Fireside Lodge Fishing News/Photo Report 8/29 to 9/5 2009

Fireside Lodge Fishing News/Photo Report 8/29 to 9/5 2009
Hello From Fireside Lodge in Northwest Ontario, Canada
Weather this week in one word was absolutely “GORGEOUS”.
Ernie, Marilynn, and son Rick Ernest from St Charles, MO were fishing at Fireside Lodge for their first time. First day on the water they had a great fishing and catching day landing many Northern Pike with numbers somewhere in the 50-plus range. Ernie, after Rick hooked the first Pike of the day, ignored his son Rick as he was fighting the fish so he would lose it, which he did. Well, Ernie’s trick backfired as Rick hooked up on six more in a row. Second and third days they
concentrated on Smallmouth Bass and they all caught a lot of Smallmouth Bass each day, most in the 14 to 16.5-inch range. Rick also caught a 30-inch Musky, and Marilynn had a fabulous time catching Smallmouth in the beautiful weather I personally arranged for her. Fourth and final day was another gorgeous day, which they spent Northern Pike fishing and did fantastic. They caught Northern Pike, non-stop, all day long, and Marilynn topped Ernie and Mark as she caught most of the bigger Pike. All had a great time as they enjoyed a nearly perfect four days all being sunny and in the low 70’s.
Harry and Susan Vilsack from Pittsburgh, PA, Brother-In-Law Larry Schiffenhaus from Essex Fells, NJ, and Larry’s grandson Brenden Gilson from Montclair, NJ were returning to Fireside Lodge for the seventh consecutive year. First day on the water they caught some fish and spent some family time at Twin Falls enjoying this natural wonder. They were able to spot some wildlife including a Bald Eagles Nest. Second day they had a very active day catching many Northern Pike, and Brenden caught his very first Northern Pike ever along with many others. All caught so many Pike that Susan at suppertime told me that they were “Piked Out”. With that the decision was to fish for Smallmouth Bass on their third day. After a slower morning they all enjoyed cooking and eating a shore lunch of walleye, potatoes, and beans cooked on a rock point overlooking the lake. After lunch the fishing picked right up as they caught a lot of Smallmouth Bass and Northern Pike, and also had a good number of follows from the toothy critters. Fourth day was a banner day for all as they caught many Northern Pike all day long between 25 to 33-inches, and Susan had the catch of the day, and probably all of their lives, as she hooked and landing a huge 48-inch Clear Muskie. There was a slight mishap when trying to lift the fish up, however Larry’s quick response with his camera from the other boat enabled them to have a photo of Susan’s Master Anglers Musky catch. Harry said it was their best day ever. Fifth and final day brought more the same for Harry and Susan as Harry caught a lot of Northern Pike, all on the same lure, which Harry purchased for everyone in the morning. It was Larry’s turn today for a HUGE fish as he caught a MONSTER Master Anglers Award Tiger Musky measuring 45-inches. WOW, What a catch, but with this group it’s not just the fishing and catching of fish. It’s the whole experience of the wilderness, enjoying family time together at suppertime, doing puzzles, having great conversation on their deck every evening, and just being together as a family, and we are thrilled they choose Fireside Lodge as one of their family memory making vacation destinations.
Bob Babcock and Jane Waldron from Midland, MI were fishing at Fireside Lodge for the 11th consecutive year. First day was very productive catching some good size Northern Pike and Bob landed a 34-inch Pike with a 40-inchers body, being very fat and round. They had a lot of follows and Bob lost four nice fish as they were running trough the weeds. Second day had these two catching a lot of Northern Pike and Jane caught a 34-inch Pike, and had two very large fish get off during the battle. The focal point on their third day was on Musky fishing and did they ever find fish, having countless follows. Jane decided to try jigging for these fussy feeders and she ended up landing and very heavy 35-inch Musky and caught a Master Anglers Award, wide body 18-inch Smallmouth Bass. Fourth day was a very good day for Northern Pike 25 to 32-inches, and Jane caught the fish of the day landing a massive 45-inch Tiger Musky on a surface lure. WOW, what a ‘Terrific” catch and a fabulous must see photo. This put Jane in the position to accomplish a fishing feat never attained at Fireside Lodge during our 20-year tenure. That is to catch a Master Anglers Award fish in all three categories of Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, and Musky. Jane only had one day on the water left, however all it would take is one cast. Fifth and final day no records were broken but they had a great day catching Northern Pike of all sizes, and Jane did catch the biggest fish of the day being 34-inch Pike. They enjoyed their last Canadian Wilderness moments on and off the water, and also made reservations for the same week in 2010.

Father and son Joe and Troy Nowiczewski from The Woodlands and Spring, TX returned to Fireside Lodge for the second visit. Fabulous first day with plenty of Northern Pike action as they caught over 30 Pike, Joe landing at least 20, and Troy being a strictly fly fisher, caught 10 on streamers and poppers and missed that many on the surface. Second day was fabulous as they caught Northern Pike, Joe caught his first Musky, and Troy had some great fly-fishing landing several Smallmouth Bass 17 to 17.5-inches and landed a Master Anglers Award Smallmouth at 18-inches. Third day was all Joe as he seemed to catch most of the Northern Pike including one HUGE 35-incher plus he had a GIANT Musky on until a clump of weeds got between him and the fish, and the lure popped loose as the Muskie ran through the weeds, O’ Well That’s Fishing. Fourth day Joe and Troy had a GREAT day catching Northern Pike up to 30-inches, and Troy caught six on his fly rod. Fifth and final day they were in search of the Big fish and found some good size fish with Joe landing a 32 and 33-inch heavy Pike, and Troy got into some Smallmouth 16.5 to 17.5-inches. The Monster eluded them this trip just as it does many anglers, which keeps us all coming back to try again. Joe and Troy had a wonderful father and son re-connect fishing vacation, and hope to return again in the near future. Thanks for making your special memories together at Fireside Lodge.

