Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Good Fishing 15.5 miles No portages I am up with the sunrise. A beautiful morning. I get things packed up, still working on getting things organized. No portages for the first few days so I brought some extra food with, breakfast is a Raspberry Cream Muffin and some orange juice. I am on my way early. As Mary’s Lake narrows back into the Bloodvein it is very scenic and it is a perfect morning for paddling. This stretch of the Bloodvein soon widens out and is a bit more swampy along the edges. I plan to paddle 8-10 miles and find a campsite on Barclay, near Musclow creek. I check out a couple of campsites and settle on an island site. There are actually two to choose from on the south end of the island. Once camp is set up I fish a little from shore. I am able to catch lunch in just a few minutes. After lunch, my afternoon nap. I wanted to explore the Musclow River and check out the falls out of Musclow. But first I wanted to try my luck for some big northerns. I had brought big Ugly Stick and a couple of big spoons. I rigged up a “five of diamonds” and gave it a cast. On the first cast I had a big northern take it right at the canoe…really slammed it. But I had the drag cranked tight and before I could even react she broke the line just as quickly as she hit the spoon. 20# test. Dang! But hey, if I got one on the first cast there has to be more…right? This time I took a bit more time rigging and checking the drag. 45 minutes of casting and nothing. I head up the Musclow. It is a 6 mile round trip and I really debate if I want to do that but keep paddling. It was worth my while. I caught walleyes on almost every cast at the bottom of the falls until there were no more…maybe 20 and all nice sized. Also a 30+ inch northern . Then on the way back a bull moose in the evening light. A little further down a cow moose. I take a few cast here and there as I paddle back to camp in the evening sun. Life is good.

Out of Mary’s Lake and into the Bloodvein.

Army worms everywhere
Fish Fry on Barclay Lake
Falls out of Musclow
Bull Moose on the Musclow River
Keeping an eye on me
Day 2 camp on Barclay Lake