is over, what have YOU done lately, not too much according to the board on the wall. Brian Boevers did have a 40 1/2 northern as well that earned him a pewter pin for his hat since he released his trophy, so close but first fish wins Brian, maybe next season. Rick Zender released a 38 northern, Lindsey Brocka released a 35 brute, Vernette Salge released a trophy sized 35 1/2 fish, Dan Roose released a measly 35 hammer handle but for Dan that is quite a fish. Lori Edeker had the biggest northern for the ladies in camp, she released a massive 39 1/2 fish. Most of the northern were caught while casting big stick baits and spinner baits along the deep edges of the weeds although some of the biggest fish were actually caught while using light tackle while fishing for walleyes. Not much action on bass this week, many of our guests didnt try to fish the rooky piles and reedy points for the bass but Lenny Sonnek did catch a 17 bass and Dan Edeker did get a hat this week for his 19 beauty he released. Next week looks to be exciting as well, lots of camp regulars again. Remember no poultry products allowed into Ontario from most parts of the U.S. so just get you eggs and meat after you cross. You can also save some time and pick up your license before you get to camp at almost any tackle shop in Dryden or Vermillion Bay, Check out the new pictures on our site when you can and we will chat again next week, that’s all for now from Jim at Wabaskang Camp.
Week of August 8th – 14th
Friendly greetings from Jim and Julies Wabaskang Camp. Week 13 of our season has come and gone and so has the legend of Big Mike. We had some fantastic walleye fishing and many trophy sized fish were released this week. The big brutes were mainly caught using a jig and minnow combination in depths from 18 to 25. The week started off with old timer Alan Orr releasing a 24 walleye, Kristy Lammers also released a 24 fish she caught while jig fishing, new to camp, Frank Cabelinski proved he knows what it takes to catch walleyes, he released a 26 and massive 29 walleye this week while Lindy Rigging in about 24 of water only five minutes from camp. Jacob Mericle also caught a 24 walleye this week, he was fishing with his grandpa Craig which always makes catching a big walleye more difficult. Melody Morse landed a chunky24 walleye which her grandpa Steve is going to take home and put it on the wall for her, great job Melody. A real super star in camp this week was Myron Destival; he caught and released a 27 walleye, a 28 walleye, a 28 1/4 walleye, and a monster 29 walleye to impress the entire camp. Myron did end up losing the big fish of the week contest to Mike Lammers but Myron explained that Mikes 28 walleye, his 29 walleye and his 29 1/2 walleye all came from a spot Myron showed Mike so all Mikes fish should actually be credited to old timer Myron. Youre a great walleye fisherman Myron, too bad you cant remember to take your over-night bag and shaver home with you when you leave camp. Our northern fishing this week did pick up some. The best bait was a Sandcat or Bulldog bait along with a Suick. Big baits catch big fish and Kristy Lammers used her 9 Sandcat to catch and release a beautiful 39 1/2 brute. Mike Lammers did win the big fish of the week for northern as well this week, his 39 and a chunky 40 1/2 fish were nice fish but anybody can catch big fish if they have a wife to tell them where to fish and what to use, nice job Kristy. Our bass fishing this week was down somewhat but we still saw some nice fish, spinner baits seemed to work well and rocky points and reedy bays were the best spots to try. Kenny Pierce caught a chunky 17 3/4 bass, he caught his fish only to see buddy Gerald Yeary land a beautiful 18 bass. Both fellas caught their trophies while Randy Adams looked on in amazement—–someday you will catch a big fish to Randy. Here’s some interesting news, little Jacob Mericle was stung 14 times by wasps while picking blue berries, now that something a first timer in camp will never forget. We did have a 32 musky caught and released by Mike Lammers this week as well, his fish was caught by trolling deep water near a shallow water hump, Mike tries so hard to catch big fish so we will give him credit for his 32 musky that isnt even a legal musky on our lake, good job I guess. Next week we have another group of experienced anglers in camp so we expect big things. Remember no poultry products allowed into Canada so grab what you need after you cross into Canada. Remember to get your license on line before you leave home if you want to save some time when you get to camp. Lets all meet here again next week for more exciting fishing news, also check out the new pictures on our site, talk soon, Jim
Week of August 1st – 7th
Hello friends of Jim and Julies Wabaskang Camp. Week 12 is in the books and we have begun our count down to the end of our 16th season. Only seven weeks to go and it will be time to shut things down for the year. The week of fishing was a week of great days and slow days. The weather was cool and wet most of the week which was usually good for fishing but after four or five days of that our guests were wanting some sun. The walleyes are still in a transition period and we saw fish caught in 8 of water and fish caught in 28 of water. A jig and minnow worked well but a spinner or Lindy rig also caught lots of walleyes. The best color of spinner was silver this week. Jim Medhurst knows the lake well and he started things off when he landed a 23 walleye, Krystal Parker, Lucy Fober, and Jenna Gallery all had 23 walleyes as well to impress the fellas in their group. Ed Taylor has been joining us as our guest for about three seasons now and he seems to be catching on when it comes to the walleye fishing, he caught and released a chunky 26″ fish only to see Jason Hartling release two 29″ beauties this week. Jason caught his trophies trolling big stick baits just before dark along the deep edges of the weed lines. He added to his hat collection once again. Our northern fishing was spotty this week, lots of small and medium sized fish but very few trophy fish. The best baits were orange spoons and dark colored stick baits as well as Shad Raps and big twister tails. Paul Augustine released a chunky 36″ northern that he was very proud of but his buddy Rob Watkins easily crushed him with his 40 monster he released, too bad so sad no hat for you Paul. Our bass fishing has slowed some again this week but most of our guests are concentrating their time on the water walleye fishing. The best time to bass fish is early in the morning and just before sunset. Top water bait twitched along the rocky shorelines will almost always get you some action. Jason Hartling started things off this week when he released a 17 bass but Eddie Taylor said not so fast Jason when he caught and released a monster 20 bass, Ed caught his fish in the same spot he landed his 26 walleye and we know where he will be fishing next season. The biggest catch of the week goes to Corey Katzung, somehow he managed to angle Lillian Maas into saying yes to his marriage proposal, I knew Corey was a good fisherman but I didnt think he was that good, congratulations to the two of you and we look forward to seeing you two again next season. Remember no poultry products allowed into Ontario so just pick up what you need after you cross, also if you have time, get your fishing license along the way or at home before you get here, we still issue licenses here but the system is slow so please give us plenty of time to issue them if you do need one. Next week Big Mike is back in camp so expect plenty of tall fish tales and very little substance, talk soon, this is Jim from Wabaskang.
