Fireside Lodge Fishing News/Photo Report 8/1 to 8/15 2009

Fireside Lodge Fishing News/Photo Report 8/1 to 8/15 2009

We started off this week with a huge rain system that dumped one inch of rain on Saturday. Sunday was clear for the first half day but the clouds moved in again along with heavy scattered showers with high wind gusts, which continued through Monday. High winds with scattered showers hung around on Tuesday and Wednesday. Thursday and Friday were very nice with temps around 70 and sunny.
Ronald Vincent from Sherrlls Ford, NC returned to Fireside Lodge for his tenth consecutive year with Larry Hoopaugh and Mike Bishop both from Charlotte, NC and Calvin Kenley from Mooresville, NC. Day of arrival they got right to it despite the pouring rain accumulating to 1-inch throughout the day. They caught some nice 30-inch plus Northern Pike and Calvin caught his first Tiger Muskie, making it a good one measuring 37-inches. First day Larry and Calvin caught 15 nice Smallmouth Bass and had a few BIG Muskie follows, while Ron and Mike had a fabulous day catching over 70 fish most being Northern Pike, Mike caught his first Muskie ever at a nice 35-inches. Ron caught a 33-inch Tiger Musky, and they caught 6 Smallmouth with Ron landing three Master Anglers Award Smallies between 18 to 19-inches. WOW, what a GREAT day. Second day Ron and Mike were in search for the BIG Muskie, so after discussing some locations they were off to Musky Hunt. They ended up catching 15 nice size Pike and Ron had an experience similar to one last year in the same location. While Ron was trying to land a Smallmouth Bass a HUGE Muskie came out of nowhere and attached the Smallmouth. Ron had the Musky on for 20 minutes until it got close to the net when it spit out the Smallmouth and waved goodbye to Ron and Mike with its tail. It sure made a believer out of Mike. Larry and Calvin also had a fabulous day catching 54 Northern Pike, six Smallmouth Bass and Larry caught an 18.25-inch Master Anglers Award Smallmouth. Third day came with gusty high winds but on Mikes very first cast he caught a 35-inch Northern Pike, Ron caught a 35-inch Musky and Mike caught a large 18-inch Master Anglers Award Smallmouth. Larry and Calvin also caught some Smallmouth and a few Northern Pike. Fourth day Ron and Mike portaged for Musky and Smallmouth catching 5 big Smallmouth right away only to have the Smallmouth action give way to Musky follows. No wonder the Smallmouth disappeared. After having many follows they changed tactics and started catching Northern Pike landing some nice fish between 30 to 35-inches, Ron catching a 37-incher, and Ron also caught a fat 36-inch Musky. Fifth day was a tremendous catching day as Larry and Calvin caught well over 100 Northern Pike, and Ron and Mike also caught over 100 Northern Pike. Ron landed a 35-inch Muskie and caught a Master Anglers Award Smallmouth on the surface using a Chug Bug. Sixth and final day Larry and Calvin focused on Smallmouth catching 20 nice fish, and Larry caught a great size Muskie. Ron and Mike were out on the water until the very end and had another great day catching fish, both hooking monsters. Mike first hooked a huge Muskie that fought so hard it came completely out of the water, tail danced going away from the boat and came down with such force it broke Mikes line. Mike was so close to catching a trophy Musky. Ron in the final minutes of fishing also hooked a huge Northern Pike and landed the Master Anglers Pike measuring 40.5-inches. Great finish to a Great week fishing at Fireside Lodge.

