Fishing Trip

[Mike Oxlong]

So a few weeks ago my brother, my buddy (Goinalltheway from the board) and myself went up to Cornwall lake on this 6 day fishing trip. What a blast!!

Cornwall Lake is WAY up in Northern Alberta and is owned by Northern Sport Fishing. If anyone likes fishing/camping then I highly recomend this trip.

Basically you get to Fort McMurray and they fly you from there in a float plane up to one of 10 different lakes they have cabins on. The flight for us was another 1.5 hours further north.

Each lake only has one cabin on it and you are the only people on the lake for your stay. The cabins are quite rustic, but they provide you with boats, gas, propane etc.... you just bring food, beer, anything you want to smoke, and supplies for 5 or 6 days.

Talk about seclusion! You are the only people around for MILES! It is a little intimidating at first. Basically they drop you off at the cabin and then say we will see you in 5 days. Once you get used to the idea that there is NOBODY around anywhere the trip is great. Complete peace and quiet, perfect stress free relaxin trip.

Fishing is great as well. We caught about 220 fish the whole time we were there and one monster. Have a look at the pic. Sorry about the size.

[Cheese]

wow...Big fish....would feed my family!

Looks damned cold up thar in them thar hills! I prefer heat and watching women in string bikinis!

[Frank the Tank]

I think its a Pike. And yes, they're edible. That is one momo of a fish!!

[Mike Oxlong]

Yep. It was a Pike.
You can eat them but they have tons of Bones so you have to be quite experienced filleting them. That guy went back in the lake to swim another day. A fish that size is likely 20+ years old. Plus when they get that big they aren't that tasty. The meat gets too tough.

It was chilly up there this year. Last year we went up and it was mid 20's the whole time. This year I had about 8 layers of clothes on.

[4X4]

I love how this board allows one post to be big, but the rest of the posts are back to normal size.


That is the biggest pike I've ever seen. I'm not a pike guy, and not just because of the bones. It just isn't my taste. Were there trout in that lake? Mmmm, trout...

So out of the ~220 fish you caught, how many made their way into your freezer? Sounds to me like you could have recouped the cost of the trip, in fish.

One more question, did they leave you a CB radio or anything else in case of emergency? I doubt I'd get clearance from the woman to go on a trip like that, without some kind of satellite phone or radio. Morse tapper... Morse lamp?

[Mike Oxlong]

Actually we only kept one fish to eat out there. And Yes it was a Lake Trout. There were plenty of them as well, although I seemed to have a tough time catching them. Some of the Lake Trout the other guys caught were a pretty good size as well.

They do leave you a satellite phone that is supposed to be used only in case of Emergency. One night we ended up getting fairly polluted so we decided to call my girlfriend to ask her who had won the Draft lottery. Still waiting to see how much that is going to cost us. She thought I was calling to tell her how much I missed her, she wasn't as happy to talk to me when I started asking about hockey.

Problem is if you are in need of medical attention it is 1.5 hours for the guy to get to you and 1.5 hours to get you back to Fort Mac, so you have to be a bit careful.

[cheung31]

holy crap that thing is HUGE!!

[jam26]

That's my idea of a nice vacation. If you don't mind me asking, what was the cost?

[HelloHockeyFans]

Holy CRAP! Nice catch buddy!

I freaking LOVE seafood, and I LOVE lying there on a boat with good friends waiting for a bite.

Good stuff man. Looks like you had a blast.

[Mike Oxlong]

Originally posted by jam26@Aug 8 2005, 08:52 PM
That's my idea of a nice vacation. If you don't mind me asking, what was the cost?

Me as well. That trip is an absolute Blast. If you like fishing and relaxin then I can't even describe how good that trip is.

Cost varies on what time of year you go. In peak season it is $950 I believe and non peak season (when we went) is about $800. Basically that only gets you a flight in and out of the lake with the cabin and boats. You have to buy beer, food etc... so it ends up costing a bit more. Bring LOTS of beer, we ran out the second last day. No liquor stores up there to make a run to.

www.northernsportfishing.com is the website. Check it out for more details.
(I hope I am allowed to post a link)

[4X4]

I know that fish tend to look the same, but the pike on the front page of that site looks somewhat familiar...

[Mike Oxlong]

Originally posted by 4X4@Aug 8 2005, 09:05 PM
I know that fish tend to look the same, but the pike on the front page of that site looks somewhat familiar...

Except mine is bigger..... :P

I sent my pic to the guy who runs the place. I hope I make the brochures or at least the website!

[Clarkey]

Wow big fish there!

I'm more into the moutain river/stream fly fishing but that's got to be a rush having a big ol' slough shark on your line like that.

Good stuff thanks for sharing.

[dustygoon]

Who here calls that a jack fish (nickname for Northern Pike)? We used to catch jack and use the belly for bait to catch pickerel in Flin Flon.

[peter12]

Originally posted by Mike Oxlong+Aug 8 2005, 03:09 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Mike Oxlong @ Aug 8 2005, 03:09 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-4X4@Aug 8 2005, 09:05 PM
I know that fish tend to look the same, but the pike on the front page of that site looks somewhat familiar...

Except mine is bigger..... :P

I sent my pic to the guy who runs the place. I hope I make the brochures or at least the website! [/b][/quote]
How were the mosquitos up there?

[Clarkey]

Jack fish/norther pike same thing. I call them Jack fish.

[Mike Oxlong]

Originally posted by peter12+Aug 8 2005, 09:54 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (peter12 @ Aug 8 2005, 09:54 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>

Except mine is bigger..... :P

I sent my pic to the guy who runs the place. I hope I make the brochures or at least the website!

How were the mosquitos up there? [/b][/quote]
Actually this year they were fine. I am guessing because it was so windy and chilly. I think I only put on bug spray once. Last year when it was hot they were brutal. Not only mosquitos but huge Horse flys that would take a big chunk out of your leg.

[Inferno]

Originally posted by dustygoon@Aug 8 2005, 04:51 PM
Who here calls that a jack fish (nickname for Northern Pike)? We used to catch jack and use the belly for bait to catch pickerel in Flin Flon.

I do. But seeing as I'm only about an hour and a half south of Flin Flon that isnt surprising.

[Displaced Flames fan]

What was your method for fishing for Lake Trout? It's my experience that Mackinaw (lake trout) feed on the bottom and the best luck I've had is with a big chunk of whitefish on a white jig. Let it go to the bottom and then just raise it up and down a few inches every couple of seconds.

I've never been pike fishing but I know they get huge up there. Looks like a blast, something I'd love to do with my Dad and my son!

[snappyk]

How much did that thing weigh? Nice catch.