Week of July 25th -31st
Hello again from Jim and Julies Wabaskang Camp. Week number 11 was a week to remember for many of our guests, we had great fishing, terrible weather, and even a hook stuck into a guests face. The high winds we saw early in the week kept many of our guests close to camp but they still managed to catch plenty of quality walleyes. The best walleye bite seemed to be before 10 am and after 7pm and the best spots were the weed lines where the waves were pounding into. Slow back trolling a spinner rig or jig and a minnow was just the ticket. If you could manage the rough water the fish were there to be caught. Plastics also worker well for some of our guests, a green or white tube bait would quickly drag a nice walleye from the deep weed edges. We also had some monster walleye caught on Sandcats and other huge stick baits right in the thickest cabbage weeds you could find, just work the big bait over the top of the weeds and hang on. Bill McVey started things off when he caught a chunky 22 fish; Kerry Huck quickly erased Bill from the leader spot by catching a 23 walleye. Todd Peterson jumped on the board next with his 24 fish he released; Sue Willer did her best to put the ladies on the board when she caught a nice 26 walleye. Leroy Bray caught his 27 trophy right out in front of camp trolling deep water just before dark, he released his fish after a very quick and horrible picture! Kristie Peterson landed and released her trophy 27 walleye only to see Chad Peterson smash the competition this week by catching and releasing a 28 walleye and also a 30 1/2 brute. He caught his big walleyes by casting the weed beds with Sandcats and other big bodied baits. A slow wobble over the cabbage weeds was all it took to catch a fish of a life time. Our northern fishing was solid again this week as well. As usual a jig and minnow or twister tail caught many decent fish usually in the same spots that the walleyes were being caught in. Big baits such as Suicks and Sandcats also pulled their share of the big boys into the landing net as well. Kristie Peterson had the first northern on the board this week when she released a 32 1/2 fish, once again Sue Willer did her best but her 34northern didnt stay on top long when Anita Bray gave all the guys in camp an eye opener when she caught and her son Geoff quick released her magnificent 40 brute. Anita caught her fish trolling the deep open water in front of camp where her husband Leroy caught his 27 walleye. Her fish was easily the biggest of the week and won her a hat. Chad Peterson usually lands a monster northern or two when he is in camp but his best this week was a 39 incher, close but no hat for you fella, oh I guess you did get the walleye hat so your streak is still alive. Geoff Bray landed and released a chunky 36 northern but was still 4 too short to knock his mom off the board. Now we had Todd Peterson in camp this week as well, he is a northern fishing machine and usually catches more than his share of big fish, this week his best was a 38″ northern, he also managed to lose a northern right at the boat and his Sandcat flew right from the fishs mouth into Todd’s face. Todd got a good hook set just below his left eye and the fight was on. A ride to the Dryden hospital was next and a few stitches later he was back in camp and ready to go, maybe you should just let big brother Chad do the northern fishing from now on Todd, no more Sandcats from me for Christmas for you little fella! The bass fishing is still very good her on Wabaskang, just work the reedy points and rocky shorelines early and late to catch the big brutes. A top water bait or twister tail always catches bass and brown or green was the best color this week. Mike Lepak released a 17″ bass, Todd Peterson released a 17 1/2″ bass, Craig Jennings caught a nice 18″ bass that almost won the hat but lucky Todd Peterson caught and released a chunky 18 1/2″ bass to win a hat that was well earned. If he pulled the bill of the hat down far enough you almost couldnt see his hideous mangled face! Next week we are seeing forecasts of cool wet weather but no complaints here. Remember to leave your poultry products at home and purchase what you need after you cross into Canada, also you can get your license on-line and save some time when you get to camp. Some road construction on Hwy 105 this season so there may be a short wait coming and going for the rest of the season. Lets talk again soon, rumor has it an engagement may be happening here in camp next week, lets wait and see! This is Jim from Wabaskang.
