Camp News
2010
July 27th
Welcome to week number ten here at Wabaskang Camp, we are at the half-way point of our season now and it has been a great year of fishing so far. We had a camp full of experienced anglers in camp and the numbers of big fish taken sure showed it. The Bass fishing began to pick up this week with lots of bass in the 15” to 17” range taken. Most of the Bass were caught on night crawlers in weedy areas adjacent to deep water. The biggest Bass of the week was expertly caught by Craig Jennings, a beautiful 18” bronzeback. We had one new fella in camp this week who seemed to really stick it to all the regulars, Jaret Wunsch had just the right touch on the big Walleye this week; he skillfully landed and released a huge 29” monster while his little friend Reid watched in jealous awe. The Walleye bite seemed to be in two completely different areas of the lake. We had a good shallow water bite tight to the weeds on crawler harnesses and minnow rigs, most fish were in the 16” to 19” range with an occasional 20” plus fish. The bigger Walleyes were coming from 18 to 30 feet of water on the sunken humps and rock piles. Most of these fish were taken on the jig and minnow combination. Jaret’s big Walleye came on a 7” Sandcat fished over the weed tops in 12 feet of water, great job Jaret. Our Northern fishing was second to none again this week, we saw lots of 25 “to 27” fish being taken on jigs and minnows and big stick baits. The biggest fish of the week were taken on Sandcats fished among the weeds in ten to fourteen feet of water. The best fishing was on cloudy and breezy days or during a rain storm. Jaret managed to catch and release a nice 39” fish only to have his friend Reid snatch the big fish glory from him with a 391/2” torpedo, woooweee but wait one minute here Reid you were blown out of the water by Brian Boevers with a huge 42” monster he is putting on the wall and then Bill Mincks slammed you with a 44” log sized fish which he promptly released, woooweee Reid better luck next time, no prize for third place. We are looking forward to week eleven, the lake is high and the bug population is low, should be another interesting week here at camp, talk again next week , bye from Wabaskang.
July 19th
Hello fromWabaskang Camp. Week nine has come and gone with lots of big fish and even more big fish stories. The Walleye bite began to move from the shallow weed edges to deeper weed lines and rock piles. Smaller Walleyes seemed to be in ten feet of water or less and were easy pickens on a crawler harness or jig and minnow, the jig needed to be less than a quarter ounce for the best luck. If you wanted the big fish most of my guests fished in deeper water along cabbage weed lines and rock piles that tumbled down to around eighteen feet or so, again a night crawler or minnow worked best, the fellas throwing crank baits or plastics had limited success, the best bite using artificial baits was early morning or late evening around sunset. Kady Mericle had a nice 24” Walleye but she was knocked off the top of the leader board by Bob Medearis who edged her by 1/4'”. Bob has a free hat coming for his big fish of the week. The Northern fishing continues to be outstanding. Many of our guests caught the big Northern while fishing the shallow water for Walleyes, they would latch onto a huge fish and the fight would be on with light tackle, we had some huge northern caught on big stick baits as well, Jim Hagen landed and released a 39” beauty, Kady Mericle managed to catch and release a huge 41” monster but once again she was knocked off the top of the leader board by Roy Green who landed and released a 41 ¼” torpedo. Our Smallmouth Bass fishing was tough going this week compared to other weeks, the fish are still in transition from the spawning beds to their summer haunts. Roy Green did manage to catch a nice 18” bronze beauty to take top honors for the week. Fishing should really take off this week with a more stable weather pattern and fish beginning to be a bit more predictable. We have high water levels but with a floating dock we have no problems here at camp, we will up-date again soon, bye for now, Jim from Wabaskang.
July 10th
Evening from Wabaskang Camp. Week eight was a week of stormy weather and unpredictable fishing. Our guests did great one day and struggled the next. The Walleyes were mainly hanging out on the weed edges and shallow rocky shorelines. The best bait seemed to be a worm harness or minnow and jig combo fished as slow as you could. The bite was a not very aggressive so you had to be on your toes to feel the fish and set the hook before it was gone. Mike Lammers managed to find some huge Walleyes roaming the deeper weed beds and landed three fish over 26”, the biggest being 291/4”, he was using huge Northern baits in the nine inch range, he released every fish he caught. Joe Kuschman had a nice 28” Walleye and Syd Hancock caught and released a beautiful 25 incher to round out the week for big Walleyes. Our Northern fishing was good to our guests who were throwing the big baits and weren’t afraid to cast their guts out all day. Chad Hawker seemed to have what it takes as he released lots of big Northern this week, the two biggest being 39” and 391/2”. We saw a slow down in Bass fishing this week, most of the big females were in post-spawn mode and were tough to catch. We saw lots of smaller fish being taken on twister tails and spinners. Joe Kuschman managed to catch the biggest bass of the week, a nice 18” beauty. We had a huge Musky landed this week as well, Garrett Hancock got hold of a 51” monster that was the talk of camp on Friday, and he took some pictures and released her at the dock to fight another day, good job Garrett! The weather has been showing signs of calming down this week and fishing should really begin to explode on all fronts, we will keep you updated, bye for now.
July 5th
Welcome to Wabaskang Camp week seven update. We had another week of heavy rain and muggy temperatures. Total rain from June 26th to July 4th was around four inches, we had culverts along our road wash out and the Electricity was off twice this week. Fishing was good one day and slow the next, some stable weather coming in this week should get the fish back in the mood to put on the old feed bags. The Walleye fishing was exceptional for the trophy sized fish and in my opinion tough going for the eater sized fish. Most of the smaller sized Walleyes were coming from inside cuts on shallow weed edges on the smallest jig you had in your tackle box tipped with a bit of worm. The trophy sized fish were coming from deeper weed edges on large stick baits like suicks and sandcats, Kenny Fouts started things off early in the week with a 28 ¼” beauty which he quickly released only to be topped by Marty Neihouser who skillfully caught and released a monstrous 29” beauty. Northern fishing was great depending on who you talked to. We had numerous fish in the mid to upper 30’s released all week. Isak Christensen kicked things off with a released 39” monster only to be bumped from the leader board by Kristy Lammers who released a trophy 40 incher, next Rhett Lammers jumped to the top spot by releasing a torpedo shaped 41 incher, just when we thought the bar had been set pretty high Kenny Schroeder came from the rear of the pack and landed a huge 43 incher which as he said has been a twenty eight year quest of his, he decided to keep this monster and put her on the wall, the fish will continue to bring great memories to Kenny for many years to come, he may have had a bit of help from his buddy from above, good job Kenny. We had two huge Lake Trout caught this week as well, Mark Lewandowski had a 29 incher and Paul Dennert, with the skillful leadership of Bob Compton landed a huge 32 incher which came out of about 55 feet of water. Our Bass fishing slowed some this week while the big females were recovering from the rigors of the spawn, to show his exceptional skill and talent, Tim Wuethrich caught and released a pumpkin sized smallmouth that was 19 inches long. We should see some better weather this week along with more seasonal patterns beginning to take shape; we will talk again soon, Jim from Wabaskang
June 28th
Morning everyone, greetings from Wabaskang Camp. Fishing continues to impress us here at camp. We are still seeing the effects of a huge Mayfly hatch this year but walleyes are beginning to move back to their normal early summer patterns. Most of the walleyes are coming on night crawlers pulled very slow on a spinner rig, the shallower the better. A good morning and evening bite is still available if you can stand fishing right in the weeds. Some of our guests had good luck tossing white or brown tube jigs into the weed pockets and slowly dragging it back to the boat. The biggest walleyes were actually being caught on huge northern baits that seemed to look similar to a small walleye in size and color, Ryan Little took home top honors with a beautiful 28” walleye that was quickly returned to the water after a few quick pictures. Our group of northern fishermen really had good success later in the week, we saw most of the bigger northern being fooled by huge baits that dove about two feet below the surface and had a slow wobble as they were retrieved back to the boat. Dark colors seemed best along with copper and gold combos. The Wentlandts seemed to have an edge over our other guests when it came to pike fishing, both father Dave and son Bryce caught gigantic 41” monsters, Bryce gets bragging rights though because his fish was heavier than Daves by almost 6 pounds. Bass fishing had good days and slow days, most of the fish were ready to leave the spawning areas and head back to rocky points and deeper weed lines, Joe Nunlist Jr. showed his group of 12 how it is done by taking top honors with a beautiful 18 1/2 “ miniature football sized bass, he admired his catch and quickly released her to fight another day. The weather has not settled down yet with a storm front passing by every other day or so, fishing patterns are changing daily but the forecast shows signs of improvement, we had almost two more inches of rain this weekend and the lake is in great shape, we need some warm weather now to see our Summer patterns emerge and the fish begin to feed on a regular basis, that’s all for week six, we will chat again soon, bye from Wabaskang Camp.