Brad and Sheri Pugh from Pandora, OH returned to Fireside Lodge for their seventh time. Day of arrival Sheri set the pace by catching a big 37-inch Northern Pike within 15 minutes of leaving the dock, despite the fact that Brad taped up the treble hook on her buck tail. First full day was fabulous as they caught 25 Northern Pike and each caught a Muskie, Brads being 33-inches and Sheri landed a 37-inch Muskie. Second day was very windy but Brad and Sheri still caught some Northern Pike. Third day these two caught over 70 Northern Pike for a GREAT day of fishing and catching. Fifth day was another fabulous day as they caught 36 Northern Pike with most being between 28 to 35-inches. Fifth and final day Brad and Sheri enjoyed the wonderful wilderness and had loads of fun catching 34 Northern Pike. Both had a fabulous trip giving them a break from their busy life in Ohio, and before departing said they will definitely be back.Al Sins from Ashville, NC returned to Fireside Lodge, as he has done every year except one since 1998, with good friend Don Funderud also from Ashville. Day of arrival Al and Don got started by catching nice Northern Pike and had two Muskie follows. First day was great as they caught 15 bigger Northern Pike had 4 Muskie follows, one being well over 40-inches, and Al had the catch of the day landing a 40-inch very heavy Master Anglers Award Northern Pike. Second day was all Muskie having 22 follows; Al hooked two fish and Don Landed a nice heavy 33-inch Muskie. Third day had them catching over 30 Northern Pike having many follows, and Al caught a 17.5-inch Smallmouth Bass. Don also had a follow that looked larger that the 40-inch Pike Al caught the first evening. Fourth day was all Muskie, all day long. At days end Al told me to remember the number of 20, 8, 5, and 2. I asked why and he said they had 20 Muskie follows, 8 Muskie swimmers, just swimming by the boat, had 5 Musky hooked, and caught two Northern Pike. Fifth day was all Pike as they landed 14 with Al catching 13, all being 28 to 34 inches. Don also mentioned he caught a 146lb White Sucker. This made some heads turn, but found out that he hooked himself while getting the hooks out of the Northern Pike. Sixth and final day was their final search for Bubba, the BIG Musky. They ended with a great Musky day as they had 8 follows, hooked up with 6 Muskie, and Al landed two measuring 33 and 37-inches. Al was a bit frustrated as he had 3 other Muskie hooked well but they still were able to get off. That’s Musky Fishing!
Father and Son Bob Ramsey from Leavenworth, KS and Ron from Swanee, TN were returning to Fireside Lodge for their fifth time. First day fishing they did great catching plenty of nice size Northern Pike between 28 to 35-inches, and because of netting situation Bob lost a huge Tiger Muskie at boat-side. Second day had these two fishing for Musky only, and along with many follows ended up hooking and landing a 32, 33, and 36-inch Musky. WOW, what a great day Muskie fishing. Third day their plan was to fish for toothy critters on rocky points with deep water and a weedy bay nearby. Well, their plan worked as the caught all kinds of Northern Pike up to 35-inches. Their fourth and fifth days were full of fun as the continued to do well catching a lot of Northern Pike in the 28 to 35 inch range and a Musky. Their biggest catch is another set of fishing memories made between Bob and Ron, that they will take with them to Leavenworth and Swanee, and continue to bring wonderful thoughts to their minds, smiles to their faces, and an occasional laugh out loud, remembering the moments they spent together at Fireside Lodge.Larry Hinshaw from Blue Grass, IA along with good friend Pat Hobson from Elmwood, IN returned to Fireside Lodge for there third time to fish for Smallmouth Bass. After some discussion of top-water fishing for Smallmouth these two left the dock wide eyed full of excitement. I have to admit I was so excited I wanted to go with them. First day fishing they caught Smallmouth, but found the Smallies a little apprehensive to surface fishing techniques. We have struggled all year getting those water temps idle for surface fishing, which is 70 degrees plus. Second day had the fishing action pick right up, but landing them became an issue. The Smallmouth were making spectacular jumps and getting off, but one Smallie hooked and lost on the surface can be so exciting it almost makes you forget you even lost the fish. Third day had them, catching a lot of Smallmouth Bass between Little Vermilion Lake and Cedarbough and Larry caught his first 18-inch Master Anglers Award Smallie. Fourth day was all Northern Pike catching 40-50, and that evening had some fun with Smallmouth Bass surface action. Fifth Day they had great action on Smallmouth Bass landing well over 20, all on surface lures, with Pat catching his first Master Anglers Award Smallmouth at 18-inches. Pat also had a special encounter with a Huge, over 40-inch Muskie exploding on his Bass surface lure. After a big battle the Musky ended up breaking of at boat side. While Pat and Larry were coming down off the excitement of what happened Pat’s lure popped up to the surface. Result of this battle is a draw to be continued at another date and time unknown to both Pat and Mister Musky. Four their final day Larry and Pat finished with a fabulous day, and probably the best they ever had fishing together. Several severe morning thunderstorms had these two on shore for a while and after things cleared they could not catch but one fish until mid afternoon. But then things started to happen and they found a pattern. Using surface lures where weeds were just topping the waters surface they started to get great Smallmouth action. They ended up landing well over 30 big Smallies with 7 being Master Anglers Award Smallmouth, Pat catching one at 19 and one 18-inches and Larry had two at 18, two at 18.5, and another at 19-inches. All the Smallmouth were fat footballs with most being 16 to 17.5-inches. Great finish and lasting memories at Fireside Lodge for these two very close friends.Father and son Tom and Mark Reese from Bartlett, TN and Alexandria, VA were returning to Fireside Lodge for their eighth consecutive year.
First day these two got right into the Pike catching over 30 with lots of action. Second day Tom and Mark intended on searching for Smallmouth with Mark landing a nice 17-incher, however could not resist the fabulous Northern pike action again catching a bunch of Pike, more that the day before. Third day was all Smallmouth Bass as they caught so many they lost count and they were all between 16 to 17.5-inches, with never leaving the lower arm of Little Vermilion Lake. Their fourth and final day was a near repeat as they caught 40 plus Smallmouth Bass in the 16 to 17.5-inch range and about 10 Northern Pike. Fabulous finish to a great father and son fishing trip where again many memories were made. Fishing is only a part of their trip together as the evening conversations in the lodge, and their time spent together is more valuable to Tom and Mark than any fish they catch.
Their departing words were “we will see you in the same place, same time in 2010”.


