Fishing Reports at Fireside Lodge

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Fireside Lodge Fishing Report 6/30 to 7/7 2012

HUGE 44" Muskie Fishing in Canada at Fireside Lodge

Kids catching 40" Trophy Northern Pike Fishing in Canada

The weather this week was a little on the warm side being in the mid to high 80’s, having one bad Thunderstorm taking our power away for about 8 hours. This forced all to have dinner by candlelight and do things like they were done in years gone by. Not a bad thing to remember how good and easy we have it these days.

18.5-inch Trophy Smallmouth Bass fishing Canada

Catching Tiger Muskie Fishing in Canada

Long time guests Greg Benton, John McDonough, Randy Genord and his two sons Dane & Ryan from Grand Blanc, MI were back again to chase giant toothy critters. 1st day all caught Northern Pike, Smallmouth Bass and had some very large follows from Musky. Next day had them chasing BIG Musky & Pike getting a many BIG follows catching just a few medium to Smaller fish. The big fish we tight lipped & lazy. That evening however Dane caught a Trophy 18.5” Smallmouth Bass & Randy had the catch of the day landing a HUGE 44” Musky. WOW! What an impressive picture. The next day was a really active Musky day as the group got a lot of action & landed 4, with Greg’s being the biggest, a 38” Tiger Musky, John caught a 32.5” Musky, but the real story here was Ryan at 12 years old caught his first ever Musky at 37” plus his second Musky a 37”er.

Fabulous Fishing for Northern Pike in Canada at Fireside Lodge

WOW, what a special fishing memory for Ryan, Randy & Dane. 4^th day was again spent chasing the “BIG DOGS”. By now they located many big fish by getting follows so it is now just a matter of timing. The right timing came again for Randy as he ended up catching a Beautiful 42”, very fat Tiger Musky. Great photo was had plus video of the release soon to be seen on our You-Tube channel. In discussing the weeks fishing it came up that Dane had caught a Master Anglers award Smallmouth Bass and Randy the Musky at 44”. In our 23 years at Fireside Lodge I never remember a father and sons combo getting a fishing hat trick, meaning catching trophy class fish in all three categories. As they were departing the dock I pointed to 13-year old Ryan telling him it is his turn & challenge to catch a 40” plus Northern Pike to accomplish this family fishing feat. Well, Ryan was all smiles at suppertime as he was showing me his great photo of the 40” Trophy Northern Pike he caught. He also caught a 36”er. Great going Ryan as another record is set at Fireside Lodge. All left having another terrific fishing trip & hope to return in 2013.

Master Anglers Trophy Smallmouth Bass at Fireside Lodge

My First Muskie at 41" Fishing at Fireside Lodge Canada

First time guests Robert & Ollie Waldeck from Cotter, AR were here to fish for Smallmouth Bass. First day was the best it could be, as they caught Northern Pike & Ollie caught, her 1^st ever Musky, doing it in style, landing a HUIGE 41”Musky. WOW! What a GREAT catch. 2^nd day was super as they caught over 30 Northern Pike & 1 Smallmouth, while enjoying our own version of the “Jungle Cruise Ride” going up long winding creeks to access a few lakes in our lake system. Their goal on the 3^rd day was Smallmouth Bass, and they caught some with Bob catching a beauty 18”er, but said they just did not figure a pattern out yet. 4^th day they were all smiles coming back saying they established pattern for the day to be a slow presentation with a soft plastic bait. They caught 20+ nice Smallmouth Bass with this presentation. 5^th & 6^th days were just as much fun catching Smallmouth Bass & Pike. The unexpected experience these two had was developing some Fireside Lodge friendships. As often happens here at Fireside Lodge the comforts of our atmosphere & dinning room engages people, which cause a casual friendship to develop. In the case of Bob & Ollie they met several other couples and individuals who added to making their 1^st experience at Fireside Lodge a very pleasurable one. In fact so much so that they made reservations for 2013 before departing, and we are very glad we will see Bob & Ollie next year.

