On this page, I will attempt to keep an updated daily/weekly account of summer fishing activities with special emphasis on species of fish being caught, depths (if applicable), water temperatures, color & type of lures and any other pertinent information that could be of assistance and a benefit to our fishing guests.

The winter report on local snowmobile trail conditions for snowmobilers can be found on the snowmobile page. Winter ice fishing reports can be found on the Ice Fishing page. Information will be limited to what's biting best this week. Ice depths will be posted as received from local anglers.

We encourage catch and release of the larger fish of all species to retain limit catches for future generations. Don't forget the camera!

All of this information should only be viewed as a guideline and should never be misinterpreted as cold hard facts in any sense of legal obligations. Absolutely no liability will be associated with this and all users assume all responsibility and consequences resulting from their own actions taken from this information.

A NOTICE TO ALL SPRING FISHERMEN:

The MNR has cancelled our spring fishing opportunities for most species, effective March 15 through the 3rd Saturday in May (i.e. the two-four weekend). This new law will do absolutely nothing to protect the spawning size females of all species; it only stops people from fishing for them for a couple months but come spring, it's open seasons on them again. As a lodge owner, this takes a big bite out of the income that is derived from late winter and early spring fishing. As a sport fisherman, it stops your enjoyment of the sport when the blackflies and mosquitoes haven't began yet. Your annual fishing license should be just that ... a license to allow you to fish ALL YEAR.

There are also major changes to the fishing zones across the province. Seasons have also changed. Slot sizes on some species have also changed. READ AND UNDERSTAND these regulations before going fishing!

Full details can be obtained in the 2008 fishing regulation booklet available from authorized license outlets (but not from the MNR offices; it's not their job offering this info any longer) or at the following site: http://www.ene.gov.on.ca/envregistry/027028ex.htm . I URGE EVERYONE TO VOICE THEIR OBJECTIONS TO THIS REGULATION.

Possible alternatives could include:

Friday, October 10, 2008. I hate to say this but I have nothing to report this week due to not having any fishing guests.Everybody has packed their rods away and are now getting "'Ol' Betsy" out and preparing for the moose hunting season which opens here tomorrow and also in most of northern Ontario. However, we still have boats in the water (and will have until freeze-up, some time in late October or early November) so if anyone wants to go fishing, please don't hesitate in calling us. Reports will be updated as I receive info from guests. The water temperature has dropped a degree and now sits at 12 C or 53 F.

Friday, October 3, 2008. We have had a week of below average temperatures, high winds and rains accompanied by snow flurries near the end of the week. With these types of weather patterns, it is easy to predict that the success rate of die-hard fishermen has been seriously affected. As one customer put it, "If I wouldn't have had fished this lake for so many years, I'd swear there weren't any fish in it". Other than a few bass (under a pound), nothing was caught. Northerns still can't be found anywhere and even the walleye have gone off their feed after 2 weeks of non-stop action. Hopefully, things will return to normal sometime before this coming week has passed and guests exchange their fishing rods for high powered rifles in preparation for the opening of moose season next Saturday. Tonight's water temperature has dropped to a chilly 13C or 55 F.

Friday, September 26, 2008. Pickerel (walleye) are still hitting quite well for the few days that have been spent on the water. Worm harnesses being trolled slowly on the bottom in 10 to 15 foot depths produce the best results. Late afternoons through until dark and with a slight chop on the water is also beneficial. It has also been a good week for big bass with countless fish taken and released in the 3 to 5 pound range. Northerns were sporadic but a few were caught in the 3 to 5 pound range also. The big disappointment again were the lake trout with none being caught. Their season ends on Tuesday, the last day of September. Water temperature has held steady all week at 16 C or 61 F.

Friday, September 19, 2008. The pickerel are back! The week started off to a dismal beginning with very few fish of any species being caught. Late season lake trout fishermen suffered the worse with only 1 small 3-pounder being caught after 41 man-hours of fishing. Bass, pike and pickerel (walleye) all were slow for the first couple days with only the odd one staying on the hook long enough to get a net under it. By mid-week, fishing improved slightly with a fish or two coming in per person for a day's work. Yesterday, both bass and pike were showing up but those fishermen were all catch and release and they all said the fishing was good for this time of year. Today was a different story. I finally had an opportunity to do some fishing and when a friend stopped in, we were in the water in 5 minutes. An hour and a half later, we were back at the lodge with a limit of pickerel, all in the 1 1/2 to 2 pound range... and that's not including the countless bites and "escapees" that didn't make it into the net. After trying several different shapes and colors of lures, the first one hit within 2 minutes of tossing out a chartruse and red spinner bait in front of a weighted worm harness that was trolled on the bottom at 15 to 20 foot depths. This all happened in the middle of the afternoon in bright sunlight. The rest were caught within 30 to 45 minutes. A suggestion to fishermen: if you're coming up, bring lots of worms. Local bait dealers have a limited supply and won't be ordering any more this late in the season. Water temps continue to fall after this week's full moon and a couple nights of frost. Currently, the water is 16 C or 61 F.