Week of July 18th – 24th
Greetings to all our friends of Wabaskang Camp. Week 10 is in the books and we saw plenty of big walleye action and lots of decent northern fishing. Our group this week was mostly dedicated fisher-people that know the lake and know how to catch fish even under some tough weather conditions. The walleye bite has moved into some deeper weed edges and even out to the reefs and gravel bars in about 20 – 28 of water. A white jig tipped with a minnow was the best bait to use but a spinner rig and worm was a close second. We had cool weather early in the week and the fish were practically jumping into the live wells but as the hot and humid air moved in the bite was best in the mornings and evenings. Larry Luhring had his group in camp this week and as usual they caught most of their walleyes on a jig and minnow. Larry also made sure Julie and I had a hot breakfast every morning all week long. Sid Hancock jumped on the board early with his decent 20 walleye, good thing because he was quickly crushed by Davis Reickenbergs 24 beauty. Shaylon Lahr released a 25 1/2 walleye only to see Reid Lammers take the lead with his 26 1/2 beauty which was also released. Mike Behnke caught his biggest walleye this week, a 26 fish he released, some of the biggest walleyes this week were caught by Mike Lammers, he was fishing the thick weeds each evening until dark and while throwing big stick baits he caught and released a beautiful 28 and 28 1/2 walleye, he tries so hard to justify spending a small fortune on tackle just to win a free hat but as usual he was swiped off the leader board by a fella in his own boat, Michael Deberg, who from what I could see didnt know much about fishing anyway landed a monster 29 walleye Friday morning to dash Mikes hopes once again, my brother just needs to realize that skill is more important than top of the line equipment——-and a lot cheaper! Oh well Im sure he will keep trying to spend his way to the top. We had some great northern fishing this week as well. Most of the big brutes were caught on Bulldogs, Sandcats, and Suicks. The best spot for the bigger fish was the deeper sides of the weed lines close to deep water. Dennis Brown had the biggest northern in his gang, a chunky 36 fish. Little Rhett Lammers landed a pair of 38 fish this week; he obviously takes after his uncle Jim. Jim Peters came to visit us one evening and fed half the camp pork loin and everyone contributed all the side dishes so it is only fair to give him credit for a 38 1/8 northern he caught earlier in the week, it was big enough to knock Rhett off the board, see you in August Jim. Dalton Fehlberg knows where to fish, he was using the old stand-by Mepps Spinner when he caught and released a chunky 39 northern, good enough for first place until Ted Gerber ran into a 42 1/2 trophy pike, it was Teds biggest northern ever and also his first trip to camp, he obviously did the opposite of whatever Jeff Jutting told him about northern fishing to catch and release his fish of a lifetime, you looked great in your new hat Ted. The bass fishing is still very good on the rocky points and sandy, reedy areas. Early mornings and just before dark was the best time to catch the bass. Chelsea Hancock was the star of her group this week; she had a 17 fish early in the week and won the free hat and pin when she released a monster 19″ bass. Shaylon Lahr and Roger Luhring each had 18″ bass but too bad so sad not hats for you! Next week looks hot and stormy so the fish will probably move slightly deeper as the bait fish mature and seek deeper water and cover as well. Stay tuned for next weeks report, this is Jim from Wabaskang.
Week of July 11th – 17th
Hello again from Wabaskang Camp. Week nine is in the books and we saw plenty of fishing action and plenty of rain. The walleye bite is transitioning from the shallow weeds to the deep weeds and windswept rocky points. Best bait was a spinner rig and minnow along with tube baits. The walleye bite was also the best in the mornings before the heat and humidity moved in and again in the evenings after the sun was low on the horizon. Our camp was loaded with youngsters this week and even though they were short on experience they made up for it with enthusiasm and determination. Luke Howard caught a nice 22 walleye, and his cousin JaeLynn caught a 19 beauty. Kady Mericle was back in camp this week, she easily taught the fellas in her boat a thing or two; she released a beautiful 27 walleye to take top honors for the week. Craig Mericle who thinks he is the man to beat when it comes to walleye fishing could only manage a measly 24 walleye for his biggest of the week, maybe he should stick to what he really loves and that is catching a stinking bass, he released a respectable 18 bass that was crushed by Bill Mincks, he released a beautiful 19 fish to win the hat for the week. Bill also released a musky just under 30 this week. Kileigh Howard caught a monster 11 1/2 perch, the biggest perch her group of almost 30. Seth Howard landed and released a 33 1/2 northern, his biggest ever. Our northern fisherman of the week was old timer Larry Dorenkamp, his biggest northern was 36 and it was good enough to claim the top honors for the week. The weather was hot and humid with plenty of storms during the week, many of the kids in camp spent countless hours enjoying the water mat and trampoline. Week ten is underway and once again rain and lightning has been keeping our guests close to camp. We had over an inch of rain Saturday morning and another 3/4 of rain on Sunday; lake levels are slowly coming up and are in great shape for this time in the season. Remember no poultry products allowed into Canada so pick up what you need after you cross the border, also if you wish get your fishing license before you get to camp to save some time when you get here. We are looking forward to week ten and hopefully will have some monster fish to chat about next week, that’s all for now, this is Jim from Wabaskang.