June 20th
Good morning from Wabaskang Camp. Week five has come to an end with an explosion of May Flies on the South end of the lake. Our guests still enjoyed great fishing for Walleyes and Northern. We had a week of unstable weather as storm fronts seemed to move through every other day. The fish have stayed shallow to gobble up the May Flies and feast on the bait fish that are swarming the shorelines. Most of the biggest walleyes were caught on night crawlers or jig and minnow combos, we should see a good crank bait bite begin this week now that the weeds are establishing themselves and are thick enough to hide the Walleyes when the sun is high. The biggest Walleye of the week was caught and released by Ann Peterson, a beautiful 27” fish. Our Northern fishing was good even when most of our guests were actually fishing for walleyes. Many big Northern were caught on jig and minnow combos fishing shallow water where the Perch and Walleyes were hanging out. Large spoons caught a large share of big Northern, as well as bulldogs and suicks, the biggest northern this week was caught by Ron Phippen, a huge 40 ½” monster which was quickly released. The Bass fishing this week fell off a bit from the week before, most of the big females were done spawning and were resting up before going back to their regular haunts and habits. Bob Michaud managed to catch and release a football sized fish that was 18 ½’ long, he was proud of his fish. Week six is now underway, we had mostly sun yesterday and some light rain this morning, should be a good day for the Walleyes as we have a slight chop on the water and cloud cover, we will talk again soon, bye from Wabaskang.
June 13th
It is hard to believe we are already into week five of the season. Last week was another exceptional week of fishing for our guests, lots of smaller fish being kept for the frying pan and all of the trophy sized fish being released to fight another day. The water temps have held steady for the last week or so, surface temps have hovered around 64 degrees, a favorable temperature for almost all the game fish in the lake with the exception of Lake Trout. We saw the best week of Smallmouth fishing so far this season as far as size goes, we had numerous fish over eighteen inches caught and released , many of the fish were still hanging around the spawning beds and were hitting small tube jigs and spinners, rapalas worked as well . The biggest bass of the week was caught by Mike Lammers, a beautiful 19 ½ inch beast which was quickly returned to the lake. We saw some outstanding northern fishing this week as well. Most of the bigger pike were hitting bulldogs and sandcats, as well as suicks and reef hogs, the biggest pike of the week were caught by Derek Bagwell, he used the old jig and minnow combination to land a monster 42 incher which was promptly released after a quick picture. Walleyes were still shallow and aggressive, hitting shad raps and bettle spins along with white tube jigs and of course a jig and minnow combo and crawler and slip bobbers on the weed lines, everyone had great fishing with the largest walleye being caught by Craig Codner, a 26 ½” beauty which was released. Cool and wet weather has been in place now for about a week or so but after Sunday the skies should clear and warmer weather will return, should be another week of great fishing for our guests, talk again soon, bye from Wabaskang.
June 5th
Week three at Wabaskang Camp was an especially good week of fishing. The water has warmed into the low sixties on the surface which has the shallows alive with bugs and bait fish which in turn draws huge schools of hungry walleyes and menacing northern pike. Our guests endured three days of wet weather early in the week but the fishing was fast and furious. Walleyes were still hanging around six to twelve feet of water and were biting on minnows and especially worms. Anytime you could find a shoreline with weeds and some scattered rock with a wind pounding into it you had incredible fishing. Some of the best baits were white tube jigs, crank baits, small Mepps spinners and the old stand-by jig and minnow combo or bobber and worm set-up. Our biggest walleye of the week was caught by Garrett Taylor, a monster 29 incher. Northern were roaming the shallows looking for a quick meal. The best baits were rattling Shad Raps and medium sized stick baits, some pike were also taken while walleye fishing with jigs and minnows, the biggest pike of the week was caught by Wayne Gajewski, he landed a beautiful forty plus inch fish which he quickly released. Bass fishing was up and down all week, early on the bass were tight on their beds but after three days of rain most of the fish moved off to rocky shorelines and deeper water to rest up after the spawn, Gary Spatz was the big bass of the week winner with a football sized bass that was nineteen plus inches long, she was quickly released to fight another day. Week four is here and we have rain again today, lake levels are ideal and the fish are still hungry and aggressive, we should see a mix of sun and rain this week which will keep the fish in a hungry mood and keep them shallow where they are easy to tempt with a lure or live bait rig, we will up-date again soon, bye for now.
May 30th
Our second week of the season has come to an end and the weather was exceptionally nice for this early in the season. Our guests had some of the best early season fishing I have seen since we bought the camp. The water temperatures were hovering around sixty degrees on the calm sunny days which caused the shallows to explode with activity. Smallmouth Bass were holding tight to their beds but would eagerly take a twister tail or small Mepps spinner if it ventured too close, we had many bass released over seventeen inches, young Blake Johnson, turning nine on Saturday, caught the biggest bass of the week, a huge brute a hair over nineteen inches, he took home a free hat and pin for his efforts. The Northern fishing was fast and furious as usual, the fish seemed eager to take any bait that resembled a small walleye or minnow. Some of our guests picked up huge northern while fishing for Perch and Walleye, Craig Kleinschmidt had a beautiful Pike that was over thirty-nine inches long but he was spanked by his dad Bill who had the biggest Pike of the week in camp, a monster fish over forty-two inches long, both father and son promptly released their trophies back into the lake. Walleye fishing was as good as it gets for the second week in a row, all of the fish were shallow and at least six different year classes were feeding in the same areas. Ken Scheidt had one of his best days ever; he landed a beautiful twenty-eight inch Walleye on his last day here to win top honors for the week. Most of his Walleyes were coming on night crawlers worked in shallow water next to the reeds. Perch were biting well again this week with lots of male fish around ten inches being caught, the females were beginning to move shallow to join the males to get serious about spawning and our guests began catching some nice twelve and thirteen inchers toward the end of the week. It has been raining now since Friday night and we have had almost two inches so far as of Sunday night, our guests so far this week have been braving the wind and rain and report good fishing all over the lake as long as you are staying shallow. Lake levels are on the rise and may actually be considered high by the end of this week. One more little story to tell, Bill Sharpe was reeling his line in at the end of the day on Friday planning on heading back to camp and packing things up when he hooked a hungry thirty-nine inch northern which he admired briefly and returned to the lake, great way to end the trip.