Trophy 19" Smallmouth Bass fishing at Fireside Lodge Canada

GREAT Smallmouth Bass Fishing in Canada

Great Muskie catch Fishing at Fireside Lodge in Canada

Couple Stacey & Paul Kimberling and Susan & Gary Blakey from West Plains & Sparta, MO were very excited to be here to experience what they have been planning for the last 6 months. 1^st day ever on the lake they did well catching 14 Pike with 6 Smallmouth Bass, Paul landing a big 36” Pike. 2^nd day brought even better results as each boat caught 24-26 Northern Pike & Susan became a Master Angler landing a trophy 19” Smallmouth Bass. 3^rd day had this group catching from 12-15 Northern Pike per boat along with some Smallies. Since their day of arrival all were thoroughly enjoying the wilderness that surrounds you when fishing at Fireside Lodge. 4^th day they did a split with the Guys leaving the dock before 5AM to hunt down Musky, and the ladies having a total relax in the wilderness day. Both had a fabulous time with the guys getting very excited about the Musky they saw follow lures, & Gary landed a 32-incher. The ladies were found a various areas throughout the day, on their deck, sitting at the end of the dock just enjoying the beautiful wilderness setting we have at Fireside Lodge. At supper both Stacey & Susan were so impressed how quiet or surrounding are during the day and Susan even used the phrase, “ It Was Deafeningly Quiet”. I guest it’s comes down to opinion as to weather the guys or ladies had the biggest catch of the day. 5^th day was fun catching fish & also having a great shore lunch up by Twin Falls, which is always a great experience. 6^th & final day the ladies stayed back to just enjoy the day around the lodge grounds, & Susan also went Kayaking for about an hour. The guys left at the crack of dawn on a hunt for Musky. Well they both accomplished their goal as they each caught a Muskie. They did it in style each catching the same size Musky, both being 36-inches. All left having had a wonderful fishing/wilderness vacation & before leaving there was much talk of their future return.

Long time guests, Jack & Steven Starnes from Wise & Duffield, VA were back to fish with us for their 8^th consecutive year. 1^st day was super for these two as they caught nearly 100 Smallmouth Bass, some nice Pike, & Steven landed a Musky over 40”. Second day was primarily Smallmouth Bass catching 80 & they caught many Big Bass. 3^rd day had these fish magnets catching 52 Smallmouth Bass & 26 Northern Pike, & Steven caught a GIANT Trophy Smallmouth Bass measuring every bit of 20”. Next day was mainly searching for Musky and Steven landed two nice Muskie in the upper 30’s along with them catching some bigger Pike in the mid to high 30-inch range & a few Smallmouth Bass to that were 17 to 19”. 5^th day the winds were blowing which even had an affect on Steven & Jack, although they catch some big Smallmouth and Pike. 6^th& final day they were more on track catching well over 50 fish, a combination of Smallie & Pike, and Jack caught his first Musky of the trip. Steven ended up with 6 Muskie for the week. That’s great for a week of fishing but they got spoiled after catching 9 Musky in one day and 14 for the week last year. I would say that that kind of production would spoil anyone. Both left thoroughly enjoying their week stay, & made reservations for the same dates in 2013.

Fly-Fishing for BIG Smallmouth Bass at Fireside Lodge Canada

Woman Fly-Fishing Northern Pike at Fireside Lodge in Canada

Steven & Nancy Jensen from Springfield, MO returned for their 10^th consecutive year. Fly-Fishing only for these two, & their first day was a terrific day catching 30+ Pike. They also guided 3 other couples though a creek into one of our out lakes which helped them get familiar with the creek ride. Very nice of Steven & Nancy to help some new Fireside Lodge guests get comfortable with our waters. 2^nd day had Steven & Nancy mixing it up, catching both Northern Pike and some Smallmouth Bass & Steve caught a beauty 17” Smallie. Third day had Steven and Nancy catching a bunch of Northern Pike on the fly, and on a fly rod those Pike really give you a fight. 4^th & final day the wind kicked up a little which is at the disadvantage of any fly-fisher. Steven & Nancy fished al day in the windy conditions catching some Smallmouth & Northern Pike despite the winds. Both had a great stay fly-fishing in the wilderness, and making some new Fireside Lodge friends, which seems to happen naturally at Fireside Lodge. Both had such a good time they reserved their dates for 2013.

Giant 44" Tiger Muskie Fishing at Fireside Lodge Canada

Terrific Pike Fishing at Fireside Lodge in Canada

42.5" Northern Pike Fishing in Canada at Fireside Lodge

Ken Benkeser, brother Don, with friends Chris Cusick, Mike Kamp, & Anthony Weber from Clover, SC, Wayne, Bolingbrook, & Chicago, IL & LaFayette, IN, returned for their 4^th visit with us at Fireside Lodge. DOA they got right into the grove catching 30+ Pike per boat. 1st day was great catching many Smallmouth Bass & Chris came up with the Northern Pike of his life landing a Master Anglers Trophy 42er. 2nd day had Tony & Ken doing very well catching over 25 Smallmouth Bass, 10 Northern Pike with some Musky follows, while the others had similar numbers but it was a Big day for Chris again catching another BIG fish, this time a 43.5 inch Tiger Musky. WOW!! What a great catch for Chris. 3rd day was catching a lot of Pike, with a lot of Musky follows. 4^th day the big guns came out as each bought several lures from my tackle shop to try and win today’s daily contest. Every evening this group plans a competitive contest for the following day. No matter what the fishing contest rules of the day are, anyone who catches a Muskie wins out, except if someone catches one of each species. In this case that person wins the pot. Well, on day 4 that’s exactly what Don accomplished, winning that daily contest with a 40” Muskie. 5^th and final day had this group catching a lot of Smallmouth Bass & Northern Pike finishing strong. All left having loads of fun recharging, and Mike said he needed to go back to work so he could rest up.

