Fishing reports are written weekly throughout the open fishing season based on Fireside Lodge guests reports of their daily fishing experiences while fishing at Fireside Lodge
Hello from Fireside Lodge
in Northwest Ontario, Canada. This week’s weather brought us some much-needed
rain but too much too fast as it rained 1.5 inches within 8 hours. The rest of
the week was up and down have temperatures anywhere from the 80’s to 59 for
highs.
Long time guests of
Fireside Lodge Tom Crooks from Feasterville, Pa and Chuck Barreras from
Douglassville, PA were back with daughters Maria, Andrianna, & son Stephen.
On day of arrival they wasted no time going out and catching some Northern Pike
& Smallmouth with Andrianna catching her first ever Pike. Second day was
terrific as Chuck landed 35 Northern Pike himself, and the group accounted for
well over 100. Second day was a half-day for Muskie fishing on Closs lake and
half day Smallmouth Bass fishing. Closs produced in the ways of huge Musky
follows, however hooking one proved to be a challenge. They did catch
Smallmouth, a few Pike, and had a fun day on the lake. Third day brought heavy
rain and colder air, which kept the kids from fishing but gave Tom and Chuck
the rare opportunity to fish together. They decided to try for big toothy
critters and after some map discussion were off to carry out there plan. Well,
they had success fishing deeper rock structure areas near weed beds and caught
some bigger Pike. Fourth and final day was going to be a numbers day for a big
finish but the youngsters decided they would rather fish for big fish. Success
was achieved as they went out and caught about 12 bigger Pike, and Chuck and
one on that took him all over the place with a strong run and the head shaking
all the way. Also, Stephen caught some nice Smallmouth Bass. All left with
another set of GREAT family fishing memories.
Guests since 1995 Paul
& Martha Weaver from Princeton, IN returned with their two grandsons James
Paul Cole, & Matthew Whitter. After catching some nice Smallmouth and a few
nice Northern Pike on their day of arrival, their first day was full of
Northern Pike action catching about 30 and Paul came up with a BIG 40.5-inch
Master Anglers Award Pike. Second day was spent catching some nice Smallmouth
and a few Pike. Third day brought very heavy rain and cold front conditions,
which limited time on the water to just a few hours catching a few fish. Fourth
day had them having a blast landing 41 Northern Pike on a very cool 59-degree
day. Fifth and final day was a great finish as they all had a ball catching
over 40 Smallmouth Bass. All went home having another set of memories at
Fireside Lodge & we thank Paul and Martha for choosing Fireside Lodge for
this special time spent with their grandchildren.
The Parkinson Family of
father Mark, and sons Joshua, Travis, & Ryan from West Bend / New Berlin,
WI, Denver, CO and Baltimore, MD were all back at Fireside Lodge to fish as a
result of a great Christmas gift from Mark. First day was a severe rainstorm
and cold front conditions, but four just six hours all managed to catch plenty
of Northern Pike and Smallmouth Bass and each caught some bigger fish. First
two days were good as all caught Northern Pike and some Smallmouth Bass. The
third day was very good catching 20 Smallmouth & over 20 Northern Pike with
Joshua catching the biggest of the day landing a fat 36-inch Pike. Fourth day
had them catching some Smallmouth and 12 Pike. Fifth day was fabulous as they
had all day non-stop action on Northern Pike, catching them all day long. Too
many to count was the consensus. This group I admired as they had fun whatever
they were doing enjoying conversation among themselves and with others and you
could always find them by the sound of laughter. It was very obvious the
relationship between Mark and his sons is a very special one, and they all made
some very special memories to carry throughout their future.
Frank and Linda Tyrrell
from GA. were back to Fireside Lodge for their 7th consecutive year
and on their first day of fishing the fought off the heavy rain, 1.5”, and cold
front to catch a lot of nice size Pike, and Frank just missed a BIG Musky as it
got off right near the boat. These two had a GREAT week catching Northern Pike
with many of them in the 26 to 33-inch range and they said every day was a good
day with a few being great catching days. They ended up landing over 125
Northern Pike during their week stay and on the final day the topped it off
with each catching big 34-inch Pike, and Frank landed a HUGE 41-inch Tiger
Muskie. What a fabulous finish to a terrific fishing trip.
Kent Williams and Bill
Black from Atlanta, GA returned to Fireside Lodge for their seventh time and
the first day was a tough one as heavy rains and cold front conditions cut down
their fishing time but still managed a few fish. Second day they made up for
the first as they caught a lot of Smallmouth Bass and from the discussion at
the dinning room table Kent did better than Bill as he was using a wacky worm
rig and Bill refused to use this method even though Kent offered Bill some of
his plastic worms. Third day they tried to duplicate the 2nd day but
not a chance as the Smallmouth Bass just would not cooperate. Bill was amazed
at the difference in one day to the next while using the same technique in the
same areas. That’s fishing and that’s what keeps all us fishers loving the
sport. Last day was a strong finish as Kent and Bill caught plenty of
Smallmouth Bass and both left as they came with full smiles, and still razzing
each other.