Fishing at Fireside Lodge for their first time were Tim and Theresa Moran from Schaumburg, IL They had great success on their first day fishing as they caught some very nice Northern Pike and many Smallmouth Bass, and each had smiles ear to ear in the dinning room as they were telling me of their days experiences. Second day they decided to do our “Jungle Cruise Ride” which is a long ride through a creek to access two other lakes. Just the beauty of the creek was worth the trip for these two. They had a fabulous day catching countless Northern Pike, and Theresa caught a very large Smallmouth Bass measuring almost 18-inches. Both had fabulous fun on the 75-degree nearly perfect day, and the smiles on their faces while telling their adventures of the day told the whole story, without having to say a thing. Third and final day had Tim and Theresa fishing the upper arm of Little Vermilion Lake so they could lunch at, and enjoy one of the natural wonders we have to offer, Twin Falls. They had a wonderful time seeing and photographing Twin Falls, on this beautiful day, and afterwards got into a lot of fish. Tim said for a little over an hour things were fast a furious, Theresa said they caught a smorgasborg, meaning they caught Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike and Tim caught his first ever Musky. Not bad for first timers fishing at Fireside Lodge. When returning they decided not to eat in the dinning room and finish their last evening sitting at the end of our dock to watch the beautiful sunset. So we packed their meals to go so they could enjoy the beautiful show over the western horizon, with the Loons call in the background, that we have the good fortune to see and hear every night at Fireside Lodge.
Tim and Theresa left all smiles hoping to return in 2010 or in the very near future.


Make sure to go to our website listed below to see the 2009 Photos

Hot Lures of The Week: Musky Maribou #5, Thompson Spoon, Blue Fox Spinner, Spinner Bait, X-Rap, Jay Mac Jig, Silver Minnow Spoon, Tsunami Popper,

Flies of the Week: Black and Orange Streamer, Popper with Hackle

Catches of the Week: 48-inch Clear Musky, two 45-inch Tiger Musky, two 18-inch Smallmouth Bass, 42-inch Northern Pike 40-inch Northern Pike. 39.75-inch Northern Pike, two 38-inch Northern Pike many Pike between 34 to 37-inches

Please note that we have a “NEW” email address below.

Well, that's it for this weeks Fireside Lodge Fishing News Report, Please stay tuned for next weeks report. Until then "Keep On Fish'n" Alan
www.firesidelodgefishing.com
www.firesidelodge.com
800-545-0815
Email: fireside@xplornet.com