Greg Benton was returning to Fireside Lodge for his fifth consecutive year with friends John McDonough, Jerry Sears with son Michael, and Randy Genord with sons Dane for their third in a row and 10 year old Ryan for his first trip. This group always starts their trip with a friendly competition, where each boat keeps track of there total length of fish in inches. The end of the first day had Jerry and Michael catching 33 Smallmouth Bass, each landing two Master Anglers Smallmouth all between 18 and 19.25-inches. They were the leaders with 447-inches of fish. Greg and John did well catching some big Pike and John landed a GIANT 37-inch Tiger Muskie, a must see photo on our website 2009 photo page. Randy, Dane, and Ryan also had a great first day catching many Pike, with Ryan landing a 28-inch Pike, Dane a 34-incher, they caught several others 34 to 35-inches and Randy caught a beast 38-inch Pike. Before breakfast on their second day Greg caught a 19-inch Master Anglers Smallmouth and little Ryan also caught a huge Master Anglers Smallmouth measuring 18-inches. Throughout the day the group caught some nice Northern Pike, with Jerry and Mike landing 18 Smallmouth, Mike caught an 18-inch Master Anglers Smallmouth. Greg and John had some huge follows and the all saw the largest fish ever. While they enjoyed a terrific shore lunch a HUGE Muskie was spotted in the water by Mike, estimated at over 50 inches by Greg and over 55-inches by Randy. They got such a good look at it Mike got a photo that we have on our photo viewer in the lodge. Third day was a mixed bag as Jerry and Mike caught 18 fish, 11 Smallmouth and 7 Pike. Randy, Dane and Ryan did well with toothy critters, Ryan catching his biggest Northern Pike ever at 32-inches and Dane had the fish of the day which was a HUGE disagreeable 41-inch Musky. Greg and John did well catching Muskie and Northern Pike. Fourth day the sky was full of thunderstorms in the morning but Greg and John were out before they appeared and had pre-storm action on MONSTER fish. Greg had a GIANT Muskie follow estimated at 50-inches plus, and John had what was thought to be an over 45-inch, approaching the high 40’s Northern Pike explode on his lure right at the boat. With John being short lined the Pike had full advantage, and as a result shook off the lure before John could get any control. After the storms were over all had some fun catching Northern Pike and few Musky, with Jerry and Mike catching Smallmouth Bass. Fifth and final day the morning fish was delayed again by severe thunderstorms. Jerry and Mike decided to focus on toothy critters catching a 34-inch Musky, 36-inch Pike and several other Pike in the mid 30-inch range. Dane had a big fish day landing two 37-inch and one 34-inch Northern Pike and after supper on the last evening Randy, Dane, and Ryan were the only boat to go out and ended their trip with Ryan catching his biggest Northern Pike ever, which was a heavy 33-incher. All had loads of fun, made great memories, and were already discussing plans for their trip in 2010 as they were checking out. Quoting Randy he said, “It’s all about the memories made with my boys and the fish are just the bonus”. How correct Randy is, and thanks for choosing Fireside Lodge to make those precious memories.Make sure to go to our website listed below to see the 2009 Photos

Hot Lures of The Week: Blue Fox Spinner, Buck tail, X-Rap, Blue Fox Spinner, Tube Jig, Husky Jerk, Cisco Kid, Trophy Diver, Tube Jigs, Live Leeches, Mepps Spinner, Tommy Gumper, Bert Jerk Bait, Chug Bug, Hula Popper,

Catches of the Week: 40.5 and 40-inch Northern Pike, one 19.5-inch, one 19.25-inch, seven 19-inch, five 18.5-inch, three 18.25-inches, and six 18-inch Smallmouth Bass, 41-inch MuskiePlease 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 7/18 to 8/1 2009

Fireside Lodge Fishing News/Photo Report 7/18 to 8/1 2009

The weather finally turned around getting some sunny days with calm winds, and temperatures in the mid 70’s. We did have some rain in the form of showers by mid week but no dramatic cold front or high winds like the few past weeks.

Chuck Barreras from Douglassville, PA was returning for his fifth time with Tom Crooks from Feasterville, PA along with Chuck’s father Charles, daughter Maria (her third trip), son Steven, and Andrew Klimek, the son of Richard who is a very good friend of Chuck and Tom. First day fishing this group was on fire catching 110-120 Northern Pike and a few Smallmouth Bass. Steven at eleven years old caught his first Northern Pike and his first fish ever on a lure plus 14 more. Everyone caught a lot of fish and all had a very memorable day. Second day was a reality check as they fished for Muskie and Pike with limited success. Both Tom and Chuck each caught a Muskie and Steven had his first Muskie follow. Maria caught a nice Smallmouth and the group caught a few Northern Pike before supper. Third day was another super catching day as the group caught well over 100 Northern Pike and Maria had the biggest fish of the day up to the boat, and as Tom was unhooking it at boat side in the water the fish thrashed and was off in a flash. They did get some photos of the fish in the water and it was a monster. Andrew also did great catching his fair share of Northern Pike and his excitement in the fish photos is obvious. Four days go fast and this was their last. The plan was to fish for Smallmouth Bass and they did with Steven landing the biggest of the day and if his fishing career landing a very big 17.5-inch Smallmouth. They also had some family fun at Twin Falls enjoying the sight and sound of the rushing water, fishing, and just enjoying the great day. Many family memories were made and all left with smiles, however a little disappointed that it was the end of their trip.

Returning to Fireside Lodge for their fifth time were Father, son, grandpa combo of Bill, Kamen, and Charles Kossow from Salina, KS, Kenny Kossow from Gypsum, KS and father and son Doug and Kane Comfort also from Salina, KS. First day on the water was a great day and had Kenny and Bill Sr catching a lot of Smallmouth Bass, Bill and his son Kamen did great catching Pike with Kamen landing his largest fish ever on his fourteenth birthday measuring a heavy 33-inches. Father and Son Doug and Kane also had a special day as they both caught their first Muskie. Kane did a great job landing a 36 inch very large Muskie, and Doug’s was a beauty at near 40-inches. WOW, what a great father and son memory. Second day FABULOUS as in Bill Sr’s words “if we caught one we caught two hundred”. After some discussion it was determined that they caught well over 200 fish, most being Northern Pike. Kamen caught two over 18-inch Master Anglers Award Smallmouth Bass, Bill Sr caught 12 Smallmouth between 17 and 19-inches and a BIG GIANT 20.5-inch Smallmouth. This group had a day of fishing that most will never experience, and will remember for the rest of their lives. Their third a final day they caught 43 Smallmouth Bass, 10 Northern Pike and had a ball at Twin Falls enjoying part of the afternoon relaxing by this natural wonder. Kamen and Kane both had BIG Muskie follows and were very excited telling their fish story of the day. All were packed up and on the road by 4:30 PM for an all night drive home, which Kamen seems to enjoy. Driving out on Fireside Lodge Road they left Fireside Lodge and Little Vermilion Lake system behind, but the memories made between family and friends will stay with them forever.

