We went up to Kesagami Wilderness Lodge last week for a 5 night trip, to eat some shorelunches and mayhaps get that big pike on we’ve been looking for.. and do some underwater video… AND get a chance to see our son Avery, who is working as a dockhand this summer there!
We got to Cochrane, and checked in at the Best Western. I’m sure that there are nice places other than the Best Western, but the last time we were in Cochrane, I cheaped out on the motel, and well.. lets just say we wound up at the Best Western anyway lol. Top notch accommodations and a continental (really nice) breakfast available at 6 am so you can make the drive to the airbase by 7 am which is when they start flying out. Quite convenient.
The flight in is about 45-50 min depending on headwind so we climbed into the Beaver and away we went! The scenery was awesome.
Our Pilot
Promptly upon arrival, we were treated to a full breakfast while the dockhands bring the luggage to your room/cabin.
This dockhand seem genuinely happy to see us!!
It was a cloudy day, but not Raining so our guide Brandon for the day grabbed us and out we went for some pickeral fishing! We were only out for three hours before lunch but managed at least 60.
AS the weather started to degrade we decided it was time for shorelunch, which the guide prepares… I gotta say after getting over the discomfort of not helping clean the fish or cook the lunch, being catered to was kinda nice!! We pondered the fact that life was good! Poor Brandon cooked us up a feast in the wind and rain!
Warming up by the lunch!! LOL
The wind picked up so after lunch we found a quite spot, put on some spoons and just trolled around for a bit. Was surprised that even in an area that wasn’t “spot” we managed to pick up pickeral on our spoons!
and they all went back in!
After an afternoon like that we sat back and let our guide get us safely back across the lake where we retired to our room before dinner for a beverage.
Then with BBQ Ribs on the menu, we sat down and had the pleasure of sitting next to these gentlemen. I told them I would make them famous.
A quick view of the sunset and it was time to call it a day!
We decided to strike out the next day on our own and explore some parts of the lake that we hadn’t been guided to. We didn’t get the same amount of fish, BUT there’s literally no where in that lake along the shoreline that you can catch fish. It was a beautiful sunny day and we made the most of it.
With enough fish for lunch we descended on a beautiful beach, and did up our lunch!!
Our Favorite dockhand had a few hours off and offered to give us a little tour of the lake… Momma was happy to have some face time!! He is looking great, happy and is doing a bang up job!! (I’m told!!)
After and afternoon of that we went back, had a wonderful supper, once again watched an incredible sunset and got ready for the next day!
For the next three days we booked a guide, one of the more senior ones, Stuart. We should have gotten a guide that couldn’t fish.. because it rapidly descended into a competition as to who could catch more fish him or Monique. I am not at liberty to say who won… lol….
The next day started with us going out and getting what we needed for shore lunch in short order. then staying and catching and releasing at least 60 more before going to lunch. The lodges policy is 2 pan size pickeral for lunch per person and everything should be on a single barbless hook.
And then the best time of day… again! He cleaned hem while we kept fishing… (I almost wept with joy … ok… ok.. I wept with joy)
Then prepared us a fantastic lunch. Lemon and herb spiced!!
And ohhhh did we eat!!
After a few more spots we called it a day, with Stuart picking up a decent northern!
Back at the Lodge… we find my wife in her happy place… lol.. by the fire..
The next day was a veritable pickeral extravaganza.. we honestly lost count of how many we pulled out that day. Events were much the same as the day before, which was not hard to take!
I am pretty sure poor ol’ Stuart had never guided anyone like the two of us before.. lol I think he’ll be spending his summer earnings on therapy sessions…
Today it was Cajun’ Pickeral.. which turned out to be my favourite of the trip!!
Best seat in the house!
That afternoon we scoured the shoreline for big pike.. but the pickeral were ON!! and no matter what we casted (Stuart wouldn’t let us troll… BOO HOO) we couldn’t keep the pickeral off!
We fished till late then called it a day.. once again exhausted, full and happy!
The next morning the long days had taken its toll on Monique and she decided to sleep in a bit so I grabbed Stuart and off we went in search of shore lunch first.. then we tried for some underwater video. Which I knew was gonna be hard.
Shore lunch was not hard.. in 10 min we had all we needed.
Love this shot with the plane in the background.
The underwater work proved difficult.. I got three strikes, but twice they hit the camera instead of the lure!!
So shore lunch it was.. and I managed to get Stuart to cook over the open fire. (Teryaki Pickeral this time!)
So after lunch we headed back to pick up Monique and feed her her share.. lol and then spend the rest of the day on a great spot and proceeded to haul out more than 70 walleye in a fierce competition between us (combined) lol and the Guide.
Then…
Monique gets THIS!!
What a blast!! 41 inches of fun fun fun!!
With our quest complete we sadly went back to the lodge to watch one last sunset and pack our gear.
The next day, a quick flight back to Cochrane and our trip was over… (till next time!!)
Thanks to Charlie, Jacob, Avery, Frankie, Stuart, Brandon and all the girls.. (They put up with alot!!) The staff there are fantastic and are always on the lookout to make your trip as good as it can possible be.. If your interested in gping up! Get ahold of Charlie at www.kesagami.com