Fireside Lodge Fishing News/Photo Report 8/15 to 8/22 2009

Fireside Lodge Fishing News/Photo Report 8/15 to 8/22 2009

Hello from Fireside Lodge in Northwest Ontario
This was an on again and off again week weather wise as we had a nice day in the low 70’s, a cool rainy day after some thunderstorms, then a beautiful sunny day in the mid-70’s, followed by another cold front with rain, followed by two very nice sunny days. That’s weather for ya.
Albert(Bert)Zimbrich, Dale Clement both from Knoxville, TN, Jacob (Bud) Zeigler from Washington, DC, and Joe Gabbard from Sterling, VA were fishing at Fireside Lodge for their first time. Bert, Joe, and Dale during a few hours before supper, on their day of arrival, caught 7 Northern Pike and a Smallmouth Bass. First full day fishing this group said they caught plenty of Smallmouth Bass and Northern Pike and both Bert and Joe caught a 30-inch plus Muskie. Second day was fabulous fishing as they all caught over 100 Northern Pike, Bert landed two Master Anglers Award Smallmouth Bass and Dale caught one all being 18.5-inches. The day was so good that at times Pike were charging out of the water after lures being lifted out of the water at the end of a retrieve. Third day was very windy with rain on a off which made for tough conditions, but they still caught some Pike up to 33-inches. Fourth day was a fabulous and fun day as Bert and Dale had what seemed to be endless action landing 60-plus Northern Pike, and Bud and Joe caught 30 Northern Pike and 18 Smallmouth Bass. The Smallmouth were special in that 12 of them were 17-inches or larger, and Bud landed two Master Anglers Award Smallmouth one being a GIANT 19.5-inches and the other was a very girthy 18.5-inches. It was Bud’s last day so he finished in glory and fame. On the fifth day the remaining three were met with a North Eastern cold front and heavy rain which brought them back to the dock well before noon and spent the rest of the day in the warm dry cabin. Fish caught were at a minimum as the lake conditions were severe, and temps reached only a high of 59 degrees. Sixth day had these three having a beautiful last day and Joe started off on his very first cast catching an 18.5-inch Master Anglers Award Smallmouth Bass. That means all of the group caught a Master Anglers Award Smallmouth on their first fishing trip at Fireside Lodge. They also had some good morning action on Northern Pike wit Joe and Dale catching over 20, however they forgot their lunch back at the cabin and had to come back which broke their momentum. All had a great time fishing with friends and making memories and both Joe and Dale were talking about bringing their sons or grandsons back next time.
Here by referral were Jim Joyce from Fairgrove, MO, David Kroeger from Omaha, NE, and Steve Tegler from Lincoln, NE. Day of arrival these three got right to it and caught over 20 fish, a combination of Smallmouth Bass and Northern Pike. First full day of fishing they did fantastic catching about 60 Smallmouth Bass and 10 Northern Pike. That’s a 70 fish day. Dave caught two Master Anglers Award Smallmouth and Steve had one all being 18.5-inches. Pink Senko worms was their magic bait for the day. Second day was also a great fishing day with a different mix as they caught 13 Walleye between 20 to 23-inches, a whole bunch of Pike, and one GIANT 20” Master Anglers Award Smallmouth Bass by Dave. Third day they had another great day, in search of BIG Muskie, catching Smallmouth Bass. On the Smallmouth side of this equation they caught well over 50 with a lot in the 14 to 16-inch class, and a few 17 to 17.5-inches, and one Master Anglers Award 18-incher by Dave. They also had Muskie follows, landed one nice size Musky, and Steve lost a monster that did not even know it was hooked for the first few moments. Fourth and fifth days were spent searching for Big fish of any kind. They had their opportunity with Muskie, having hooked a few but lost them in the battle. In the Smallmouth category they caught 50 plus each day with lots in the 15 to 16.5-inch range, and a lot 17 to 17.75-inches. Dave was the Master Angler of Master Fishers as he landed five Master Anglers Award Smallmouth Bass from 18 to 19.5-inches. This made for two great fishing days. Sixth and final day they caught so many Pike they quit fishing for them, and tried to find some bigger Smallmouth Bass, which Steve did it again catching another Master Anglers Award Smallmouth Bass which made a total of 8 for the week. All went home having a great week fishing and being away from work.Returning to Fireside Lodge for his second time was Tom Strachen with sons Ryan and Ross and son-in-law Tom Stenger from Akron, Oh, Carrboro, NC, Columbus, Oh, and Copley, OH. First day was great as all caught some nice Northern Pike and Smallmouth Bass with Tom Stachen landing the largest Smallmouth at 17.5-inches, and Ryan, Ross, and Tom Stenger all caught Pike in the 30-inch plus range. Second day was a gangbusters Pike day as they caught over 60 Northern Pike between them, and had lots of other action with lost fish and follows. Third day had Tom Strachen and Ryan catching mostly Northern Pike and one 15-inch Smallmouth, while Ross and Tom Stenger had a fabulous day as they found a secret bait in orange twister tails. Yes, that’s right I did say orange. They ended up catching over 40 Northern Pike and had such a blast they lost track of time and missed supper in the dinning room. They did not miss supper itself as we packed their meals and had them waiting in their cabin for them. Fourth an final day was another great day fishing and catching as Tom and Tom Teamed up for about 18 Northern Pike, and brothers Ryan and Ross caught well over 30 and landed a lot of larger fish. All had a wonderful family fishing trip making memories together and talk of coming back next year with more family was the topic of discussion before departing.

Returning to Fireside Lodge after 20-years were father Gary Nichols from Naperville, IL and his son Mark from Seattle, Washington. First day they were met with cold front conditions, high winds, and showers. It took a little while but they started catching fish landing some Smallmouth Bass and Northern Pike in the 28 to 32-inch range. Second day was great as they caught over 30 Northern Pike. Third day had these two out after the noon hour choosing to wait for the weather to clam down a bit. In four hours they caught both Northern Pike and a few nice Smallmouth despite the severe cold front conditions with high winds and rain. Fourth and final day was a great day as they caught a lot of fish being a combination of Northern Pike and Smallmouth Bass, with Mark catching some of his best Smallmouth ever. Both had a terrific time making memories together and wished stay another day.Walt LaCasse from Minnetonka, MN who has been coming to Fireside Lodge every year since 1996, and twice a year for the last seven years was returning for his second trip this year with his daughter Alyssa and his 7-year old grandson Keeghan. On their day of arrival before supper after fishing just a few hours they all caught fish and some BIG fish. On Keeghan’s third cast he hooked and landed an 18-inch bulging Master Anglers Award Smallmouth Bass. WOW!!!! Pressure was off Grandpa within minutes of leaving the dock. Alyssa caught some nice Northern Pike and was a great assist after Walt hooked into a Monster Northern Pike. During the battle Walt gave some quick verbal instructions to Alyssa on how to use a fish cradle, and Alyssa did a fabulous job cradling Walt’s GIANT 40-inch Master Anglers Award Northern Pike. What a great team effort and unbelievable start to their three day fishing trip, and this all happened before supper. Just think of the fact that 7-year old Keeghan’s first Smallmouth he ever saw was an 18.5-inch Master Anglers Award Smallmouth, and the first Northern Pike he ever laid eyes on was a HUGE 40-inch Master Anglers Award Pike. Unbelievable start to their three day fishing trip. First full day of fishing brought them a cold front with on and off rain and wind. Even with these conditions Keeghan stayed out all day long with Alyssa and Grandpa. Keeghan caught three Northern Pike and Walt caught a BIG FAT 35-inch Northern Pike. That evening Keegan wanted to go fishing again, so they did for an hour and caught three more Pike. Second day was a super day for these three as the caught 40 plus Northern Pike and Walt caught a 19.5-inch and an 18.5-inch Master Anglers Award Smallmouth. Both Alyssa and Keeghan caught a lot of Northern Pike. A funny story is when Walt was reeling in a Pike in the high 20-inch range, as Keeghan saw it he said “Grandpa your fish is a smaller one”. I guest that’s what anyone would think if the first Northern Pike you ever saw in your life was a 40-inch Monster, that would qualify for most fishers Pike of a lifetime. Third day they woke up to a North Eastern cold front with a lot of rain. An attempt go fishing was made mid-morning but they returned as quick as the heavy rain did. Not fishing again until after supper, when all three went out for their last fish for the trip, they caught some nice Northern Pike and enjoyed their last look at the beautiful surroundings we are located in at Fireside Lodge. All departed very happy with wonderful memories made between three generations, and before leaving Walt reserved his second set of dates for 2010. Thanks for choosing Fireside Lodge to make you memories with family and friends.Father and son Mike and Andy Pritzl from Caledonia and Racine WI. Returned to Fireside Lodge for their fifth trip. They showed up with smiles and ready to go despite the rainy cold front conditions. Before supper these two, in just a few hours caught 10 Northern Pike and after supper they caught 2 Smallmouth Bass, 3 more Pike up to 31-inches and Andy had a Musky on estimated at 35-inches, but the big fish popped its head out of the water and spit Andy’s lure back at him. First full day of fishing was fabulous weather and terrific fishing, Andy catching 40 and Mike 39-Northern Pike for a total of 79 before supper. They also caught 7 Smallmouth two at 15-inches, one 17, one 17.5, and Andy caught a GIANT 19.5-inch Master Anglers Award Smallmouth. In the evening they caught three more Northern Pike and Andy landed a 34-inch Tiger Musky. Second day they did well catching 8 Northern Pike most being 28 to 31-inches and a Smallmouth Bass. In the evening they had fun surface fishing with poppers having some strikes and Mike caught a nice Smallmouth. Third and final day turned into another Pike day as they caught 26 Pike with most being the range of 28 to 37.5-inches with Andy catching the 37.5-incher, his personal best. They also caught 6 Smallmouth Bass. Both had a blast and made another set of father and son memories at Fireside Lodge.
Make sure to go to our website listed below to see the 2009 Photos

