What a start...

This blog's title could apply to many things. The weather, the water level, the camp start up "issues", the fishing, etc. In fact, it does apply to them all.

While helicoptering over icy Wabaskang Lake on our way to camp on Thursday, May 15, one thing was painfully apparent: The ice would not be out by Saturday morning. Honestly, seeing all the ice at that time had me wondering if it would even go out by opening weeks end. Remarkably, five short days later and there was no ice left on Wabaskang at all.

Since the season began the weather has been incredibly beautiful with lot's of sunshine, very little rain (thank heavens- see water level discussion below) and warm temps. Warm to the tune of several days in the mid 80's last week. Just last week alone the water temperatures rose from about 48 degrees at the beginning of the week to the low 60's by weeks end. As I said, the weather has been beautiful.

Our lake level remains very high despite very little rain so far this season. Enormous spring run-offs from huge winter snows have pretty much ensured that we will have plenty of water to work with this entire season. Right now we have more than enough and hope to see it start dropping soon.

Despite camp wintering very well overall, start up is never without it's share of issues and this year was no exception. Starting with a check valve going bad in the water supply line and then progressing to an issue with the pressure switch on the pump, our second week included several days just trying to keep the water on. Thanks to Steve at Tall Pines camp for loaning me a check valve until I could get to town.

As far as the fishing goes, it has honestly been really good. The first couple of days we could fish opening week (Tues and Weds) were a little slow, but with some sunshine on Thursday the bite really picked up and carried over into week two of the season which for several groups in camp was excellent. We also had some first timers in camp and as you would expect they struggled a little more to consistently put fish in the boat, but overall everyone did pretty well. That is with the exception of Gar's crew as "pretty well" just doesn't do justice to the trip these guys put together. Five and a half men (Nolan, Jason's son is 11) managed to catch right around 1,500 fish for the week, most of which were walleye. As they shared their daily logs with me at weeks end what really impressed me was the number of trophy walleye included in their catches. I hope when they read this they correct me if I am wrong here, but I thought the number I heard was about 200 of the approximately 900 walleye they caught were >18".

Until next time...tight lines to all.

Ice gone, water high....

Little could we have know that after a late ice out last season and a full court press to get camp up and running, that just one short year later we would be going through the same fire drill. For some reason however, this year seemed just that much more difficult.

We were fortunate to get some east winds overnight on Sunday that shifted the ice off the near shore of the big lake allowing us a clear path to transport guests for the first time over the water and into camp to kick off the 2014 season early Monday morning. By end of the day Tuesday the ice was completely gone. I have posted a few pictures on our Facebook page of the flight in and as time permits will post more from opening week and the high adventure to get to camp and get it open.

We were very fortunate to have only minor damage around camp after such a brutal winter. The stove pipe cap on Cabin 1 blew off, the downspouts on cabins 1 & 2 were down and the gutter on the front of Cabin 3 was down. The beavers took a tree down on the deck of Cabin 1 breaking the deck railing, and took another tree down on a section of floating dock down on the lower lawn where they are stored for the winter, fortunately no damage there.

The real news as we progress into spring here is the high water levels. I can't remember a time during the ten years we have owned the camp that the water has been this high, and certainly never close to this level at the start of camp. If you are coming up in the next few weeks, be sure to arrive at the landing with your rubber boots or similar footwear on (or at least handy) as the permanent portion of the roadside dock is about flush with the water level.

I will try to get another blog done again soon to update everyone on the opening week of fishing, but if I don't then certainly I will get a report on the website.

Opening Day-2014

Is going to be a pretty quiet one around here. Unfortunately, Mother Nature forgot to look at her calendar and failed to live up to her part of the deal by having the lake ice free by this morning. In fact, quite the opposite, as there is still quite a bit of ice floating on the lake, but we finally have a favorable seven day forecast and after last night no more nights below freezing. So we do expect things to start moving fast now.

We helicoptered into camp again this year on Thursday hoping to see the north end of the lake with some black ice about ready to go out. Instead we flew over a lot of silvery, white ice that is just now starting to turn black. We have yet to be able to get our docks in the water as there is just too much ice still in front of camp floating around to risk losing them. Rest assured when the bell rings we will be ready with docks, boats, and warm, clean cabins.

Since I have limited internet accessibility right now, I am not able to post any pictures or videos of the conditions and our flight in, but will do so in a week or so.

We will stay in touch.

Update...May12

I'm updating from my iPad in a hotel room. Sound like last years blog about this time? Well it looks and feels like it to me that's for sure. It's still really too soon, unfortunately, to be able to predict ice out with certainty. While we did make great progress over the weekend with abundant sunshine and temps in the mid to upper 60's, that weather has moved on. The next three days are calling for chances of rain (that's not a bad thing), but temperatures back in the 40's and lows into the 30's.

Last year we watched the big part of Wabaskang Lake go out almost before our very eyes in a matter of hours, so it can happen under the right conditions. We are all hopeful those conditions present themselves this week in time to be ice free by Saturday. We will try to update again soon.