1st ever Northern Pike caught Fishing in Canada

3 Generations Fishing at Fireside Lodge Canada

Father & Son Roy & Ross Lagerblade from Rock Island, IL & Crestwood, KY returned for their 8^th trip to Fireside Lodge & this was a BIG year for the Lagerblade traditional yearly fishing trip. Ross’s son Reese was joining them for the first time at age 13.This was bout the age Roy took Ross on the family traditional yearly fishing trip. 1^st day was a really large day for Reese as he not only caught his 1^st Northern Pike ever, but also saw a Moose & viewed it for almost 10 minutes. Second day was fabulous catching over 30 Northern Pike, & Reese was impressed with the creek ride to get to an out lake. Second day had these three catching some Pike with Reese landing his biggest, a hefty 33” pike, and Ross caught a 32” Musky. 3^rd day was a dedicated Musky day getting many follows and Roy was the man today catching a 32.5” barred Musky. 4^th day was a banner record day as they caught 80 Northern Pike and the story of the day was Reese, having been his first time ever on a fishing trip, caught 17 Northern Pike in 1 day. WOW, Way to go Reese!! 5^th and final day the totals were great as they landed well over 40 Pike giving them a strong finish to a “FABOLOUS” three generations family trip. When asked if Reese wanted to do this again there was no hesitation, saying yes. Great memories made between Father/Son/Grandfather. And hence a the other chapter added to the Lagerblade family fishing tradition

20" Trophy Smallmouth Bass Fishing at Fireside Lodge Canada

Many Trophy Smallmouth Bass while Fishing at Fireside Lodge

Jerry & Wanda Miller from Erwin, TN were back for Jerry’s 17^th consecutive year and Wanda’s 12^th. WOW! Time flies when your having fun. DOA it’s like they never left as they found Smallmouth Bass quickly with Jerry’s 1^st Smallie being an 18.75” Master Anglers Award Trophy. 1^st full day of fishing they got right into the Smallies in the morning catch about 20 nice fish but the afternoon shut down. Might have been the heat & still air. 3^rd day was nothing less than FABULOUS catching close to 50 beautiful Smallmouth Bass with 30 being 15 to 17.5-inches. Jerry also caught half of his on the surface with a Torpedo. Wanda pointed out that Jerry had a little trouble losing one Torpedo, however Jerry said that that tree limb just seemed to reach out & grab his lure out of mid air. 4^th day was even better than the third, which Jerry mentioned he thought was not possible. They not only caught more fish than the day before but bigger Smallmouth Bass. Wanda caught her personal best a GIANT 20” trophy. WOW!!!. Jerry said they caught many over 17”, and had numerous doubles. Fifth & last full day was more of the same with Wanda again being the BIG fish specialist catching more big fish than Jerry again. Wanda caught another 2 Master Anglers Trophy Smallmouth Bass, 18.25” & 18.5”. 6th day is always just a half day of fishing as they come in to pack and rest for the travel home. Also, they enjoy just sitting on their deck, reminiscing about their trip and soaking up the final moments of the Canadian Wilderness they have come to love. I’d say Jerry & Wanda are “BUSHED”.

Ladies catching Trophy 19.5" Smallmouth Bass at Fireside Lodge Canada

Proud Trophy Smallmouth Bass Fishing at Fireside Lodge Canada

The Schopp Family of David, Wilma, & Michael from St Louis, MO along with Caroline Lewis from Bethesda, MD and Chris Ascheri from Fort Dodge, IA were all at Fireside Lodge for their 1^st time. This group came to find Fireside Lodge through a few of Mike’s coaches that fished with us in past years. First day out was spent learning in the morning, and what quick learners they were as they had a fabulous day catching many Northern Pike & a few Smallmouth Bass. Second day was more of the first, catching a lot of Northern Pike but just a few Smallmouth Bass. Wanting to catch more Smallmouth Mike and I discussed locations & different presentations that might be more productive. 3^rd day was very windy and inhibited the ability to fish in locations so it was a slower day simply because the time spent on the water was limited. This group however made up for it on their 4^th & final day as they again got into a bunch of Northern Pike, catching 46 & 1 Smallmouth Bass plus having a ton of action in strikes, misses, & follows. Caroline caught the lone Smallmouth Bass and it was a very large 17.5”er. All had a great stay & with Mike & Caroline working in the US capitol it made for a great venue to re-unite and catch up as a family. Thanks for choosing Fireside Lodge to make your special family memories.

Fabulous Smallmouth Bass Fishing for Ladies in Canada

Make sure to go to our website listed below to see some GREAT Fish Photos. For Fabulous Fishing Video, Wildlife Events, and Current Happenings go to our Social Sites Below.

