Big Hook Knitting

In an effort to broaden our customer base we are now offering knitting classes to customers during their week stay at Big Hook Camps.  We realize fishing can be tedious and boring after a couple days.  Our newly hired specialists, Sven, is an accomplished knitter with his PhD from a mountainous university.  He will be able to teach knitting techniques such as block patterns and grafting.  He is also practicing on holding his breath in order to instruct the highly demanded underwater basket weaving class.

Big things are happening at Big Hook Wilderness Camps.
Good luck knitting to all!
-Nathan
www.bighookcamps.com

Oh yeah,  APRIL FOOLS!  

Sport Show & NCAA Tourney

South Eastern Wisconsin Fishing and Hunting Expo

Big Hook has picked up one more sport show for the 2013 season.  Come visit Nathan at the Olympia Resort in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin.  Hours for the show are:

March 15th    2 pm -   8:30 pm
March 16th    9 am  -  6 pm
March 17th    10 am - 4 pm

For more information on the show visit the SE Wisconsin Fishing and Hunting Expo website.


NCAA Tournament Pick'em 

It is that time of year again for March Madness to ensue. Top three places are winners in this years Big Hook Pick'em. Good luck to all! Big Hook Wilderness Camps would like you to join their group in Yahoo! Sports Tournament Pick'em! To accept the invitation, just click HERE  For reference, here's the group information. Group ID#: 34570 Password: bighook Good luck in your fishing endeavors. -Nathan  www.bighookcamps.com

Winter Road Travels

Last week Dad, myself and Ed Carson traveled the ice highway from Red Lake to Sandy Lake.  The road was in superb condition.  Ample amounts of snow and frigid temperatures allowed proper grooming for the first time in many years.

Despite some mechanical problems with our vehicles, the trip progressed rather well. We managed to transport about 11,000 pounds of materials for this up and coming season. Attached below is a quick video about this years travels.

Sonar imaging showed ice thickness of roughly 20 inches.  The five feet of snow blanketing the lakes has not allowed the bitter cold to penetrate the ice.  The fuel tankers and transports need a minimum of 22 inches of ice before they are allowed to travel the road. 

The days are slowly getting longer and the temperatures are beginning to rise.  Spring is just around the corner.  Now is a great time to get your summer gear tuned up.  

Good luck on the water everyone. 

-Nathan

www.bighookcamps.com

Let It Snow

Big Hook Winter Conditions

The snow keeps on falling in the Opasquia Provincial Park.  After chatting with Sandy Lake Seaplane this past Sunday, we learned the area has over five feet carpeting the ground with more on the way.  Uncharacteristically, this massive amount of snow has accrued with temperatures and wind chills reaching as low as -55 C.  Historical data has shown that snow amounts have tapered with such cold temperatures.  Cold temperatures are often associated with very little moisture.  While the area has been affected with extreme cold, it has also witnessed drastic temperature fluctuations.  Fluctuations of 40 degrees Celsius in some cases have resulted in the record snowfalls.  These snowfalls have placed a damper on the winter highway activity.  

According to Sandy Lake Seaplane, the ice highway to Sandy Lake is still not open.  Dad and I had plans to traverse the frozen tundra this Wednesday with approx 13000 pounds of goods. One reason for the delay is the road crews responsible for maintaining the Sandy Lake ice highway are having difficulty with several blow downs about 30 miles south of Sandy Lake.  Two wind storms in early December fell miles of trees.  Furthermore, the deep snow is not allowing the cold to create ice over North Spirit Lake and Duckling Lake.  These are two crucial bodies of water that consist of about 10 miles of winter highway driving.  As of Sunday, only 8 inches of blue ice was found beneath the snow along with almost a foot of slushy ice.  Many of you know slush ice can be very dangerous to commute.  So now all Dad and I can do is wait and wait...  

Fishing High Water

Heavy snowfalls this winter could make Big Hook waters this spring very interesting.  With five feet of snow currently on the ground in the area, it is safe to assume water levels will be the highest we have witnessed in years.  The intense run off from the melting snow and rising water levels can have positive and negative effects on fishing.  

The Bad

First the negative issues with high water.  First and foremost, rock hazards will change.  Remember those boulders that just peaked out above the water line.  Those are now new prop busters that should concern you while navigating the water.  Also, weed beds are greatly affected.  The high water blocks out sunlight to once fertile weed beds.  One foot of water can be the difference to a thriving weed bed.  Weed beds will take longer to grow and mature. Bait fish also look to weed beds in the summer time for cover. The lack of foliage impacts pike fishing.  Weed beds are a favorite hunting ground for the toothy predator and without weeds pike will focus on deeper water hunting tactics.  Thus making them more difficult to locate.  

The Good

High water brings numerous benefits to a body of water. The heavy run off from melting snow will bring nutrients into the lake.  These nutrients will encourage weed bed growth in new areas.  Also, increased water means rushing rapids.  One of my favorite places to fish is below a roaring waterfalls.  Bait fish and predators are drawn to the current as nutrients and oxygen saturated water rushes by. Furthermore, new creeks and watersheds will be created for prime spawning areas for pike.  Pike love to spawn in warm muddy areas with steep banks.    

We will keep everyone posted on our winter highway travels.  

Good luck on the ice/water everyone.

-Nathan 

www.bighookcamps.com