If Spring doesn't find you, go find Spring!

That is what we had to resort to a couple of weeks ago when all the girls were on Spring Break. We stuffed a 12 passenger rental van full of the girls and gear and headed south to the Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge area of the Great Smoky Mountains. While the weather for the most part that week was also nice in northern Indiana, it was warmer in Tennessee and we enjoyed our stay very much. However, it didn't take Indiana long to remind us we were home as within two days the high temperature went from about 74 on Sunday to 44 on Tuesday. Yeah, it's been that kind of winter and spring pretty much everywhere. Here are just a few shots from our trip.

The view from our cabin

Clingman's Dome- some 6,600 ft above sea level. The last 1/2 mile hike feels like it's about a 20% grade.

The girls and an iceberg dead ahead! At the Titanic exhibit in Pigeon Forge.

From the aerial tram to Ober Gatlinburg.

One of several views as we hiked trails through the Smoky Mtn. National Park.

Historical references throughout several of the trail walks.

Now we are just a couple of short weeks away from heading back to camp and there remains plenty to do in preparation. The recent word from "up north" is not as encouraging as I would like to report, but with opening week still three weeks away, there is plenty of time for things to change and if history is any indication it will. Most areas with direct sunlight in NW Ontario have melted all the snow away, shaded areas and anyplace snow was piled up still have plenty of standing snow. One report we received indicated that while the ice on the lake is very deep (36" plus) not all of it is good ice with as much as 12" of the middle layer being slush/water. As always is the case this time of year, weather conditions over the next couple of weeks will hold the key. The good news is that the temperature trend is upward for the next seven days at least and there is some rain in the forecast for the area also. Warmer temps, rain and some wind will get things to start moving fast!

Minor setback?

In case you didn't hear, reports are that much of NW Ontario received as much as 18" of new snow in a storm that swept through the area on Monday. With only several feet of snow still remaining from earlier in the winter, this new snow dump should pretty much ensure that there will be a white Christmas. After all, Christmas 2014 is only 9 months away!

Seriously though, it's not the weather report we hoped for, but at least temperatures are forecast to start warming up in the area. We had a ton of snow and ice here in Indiana this winter also, and just 3 weeks ago I was wondering if it would ever go completely away here. Today, most smaller lakes in the area are open or well on their way to being open and other than the huge snow piles created from the plows, most snow on the ground is gone. So it can and does go fast with the right conditions. With six weeks to go until opening day there is still plenty of time to get there and we remain optimistic that like every year before, the ice will be gone by opening day.

In the meantime, with the snow finally off the ground here, I am able to get at the cargo trailer for the first time in months. It will need some new rubber this year before heading north again, so that will get taken care of soon. Once that is complete, we will get it loaded up with gear heading to Canada for the summer. So when go time arrives it will pretty much be hitch up and roll.

Wind conditions have prevented us from being able to get on Lake Michigan much so far this spring. Our first trip however was a great one, with a four man limit of coho salmon caught in about 2 hours of fishing. I like to think that some great fishing is ahead for us the rest of the spring and certainly all summer long on Wabaskang!

Spring is here... or so we hear!

That's what the calendar says anyhow, and actually we have started to see glimpses of it here in Indiana recently with some daytime high temps in the 50's at least. Unfortunately, it looks like it's back to the 30's for the next several days before another warm up arrives late this coming week.

The weather, however, has made it a great time to spend a little extra time on some pre-season camp planning as the weather conditions are taking their toll on the ice on our local lakes but there is still too much ice on Lake Michigan to start some spring salmon fishing so I have decided to wisely use this time to get a few things on the camp related to-do list accomplished.

MORE new boat seats have been ordered, shipped and picked up. Parts have been ordered for a couple of pumps needing some repair, the camper top cover for the passenger boat has been delivered to the canvas shop for much needed repair. We will be ready as always, which brings us back to the weather...

We are hearing from several sources in NW Ontario that ice conditions are not as good (or bad) depending upon how you look at it, as what might be expected. With early ice up on the lakes and abundant snow fall (insulation) throughout the season, most reports we are getting indicate there is significantly less ice than would be expected for such a brutally cold winter AND that much of the ice that is on the lakes is not in the best shape. Of course the downside is that any warm temps and sunshine must first melt snow before it can begin to work on the ice, and further this assumes that warm temps will in fact start to show up! Temperatures and weather patterns in April will hold the answer.

Until next time here are some pictures from our Indiana winter:

What do you think Packer fans? A new boat upgrade option for camp?

After not even getting my ice fishing gear out the last two years, it has been a great winter here to get back on the ice!

One of the slowest days of the season... 

One of the best days of the season...plenty of bluegill and panfish this winter to eat. YUM!

As the season progressed, we started to exchange quantity for quality.

This was one of three does that cruised through the back yard a couple of weeks ago.

In another section of the subdivision. Urban deer.

Open water near the harbor mouth at Michigan City, IN. Look out spring salmon we are coming for you!

In case you missed this on our Facebook page--NO this is not happening!!