FaceBook

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fireside-Lodge/304211179043?v=wall

YouTube

http://www.youtube.com/user/FiresideLodgeFish

Twitter

http://twitter.com/FiresideFish

42" Sunset Tiger Muskie Fishing in Canada at Fireside Lodge

Hot Lures: Harvo, Bull Dog, Husky Jerk, Sinking Worm, Tube Jigs, Blue Fox Spinner, X-Rap, Pointer Minnow, Live Leeches, Spoons

Flies of the week: Henrico Puglesi Perch Pattern

Catches of The Week: Musky 44”, 43.5”,42”,41”40”, Tiger Musky 42”, 38” Northern Pike 42”40” Smallmouth Bass 2-20”, 2-19.5” 3-19” 3-18.75”, 2-18.5” 4-18”

Couples Enjoy Fishing at Fireside Lodge in Canada

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

http://www.firesidelodgefishing.com

http://www.firesidelodge.com

800-545-0815

Email at:fireside@xplornet.com

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Fireside Lodge Fishing Report 6/23 to 6/30 2012

This week the temperatures turned around being nearly perfect all week long. Started out on the cooler side, 68-70 for highs, but most of the days were 70-75 degrees, Except for a few windy days you Can’t beat that!

Long time guests Kathie & David Drake from Terra Haute, IN were back to enjoy our Canadian Wilderness Fishing. DOA these two got started in a few of their old haunts doing very well before suppertime. First day of fishing they did fine catching many 14 to 17” Smallmouth with nothing less than 12”. Second day was slower but still caught fish despite coming in by 1:30PM because of wind, rain, and cold. 3^rd day was spent catching some nice Northern Pike and Kathie came up with the fish of the day landing a beauty 34” Pike. 4^th day had them doing very well catching about 50+ Northern Pike. 5th and final day they had a fun time on a perfect 70-degree day catching about 20 nice Smallmouth Bass, David caught a 29” Muskie and Kathie again caught the bigger fish landing a 32” Northern Pike. Both had a Fabulous stay fishing and enjoying our wonderful wilderness setting.

First time guests by referral were Father, Son & Grandpa Kirk, James & Mel Schulz from Milford, OH, Alan Moellmann from Cincinnati, & Paul Brooks from Findlay, OH. DOA they got right to it catching some Smallmouth Bass & Northern Pike within just a few hours. First day had them learning the lake catching Smallmouth, Pike, and Kirk landed a Musky.

Second day they discovered that the Smallmouth Bass loved sinking worms presented slowly. They caught a bunch before suppertime with James setting the bar for all of the adults, landing GIANT Master Anglers Award Smallmouth Bass measuring all of 19”. Way to go James!!!!! 2^ND & 3^RD days this group tore up the Pike as they caught 100’s between them, plus many Smallmouth Bass. Paul & Allen targeted Smallmouth on the 3^rd day doing very well catching 35-40 and exploring some unfamiliar waters.

Kirk, Mel, & James also had a great day catching 65 Northern Pike, 5 Smallmouth Bass & James again came up with the BIG fish of the day by landing a 20” Smallmouth Bass while fly-fishing. In fact Kirk & James caught all of they pike & Smallmouth Fly-fishing. 4^th day was a little spotty for Allen & Paul, but Kirk, Mel, & James did great catching a lot of Smallmouth Bass, while learning new areas of Little Vermilion Lake. The also fished Cedarbough later in the day getting some follows and James caught his first Musky.

5^th and final day Paul & Allen caught over 80 Northern Pike and 6 nice Smallmouth Bass between 16 -18.75”. Kirk, Mel, & James also had a great day catching a lot of Pike fish, with Kirk getting on the Master Anglers Award board landing a beauty, 19” Smallmouth Bass. The fish totals & sizes are fun to compare a talk about, however we all know the biggest catch between this three generations of family were the time spent making wonderful memories together. Congrats to them for making this happen.

Al Sins, Don Funderud, with Dave & Pam Hamilton from Asheville & Raleigh, NC returned for their traditional fishing trip with us at Fireside Lodge. Having a Musky as a priority, DOA Don got off to a quick start catching a 37”er. First day Don hooked a Muskie first thing in the morning & both him and AL caught some Pike & had Muskie follows. Dave a Pam caught about 20 Northern Pike having a fabulous day on the water. 2^nd day was slower for Al & Don, missing a Muskie first thing in the morning, having a few follows, & catching few Pike. Dave & Pam caught 20 Pike.

3^rd day was great as Al & Don caught 36 Northern Pike. Dave & Pam did great with Dave landing a Master Anglers Award Northern Pike measuring 40”. 4^th day was their best day ever landing 150 Northern Pike as a group with Dave catching a BIG Muskie at 42” and Al caught a Master Anglers Award Musky measuring in at 44”, all on a clear bight sunny day. WOW!!! What a “FANTASTIC” day of fishing/catching. 5^th day had totals of 28 & 30-35 pike for each boat. Their last was a great finish as Dave caught his 2^nd Master Anglers Award Northern Pike at 40.5” and saw several Muskie that would make this fish look small. Al & Dave took one last shot at these fish after supper but to no avail. All left having a wonderful time and hope to return for another crack at those BIG BOYS.