Hot Lures of The Week: Mepps Spinner, Daredevle Spoon, Silver Minnow Spoon, Twister Tails, Soft Plastic Crayfish, Buck-tail, Senko Worms, Chug Bug

Catches of the Week: 40-inch Northern Pike, 20-inch Smallmouth Bass, 16 Smallmouth bass caught between 18 and 19 inches and 4 Smallmouth measured right at 19.5-inches

Please note that we have a “NEW” email address below.

Well, that's it for this weeks Fireside Lodge Fishing News Report, Please stay tuned for next weeks report. Until then "Keep On Fish'n" Alan
www.firesidelodgefishing.com
www.firesidelodge.com
800-545-0815
Email: fireside@xplornet.com

Fireside Lodge Fishing News/Photo Report 7/11 to 7/18 2009

Fireside Lodge Fishing News/Photo Report 7/11 to 7/18 2009

This week can be described in one word “WINDY”. After having some temperatures in the mid 70’s, we had another rainy cold front move in and stayed with us for four days. The winds were a challenge for 5 out of the 7 days and all guests had to change fishing techniques.
Fishing at Fireside Lodge for their first time were good friends Joshua Lauth, Tom Lake from Brunswick, OH and Tom Ozog from Strongsville, OH. First two days their total was 13 Northern Pike caught. Thirteen must have been lucky for these three as the next days catches dramatically increased. They had daily catches of 37, 42, and 55 Northern Pike on their last three days, and also Tom Ozog caught his first ever Muskie. These three had a great time as they spent most of their waking hours on he water, despite having rough water on thee of their five days. Now these three can believe my fishing reports because they are in this one. When making reservations with us t hey were wondering if the catches I write about were true, so after a few references they decided to fish at Fireside Lodge, to make the stories I write about a reality for them, and they did just that.

First time ever fishing at Fireside Lodge were David Powell, and Warren Farrar from Springfield and Bloomington, IL, James Stark from Mission Viejo, C A, and Steven Wentz from Flowery Branch, GA. First day was a learning experience and they caught a few Northern Pike. Next day the caught more Pike and had some follows, as they became more familiar with other areas of Little Vermilion Lake. Fourth day was a very good day as they caught many more Pike and Jim landed a 35-inch Northern Pike and Warren caught his first Muskie ever, a stout 35.5-inch wide body Muskie. Congratulations to Warren for catching his first Muskie. Last day brought severe storm conditions with high winds, which made it very difficult to fish anywhere. They caught a fe w but gave it up around 2:00 PM. Sadly this was their final day but all said they had a wonderful stay with us at Fireside Lodge.

Jerry and Wanda Miller from Erwin, TN were returning to Fireside Lodge for their fifteenth year. First day was very windy limiting their fishing locations but they managed to have a great day catching 16 Smallmouth Bass and 9 Northern Pike. Second day was fabulous as they caught over 40 very nice Smallmouth Bass with Wanda catching three Master Anglers Award Smallies. Jerry caught most of his on top-water and Wanda with leeches. Jerry also had some fun with Northern Pike on top. Third day was full of Smallmouth action, again catching well over 40, with almost all being 15 to 17.5-inches. Their pictures tell the story showing Wanda and Jerry holding many BIG Smallmouth. Fourth day, fighting very high winds and heavy rain, they managed to catch 23 Smallmouth before noon and called it a day. Again most were 15 to 18-inches. Fifth day the weather got worse, if that is possible. The morning brought 49 degrees, rains and strong cold winds. Jerry and Wanda took a pass on this day and enjoyed the comforts of our deluxe cabin accommodations with a terrific view of the lake, and relaxed reading and enjoying quiet time. Sixth and final day was a planned half day fishing of which they started in rainy cool weather, and caught 16 beautiful Smallmouth 15 to 18-inches and 10 Northern Pike. Almost a ca rbon copy of their first day. Both thoroughly enjoyed their time at Fireside Lodge and reserved their dates for 2010.

