We are back to -40 windchills up here this morning. We have had a few days of wind. First from the south and and we had warm temperatures, almost melting. Then as quick as you can say Jack Frost, the wind was out of the north and the temperature plumetted! Our old Bombardier can go through a lot of snow but when it gets too deep and soft it can get hung up on the belly and you are stuck. The only way to get out is by hours of shovelling of one phone call to Uncle Jack! We chose option number 2. The wind was so strong this morning it sucked the breath right out of your lungs.
We should have taken the getting stuck as a sign. We continued out to the lake in search of our nets. With the help of the GPS we were about half way out to our nets4 or 5 miles out on the lake when the conditions worsened even more. thats when we decided that what we had to do today, we could do tomorrow. Zero visibility. I took a picture but it just looks like a sheet of paper in front of you. If we ever had a breakdown on a day like this we would have no one to come and get us because they couldn’t find us. It is kind of creepy, there is no up or down, no horizon, you can’t see the banks to walk on, you can’t look into the wind and you can’t breath very well. It is like you are in a bubble. If you had to walk any distance, you would most likely not make it very far.
The days are getting longer but the cold is still present in the North! The weatherman says we are past the bitter cold. We have had quite a bit of snow so far and we have not gotten to the snowy part of winter. The water was fairly low last fall, I expect the water levels in the spring will be normal to high depending on how quick the snow melts.
I have been working out on Lake Manitoba chasing the Perch around. Fishing has not been as good as last year and it has been cloudy and stormy a lot recently. After days on end of not seeing the horizon, shoreline or anything further than a quarter mile from you, you feel like you are in a bubble all day. Operating with a Bombardier built in 1954 out on the lake 13 miles or more there are many dangers. Breaking down in the cold really sucks, especially since there are less and less commercial fishermen out there. We have GPS and good cell service but in a storm it can be hard for someone to find you, and you are not walking home thats for sure! Crossing the ice crack, a normal part of being out on the ice was just too dangerous this year. We pulled out our nets that were on the other side of the crack. The last crossing we made, the crack broke off on both sides and looked like it was 15 to 16 feet wide! Luckily the momentum and the long track spread out our weight enough to carry the 5000 pound machine across. Nothing but blackness below. Too much even for us. There is just as much fish to be caught closer to home.
Here are a few pictures from my time out on the ice so far.
This summer you will see me with a new side-kick. Dusty is a pure bred Husky. I think she will be a great partner in the bush for me! She has been on the lake with me everyday and is right at home.
A stormy day is a little better when the sun is shining. There was a sundog on top of the lower one. It blew for almost a week after that day!!
Dusty has it bred into her to get out of the wind. A boat cushion on the ground gives her a good seat to watch the fish come out of the hole, when she is not sleeping.
After a ton of snow and lots of wind, the lake looks like a desert. Traveling is slow due to the sharp snow banks.
On the calm days, Dusty is under foot most of the day attacking the Pike as they come out of the hole, she doesn't like them at all!
When you catch thousands of fish some of them are bound to look different. This perch must have been the smartest one in the lake. He had a huge brain and big eyes! Not so smart now though. He is on his way to the East coast or the Midwest to be enjoyed by someone.
Remember that we are continuing to book people for 2013, don’t miss out on your chance to enjoy a vacation with us in the pristine north.
We have an active Facebook Page as well as our website. Here we have more pictures from the past season of Trophy Fish and you too can upload pictures from your trip with Amik Outposts.
Click here to “like” Amik Outposts
The deep freeze has set in up in the north country. It is sad but it is normal. The guy from the Dirty Jobs show should be out here this week. When you are looking at this forecast while sitting at your desk, I will be out in the wide open Lake Manitoba. It is going to be dirty but if the wind isn’t blowing it is quite enjoyable, even at -30.