For their second consecutive year Bruce and Pamela Ross from Mequon, WI were fishing at Fireside Lodge and this year good friends
Craig and Leslie Martin from St Charles, IL Joined Bruce and Pam for their first experience. First day was a cool with light rain and drizzle all day long. They had a great day catching Smallmouth Bass and Northern Pike. Smallmouth were up to 17.5-inches. Some of the northern approached the mid-30-inch range and Leslie caught her first Northern Pike ever In-Style landing a very BIG 35-inch Pike. Second day was better as they caught a lot of Smallmouth and Northern Pike. Pam had a big fish day by landing a 17.5-inch Smallmouth and a 35-inch Northern Pike. Bruce was very excited when telling his story of seeing the biggest fish he has ever seen in fresh water. The fish followed his lure and stay by the boat for 20-seconds or more so Pam and Bruce got a great look at the beast estimated at over 50-inches. Not interested it just turned and waved goodbye to Bruce and Pam with its tail. Leslie and Craig had a great day catching some nice Smallmouth and Pike and learning more of Little Vermilion Lake. Third day was terrific as hey caught a bunch of Northern Pike, Pam had the highest total catching 35 herself, and lost one monster. Fourth and final day was fabulous as they caught a lot of Northern Pike with some Smallmouth Bass, and Pam lost a lot of big fish but did land a 38-inch Northern Pike with GIANT girth. Bruce, Craig, and Leslie also did well and Leslie finished the trip like she started by catching the biggest fish a very large 38-inch Northern Pike. All had loads of fun and made lasting memories between good friends.

George Carney and Tom Miller from Madison, WI returned to Fireside Lodge for their seventh consecutive year. On their day of arrival between 1:30 and 5:00PM they did great catching about 20 Northern Pike between 26 and 33 inches. First full day in their own words “was a fabulous day” catching so many Northern Pike they had three or four doubles and caught over 100 Pike before supper. WOW, what a GREAT first day at Fireside Lodge. Second day they targeted Smallmouth Bass catching a half dozen, and about 7 Northern Pike. Third days plan was shooting for some Smallmouth Bass, which they caught some but to their surprise had a GREAT Muskie fishing day. While using a chug bug fishing for Smallmouth on the surface George hooked into three different Muskie, one biting him off, a second jumping and spitting his lure back at him, and the third, HUGE Muskie, after being half way into the net straightened the split ring holding the hook and took off with the hook in its mouth. Tom did land one 30-inch Muskie and had another hooked and lost. In addition they saw Muskie everywhere they were fishing for Smallmouth Bass. Fourth day was a discovery day as they decided to fish areas new to them. They caught some Smallmouth and Northern Pike before supper and had fun finding new structure for future fishing. After supper they tried something different, by going in the shallowest very weedy areas and fishing surface plastic frogs right in the slop. Well, they returned to the dock full of excitement as they caught a lot of small to average size Pike that were jumping through the slop to hit their lures. Fifth day was fabulous starting out with 8 Northern Pike on their first 12 casts. Well, this continued all day and they ended up catching over 100 Pike. Sixth and final day they enjoyed catching fish and soaking up the wilderness around them, reminiscing the week’s happenings, and concluding another fishing trip full of fun and memories made.

Father and sons David, Dave, and Todd Stefanini from Olmsted Twp. And Middleburg Heights, OH were fishing at Fireside Lodge for there first time. After supper these three got off to a great start catching Smallmouth Bass sand Northern Pike and Todd caught an 18.5-inch Master Anglers Award Smallmouth. First day ever fishing Little Vermilion Lake system they caught over 40 Northern pike and lost over 40 Northern Pike. They were using surface lures and the misses were as exciting as the caught fish. They had several doubles, and Dave caught all his while fly-fishing. Great day for these newcomers. Second day was focused on Muskie fishing, and they did great having some follows and catching two Muskie. A two Muskie day is a great day in any Muskie fisher’s log. Third day was off to Cedarbough Lake for Muskie fishing where the Muskie were not cooperating, having a few follows being left with the reality of Muskie fishing. Fourth day was a FANTASTIC day fishing as they caught 70 Northern Pike and two Smallmouth Bass. The action was so fast they had many doubles and one triple catch. The best catch of the day was Dave landing a GIANT 20.5-inch Smallmouth Bass on his fly rod. WOW, what a great catch fly-fishing. Fifth day they portage for Muskie and for 6 hours had no action, then in typical fashion the Muskie suddenly turned on for 1.5 hours having follows and Todd caught two at 32 and 34-inches. Dave had one open its month just about to eat his fly and it saw the boat, turned and waved goodbye with its tail. Very next cast Dave hooked and landed a nice Smallmouth. Patience paid off for these three, having another two Muskie day. Sixth and Final day was a gang busters day as they caught what seemed to be endless Northern Pike catching 75 along with 6 Smallmouth Bass, and David Sr caught a BIG heavy Master Anglers Award Smallmouth Bass measuring 18.5-inches. Great finish to a great week full of fun, with the biggest catch between these father and sons were the memories made. Thanks for making them at Fireside Lodge.