Jack and Steven Starnes from Wise and Duffield, VA were back fishing at Fireside Lodge for their fifth consecutive year. Day of arrival Jack and Steve caught 40 Smallmouth Bass 11 Northern Pike and each caught a 40-inch Master Anglers Award Pike. First full day was excellent as they caught 60-70 Smallmouth Bass, a lot being 15-inches or better, and 25 Northern Pike with 4 being over 34-inches. That same evening Jac k lost a nice Tiger Muskie in the high 30-inch range and Steven caught a 39-inch Muskie. WOW!! Second day was all Smallmouth Bass all day long, saying their numbers were well over 100, with half being 15-inches or better. Third day had these two catching over 50 Smallmouth Bass, and they landed two Muskie 32 to 35-inches, caught a huge 37-inch Northern Pike, and had two 40-inch Plus Muskie up to the boat where one broke off and the other one shook a hook. Fourth day they portaged with very high winds and heavy rain but still caught 25 smaller Northern Pike and 6 very nice Walleye. Fifth day a was a cold, windy, and rainy day of the worst kind, but these two still managed 20 nice Smallmouth Bass and one Muskie. Sixth and final day they finished with 30 Smallmouth Bass and three Mu skie. In recapping their trip at suppertime they both sounded sad to leave, however they did make their reservations for the same week in 2010.

Fran and Colleen Stack from Lorain, OH returned to Fireside Lodge for their seventh year. First day they portaged fishing for Muskie and had a few follows and caught some Smallmouth Bass. As Colleen said a suppertime, they had a great day. Second day they caught 36 Northern Pike and Fran landed a Tiger Muskie. Third day they found themselves into a bunch of nice large Northern Pike in the 30-inch range, and Colleen came up with the catch of the day landing a large 35-inch Pike. Fourth day was extreme winds with heavy rain, but as usual they fished with slimes on their faces and it sure paid off. They caught some nice Northern Pike, and it was Fran’s turn to catch the big fish of the day as he landed a 39-inch Northern pike with enormous girth. Despite their fifth and final day being a cold rainy day with high winds, Fran and Colleen were off and on their way fishing by 6:00 AM. Fishing in this weather until about 2:30PM, when they packed it in being soaked through and through and very cold. However their efforts paid off as they caught 65 Northern pike and two Smallmouth Bass in this short time period. Both left as the came, with smiling faces, and were already planning for next years trip.

Returning for their fifth fishing trip to Fireside Lodge were father and Son Richard and Brian Jicha from Avon Lake, Oh and Madison, WI. First day was very exciting as they caught over 40 Northern Pike and lost over 40 while fishing with surf ace buzz baits. It was loads of fun watching these Pike rockets explode out of the water. Second day the fishing was good, but the catching a challenge, as they had a lot of follows, landing a few Pike and saw some really BIG Muskie in areas they never fished before. Third day was a very wet and windy portage lake day. They caught well over 20 Northern pike and had a ball doing so. Fourth day was a portage lake to fish for Muskie and Smallmouth but the winds were so bad that they could hardly hold position anywhere on the smaller lake which had no break lines to slow the wind down. They bailed out about noon to Little Vermilion Lake and did well catching Northern Pike in the 30-inch range. Fifth day was fabulous for Rick and Brian as they caught 86 Northern Pike and were eating supper in our dining room at 6:30PM. WOW what great action and fun. Sixth and final day was a great finish as t hey caught 42 Northern Pike. Both had a blast together, made another set of Fireside Lodge fishing memories, and seemed sad to leave.

Father and daughter Donald and Lauren Holman from C hicago, IL and Father-in-law and grandpa Peter Krebs from Niles, IL were fishing at Fireside Lodge for their first time. First full day fishing they did fantastic catching 50 to 60 Northern Pike by suppertime, and then the weather came in so they called it a day. Second day we had a huge storm roll in with heavy rain and very high winds. They attempted to go fishing a few times and returned to the dock within a short time period. Finally Don fished for a few hours by himself, caught a Pike got a few follows, and saw a huge over 40-iinch Muskie follow his lure but not thinking pulled his lure out of the water too soon. Third day was very cold and rainy with high winds, which found them with very little fishing tim e. They made the best of the day, by visiting Sioux Lookout, building an Inunshuck on our road, having an afternoon nap, and playing the board game Sorry. Don went out alone for about 2.5 hours and had a ball catching a few fish Fourth and final day was much better with light rain and drizzle and the winds were calm. They finished with a bang as they caught over 50 Northern Pike and 6 Smallmouth Bass. In Lauren’s words it was an awesome day, and I think Don has a fishing partner for life, as Lauren was already talkin g about next year. Many wonderful memories were made at Fireside Lodge between father, daughter, and grandpa and we thank them for choosing fireside lodge to create this special time and memories together.