Friday, September 12, 2008. Successful fishing tactics have definitely changed this week due to a few nights of near-freezing temperatures, cloudy days and some serious rainfalls. The water temp has fallen to 19 C or 66 F and the suspended algae in the water, albeit a very small amount, have died and fallen to the bottom of the lakes now. Very few fish of any species are now found in the top 10 to 15 feet of water. Lake trout fishermen reported bringing up bass from depths of 65 feet.Others were catching them in the 15 to 20 foot ranges. Even the pike and walleye are scarce in shallow waters but can be found at those same depths. What's the reason? Simply put, with the algae gone, hungry minnows must seek their food in deeper water and the predator fish are following them. So, fishing has dropped off considerably while fishermen are trying to find that "magical channel" where the fish have taken up their new residences. Cool nights over the warmer waters have caused thick morning fog but this quickly burns off before 9:00 when the sun warms up the air. With hurricane Ike coming up from the Gulf and through the center of the States, it will probably fizzle out after causing heavy rains in this part of the country for the most of the coming week.

Friday, September 5, 2008. With summer vacations over for most people, our bookings have slowed considerably in the past week. Due to other commitments, I haven't even been doing a lot of fishing but for the days that I could get out for an hour or two just before dark, I had widely varing success which ranged from nothing to a few fish to excellent catches of mostly pike and some bass. Hopefully the walleye will start biting soon as they are known to be voracious feeders in the early fall months. It's been a week of perfect autumn weather with lots of sunshine, light breezes and no bugs. The fall colors are just starting to show and should be peaking in the next few weeks. Water temperature has again remained at 21 C or 70 F.

Friday, August 29, 2008. We had fewer fishermen (but more ATV'ers) this past week so there were less fish caught but everyone was happy with their efforts. Bass were again the most plentiful species and it was a close race for second place between the pike and the walleye. Worms and artificial bait worked equally well for the bass while the pike and walleye were all caught on artificial lures. Chrome with reds or greens were the preferred color combinations. The water temperature has remained at 21 C or 70 F this week and it was sunny and warm up to today when we had intermittent light drizzle mixed with heavy downpours all afternoon. Some of the deciduous trees are starting to show slight color changes already and according to the weather experts, it's supposed to be a fantastic year for bright colors due to the large amount of rain we have had during the past summer.

Friday, August 22, 2008. Fishing has remained good for the past week with excellent catches of both bass and northerns. Some guests were finding that they had to fish in greater depths to catch anything at all while others seen little differences in preferred depths. Blacks and darker colors of greens in any variety of lures were catching the most fish. As the water temperature starts to cool slowly and days get shorter, the walleye are just starting to bite again after a few weeks of slow activity. Today's dockside water temp was down a degree to 21 C or 70 F.

Wednesday, August 13, 2008. "The fishing has definitely improved over the past few days" was all that one of our guests could say between excited breaths and ear-to-ear grins. Kyle, from London Ontario, and another guest, Ed from Barrie decided to go for a "quick fish" late this afternoon just before mealtime. They were told to be back here within an hour. "Yes dear." They were back in about 40 minutes and both of them were more excited than a kid in a candy store. "You won't believe what we've got in the live well !" After a quick weigh-in and measurement (18.6 pounds and 41 inches) and several photos, this large northern pike, pictured below, was successfully released back into the lake right in front of the lodge. "I'd never think of keeping a fish this large; it's just too important to have them back in the lake to prey on the rock bass and sunfish which devour countless young fry from walleye, smallmouth, lakers and even pike. I've had my 15 minutes of fun with the biggest fish I've ever caught and now it's there for another person to catch and release again." Thanks Kyle.

By the way ... what did he use to catch this monster on? A 3-inch chrome spinner bait with a red and yellow buck tail, behind a 6-inch steel leader on 8 pound test monofilament. Predictable, wasn't it?