Manitoba Forecast
Red Lake Forecast
2013 is looking like it will be busy. The pieces of the puzzle for next season are coming together and we are filling holes normally filled in March. Don’t miss out on your chance to fish a pristine outpost lake with Amik Outposts next year. Here are a few dates we have left. Check out each camp page and when you email to inquire be sure to mention the date you are interested in.
Darkwater-June 15-18th and July 3-7th
Daniels-June 6-9th, and July 28-31st
Blackbirch-July 12-16th
Loree-July 26-29th
Morley-Aug. 30-Sept.4th
We appreciate the many pictures from our guests. They not only give them some bragging rights with their friends when the pictures of the BIG ONES make it onto my blog, it allows us to see how much fun everyone has on a Flyin Trip! I have updated more Trophy Galleries on our website recently. As I was going through the hundreds of pictures, I realized that it is a shame to not show some of the smiles that do not have anything to do with fishing. Just good times with your family, your buddies and the peace and quiet we take pride in sharing with you.
Enjoy.
We offer World Class Walleye and Trophy Northern Pike Fishing. That is reason enough to take a memorable vacation with Amik Outposts. Please remember that the fishing “almost” becomes secondary after you have done a few trips. If you have not experienced this type of vacation yet… you are missing out!
Today it is near melting! Such great weather to be outside in the sunshine! I have been trapping a bit until our commercial Perch fishing season opens on January 15th. Catching weasel and mink so far and I am close to some pine martens and a fisher. I am making a couple bucks but I am at home being in the outdoors. My Great Uncles, the first generation of my family born in Canada who moved from Finland made a 1/3 of their living trapping, as well as farming and fishing.
I will be back on the Lake next Tuesday for the beginning of perch season. I am looking forward to it and I hope it gets cold, fishing is better when the weather is awful! Here is a picture of a mink I caught today. A coat of these guys would be awesome!
I have also been working on our website, updating picture galleries for each camp. Check out some of the Trophies that were caught, and released last season. Growing Bigger for you to catch next year!!!!! Here is just a sampling of the trophies caught and released at our Cobham Daniel Cabin last year. Other camps have been updated as well and more to come in the near future.
Also Congratulations to the U.S. Junior Hockey team who won the U20 World Hockey championship over Sweden taking home the Gold. The U.S. team was 7th last year. Canada ended up 4th this year. Losing in overtime to the dang Russians in the Bronze medal game!!! That is worse than losing to the U.S.! First time in 15 years we never came home with a medal. It doesn’t feel good but I bet we will be mad and determined next Christmas to start the streak over again.
Happy New year from all of us at Amik Outposts. We wish you all the best in the year ahead.
I have been going through the many pictures that were shared with us by our guests and came across a sequence of what it is like to have to move your butt to get back to the camp before a Thunderstorm gets you wet! These are courtesy of the Weber Party who fished on Findlay Lake last year.
Those clouds are kinda black...
Maybe we better head in.
A nice cabin, sitting out on the deck with a tasty beverage watching a vicious thunderstorm go by.
You wouldn't want to be stuck in the bush somewhere when the hail comes.
And then just like that it is gone. Better look behind you to make sure there isn’t another one on its way before you get back out there. 
Merry Christmas from all of us at Amik Outposts. We wish everyone good fortune and a prosperous New Year to come in 2013. We would like to remind everyone to take time to slow down and spend some quality time together during the Holidays.
The Big Guy comes tonight!!
Imagine how quiet it is up north right now. Not a sound to be heard and cold as a witch’s you know what! It is minus 30 here this morning but glorious sunshine on Christmas Eve.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!
Our season seems to fly by so quickly. We have such good return customers that we know what time of the season it is by who is at our door. I have gone through all of our pictures that were shared with us by our guests and compiled a file of the best ones from 2012. There is more pictures of trophy fish than you can shake a stick at! This is only a portion of the fish that are captured on camera. Check out our Facebook Page to view them daily. Here is just a few of the trophies from spring summer and fall.
Findlay Lake
Dark Water Lake
Cherrington Lake
Cobham Lake