Paul & Martha Weaver from Princeton, IN, guests since 1995, returned to fish and enjoy our wilderness surroundings. DOA & the first day were spent catching many Smallmouth Bass 14 to 17” and enjoying some nice weather. 2nd day the winds kicked up and gave them an excuse to come in early and relax before supper. Everything happens for a reason as a pretty good thunderstorm hit a little before supper and they were able to watch it from their cabin. 3^rd day had them catching a bunch of Pike but it was the Smallmouth they were really after. They caught a half dozen, all nice fish between 17-18” and Martha came up with a trophy measuring 18.75” weighing over 4lbs. 4^th & final day after the results were in, Paul said besides being able to catch all the Northern Pike you wanted to catch, they also caught BIG Smallmouth Bass, each landing a Master Anglers Award Trophy Bass at 18 & 18.25”. Great finish to a great trip.

Three generations of the Murphy’s, John from Detroit, MI, Bryan with sons Quinn & Jake from Darien, CT, arrived excited & ready to fish. First day out this group got right to it catching countless Northern Pike & had to make a visit at the tackle shop to re-supply. 2^nd day was a repeat of the first as they caught as a group over 60 Northern Pike and about 6 Smallmouth Bass. Today John broke out his fly rod & caught both bass & pike while fly-fishing. 3^rd day after asking Bryan how they did his reply was “it was a great day of fishing. We caught tons of fish and caught them all day long, All Northern Pike”. Each boat caught over 50 fish each, as it was non-stop action for most of the day. Upon departure John decided to leave the fishing rods he shipped so they will be here for next years return.

Family of John, Joyce, Steve, & Susan Jones, Ray & Donna Holliday, Lynn Jones, & Cindy Withrow from Little Rock/Maumelle, AR and Alameda, CA were excited to be at Fireside Lodge & Fishing in Canada for their first time. They were referred to us by a long time guest and long time friend of John, Joe Fulton, Fayettville, AR. This has been a dream of John’s for years so they decided to make a family event to discover what Joe told Jim about all these years. 1^st day they had a ball exploring while catching some Northern Pike. Steven caught the big fish of the day at 33”, however was given a lesson on knot tying after his boat came loose & floated away during shore lunch.

2d day was a fabulous day fishing & seeing one of our fabulous natural wonders. All had lunch at Twin Falls and enjoyed the great view of the falls and surrounding area. They also caught some fish with Cindy taking the BIG fish of the day award landing a 36” Muskie on a spinner with one barb less hook, her first ever Musky. Cindy & Karen were in the boat together and did a great job landing the fish properly in the cradle. 3rd & 4^th days this group had fishing/catching that they never experienced before catching consecutively 120 and 130 Northern Pike on this days with Ray alone catching 30, Karen 20, and Susan 17. This family trip was all based around John’s dream to fish at Fireside Lodge for years. The Smile on John’s face at suppertime was ear to ear and could not have gotten any bigger, not just for the fish caught but for all the wonder family memories they were in the process of making. 5^th & final day was a great conclusion to a FANTASTIC family fishing trip. They caught some fish but mostly savored their last day in our fabulous wilderness setting. Also, John’s dream/goal of Fishing at Fireside Lodge was accomplished along with making many lasting family memories. Thanks for choosing Fireside Lodge for this special vacation.

Bob Zukas and John from Baltimore, MD were here to fish for their first time. 1^st day they hit the water before breakfast catching some Smallmouth Bass on the surface. The rest of the day was spent catching about 20 Northern Pike while learning the lower arm of Little Vermilion Lake. 2^nd day was spent catching a good number of nice size Smallmouth Bass, along with some Pike. Day 3 they did great catching a lot of Northern Pike, about 30, and several Smallmouth 17-17.5” & Bob caught an 18.5” Master Anglers Award Trophy Smallmouth. GREAT DAY, that ended with and early bedtime. 4^th day had them searching for some bigger fish catching some nice Pike, but the monster eluded them. 5^th & final day had them getting the early morning dose of Smallmouth, catching 5, & by the end of their day at suppertime they said they were plain wore out from catching Northern Pike. They caught well over 40 and had lots of action with missed strikes & lost fish. Great day and still 1 more left. Well, the last day brought high winds, which brought them in by noon, after catching a few fish. Both had a great time and we appreciate them traveling to visit us at Fireside Lodge.

Long time guests father & son, David & Marc McFarland from Pendelton & Bedford, IN were back to enjoy the wonderful wilderness fishing we have at Fireside Lodge. After having a slower 1^st day catching 7 Smallmouth they decided to switch to Pike catching a bunch, 36 with 1 Smallie. Deciding that the Smallmouth were in their post spawn funk, the 3^rd day they took some leeches with them and did much better. They caught 15 nice Smallmouth, David catching a Trophy Master Anglers Smallie at 18” and the rest were 15-17.5”. At supper they were feeling by the activity of they day the Smallmouth were just about to break out of their post spawn slow down. Well they were dead-on as on day 4 they caught 42 with half being 15” or better. 5^th day was very high winds, which really limited the locations you could fish, and the presentations you could use. Despite this they did very well catching 18 Smallmouth Bass, all between 15-17.5” including Marc landing an 18” Master Anglers Award Trophy. Great going guys!!! 6^th and final day the Smallmouth seemed to be off but the Pike picked up the slack catching a good number while enjoying their last day in the beautiful wilderness. Many Memories made once again between father & son. They had such a great time the reserved the same dates for 2013.

