Hey FishermanTed - just watched In-Fisherman fishing Hawk Lake - those were more bruiser walleyes! What a great place you have there!

Hey there.

I was wondering about all the emails this morning and then I realized one of their shows was in a re-run.

Glad you liked it. Always fun to fish with those guys. We have just created a brand new Lindner TV show called something like 'The Ontario Experience'. Starting this summer they will be highlighting lodges in Ontario, hunting and fishing. So I will get to see them again, this time in August.

I will be heading up to the lodge in 3 weeks and with the early ice out can't wait to find my 35.

-FT

Good luck on finding your 35 incher! It sounds crazy, but I know they are in there.

Ted, didn't you say that someone lost a probable 40-incher on your lake right beside the boat?

You have a good memory. Yes it was bigger than the 37 inch fish caught on Hawk.

We have seen fish close to that size. Just a matter of time until we get one in the net.

I shake my head when I see numbers like those, just unreal.

quote FishermanTed: "You have a good memory. Yes it was bigger than the 37 inch fish caught on Hawk.

We have seen fish close to that size. Just a matter of time until we get one in the net."

You've seen so many big walleyes that when you say you saw a ginormous fish, there is thunder in your words.

Yeah I am pretty jaded when it comes to big fish. A 30 is just not a big deal. I only begin to get interested when we are above 32 inches which ironically starts to get in world record territory (line class).

I don't even record a fish for our numbers unless its 28 inches or larger.

Going to suck when I sell the lodge. I won't be able to fish anywhere else....

-FT

i heard dogtooth lake is also very good for monster walleyes ,

Yes they have some but very few as there is tremendous fishing pressure on that lake. Kilvert also has some nice fish.

I heard there was good walleye fishing all through the Rushing River system. But Hawk Lake seems to stand above them all.

yes good fishing in the area for sure. Hawk stands out for several reasons. The most important one being that there is no public access. You want to fish Hawk you buy a house on the lake (which never sell and have been passed down for generations) or come through the lodge. Otherwise you cant back up your boat and fish. Portage through (from many miles away) maybe. So that helps tremendously.

Secondly when I bought 9 years ago I immediately went to 100% catch and release. I saw the trophy fishery and the fragile walleye population and knew we had something special.

Then add the fact the lake is over 400 feet deep (which is unheard of) with a great forage population (whitefish and cisco which can get huge) and you have a fishery that if properly managed is going to pump out some very big fish.

-FT

What's the biggest Laker you heard of coming out of Hawk Lake? What's the biggest you have seen out of the lake?

quote : "yes good fishing in the area for sure. Hawk stands out for several reasons. The most important one being that there is no public access. You want to fish Hawk you buy a house on the lake (which never sell and have been passed down for generations) or come through the lodge. Otherwise you cant back up your boat and fish. Portage through (from many miles away) maybe. So that helps tremendously.


Secondly when I bought 9 years ago I immediately went to 100% catch and release. I saw the trophy fishery and the fragile walleye population and knew we had something special.


Then add the fact the lake is over 400 feet deep (which is unheard of) with a great forage population (whitefish and cisco which can get huge) and you have a fishery that if properly managed is going to pump out some very big fish.


-FT"

100% catch and release is the key. As my dad aged, he just couldn't paddle and portage anymore, so we flew into lodges and cabins. Because fish were removed from them every week, they just couldn't compete with the remote lakes were fish weren't being caught and kept. If I can get my flyfishing up to snuff, I'd like to do a story about Hawk Lake Lodge for Gray's Sporting Journal. I just sold them an essay and have written for them in the past too.

quote missmolly: "

quote : "yes good fishing in the area for sure. Hawk stands out for several reasons. The most important one being that there is no public access. You want to fish Hawk you buy a house on the lake (which never sell and have been passed down for generations) or come through the lodge. Otherwise you cant back up your boat and fish. Portage through (from many miles away) maybe. So that helps tremendously.



Secondly when I bought 9 years ago I immediately went to 100% catch and release. I saw the trophy fishery and the fragile walleye population and knew we had something special.



Then add the fact the lake is over 400 feet deep (which is unheard of) with a great forage population (whitefish and cisco which can get huge) and you have a fishery that if properly managed is going to pump out some very big fish.



-FT"

100% catch and release is the key. As my dad aged, he just couldn't paddle and portage anymore, so we flew into lodges and cabins. Because fish were removed from them every week, they just couldn't compete with the remote lakes were fish weren't being caught and kept. If I can get my flyfishing up to snuff, I'd like to do a story about Hawk Lake Lodge for Gray's Sporting Journal. I just sold them an essay and have written for them in the past too. "

Let me know if you need any help with that article..... :-)

I have heard of some big fish 40+ pounds. I have seen maybe 10-12 pound fish. We don't target them at all.

When are you coming up?

quote missmolly: "

quote FishermanTed: "You have a good memory. Yes it was bigger than the 37 inch fish caught on Hawk.

We have seen fish close to that size. Just a matter of time until we get one in the net."

