Another great week here. Over 200 fish over 20 pounds, and ten over 30. Today was changeover day, with Jim Sowers, Peter Graf & the rest of the gang coming in to take over - the rough total for today is about 35 over 20, and a 31.  They came back under the most glorious full rainbow Sue & Jeff have ever seen, so it was a great day.

Our moose came back on Tuesday, munching weeds in the little pike bay beside the lodge (thus ending the debate everyone was having about whether they eat pond weeds! Yes, they do). Everyone crowded onto the dock to watch him - a large bull - and a beautfiul sight with the sunset casting a rosy blush over his big antlers. He was well aware that we were there, but didn't care.

As those of you who have visited this site before can see, we’re launching a brand-new website. There are a few pages still under construction, but the bulk of the site is now complete. September will be busy as usual, but we will update this page weekly with fishing news and new photographs as they arrive.

Spring Bay Lodge is now closed for the season. During a couple of quiet weeks Jeff and Bruce have been busy finishing our sixth guest cabin and getting camp shipshape. Our September crew will be arriving soon, including Ian, Matthew, Rainer, Bruce, Trevor, Bob, and Denny – they’ll all be well-rested and eager to hit the water.

Birding types may be interested to know that Sue saw two species she has never seen in her eight years up here: pine grosbeak and cedar waxwing. They arrived together and stayed for an afternoon. Also, One Tree Island has become a gathering place for ravens, and we counted 14 out there a few days ago. Who knows what they're up to.

That’s all for now – more next week.

Jeff & Sue

August 27, 2005

Sue had a thrill this morning - heard some twigs snapping outside at 5:30 a.m. and went on the deck; a moose was standing at the head of the trail off to the left. It wandered down to the willows and browsed and snorted for a while, so we got a great view. A big male, perhaps four or five years old. She'll take moose in camp over bears any day!

We only have two fishermen this week, but they managed to catch 8-10 over 20 pounds today  - not bad! One of these fellows lived at Gunnar for seven years as a child, and has some great pictures and stories that many of our returning fishermen will be interested to hear.

September 2, 2005

Well, it was quite a week for only two fishermen. Between them they caught more than 45 trout over 20 pounds, including quite a few in the high twenties, as well as a couple of pike over 40 inches.

It's cooling off now and the geese are heading south in droves - which means good things for the fall fishing.

Stay tuned - next week we've got six boats going out and will certainly have some good stories.

The update isn't due until tonight and the week's final numbers aren't in, but since we're making a few little changes to the site I thought I'd start now. It's been a really great week. The weather has been excellent - the winds we were supposed to get never arrived, so everyone has been fishing hard all week (that said, we have had a bit of a cold snap - the wood stove is ablaze every night, but no one minds since it's good for the fishing!).

Final numbers won't be in until tonight, of course, but so far there are about 20 fish over 30 pounds this week (we are having a hard time keeping track of the number of 20s!). Yesterday Peter Graf was very happy to boat a 38 and a 34; Mark Macauley and Kerry Keyes each have five over 30 in their boat. Jim Sowers, for whom our "Sowers Lounge" is named, has been fishing every day; many of our regulars will know he has had some health problems, so it's great to have him back in the boat for this his eighteenth trip with Lakers Unlimited.

There was a good bear sighting just up the channel from us, though we've seen no sign around camp. The martens are back; one attempted entry into the pantry yesterday and came within three feet of Sue before thinking better of it. We have been invaded by spruce grouse; they are pretty but not too bright, and seem to think that if you can't see them then the best plan is to make a whole bunch of noise & land on something in the middle of a clearing. And we have seen thousands and thousands of geese overhead this week, all heading south. We might envy them a little but on the whole it's a good thing, just like the cold snap - it just means even better fishing!

Of course the fish are full of eggs as they get ready to spawn, so we are enjoying fresh caviar, as well as some delicious smoked trout hors d'oeuvres. Speaking of which, it's time for me to get the pizza going, so I'll sign off until later. We'll post some of this week's pictures tonight.

.... hours later... the pizza is gone, the campfire is burning, and as you can see from this small sample, we've got lots of happy fishermen. We figure about 28 fish over 30 pounds, and over 400 over 20.

Click the thumbnails for a better view.

Been on 16 fishing trips to Canada, but my first to Lakers. My first with the group and to Saskatchewan. The fishing, food and people were the best ever. I will be back.

Autumn here on Lake Athabasca is simply beautiful right now - all the trees have turned, so the islands are glowing with yellow, orange and red. The geese are long gone now, the squirrels are busy harvesting mushrooms, and the spruce grouse are hanging around the trails startling everyone.

The fishing was superb, with many thirties and three over forty - two were personal bests for returning guests, which is always great. Guide Matt Danyluk is having fun going for pike, and they've seen - and caught - some big ones. The weather has been amazing for the past three weeks - virtually no wind, so despite the chill in the air everyone is getting out to fish for the lunkers.

Only thirteen days to go in the season, but they promise to be good ones.

Until next week,
Jeff, Sue, and all the gang here at Lakers

The trip was outstanding. Fishing a little spotty at first, but ended up gangbusters - 41, 33, 31, 30, 30, and many 20s during the week. Food just gets better every year. Great job.     Bob D.


Another great week - 6 over 30 and one 40 - great people. My best fishing ever. Richard R.

*****

The trip has been great! Good fishing - I mean great! The food was also very good. The best lake trout trip I have been on. See you in Sept. 2006.     Bruce A.

*****

A bad day fishing here is a great day almost anywhere else. Sue's cooking puts the defiintion of camp food at a higher level.   Charlie W., Ontario

*****

This makes an even dozen trips to Lakers Unlimited for me. It's great to be with friends. Jeff & Sue and guides old and new. The weather is the only obstruction. Lakers provides everything you need to have arguably the best Lake Trout fishing in the world. Sue's culinary skills allow her to produce meals and baked desserts from her cozy kitchen that rival any meal you can get in the highest rated restaurants in Chicago.   Todd C., Chicago

*****