Recently we published Mike Borger’s 2010 report to Eddie North’s Attawapiskat River Adventures. Here is Part 4 of his 2009 report that he took in September. The pictures of big fish still abound but they are also accompanied by more narrative about the details than last time. We again have divided the trip report into multiple sections. Make sure to check out each of them.
Here’s Mike…
The next morning dawned clear and cool with a bit of a nip in the air.
With the summer like conditions we quickly stumbled onto a pattern. Daytime water temps were still pushing the high 60′s, a bit too warm for big shallow water pike. There was however a brief window each morning where we’d catch them shallow. The temps would generally drop to the low 60′s overnight and for the first couple of hours we’d find the big gators in the shallow back end of the bays. Early on the second morning found Jason and I in just such a spot. With a small creek filtering in one corner, submerged cabbage and scattered pads it was just about perfect.
Rolling a large bucktail across the top of the weeds I scored first:
What was amazing to me was the ferocity of these fish. While we weren’t sight fishing for them you’d see the fish as they chased our lures back to the boat. The amount of water they moved as they swiped at your bait was heart stopping. You’d see a wake behind your lure followed by a bathtub sized swirl before the fish attacked. It honestly does not get any better than that!
Shortly after landing the pike we heard a commotion in the back corner of the bay: A huge woodland caribou had chosen that moment to make an appearance. Ellusive nomads at the best of times in that region, it was a remarkable sight.
The second part of the pike puzzle was straight from the textbook. With the temps quickly rising in the unrelenting heat we found the larger pike at the mouths of the bays. Especially the bays that were adjacent to the main river channel. Find a deep weed edge at the mouth of a bay with deep water close by and you found the pike. The amount of fishable water in the lake itself then both upstream and downstream is unbelievable. We covered a ton of water that day, traversing a few rapids and in between catching a decent mix of both pike and walleye.
Later that day we drifted into another bay way upstream and were graced by the prescence of a bald eagle who stopped to pose for us. He had a hungry look in his eye and I honestly believe he was watching us waiting for a fish.
Once again Doug and his dad hit a few that day as well. Talking constantly about finding one of those legendary walleye honey holes, one of those “Cronzy-like” spots where you catch ‘em hand over fist, they finally found their grail. A prominent mid lake shoal within sight of the camp held the load. Even in the lake itself there was visible current and parked behind the point with a current seam in front of them they laid a beatin’ on ‘em!
‘Course in between they played with a few big esox as well.
I’ve travelled all over the north and never have I seen an area so rich in wildlife and fish. It truly is a special place and a land of plenty. Once again the sun set on yet another perfect day in paradise.
Part 1 – Introdcution
Part 2 – A Flight Down Memory Lane
Part 3 – Getting Our Feet Wet
Part 4 – A Land of Plenty
Part 5 – Gluttonous Cannibals and a Trip Upstream
Part 6 – Wolves, Moose, Bears and Giant Pike
Part 7 – Intensity Rewarded
Part 8 – Plane Late? Not A Problem
