It was the kind of day when it was great to be outside anywhere, but on the water it was even better. Just enough breeze to keep the blackflies at bay, for most of the time at least. As they say, fish are a bonus---it was a bonus day.
My guide, MK, and I motored up the hwy past Lake X and Lake Y all the way to X prime! It was 10 Am by the time we pushed off in the canoe even though it started of as a fairly early morning. Hardly a ripple on the lake. With the water being cold we didn't want to have any big waves to contend with. After a few desultory casts in shallow water near a rocky point that produced nothing except a snag or two, we paddled to a spot where my guide takes his 'preferred clients' ---a rock face at the shoreline with a steep drop-off into 20 ft or so of water---and put us unto some fish. A troll past the rock face first produced a couple of nibbles. The return pass produced a solid hook-up and a landed fish. Several more passes resulted in a number or bumps and nibbles and one more fish.
After a few more 'empty' passes we headed up the lake, trolling most of the way. No hits and very few fish marked. Did a slow troll along the shoreline and came back around 2-3 PM to have 1 more crack at the spot where there were fish earlier. We marked a few but no hits. We then headed for the take-out where the blackflies awaited in copious quantities.
A small Mepps with 'firetiger' colours did the trick.
The mayfly hatch has begun, so it looks like they will have their bellies full soon.
A great day--so quiet. The only people we saw were in what looked to be an MNR chopper, probably stocking the lake.
Great day on the water