Dick Kile with son Rick
& Charlie, & son-in law Brad Evans and grandson Brandon all from
Schnecksville, PA and Chicago, IL were here to fish and make family memories
together. First day was fabulous despite the cold front and heavy rains as they
ended up catching 45 Smallmouth Bass, several Pike, and highlights of the day
were Brandon catching his first Northern Pike and landing a 17.5-inch Smallmouth,
and Charlie caught two 18-inch Master Anglers Award Smallmouth. WOW!! What a
great day. Second day was FANTASTIC as the group caught 76 Northern Pike and
Brandon came up with the special catch of the day landing a 35” Clear Musky,
which was his first Musky ever. Third and final day was back to Smallmouth
fishing, catching over 30 along with a couple of Pike. For this family group
the fishing was great, fun continuous, and the memories made were unforgettable
and priceless.
Father and son Chuck and
Charles (Skip) Kauffman from Mechanicsburg & East Liberty, OH returned to
Fireside Lodge for their second time. Three days is what they had and they
wasted no time catching 29 Northern Pike on their first. Second day had these
two catching 18 Pike and some Smallmouth, with Chuck catching a Master Anglers
Award Trophy Smallmouth Bass measuring 18-inches. Congratulations to Chuck.
Third and final day (boy 3 days go by fast), they caught many Northern Pike and
Skip had a fishing milestone as he landed his very first Musky. Great going
Skip!! They both left saying they had a terrific stay with us at Fireside Lodge
and took home some fond father and son memories.
Murray Meierhoff and Don
Hilgers from St Louis and Rolla, MO were fishing at Fireside Lodge for their
first time. First day was very short for fishing time as a rainstorm and cold
front created tough fishing conditions. Next day was a good day as they caught
Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike and Murray broke the ice landing the first
Muskie. Bigger Muskie, Northern Pike, & Smallmouth are why Murray and Don
choose Fireside Lodge. They did well throughout their stay catching many Pike
in the over 30” to 35” category and Murray ended up landing three Muskie with
his largest being a fat 38-inches. They also had some good Smallmouth Fishing
with Don landing an 18-inch Master Anglers Award Bass. Both had loads of fun
and expressed they had a great stay with us at Fireside Lodge
The Meyer family
consisting of three fathers and each if their two sons Marty, Jake, &
Jordan / John, Nick, & Mick, / Bob, Jake, & Mitch returned to Fireside
Lodge for their third time in four years. This family was here for a quick
three days of fishing and they filled every minute out on the water. They
caught a lot of fish and had loads of fun taking a break every day to have a
long shore lunch and enjoy the Twin Falls area on Little Vermillion Lake. This
gave the boys the opportunity to investigate what the forest has to offer, swim
by the falls, and cook over an open fire giving them a total outdoor
experience. They also celebrated Mitch’s birthday which was a big event. All
had a lot of fun and made some special memories between fathers, sons, uncles,
and nephews, which were simply priceless. Thanks for choosing Fireside Lodge
for the third time to make some special family memories.
Father & Son David and
Marc McFarland from Pendelton & Muncie, IN returned to Fireside Lodge for
their eighth consecutive year. First day was cut short by heavy rain and a cold
front, but not before David and Marc caught some nice Smallmouth & Northern
Pike. When they came in to dry out Marc said that of the 1.5-inches of rain
that fell 1-inch ended up in his boot. Instead of fighting it they took a long
nap and stayed warm & dry. Second day these two caught 17 Smallmouth Bass
& a 30” Pike. Third day was terrific as they combined for 42 total fish, 33
being Pike & 9 Smallmouth, with Mark catching two big 17.5” Smallies.
Fourth day was 17 Smallmouth, fifth they caught 14 Smallies and 5 Pike, and their
last day was finished with a bang catching a few Smallmouth and 40 Northern
Pike. Both went home Happy & Sad, as another memorable fishing week came to
an end, but they can already look forward to their return in 2011 as they made
their reservations with us before leaving.
Ryan & Lisa Matthews
from Winnipeg, Manitoba were at Fireside Lodge for their first time to enjoy
their 10th anniversary. Enjoy is an understatement as Ryan and Lisa had a
FABULOUS time staying with us at Fireside Lodge not only catching fish but
taking in the whole package of wilderness, scenery, wildlife viewing and
everything else a natural setting in the boreal forest wilderness provides.
After having a bunch of nice size Pike following their lures they came to my
tackle shop for advise on how to turn these follows into catches. After a good
discussion on how fish attack other fish and presentation of different lures
they purchased some Blue Fox Spinners and X-Raps, then they were on their way
to apply their skills. Well, when they returned with big smiles on their faces
I knew the results would be positive and they were as they caught a bunch of
Pike having loads of fun doing so. Another success was their discovery of how
to fish with leeches and how much Smallmouth love them. After some instruction
and again the application of their skills, Ryan and Lisa had a ball catching
these ever fighting bronze backs. These two were having so much fun that they
decided to skip the traditional Canada Day, (July 1st) fireworks in
Sioux Lookout to enjoy the wonderful natural sounds and scenery from their
cabin deck as the fire flies gave them a very quiet and peaceful light show for
this special Canadian Holiday. We thank Ryan & Lisa for choosing Fireside
Lodge to enjoy their special milestone of marriage.