You've seen so many big walleyes that when you say you saw a ginormous fish, there is thunder in your words. "

Exactly !!!

quote FishermanTed: "I have heard of some big fish 40+ pounds. I have seen maybe 10-12 pound fish. We don't target them at all. "

I just figured there had to be some big lake trout in that lake with how old and deep it is.

quote FishermanTed: "When are you coming up?"

I'll contact you by email when I return from book tour, Ted.

I will be visiting the lodge the first week of June for the first time in a group of 4 guys. Really looking forward to it!

quote jeroldharter: "I will be visiting the lodge the first week of June for the first time in a group of 4 guys. Really looking forward to it!"

Lucky dog, that would be so awesome! Good for you, you must be living right ;-)

Don't forget the Shadzillas! Bring some extras.......... you can double your money selling them to your pals.

quote mastertangler: "

quote jeroldharter: "I will be visiting the lodge the first week of June for the first time in a group of 4 guys. Really looking forward to it!"

Lucky dog, that would be so awesome! Good for you, you must be living right ;-)

Don't forget the Shadzillas! Bring some extras.......... you can double your money selling them to your pals.

"

I am lucky but still working on living right!

No Shadzillas for me - we fly fish only. Anybody have any secrets from Hawk Lake fly fishing to pass on then I am all ears!

I just looked up the Shadzilla - those things are huge. I assume you were using them for pike at Hawk Lake Lodge? I was under the impression that they don't have muskies in any of their lakes - correct?

I was also under the impression that smallmouth and walleye were the primary species. Do they have good pike fishing too? We love catching pike on fly rods but would take some additional gear if purposely targeting them.

In June you certainly will get into some pike. Can be some great pike fishing for sure.

-FT

Fly fish only? Egads! Whats up with that? Thats fine if you live in say Montana.

I suppose you can put up some pictures of the dining hall and what was for breakfast (which I bet is awesome).

The Shadzillas aren't big at all.......only about 8" and 6oz........thats just an appetizer before the main meal for a 20lb pike. I was catching lots of 20" (as in inch) pike on them in Woodland Caribou...............I'm thinking it would take a 20 weight fly rod to cast those (or maybe you just throw them out by hand, sort of like tossing a hand grenade, and then strip them in LOL)

quote jeroldharter: "I will be visiting the lodge the first week of June for the first time in a group of 4 guys. Really looking forward to it!"

Good luck on your trip, let us know how it goes!

Jerold
I was sitting in my hot tub tonight and thinking of Hawk Lake lodge and how much of a bummer its going to be to just have fly fishing equipment. There, I said it.

If you have the bucks to go there you have the bucks to pick up some Shadzillas. After you get tired of fly casting hand your guides a Shadzilla. They will know what to do with them and they will have the right equipment for you. Might as well catch the pike of your life while your there. You can thank me later.

I'm begrudgingly listening. What rod/reel do you use to heave the depth charge?

quote jeroldharter: "I'm begrudgingly listening. What rod/reel do you use to heave the depth charge?


"

First off don't take my word for anything Jerold. Look into it......plenty on the web at just how successful these have been and not only on Muskie but pike as well. These have spawned (pun intended) lots of "knock-off" type imitations as well because guys are catching big fish with them. I became aware of them via the web but I was super surprised to see the Sabourin Lake fishing guides (Woodland Caribou Provincial Park > Sabourin Lake Lodge) have them hanging on their rods. "troll them in 20ft for big pike" was their advice. The other thing they asked me was "do you have any in black" and "how many did you bring"?

These are not so fun to cast except with very specialized gear........but you can troll them with a bass flipping stick and a bait caster like a Curado. I would highly suspect that if you don't have the right outfit that the guides will have everything you would need to fish these but I would ask just to be sure. I have some heavy Fluorocarbon muskie leaders which I am not going to use and if you but give the word I will send them to you.

I would take a minimum of 4 of them and would certainly have some super glue in order to repair them. They are hollow plastic and the pike will tear them up. After each fish observe them in the water under power and make sure they are swimming straight as the internal wire harness can get bent. You will double their lives with just some super glue. Just trust me........after a few days of fly casting it will be nice to lean back and troll a weed edge and see what happens. Moving a 20lb pike wouldn't surprise anyone and just maybe even that 35" walleye that Ted is looking for.

I appreciate the advice. I'll think about it. My flyfishing friends might hide the whiskey on me though.

quote jeroldharter: "I appreciate the advice. I'll think about it. My flyfishing friends might hide the whiskey on me though."

Don't tell them........just pull the lures out at the appropriate time......."hey guys, what do you think about trying these"?

I'm sure Ted will put you on some good fish. From what I have seen on TV, there are some monster walleye in there waiting for you.

Absolutely. I'll put you on some fish no worries!

On a different note Al Lindner himself just confirmed he will be coming up this summer to film a new TV show. He is essentially retired from travelling and filming so this will be a rare opportunity to see him in action. Should be a ton of fun. He is a hoot at happy hour and is truly a very sincere guy.

-FT

I was reading about Hawk Lake and pulled it up on Caltopo to see where it was. It appears to me if a canoeist were to go up the Etheima road to Ethiema then travel NW in about 7 miles and 1700 feet of portageing a person could be in Hawk Lake in a short 1/2 day. 3 maybe 4 portages but nothing long and one short bushwack. FRED