Week of July 4th – 10th
A hearty hello to all our fellow fishermen out there. Week number 8 has come and gone and we noticed the fish were in a transition period all of the week. Our weather has changed from cool and dry to hot, humid, and wet. We had storms off and on most of the week and had a total of about 1.75 inches of rain. The walleye have moved to the deep edges of the weeds and can be tough to entice when they are buried deep beneath the thick cabbage weeds. The best time to find and catch the walleyes seemed to be around sunrise and then again near sunset. Consistent fishing was to be had if you were pitching a plastic grub in brown or lime green in color. The fish were very active during the low light period but once the sun was above the trees the fish would settle down under the weeds and wait for the sun to go back down. A few walleyes were caught on minnows or worms but by far the best bite was with a tube bait or a suspending crank bait or stick bait. Tim Wuethrich was in camp this week, he caught many nice walleyes and almost all of them were caught on artificial baits. He had a 26 beauty to win the hat for the week. The bass fishing was great early in the week but after a few stormy days the bass scattered and were tough to find. Once again a tube bait or suspending crank bait or even a top water lure caught fish. We had a three-way tie for the biggest bass of the week, Randy Abbott, Tim Wuethrich, and Roger Cummings all had 19 bass but the hat goes to Randy because he was the first on the board. Randy also won top honors the week before with a bass well over 19. Our northern fishing continues to improve. We had some slow days and some very good days. Stick baits and soft bodied baits like a Bull Dog or Sluggo worked well this week. Ryan Neihouser released a 36 northern to get on the board first but he was quickly smashed by Brother Evan who released a pair of 39 fish. Dennis Watson did his best this week to claim the top spot but he could only manage a measly 38 1/2 and a 39 northern for his top two fish. Bob Taylor released a 36 fish and son Jake released a 36 northern, not bad for two California boys. Danny Johns also released a 38 1/2 northern but no one came close to the monster fish that camp legend Marty Neihouser caught and released. Marty used all his skill and little known talent to land a 44 1/2 brute. He was fishing the main lake and working the deeper edges of the cabbage weeds. We waited eight weeks this season before we finally had a legal musky caught by one of our guests. Dennis Watson may have been clobbered by Marty on the northern board but Dennis put everybody back on their heels when he landed a monster 46 musky. His fish took a top water bait just before a thunderstorm rolled through, Dennis being the expert that he is was able to successfully land his fish and bring his trophy home for the wall. Thanks for the spinner baits Dennis. Next week looks like more unstable weather so we will see how the fish react. Remember no poultry products allowed into Canada so buy your eggs and chicken after you cross. You can also save some time by purchasing your fishing license before you get to camp, we are still selling licenses here at camp if you need one when you get here, remember to bring your outdoors card even if it has expired to speed up the process. We will have lots to talk about again soon; week 9 has a camp full of seasoned regulars that always seem to find the fish, talk again soon, Jim
Week of June 27th through July 3rd
Gigantic northern, that’s what we are going to talk about this week. The seventh week of our season turned out to be the best week of northern we have seen so far this season. Many of the big brutes are now roaming the weed lines looking for an easy meal. The fish seem to be waiting for anything big and slow to wonder by for a quick ambush. Dylan Peterson was first on the board this week with a feisty 30 northern but everybody knows the first on the board is always the smallest, too bad Dylan. Casey Christensen released a nice 33 1/2 northern, one of his best. Caseys son Henry also released a 33 1/2 northern that made his trip. Jeannette Snyder not only hooked her finger but also managed to catch and release a chunky 37 fish. Our daughter Annie was in camp this week and she spent a few days on the water with her uncle Big Mike. Annie arms were tired by the time she finally got her 34 brute to the boat, fishing is just way too much work. The best northern bite was deep weed edges close to deep water. McKenzie Wedemeier joined Annie in camp this week and her 40 monster was easily the biggest fish she has ever caught. Rhett Lammers had a great week in camp, Bulldogs and Sandcats were the name of the game and his 40 pike was a real thrill, his father Mike was proud of what his son could do in spite of all the useless fishing information he had passed along to him over the last 14 years. Big Mike did have a decent week watching his buddy Kevin Reints catch big fish. Mikes biggest northern of the week was a mere 391/2 hammer handle, not bad for him but laughable compared to what his buddy and now idol Kevin Reints did this week. Kevin likes to throw soft baits about 9″ long, he released a 41, a 43, and a monster 46 northern to easily take home bragging rights for the week, maybe Mike should hand the keys to the Ranger over to Kevin since he seems to have the right stuff ! Our walleye fishing was tough for a few of the new guys in camp. The fish were right in the thick weeds and rushes and soft bodied baits were the best. You needed to rip the bait through the weeds and let it fall into any open pockets and the fish were waiting with their mouths wide open. The anglers that stayed away from live bait and heavy jigs easily caught over fifty walleyes a day per boat but if you stayed with a jig and minnow or lindy rig and minnow then you may only have a few fish at days end. Night crawlers did very well on spinner rigs but you need to stay right on the weed lines and the slower the better. Keynote Lake was producing for the anglers that new the area and were on the water early. Many of our guests had their limits of walleye caught before 7 am and fished northern and bass the rest of the day. We had some big walleyes caught after dark as well. Deep open water trolling with 6 stick baits and crank baits produced some very nice walleyes. The best time to be on the water was after 11pm and usually the bite slowed around 2am. Big Mike took McKenzie Wedemeier, Annie and Rhett Lammers and Kevin Reints trolling over deep water and in one evening Kevin released a 24 walleye, McKenzie released a 27 walleye, Rhett released a 28 brute and Annie released a 28 1/2″ beauty that ended up being the biggest walleye of the week. Mike claims he was so busy taking fish of the lines and keeping the planner boards from tangling that he couldnt really fish himself but we all have heard that one before, better luck next time Mike. The bass fishing was once again as good as it gets. Tube baits and top water plugs easily fooled tons of bass this week. Some of our guests even caught 18 bass right from the dock using a bobber and worm. Dylan Peterson once again was the first angler on the board with his 17 bass but he was quickly crushed by Rhett Lammers with an 18 fish. Rhett also released a 19 1/2 bass but his dreams of winning the free hat were instantly crushed when seasoned angler Randy Abbott caught and released a monster 19 1/2 bass. It seems Rhett and father Mike have something in common—-they both fall short of the mark when it comes to winning big fish of the week honors. Nancy Peterson claimed she caught a 12 perch but son Joel and grandson Dylan only laughed and rolled their eyes at her claims, no hat for you Nancy! Next week looks good weather wise and we have a camp full of Missouri anglers that will tear the water up looking for the big northern and bass, I am excited to see what fish are caught and released because we are going from stick bait fishermen to spinner bait fishermen. Remember no poultry products allowed into Canada so just pick up what you need after you cross, also grab your license on the way up as well if you get a chance to save some time when you get here at camp, we are up and running again in the license department but the system does run slow and we will do our best to get you a license as quick as we can. Lets chat again next week and check out the new pictures on our site, talk soon, Jim from Wabaskang.
