That's a Wrap!

The vast boreal forest of
birch and poplar were changing fast to fall colors

For me it is always a sad day to close the doors at Big Hook Camps for another fishing season. I sigh when I realize it'll be another six months until I get to experience the calming effects the Opasquia Provincial Park offers.  The lapping of the water on the boats, the distant cry of the loon or just the huge smile on a fisherman's face when they land a quality fish are just a snippet of what I reflect on during the winter time.  However, in the grand scheme of things six months really isn't all that long and as we speak I am getting excited to know the 2017 season is just around the corner.

Cool misty weather settled in during one of our final days
at Big Hook

First off, a huge thank you is in order to all of our guests.  Steve (dad), Evie (mom), camp dog Shadow, and myself wouldn't be able to offer the Big Hook experience without the support of all our wonderful clientele.  Thanks again for choosing Big Hook Camps as your NW Ontario fishing/outdoors destination.  We already have an incredibly busy 2017 lined up; the weeks are filling amazingly fast.


Dad and I put the final closing touches at Central Lake and departed with Shadow in the 185 Cessna for Eagle lake on Friday September 23rd. The fall colors were really beginning to pop last week.  Birch and poplar leaves quickly changed to vibrant yellow and oranges.  Several days, flocks of geese and sandhill cranes continued south bound over head.  We also woke up two mornings to decent frost and lake fog.  The day before flying southbound to Eagle Lake I witnessed a cow and bull moose standing side by side south of Central Lake, the moose rut is another tell tale sign fall has arrived.

Fall Close Up  

New walls at Cocos

Overall, we experienced decent weather for shutting down all the outposts and main camp. We also managed to accomplished the majority of our projects among the camp closings.  One of such projects was tearing out the old interior paneling at Cocos Lake. New tongue and groove pine was installed and it truly brightens up the cabin along with a new entryway door.

Chunky fall 26.5" wally at Central Lake CPR Sept 13th

Another chilly project we undertook was replacing the old dock crib at West Lake.  After spending a day in the frigid September water pulling rocks from the old crib and winching the saturated logs from the lake; we were able to set the dock on a newly crafted crib foundation.  Several other projects such as replacing rotten foundation boards at SW lake and leveling the battery shed at Central we also completed.  Many more projects and updates are in line for the 2017 season.

We have a long list of items for our next adventure up the winter highway.  Fingers crossed for a some cold weather...well maybe just after I get a chance to catch a couple musky first.

Good luck on the water or in the woods this fall everyone!
_Nathan
www.bighookcamps.com






 

Winding Down

With just one week of business left on the schedule here at Big Hook Camps, we are in the initial stages of closing up shop for the year.  The 2016 season has just absolutely rocketed by.  As we enter the month of September, fall is truly in the air. The leaves on birch trees have suddenly turned a

Cedar waxwings are cleaning the berries
from the mountain ash trees

 striking yellow, flocks of geese and sandhill cranes can be heard flying south and temperatures have descended with day time highs in the 50's.  Weather wise, September is always a volatile month here in the Opasquia Provincial Park.  This month sees every season; sun, rain, ice and snow are all possible.  Today's forecast: mist and rain with clouds in the tree tops and a high expected around 48 degrees.  While tomorrow we are forecasted to see sunshine and 70 degrees; typical September
weather.

Fishing

Despite some windy conditions last week fishermen were still boating some quality fish.  Several large walleye were pictured and released.  A dandy 28" eye from West and another 30+" walleye from South topped the list.  Fish however were extremely deep, with most being found around 25 ft of water.  Vertical jigging 1/4 oz or 3/8 oz jigs while back trolling to hold on a spot was by far the most effective way to entice those deeper fish.  Trolling deep diving reef runners also managed to catch walleye.  

41.5" Central pike (CPR August 23rd)

Pike have been transitioning away from weed beds as the foliage begins to die.  After guiding
yesterday I noticed the weeds are beginning to brown and wither away.  Casting or trolling crank baits along rocky shorelines has been the most productive technique.  Also, plenty of pike are hanging around deep reefs with the walleye.  Using a leader, try jigging for the deeper pike with a 4" or 5" rubber tail.  The cooler water temperature, yesterdays surface temperature was 62, has pike favoring slower retrieved baits.  A 42" pike was boated and released at South Lake, caught on (you guessed it) a jig.  

Projects 

As the season winds down we are able to accomplish some projects at the outposts.  The new grey water systems have been installed at every outpost.  Cocos will be getting an interior face lift with new tongue and groove knotty pine walls. A new entry way door will also be installed at Cocos.  Hopefully the weather cooperates tomorrow and I'll be able to set a new crib for the dock at West Lake. We have several other projects lined up however, the weather is always a limiting factor as camps close up.  A snowy and wet fall can prohibit us from accomplishing everything we have planned.  Such is life in the north woods, here you are completely at the mercy of Mother Nature.  