Friday, August 8, 2008. This has been one of those weeks with a lot more non-fishing guests than fishing guests. Hence, there hasn't been a lot of fish caught which is indicative of the efforts shown towards the sport and even for those efforts, results were less than expected. After talking to folks fishing other Temagami area lakes, everyone has reported their success rates in varying degrees from below normal to outright dismal. Its been the same here with us as our guests caught very few fish for their hours spent on the lake. However, on a brighter note, I did clean a few fish almost every day for them and bass were the most common with pike running a close second while walleye were a distant third. It has rained almost every day this past week and the persistent cloud cover has caused a drop in the water temperature to 22 C or 72 F.

Friday, August 1, 2008. Our success rate has improved greatly this past week with good catches of both bass and northerns. There were also a few walleye taken in mid-week, the first of these fish that we've seen in a week or more. Both worms and leeches were productive live baits while greens and reds were the favored colors in artificial lures. A few fishermen were reporting exceptional luck in the last couple hours of daylight with top-water lures in greens or whites. Water temperature has remained constant at 23 C or 74 F again. Mosquitoes are all but gone now with the exception of the last hour before dark.

Friday, July 25, 2008. There hasn't been any major change from last week with the total catches again being lower than the usual summer normals. But then again, there wasn't a lot of time spent on the water either. A few days of rain (what else is new?) kept people out of the boats and for the days spent on the lake, it was just average catches of bass along with a few pike. The water temp is again back up to 23 C or 74 F.

Friday, July 18, 2008. The good news: there were approximately equal catches of walleye, bass and northerns this week. The bad news is that the total catches were down below normal. Both leeches and worms were producing the majority of bass and an occasional walleye while pike were predictably hitting anything thrown their way. A few days of rain has also put the damper on any efforts to go fishing. Water temperatures remained constant at 22 C or 72 F.

Friday, July 11, 2008. Things are back to normal this week in both water temps and fishing success. The water temp has returned to 22 C or 72 F due mainly to bright sunny skies and a lack of clouds and accompanying rains. Success rates are again above normal as compared to previous years. Walleye were the most abundant species with bass coming in at second and northerns were a distant third place. The pine pollen has disappeared from the lakes and the water clarity is back to almost "gin clear".

Wild strawberries are ripe now but hard to find due to very voracious robins and chipmunks. I picked the first ripe blueberries this afternoon. Raspberries will be a couple weeks yet before they are ripe. There is plenty of lush green growth in the forest this year due to plentiful spring rains and forest fires are at a minimum but caution is urged with all shore lunch campfires.

Friday, July 4, 2008. There has been quite a change in the fishing this past week with walleye being the main species caught in the first half of the week and easily outnumbering the bass. In the latter part of the week, the walleye almost disappeared and the bass were biting very sporadically on the good days. Northerns were all but non-existent for the entire week with only two being caught. Perhaps the recent two days of very high winds and cooler temperatures (the water has dropped from last week's 23C/74F to 19 C or 66 F) has churned up the lakes and brought cooler water from the depths up to the surface which could be the cause of this. Hopefully, fishing will soon return to our normal levels of expectations. The rain has also given way to a couple days of sunshine and good weather is predicted through the weekend. Blackflies are 90% gone now with a few still showing up late in the day close to sunset.

Friday, June 27, 2008. It's seldom that we have the same weather two weeks in a row but this past week was a repeat of the previous week with more rain than ever thought possible. Today was the first day that we actually had sunshine all day. Our rain gauge showed 5.6 inches of rain in the past 12 days. Lake levels are very high and streams and rivers are flowing at capacity and will be for quite some time yet as the precipitation makes its way through the watershed. Surprisingly enough, when anyone dared to be out in a boat, fishing has been good with fair to decent catches of walleye and some pike. Both were hitting on anything you threw their way with no particular color or style showing preference over others. All the bass eggs have hatched and the males have left the nesting sites. Tomorrow morning is the opening day across most of Ontario for smallmouth bass. Rain is again predicted for the next three days. The warm rains have raised the water temperatures to 23 C or 74 F.

Friday, June 20, 2008. Other than a lot of rain, there's nothing new to talk about this week. Between storms, fishing has remained consistent with good catches of both walleye and northerns. Both were hitting well on just about anything you could toss their way. Leeches are starting to produce good catches of walleye in the last 2 or 3 hours of sunlight each day and some were even caught in mid days with heavy overcast cloud cover. Water levels are high due to all the rain and the temperature again remains at 20 C or 68 F. The dragonflies are starting to put "the bite" on the blackflies and they should be gone in a week or so.