Week of June 20th – 26th
Greetings to all our fishing friends. Another great week here at Jim and Julies Wabaskang Camp. Lets talk about the incredible bass fishing we had this week. Many of the bass were still near the spawning areas and you could count as many as fifteen or twenty bass in one area just swimming around looking for an easy meal. Many of the bass were already stuffed with fish flies and other aquatic insects but top water bait placed just ahead of the schooling bass was too much for them to resist and a thunderous hit was almost always sure to come. Brent Minett had a great week here in camp, he was the first guest on the board when he caught and released a chunky 19 bass, Brett Ulrich always seems to be on top of the leader board and this week was no exception, he landed a 19 bass on day one but eventually took home top honors for his 19 1/2 bass he released later in the week, top water baits were the ticket for most anglers this week when it came to bass but we also saw some very nice fish caught on a bobber and worm rig. Dan Smith tied Brett when he released his 19 1/2 fish but the tie goes to Brett since his was caught first. Andy Lowes released a 18 1/2 bass, Tee Teegarden released a chunky 18 1/2 bass, the youngest fella in the camp and first timer Zayden Inselman released a 17{ bass and a 33 1/2 northern later in the week, he is following in some big footsteps. Trey Fazio also had a great bass, he released a 19 bass that on most weeks would win top honors but not this week Trey, too bad so sad. Our northern fishing is slowly picking up, Chuck Zender is always on the hunt for a big pike and this week he started things off with a beautiful 37 fish, Chuck had little time to bask in the glory because once again Brett Ulrich slammed him from the board when he landed and released a huge 40 monster. Sam Ulrich spent most of the week watching his son Brett tear up the fish but did finally manage to catch and release a chunky 35 northern. Roy Green usually wins a hat every time he is in camp but this week his best northern was also only 35, Dan Howard won the contest last season but this week his biggest was a respectable 37, most of the northern were caught on shallow diving cranks or top water baits, a few also were caught on spinner baits with a double blade and white or brown skirts. The walleye bite was good once again even though we are seeing plenty of fish flies on the water. The best bite was morning and evenings and shallow water and wind was the combination to success. Diane Howard landed and released a beautiful 27 walleye only a stones throw from camp and thought she had a free hat coming when old duffer Richard Zender said hold on there and released a 27 1/4 walleye that he would have gladly traded for a northern the same size. All our guests caught walleyes this week and most fish were in the 15 to 22 range, all were caught shallow and most on artificial baits or a jig and minnow combination, we did have a few guests that found leeches to be the hot bait. This was a great week for the Lowes when it came to trout fishing, trolling deep water in Aerobus Bay was the place to be and a blue or silver spoon or crank was the lure to have. Braden Lowes always catches a few trout and he landed a 26 1/2″ fish to take top honors this week but he was lucky he caught his first because Jacob Will also landed a 26 1/2″ trout, Andy Lowes caught a 18 1/2 trout, Brandon Nelson caught a 19 1/2 trout, all the fish were caught at about the 50 depth over about b75 of water. We did see some nice perch this week as well, David Will caught a chunky 11″ perch and his brother Jacob won a hat when he caught a 11 1//2″ fish. Next week looks like the northern fishing will be hot and we also have some seasoned anglers in camp that will do some deep water night trolling for the big brutes. We are having some major problems with our licensing equipment here at camp and the new gear may not get here for a few more days so stop and pick up your license before you get to camp, also remember no poultry products allowed into Canada so buy what you need after you cross. That’s all for now, we have lots of new pictures to add to our site so we will get those on shortly, talk soon, Jim
Week of June 13th – 19th
Another great week here at Jim and Julies Wabaskang Camp. Week number five is in the books and the walleye fishing was nothing short of fantastic. The camp was full of seasoned walleye anglers and this week a chunky 28 1/2 walleye caught by Steve Frantl was only good for fourth place, too bad so sad Steve. The walleyes are still hanging around the shallow areas of the lake next to the emerging weed growth. Steve caught his monster trolling deep open water but his fish was the exception to the rule. Most of our walleyes were caught on a jig and medium sized minnow or a spinner rig and night crawler. Brian Frantl released a chunky 25 fish which made his week, Ron Peterson usually catches one of the top walleyes of the week but this week his best was 25 as well. Michael Jones usually shows up on the leader board and this week his 26 1/2″ walleye was only good for 6th place. Glenn Grooters released a 27 fish as poor little Ron looked on but Glenn’s sister Ann said hold on boys as she caught and released a beautiful 28 3/4″ walleye. Dave Woolard caught a 29 1/4″ monster which we thought would win top honors for the week but his fish only managed to land him in second place at the end of the week. Daves fish was quickly crushed by seasoned angler Michael Stankewicz, he was fishing the weeds in Aerobus bay and managed to land a gigantic 31 walleye, he released his trophy after a quick picture so that maybe nephew Dave will have a chance at a fish of a lifetime next year. The walleye fishing was so good that even Bernie and Nancy Stankewicz managed to catch plenty of fish. Son Dave tried to leave his father with me in Canada when he stole his passport and headed to the border with it but as luck would have it he managed to run into mom and dad at the border and return his passport just before the crossing——-whew!