Returning for their second year in a row was David Jewell with Wendell Davis. And for his first time Bob Nutter from Pineville, Crab Orchard, and Clarksburg, WV. First day Smallmouth fishing they did well catching some Smallies. Second day they portaged and caught a boatload of Northern Pike all day long, and Wendell lost a BIG Walleye that completely destroyed his rig when it took a dive at boat side. Third day they did well catching Smallmouth Bass, using top water lures having to fish many locations and spend all day on the water, resulting in about 50 fish between them. Fourth day was so good that when talking with them at suppertime I guessed that they caught about 100 fish. At that they laughed at me saying that it was more like 200, mostly Northern Pike, plus Wendell landed a HUGE Smallmouth measuring 19.5-inches. Last day for these fellows was a very windy, which caused some problems of boat control and presentation, however they caught some fish and had a bunch of follows by toothy critters, All had a great stay and hope to return next year.

Back for his second time was Martin Duda and for his first good friend Kevin Keech both from Belleville, MI. First day they caught a mix of Northern Pike and Smallmouth Bass with Kevin landing a Master Anglers award Smallie and Martin catching a HUGE 38-inch Northern Pike. Second and third days had them catching about 20 fish each day, being a mix of Smallmouth and Northern Pike. Fourth and final day they caught 18 fish before supper mostly Northern Pike and after supper they caught about a half dozen more. They soaked up their last evening in this great wilderness setting of the great boreal forest. Both left with great memories and for Martin it was a special place to remember the past and enjoy the present. Both hope to return in the future.

Returning for his second time this year and tenth consecutive year was Phil Spahr from Fairborn, OH and with him for his second trip to Fireside Lodge was bother-in-law Jerry Westfall from Clarksburg, WV. Day of arrival these two caught almost 20 fish, mostly Northern Pike and a few Smallmouth Bass. First full day was full of excitement as they landed 43 Northern Pike, had several doubles, lost many, and each caught a BIG Smallmouth Bass. Phil’s measured in at 17.5-inches and Jerry caught a Master Anglers Award Smallmouth at 18-inches. Second day had them catching a mix of Smallmouth Bass and Northern Pike landing about 20 fish total and enjoying the nice day. Third day was off fishing for Muskie and they did have some excitement in this area. They had follows, a Muskie hooked and lost, and Phil had a big Muskie under control, led it into the cradle perfectly, when the fish went wild thrashing so fast and hard it slapped Jerry’s hand off of he cradle handle and got out. Phil still had it on for a moment only to see his Mepps pop out of the Muskie’s mouth. They also caught a few nice Smallmouth during the day. Fourth day was full of fabulous fast action and fun as they caught 54 Northern Pike by suppertime. Lat day was even better as they caught 52 Northern Pike and 8 Smallmouth Bass, all the Pike being larger than the day before with a lot between 28 to 32-inches and Jerry caught his second Master Anglers Award Smallmouth at 18.5-inches. Both made memories that can’t compare to any fish caught, and Phil will be back in 2010 with his sons to enjoy the wilderness he loves so much.

Kent Williams and Bill Black from Atlanta, GA returned to Fireside Lodge for their fifth consecutive year. First day fishing they caught a bunch of Smallmouth Bass, and said the action was very fast until 1:00PM when rain moved in a seemed to shut things down. They caught a lot up to 14.5-inches, along with some Northern Pike up to 30-inches. Second day was slower as they tried some new waters with very limited success. That is what good fishers do, constantly looking for new waters for future fishing opportunities. For the evening fish Kent decided not to fish so Bill went alone and of course the Pike were very active. Bill had lots of action, but had difficulty landing these toothy critters by himself, especially one that was in the 35 to 38-inch range. Bill tried to net the fish four times and finally the fish broke off and swam away. Third day was great as they caught a lot of Smallmouth Bass. Just goes to show the difference one day could mean as the Smallmouth were very agreeable, which was not the case the day before. Fourth and final day was very windy but as Bill says, Kent gets all wide-eyed and excited when this happens after he learned a technique that woks great in the wind. Picking the windy side of weed beds they troll right in the heaviest wind, and did they ever catch Northern Pike. The Pike were all good size, 28 up to 35-inches. They caught so many that Kent said quote “we caught so many Pike I quit because I was tired of handling them”. I told Kent I was going to use this quote in my fishing report and if anyone calls me on it he has to verify his statement, which he agreed to do. I found them on the dock on their last evening after supper enjoying the cool breeze off the water as long as they could before returning to hot steamy Atlanta. Both had a great trip and hope to return in 2010.

Mike and Zack Gerulski from Huntington Woods, MI were fishing at Fireside Lodge for there eighth consecutive year. First day they caught some Smallmouth Bass and a few Northern Pike. Second day was a slower day but for Mike and Zack Smallmouth fishing picked up considerably after supper. Third day shaped up very nice with the Smallmouth Bass action turning on and Zack himself caught 18 nice Smallmouth Bass before supper and Mike mixed it up with 8 Smallmouth and 7 Northern Pike. Fourth day was a portage for Smallmouth Bass and Muskie. It was very high winds on this day, which made boat control difficult, however they did catch some Smallmouth Bass and Zack caught a Muskie, which was his first ever. Congratulations to Zack on his first Muskie catch. They concluded their trip by fishing after supper in the still high winds with one goal and that was to catch a fish. Well, they did just that and caught a Smallmouth. After they returned to the dock they said goodbye to Kent and Bill (above) who have become Fireside friends over the last several years. Nice that people meet at Fireside Lodge from Atlanta and Michigan and form lasting relationships. That’s part of what Audrey and I call the “Magic” of Fireside Lodge. This along with the lasting memories made over the last eight years between Mike and Zack, is the biggest catch of all. We hope to see all of these fellows back at Fireside Lodge for many years to come. Thanks for choosing Fireside Lodge to make memories and friends.

