Big crew! The regular guys: Mark, Ron and John Cunningham, Steve and Tim Pelton, Fred Bouwman, Kendall Strawmatt and Mark Wanous. Ron’s buddy Marty Kottke made his first trip and was a great addition. While Kylie Strawmatt and Max Flemke had taken several other trips, they became the first teenagers ever on the spring trip. Kylie was the first female on the May trip. Good group!
Thursday, May 22, 2025
I watched a bear run across Hwy 17 south of Rhinelander (the first of many sightings on the trip). I picked up Fred at Eagle River Hospital and met the big group in Two Harbors. After a week of cold wet weather, the bright sunshine along Lake Superior was a welcome treat. Bought beer and liquor at the duty-free store at Ryden’s and loaded all of it into Tim’s truck to pay duty at the border once.
Given the recent tensions between the two countries, we were relieved that we had no problem at the border. Checked into the Valhalla Hotel in Thunder Bay. Most of us enjoyed a nice meal at the restaurant and the rest had pizza delivered to the room.
Friday, May 23, 2024
Breakfast was good at the hotel, but a little slow. Cool morning – 39 degrees. The power steering pump went out on Mark Wanous truck, so we had to take all of the stuff out of his truck and stuff it into the 4 other trucks. Dropped off the truck at a Dodge dealer for repair while we continued on.
Got leaches at the Silver Minnow bait shop. Little traffic on Hwy 527. Hwy 811 was freshly graded. Water levels were normal after recent rains. The logging trail was in pretty good shape, the washouts were manageable, someone had cut down trees and brush before us. In the lead truck, Ron and Marty saw a bear and a moose cross the road.
Despite the late start, we setup camp quickly. Mark Wanous, Ken, Tim and Marty cut up a big dry tree and hauled it back to camp. Max split the firewood.
Fred broke out his bottle of Glenlivet 12 Year Single Malt Scotch.
The group gathered together around the fire at the end of a cool, but clear day. Enjoyed brats and baked beans. Listened to the loons call across the lake and watched a big flock of geese fly overhead.
Saturday, May 24, 2025
Cool, overcast morning. Biscuits and gravy hit the spot! Lots of Grouse drumming in the woods. We got the boats in the water and loaded our fishing gear. The motors started up right away, but the prop on John’s boat blew as soon as he tried to accelerate, so I went back to camp with the 6-wheeler and got my spare 15hp Mercury working for him. We hit the water on a calm morning with a mix of clouds and blue skies.
Water temperature was 50 degrees as Fred and I started fishing Slip Bobber. Fishing was slow to start, but then Fred landed two keepers.
I switched to a heavier jig and immediately caught two more keeper Walleyes.
With a limit of 4 Walleyes between 16.5″-17.5″, we went to the island to clean fish. With 8 fillets in the cooler, we turned our attention to landing a big Northern Pike. The erratic spring weather (80 degrees in early May took the ice out early, but a big cold front brought cold and snow the week before we arrived) disrupted the normal pattern of finding big northerns after ice out. None of the boats had any luck at the typical hot spot on Lost Lake Bay.
Mark and Max picked up Walleyes here and there. Good action in the old home bay, but not much for size. Ron, Marty and John had a slow fishing day. Marty caught a big sucker (not often a targeted species).
Tim and Mark had no luck fishing on Clear Jack Lake, but broke through the beaver dam to make it easier for the rest of us. Tim’s bottom bouncer was not effective, so he “leased” a Rapala from Mark and started catching fish. Ken caught a nice 22″ Walleye and a 27″ Northern.
A loon stayed close to the boat.
We came across a dead moose floating in the water. No picture needed – nasty!
We came back to camp for a great fish fry with onion rings and baked beans. Tim and Mark hauled up some more firewood.
Nice campfire. Clear sky with no moon, perfect conditions to look at the stars and watch the satellites cross the sky!
Sunday, May 25, 2025
Beautiful sunny morning! Pancakes and bacon were tasty. With no weeds and high water in the river, Mark, Max, Fred and I followed the twists and turns back to what we call the Far Back Jack Lakes.
A black cloud rolled in and rained on us for about 20 minutes (the guys on the main lake did not feel a drop), but I caught a couple nice 17″ Walleyes on a Mepps Syclops in the rain.
After just catching a several small northerns, we went back to the main lake and I cleaned my two Walleyes on the island.
We had a bit of a cluster when I had a snag and got twisted in Fred’s line. A nice Walleye hit Fred’s jig while we were trying to free my snag. With the lines crossed, Fred got the Walleye to the boat before it fell off the hook. Fred had good fishing on Slip Bobber again and he landed two keepers.
Max also had better fishing on the main lake, landing three Walleyes over 17″.
Mark landed a fat 20″ Walleye.