The northern fishing was slow again this week, Les Jones rarely gets a chance to fish for northern but when the opportunity presents itself he makes the most of it, he released a chunky 35 fish that he was very proud of. The biggest northern of the week was caught by Dave Woolard, his trophy walleye was crushed but his 36 northern was good for first place and a free hat. He caught his 29 1/4 walleye and his 36 northern back to back only a few minutes apart. The bass are still hanging around the beds and are eager to jump on almost anything thrown their way. Nancy Stankewicz released a chunky 17 1/2 bass only to see Larry Brabazon catch and release a beautiful 19 3/4 fish, he took home a hat for his trophy as well as did Scott Willms, he released a monster bass over 22 long to win bragging rights for the week. Next week we will have anglers here from Texas, Missouri, Indiana, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Illinois, we should see lots of different styles and techniques from all our guests. Remember no poultry products coming into Canada so plan on buying them after you cross, we have a very limited supply here at camp and run out quickly if everybody needs them. If you are in a hurry to get on the lake Saturday you can always purchase your fishing licenses on line before you get here and remember to print out the licenses as well as the receipt to avoid any additional charges if we need to reprint them here. We are really excited to see the end of Spring and the beginning of Summer so lets keep thinking about all the big fish to be caught and released this season, talk again soon, this is Jim from Wabaskang.
Week of June 6th – 12th
Greetings from Jim and Julie at Wabaskang Camp. Week number four was a week of great walleye fishing, exceptional bass fishing and finally some decent northern fishing. The walleyes are still hanging around the shallows and are being caught using a jig and minnow or a yellow or white twister tail. The bite is strongest in the morning and evenings but was steady all day long. Sam Wilson landed a chunky 25 walleye but Derek Bagwell said too bad fella when he caught and released a beautiful 26 fish. Todd Morrison from Kansas jumped onto the leader board next when he released a 26 1/4 beauty, Ryan Riggs was the guy to beat this week, he released a 28 walleye to take top honors for the week, his father George did give him a run for his money when he landed and release a chunky 27 walleye. Our bass fishing was really hot this week. The bass are still hanging around the spawning areas and can be caught on tube jigs or small crank baits. Mya Johnson caught her first bass in almost fifty years and it was a beautiful 18 fish. Sam Wilson caught a trophy sized bass, his was 19 long, Mike Williams and his son-in-law Clint Seehusen each released a 20 bass this week. The real star when it comes to bass fishing this week was super star Blaine Stroble, he caught and released many 19 bass, a 20 bass and a monster 20 1/4 bass to take home top honors for the week. Our northern fishing finally came to life this week. The big brutes are finally moving into the weedy mid depth areas and are chasing stick baits and big crank baits. Trenton Thiel had a great week of fishing; he released a chunky 32 northern which gave him all he could handle. Sam Wilson released three northern that were in the 30 range to impress his whole family. Craig Codner loves to northern fish but could only manage a 34 brute for his biggest, Jerod Voster had the biggest northern in his group, he caught a chunky 36 fish. Mike Lammers sure hasnt been able to impress anyone lately and this week his biggest fish was only 36, too bad so sad. Jordon Hansen did a little bit better; he released a 36 1/2 northern. Clint Seehusen was trying his best this week but his best northern was a mere 37 1/2 fish. The real star in camp this week was Dan Edeker; he was fishing with my brother Mike and hopefully taught him a few things this week. He was throwing a Sandcat and released many fish over 30 and his biggest monster northern was a whopping 42, great job Dan! Jess Wilson also made the leader board this week, she was the only lady on the board but her 13 perch was easily the biggest caught in camp this week. Next week looks like we will see more weeds beginning to emerge and that should really turn the northern into feeding machines. The walleyes will also start to move slightly deeper and set up shop right on the deep edges of the weeds. Next week should be very exciting for all our guests. Remember to leave your poultry products at home and purchase what you need when you get into Canada. Also a reminder that you can get your fishing license on-line if you wish or stop at one of the many local bait and souvenir shops and get it before you get to camp to save yourself some time. We are excited to see all our guests having great fishing. Lets chat again next week, this is Jim from Wabaskang.
