Fireside Lodge Fishing News Report 6/7 to 6/13 2003

Fireside Lodge Fishing News Report 6/7 to 6/13 2003


Hello From Fireside Lodge in Northwest Ontario. Hard to believe we have completed our fourth week of the season already, and it tuned out to be a great fishing week. Again temperatures were above normal and we continued to be dry. A group from North Carolina, Ron and son Brent Bennett, and Taylor Sugg from Kitty Hawk, and father of Taylor Herbert from Kingston, Randy Knight, from Fayetteville, and Gary Danford from Greenville were all at Fireside Lodge for their first time. To start off their first two days they caught 22 to 26 Smallmouth per boat, so between their three boats they caught they caught 144 Smallmouth Bass for their first two days ever being here. What made this so fun was they caught the majority of the Smallmouth on top water baits. What a blast. Randy on his second day also managed to catch his first and second Muskie ever. WOW. One at 27" and a BIG 39 incher. Way to go Randy. On their third day they decided to portage to a couple of lakes. Three went to Terry Lake and three went to Booger Lake. Well, Herbert, Taylor, and Gary Caught well over 61 Northern Pike in Terry Lake, and Ronnie, Brent, and Randy broke a record in Booger Lake catching 165 Northern Pike. That's 226 Northern Pike in 1 day. WOW!!!! This group in their first three days ever on our lake system caught 144 Smallmouth and 226 Northern Pike. Ron and son Brent had to leave for home unexpectedly, but not before this record day in Booger Lake. The other four did excellent for their last three days with Herb and Taylor on the 4th day catching 30 Smallmouth, and Randy and Gary caught about 25 up to 17.5". Fifth day Randy and Gary caught 66 Smallmouth with a lot of bigger fish, and Herb and Taylor caught 53 Northern Pike. On their last day the same two teams caught 45 and 53 Smallmouth all on top water baits. What great action and fun. A lot of fish caught by this group, but it is not all about the fish. It is mostly about the passion for life, the time spent with, and memories made amongst family and friends. This was accomplished by this group.
Father and son David and Marc McFarland, from Pendelton and Muncie, In. were at Fireside Lodge for their very first time. After their first day they learned to slow their presentation down, and did it ever pay off as they caught as stated by them "a bunch of Smallmouth" and a lot of big ones. Fishing mostly for Smallmouth, they continued to have success for the rest of their stay having several other days of 30 plus Smallmouth Bass, with David coming up with an 18" Master Anglers Award Smallmouth. One day they portaged to one of our lakes, and had a fabulous adventure catching over 50 Northern Pike up to 30 inches. They had some great fishing and wonderful father and son time at Fireside Lodge, and are already planning their return trip.
Another father and son combo, from Harvard, IL., new to Fireside Lodge was Earl and Drew Barth. These two targeted Smallmouth, and hit a bulls eye catching 30+ Smallmouth on their first day. Great fishing day, and not without a fishing story. Earl caught 2 Smallmouth on 1 lure on 1 cast. Every day they caught from 20 to 30+ Smallmouth with some Pike mixed in, and some days catching a lot of bigger 16 to 17.5 inch Smallies. They had a great stay, and fun catching up as Drew is in the military stationed away from home.
Rex and Eve Dillinger, from Noblesville, In., were back to Fireside Lodge again, as they have been consecutive year guests for some 8-9 years now. They are a fun couple to have around, and always have good fishing stories, and catch some great fish. They caught a lot of Northern Pike all week as they concentrated on the long toothy critters, and also had some very good Smallmouth fishing. To talk about their fishing in one sentence as quoted from Rex, he said "We have had the best fishing for Pike and Large Pike than any other fishing vacation he has ever taken in Canada." They both caught Master anglers Award Northern Pike, Rex's at 42" and Eve's right at 40 inches. Rex also caught two huge Smallmouth Master Anglers qualifiers one at 19.25" and the other at 19 inches. Great fishing and a terrific deserved get away from their fast pace life. Thanks for making Fireside Lodge part of your stress management program.
Well, the F-Troop, named after the old comedy series, was back to Fireside Lodge for their 20th anniversary fishing trip. Wow, does the time fly by. The members of the F-Troop attending this years fishing venture was father and Son Fred and Matt Shadrick, from Troy, Mi. and Hingham, Ma., father and son Bruno Leon and John Leon from Santa Fe, NM and Cypres, Tx., and Mike Rothermal from Jenison, Mi. Last year this group had lousy weather but was blessed this year with the wonderful above normal temperatures and dry weather we have been having at Fireside Lodge. Their fishing was very good, catching a lot of Smallmouth during their stay. In fact Mike struck first on their first and second day, while catching a lot of Smallmouth, landed 3 Master anglers award Smallies at 19.25,18.5, and 18.25 inches. He also caught one later in the week right at 18 inches. One day Mike, Fred and Matt had only caught 10 Smallmouth by noon, but then all heck broke loose as the Muskie and Pike turned on, and they had all kinds of action, catching and loosing some Northern Pike and Muskie. Fred lost a HUGE Pike at the boat, and Mike also lost a big Muskie after it jumped right in front of him and broke his line. One morning while Fred was fishing with Mike before breakfast they caught 24 Smallmouth, and Fred landed a Master Anglers Award Smallie at 18 inches, and later that day Fred also landed a big Master Anglers Award Pike at 41 inches. That's a daily double in Master Anglers Awards for Fred. Matt Also caught an 18 inch Master Anglers Award Smallmouth right at 18 inches. Thanks for coming back and looking forward to your 21st year. We miss Clarks presence, as family matters had him have to cancel last minute, and I want to state a simple remembrance for the late Griz.
