Year End 2014

The final picture of the 2014 season

Waiting on the fog to burn off...

Another season at Big Hook Wilderness Camps has come to a close.  First and foremost, I would like to thank all of our guests for your continued patronage and loyalty.  Without everyone supporting us, we would not be able to offer the true Canadian fly-in fishing experience. The past 30 years have provided us a novel of stories and experiences; no two seasons have been identical.  Once again, the Big Hook family (Dad, Mom and I) extend a BIG thank you to everyone who visited us at Big Hook Camps.

2014 was a blueberry bonanza 

Dad, myself and Shadow (the famous tree climbing dog) departed Central Lake on the 23rd of September.  We managed to complete several projects before our exit.  Just a few to note, West Lake received a new indoor shower, a new deck was built on Cabin #1 at Central and vinyl siding along with facia and soffits were placed on the main shed at Central. Several projects are already in the pipeline for the 2015 season and I'll keep you posted as they get completed.

The weather was an absolute roller coaster during closing weeks at Big Hook.  September began with mild temperatures (50's and 60's), which allowed for some great fishing and amazing blueberry picking.  2014 will go down as one of the best blueberry crops ever at Big Hook; in particular at Burnt, Central and South Lake.  Guests who were willing to climb some rock bluffs were rewarded with fields of blueberries.  The Burnt Lake crop was exceptional since the forest has been recently burned.  Mom and I explored the NE corner of lower Burnt near the trappers cabin and after a brief climb, we were just floored with blueberries as far as the eye could see.

A nice 38.5" late season pike. 

Mid September weather brought plenty of instability.  An ice storm on the 15th just pummeled Dad and I. Temperatures that day topped at 28 degrees and winds barrelled out of the NE at 30 mph.  Ice shards pelted my skin like stinging bees and accumulated over a half an inch in a two hour span. Let's just say there was no flying that day, considering all my flight controls were completely frozen.  Two days later temperatures rocketed into the 70's. The month of September at Big Hook has always been best explained by one word, unpredictable.  

For the first time, Dad and I witnessed hundreds of snow geese flying south across the Opasquia Provincial Park. The snow flocks normally migrate west of the park and later in the year. The Canada geese completed their migration surprisingly early, around the first two weeks of September.  We witnessed many geese flying southbound with Sandhill Cranes.  The early flocks departing the north can only mean one thing, an early winter. Let us hope the geese have been misinformed.

I recorded some great footage on my Go Pro this summer and will edit up some videos for the blog. Speaking of footage, we are redesigning our brochure for the 2015 season and would love to include many of our guests shots. Send us your photos from your last Big Hook trip, not only are we looking for fish pics but nature shots as well.

Good luck on the water this fall everyone! Time for me to sling for some musky.
Thanks again!
-Nathan
www.bighookcamps.com