Mike Cartin’s 48 ½” Northern Pike

Season Update – Big Kahunas

Hello, everyone! It’s been a busy 2007 season with some absolutely great fishing. I just wanted to give everyone a quick update on the season.

The season started with a slightly early ice-out. Colder-than-normal temps for the first three weeks of June left the fish in a search for warmer waters. The trend was actually a good one and put the fish in extremely shallow conditions for all of June and the beginning of July. As I write this, warmer weather has settled in, giving the weed beds a burst of growth and the pike are settling into them. We are also still seeing pike in very shallow conditions. The trout have settled into their holes and walleye and grayling are in normal patterns.

The results have been very impressive. We have been burning through the Master Angler cards at an astounding rate. There are many fish stories to tell, way too many for here.

Here’s an overview -

Huge pike have been at an all-time high. Main lodge guest Jerry Putnam took a record 50” pike on a fly. The beast was well over 30 lbs. and may be a tippet record. Also at the main lodge, Mike Cantin took a huge 48 ½” pike. Both Jerry and Mike also took 46” pike. To date, we have taken huge pike including 1-50”, 1-48 ½”, and 3- 48”, all at the main lodge and all big, fat fish. There are several others in that class taken at the outposts including a 47” pike by Randy Zurn at Burnie. After a brief lull, the pike are at it again with the weed beds extremely productive.

Big lakers have been just as amazing. Almost dozen lakers over 40” have been taken, all with huge girths. Don Mewhort started the action with a 41” laker with a 24” girth. Top honors so far go to the trout guru, guest Paul Engel with a 45”. Top walleye was 30” at Bain Lake and we have a dozen Master Angler walleye at this time. Top grayling honors are shared at 20” by Don Sawyer and yours truly (yes, I do get to fish once in awhile). We have even had 5 Master Angler whitefish taken. All in all, a pretty amazing season and we are only half way through it.

There are several other great things to report. We have opened a new fly-out lake at the main lodge to astounding results. It is loaded with big lake trout and the preliminary pike results have been just as impressive. Ralph Lloyd, our manager at Burnie, has been hard at work on a new trail to Long Lake and it has made the trip to Long Lake much easier and pleasurable. The group last week went there four times. Our new managers at Maria, Ken and Danielle, have received nothing but rave reviews from their guests with repeat bookings at an all-time high. They have wrapped their arms around Maria and made it their own. Repeat managers Gerry Kroeker and Stan Good continue the great jobs they have always done. The addition of satellite internet at the outposts has been a very popular option.

For those of you focusing on a 2008 trip, please don’t hesitate, we are almost 60% booked at this time. New things for 2008 include 4 day trips offered at the main lodge in early June and again in July/August. These spaces are limited. (We will not be offering 5 day trips in 2008) We are preparing two new fly-out lakes and a new portage.  Clifton Lake will be changed, with a camp manager added to the mix and a basic food package included.

All in all a great season, and we’re only halfway through it. I can’t wait to see what other great fishing the rest of 2007 brings. The forecast this weekend is temps in the 90s so the cabbage weed will be growing faster than Florida crabgrass!

Best wishes,
Ken Gangler

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