The morning dawns cloudy, but calm and not too rainy. Our plan today is to portage into Rabbit Lake and fish for lake trout. After yesterday’s debacle, we vow not to go to Ashdick!

The portage to Rabbit is all uphill and short, and we marvel at the beauty of this lake that we have completely to ourselves. Rabbit has many sheer cliffs that line the shore. We cast a few spoons over steep dropoffs, but have no luck. After a while, we get bored and elect to troll a lap around the lake to investigate the two campsites.

We are mid-conversation in a shallow bay on the south end of the lake when I hook a perfect eating-size laker. Both of us are astonished, given our poor luck and lack of fishing expertise, especially for lake trout. But the fish is landed and I just can’t stop laughing…this is just too good to be true. We filet the laker on shore, still in shock. After an exploratory trolling loop past the two campsites on the lake, we portage back to Ester, briefly stopping on a small island where we find a wealth of dead cedar to bring back to camp.

Back at camp, we sauté the trout with a side of bacon hashbrowns. It is without a doubt the best fish I have ever tasted, and the finest meal I have ever eaten in a campsite. I will never forget this first canoe country lake trout.

The sun finally re-appears after lunch, lifting our spirits even further. We spend a leisurely day about camp, cooking popcorn, cornbread, and pizza for supper, and just enjoying the view and each other’s company. Our plan is to exit the park tomorrow via Sag, so we try to soak up every moment possible while resting for our journey. I quietly spend a few moments casting from our campsite dropoff, reflecting on the how incredible this trip has been. I jokingly say to Shawn, “You know, I bet they’re slaying those bass on Ashdick today! We should portage over there!”

I soon see baitfish surfacing out on the lake, and I just can’t help myself. I silently paddle out, alone on the pure glassy waters of Ester trolling a Rapala behind the canoe, the sky afire with the blazing orange and purple of our final sunset of this trip, perfectly reflected on the water. Though I don’t get a single bite, it is truly a “goodbye paddle” I will never forget.

As I paddle out, I see our neighboring portage friends coming back to camp from the direction of Ashdick, and I can’t help but pull up and ask them how it was.Of course, they caught a nice number of fish today over there again! I pass along our along our fishing report from Rabbit, and bid them farewell.

After a late night journaling by the fire, I reluctantly turn in to the call of the loons, one last time.~Ester Lake, Rabbit Lake