New look and new link

Our website has a new look! Here's a preview of what you should see when you go to ignaceoutposts.com. 

Our blog has been moved to this location ignaceoutposts.com/blog, so please head on over there and bookmark this new blog address. This bookmark will no longer be updated.  All 835 posts from our very first one published on February 21, 2008 are archived at the new location. Check it out. Makes for some great rainy, snowy evening reading while you plan for your next trip to Ignace Outposts.

Aug desktop

Karen has posted her Aug desktop calendar. 

Find the link here.

Canada Day – Brrr..

Canada Day was July 1.  Normally we wear summer attire, battle mosquitos, host BBQs, view fireworks and sit around camp fires.  Yesterday we donned jackets, couldn’t find a mosquito, wished for a warm bowl of soup, cancelled fireworks and lit the wood stove in the house.  By supper time temperatures were a nasty 6 C (42 F) and dropping - many areas of our southern neighbour don’t get that cold on January 1. Hearty as we are, we went for a walk after supper and the dog was alarmed to see his own breath.

A southern neighbour asked if Canada Day is the celebration of when we defeated England.  To set the record straight, we just asked nicely.  And we probably prefaced the request with “We are sorry to bring this up, but…” 

Close but not quite

On June 5, I posted a picture of Tom’s northern from 2013 on Seseganaga Lake and his mission to catch another 50 incher.  He tried his best but came up a few inches short this year.  Tom had to settle for a 46 incher this year. 

A valiant effort and the best part is the fish went back to the water unharmed after its little photo op. 

I guess there is always next year but in my humble opinion a 50 incher is hard to beat…  just don’t tell Tom so he keeps coming back to try.

Come prepared

This season has already been one for the record books.  It began exceptionally late with water levels as high as we’ve ever seen.  Docks are underwater and rivers are flowing fast.  We seemed to go from winter to summer without spring and now the last few days we’ve seen more April weather with frost yesterday morning in some areas. 

With the cool temps and lots of standing water, we have perfect conditions for mosquito breeding. The mosquito population is thriving or should I say horrendous. I can honestly say I don’t recall seeing them as bad as they are right now.  

I suggest you bring lots of bug spray and perhaps mosquito head nets or bug jackets.  Of course, mosquito coils or other methods of eliminating those that follow you into the cabin is advisable.  Our cabins do have window screens, screen porches and we have screened in fish cleaning houses.  But those pesky biting machines will ride in with you so be prepared. 

One group I checked on last week were even wearing their bug nets in the boat.  The mosquitos are bad.  Be prepared.  There is no requirement to catch and release mosquitos so feel free, while you are here, to take home as many as you can carry.  I hear that with a little batter and deep fried they are very tasty.

On the bright side, fishing is awesome and yesterday one boat on Seseganaga Lake landed a 31 inch walleye as well  as a 43 inch northern.  Both were live released back to the water. 

Trying again

Tom and his buddies are flying into Seseganaga Lake tomorrow to try and beat the Northern pike Tom caught there last June. 

Good luck Tom.  50 inchers is hard to beat anywhere.

Let the fun begin

Getting camps ready is always a lot of work.  When we get behind, we end up recruiting outside help.  Pete and Pam are no strangers to our camps since Pete worked for us many moons ago, and over the years, he has brought Pam with him on several camp cleaning trips. 

Of course, after the work, I guy has gotta provide for his wonderful wife (that is his story and I’m sticking to it) and what better way than to harvest some of the bounty of the lake.  As Pete concentrated on eating sized walleye, Pam practiced reeling in the lunkers.   She has a habit of getting the biggest of her life.  See the post of her biggest northern in 2008 here.  She gleefully told me that this walleye was the biggest of her life.  

She returned this breeder to the lake as they did all the larger walleye.  Pete worked on catching supper and did manage to hook onto a nice Northern pike which after this photo op was returned to the lake.  Of course along with these pictures there are stories about even larger fish on Pete’s line but there is no photographic proof… hmmm 

on the other line…

Today is the opening of Walleye season.  This year, we have been “iced out” so our start is just a little late.  BUT… since it is walleye season… I just may be out walleye fishing anytime between now and October.   I may not get to fish often, but when I do it will be with Ignace outposts and I will not be answering the phone – I may be on another line.