Returning to Fireside Lodge for their third year in a row were Todd Meyer and sons Dan and John with John Anderson and his son Jake all from Naperville, IL. Day of arrival this group got right to it catching some Northern Pike and Smallmouth Bass. First full day of fishing was a slower day for most guests in camp however these guys were the exception. They caught a total of 37 Smallmouth Bass, 9 Northern Pike and the fathers Todd and John each landed a Muskie. John’s was 36-inches and Todd also caught a 36-incher with the girth of a 42-inch Muskie. Great first day. Just goes to show that even during a slower day fishing on the lake, there are still plenty of fish to be caught. Second day was the best fishing days of their lives as they caught over 145 Northern Pike and 12 Smallmouth Bass between both boats. John Meyer and Jake had a BIG day as John caught his first Muskie ever and Jake caught his first Master Anglers Award Smallmouth. John and Dan also caught Master Anglers Award Smallmouth Bass all being 18 to 18.5-inches. They could hardly believe the fishing day they had when talking about it at suppertime, and all decided to call it a day and rest that evening after supper. Three days go by fast and this last day they met up with very windy conditions with showers on and off all day. This made fishing more difficult, however all caught fish with Todd, Dan, and John catching 8 Northern Pike, 8 Smallmouth Bass, and Dan caught two Muskie in the 34 and 35-inch range. WOW, two Muskie in one day is a great fishing feat. John and Jake did better with numbers, with John alone catching 21 Smallmouth Bass despite the strong winds. All had loads of fun, made many father and son memories, and hope to return in the future. Thanks for choosing Fireside Lodge to spend your special father and son time together.
Make sure to go to our website listed below to see the 2009 Photos

Hot Lures of The Week: Dardevle Spoons, Blue Fox Spinner, X-Rap, Mepps Spinner, Beatle Spin, Tiny Torpedo, White Jig

Catches of the Week: Two 20.5-inch Smallmouth Bass, 40-inch Muskie, 38-inch Muskie, three 38-inch Northern Pike

Hot Flies of the Week: Flash Tail Whistler
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

Fireside Lodge Fishing News/Photo Report 6/27 to 7/4 2009

Fireside Lodge Fishing News/Photo Report 6/27 to 7/4 2009

This week started with an extreme cold front that lasted for 4 days, bringing very heavy rains, strong winds, and daytime highs only at 50 to 54 degrees. On Tuesday it only reached 50 degrees and with the strong winds and rain felt like 40 degrees on the water. By Wednesday the weather settled a bit but still only reached 55 degrees, but the light winds made it feel much warmer. By the end of the week it was in the mid 60’s. So much for summer?

Father and Son Shawn and Shawn Jr Rellinger and father and daughter Joe and Danielle Fitzsimmons all from Chicago, IL were fishing at Fireside Lodge for their first time by a referral from their good friend Mark McDermotte. First night fishing on their day of arrival they all caught Northern Pike and Smallmouth Bass with Joe commenting that he had never caught Smallmouth so large. Unfortunately these four arrived with sunshine and warm temperatures only to have a severe storm and cold front move in and stick around for 4 out of their five days. There first day they caught some nice Smallmouth Bass and Northern Pike, with Shawn Jr landing a HUGE 20-inch Master Anglers Award Smallmouth. I presented Shawn with a Master Anglers Award in the dinning room, as everyone applauded Shawn for his great catch and such a youthful age. Daniel also caught a very big Smallmouth that appeared a Master Anglers size, however a measurement was not taken, but the memory will be with her and her dad forever. Another highlight had Shawn and Shawn Jr catching well over 20 large Smallmouth while fishing for Muskie and Shawn Jr landed his first and second Muskie ever in the same day measuring 36 and 35-inches, and his father caught two at 37 and 39-inches. WOW!! What a great father and son memory. The weather did not give up on their last day as it was still rainy and only a high of 50 degrees. At this point I want to pay tribute to Daniel and Shawn Jr as every day, for four cold and rainy days, they fished and enjoyed their time with their fathers without complaints. They finished with Joe and Danielle catching a few nice Smallmouth and Shawn Jr, having the hot hand despite the cold weather, catching a big fat 38-inch Northern Pike.

Father and son Jason King and Tristen, from Cincinnati, OH father/grandpa Gary, from Canton, IL and brother/uncle David from Lisle, IL were back fishing at Fireside Lodge for their second time. First day was extreme conditions as a cold front moved in the area, along with, high winds, very heavy rain that was coming down horizontal most of the day. All the boats were in by noon, and not many fish were caught. Second day was very stormy with rain, high winds, along with a severe cold front. Despite these adverse conditions they did well catching Smallmouth Bass and landed some big ones in the 17 to 17.5-inch range. Third day was another Smallmouth day along with a few Northern Pike. Everyone caught some, and Jason did the best catching a lot when he fished after supper alone. Fourth day was an outstanding day catching many Northern Pike and Smallmouth Bass, Gary and Jason catching Smallies in the 17 to 17.5-inch range, and Tristen caught an 18-inch Master Anglers Award Smallmouth. David caught a lot of Smallmouth and missed a good number as the Smallies were feeding on Mayflies, just starting to hatch. David said the Smallmouth would not move to chase a lure and he had to place it right in front of them and let it stay there for a while to get results. Their last day was spent catching some fish, a mix of Smallmouth and Northern Pike, and Tristen, caught his two biggest Pike ever landing a 31 and 33-inch Northern Pike. This family should be a model for all of us what a wilderness fishing vacation is all about, as in addition to the fishing, they thoroughly enjoyed the wilderness and scenery, played cards and board games every evening and night after fishing, and ate their meals together enjoying good conversation. This quality time together will be remembered for years to come.

