by Tammy MacDonald | Jul 5, 2013 | 2013 Season
After 20 consecutive days of hot weather and flat water, the spell was broken on the 4th of July. It was cloudy, windy and cool, wonderfully refreshing after a heat wave very uncharacteristic of the 60th parallel. There were a few who missed the heat (often in the 90s) but for almost all the staff and anglers on this island in the north it was a great relief. There were fleece jackets and rain coats to mark the change.
How did the fish like the temperature change? Apparently quite well. We had our 4th of July fireworks not in the sky but in the lake. Like the fisherman, the fish loved the weather shift. Randy Doerter was quite happy with his 44” pike. There were no complaints from Bruce Kozlowski about his twin trout trophies. Or from James Meehan who boated a massive 42 and a half inch lake trout. Arnie Alfert liked his 44 and a half inch pike. And the two young men in camp this week really celebrated. Nicholas Tallman landed his best ever, a 45 and a half inch pike. Another Nicholas, Nicholas Manship, had a real big smile after catching pike of 40, 42 and 46 inches, also his biggest pike (it would be the biggest pike for a lot of anglers who have been fishing Canada for 20 years). All this on the fourth of July, with a red, white and blue cake after dinner to boot. Let’s have a Holiday everyday.
by Tammy MacDonald | Jul 1, 2013 | 2013 Season
It’s now sixteen days and counting!
Sixteen straight days of really, really hot weather. Over the past 17 seasons of current ownership this is the longest stretch of calm, almost cloudless weather we have ever seen. Daily high temps have hovered around 90°F, yes 90°F with nighttime lows (if you want to call the extended twilight here in June and July night) of around 75°F. There have been maybe four or five hours of cloudy skies with just a few scattered showers, none on our island on the 60th parallel. With a fishing region, including the fly out lakes, that sprawls over three million acres of Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories, it’s hard not to have a little variance in the weather but little is the right word. It’s been hot with quiet water everywhere.
As with most things in life, there are tradeoffs with this heat wave. Sitting around the traditional open fire shore lunch is not as inviting as in most years; the heat has produced a bumper crop of misquotes, and it’s way too easy to take a mid-day nap, but on the plus side there have been no bumpy boat rides, no cold rain in the face and no need to fire up the stove in your cabin. Getting around our lakes has never been more pleasant: it’s been idyllic. Day after day the lake is like glass with only an occasional light breeze to provide a few riffles on the surface. And the swimming has been wonderful. Protected beach areas offer water temperatures in the mid-70s or even higher.
And thankfully the fish like it hot too. Fishing has stayed strong throughout this northern heat wave. Trophy counts are on par with last year’s great numbers and the count of really big pike (over 45”) is the highest in many years. Some customers like it hot and so do most fish. We’ll take it and just keep counting and enjoying the smooth boat rides, the shorts, T-shirts and sandals. And even the swimming. It’s a good life here at Scott Lake Lodge.
by Tammy MacDonald | Jun 25, 2013 | 2013 Season
The seasons are a bit different at the 60th parallel. Spring is usually a three week period between ice out and the first hot, calm period. This year spring lasted five days. We started with cool and windy weather for our first group and then went directly into mid-summer: hot, hot, hot. The 2013 season opened on June 11 with full sunshine and a light breeze. It was in a word: perfect. The first group of anglers kicked off the season with a high level of energy and focus, but that first group had only one of those perfect days, then four days of a cold front, but they came to fish and have a good time and that is exactly what they did. As is typical for early season everything was shallow. Even the lake trout were caught in just a few feet of water. The veteran guide team (averaging 11 seasons at Scott) went to every corner of the sprawling lake to find fish for their clients and they were successful. Everyone caught lots of fish, some of course more than others. The first trophy of the season went to long time guest Doug Roche who landed a trophy pike early on the opening day. Many followed. Over the first ten days of the season 170 trophies were landed, nearly all of them pike. With the cold water temps allowing the lake trout to roam anywhere and everywhere on the lake, trophy trout were scarce, but Steve Abbot landed a 41” beauty and Jamison Viljaste got a fat 38 incher. But the aggressive northern pike were the show: they were angry and hungry after a long winter under the ice with slim rations. As is typical of the early season, they came in bunches—big bunches.