May 22nd
What a wonderful opener we had this year, warm sunny days and cool nights for sleeping. We had a wee bit of rain but not enough to make our guests drag out their rain suits, complete opposite from last year’s opener. We have leaves on the trees, green grass growing like crazy and water temperatures in the upper fifties already. The smallmouth bass are holding tight to their beds and the spawn will be over and done with almost 3 weeks early. We are starting to see new weed growth in the shallow bays which is attracting huge schools of bait fish, along with all the game fish that feed on them. Our guests had fantastic fishing all week long and even were headed home this weekend with slight sunburn. The walleyes were caught mostly in 4 to 10 feet of water on small minnows or bits of night crawlers hung on a jig. Some of our Missouri fellas used tube jigs and other small artificial baits and did just as well. The biggest walleye of the week in camp was caught by Dean Harlan, a beautiful 27 5/8” female which he quickly released. Lots of big northern were hooked as well; most of the fish are extremely shallow feeding on the pearch and small male walleyes that have invaded the warm shallows. Kevin Johnson caught and released a huge 40 ¼” fish only to be outdone by Dan Taylor who landed a monster 43 incher; it is his personal best which he also quickly released after a few pictures. Our guests also did very well on bass this week, Norby Reiff showed the whole camp how it is done by catching a 19” beauty, after a few quick pictures it was back in the lake to fight another day. The pearch fishing really took off as the water warmed, many of our guests had pearch over 11” with a few close to 13”, the males were definitely ready for the females to move shallow and begin the spawn. We had a great time with all our guests again this week; everyone really enjoyed the sunshine and light winds all week. Ron, one of our regulars even managed to achieve a new nickname in camp, he will be known as the “Turtle Man” after catching and releasing not one but two snapping turtles this week, must be something about the way his hands smell that seems to attract them. A message to Bob, we will give you a call early next season to remind you to bring the steaks, seems you are getting forgetful in your old age, that’s all for now, we will update again soon, thanks.
MAY 18TH
Another wonderfull day at wabaskang camp. The weather was gorgeous and the fishing was great! Dean Harlan wants to say Happy Anniversary to his wife Julie in case he forgets to tell her on their Anniversary because he is having so much fun fishing. Warm and dry for the rest of the week, even had a Lake Trout caught yesterday. Thats all for now, Bye from Wabaskang.
MAY 16TH
What a beautiful opening weekend we had this year! If any of you remember our opener for 2009 it was snow and below freezing temps, well that wasn"t the case this year. We have had a weekend of sunshine and the temps in the 70's. Everyone has been using the sunscreen and some of our guests were in shorts and T-shirts. Of course the fishing was great and we have posted some photo's for you to look at. We will post more photos as we get them and keep you up to date on the happenings at Wabaskang Camp weekly so keep checking our site for weather and fishing updates.
Camp News
Holiday Greetings 2009
A warm holiday greeting from Jim, Julie and Annie from Wabaskang Camp. We want to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and wonderful New Year.
We have owned and operated the camp for 10 years now and are looking forward to many more. The friends we have made over the years are near and dear to us and we enjoy seeing all of you every season. We know the tough economic times have affected many of you and we hope and pray that the upcoming year will be a happy and prosperous one.
The 2009 season was one of the coldest and wettest on record. We had to have a friend of ours use a bulldozer to open our road in early April just to give the road a chance to dry out and allow us into camp. I arrived at camp on April 24th to find the lake still froze and about six inches of snow still on the ground.
The first week was spent tinkering with motors and doing whatever I could that kept me inside and dry. Julie arrived in camp on May 2nd and she was disappointed we still had no running water but made the most of things by boiling water from the lake and even melting snow for cooking and cleaning. The days were quite cool, around 40 degrees and the nights saw temperatures fall well below freezing, I wasn’t able to prime and run the water pumps until the 7th day of May, we worked long and hard for the next week to have all the cabins clean and tidy before our guests arrived.
Just when things began to look better a Spring snow storm hit Ontario with heavy wet snow and strong winds, our guests had arrived in camp and I was forced to turn the water system off for more than a day because of the bitter cold temperatures. Our guests managed to survive by carrying water from the lake for cooking and for toilets. The first two weeks of the season were very cold and I had to deal with frozen water lines every morning. Buy the time June rolled around I was ready for some warm weather and normal activities.
We had a very busy summer at camp this year, the cabins were full most weeks which kept us very busy. Julie wanted all the cabins and buildings painted in camp this year so painting kept us busy all summer long. Dustin Murray, a friend of ours from Eagle River helped me scrape and paint every day when it wasn’t raining, we managed to get all but two cabins painted which was very good considering it seemed like it rained all the time.
Because of all the rain this past season we were forced to spread new gravel throughout the camp, it helped keep most of the mud outside the cabins and kept the driveway in great shape. July and August saw us installing new water lines and a new filtration system in our pump house. The water is pushed through carbon and sediment filters before passing through an ultraviolet sterilization system, the system still has some problems to be delt with which may include the addition of a chlorination system in the future.
When the season was over I was able to do some work on the dock as well as leveling the porch on cabin #9 and putting lattice around the cabin. I also built steps going down to the dock to give our guests an easier walk to their boats. We have done plenty of work at camp but it seems to never end, we know our guests appreciate all the improvements.
Fishing was outstanding on Wabaskang Lake again this year and many of our guests caught and released trophy fish on a regular basis.
Perch fishing was fantastic on warm spring days, the best fishing around June 1st to the 30th and many fish were caught in the 12”.