Dave Minson and his sons Jonathan, 11, and Stephan, 12, from Burlington, Ontario were fishing at Fireside Lodge for there first time. On their day of arrival they caught a few Northern Pike and Jonathan had a huge Pike on and up to the boat. After the fish looked Jonathan in the eyes it took a strong run under the boat and broke the line. Their first full day was very exciting as they took a long ride through a creek to another lake and h ooked a bunch of Northern Pike, landing a total of nine. Second day was very high winds with rain storms all day long, and Dave and his two boys still spent 5 hours fishing, and had success catching one Pike which was an accomplishment in the adverse weather conditions. Third day was a windy cold rainy day but Dave and his boys left the dock after breakfast to brave nature’s elements. They fished their hearts out and caught some Northern Pike and enjoyed the whole experience. Stephen and Jonathan were the talk of the lodge with their smiles and big eyes, and they were very polite and had very good table m anors. Also, Jonathan draws very well, and he made a drawing of a Muskie swimming though a weed bed on a table napkin and presented it to Audrey and I. These three left making many father and son memories together, which is the biggest, catch of all at Fireside Lodge. Thanks for choosing Fireside Lodge to be part of your memory log.

Make sure to go to our website listed below to see the 2009 Photos

Hot Lures of The Week: Mepps Spinner, Blue Fox Spinner, Pop-R, Husky Jerk, Spoons, Live Leeches, Gulp Alive Baits,

Catches of the Week: Two 40-Inch Northern Pike, 39-inch Pike, 35.5-inch Muskie, 19-inch Smallmouth Bass

Please note that we have a “NEW” email address below.

Well, that's it for this weeks Fireside Lodge Fishing News Report, Please stay tuned for next weeks report. Until then "Keep On Fish'n" Alan
www.firesidelodgefishing.com
www.firesidelodge.com
800-545-0815
Email: fireside@xplornet.com

Fireside Lodge Fishing News/Photo Report 7/4 to 7/11 2009

Fireside Lodge Fishing News/Photo Report 7/4 to 7/11 2009

This week temperatures were very pleasant staying between 65 to 70 degrees for highs with a mix of sun and cloud, lows in the mid 40’s and brief rain showers appeared towards the end of the week. You could almost mistake it for fall weather, but the Mayfly hatch, which happened this week is a dead give away it was early summer.
Mike and Dee Hummel from Urbandale, IA returned to Fireside Lodge for their sixth year. First day they did well despite strong winds catching Smallmouth Bass, and Dee had a HUGE toothy critter follow her lure but could not get it to Strike. Second day was great as Mike and Dee caught plenty of Smallmouth Bass from 13 to 17.5-inches. Third day was a superb day as in the morning they caught a lot of big Smallmouth Bass, and at noon fished for Pike catching well over 30 Northern Pike. All of Mike’s were caught fly-fishing with most of the Northern Pike being 28 to 30-inches, and the Smallmouth were 16 to 17.5-inches. Fourth day was another very good day fishing and catching as they caught a lot of Smallmouth Bass with Dee using a power worm and a slow technique, while Mike stuck to fly fishing using a chartreuse popper. With the mayflies hatching a slower presentation was working the best. Fifth and final day was very windy with thunderstorms in the area all day, and despite this Mike and Dee fished until 4:00PM when most others had come in early. They did well catching mostly Smallmouth Bass. Upon their departure they expressed the wonderful time they had and reserved their same dates for 2010.

Brian Borawski from Frederick, MD and Richard Fecht from Gaithersburg, MD were fishing at Fireside lodge for their first time. First day on the water was investigative trying to get the lay of the lake and find the weed beds. They found that the cold spring we have had limited the weed growth to date. They caught some fish and gained some valuable knowledge. Second day Rick and Brian found some good Smallmouth Bass fishing, Brian catching two Master Anglers Award Smallies at 18 and 19-inches. Third day they were in search of Pike and they found them as they landed over 60 Northern Pike. Fourth day, while in search of Muskie, caught some nice Northern Pike and had some follows but the Muskie won today’s battle. Fifth day was very windy which caused boat control difficulties, but they fished all day long and caught a few very nice Pike and had a few follows. Sixth and final day was their last chance at a Muskie and Brain was determined to catch one. Well he did even better than that, he caught two, the first being 35-inches and the second Muskie was a monster 45-inch Master Anglers Award trophy. Great way to finish.

Father and son Mark and Connor McDermotte from Chicago, IL were returning to fish at Fireside Lodge for Mark’s third consecutive year. First year was daughter Cailan, second year son Sean was with Mark, and this year it was Connors trip to Fireside Lodge. First day on the water, only fishing until 2:00 PM, they caught over 40 Northern Pike. Second day was dedicated to Muskie fishing of which they had one in and out of their net as the hook got caught near the hoop of the net, and the fish flipped out and swam away. They also had about 9 follows, and caught 9 Pike. Third day was great action as they caught 59 Northern Pike and a few Smallmouth Bass. Fourth day was extremely windy with thunderstorms, which found them back at the dock before noon. They enjoyed some other activities and a long nap, and felt re-energized for fifth and final day fishing. The energy helped as they caught 37 Northern Pike along with several Smallmouth and Conner caught a very large 17.5-inch Smallmouth, It was a terrific fishing trip for this father and son as they made many memories. Before departing Mark made reservations for the same dates in 2010.

