WEEK 13 UPDATE
REMEMBER WHEN (Fishing Memories)
Most anglers remember, even if it’s vaguely, their first fish or their first fishing trip. For nearly all that first fish would have been a six-inch bluegill, crappie or maybe a twelve-inch black bass. Lachlan Williamson has a different story. The fourteen-year-old had his first fishing trip with his dad, granddad, and other family members. So far that’s typical. What’s not typical is on your first ever day of fishing catching, not one, but five northern pike over 40 inches long, the biggest at 43”. The first came on his second or third cast of his first day of fishing…ever! Just where do you go from there? Well, you might add two days later three more trophy pike with a fat 45 at the top of the list. The next day you get a 37” trout and on your final day of your first fishing trip you fly to a pristine river that a handful of anglers have ever seen and get a bunch of big grayling. The biggest is eighteen inches long and put you in the Scott Lake Lodge 100+Club, something usually reserved for older, more experienced anglers. But that’s exactly what Lachlan did. Where do you fish after an experience like that? Back next year to Scott Lake Lodge of course. On the other end of the experience spectrum, Gus Ruetenik, our eldest angler, at 98 years has caught and released many trophy pike at Scott Lake, his last day 43″ being the latest.
Hundreds of Fishing Memories
Lachlan wasn’t alone in making memories. His dad, Bill Williamson, also entered the 100+Club, catching a 46” pike and a 41” lake trout on his way to the Club. Karen Flynn got her Trophy Triple hat with a monster 41” trout as part of her catch of all three Scott Lake Lodge trophies. The group had as most groups have some sunny days and some cloudy days, but the fish were there with just over 100 trophies bagged. Big fish were all over the board: 45” pike were taken by Ketta Robertson, Matt Thomas, Jason Loughran; 46s by Bill Williamson, Jim Williamson, Leland Williamson and Eli Coleman; 47.5” pike by Leland Williamson (same day as his 46) and Jim Flynn who had two other trophies on that memorable day. Like the previous week we’re seeing a lot of big pike and lake trout. It’s been the pattern here for decades: early season has huge numbers of fish, but the late season produces the huge fish.
Another pattern is clear. People have fun at Scott Lake Lodge. This week had some fascinating highlights (yes a pun). The northern lights showed up and on an entrancing final evening most of our guests sat around a big bonfire by the main lodge and watched the supermoon rise while northern lights danced. That’s the way to close a wonderful fishing trip. All part of August at Scott Lake Lodge.