Bill and Bill Urban, father and son, from New Lenox, IL., made last minute arrangements to come to Fireside Lodge, and they had a ball in pursuit of big toothy critters. They caught a number of Pike, a few Muskie, and had some big fish tease them with follows, and a few of these big boys were hooked only to be lost in battle. In between they also fished for and caught a lot of Smallmouth Bass.
The Carpenters Harold and Juanita, from Kent, Oh. with daughter Kay and son-in-law Brian Butterfield, from Finger, Tn., were at Fireside Lodge for their fourth consecutive fishing vacation. Harold, fishing since he was a 6 with his dad and taking Kay fishing since she was 6 years old, was thrilled when Kay and Brian were dating, because Brian is a fisheries biologist and loved fishing. Well, Harold qualified Brian as a keeper instantly, and he was right. They came a little earlier than normal because of family plans, and were wondering how they would do fishing. Well, turns out that they had their best Smallmouth Bass fishing experience. On their first day Brian and Kay caught 25+ Smallmouth, and Kay caught her first Master Anglers Smallmouth at 18 inches, and Juanita caught her first Muskie. Congratulations to them both, however we did have to tease Juanita that Muskie season had not officially opened yet. On their second day these four caught 72 Smallmouth Bass, with a lot between 14 to 17 inches, and Brian did catch his first of four Master Anglers Award Smallmouth at 18 inches. A few other highlights were Brian and Kay catching 51 Smallmouth between 14 to 17.5 inches. On their last day Harold showed strong getting our second Master Anglers Award daily double this week. He caught both a Master Anglers Smallmouth and Northern Pike in one day, with the Smallmouth measuring out at 18 inches, and a GIANT Northern Pike at 41 inches. They all caught some great Smallmouth and Pike on this day, and Brian also got close to a Master Anglers Award Muskie, missing by 1 inch, at 43 inches. These four were very sad to leave on their day of departure, which is a very hi compliment to all of us at Fireside Lodge. Thank you.
Mitch Kane, from Joliet, IL was back with his group for their third consecutive year, Matt Halleran from Evergreen, IL., Mike Doyle from Fort Collins, Co., Sam Robertson from Chillicothe, Mo., Tom Osterberger from Joliet, IL., and Victor Howard from Louisville, Ky. This group had a fabulous fishing trip. They concentrated on the Smallmouth fishing and caught not only numbers of good size fish, 13 to 17 inches, but also cashed in on the Master Anglers Award like no other group has done before. A record number from one group as they landed 31 Master Anglers Smallmouth Bass. They caught sixteen Smallmouth over 18 inches, eight were 19 to 19.75 inches, and an unbelievable seven 20 to 20.5 inches. WOW, what great Smallie fishing. They not only caught a lot of fish, but they had a great reunion amongst close friends, and made memories to last a lifetime.
Paul Sauer from Mountain Home, Ar., and good friend Al Piche from Isabella, Mo. were both a Fireside Lodge for their first time. They heard about us from Dale and Rhonna Fulton, who own the Blue Ribbon Fly Shop on the White River in Arkansas. These two had great Smallmouth fishing, as this is what they do best, and Al, just himself, one day caught over 50 Smallmouth, with half being 13 to 17.5 inches, and he also caught two Master Anglers Award Smallmouth, one at 18.5 inches and a monster at 20 inches. They also had other days that they caught 30 to 50 Smallmouth with a lot of 13 to 16 inchers, and Al caught one more Master Anglers Smallie at 18.5 inches. Great gentlemen these two were, and we were privileged to have them as guests.
Newly weds Craig and Sara Widegren, from Grand Junction, Co. came to Fireside Lodge for their first visit on their honeymoon. They were here for Northern Pike fishing, and on their first full day of fishing as they put it "they kicked on Northern Pike" catching a number of them 29 to 33 inches, and Craig had a 40 inch plus Pike get away. Despite all this action on Pike they managed to catch a lot of Smallmouth, and Craig landed a Master Anglers Award Smallie at 18 inches. Their next two days they had so much fun enjoying the wilderness and fishing that they ended up arranging to stay another day. Sara caught her first Muskie and they both caught Master Anglers Award Smallmouths, Sara catching a 19 inch Smallmouth and Craig with a 19.5 incher. Great fishing, great fun, and wonderful memories made by this couple during a special time of their lives. Thanks for choosing Fireside Lodge.
Ken Stanton, from Holland, Mi., and Bob Koslowski, from White Lake, Mi., were both here for their first time. They had fun catching some Northern Pike and Smallmouth Bass during their stay, and seemed to really enjoy the total experience of the wilderness atmosphere and wildlife we have to offer here at Fireside Lodge. These two saved the best for last, as on their last day, at a portage lake, they caught over 40 Northern Pike. Great finish.
These were the Fireside Lodge happenings for this week, and please tune in for next weeks report. Until then "Keep On Fish'n" Alan