Smallmouth Bass fishing was superb this year as well, most fish were caught on twister tails and crankbaits along the weed lines and rocky points. Here are a few of the bigger fish that were released or mounted:
Chuck Nass 19 inch Bass released 5/19/2009
Dean Harlan 18 ¾ inch Bass released 5/25/2009
Chris Tucker 20 inch Bass released 5/27/2009
Reid McCord 19 inch Bass released 5/30/2009
Wayne Gajewski 18 ½ inch Bass released 5/30/2009
Reid McCord 19 ½ inch Bass released 6/3/2009
Dale Wilson 19 inch Bass Released 6/7/2009
Les Jones 18 ½ inch Bass released 6/18/2009
Bryce Wentlandt 19 inch Bass released 6/21/2009
Tim Wuethrich Jr. 18 inch Bass released 6/28/2009
Mike Lammers 18 ¾ inch Bass released 6/30/2009
Reid Lammers 19 inch Bass released 7/1/2009
John Dunkovich 19 ¾ inch Bass Mounted 7/2/2009
Kenny Schroerder 19 ¾ inch Bass Mounted 7/2/2209
Tom Ward 18 inch Bass released 7/12/2009
Terry Clancy 18 ½ inch Bass released 7/12/2009
Jim Carey 19 inch Bass released 7/17/2009
Jason Comer 19 inch Bass released 7/19/2009
Paul Strain 18 inch Bass released 7/25/2009
Susan Willer 19 inch Bass released 7/27/2009
Tom Gloviak 19 ¼ inch Bass released 9/16/2009
Walleye Fishing was consistently good all season long and some of the bigger fish released or mounted are as follows:
Steve Taylor 28 ½ inch Walleye released 5/18/2009
Chris Tucker 29 inch Walleye released 5/27/2009
Mitch Weinberg 26 ¾ inch Walleye released 5/30/2009
Niel Miller 29 ½ inch Walleye released 6/4/2009
Ron Phippen 27 inch Walleye released 6/6/2009
Dave Schaller 28 inch Walleye released 6/10/2009
Monty Green 2-27 inch Walleye’s released 6/18/2009
Ryan Nihoris 29 ½ inch Walleye released 6/22/2009
John Dunkovich 28 ¾ inch Walleye mounted 6/27/2009
Mike Bowers 29 inch Walleye released 6/30/2009
Drew Bowers 29 inch Walleye released 6/30/2009
Tim Wuethrich Jr 29 ¼ inch Walleye released 7/1/2009
Scott Compton 27 inch Walleye released 7/5/2009
Mike Lammers 28 inch Walleye released 7/5/2009
Chance Comer 28 ¼ inch Walleye mounted 7/20/2009
Ron Peterson 26 ½ inch Walleye released 7/27/2009
Kristy Lammers 26 inch Walleye released 8/15/2009
Mike Lammers 26 inch Walleye released 8/15/2009
Gene Thomas 26 ½ inch Walleye released 8/16/2009
Mike Luhring 27 inch Walleye released 8/19/2009
Leon Luhring 27 ½ inch Walleye released 8/19/2009
Larry Luhring 26 ½ inch Walleye released 8/27/2009
Don Gutknecht 27 inch Walleye released 9/6/2009
Larry Dufel 27 ½ inch Walleye released 9/7/2009
Harm Harms 30 ¼ inch Walleye mounted 9/7/2009
Jim Moran 28 ¼ inch Walleye mounted 9/14/1009
Leroy Hennen 27 ¼ inch Walleye released 9/22/2009
Our Northern Pike Fishing was the best I have ever seen. We had more fish over 40 inches than any other season, here are just a few:
Blake Johnson 43 ¼ inch Northern released 5/17/2009
Ken Scheidt 40 inch Northern mounted 5/27/3009
Mike Lammers 41 inch Northern released 6/8/2009
Mike Lammers 43 inch Northern released 6/9/2009
Mike Lammers 43 ½ inch Northern released 6/13/2009
Les Jones 43 ½ inch Northern mounted 6/13/2009
Ryan Little 40 ¼ inch Northern released 6/22/2009
Leo Fortenberry 40 ½ inch Northern released 6/23/2009
Christy Butcher 40 inch Northern released 6/29/2009
Logan Wuethrich 40 inch Northern released 6/29/2009
Max Wuethrich 41 ¼ inch Northern released 6/29/2009
Chad Miller 42 ¼ inch Northern released 6/29/2009
Kristy Lammers 43 inch Northern released 7/1/2009
Reid Lammers 40 inch Northern released 7/21/2009
Brian Boevers 41 inch Northern 7/21/2009
Mike Lammers 43 inch Northern released 7/22/2009
Sue Minks 44 inch Northern released 7/25/2009
Chad Peterson 40 inch Northern released 7/27/2009
Chad Peterson 42 inch Northern released 7/27/2009
Todd Peterson 45 inch Northern released 7/29/2009
Tony Opperman 42 inch Northern released 8/10/2009
Kristy Lammers 40 ½ inch Northern released 8/16/2009
Mike Kuethe 41 ½ inch Northern released 8/16/2009
Matt Heuer 42 inch Northern released 8/16/2009
Brett Langfritz 40 inch Northern released 8/23/2009
Mike Lammers 40 ½ inch Northern released 8/23/2009
Ruth Rowe 43 inch Northern released 8/23/2009
Randy Drumtra 41 ½ inch Northern released 9/9/2009
Curt Lerum 40 inch Northern released 9/13/2009
Vern Hanus 41 inch Northern released 9/14/2009
Ivan Flock 41 inch Northern released 9/16/2009
Lake Trout were very shallow early in the season. We saw many Trout caught this season and here are just a few:
Tyler Harlan 28 ¼ inch Trout released 5/31/2009
Jim Loger 27 inch Trout released 5/31/2009
Mike Lammers 25 inch Trout released 6/8/2009
Chris Jutting 36 inch Trout released 6/10/2009
Rob Roose 25 ½ inch Trout released 6/10/2009
Steve Taylor 25 inch Trout released 6/23/2009
Ryan Little 34 ¾ inch Trout released 6/24/2009
Mark Lewandoski 29 ¼ inch Trout released 7/10/2009
Julie and I are both back to work at Kay & L Draperies now. We took a week-long vacation to Branson MO during Thanksgiving for a little rest and relaxation. Every evening has kept us busy answering emails and returning calls from people inquiring about camp for next year. All indications are we will be very busy all season long.
I want to take a moment to thank a few folks who helped make our 10th season a successful one, Arnold and Lynn, Greg and Peggy Lynn, Donna, Dustin and Don. We want to say a special “Thank You” to all of you for your help and friendship.
All citizens crossing the US/Canada border will be required to show a passport as proof of citizenship. This applies to Canadians crossing into the US and US citizens entering Canada.
If you purchased your fishing license from us this season and still have not received your Ontario Fishing Outdoors Card please call the 800 number on your pink temporary Outdoors Car and inquire about its whereabouts, you will need to purchase a new outdoors card if you don’t bring up your old one which is good for 3 years.
If you haven’t returned your reservation form and deposit to us yet please contact us as soon as possible to avoid a mis-up and possibly losing your spot in camp. We have very limited openings for the 2010 season and will not be attending the 2010 Eastern Iowa Sports Show in March.
You can check us out on our website at www.wabaskangcamp.com . If you have any questions you can call us at 319.352.5559 or email us at stay@wabaskangcamp.com .
Everyone have a wonderful Holiday Season and God Bless you all.
Thanks so much,
Jim, Julie and Annie
Camp News
2009
May 15, 2009
Greetings from Wabaskang Camp! The ice has been off the lake for a week now and we were able to get quite a bit done around camp. I also noticed that the trees were starting to bud out. However it looks like it is going to be a rough opening weekend for myself, Julie and all our guests. It’s been raining all day here and forecasts of strong winds, snow and low temps are forcing us to shut down the water system today and we will probably have it off through the weekend. I believe the Outhouse will be getting some use. Highway 105 north of us has closed down today due to heavy snow and blizzard conditions. Hopefully things will warm up in a few days and will get back to normal.
We are looking forward to seeing everyone this year and would like to remind everyone to bring their passports. Also we would like to let you know that the Sunset Restaurant just north of Jim & Julie’s road will also be open on Saturday’s starting May 23rd. If you find you are a little early you could stop in and have breakfast or lunch there before checking in.
We will try and give an update on the weather and conditions some time this weekend.
May 17th, 2009
Well the snow started on Friday the 15th after much rain and when we all woke up on Saturday it looked more like December and believe me it felt like it also. The wind blew for most of the day and only a few braved the cold windy day to catch some fish. The sun did make an appearance which helped melt the snow but the wind didn’t die out until early evening. Just about everyone made it out fishing at some point of the day and there were finally some fish for the frying pan. The weather was calling for another cold night so we didn’t turn on the water. It was 24 degrees when we woke up Sunday morning but the weatherman is calling for warmer conditions today and the sun is shinning. Once everything thaws out we will try to turn on the water again and hope that the temps continue upward so that we don’t have to turn it off again. The lake is calm and everyone was up early to take advantage of the beautiful day in hopes of catching that BIG ONE.
