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Thunder Bay Chronicles
Day
2: The
Core Group Hunts Trophies
By Noel Vick
Rise
and shine.
It
takes tremendous effort to mobilize six or eight anglers and all
their gear. It takes
even more effort, as well as crafting and detail, to transport a
dozen or more. So this
day’s “dry run” was essential.
 In
advance of ON ICE TOUR’S arrival, Gord Ellis sampled several
waters and learned of others. He
knew the whereabouts of shallow, but large walleyes, numbers of
lakers, big whitefish, and a sleeper shield lake, which could
potentially yield a “photo fish”.
That’s where we set our sights.
It
always amazes me what lies beneath one’s nose.
This lake, conspicuously close to town, one that will remain
nameless – dare I risk disappearing Soprano-like – reminded me
of classic quasi-cabin lined northern Minnesota water, aside from
one glaring exception. No
matter where you stood on shore, the lake lied below, way below.
100-foot
plus cliffs and crags gave way to 100-foot depths, and all in the
blink of an eye. This
is country where trees cling to rock and so do cottages.
Lichen thrives and nobody’s ever heard of a mud flat.
On
this morning, our group ripened to eight with the addition of a trio
and their famous cameras.
If
you’ve perused a copy of In-Fisherman or North American Fisherman,
you’ve seen his work. Some
call him the “non-fishing Lindner”.
I’m fortunate to able to call him Billy.
Bill Lindner, the renowned wildlife photographer, arrived in
Thunder Bay with his good friend Paul Dechnaine, a descendant of
Canadian fur traders, and Mike Hehner, Bill’s stock photography
manager and perennial expedition companion.
Mike
is to Bill what Watson was to Edison.
With
sleds firing on all cylinders and chains of Fish Traps in tow, ON
ICE TOUR fired its opening volley.
I
quickly took notice of Gord’s ho-hum, banana-looking snow machine
– you always refer to a Canadian’s snowmobile as a snow machine. I was ready to bust out a carbon dating kit to determine its
age when a crow flew directly into my mouth.
Gord and his sled zoomed along while our shorter-tracked,
American machines blew slush faster than a 7-Eleven Slurpee machine.
Hail
the Ski-Doo Tundra and its bicycle handle bars!
The
abyss in which we fished absorbed the sun’s heat while sheltering
us from wind. The net
result was an afternoon where sweaters replaced jackets and Fish
Traps were used like park benches.
Gord’s
spot was a hard and modestly tapering 90 to 120-foot deep section
that stemmed from a crisp shoreline break.
Lake trout, some pushing into the 30’s, swam these waters. Legitimate 20’s had been hooked earlier this winter.
Bro
and I, with unbridled energy, snatched a couple of Lazer Mags and
launched an auguring-assault. We
punched wide rings of holes that covered every imaginable depth.
After
catching his breath, Bro deployed Finicky’s Fish Factories –
remote setlines rigged with both live Pearl Ellis’ and deceased
herring.
Jiggers,
take your arms! The
crew fanned-out and hole hopped.
Some attacked with Genz series baitcast rods and Abu Garcia
reels, while others, favoring more Americanized tools, carried
spinning gear by the same names.
We
offered traditional fare as well as cutting edge presentations.
Classic Northland Air-Plane Jigs and System Tackle Flyers saw
time, so did Berkley Power Tubes and Northland Buck-Shot Rattle
Spoons.
Time
passed unknown to us. Conversation
and laughter filled the gorge.
The only thing better than this would be a solid hook-up.
“Fish
on!”
Bro’s
rod formed a “U” and his hands were held high.
Like kids summoned by the ice cream man, we dropped
everything in place to rally around Bro.
“Zzzzz”
whined his drag. Reel,
reel, reel. Another
run. “Zzzz”. On
about the third drag-screaming-run Tommy took notice of Bro’s
equipment.
“He’s
using panfish stuff...”
Bro,
the pied piper of bluegills, abandoned conventional laker gear in
favor of an ultralight reel and 4-pound test Micro Ice.
And we later learned that he even modified the long sweeps
associated with laker jigging and into subtler jiggles and
pounds…crazy American.
That
crazy American eventually iced a four-pound laker. Not much, but it was a precursor of lakers to come.
If
catching trophy lakers were easy they wouldn’t be legend.
The
paparazzi, which had congregated around Bro, rewound film and
gathered their belongings. Hunger
was setting in as the sun settled down.
Time to head back to camp.
Bill’s
gang remained in hopes of plucking a photogenic walleye off a nearby
hump. The sky was clear
and solunar tables promised a full moon.
Bill lives for this stuff.
Dinner
was served at The Neebing Road House, which sets in walking distance
from the hotel. Cold
beverages and hearty exchanges ensued, and not long after,
drowsiness fostered by a long day on the ice.
If
you ever run into Tommy at a show or seminar, ask him who serves the
world’s largest plate of nachos.
More
cast members and more fish tomorrow – a lot more fish.
Webmaster’s
notes:
Noel Vick is a freelance outdoor writer and member of ON ICE TOUR. meadowlark@uswest.net
Special
thanks to:
-
Bill
Lindner Photography (651) 487-0586, www.blpstudio.com
-
The Best Western Nor’Wester
Resort Hotel, located on Highway 61 in Thunder Bay, Ont.
They can be reached at 1-888-473-BEST (2378) or www.norwester.net
-
Ontario’s Ministry of Natural Resources Great Lakes Heritage Coast
Project
(807) 475-1274, www.mnr.gov.on.ca and www.ontarioslivinglegacy.com
-
Sleeping Giant Taxidermy & Bait
(807) 622-9989
-
Old
Fort William
(807) 473-2344, www.oldfortwilliam.on.ca/homepage.html
-
CANUSA
Travel Information Network (807)
475-3035, www.gottagonorth.com
-
The
Neebing Road House
(restaurant & tavern) on Highway 61, across from the Best
Western
-
Nor’Wester Resort Hotel (807) 475-0792
-
Airlane
Catering
(Travel Lodge) (807)
473-1607
-
Wisk-Air
(helicopter service) (807)
475-4510
Tight Lines,
Noel
Vick
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