Good luck on the water this fall everyone!

Cool wet weather brings out hundreds of species of mushrooms

_Nathan 

www.bighookcamps.com

   

Fall Approaching

38" Central Lake, boated on a silver bladed bucktail

I say it every year, "Where did the summer go?" It seems just days ago I was just landing the Cessna 185 in May on a half frozen Central Lake and now we are already approaching the end of August.  You can sense a change in the seasons as we near September.  Fall comes pretty quick here in northwest Ontario, without much transition from summer.  The days don't slowly cool, one day is 80 degrees and suddenly you have frost the next night.  If you look closely throughout the Opasquia Provincial Park, the birch trees are showing flecks of yellow in their leaves, the best tell tale sign fall is imminent.

Weather 

Summer is holding tight as fall looms.  We have had numerous calm days in the mid 70's over the past week.  Nights are descending into the 50's, perfect sleeping weather in my opinion.  As the days grow shorter (we lose approximately 4 minutes of daylight everyday till December 21st),  the stars and northern lights grow more and more vibrant in the evening hours.  In the past we typically receive an August frost.  Water temperatures are holding around 65 degrees on the surface.  

Fishing 

Nice catch! Central Lake walleye

 Walleyes continue their descent into deeper waters.  Best techniques for success has been SLOWLY back trolling and vertical jigging 3/8 oz or 1/4 oz (my preference)  jigs, in 20 ft + of water, with a white, pink, orange, black or pumpkinseed tails.  Blade baits such as Echotails or Zips are also catching fish.  Trolling deeper running crankbaits are a great way to locate where the schools are present.  Perch colored reef runners handily out fished all others last week, however color preference seems to change daily.

Pike are still favoring the smaller baits.  I have thrown and thrown my arsenal of big stuff at them only to be out fished by a jig or small spoon.  More and more big fish are being found on reefs and wind blown rocky points vs weed beds.  This means pike are chasing walleye and white fish in attempt to bulk up for fall and winter. Big billed crankbaits are a great way to get into the pikes strike zone in deeper waters.   Northern however, seem to move back into the weed beds in the late afternoons. Spoons, 3/4 oz johnson silver or gold minnows, buzz baits and bucktails are best to throw when fishing foliage.  

Fisher women have been dominating the scene over the past week with some awesome CPR (catch, photo and releases).  See photos attached.  Just about all the fish were boated on jigs, yes the pike are still favoring jigs.  Just a couple nights ago a dandy 41.5" pike was boated on a spoon at Central by Mrs. Rae Nigh, hopefully we will see pics soon.

Back to back fish, a 38" pike and a 23" walleye below

CPR

Good luck on the water everyone!
-Nathan
www.bighookcamps.com

August Waters

A nice 39" released at Central

This week has been a prime example of the typical Canadian weather scenario,  "Wait six hours and the season will change."  That phrase could not be more true the past several days.  The beginning of the week brought us misty, cloudy and still waters only to be followed by blazing hot and wind.   Weather has been hot/humid littered with passing thunderstorms the last three days, hanging around 85-90 degree's in the sun. It is amazing how fast the water temperature's sky rocket after just a few days of sunshine. Water temperatures have blasted up from 64 to about 72 on the surface in just a couple days.

The walleye have responded to the warmer temperatures by sinking to deeper depths. Most guests have been catching walleye's from 12-25 ft. Some of the bigger female's have been caught in the deeper waters 20'+.  Trolling crankbaits such as: White reef runners, Rapala fire tiger Shad Raps, and clown wally divers along 15-20 ft breaks has been effective. Prime example is from the current guests at SW lake. Three gentlemen trolled blue and silver hot N tots for three hours one afternoon,  boating over 75 walleye often with double and triples. If trolling doesn't strike your fancy, my favorite method is vertical jigging while back trolling on the deeper reefs and wind blown shores. A reef or point that has had the wind pounding it for a couple of days will always produce fish.

Pike are scattered between deeper weed beds and wind blown points. Trolling larger cranks like 6" Jakes and Rapala F18 Husky Jerks are a great way to cover ground when casting gets to be a bit tiresome.  Burnt Lake boated a dandy 42" fish just trolling to the south west of the cabin.  During the hot days pike action has been better from 3 to 8 pm, when the sun is off the peak. We have had some tremendous surface bite's when the wind calms down in the evening.  Buzz baits and dancing raiders are always entertaining.  

Rule is...you have to kiss fish #100 of the day. 

MVP lures of the week have been:

For pike: #8 silver bladed/black skirted bucktial, and the smaller 3/4 oz johnson gold minnow has trumped the 1 1/4 oz silver minnow as pike continue to chase smaller baits this summer.  Black and orange 6" jake. 

For walleye, 1/4 oz jig and a pumkinseed or white Gulp tail, orange bladed worm harness and a blue and silver Hot N Tot.

Good luck on the water everyone!

_Nathan 

www.bighookcamps.com