May 16th – 22nd
This week proved to be a challenge for the fisherman and camp owners alike. We were able to keep the water on for the rest of the week but the temperatures were below freezing every night. The snow was gone by Monday but the wind and rain were off and on for the week. There were many fish caught but with the water temperature at the mid 40’s the fish were not as active as most opening weeks. The bite was a soft bite with a very slow presentation and the smallest bait and jig head you could get by with. Tube jigs proved to be a deadly technique for some of our guests with Blake Johnson catching a 43 ¼” Northern and Tyler Harlan catching a 28 ¼ inch Lake Trout, and many Bass in the 18-19 inch range and all the fish were released. Steve Taylor had the big Walleye of the week, a nice 28 ½ inch beauty which he also released. Chuck Nass caught and released the biggest Bass of the year so far a beautiful 19 inch Smallmouth.
May 23rd – 29th
Cool weather continues to make fishing conditions tough. All of our guests are catching lots of fish despite their ice cold fingers and bone chilling wet clothing. Water temperatures range from 46 – 55 degrees with few pockets of warmer water which seems to be holding the major concentrations of Walleye and Perch. Lots of huge Smallmouth Bass being caught and released with the largest being caught by Chris Tucker a 20 inch beauty. The big Walleye of the week also went to Chris Tucker, a 29 inch lunker which he released. Lots of big Northern were caught on minnows and silver spoons last week, the two biggest being a 40 incher caught by Ken Scheidt and 42 incher caught by Peter Olson. We still haven’t mowed the lawn and many of the trees haven’t begun to leaf out yet. Hopefully next week will bring warmer weather and sunny skies.
May 30th – 5th
Week three saw a continuation of the cool and wet weather. Highs in the 50’s and lows in the 30’s kept the water temperatures well below normal for this time of the year. The Walleye’s still biting well in the shallow water around 6 ft on minnows and night crawlers. Our guests are still catching a few Lake Trout in the shallows as well along with lots of good size Smallmouth Bass. Reid McCord seemed to have the right touch for Smallmouth Bass with the biggest being a 19 ½ inch beauty. Niel Miller caught the biggest Walleye of his life a huge 29 ½ inch monster which he quickly released. Jim Loger caught a nice 27 inch Lake Trout which he released back into the lake. Bob Gaerke a rookie in camp had the big Northern of the week a nice 39 incher. All in all the fishing compared well with the same week last year as far as numbers and size go.
June 6th – 12th
The week started off sunny with temperatures in the 60’s but soon the clouds and rain moved back in with cooler temperatures and northwest winds. Fishing was outstanding for most of our guests with lots of huge fish being caught and released each day. The Walleye's were still shallow and a slip bobber and minnow seamed to be the best technique to use to catch the big Walleye’s with Ron Phippen catching and releasing a 27 incher and Dave Schaller catching and releasing a 28 inch beauty. Smallmouth Bass fishing was outstanding as well with top honors going to Dale Wilson a 19 inch beauty. The real story of the week was the big Northern caught and released. Kevin Reints released a 41 incher, Mike Lammers released four Northern's over 40 inches the biggest being a 43 ½ inch monster. We also had three Lake Trout caught and released this week with the biggest being a 36 incher caught by Chris Jutting. The end of the week brought warmer weather and next week promises to be even better.
June 13th – 19th
Summer has arrived. Hot weather and high humidity is sending the fish deeper and finding cool water and new weed growth is the key. Smallmouth are on their beds now and the Lake Trout have moved deep. The Walleye fishing was excellent with Ward Jankus starting out catching a nice 25 ½ incher. Tom Hardin, Brian Frantl and Dave Woolard each caught a nice 25 incher and Monty Green caught 2 – 27 inchers on the 18th. Ward Jankus also caught a nice Northern at 39 inches and Les Jones had the big Northern of the week a 43 ½ incher. Les also had the big Smallmouth Bass of the week an 18 ½ inch beauty. There were lots of wild life sightings this week and one of our guests had the rare chance to see a Wolf feasting on a deer carcass. We are looking forward to week six with lots of big time Northern fishermen in camp.
June 20th – 26th
Well we had another hot sunny week. The fishing proved to be excellent for big Northern, Walleye and Smallmouth Bass. We even had a few nice Lake Trout caught this week. All the fish seamed to be hanging out around the weeds and shallow rocky points. Plastic baits, tube jigs and spinner rigs all worked well for Walleye and Northern. Top water baits drew big Bass off their beds for some excellent action. Some of the fish caught and released this week were a 29 ½ inch Walleye caught by Ryan Nihoris, Bryce Wentlandt caught a beauty of a Smallmouth at 19 inches, and Leo Fortenberry caught and released a monster 40 ½ inch Northern. Also caught this week was a lunker Lake Trout at 34 ¾ inches by Ryan Little. The water level hasn’t gone down much in the past few weeks even without much precipitation and remains fairly high. Next week may bring some rain and cooler temps.
June 27th – July 3rd
Saturday brought showers and strong winds. Sunday brought more rain and even stronger winds. Monday brought more rain and less wind. Tuesday brought light rain and light winds. Fishing was every bit as good as it was last week in spite of the weather. The two biggest Smallmouth Bass were caught by Ken Schroeder and John Dukovich both beautiful 19 ¾ inch trophy’s. Lots of big Walleye again this week, Mike Bowers and Drew Bowers each had a 29 inch Walleye and Tim Wuethrich took top honors with a 29 ¼ inch beauty. All three fish were released. No Lake Trout were brought into camp this week but lots of big Northern were caught. Christy Butcher had a 40 inch along with Logan Wuethrich. Max Wuethrich had a 41 ¼ inch Northern, Chad Miller caught a 42 ¼ inch Northern and the biggest Northern of the week went to Kristy Lammers a 43 inch monster. All these big Northern were released. The Walleyes seem to be retreating to deeper water and we are beginning to see a May Fly hatch in certain parts of the lake. The weeds are finally beginning to thicken in their normal areas which promise to draw in big Pike and Walleye both mornings and evenings. Looking forward to next weeks predicted warmer temperatures and dryer weather.
July 4th – July 10th
Finally a week of dryer and summer like weather. There were two types of Walleye bite this week. The bigger Walleye’s were caught trolling deep diving crankbaits at 20-60 feet of water and the eater size Walleye’s were caught on weed lines and rocky points using twister tails, crankbaits and jig and minnow. Smallmouth Bass were plentiful along the rocky shore lines using spinner baits, crankbaits and tube jigs. Most of the big Northern were caught throwing musky plugs along the deep weed lines. Mark Lewandoski caught a 29 ¼ inch Lake Trout. Fred Edwards had the big Smallmouth Bass for the week a 18 inch beauty. Some of the big Northern were caught by Brian Lewandoski a 34 incher, Evan Neihouser a 38 ½ incher and Mike Lammers a 39 ¾ incher. The big Walley’s were caught by Scott Compton a 27 incher and Mike Lammers a 29 ¼ incher.
July 11th – July 17th
Cool wet windy weather returned to camp again this week, which definitely affected the fishing. Five straight days of wet windy weather caused the overall size of the fish to be down from the week before. Many of our guests didn’t even leave the dock for a few days this week. Mayfly hatch continues to be sporadic with the bigger hatches happening on the north end of the lake. Walleye’s could be caught using light jigs tipped with a minnow or crawler along the weed lines. Northern’s seem to be in a transition phase moving from shallow to deep during the week. Bass fishing was decent but the number of large fish was down. The big Walleye of the week was caught by Matt Howard a nice 23 incher. Craig Mericle caught the big Northern of the week a 37 ½ inch beauty and Jim Carey had a monster Smallmouth that measured 19 inches.