Make sure to go to our website listed below to see the 2010 Photos
For Fabulous Video, Wildlife Events, and Current Happenings go to our
Social Sites Below.
Hot Lures: Blue Fox
Spinner, Live Leeches, Berkley Power Baits, Senko Wacky Worm Style, Tube Jigs,
Mepps Spinners, Dardevle Spoons, Minnow Stick Baits.
Catches of The Week: 5-
Master Anglers Smallmouth Bass between 18 to 19-inches, 38-inch Muskie,
40.5-inch Northern Pike
Well,
that's it for this weeks Fireside Lodge Fishing News Report, Please stay tuned
for next weeks report. Until then "Keep On Fish'n" Alan
catching her first ever Pike. Second day was
terrific as Chuck landed 35 Northern Pike himself, and the group accounted for
well over 100. Second day was a half-day for Muskie fishing on Closs lake and
half day Smallmouth Bass fishing. Closs produced in the ways of huge Musky
follows, however hooking one proved to be a challenge. They did catch
Smallmouth, a few Pike, and had a fun day on the lake. Third day brought heavy
rain and colder air, which kept the kids from fishing but gave Tom and Chuck
the rare opportunity to fish together. They decided to try for big toothy
critters and after some map discussion were off to carry out there plan. Well,
they had success fishing deeper rock structure areas near weed beds and caught
some bigger Pike. Fourth and final day was going to be a numbers day for a big
finish but the youngsters decided they would rather fish for big fish. Success
was achieved as they went out and caught about 12 bigger Pike, and Chuck and
one on that took him all over the place with a strong run and the head shaking
all the way. Also, Stephen caught some nice Smallmouth Bass. All left with
another set of GREAT family fishing memories.
arrival, their first day was full of
Northern Pike action catching about 30 and Paul came up with a BIG 40.5-inch
Master Anglers Award Pike. Second day was spent catching some nice Smallmouth
and a few Pike. Third day brought very heavy rain and cold front conditions,
which limited time on the water to just a few hours catching a few fish. Fourth
day had them having a blast landing 41 Northern Pike on a very cool 59-degree
day. Fifth and final day was a great finish as they all had a ball catching
over 40 Smallmouth Bass. All went home having another set of memories at
Fireside Lodge & we thank Paul and Martha for choosing Fireside Lodge for
this special time spent with their grandchildren.
Mark. First day was a severe rainstorm
and cold front conditions, but four just six hours all managed to catch plenty
of Northern Pike and Smallmouth Bass and each caught some bigger fish. First
two days were good as all caught Northern Pike and some Smallmouth Bass. The
third day was very good catching 20 Smallmouth & over 20 Northern Pike with
Joshua catching the biggest of the day landing a fat 36-inch Pike. Fourth day
had them catching some Smallmouth and 12 Pike. Fifth day was fabulous as they
had all day non-stop action on Northern Pike, catching them all day long. Too
many to count was the consensus. This group I admired as they had fun whatever
they were doing enjoying conversation among themselves and with others and you
could always find them by the sound of laughter. It was very obvious the
relationship between Mark and his sons is a very special one, and they all made
some very special memories to carry throughout their future.
GREAT week catching Northern Pike
with many of them in the 26 to 33-inch range and they said every day was a good
day with a few being great catching days. They ended up landing over 125
Northern Pike during their week stay and on the final day the topped it off
with each catching big 34-inch Pike, and Frank landed a HUGE 41-inch Tiger
Muskie. What a fabulous finish to a terrific fishing trip. 
heavy rains and cold front conditions cut down
their fishing time but still managed a few fish. Second day they made up for
the first as they caught a lot of Smallmouth Bass and from the discussion at
the dinning room table Kent did better than Bill as he was using a wacky worm
rig and Bill refused to use this method even though Kent offered Bill some of
his plastic worms. Third day they tried to duplicate the 2nd day but
not a chance as the Smallmouth Bass just would not cooperate. Bill was amazed
at the difference in one day to the next while using the same technique in the
same areas. That’s fishing and that’s what keeps all us fishers loving the
sport. Last day was a strong finish as Kent and Bill caught plenty of
Smallmouth Bass and both left as they came with full smiles, and still razzing
each other. 
several Pike, and highlights of the day
were Brandon catching his first Northern Pike and landing a 17.5-inch Smallmouth,
and Charlie caught two 18-inch Master Anglers Award Smallmouth. WOW!! What a
great day. Second day was FANTASTIC as the group caught 76 Northern Pike and
Brandon came up with the special catch of the day landing a 35” Clear Musky,
which was his first Musky ever. Third and final day was back to Smallmouth
fishing, catching over 30 along with a couple of Pike. For this family group
the fishing was great, fun continuous, and the memories made were unforgettable
and priceless. 
