Great memories

[Oarin]

It's been nasty, wet, and cold here in Upstate NY so not much to do outside, and I got to thinking of my very, very good friend Mark,AKA Capt. Guy, who unexpectedly passed about this time last year and the great times we had on our 21 years of trips to Martins in the Gouin, Matchi-Manitou, and Taggarts on Kipawa. He may be gone, but the memories are alive and well. Miss you!

[Fort Wisers]

Awesome thread, great pictures, thanks for sharing your thoughts and memories.

[Jay Thomas]

Thanks Gary for posting some pics of your fond memories with Captain Guy. I always looked forward to my visits with you and Captain Guy at the Auberge.

Jay

[Balsams]

Well said and thanks for sharing. I love my family dearly, but trips with my buds over the years are truly near the top of the greatest moments of my life. You guys must have been great friends, and I'll bet those where some of the best moments of life for the both of you. Keep the memories alive, and always bring the flamingos. Was he the "sea bag drag" guy?

[Oarin]

Thanks guys. Capt. Guy literally taught me all of what I know about walleye fishing. We had some great times! Sometimes I even out fished him! In the 20 some years fishing together in Quebec we never had a problem or disagreement. Pretty rare!! I'm now going on trips with my son, Jon, and long time friend, Jim. We have a great time at Kipawa, but my time with Capt. Guy was something I'll NEVER forget.  Balsams, what is a sea bag drag? I don't think that was Mark.

[Balsams]

It was someone's strange way of counting down the days to the trip. T bar will know.

[NortonJoe]

Some of the best memories of my life are from my trips to the Kipawa region, specifically Lac Watson.  There honestly is something special about that time with your buddies, sons, daughters, wives, or whoever.  Let me share just one...I started taking my son fishing to Lac Watson when he was 10.  One year shortly after, he was 11  or 12, we were out fishing one evening. It was getting on to dusk and the sky was shot through in pink, red and orange, we've all seen it.  A slight breeze blew occasionally and you could smell the woods and the water. Otherwise, it was still and there was not a sound on the water with the exception of a loon call now and then and a ripple tapping the side of the boat.  We were just still fishing...being together...not catching much at all...but sometimes that's okay.  My eyes were drawn over to my son and he had this puzzled, thoughtful look on his face..."Hey buddy what are ya thinking about," I asked.  He looked at me, took a deep breath and said, "Dad, where do babies really come from?"  I smiled, set down my pole, took a swig of beer and explained the whole thing to him...the mechanics, the role of love, God renewing life, the beauty of it all...and thought I did a pretty good job.  He hesitated for a moment, looked at me and said, "Gross."  I stifled a laugh, picked up my pole, took another swig of beer...and loved my son.

[RHYBAK]

Honestly, some of the best memories of my life are from my trips to the Kipawa region.  There honestly is something special about that time with your buddies, sons, daughters, wives, or whoever.  Let me share just one...My son was about 11 or 12 and we were out fishing one evening. It was getting to dusk and the sky was shot through in pink, red and orange, we've all seen it.  A slight breeze blew occasionally. Otherwise, it was still and there was not a sound on the water with the exception of a loon call now and then.  We were just still fishing...being together...not catching much at all...but sometimes that's okay.  My eyes were drawn over to my son and he had this puzzled, thoughtful look on his face..."Hey buddy what are ya thinking about," I asked.  He looked at me, took a deep breath and said, "Dad, where do babies really come from?"  I smiled, set down my pole, took a swig of beer and explained the whole thing to him...the mechanics, the role of love, God renewing life, the beauty of it all...and thought I did a pretty good job.  He hesitated for a minute, looked at me and said, "Gross."  I stifled a laugh, picked up my pole, took a drink of beer...and loved my son.

Cool Story
You should have given him the swig of beer first.

[Balsams]