Ken and Kylie had limited success on the West Arm, but found some bigger Walleyes on the main lake. Mark and Tim had great fishing, filling their limit in the first 30 minutes in the first big bay north of Weber Point. John, Ron and Marty had great fishing in the same area! Ron landed a nice 20″ Walleye and two at almost 18″.
We went back to camp at the end of another good day of fishing and exploring. With the help of Ron, we prepared blackened Walleye fish tacos, with dirty rice. A camp favorite!
Our Canadien friends stopped by and we thanked them for clearing the logging road before we arrived. Nice campfire. Stayed up late around the campfire with Mark Cunningham, just like old times!
Monday, May 26, 2025 – Memorial Day
We gave thanks to the men and women who have died in service to our country and thanked John and Mark Wanous for their time in the military.
Overcast skies, but much warmer. French toast and sausage were tasty. The boats at the landing were ready to go!
The boats were on the water and ready to go.
We watched Tim and Mark land a double!
Tim caught the biggest fish of the trip so far – a 29″ Northern – which would have been an unusual plaque at the KC Fishing Banquet! Mark Wanous quickly knocked Tim off the top of the leaderboard with a nice 38″ Northern that put up quite a fight!
Max and Mark had great fishing – 5 doubles of nice sized Walleyes and a few mixed doubles with a Northern and Walleye. Max had a 25″ Northern – nice keeper size. John landed a 32″ Northern.
Fred and I had good fishing in several different locations.
We cleaned fish at the trappers cabin on the first lake going north. Nice sandy beach.
I hit a log on the ride back to camp going full speed. Knocked out the motor, but I was fortunate enough to get is started again. Something broke in the recoil, the rope would no longer go back in. Lucky to be able to make it back to camp from 6 miles away.
The wind stopped and the lake was like glass. Marty snapped a great picture of the trees reflecting on the water.
The river at the landing was calm and beautiful.
Ken saw a moose and a small calf in the water. The cow got very anxious as they heard a wolf howl. Max cleaned fish and left the stringer attached to the carcass!
Max started the fire with his flint and his knife – old school!
Marty’s 61’s birthday! Cigars came out to celebrate.
A Cajun fish boil with brats was tasty!
Tuesday, May 27, 2025
Beautiful clear skies in the morning. Max, John and Ken made pancakes and bacon for breakfast.
I fished with Tim and let him drive the boat on a beautiful morning.
Tim was on fire catching Northerns of all sizes!
Marty caught a nice 20.5″ Walleye.
Ken caught a 22″ Walleye on Clear Jack Lake
Nice to be fishing in short sleeve t-shirts.
I landed a 34″ Northern.
Tim had good action fishing with Totally Naked beer.
Fred and Mark W. caught their limit of Walleyes over 17.5″ in less than an hour! Mark C. got a 32″ Northern and a 18″ Walleye. Ron released a fat 17″ Walleye filled with eggs. Kylie felt better today and had a30″ Northern hit a Mepps Syclops in 2 feet of water and jumped out of the water to get it! Saw a Golden Eagle chase a Bald Eagle. Watched two White Swans.
Saw a helicopter with no floats rise up over the trees – no idea where it could have landed except perhaps the old moose hunter camp.
Surface water temperatures reached 65 degrees – a 15 degree increase in 4 days! The blue skies with puffy clouds made for an incredible reflection on the calm waters on our last evening on the lake.
We pulled the boats out of the water.
Nice to have young strong kids to handle the motors.
Ron grilled some tasty pork steaks.
Max and Kylie cooked diced potatoes and corn.
We burned the old oil to make the “fire visible from space”.
The Northern Lights put on quite a show! You can see the Big Dipper in the middle of the light show – Wow!
Wednesday May 28, 2025
Clear morning. Fred made breakfast sandwiches of fried eggs, cheese, sausage or ham on toast. Packed up camp. On the road at 12:00 Noon. Made it to Hwy 811 at 2:00. Tim, Ken, Kylie and Mark Wanous raced ahead to pick up Mark’s truck before they closed at 5:00 ET. We saw a bear sitting on Hwy 811. Ron and Marty saw a bear in the thick dust between trucks.
Mark picked up his truck and met us at the Superior Inn in Thunder Bay. Enjoyed a warm shower and pizza delivery.
Thursday May 28, 2025
our trip home was uneventful, just the way we like it!
Summary
Great weather, cool nights, nice days. No problem with bugs. Lots of wildlife: 5 bear, 2 moose and 1 calf, beaver, loon, eagle, geese, ducks, swans, grouse, sea gulls and we heard the wolves howl. Good, but not exceptional fishing. No huge fish, but plenty of them. We ate like kings! Enjoyed the company of great friends in a beautiful place!
Steve Pelton 