An introductory trip for Dad
by Mad_Angler
Trip Type:
Paddling Canoe
Entry Date:
05/21/2009
Entry & Exit Point:
Saganaga Lake (EP 55)
Number of Days:
5
Group Size:
2
Discuss Trip:
View Discussion Thread (11 messages)
Day 3 of 5
Saturday, May 23, 2009 ((Day trip to Jasper Lake)
We woke up around 7am and had pancakes and thick bacon for breakfast. It was very good. I think this is one of my favorite BW breakfasts.
We packed some basic gear and headed towards Alpine Lake. The portage from Red Rock to Alpine was my dad’s first portage. It was good introduction: not too long, not too short; not too hard, not too easy.
Our goal was to paddle straight through to Jasper. One of my goals for the trip was to catch a lake trout. I was told that Jasper had good lake trout. We were just passing through Alpine on our way to the lake trout. I tossed out a blue Rapala Taildancer (size 9) and we started to paddle across Alpine.
As we passed the first campsite (Kip’s site), I caught a small northern. It was my first fish of the trip and I was pretty happy. Izzy told me that the site had good fishing…
As we passed the next point south, my taildancer started hitting bottom occasionally and I caught a nice smallmouth.
Then as we passed the next point south, my rod bent back again. The fish fought hard but also fought differently than the pike and smallie. It was sorta sluggish but heavy. Once it got near the boat, it started spinning and trying to dive to the bottom. I landed the fish. It was a very nice 25” lake trout; my very first lake trout ever. But, I expected to catch more lake trout later so I didn’t really look him over very closely. Also since my camera was still wet, I wasn’t able to get a picture of it. I let it go.
We started paddling again, as we passed the next point south, my dad gets a fish on. He fights it for a while and eventually brings a nice pike to the boat. We look him over for a bit and then let him go. We were still itching to get to Jasper where the “good fishing” was supposed to start…
We reached the portage to Jasper and had lunch of cheese and sausage at the falls. It was nice.
We finally reached Jasper. But now, the sun was shining brightly. Up until now, it was cloudy and breezy. Jasper is a pretty lake but was burned very hard by the fire. I’m not sure I would want to camp on Jasper for more than a night or two.
We paddled nearly the entire perimeter of Jasper. I had my depth finder with us. I tried 5-10 foot, 10-15 foot, and 15-20 foot trolls. We did not get a single strike. We decided to head back to Alpine.
At Alpine, we fished below the rapids. I expected great action. We did not catch anything.
We trolled back across Alpine. I caught a perfect 21” northern for dinner near Jasper. My dad caught a smallie.
We portaged to Red Rock and got back to camp and had a cold beer. The 6 pack of beer was easily worth its weight.
We cooked up the fish. It was great. Fresh fried fish in the BW are really one of the best parts of the trip. Next time though, I’ll try to fillet out the y-bones.
I had a nice cigar and we relaxed around the camp fire. It was another good day…
We woke up around 7am and had pancakes and thick bacon for breakfast. It was very good. I think this is one of my favorite BW breakfasts.
We packed some basic gear and headed towards Alpine Lake. The portage from Red Rock to Alpine was my dad’s first portage. It was good introduction: not too long, not too short; not too hard, not too easy.
Our goal was to paddle straight through to Jasper. One of my goals for the trip was to catch a lake trout. I was told that Jasper had good lake trout. We were just passing through Alpine on our way to the lake trout. I tossed out a blue Rapala Taildancer (size 9) and we started to paddle across Alpine.
As we passed the first campsite (Kip’s site), I caught a small northern. It was my first fish of the trip and I was pretty happy. Izzy told me that the site had good fishing…
As we passed the next point south, my taildancer started hitting bottom occasionally and I caught a nice smallmouth.
Then as we passed the next point south, my rod bent back again. The fish fought hard but also fought differently than the pike and smallie. It was sorta sluggish but heavy. Once it got near the boat, it started spinning and trying to dive to the bottom. I landed the fish. It was a very nice 25” lake trout; my very first lake trout ever. But, I expected to catch more lake trout later so I didn’t really look him over very closely. Also since my camera was still wet, I wasn’t able to get a picture of it. I let it go.
We started paddling again, as we passed the next point south, my dad gets a fish on. He fights it for a while and eventually brings a nice pike to the boat. We look him over for a bit and then let him go. We were still itching to get to Jasper where the “good fishing” was supposed to start…
We reached the portage to Jasper and had lunch of cheese and sausage at the falls. It was nice.
We finally reached Jasper. But now, the sun was shining brightly. Up until now, it was cloudy and breezy. Jasper is a pretty lake but was burned very hard by the fire. I’m not sure I would want to camp on Jasper for more than a night or two.
We paddled nearly the entire perimeter of Jasper. I had my depth finder with us. I tried 5-10 foot, 10-15 foot, and 15-20 foot trolls. We did not get a single strike. We decided to head back to Alpine.
At Alpine, we fished below the rapids. I expected great action. We did not catch anything.
We trolled back across Alpine. I caught a perfect 21” northern for dinner near Jasper. My dad caught a smallie.
We portaged to Red Rock and got back to camp and had a cold beer. The 6 pack of beer was easily worth its weight.
We cooked up the fish. It was great. Fresh fried fish in the BW are really one of the best parts of the trip. Next time though, I’ll try to fillet out the y-bones.
I had a nice cigar and we relaxed around the camp fire. It was another good day…
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