Pete Petterson, Albert (Spud) Chaffin, Terry Willis, David Renfro, Greg Swinehart, Ray Canady, & Brandon Hawn all from Unicoi & Erwin TN, were back to fish in our beautiful lake system. 1^st day they did FABULOUS catching 169 fish, mostly Northern Pike with Brandon & Greg accounting for 60 just in their boat. Next day they did just as good as Brandon & Greg caught 54, Ray, Pete, & Terry caught 50+ & David & spud had about 40. WOW!! What great Northern Pike fishing. 3^rd & final day they all caught plenty of fish, a mix of Northern Pike and Smallmouth Bass and Pete landed his 3^rd Musky of the trip. His first three trips with us he never caught a Musky but Pete sure made up for it this trip. All left having loads of fun and hope to return.

Tom Nayder from Orland Park, IL, sister Leah Bezin from Berwyn, IL and Tom’s son Joel and his better half Nicole were back to fish and enjoy our wonderful wilderness. This is the 12th year for Tom & his group. 1^st day they tore up the Northern Pike catching well over 70, most of Leah’s were while fly-fishing, and Tom caught his fair share this way and had a big fish take him under the boat so fast it broke his fly rod. 2^nd day they went fishing Wacky style for Smallmouth Bass and the Smallies went wacky for their presentation. This technique uses a sinking worm hooked through the middle with no weight, or a small finishing nail pushed into the ends of the worm. It’s presented by casting it and just letting it sink. The Smallmouth think it a worm that fell into the water just floating to the bottom and can’t resist this easy meal. They also used this technique for day 3^rd/4th & final day having good success. Also on the last day Leah had the hot hand catching Northern Pike, a 30” Muskie, and Smallmouth including an 18.5” Master Anglers Award Smallmouth. All left enjoying their time fishing in the wilderness, and making family memories.

Doug & Frank Kerr from Henrico, NC & Plainfield, IN returned for their second consecutive year. DOA in just a few hours these two caught 15 nice Smallmouth Bass & on day 1 they had a great time catching over 30 Northern Pike. It’s like they picked up right where the left off from last year. 2^nd day was a break out day for Smallmouth Bass moving into their summer feeding pattern as Frank & Doug had lots of action & caught 47 Smallies. Fabulous Day!!! 3^rd day was very high winds but they did great catching 20+ Smallmouth, all bigger, & Frank caught a Mater Anglers Award Smallmouth at 18.5-inches. 4^th day had them in windy conditions again and they did well on Smallmouth again but the highlight of the day was Doug landing a 39.5” Northern Pike on a Mepps Spinner. Funny story was after they had the fish in the cradle after using the jaw spreaders to open the Pike’s mouth discovered that Doug had hooked the fish directly in the head. No Jaw Spreaders needed. Well, we all had a laugh or two in the dinning room about that story. 5^th and final day these two fishing cousins finished with a bang catching well over 40 Northern Pike. Before leaving they said they would be backing 2013 possible with 4 people.

Mike Ubelherr from Stow, OH returned for his 6^th trip with us, his daughter Kate for her second, and Kate’s significant other Chad Van Den Hoch from Mitchell, SD. Both Kate and Chad are living & working in Burma, and what a great way to reunite family and catch up on each others lives than by fishing the wilderness. 1^st day they caught 6 nice fish and the second day they caught 12. On this second day Chad discovered the magic of the gizit catching Northern Pike as he was catching Pike on this small plastic bait to the point that one time he just had it hanging over the edge of the boat as he was untangling a messy line situation and “BAM” a BIG Pike came up and slammed it. The fight only lasted for a moment until the line broke. 3^rd day at breakfast it was decided to shoot for a goal to double there numbers of fish caught every day, so day three goal was 24. Well they did it plus some, as they caught 56 Northern Pike & 1 Smallmouth Bass. Terrific day for all & Kate was tops in the group catching a HUGE 19.5” Master Anglers Award Trophy Smallmouth Bass. Beat that you guys! 4^th and final day had them almost accomplishing their double every day goal. They caught 90 fish in all, 12 being Smallmouth Bass & the rest Northern Pike. 10 of the Smallmouth Bass were BIG as Chad caught two trophies measuring 18.25” & 19” with Mike catching 1 at 18.5”. All has a FABULOUS trip and Mike made some wonderful memories with his daughter & Chad.

Father & son Wayne & Todd Busdiecker from Centerville & Waynesville, OH were back once again to chase toothy critters & Smallmouth Bass. First day was very good catching 14 nice Northern Pike, despite the high winds, before supper. After supper the winds did not let up. In fact they became stronger and these two were the only ones to brave the weather for a few more hours. Well it was plenty worthwhile as Todd hooked and landed a big 40” Musky. Great catch and guest what he caught it on?? An old time lure, the Red Eye Spoon.