Week of May 30th – June 5th
Greetings to all our friends and fans of Wabaskang Camp. Another great week has flown by and we had lots of great fishing. The water has slowly warmed and now most areas of the lake are showing surface temperatures in the low to mid sixties. As usual we had a camp filled with experienced fishermen and they certainly knew where and how to catch plenty of fish. The walleye bite has been fantastic all season long; most of the walleyes were caught in water less than ten feet deep. The best bait seemed to be a small green or orange jig tipped with a minnow or worm. Most of my guests were trolling as slow as they could and felt only a slight tug and a quick flick of the rod would set the hook and the fight was on. Dale Ternet started things off by landing a chunky 21 3/4 fish, his buddy Ron McFadden caught a 22 walleye, Dale Pleimann released a healthy 25 walleye, Don Wauthier had a great week, he caught a 25 1/2 walleye on Wednesday only to catch and release a beautiful 27 1/2 walleye the next day. Dale Ternet landed a 27 beauty and our pal Ron Phippen was showing his numerous fishing skills to his grandchildren when he landed and released a beautiful 28 1/2 walleye. The biggest walleye of the week was caught by a rookie in camp, Cory Mead was fishing out of Jim Loger’s walleye assassin boat when he caught and released a gigantic 30 1/2 walleye, not bad for the new guy. A jig and minnow was tops last week but we did have a group of fellas that did very well using leeches as well. Our northern bite was slow again last week; we expect to see all that change when the water warms another few degrees. Most of our northern were caught using a minnow and spinner combination or a jig and minnow. Chris Tucker released a nice 31 northern, Don Wauthier released a chunky 33 1/2 fish which turned out to be the biggest northern of the week. The bass fishing has been the best we have ever seen it in all our 16 years here at camp. The big females are on their beds now and are easy pickings for the angler that can locate the beds. The best lure was a twister tail and jig head or tube bait in green, brown, or white color. The bass were biting so well that even Pete Sauer, we like to call him forgettable Pete or Trail Mix Pete, was able to catch and release an 18 1/2 bass on day one, he was quickly crushed by Kevin Johnson who released a chunky 18 3/4 bass, Chris Tucker released two 19 bass the same day, Jack Phippen taught his dad Scott and grandpa Ron a few things about bass fishing when he released a chunky 18 bass. Kevin Johnson finally caught a 19 1/4 bass along with camp veteran and prankster Mitch Weinberg, two truly trophy sized fish. We did see another crappie caught this week, Jack Kline brought in a 10 crappie to be declared the crappie king in his group. We are expecting great weather next week and the weeds should start to show up in the warming shallows. Just a reminder to remember your passport and do not bring any poultry products into Canada. There is a great supply and selection after you cross into Canada and the prices are very reasonable. Rumor has it lots a big northern are being caught the first few days of week four and we will tell you all about it next week. Take care and stay in touch, Jim at Wabaskang.
Week of May 23rd -29th
Hello to all our friends and fans of Wabaskang Camp. Week number two has come and gone and we have lots to chat about. The weather has finally turned the corner and we are expecting warmer temperatures and maybe some much needed rain. The lake level is still low but not to a point where there has been any problems that we are aware of. It seems that the bass are already locked onto their beds on our end of the lake and our guests have been catching and releasing many trophies each day. A tube jig or even a small shallow running crank bait works well, just work the shallow weeds near a hard sandy bottom and you are sure to find tons a smallies roaming the spawning beds looking for a fight. Blake Johnson released an 18 bass only to be crushed by his father Kevin who released a chunky 18 1/4 bass. Old timer Rick Pease always makes the board here at Wabaskang Camp and as usual he jumped into the top spot when he released a beautiful 18 3/4 brute. Many of the bass were caught while fishing tiny jigs tipped with a bit of worm in super shallow water. Ricks bass held up for a few days until my friend from Missouri Kevin Johnson caught and released an impressive 19 bass, he reportedly caught over fifty bass a day during his first week with us and today he is still boating well over forty bass a day that are over 17 and many more smaller fish. Kevin only throws top water frog baits and tube jigs along with a minnow imitating stick bait for his impressive bass catches. The walleye bite remains strong for the second straight week; all of our fish are being caught in water less than ten feet deep. The key to success is to find the warmest water you can and if there is a slight ripple on the surface then there almost certainly walleyes feeding in the area. Tyler Carrillo was here for his second year in a row and he caught the biggest walleye of his young fishing life, he managed to land a beautiful 26 fish he is proudly taking home to put on the wall. Once again Kevin Johnson used his skill at throwing plastics to catch and release a 28 1/2 walleye on the 27th, he also released a chunky 27 walleye on the 28th, he seems to attract quality fish, Linda Kleinschmidt was in camp for the first time with old pros brother Craig and father Bill, she released a beautiful 24 walleye caught on a jig, she would prefer to use a slip bobber though. Craig Kleinschmidt released a 25 1/2 walleye to show his sister up but just wait until next season. Rick Carlson released a 25 1/2 walleye as well this week; he fishes shallow water and tiny jigs and minnows to catch his walleyes. The trout fishing was exceptional for one group of our guests this week, they had the tackle and knew where to go and had some nice trout to show for their efforts. They were fishing in deep water and were fishing at about forty feet to find the trout. They used a minnow imitation type bait drug behind 3 ounces of lead weight. Doug Karcz had the big trout of the week when he caught a monster 35 1/2 fish, his buddy Rick Carlson caught a chunky 30 trout and their fishing buddy Conrad Stronberg caught a beautiful 25 trout, they also caught many smaller fish. Our northern fishing continues to lag behind the rest of the fishing here on Wabaskang. Most of the fish were caught while fishing shallow for walleyes using minnows and jigs but a few fish were caught on Mepps spinners and soft bodied jigs and frog baits. Bob Kinzy started things off by releasing a chunky 31″ fish only to have son Brian slam him off the board when he caught and released a beautiful 37 1/2″ northern. Brians son Sam released a 34 northern and Sam’s brother Matt released a 37 1/2″ northern, I guess northern fishing runs in the blood in the Kinzy family. The perch fishing is just taking off now with tons of 9″ males being caught along with a few big females, Tom Cook took top honors this week when he brought in a fat 12 3/4″ perch. Last but not least my old pal Doug McCord from Nevada Missouri made his name known when he brought in a beautiful 13″ crappie he caught down in Keynote Lake, his fish was good enough to win him a hat for the week. Just reminders to all our guests to buy your eggs and any other poultry products after you cross the border as no poultry products are being allowed into Canada as of now. You can purchase your fishing license on-line before you get here to save yourself some time if you wish or stop on your way up at one of the local tackle shops, we do licenses here at camp but it does take time if everyone arrives here in camp at the same time. We will chat again soon, rumor has it a 30 1/2″ walleye will be in our week three update, talk soon, Jim from Wabaskang.