Father Dan Murphy and 10-year old Thomas from Hortonville, WI were fishing a Fireside Lodge for their first time ever. In just a few hours before supper they caught 10 Northern Pike and within minutes of leaving the dock Thomas caught a 35.5-inch Northern Pike. Great Start. After supper they caught a few Smallmouth and a few more Pike. First full day weather came in the form of heavy rain and high winds. They caught some fish early on but came in early because of conditions. That evening after supper they did catch some more nice smallmouth bass to finish off the day. Second day was fabulous as they caught some Northern Pike and they really got into the larger Smallmouth Bass catching a lot between 14 to 17.5-inches. Their third and final day was TERRIFIC despite the cold, rainy, windy weather. Dan and Tom caught a bunch of Smallmouth Bass and Northern Pike along with big fish. About 20 Smallmouth with most being over 15-inches and Tom caught three Master Anglers Award Smallmouth measuring a HUGE 18, 18.5, and 18-inches and Tom also caught a GIANT Master Anglers Award Northern Pike measuring a very thick 41-inches. WOW, 4 Master Anglers Award fish in one day for 10-year old Tom. You have to see these photos on our 2009 photos page at our website http://www.firesidelodgefishing.com The Picture of Tom struggling to hold up his monster Northern Pike is a must see. Success starts with being positive and that is the real story between this father and son. Even though they had the tough weather conditions of a severe cold front, high winds, and heavy rain during their three days, their positive attitude shined and gave them the opportunity to enjoy the wonderful experiences they had together as father and son, making priceless memories that will last their lifetime. Thanks for choosing Fireside Lodge to make some of your special memories.

Brothers Steven and Lawrence Sandler from Toronto, Ontario returned to Fireside Lodge for their second consecutive year and for Steven it as his fifth trip. First day on the water a severe storm system approached bringing heavy rain and dropping temperatures. The conditions were so severe that most came off the lake by noon, but Steven and Lawrence were the last to dock at 2:00PM and had just a few Pike to show for their efforts. Second day with the cold front fully moved in and raining most of the day these to had a great day catching over 40 Northern Pike and Lawrence landed the first Muskie of the trip. Third day the cold winds from the north with some drizzle was the perfect combinations for BIG Muskie and Pike as Steven caught a heavy Northern Pike measuring 38-inches, and Lawrence caught a monster Muskie at 41-inches with a big girth. Steven caught his Pike on the first cast after measuring Lawrence’s Muskie. These two fish, along with other Pike throughout the day, made for great fishing and catching. Fourth and final day was a FANTASTIC day as they caught well over 100 Northern Pike, many Pike 30” or better, and one Smallmouth Bass. Both said it was their best fishing day ever and they will remember this day for the rest of their lives. Fabulous finish, to a fabulous fishing trip.

Frank and Linda Tyrrell were returning to Fireside Lodge for their eighth consecutive year. Fishing in rainy cold front conditions their day of arrival was very productive as Frank caught 3 Muskie in the 30-inch range and Linda caught a Pike. Second day was about the same with the winds staying strong but lighter than the day before, and they had an excellent day catching a lot of 28 to 32-inch Northern Pike and Linda set the bar by catching a HUGE 40-inch Muskie. She was using a forgotten but productive lure named the Luck Strike Spoon. (That one is for your Jim Lownsay). Third day was another good day catching a lot of Northern Pike and Frank came up with his fourth Muskie for a combined total of 5, Linda still staying in the lead with her 40-incher. Fourth day was another very good day as they caught Northern Pike consistently all day long and Frank kept the streak of catching a Muskie every day going by landing a sizable 35.5-inch, very heavy Muskie. They landed over 30 Northern Pike with 12 being between 30 to 36-inches and 14 others being 27 to 30-inches. Fifth day they caught about 20 nice Pike. The sixth day they caught a lot, too many to count, as Linda had a Northern Pike attack her lure after it was out of the water. Also after unhooking a fish Frank left his line and lure in the water, and when he picked it back up after releasing his fish another fish, the twin of the one he just released, was one the other end. Great Day! Last day was sad as always but they had a beautiful day as they caught some more Northern Pike and had some big follows that would not hit. As Frank said, even though it was over and the time went by too fast, they caught a lot of nice fish and made another set memories at Fireside Lodge.

Returning to Fireside Lodge for the fourth time was Tyler Tennant from League City, TX with Peter Higman from Libertyville, IL. Under severe cold front and rainy conditions Tyler caught a 37-inch Muskie and they both caught eight nice Northern Pike. Second day was cold front conditions continuing as strong winds blew from the North keeping the air temperatures 49 to 50 degrees, and it felt much colder with the rain and wind. Tougher day for these two as they suffered from the cold front conditions but still managed to catch 4 Northern Pike. Third day had these two chasing Muskie, having plenty of follows and catching two in the low 30-inch range. They also got into a bunch of nice Smallmouth Bass twitching an X-Rap. Fourth day had them catching about 12 nice Pike, Tyler lading a BIG 38-incher, and over 20 Smallmouth Bass. Fifth day was another good day catching 12 Pike in the 28 to 34-inch range and Pete caught a heavy 35.5-inch Northern Pike. Also Tyler landed two Muskie, lost one and Peter had a Muskie on until it went into the basement, this is Peter’s way of saying under the boat, and he lost the Muskie. Sixth day was another Muskie day as Tyler caught another 36-incher that was HUGE. Some fish can’t be judged by length alone, and Tyler and Pete said this was one of those fish. Tyler lost another Muskie and Pete lost another two to what he calls the basement. We talked a little after supper on how to avoid these basement losses, and they said they learn more every year, and they will just have to come back in 2010 to apply more new techniques and knowledge gained from past experiences.