There were some memorable days on the water. Jeff Rennaker got a girthy 45” pike. Rocky Santulli nailed a 44 and a 45 spotted in a shallow bay. Joe Daugherty added a 45 to the second group’s totals. Connie Schmidt put a 44.5 and a 45 into his guide’s hands. Joe Lasnoski took a fat 19” grayling on a four weight fly rod. So many big fish and so many big bunches of big fish. Jeff Berg grabbed a four-pack of trophy pike in one great day. Tom Kehoe Sr. and Jr. had a father/son trip they will never forget. They combined for an incredible 23 trophy pike in their five days on the water including one that stretched the tape to 45”. Mike Sumeraki had an impressive five trophy day. But the single most amazing day of the early season belonged to Mike Rogers and Jameson Viljaste who together brought 14 trophy pike into their guide’s cradle in a single day with four of those fish exceeding 44”. And they kept it rolling throughout the week reaching a total of 25 trophy pike for their five days on the water plus one bonus trophy lake trout. Mike Rogers who has been on Canadian fishing trips for many years called it “the most incredible fishing adventure of my lifetime, beyond anything I could have imagined.” Fishing partner Jameson called their effort an “assault on the big fish in the lakes”, adding that the fish were both eager and cooperative”. He believes that “no other lodge anywhere can provide such a complete fishing experience.” Now that’s a happy customer. And that’s what catching dozens of nice fish a day can do to one’s mind. There were many happy customers in those first two groups, especially in the lucky anglers fishing in the second slot, June 16-21. They had five absolutely perfect days with full sun and hot, hot weather along with hot fishing. Who could ask for more?
by Tammy MacDonald | Jun 10, 2013 | 2013 Season
The battle to get Scott Lake Lodge fully ready for the 2013 season is over: the cavalry has arrived. With the entire Scott Lake team now on the island, the remaining clean up/fix up tasks don’t have a prayer.
There are only 24 hours to go before we greet the first guests of the season and the activity level around the island is intense, but the big jobs all got done and done well. There is no sign left of the devastation that angry black bear unleashed on Laker Lodge except for the claw marks on the ventilation fan chamber, a trophy of sorts. The many challenges of the spring work were all met. The biggest job was the rehabbing of all the guide boats. They now look factory fresh. Guests in Bear and Loon cabins will appreciate the expansion of those cabins. Everyone will like the new flooring in Laker Lodge and the new exterior siding on all of the lakeside guest cabins. The new spruce chips are now being spread around the trails. The place looks great. WE ARE READY!
by Tammy MacDonald | May 28, 2013 | 2013 Season
Here comes the sun! The work crew at Scott Lake Lodge is basking in brilliant sunshine these days. With temperatures in the 70s for over a week the mass of ice is now black and starting to retreat from the shoreline. The forecast shows more of the same for the next week. We will have open water and great fishing for our first group arriving on June 11.
The beautiful weather has facilitated the spring work over the past few weeks. The damage from last fall’s marauding black bear has been repaired: the main lodge has a new floor and new lighting (that was a bad bear). A new kitchen range is being dropped in by helicopter next week—it’s too large and heavy for a float plane. We will have pictures of that. The routine “get the place ready for customers” tasks are being checked off one by one. The fleet of lodge boats has new floors and new interior paint. Wood chips are being laid down for the island walkways. The place is looking great. Plane flights for the Scott staff have been made and everyone will be at the island by June 9th. It is a time of high energy and excitement. The 2013 season is so close the crew at Scott can taste it. It’s almost time for patient Scott customers to take a bite.