Friday, June 13, 2008. It's been another week of good to above average fishing with decent catches of both walleye and pike. As for lure choices, every shape and color was as effective as the next one. Rapalas in both the perch pattern and solid pearl white were bringing home the walleye one evening and then a yellow "five of diamonds" (my personal favorite) did the same job the next night. Pike were hitting "the favorite 5" as well as black & red buck tail spinners and orange sidewinders. Water temperatures remain at 20 C or 68 F with the sky being as sunny as it was cloudy on most days. Heavy rains in mid week have kept the forest sufficiently soaked to minimize any fire hazards. The white pine pollen has peaked and now the red pine is just starting to flower. There's still plenty of blackflies around but the emerging dragonflies are eating them up two at a time; they should be all gone within a couple of weeks or so. The female bass was in and laid her eggs so the male is now busy fanning fresh water over his nest site.

Friday, June 6, 2008. A week of bright sunny skies and above normal warm temperatures has caused a significant rise in water temperatures to 20 C or 68 F which in turn has made some changes in lure presentations for the successful fishermen. Anything in blue had worked until now but with the warmer waters, that color is no longer as effective while reds, fluorescent light greens and oranges (i.e. anything that resembles a perch Rapala) are now the preferred choices. Water is definitely "swimmable" if you don't mind leaving the water covered with a bright yellow layer of red pine pollen. Yesterday, there wasn't any sign of the "resident" bass that usually nests in the boat slip (we thought we might have eaten him last summer) but today, he's there and has quickly cleared all the sand off his favorite nesting site and is viciously protecting it from any invaders. Within a few days, the female will arrive, deposit a healthy bunch of eggs for him to fertilize before moving on to another male's site and leaving more eggs for another bass to guard until they hatch in a couple weeks. As for the fishing success this past week, there's nothing unusual to report; pike are still hitting anything they can get a glimpse of and walleye are as finicky as ever but are hitting well just in the last couple hours of daylight. Chartreuse jigs and a minnow are your best bet for this species.

For any fishermen coming north, please be very alert to moose on the highways; several have been hit this past week with, predictably, the majority of the collisions occurring at night. Plenty of rain this spring has kept forest fires to a minimum across most of northern Ontario and the bush is greening up quite well now. Blackflies are plentiful and are exceptionally larger than normal this year.

Friday, May 30, 2008. Last weekend was a repeat of the previous fishing success with several pike, a few walleye and good catches of lakers. One of our regular repeat customers who is strictly a "catch and release" trout fisherman said the fishing was poorer this year as compared to last year; they only caught 31 lakers in 3 days instead of the 42 that they got last year. All were successfully released. The water has warmed up a bit this week to 15 C or 58 C and a few traces of white pine pollen is just starting to show in the water today. Sufficient precipitation this spring has, so far, kept the chances of a forest fire at a minimum. More rain is predicted for the weekend.

Saturday, May 24, 2008. The fishing this week has been as good as it was last weekend. We've caught lots of pike, mostly in the "eating size" range with a few small ones and 1 larger one that was released. Walleye are just starting to be active and catches have been slow on the good days. Again, mostly "eaters" and a few smaller ones and the odd larger fishes that were successfully released. A couple of trout fishermen have reported above average success with the largest one being in the 7 to 8 lb. estimated weight range. All the trout they caught were also released to be caught again. The sole whitefish this week was a respectable 4+ pounder. Blackflies are just starting. Water temp at the dock tonight was a cool 13 C or 56 F.

Saturday, May 17, 2008. It's opening morning of this year's fishing season and already the fish are biting well. Justin C. (on the left) caught this 8.36 lb. pike within 5 minutes of leaving the dock at 5:30 a.m. It had literally swallowed the black and silver Rapala and the gills were too damaged to be released so it was a "keeper". Shortly after that, Charlie L. (on the right) caught this 9.11 lb. pike right off the dock at 6:45 a.m. with a green/orange silver spoon and it was easily released after taking this quick photo. The weather today is heavy overcast with light to heavy rain falling.

Monday, May 12, 2008. This coming weekend, May17, is the new opening date for the fishing season both locally and across most of northern Ontario. The MNR changed all the dates this year and this will be the first time that all lodges, including this one, will be allowed to attract tourists and generate some income to pay the taxes, mortgages and utility bills that have been ongoing since they closed the ice fishing season on March 15 (2 months ago!). In all their self-appointed wisdom, absolutely no legislation was enacted to protect the spawning size females of any species; they just delayed the right to fish for them for those two months and now the MNR has declared open seasons on them again. Therefore, I can't supply anyone with information that might assist you with your weekend fishing plans this year. All I can say is that the ice has been gone for a few weeks now, water levels are at their normal summer levels, the walleye had a very successful spawn that occurred in early May and the water temperature today on the end of the dock was 12 C or 54 F. Good luck to everyone and there will be a more informative report next week.