Wow norton that's a great moment...lucky you. Oarin, ever a time your Capt'n Guy ask you a question like that? Would love to hear more stories......
I'm toying with the idea of taking my 9 yr old next year, he loves to fish and has not experienced this kind of trip and fishing...especially if the action is on. Not only that but the seclusion, propane everything, NO electronics! exploration, peace and the journey.
Here's one......
It's but once a year on this trip that I see or speak to most of the crew, so needless to say you have a lot to talk about and catch up on. After 15 yrs we've got it down pat - from packing to food, proper clothing, the right gear, choice booze, snacks, satellite radio...you name it...we even pack ice cream with dry ice and make homemade cookies. Well one blue bird early afternoon, buddy and I are out there since morning and not even motivated to head back for brunch.  We're fishing the mouth of a productive bay out drifting deep off the shore on calm waters, it's late May and warm. We're having some laughs enjoying some snacks - salami's, cheese, chocolate almonds, cold beer, rye and ginger, clean solid drinking ice...classic vinyl on XM is on a serious good run. In the distance we see a boat from our group heading this way. I say "that engine doesn't sound right". We chat and more laughs and 5 minutes later their boat pulls along side and tie off. Four buds out for a social cruise, rather than fish, on a gorgeous afternoon in paradise. We're having some laughs, telling some lies and buddy says "jimmy can I interest you in a marguarita?" I say "man that would have gone really good right now" he says to the cooler men in the bow "pass me some ice...pass me the tequila...pass me the mix". He proceeds to pack it into a gas powered blender he scored off eBay. That was the sick engine sound I heard earlier. That was the best darn drink I've ever had (seriously). We proceeded to toast, tell more lies, have some laughs, pass around some joy and enjoy the tunes and the company and the environment of Kikwissi in all her glory. As they untie with intentions of seeking out the rest of our crew to pour them a bit of heaven, he say"jimmy what are you guys fishing for out here, any luck?". I say "we're going for big pickerel or lakers, and no we haven't had any luck yet". Which was fine to buddy and I since we had limited out on enjoying life that day. He says "jimmy, you might have better luck if your lines were in the water". I look at my rod leaning against the Side of the boat to me left...it's 1/4 oz jig had a shriveled up dried out worm dangling about 6" from the water, while our other pole had a jig & power leech barely bobbing in and out of the water. I'm pretty hard core when it comes to my fishing time on the water.....we didn't care about fishing that day. In fact, we didn't care much about anything that day. Well how did that story end? We didn't catch a fish. We finished our mix, finished the last third of the bottle sans mix, told more lies, had more laughs, all until the batteries in the radio went dead. It was 4pm, we were hungry, needed to reload, I needed to visit the thunder box, and we needed to prepare ourselves for that nights fishing in prime time. I ended up heading out that evening with one of the other guys...but that day with buddy I'll never forget...could have been anyone but it was buddy. Man that day was fine....

[NortonJoe]

@Balsams by all means take your son--but be sure he can entertain himself and that he won't get bored in the boat, cabin, etc.  I made some concessions to technology and took some DVD's and a player up for him for in the evenings when we were playing cards.  I also learned how to play Pokémon (he loved beating the snot out of me.)  My son never had a problem entertaining himself and has the patience of Job when fishing.  There were many times when he would beg to "try that spot over there" when I was ready to pack it in.  I am telling you, there is nothing so priceless as seeing his face light up when he gets that hit and the pole bends.  Mine is twenty-one now and busy with school and work but come heck or high water I'll get him back up there!

[Oarin]

    Nice memories NortonJoe and Balsams, and No, Capt. Guy never asked that one. Would have been pretty funny if he had though. NJ is right about your son. I never thought mine would want to spend a week with me in a cabin with no TV or internet. Turns out I was wrong and wasted a lot of memories I could have had with him. He now loves his trips to Kipawa as much as I do. Can't wait for July!!!

[Oarin]

[NortonJoe]

I started going to Lac Watson in June of 1988 with my father-in-law...he passed away in 1989 and his daughter and I are no longer married but I still hold a spot in my heart for that man!  Onto the story...I had just married his daughter about a month earlier and he decided it was time to go to Canada (he said "You might as well get her used to it now!")  So we packed up our things, loaded it all into the back of his full size van and headed north.  We drove through the night and pulled into North Bay about 5:00 a.m., rested a bit, got some breakfast, groceries, beer and licenses and headed back.  As we got further into the bush, I thought "Dear G-d how does he know where he's going?"  We'd come to a turnoff and he say, "I don't think that's it, that tree doesn't look familiar!!!" What tree? They all look alike!  Somehow we managed to make it back and I was hooked!  The first evening, I can remember it so clearly, we went across the lake to "the Big Island."  Ominous clouds were rolling in and the wind was picking up causing waves on the lake; we trolled back and forth with only worms and spinners on...and caught loads of fish.  It was raining to beat heck, we were cold, wet...and having the time of our lives.  That island is now "Johnny's Island"...at least to me.

[Balsams]

Oarin, nice samllie your son caught there...looks to be about 4lb. I think he's working on a sleeman's in the drink holder...nice choice.

[Oarin]

Yeah, one nice bass, one of several nice ones he caught. It is a Sleemans.  I drink Bud light and he wouldn't let me put a Bud can next to his fish to show their size!! I think he's a beer snob!!!!