Canada Dreamin'

[NortonJoe]

Just sitting her on a dreary morning in NE Ohio thinking about all those great trips up north for the annual fishing trip.  I have been making the trip since 1988 nearly every year. Almost every year has been to Lac Watson but we've also gone to Lake Cecebe, Lady Evelyn Lake and Firth Lake. Now the reason for this post. Let's share some thoughts, favorite things, stories about those great trips to Canada to pass the dark days of winter.

For me, it is not only the beautiful and peaceful setting.  Sure, a quiet evening in the boat as the sun is setting, drinking a cold beer and listening to the loons call can't be beat.  I sit here and can almost hear the water gently lapping against the sides of the boat, the gentle breeze blowing across the water perfumed with the scent of the pine. Relaxing with a cold, tasty Bleue, jigging in that familiar spot...waiting...waiting, then feeling that telltale tug on the line.

It's that warm, lazy afternoon, sitting in the shade, enjoying a cigar, sipping an Old Fashioned, and sharing stories with old friends that we've shared every year for as long as we've been making the trip...laughing at the same old stories, telling the same jokes.

It's trying something new after fifteen, twenty years or twenty five years..."hey let's try that spot over there", "the water's pretty high, let's try to get up that creek", "I think I'll finally try slip bobbering."

So, Merry Christmas everyone and lets hear your own recollections!

[Oarin]

I agree, but don't forget the camp fires with a cigar and beer. My favorite time with my son. Can't wait for another TBL Outpost adventure. Merry Christmas to all.

[Chazz]

Besides all the previous aforementioned pleasures I would like to add one of my favorite things and that is the canadian shore lunch.  To me there is nothing like finding the perfect spot wether it's a clear area on an island or a nice sandy beach, gathering the rocks for a fire pit and wood for the fire.  Then fileting some fish, cutting onions for beer batter onion rings, and of course a couple nice cold brewskies.  My friend brings his huge oversized fry pan that he's  been bringing since the 80's. It's perfect because over the years it warped with one side shallower than the other.  Allowing for part of the pan for deep frying the fish and onion rings then moving them up to the shallow side where the oil kind of runs off before removing them entirely.  darn can almost smell them now.

[Netman]

I started my trips up north in 1978. (61 years old now - i really do need to update that picture) It was a trip with my great uncle and grandfather to a little lake north of Toronto. Jumping into my great uncle's float plane and landing on the lake for long weekend of fishing changed my fishing life for sure. Since then, it's been about 30 years of trips to the Kipawa area. I grew up fishing reservoirs, streams and rivers, and the contrast of a natural lake and its beauty to the man-made/managed structures is stark. The natural beauty, solitude, peacefulness and natural rejuvenating properties of the area are what stand out to me. Don't get me wrong, the fishing is great, but would any of us southerners really take that kind of time and pay that amount of money to bring home 6 fish? its not what Kipawa has given me, more what it has taken. It has stripped away years of stress and worry and allows me to see and feel the way i was intended to be -- In Nature - with nature - and at peace with nature. In a word Rejuvenating!

Cant wait to recharge again this spring.

[Fort Wisers]

So many great memories of Kipawa.......visiting family, snowmobile trips in the backcountry......etc etc
If I was forced to choose some of my favorites, perhaps when my brother and I were kids, we'd take the old green boat of our grandfathers into "Pickerel Bay" for a quiet evening fish, or anchor near the stump on a calm evening.

Merry Christmas everyone.