Lake Ogascanan July 26 - Aug 2

[Administrator]

Planning for the year for the trip to Ogascanan was wrought with turmoil. John's daughter and son in law who have gone with us on numerous trips told us last year that they wouldn't be making the trip in 2014 as they needed to save the money to side their house. Ok, we understand it, but consider it their loss. Well then as the year transpired, they then changed their minds and apparently thought good old Dad wouldn't be making many more trips and decided maybe they would go. As things got down to the wire, my parents aren't in the too good of health, ages 87 and 89, so Kevin and Donna decided to stay home and keep an eye on things there so John and I could go and relax and for that I thank them for that gesture. We also had to change our week up there due to health reasons. I have been having issues with my back and due to doctor appointments finally was able to go July 26- Aug 2. The countdown got down to like 14 days and we had to recount a week. That seemed like the longest week ever!

Off we left at 6:30AM, and everything went great. Got in a somewhat slow line at the border. He asked us where we were going and the border guard originated from Quebec, so that now made us buddies since we had something in common. We made our yearly stop at Webbers and had our fix of the best hamburgers around and of course made a friend with this guy, and must have snapped 7 or 8 pictures trying to get a pic of the french fry in his mouth, but I was too slow. (Good thing I wasn't a gunslinger in the Old West, would have been dead before my time )
We stayed at the Bo-Mark Hotel in North Bay, it was a very nice clean place run by some nice folks. Truck stop just down the road where we had breakfast. We had forgotten worm bedding and had to stop to get potatoes, so we tried Wal-Mart. Got our potatoes but they didn't have worm bedding so decided to try the new ProNature store in Temiscaming. Got up to Temiscaming about 8:30, and made a stop at the gas station for ice and went across the street to ProNature. They were very friendly and helpful in there, and best of all had John's favorite worm bedding at a reasonable price. Headed back into Ogas and made it to the Lodge in nearly record time. John doesn't waste any time doing it, all part of the anticipation of getting there. I was going to take a picture of the Mullens coming out to greet us. About the same story as the sea gull, something caught my eye and looked down, and the next thing I know they were surrounding the truck. So much for the pic, but anyone who has been there knows what I mean by the welcoming committee.

I had made a few notes about our week on the week about the weather and the days, but haven't been able to find it since we got home. Most of you know that John and I truly love to fish for pike but we usually let the weather dictate our fishing. In many of the past years, I think we have had more bright sunny days than rainy days. Not the case this year. T-Bone brought our attention to the kind of weather week we were going to face and it was pretty close. Our best days were the first 1 1/2 days we were there catching about 33 walleye then and and the last day. Because of the weather, we never seriously fished for pike until Friday. Most of the rest of the days were spent fishing for walleye. Sunday evening, my day was highlighted by a 30.5 inch walleye. I have never seen an eye that big. The picture really doesn't do it justice.
John and I joke about me outfishing him most of the time, but he had to keep me working at it early in the week. One morning he outfished me and I think a couple times we tied. Tuesday, it turned colder and windier. It was supposed to be a fish lunch for us but because of the weather and lack of cooperation, this was our main meal for the day, delmonico steaks and grilled vegetables. Awesome!


Wednesday we were drifting for eyes, (jig and drift that's what we do) and John and just said "41 feet, let's do this again", so I just started to reel in , and WACKO!, Fish! I told him get the net, it's a good one. Just got a glimpse of it in the water and could tell it wasn't the stream line profile of a pike, so though it was a good walleye, Fool! A 27 inch lake trout. A nice fish and after fighting that fish, I can now see why people love to fish for them. A great fight.
When John was taking the picture, he kept saying it was a bad picture, but wanted to get the fish back in the water ASAP. I really don't know much about them, but had heard they aren't very tough after you get them up.


We took Thursday AM off, the weather wasn't very cooperative for two arthritic people. Also that evening we were treated to this small Ogas rainbow, and it was even more special because it wasn't raining where we were.