Dave, Terri and daughter Kaitlin from Milwaukee, WI were back to enjoy the fishing and magic of Fireside Lodge for their fourth consecutive year. First day they caught some Smallmouth and Pike, and Kaitlin caught the largest Northern Pike. That evening Terri and Kaitlin took a short Kayak trip, and after returning Terri and Dave returned to fishing and caught some Smallmouth on the surface. Second day they decided to explore new waters and they caught some fish, recorded some new areas for future reference and had a fabulous experience watching a Bald Eagle try to attack a Loon. As Dave described the situation it was touch and go for a few moments but the Loon made it away safely and the Eagle went away still hungry. So who needs reality TV shows when you can experience nature’s reality first hand in our surroundings at Fireside Lodge? Third day the fish won as they caught a few, and enjoyed the wonderful wilderness around them. Fourth day was very windy conditions with thunderstorms moving through the area all day long, which brought them back early like 80% of the other guests. Fifth day was very windy conditions making it tough to fish many areas. They caught a few fish and enjoyed their last day on the water trying to soak up nature wonders before returning to the city of Milwaukee.

Ray and son Mike Heika from Inverness, IL were back for their third year in a row to enjoy the wilderness fishing at Fireside Lodge. These two had a fabulous first day as they caught over 75, (yes 75); Northern Pike and Mike came up with an 18.5-inch Master Anglers Award Smallmouth. Terrific start for Ray and Mike. Second day was not as active as their first but they did catch twelve nice fish, a combo of Smallmouth and Pike. Third day was fabulous fishing and catching as Ray and Mike landed well over 50 Northern Pike and Mike caught a HUGE 20.5-inch Master Anglers Award Smallmouth Bass. Fourth day had them fishing a portage lake for Muskie, but the high wind conditions created boat control difficulties resulting in having four follows with none hooked. Fifth day we had many thunderstorms in the area with high wind and Ray and Mike made the best of it fishing all day in this weather and caught 12 nice fish. Fifth day was a terrific combo day as they caught over 35 Northern Pike, over 20 Smallmouth Bass and all the Smallmouth were 15-17.5 inches, and 5 were over 18-inch largest being 19.5-inches. The Smallmouth were all caught with tube jigs fishing structure, and a slow presentation. WOW, what a great day fishing! Sixth and seventh days fishing Ray and Mike were hampered by the wind like everyone else, but they still caught a lot of Northern Pike and Smallmouth Bass with Ray coming up with another 18-inch Master Anglers Award, which made their seventh in seven days. Ray and Mike had another memorable stay at Fireside Lodge and hope to return in 2010.

Nick Thomas from Salem, VA for the second year in a row had his group fishing at Fireside Lodge. They included Marvin Carter also from Salem, David Plunkett from New Castle, Gary Hudson from Pembroke, John Edmonson from Cloverdale, and Ron Henley from Radford, VA. First day on the water Ron and David caught a good number of Smallmouth Bass and Northern Pike plus landed three Muskie, Nick and Marvin had three hours of very fast action on Smallmouth Bass, and John and Greg did very well on Smallmouth Bass. Second day had Ron and Marvin teaming up for a super day of Smallmouth Bass fishing catching them all day long. For John and David it was not quantity but quality as all the fish they caught were big, both Smallmouth Bass and Northern Pike. It was a slower day for Nick and Greg still catching some fish. Third day was a super day for all as every boat caught many Smallmouth Bass, too many to count. With the mayflies hatching, this great day was accomplished by fishing a sinking worm very slowly, and sometimes letting the worm just sit for a moment. This group by far did the best because of their technique and patient method of fishing. Fourth day they were dodging thunderstorms and were wind blown like everyone else, but they all still caught some fish and enjoyed the day for what it was. Fifth and final day had these fellows fishing in very windy conditions again, but they caught fish anyway. All week they got on to a method of using sinking worms, fished slowly, and they never stopped catching Smallmouth. They by far did the best all week with Smallmouth Bass fishing right in the mayflies with their sinking worms and a do nothing presentation. Nick ended with an 18.5-inch Master Anglers Award Smallmouth, which was a great way to finish. Upon checking out, all said they would see us next year.

Tom and Patti Cleary from Copley, OH found themselves fishing at Fireside Lodge for their first time. This couple had a fabulous first day catching a dozen nice Smallmouth Bass and enjoying a wonderful shore lunch at a beautiful location on the lake. Patti is fairly new to fishing and having never caught a Smallmouth Bass before she got started right by her very first Smallmouth Bass ever being an 18-inch Master Anglers Award Smallie. Second day they took a short paddle into Cedarbough Lake and were in awe of nature at it’s best providing the natural beauty found in Cedarbough creek. They had a very fun day catching some nice size Smallmouth Bass and exploring different waters. Third day Tom and Patti were off to another lake and a longer creek ride. This will be their third lake in three days. Well they had fabulous fishing, as the thunderstorms missed them, and they caught 35 Northern Pike. These two enjoyed fourth and final day, and despite the very windy conditions they caught 3 Smallmouth Bass and 4 Northern Pike as they soaked up their last moments being in the great northern wilderness of the Canadian Boreal Forest. Patti left having a wonderful experience for her first Canadian fishing trip, and Tom’s continuous smile told the whole story. Upon departure Tom informed me that he plans on getting a group of 4 people for 2010.