2nd day was still very windy but they managed to catch 18 nice Pike up to 30”. 3^rd day was only a half-day of fishing as they wanted to get a head start on their trip to the Minneapolis airport. They had some good morning action catching on some bigger Northern Pike finishing their trip on a high note. Even though the trip was short it was also sweet, making another set of fishing memories between father and son. When leaving Wayne expressed is was one of his best trips and will return next year with more family members.

Make sure to go to our website listed below to see some GREAT Fish Photos. For Fabulous Fishing Video, Wildlife Events, and Current Happenings go to our Social Sites Below.

FaceBook

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fireside-Lodge/304211179043?v=wall

YouTube

http://www.youtube.com/user/FiresideLodgeFish

Twitter

http://twitter.com/FiresideFish

Hot Lures: Mepps Spinner, Blue Fox Spinner, Husky Jerk, Shallow Raider, Mepps Muskie & Giant Killer, Johnson’s Silver Minnow Spoon, Sassy Shad, Sinking Worm, Pop-R, Torpedo, Tube Jig

Catches of The Week: Smallmouth Bass 20”. 3-19.5”, 19.25”. 3-19”, 18.75”, 3-18.5”, 2-18.25”, 5-18” Muskie 44”, 42”,40” Northern Pike 40.5”, 40” Also caught a number of Pike & Muskie 35-19”.

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

http://www.firesidelodgefishing.com

http://www.firesidelodge.com

800-545-0815

Email at:fireside@xplornet.com

Sunday, July 1, 2012

Fireside Lodge Fishing Report 6/16 to 6/23 2012

44.5-inch Trophy Tiger Musky in Canada at Fireside Lodge

This week could only be described as cool and very wet, as it rained every day except Friday. All persevered and had GREAT fishing despite the weather conditions.

HUGE Trophy 42.5-inch Northern Pike in Canada on Beatle Spin

Arriving for their traditional Fathers day Fishing trip at Fireside lodge were Paul & Tony Capecchi from Inver Grove Hgts, MN. DOA they caught 40 Northern Pike & 1 Smallmouth. First day was FANTASTIC as they caught over 100 Northern Pike, Tony with two 33”ers and 2 Muskie 5 minutes apart, including a 40” Tiger Musky. Paul caught the fish of his life to date landing a HUGE 43” Tiger Muskie.

GIANT 43-inch Tiger Muskie Fishing Canada Lodge

Next day was another fabulous day for Pike numbers, 50+, and they also caught 4 Muskie at 26, 32”, 38”, and 41”. WOW!!! A 4 Musky day is a terrific day Musky Fishing. Day 3 all they could say is the fishing was GREAT, as they caught 90+ Northern Pike. 4^th day had them Muskie fishing again landing 3-30 to 38”, plus Tony caught a MONSTER Tiger Musky measuring in at 44.5”. They also caught 8 nice Smallmouth Bass. 5^th day each caught another Muskie along with 45 Northern Pike. Last day they fished five different lakes in one day catching 25 Smallmouth Bass & 20 Northern Pike. During their stay they saw 6-7 Moose and got lots of video of these great creatures. Also, got film of a bear swimming across the lake. Both made loads of father & son memories, & before leaving made their reservations for the same date sin 2013.

Kids Fishing for Trophy Smallmouth Bass in Canada

Father & Sons Phil Spahr, Tim, Brad with son Steven, and best friend Todd McGehee with son Jeremy returned to Fireside Lodge for their annual trip, coming from Fairborn, OH, Marborough. MA & Helotes, TX for the 14th consecutive year. Between the group they landed 135 Northern Pike in the 1^st day, with Jeremy catching 20 & a 33” heavy Pike & Steven, at 10, caught a 29” Pike.

First Time Northern Pike Fishing in Canada

That evening while fishing with Uncle Tim, Steven caught an 18.5” Master Anglers Award Trophy Smallmouth, just after Tim lost a Musky boat-side. Very exciting moments for an Uncle & Nephew. Grandpa Phil had the large fish of the day catching a 19” Trophy Smallmouth on a beetle spin. Pretty darn good fathers day all around. Next day had the group musky hunting and catching a few as Tim, Brad, Steven & Jeremy all caught Musky, all having plenty of strikes, misses, & follows. Jeremy & Steven caught their first at 30”, & 35”.

First Muskie Fishing at Fireside Lodge in Canada

Father and Son Muskie Fishing in Canada

The big fish story of the day was Phil landing a Trophy Master Anglers Award 42” Northern Pike, but the best fish story was of Steven, at age 11, landing his first ever Muskie, a fat 35”er, a great first Musky catch. 4^th day the group caught 157 Pike & 12 Smallmouth Bass with Jeremy catching a total of 36, & his largest ever, measuring 36”.