Week of May 16th -22nd
Spring greetings to all our friends and fans of Wabaskang Camp. Another season is under way, our 16th, and we are as excited as ever. I arrived in camp the 23rd of April and about a week later the ice was gone. No problems around camp and getting everything ready went much easier than last season. Julie joined me here at camp on the 1st of May and we were ready for our guests on the 16th. The opening day was just beautiful, warm temperatures, plenty of sunshine and very little wind. The fish were practically jumping into the boats. The walleye were very shallow, generally less than ten feet and the bulk of the fish caught were males between 14 and 17 inches, just the right size for a pan of golden fillets for the evening meal. Jim Dunham started things off by releasing a chunky 22 walleye, Chuck Nass, after missing out on his trip last season since we were closed on opener is starting over on his string of trips to camp, he had 29 in a row but now he is back to 1 but still hopes to get another 29 opener fishing trips in even if he has to be carried to the dock. Chuck caught a nice 22 1/2 walleye on the opening day, Chuck Taylor surprised us all by catching and releasing a chunky 23 1/4 walleye, he is usually the perch king around camp. Dean Fischer was new to camp this spring, he along with a little expertise and encouragement from his buddy Chuck Nass landed and released the biggest walleye of the opening week, a beautiful 26 fish. Most of the fish were caught using tiny jigs tipped with a small minnow or worm, the baits were slowly dragged across the soft muddy bottoms in many of the shallow bays near camp, the second productive method was a slip bobber and minnow, both methods worked well but the key was to find the warmest water possible and that was where the fish were hanging out. Surface temperatures started out near 60 degrees but after two inches of rain and almost four inches of snow on Monday the temperatures fell by nearly ten degrees and the bite definitely slowed down. Our northern fishing was slow here opening week but that is usually the case until we see water temperatures near the 65 degree mark. We did have a few big northern caught, Steve Taylor released a 29 northern, newcomer Russell Schultz released a beautiful 30 fish, Brian Weller released a chunky 34 northern on the 19th, by the way Brian we found a pair of glasses in your cabin and Im thinking Terry may be wondering where he left them. Chuck Taylor really had a great week, he managed to catch and release a 35 1/2 northern on the 21st to take top honors for biggest northern released opening week, Nate Vannaram also was new to camp this season but he didnt let a little rough weather keep him from having a great time, he released a chunky 35 northern that he caught busing a sucker as bait. Mike Schultz landed the biggest northern of the week, he brought in a 36 brute on Friday. The biggest surprise to everyone on opener this season was the number and size of big bass being caught. The males were milling around in the shallows and were guarding the beds until the big females moved in. We saw Terry Lauer release a 17″ fish, Dean Fischer released a 18 1/4″ bass, Steve Taylor released a 17 1/2″ bass, Buddy Reiff released a beautiful 18″ bass and my little camp buddy Blake Johnson surprised his dad Kevin by releasing a 19″ monster, great job fella. Julie had to go back to Iowa for a week after we got all of our opening week guests settled in but I sure enjoyed some good food from all our friends, Butch Schultz treated me to a juicy rib-eye steak dinner one night, Buddy Reiff fed me barbeque beef that was delicious, Steve Taylor and his gang kept me full with brats and all the fixings, and Brian Weller had burgers on two different occasions waiting for me at supper time. Thanks for all the wonderful meals and snacks from all my guests. The weather has warmed again and the lake is still low but not any lower than we have seen it before and rain is in the forecast. Sorry it took me so long to update our site Dewey but you know how busy I am! Julie is in charge of the pictures so hopefully she will do her thing now and give everyone a peek at the first week of fishing. Talk again soon and don’t forget to leave your poultry products at home and just pick up o may need here in Canada. That’s all for now but we will chat again real soon.
Jim from Wabaskang
Spring 2015
A warm hello to all our friends from Jim and Julie’s Wabaskang Camp. Julie and I are both in camp now and we have been very busy getting everything ready for our first guests due to arrive on the 14th. The ice went off our end of the lake on May 1st this year, more than two weeks earlier than last season. The water levels are low but there is some good chances of decent rain in the forecast. I have most of the cabins going with running water now so Julie and the crew will start cleaning on Friday. The warm weather has allowed us to get many projects done around camp that we usually put off until June, Julie managed to wash every window in camp this week. Everyone has heard about the ban on poultry products coming into Canada and here is the link you can visit to check it out yourself.
http://northernontario.travel/sunset-country/new-restrictions-on-what-you-can-bring-into-canada
Julie and I will be selling licenses and Outdoors Cards here at camp again this season, if you wish you can get them on-line at home or pick them up in Canada to save some time when you get to camp, please bring your Outdooors card along even if it has expired so I can get all the info off of it when we run you a new license and card if you need it. Won’t be long now and the camp will be alive with friendly faces and the smell of frying fish, see you all soon, Jim and Julie