July 18th – July 24th
Another wet cool week with more rain than sun but good fishing kept everyone’s spirits high. The quantity of fish being caught was down but the quality of fish was up which meant many trophy fish being caught and released this week. Mayfly hatch was still going on which meant sporadic Walleye fishing most of the week. Lake levels remain high as of today. Blueberries seem to be a few weeks behind their normal harvesting dates but should be plentiful in a week or two. This week was mostly Missouri verse Iowa as far as fishing competition goes with both groups doing extremely well. Smallmouth Bass fishing was as good as ever with the biggest being caught by Jason Comer a 19 inch Beauty, released. Jason’s son Chance had the biggest Walleye of the week a 28 ¼ inch Beauty going home for the wall. Lots of big Northern again this week, the top three were Reid Lammers with a 40 incher, Brian Boevers a 41 incher and Mike Lammers a 43 incher. Looking forward to next week they are forecasting rain right now but maybe things will change and the weather will warm up and dry out.
July 25th – August 31st
Week 11 of the season brought more of the same type of weather. Rain and cool temperatures kept most of our guest fishing close to camp most of the week. Above average water levels continue to keep the fish scattered with hot spots one day turning to cold spots the next. Mayfly hatch continues to dwindle down with only scattered hatches being reported. Walleye’s were slow but steady for the eater size fish with the largest being caught by Ron Peterson a nice 26 ½ incher. Susan Willer had the big Smallmouth Bass for the week with a 19 inch beauty. Northern fishing this week was the best we have seen this far for big fish. The Peterson brothers had quite a competition going on this week. Chad Peterson had a 40” and 42” Northern only to get beat by his brother Todd’s 45” Monster. Sue Minks also caught a beautiful 44 incher which was her personal best. Hopefully next week we will see some warmer temperatures and dryer weather, keep your fingers crossed.
August 1st – August 7th
Lots of wind on Saturday, many of our guests didn’t bother launching their boats until Sunday. Still plenty of rain all week long with a total of about an inch this week. Walleye fishing has been tough for many of our guests, fish seam to be in a transition phase, shallow one day and deep the next. Night crawlers seem to be working as well as minnows and crank baits are catching the occasional big fish. Andrew Fober and Jason Hartling each had a nice 24 inch Walleye. Bass fishing was decent, Randy Hughes caught a 16 ½ inch Smallmouth, Cheri Beason had a 17 ¼ inch Smallmouth, and Dave Stark had a 17 ½ inch Smallmouth. Fishing for big pike has slowed from last week but that didn’t stop Julie Halla from catching a beautiful 36 incher. The big Northern of the week goes to Jason Hartling, a nice 38 incher which he released. Hopefully things will dry out next week. We have been trying to paint all the cabins this summer and we are only half done.
August 8th – August 14th
Another week of rain and cool temperatures. We saw thunderstorms off and on through the week which brought heavy rain and lots of lightning manly during the overnight periods. Walleye fishing was good in the shallows but the overall size of the fish was down this week. A few of the bigger fish were caught by Walter Halla, an 18 ½ inch Walleye and Ryan Scammahorn, a 21 ½ inch Walleye. Millie Louvar also had a beautiful 21 ½ inch Walleye. Northern fishing picked up this week with lots of big fish being caught on spinner baits and stick baits. Mark Kline had a nice 35 ½ inch Northern, Steve Morse had a 36 incher and Tony Opperman had a 42 inch beauty for the big fish of the week. Bass fishing was good for our guests that fished for Bass with the biggest being caught by Millie Louvar, 17 ½ inch bronze back. Forecast for next week is more rain and cool weather.
August 15th – August 21st
This week saw five days of rain and two days of sun and clouds. The lake is as high as we have seen it all year and we really need some hot dry days to dry things out. This week saw the best Northern fishing of the season so far. We had 16 Northern 40 inches or better caught and released this week. Jerald Heuer had a 41 incher only to get beat by his son Matt who had a huge 42 incher for the big fish of the week. Mike Kuethe also release a beautiful 41 ½ inch Northern. The Walleye have moved out to deeper water with big fish being caught in 22 to 32 feet of water. Mike Luhring released a 27 inch Walleye, and his father Leon released a 27 ½ inch Walleye. Smallmouth Bass fishing was spotty but Travis Holm managed to catch a nice 17 ½ incher to win top honors for the week. Next weeks forecast looks cool but dry, we will keep our fingers crossed. Fishing should continue to be great for the rest of the season.
August 22nd – August 28th
Finally a week of beautiful weather and only a quarter inch of rain all week long. Northern fishing continued to be fantastic with lots of big fish being caught on stick baits and large spoons. Brett Langfritz caught and released a nice 40 incher, his personal best. Mike Lammers had a 40 ½ incher, a small fish in his standards. And the big Northern of the week was caught by Ruth Rowe, a beautiful 43 incher caught on a rattle trap, which she promptly released. The Walleye fishing was some of the best we have seen all year. Most of the big fish were caught in deep water in the mornings and late evenings. Susan Langfritz had a nice 24 ½ incher. Brian Boevers and Larry Luhring tied for top honors this week with 2 beautiful 26 ½ inchers. Bass fishing was spotty this week, with most fish being taken on rock piles in the early morning. Susan Langfritz took top honors on Smallmouth Bass fishing this week with a spunky 17 incher. The weather looks beautiful for the upcoming week; we hope the fishing stays hot!
August 29th – September 4th
We are finally seeing dry warm weather in the last few days of August. We didn’t have any rain all week and the sun was out most of the time. Most of our guests had packed for cooler weather and this was a nice surprise. Walleye fishing seemed to be spotty at times with fish being caught in depths of 15 feet for the smaller Walleye and 35 feet for the larger Walleye. Biggest Walleye of the week was caught by Diane Snyder a nice 23 incher. Northern fishing was decent all week with spinner baits and crank baits taking most of the big fish. One lucky lady Cythia Fleming managed to catch a beautiful 39 incher, which turned out to be the biggest Northern of the week. Many of our guests caught some nice Smallmouth Bass. Matt Olsofski and Dave Muhs each had a 15 ¾ inch Bass and Randy Cook took top honors with a nice 16 ½ incher. More unseasonably warm weather is forecast for the next ten days, which will keep the fishing patterns unpredictable and challenging.
September 5th – September 11th
It was a beautiful week and our warm summer like weather continues. Fishing continued to be top notch with lots of big Walleye and Northern being caught this week. Many of our guests caught their bigger Walleyes in deep water usually 35 feet or more on jigs and lindy rigs. The bigger the minnow the bigger the fish. Don Gutknecht caught and released a 27 inch Walleye, Larry Dufel out did him with a 27 ½ inch Walleye he released but both guys were beat by Harm Harms, who caught a beautiful 30 ¼ inch monster Walleye he is taking home to put on the wall. Northern fishermen in camp seemed to find fish on the weed lines hitting spoons and big stick baits. Most of the Northern were caught from noon to early evening on the windy sides of the lake. Bob Biersner caught and released a 39 inch beauty and Randy Drumtra managed to get a 41 ½ incher into the boat for a quick picture before he released it. Bass fishing was sporadic again this week but Harm Harms managed to pull out and18 inch beauty off the end of our dock. Next week weather sounds warm and dry again. Hopefully the fishing will continue to be hot.