For their second consecutive year Richard and Frieda Klose from Sevierville, TN were fishing at Fireside Lodge. After supper Dick and Frieda braved the cold front, wet rainy conditions to see if they could get their feet wet, (sorry I could not resist), and they did plus Dick caught a good size Northern Pike. Dick and Freida are fishers but admit that they need to learn in order to become better at the sport of fishing, so their goal was not set out to catch20 or 30 fish a day but to just catch some fish every day, and to learn and progress as the week went bye. First day despite severe cold front conditions with rain and strong winds Dick and Frieda caught 4 nice Northern Pike by noon then called it a day. Second day Dick and Frieda again had a great day catching five Northern Pike between 28 to 30-inches. Third day they caught two more, and the fourth day caught two Pike and Dick landed a BIG 18-inch Master Anglers Award Smallmouth. Dick and Frieda caught their fish on lures a friend, Ed Brommier had sent to them. They met Ed for the first time in 2008 while staying at Fireside Lodge, and continue to maintain a friendship. Fifth day was not gangbusters as they had some follows and caught a Northern Pike. Sixth and final day was their best as they caught 5 Northern Pike and some Smallmouth Bass. As the week went on Dick and Frieda became more familiar with the Lake system and improved their fishing results, which is exactly what their goal to accomplish was at the beginning of the week. They were also enjoying themselves in the spectacular wilderness of the Boreal Forest seeing wildlife, waterfowl, birds and the natural beauty that surrounds you when fishing at Fireside Lodge.



Father and son David and Marc McFarland returned to Fireside Lodge for their ninth consecutive year. Day of arrival we were in the middle of severe cold front conditions with spitting rain but still caught 8 nice Smallmouth Bass 15 to 17-inches after supper. First day with cold front conditions Marc managed to catch 12 Smallmouth Bass and one Northern Pike, and David caught three for a boat total of 15. Second day was much better weather and they caught 32 nice Smallmouth between 15 to 16-inches, Marc caught a nice 30-inch Pike, and had one follow that was a heart stopper. Marc and David said it was huge and extremely wide. Third day they had a super day catching over 40 Northern pike and 31 Smallmouth Bass, and David caught an 18-inch Master Anglers Award Smallmouth. Most of the Smallmouth were very good size. Fourth day was more of a Northern Pike day, as the Smallmouth just did not show up, so they took advantage of the Pike action and caught 27 nice fish. They also saw a Moose, a Deer, and were about 20 yards from a Black Bear near shore. How can a fishing day get any better than that? Fifth day was all Smallmouth Bass as they caught 36 Smallies. Sixth and final day was an unusual special day involving several big fish. It started by David casting a tube jig over a reef and getting it snagged. David gave the old heave ho twice the snag started to move. Not giving much of a fight David thought it to be a log but not convinced continued to keep tension on his line, and when it got beside the boat it was a GIANT Muskie estimated at 45 to 50-inches. David was right, he was snagged, but his lure was snagged in the backside of a GIANT Muskie. Well, the fight did not last long as one quick move and the lure came out. Just a few more casts and David hooked into a GIANT Northern Pike which he did not land but got a great picture of the beast near the boat, and it was definitely over 40-inches. Then in just a few more casts Marc got into the action as he hooked and landed a very big wide-bodied 38-inch Muskie. This all happened in a matter of 20 minutes, so you could imagine the activity in David and Marc’s boat. They were all smiles when telling their stories in the dinning room and will carry this memory, along with all the others made at Fireside Lodge, with them for many years to come. Upon their departure they reserved their regular week for 2010, which will make it their tenth consecutive year.

For the second year in a row Mike Uebelherr from Stow, Oh found himself fishing at Fireside Lodge, and this year his wife Heather came. First day out they caught 9 nice Northern Pike. It was a beautiful day with sunshine and temps in the mid 60’s. After talking with Heather and Mike in the lodge we found out that Heather was on a mission to see a Moose. Second day they took a trip up Muskie Creek to several lakes names Maskinonge and Hooch. Hooch is a great area to see Moose so I think this was one reason to make the trip. The other was to catch many toothy critters, which they did. Moose sighting venture was not accomplished, but they did see a huge deer, several bald eagles, and Black Bear. Two more days for Heather to catch a Moose. Their fourth and final day was very exciting as they had fun catching Northern Pike and Heather came up with a catch of most fishers lifetime. She hooked and landed a 40-inch Monster Northern Pike. This is a Master Anglers Award Pike and Heather enjoyed receiving her Northern Pike Award. The last evening they spent in “Happy Bay” which was a special name they gave a bay, which produced every day. They enjoyed the wonderful sunset and their final moments in touch with the great wilderness that surrounds us at Fireside Lodge.


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

Hot Lures of The Week: Magnum Torpedo, Mepps Spinner, Blue Fox Spinner, Tube Jig, Storm Wildeye Shad, Luck Strike Spoon, Dardevle Spoon, X-Rap, Husky Jerk, Silver Minnow Spoon

Catches of the Week: 20-inch Smallmouth Bass, 41-inch and 40-inch Northern Pike, 39-inch Muskie and a 45-50-inch Muskie lost at the boat.
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