Good friends and fly fishing partners Steve Jensen Springfield, MO and Jon Harrison from Georgetown, TX were back fly fishing at Fireside Lodge for their sixth consecutive year. Steve and Jon decided to fish for Northern Pike in their first full day and it turned out to be a good decision as they had their best day ever fly fishing for Pike. They did not count every fish but a conservative estimate is over 40, all caught while fly-fishing. Second day was off to a portage Muskie Lake where both Jon and Steve had hopes of landing their first Muskie on a fly rod. Steve came very close as he had a Muskie hooked briefly but could not land it, and they had several other follows. Third day they were chased off the water early with high winds and thunderstorm activity, which made fly-fishing nearly impossible. Fourth day these two had a fabulous time catching many Northern Pike on the fly. Fly-fishing for Northern Pike does not get much better than catching 7 Northern Pike on 7 consecutive casts (Steve), or having 3 or 4 doubles, which Jon and Steve accomplished. They had no idea how many they caught and did not even attempt to count. Fifth day had them portaging to catch Muskie and Smallmouth, and that is just what they did with Jon landing his first Muskie ever while fly fishing, and Steve caught two Master Anglers Award Smallmouth on back to back casts, one 18.5-inches and a MONSTER 19.25-inch Smallmouth. Just one word described this day “Fabulous”. Sixth and final day they had another terrific day fly fishing, catching Northern Pike at numbers they believed to be their best day of the week, and Steven caught his third Master Angler Award Smallmouth measuring 18.5-inches, making this their best ever fly fishing trip. Before leaving they secured their reservations for 2010.

Keith Markowski from Foristell. MO returned to Fireside Lodge for his third trip with his dad Donald from Ferguson, MO and brother Danny from Troy, MO. First day on the water these three had fabulous fishing catching well over 50 Northern Pike and 10 Smallmouth Bass of which six were Master Anglers Award Smallmouth 18 to 18.5-inches. The others were 16.5 to 17.5 inches and all had very large girth. Second day was again well over 50 Northern Pike landed, and Keith caught another monster 18-inch very wide Smallmouth Bass. Third day was very windy with thunderstorms moving in and out of the area, which limited fishing time and ability to control the boat. Still they caught some fish for the short time spent on the water, and the good news is they had one day left. Fourth and final day was another tremendous day catching Northern Pike, Keith telling me they easily caught over 70 Northern Pike before suppertime. Also, Don caught an 18.5-inch Master Anglers Award Smallmouth Bass, which means all three accomplished this fishing feat. This made for a great finish to a fabulous fishing trip for Don, Keith, and Dan.


Back for their second consecutive year were brothers three, Doug, John, and David Sowatsky from Sullivan, WI, Clyde Hill, WA, and
Foothill Ranch, CA. This year David was introducing his twelve-year-old son Kyle to the great Canadian Wilderness fishing experience. Lucky of Kyle to have such an opportunity. Day of arrival they fished for a short time and all caught a fish or two. First day was a fabulous day as they caught over 50 fish per boat, combination of Pike and Smallmouth, and what a way for Kyle to experience fishing in Canada for his first time. He not only caught a lot of Northern Pike but he came up with the catch of the day landing a HUGE 18-inch Master Anglers Award Smallmouth Bass. Way to go Kyle! Second day was also very good fishing as they were one of the few groups which braved the wind and thunderstorms, and were rewarded catching some big fish with Klye landing a HUGE 36-inch Northern Pike, which was so fat and heavy it looked like the body of a 40-incher. Also, Doug landed a very big 42-inch Muskie, and John caught a big Smallie just missing the Master Anglers Award. Third day was a very tough day on the water with high winds however this group stuck with it and caught some nice Smallmouth Bass and Northern Pike. Fourth and fifth days were the same with high winds and rough water, but these four were amazing in their fishing efforts, and it paid off as they caught a lot of Northern Pike 28 to 33-inches and many Smallmouth Bass up to 17.5-inches. Also Muskie man Doug caught two more Muskie 0ver 35-inches. All left having a great time making family memories, and Kyle went out as the sole Master Angler Award recipient.

Long time guests father and son Dennis and Mark Lowney from Aurora, IL were back fishing at Fireside Lodge. Mark and Dennis were with us in our very beginning years and are part of the select guests that have seen us progress from our over years. First day on the water they caught some Smallmouth Bass and Northern Pike and got re-familiarized with the waters. Second day was met with high winds and thunderstorms, which made for a very short day fishing. Third day they caught many Smallmouth Bass and some Northern Pike. Fourth day was super windy and they decided to call it a day of rest and reading before even getting in their boat. Fourth and fifth days were very good as they were able to enjoy catching many Northern Pike and Smallmouth Bass in the Great Canadian Wilderness, where Fireside Lodge in located. We had fun with Denny and Mark talking about our beginning years and the progress made at Fireside Lodge for the last 20-years. Denny and Mark had such fun they decided to reserve their dates for 2010 before leaving. Great to have these guys back.

Make sure to go to our website listed below to see the 2009 Photos

Hot Lures of The Week: Sinking Worm, Tube Jig, Mepps Spinner, Blue Fox Spinner, Tubes,

Hot Flies of the week: Chartreuse Surface Popper, Streamers, Hexaginia Nymph, Crayfish Pattern

Catches of the Week: 20.5-inch Smallmouth, 45 and 42-inch Muskie, Over 75 Northern Pike caught in one day by two people.
Please note that we have a “NEW” email address below.

Well, that's it for this weeks Fireside Lodge Fishing News Report, Please stay tuned for next weeks report. Until then "Keep On Fish'n" Alan
www.firesidelodgefishing.com
www.firesidelodge.com
800-545-0815
Email: fireside@xplornet.com