September 12th – September 18th
We had another beautiful week of unseasonably warm weather. We only had rain one morning and Harlan Kruse was our only guest that managed to get caught in it (he should have listened to Doyle). Walleye fishing was as good as it gets this week with dozens of fish being caught over 20 inches each day. Walleye definitely have moved deeper with the bigger fish being caught at around 35 feet. Bob Opperman caught and released a beautiful 28 incher and Jim Moran managed to catch a trophy 28 ¼ inch Walleye, his personal best. Northern fishing was good for those that were targeting Northern. Big spoons and stick baits seemed to be the best lures to use. Vern Hanus and Ivan Flock each managed to catch and release beautiful 41 inch trophies. Smallmouth Bass fishing was good for some of our guests, Roger Mobley was proud of his 16 ¾ inch Bass until Tom Gloviak caught and released a 19 ¼ inch Bass. The trees are beginning to turn but the forecast is for continued mild temperatures and dry weather. Next week the Moose hunters are here and we begin closing down camp.
September 19th – September 26th
Our last week of the season has come and gone with some of the best weather we have had all year. Moose hunters were a little disappointed because of the weather, it made calling the moose next to impossible so the guys went home with lots of fish but no Moose to show for their effort. The fishermen in camp had some of the best Walleye fishing they have ever experienced. Lots of big Walleyes and the occasional big Northern as a bonus. Top honors for the big Walleye of the week go to Leroy Hennen with a 27 ¼ inch beauty which he released. The two biggest Northern of the week were caught by Jay Mai a nice 38 incher and Ryan Pierce with a 39 incher which were both released. We are busy now closing down camp and putting things away until next year. We had two hard frosts the last two mornings and next weeks weather sounds like highs in the mid 20’s which is a big change from what we are used to. We are looking busy for next season so if you are interested in a cabin for the 2010 season email us with any questions or comments. Hope to see you all again next season. Thank you all very much!
2008
May 17th – May 23rd
Our 9th Season has begun and it is May 17th, 2008. The ice didn’t go off the lake until the 14th of May. The water temperature in the low 40's but the fish were still biting. We had a lot of big fish caught during the week. Our biggest Northern was 41.5 inch caught by Steve Taylor and was released. Cole Bond caught and released a 19 inch Smallmouth Bass. Young Tyler Harlan landed a 34.5 inch Lake Trout. The biggest Walleye was caught by Mike Schultz, a nice 28 incher which he released. All in all the fishing was good considering the cold, wet weather. Allison and Grace were our first two swimmers of the season in the 40 degree water.
May 24th – 30th
Week number two saw a marked improvement in the weather. I finally began to see the leaves budding out on a few of the trees on the 25th. The lake temperatures are still very cold and fishing is still a bit slow. The size of the fish has made up for the lack of numbers though. Big Northern of the week was a 37.25 inch caught by Mike Barnes on May 29th. Chris Tucker landed a nice 19 inch Smallmouth Bass which was released also on May 29th and Jewil Schaefer released a nice 26 inch Walleye on May 24th. Tyler Harlan had the nice Lake Trout from last week, Dean Harlan didn’t want his son to be the only one with a nice Lake Trout so he managed to hook a 33 inch one for himself this week and both fish are going home on the wall.
May 31st – June 6th
Week number three and it is finally starting to warm up. Lake temperatures were in the mid 50’s. We had to mow the lawn on June 1st for the first time. Still some ice and snow in some shady areas back in the bush. Fishing has been picking up with lots of eaters and big fish caught. Lots of cold fronts were passing through which meant there were no consistent fishing patterns. Lake Trout were still shallow and Dave Niedert hooked into a nice 29 incher which he released. Marv Muller had a dandy 25 inch Walleye he released. Randy Cook caught and released an 18 inch Smallmouth Bass and Roger Odle released a MONSTER 44 inch Northern on June 4th.
June 7th – June 14th
Another cool rainy week and our daughter Annie is here now but she probably won’t be swimming for a while. Fishing was very consistent for eater Walleye’s and an occasional big fish. Northern fishing was the best of the season so far. Lots of big time Northern fishermen in camp this week but they all got beat by Craig Codner with a monster 44 inch Northern he released. Rob Roose took the top Walleye for the week with a 27 inch he released. Lots of nice Smallmouth caught this week; Bill Wilson had a 17 incher. Mike Lammers failed to make a showing on the leader board this week but all his buddies made up for his absence.
June 14th – June 21st
The week started out cold and rainy but it didn’t seem to affect fishing. Lots of fish in the frying pan every night and some big fish caught and released also. Walt Cuvelier caught a 36” Northern he released. Scott Phippen had a 26” and a 27” Walleye and both were released. Young Conner Jankus boated a 18” Smallmouth Bass to take the top honors for the big Bass of the week. A few mayflies are beginning to hatch and Smallmouth are on their spawning beds. Lilacs beginning to bloom, looks like summer is finally here.
June 21st – June 28th
This week saw up and down temperatures with two inches of rain total for the week. Lots of big time Northern fishermen were here this week and the numbers sure showed it. We had many Northern caught and released over 36 inch. Chris Monday caught two 40 inch Northern. Bob Compton caught and released a 42” monster Northern. And Brandon Schroeder took top honors with a 42 ¼ inch Northern he took home to put on the wall. His dad Kenny keeps trying, maybe next year he will get his trophy. Walleye fishing picked up later in the week with the best fish being caught by Dave Wentlandt with a 31 inch wall hanger. Smallmouth Bass fishing was super for those that were targeting the Bass, with the best fish being caught by Chris Monday, a huge 19 incher released to roam the lake again. Let’s not forget about John Dunkovich and his 24 inch Lake Trout.
June 28th – July 4th
Week seven saw a crazy week of weather and a crazy week of fishing, Northern’s were going crazy. Lots of big fish caught and released, many Northern over 40 inches. The following are just a few: Tim Wuethrich and Marty Neihouser each had 40 inch Northern’s, Kristy Lammers had a 40 and 41 inch Northern, Ried Lammers had a 41 ½ inch Northern, Rhett Lammers had a 42 ½ inch Northern, Mike Lammers had a 44 inch Northern and Tim Wuethrich Jr. had a 44 inch Northern. Ricky Mattheis caught a nice 19 ¾ inch Smallmouth Bass and Tim Wuethrich had a 27 inch Walleye. The cabbage weed is starting to show up and the lake level continues to rise. May flies seem to be hatching slowly this week and the Walleye are scattered. Still everyone was able to catch their fill of fish to eat and take home.
July 5th - July 11th
The big word of the week was RAIN! We received almost two inches of precipitation from the 5th through the 12th of July. We had gusts of 60 kilometers per hour and a few brief power outages due to the high winds. Walleye fishing was spotty all week long with good days and bad days. Our biggest Walleye of the week was caught by Brad Coontz at 26.5 inches and was released. Northern Pike fishing continues to be outstanding this year, lots of big fish caught again this week. The biggest were caught by Chad Hawker with a 39 inch Northern, Greg Steiger had a monster 41.5 inch Northern, and Brad Coontz received top honors with a 42 inch Northern and all three were released. Bob Holm caught an 18.5 inch Smallmouth Bass which was also released to fight another day.
July 12th – July 18th
This week started out windy, rainy and cool. Fishing was good if you could get out on the lake. The end of the week everyone was pulling out the shorts and short sleve shirts. Young Kyle Olson had a great day fishing when he landed and awesome 45 inch Muskie. Mitchell Olson got big fish of the week honors with a nice 18 ½ inch Smallmouth Bass. The Cassmann family did well on Northern Pike with Dave catching a nice 38 incher and Chris caught a 40 inch whopper. Craig and Kady Mericle seemed to have the right idea on Walleyes, they caught plenty all week long.