Friday we headed up to Taylor Bay, there was a couple spots I wanted to try up there for eyes, and caught a couple pike. So we just decided to start trolling for them, and ended up catching 8 pike that morning, making it one of the better 1/2 days we have had for pike. None were huge, but catching them in those numbers is alot of fun. John is holding two 27 inchers he caught. By the way, he outfished me that morning also.


Our fine week was culminated by a nice chat with Dog, Flag and Sgt Crabby out on the lake and had the opportunity to admire that fine boat of Flag's one more time.


Ogas had to treat us one more time to this pretty sunset. The week just went way to fast as always.


The Mullens just keep improving the cabins at Ogas. We had the opportunity to see the new Jaways cabin before the group moved it there, and it is beautiful John and I started our Ogas experience in that cabin, and we have always thought it is one of the prettiest locations on the lake.

We ended up with 100 walleye, 12 pike, amd 1 lake trout. Most of the better sized walleye were caught in 20+ feet of water.

[Administrator]

While I was working on this, I think I may have deleted someone's reply. If so, I apologize still living the Kipawa experience and my brain isn't quite with me yet.

[600 miles north]

     Very nice report Nancy! That was a beautiful Walleye you were holding up! I hope one day I am lucky enough to catch one that size.

     Catching lake trout is a blast, they really are fighters! The 3 that I have caught previous have been by accident as well, but sure glad I had the opportunity to reel a few in! The trout on Kipawa taste great! I would assume that the trout on lake O have a similar diet and taste just as well... You don't know what you missed not trying that one for dinner!

     I bet Dogs fathers boat was a beauty in person!

     I hope the health issues are better for you from here on out! Thanks for all you do to make this forum what it has become!

     Très bon rapport Nancy! C'était un beau doré vous étaient maintenant ! J'espère qu'un jour j'ai la chance d'attraper un de taille.

Attraper truite de lac est une explosion, ils sont vraiment combattants ! Le 3 que j'ai capturé précédent ont été par accident ainsi, mais bien content que j'ai eu l'occasion de rabatteur quelques ! La truite sur Kipawa bon goût ! Je suppose que la truite sur le lac O ont un régime alimentaire semblable et un goût tout aussi bien ... Vous ne savez pas ce que vous avez manqué pas essayé qu'un pour le dîner !

Je parie que les chiens pères bateau était une beauté en personne !

J'espère que les problèmes de santé sont plus avantageux pour vous de ! Merci pour tout ce que vous faites pour faire de ce forum ce qu'il est devenu!

Brad

[Jay Thomas]

Hi John and Nancy:

Glad to read that your trip to Ogascanan was a success. Congrats on that beauty walleye as well as on a nice lake trout. I'll second Brad's comment about lake trout being good to eat. While I have fished Ogascanan only once (2000), I'll always remember the adventuresome trip up into Taylor Bay - worth the price of admission right there. Thanks for sharing.

Jay

[M Eschborn]

  Great report ,reading this just makes our wait seem even longer ! 11 more days then its off to Taggart Bay Lodge for a two week stay         

[Oarin]

Thanks Nancy! Great report and pictures.  !8 more LONG days until Capt. Guy and I are off to TBL. Oarin.

[rambler]

Nice report, gret pics

[CaptainCrappie]

Nancy, all I can say is, WOW!  Woops!  I better say thanks for posting too! 

C.C.

[SgtCrabby]

Great report Nancy. Thanks for sharing.
It was nice to meet you & John on the water.
I like your rainbow picture. I tried to get a picture of it (hardly shows), because from where I was at the time, the rainbow ended at our cabin.


Grande rapport Nancy. Merci pour le partage.
C'était agréable de vous rencontrer et John sur l'eau.
J'aime votre image arc en ciel. J'ai essayé d'obtenir une image de celui-ci (il montre à peine), parce que de là où j'étais à l'époque, l'arc en ciel a pris fin à notre cabine.

SgtCrabby

[puckster_guy]

Great report Nancy and John. I loved the pictures.  Really amazing walleye and laker great job! Glad you guys had a great time.

Sorry i missed you guys and Dog & company. There is always next year. Hopefully y'all have time for a few beers.