BIG Smallmouth Bass Fishing at Fireside Lodge are Common

Next day had father & son Brad & Steven each catching another Musky at 35 & 29”, and that’s two Musky for 11 year old Steven. Final day they finished strong catching 38 Northern Pike & 4 Smallmouth Bass. All left with a sadness that their trip was over but very happy they came making many family memories, and they are already looking forward to their return.

Humongous Trophy 46-inch Northern Pike caught at Fireside Lodge Canada

Rob Delamatre & best friend Al Fishhaber from Sandusky and Northwood, OH returned for their 9^th trip with us. 1^st half day was spent chasing Musky with not much results so the went to a few old haunts to catch some nice Pike. 2^nd day had them fishing for Bigger fish and they did catch some mid 30 to 40” toothy critters, and Rob landed a very big 44” Musky. As said directly from Rob “FABULOUS”. What a great day the 3^rd was, as they caught 132 Northern Pike & Al caught the BIG fish landing a terrific 40” Tiger Muskie. Rob also landed an unbelievable Smallmouth Bass measuring 20-inches. WOW! What another “FABULOUS” day. 4^th day they decided to hunt BIG fish and were successful catching big Pike, Rob taking the leading role at 37” and Al captured the Musky category for the day with a 38” Musky. 5^th day was exploring all over Little Vermilion Lake finding some nice Northern Pike in the process. 6^th day was a very strong finish as they caught well over 100 Northern Pike, and the last fish of the day AL hooked the fish of his and most fisher’s lives. After a terrific fight Al was fortunate to land a humongous 46” Northern Pike. Al is 6’2” but the fish still looks big in his hands. All went well in the release, and it’s back so someone else catch their record fish. They left saying that every year just gets better, and plan on returning in 2013.

44-inch Trophy Musky Fishing at Fireside Lodge in Canada

First time guests, father & son Ron & Will Erken from Wichita, KS & Lake Orion, MI were here to make some fishing memories. 1^st few days were spent getting to know the waters & catching some nice fish in the Canadian Wilderness. Third day was their best as they went out and caught 39 Northern Pike and a Smallmouth Bass. Fabulous day!!!

Their last day was spent fighting high winds and catching few fish, despite the tough conditions, and they also pent their last day soaking up the GREAT CANADIAN WILDERNESS we have. In all it was a wonderful time spent making memories between father and son.

Superb Trophy Smallmouth Bass Fishing in Canada

Brothers Jim & Richard Pim, Robert Dorsey returned for their 2^nd trip while bringing along friends Mark Sappington, Rick Powers, & Jerry Lindsey from Shell Knob, Coathayes, Sarcoxie, Diamond, Joplin, & Neosho, MO. DOA Jim & Rick caught 18 Smallmouth & 4 Pike before supper & all the others caught a bunch of fish with Rich & Mark landing Trophy Smallmouth at 18.5 & 19”. First full day had these guys catching about 30 Northern Pike per boat with Richard catching an 18” Smallmouth Bass, and Mark caught an 18.5”er. Mark & Jerry also caught about 30 total. Second day was fabulous as they caught about 150 Northern Pike and some dandy Smallies, and it was Robert’s turn catching a trophy Smallmouth over 18”. 3rd day had Richard & Robert tearing up the Smallmouth Bass catching over 50 between them, and the other four caught about 60 Northern Pike & a bunch of Smallmouth in the 14 to 18” range. Jim had the trophy catch of the day landing a HUGE 19” Master Anglers Trophy Smallmouth Bass. 4^th & final day met them with a cold front a high winds. Because of this it was not their best day, but all still caught plenty fish and enjoyed right up to the final minutes of the afternoon.

First Trophy Smallmouth Bass Fishing in Canada

Father & son Bill & Blair Gillam from Elwood, IN & Herndon, VA were here for their first time. First day was full of action as they caught Smallmouth bass soon after leaving the dock, & had action catching 6 Smallmouth on consecutive casts, up to 17.5”. Next day they had a great day enjoying the wilderness while catching some nice Smallmouth Bass. While catching many 13-15 inch Bass, Blair took a photo of a Beaver at work on its lodge had a Loon scare the daylights out of them when it flew off its nest, which they did not see. They were only about 10 ft away so when the Loon took off it almost had them jumping out of the boat. Blair also caught his first Trophy Smallmouth Bass at 18”. 3^rd day was more Smallmouth Bass, but was a little slower that the first two days. 4^th & 5^th days they had very good Smallmouth Bass fishing catching again a lot 15-17” Smallies and took some great wildlife photos of Loons doing what they do, including one on the nest. Both had a great time enjoying making memories & catching up as father & son, and said it was the best fishing they ever had. Hope to see them back again soon.

Terrific Fishing for Trophy Smallmouth Bass in Canada

Make sure to go to our website listed below to see some GREAT Fish Photos. For Fabulous Fishing Video, Wildlife Events, and Current Happenings go to our Social Sites Below.

FaceBook

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fireside-Lodge/304211179043?v=wall

YouTube

http://www.youtube.com/user/FiresideLodgeFish

Twitter

http://twitter.com/FiresideFish