July 19th – 25th
Another week of rain and wind along with a hefty amount of May flies still on the lake. Summer weather seams to be knocking on the door but just can’t quite get started. Lake levels are as high as they have been all year and continue to rise. Walleye fishing for big fish was pretty good but the eater size was tougher to come by. Northern fishing as usual was superb, with lots of trophies being caught and released. Some of the big fish of the week were caught by Roger Luhring with a 25 ½ inch Walleye and Char Heim taking top honors with a nice 26 ¼ inch Walleye. Little Miles McKinney had a nice 19” Smallmouth Bass. Brian Butcher had a 40 inch Northern he released and Mike Lammers caught and released a hefty 42 inch Northern.
July 26th – Aug 1st
The weather continues to be up and down. No definite pattern to the walleye fishing yet. Fish are biting but aren’t bunched up tight yet. Lots of lightning and rain again this week, seems we just can’t get a break and Jim can’t keep up with mowing. On the up side everything is lush and green here. Blueberry season is a bit behind and we are now seeing some signs of some large berries, we just need some sunshine to continue to ripen them up. Todd Peterson had a great week taking top honors with a 25 inch Walleye and a monster 44 inch Northern. Barb Willer caught a hefty 18 ½ inch Smallmouth Bass.
August 2nd - August 8th
We finally have some summer weather here. Lots of sunshine with highs in the 80’s but the nights are cool. Walleye fishing has picked up from last week, lots of fish on the weed lines and good catches of Walleye’s coming from the rocky points and reefs also. Northern fishing is superb as usual with many fish in the trophy range caught and released this week. Blueberries are beginning to ripen so the bears have plenty to eat right now. Big Walleye’s of the week were caught by Dave Fober and Dave Stark both caught 25 inchers. Some of the bigger Northern included Jason Hartling with a 39 incher and Doug Fober and Aimee Traugh each had 39 inchers and top honors go to Rob Watkins with a 41” monster. Smallmouth Bass fishing continues to be good. Aimee Traugh and Luci Fober each had a 17 inch Bass with top honors going to David Beason with a 18” Smallmouth.
August 9th – August 15th
Another great week of HOT summer weather. No rain all week with light winds and cool evenings. Fishing for Northern was superb. Lots of big fish and plenty of small fish for the frying pan. Many of our guests enjoyed blueberry picking this week everyone came back with gallons of juicy sweet berries. Walleye fishing is still a bit of a puzzler for many of our guests. Everyone caught their limits but had to work for them. A few of the bigger Northern included: Mark Kline 38 inch, Karen Orr 38 ½ inch, Danielle Luhrung 40 incher, Deryl Miller with a giant 41 incher. Annie Lammers went out fishing with her Uncle Mike and caught a nice 40 plus inch Monster Northern that she quickly released. Some of the bigger Walleye were caught by Alan Orr with a 23 and a 23 ¼ inch Walleye and Mark Luhring with a 24 ½ incher. Smallmouth Bass fishing continues to be good. The biggest Bass was caught by Karen Orr, a huge 19 incher. Tim Murphy takes top honors this week with a nice 29 inch Lake Trout. Very excited about fishing next week seems the Walleye fishing is beginning to catch fire.
August 16th – August 22nd
This week the temperatures were in the high 80’s and low 90’s. The winds were light and the high humidity made it very uncomfortable. This made a bit of a challenge for fishing. Most people caught plenty of fish but worked hard for them. The blueberries are still coming on and we had more guests out picking them. The big fish of the week were caught by Mike and Kristy Lammers with a 27 ½ inch and a 29 inch Walleye. Brett Langfritz and Steph Coontz each landed 18 inch Smallmouth Bass and Ty Lerum caught a nice 38 inch Northern and his dad Rob landed a Monster 42 inch Northern.
August 23rd – August 29th
Saturday started out with high winds and rain off and on all day. It looked like fall was making an appearance. After that the weather changed and turned rather nice with plenty of sun and warm temperatures. The walleye fishing turned on nicely and looks like the fish are going deep and schooling up. The fisherman were hitting there favorite spots and catching plenty of fish to eat and freeze for the trip home. There were plenty of lunkers caught this week and Bob Duhrkof caught a nice 39 inch Northern Pike. Darin Klunder got top honors with a 43 inch Monster Northern. Don Heim got top honors with his 27 ¼ inch Walleye.
August 30th – September 5th
This week we saw high temperatures in the 90’s early in the week and highs in the 50’s later in the week. The Walleye’s are beginning to school up in deeper water with lots of 18-24 inch fish being caught. Northern Pike fishing was super as usual with many fish being taken on the weed lines and lots of big fish being caught in deeper water along with the Walleye’s. Michelle Cook caught a nice 24 ½ inch Walleye and Tim Hatch Caught a whopper 28 incher. Bob and Scott Compton were Smallmouth Bass fishing this week and caught some nice 15 to 17 inch fish but Davis Muhs caught the big Bass of the week a 19 incher. Lots of Big Northern again this week Randy Cook had a 40 inch plus fish and Terry Kramer took top honors with a 43 incher. Joel Demro caught a nice 27 inch Lake Trout he promptly released after a few pictures.
September 6th – September 13th
Some fine fall weather is finally here. A little rain, some cooler temperatures and great fishing. Lake temperature still seams to be in the low sixties which is keeping the fish from schooling up in large numbers. Lots of nice Walleye’s being caught in 30 foot of water and lots of nice eater size Walleye’s in 12-18 foot of water. Northern Pike was good on big baits and occasionally on jig and minnow combination. Some of the big fish this week included Pete Nielson and Jim Loger each had 26 ½ inch Walleye’s with Bob Hansen taking top honors with a 27 ¼ inch beauty. All the Walleye’s were released. The two top Northern of the week were Ed Rasmussen with a nice 38 inch Pike and Tim Hatch landed a 40 inch monster to take top spot for Northern. We are really excited for the upcoming Moose hunt and the weather should be just right in a few weeks.
September 13th – September 19th
We had beautiful fall weather this week. There were mild temperatures and light winds for most of the week. Most of the men caught their Walleye deep in 20-40 foot of water, with lots of 17 – 20 inch fish and the biggest ones caught by Brett Langfritz with a 24 ½ inch and 25 ¾ inch Walleye. Most of the big Northern were caught in deep water also. Harlan Kruse and Ron Jurek both caught nice 40 inch Northern. Vern Hanus released a 41 inch Northern. Top honors went to Brian Luecke with a 42 inch monster Northern and all these fish were released. Bass fishing was spotty at best this week but Dave Lindaman did manage to catch a 17 inch bronze back beauty. We are looking forward to next week with more beautiful weather in store.
September 20th – September 26th
Our beautiful fall weather continued this week. We had very mild temperature although we did have two inches of rain early in the week. Our Moose hunters saw quite a few animals and were able to shoot at a nice Bull which they missed. Fishermen in camp this week had excellent fishing. High numbers of Walleyes were the norm each day with the biggest being caught by Craig Plekkenpol a nice 27 incher released. Nice Northern were also caught and released this week. Josh Meier had a 40 inch Northern and Matt Krueger released a 42 ½ inch Northern. This is our last week of the season and will be closing up camp and trying to get projects finished before the weather gets too cold. Good bye for now and hope everyone enjoyed our weekly updates.
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