TR: Great Slave Lake Pike

This year's trip turned out to be "Ice-In", instead of "Ice-Out". This
was the latest spring in memory. When we arrived May 31, the lake was
still frozen, and almost all the bays were also completely frozen. We
took a helicopter from Yellowknife to Trout Rock Lodge because there
was no open water in Yellowknife for a float plane, and none at Trout
Rock to land on anyway. The ice in front of the lodge looked
permanent. Ragnar Wesstrom, the resort owner coined a new phrase today
when he said, "you should have been here next week". We were a bit
doubtful that one week would be long enough, but he turned out to be
right on.

The next morning we went out on the ice and drilled holes to ice-fish.
Yes, this is a fly fishing trip, but the first day there was no place
to cast. The ice was a full 2 feet thick, and solid as a rock. Nine
fish were caught that morning by 7 of us, two small ones were released,
the others made a nice lunch. In the afternoon I took the fly rod out
to the small patches of open water around the edges, but there were no
fish there, and I caught nothing. No sign of spawning fish yet.

The next day the ice was down to 16 inches thick and looking a bit
rotten on top. More open areas could be seen, and a few pike were
spawning in the weeds where the ice had melted. Some of the guys
fished from boats in the open areas, and they caught a few fish. I
walked the edge of the island and fished in the weeds, catching 3 or 4
fish, about 24 to 28 inches long. I did find a large female in one
weed bed, and managed to sneak up to her, pet her a bit, and then pull
her out of the water after measuring her at 39 inches. Sheridan
Anderson calls this Guddling, it's fun to be sure.

The third day the excitement began. I bushwhacked 3 miles to Trout
Rock Creek and watched the pike running up the creek like salmon. They
jumped the falls, crowded together in the eddies, and banged into my
legs when I crossed the creek. I went on into a shallow area of the
lake that was open and caught a 41 inch pike and several smaller ones.

The fourth day saw the ice clearing enough that we could wander larger
areas and fish some of the familiar spots. I continued to hike around
the island and found one spot that served up 30 or so for me with the
biggest one 39 inches. When I responded to the call of nature at 3:00
AM I took pictures of the full moonrise/moonset. It just peaked over
the horizon and went right back down. I also watched some pike
spawning in the shallows and saw one grab a muskrat that was swimming
too close. A second muskrat came to the rescue, bit the pike, and she
released the muskrat. I went back to sleep. Midnight sun is a great
thing.

The fifth day was my first day in the boat. It was pretty good, again
about 30 fish, including a 37, 2 38s, and a 39, but none 40 inches
long. It turned out I was the only one in camp without a 40 inch fish
today.

The 6th day was again better. The spawning was almost over now, the
fish were loitering around the spawning areas defending their eggs from
the whitefish, and hammering flies or lures that came anywhere near
them. My biggest this day was 43.

The last day was more great fishing. We found no more spawning
activity, all the fish were in the shallow water feeding and hitting
our flies and lures. I caught about 40 fish this day, a couple just
over 40 inches, a dozen over 36, and had a grand time. My biggest was
44 inches (see abpf for a picture). We flew out by helicopter because
there was still no open water in Yellowknife. One of the guys at the
camp was staying for another week. He's having the experience of a
lifetime, I just wish I could have stayed.

Chas
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Chas Wade wrote:

I also watched some pike
spawning in the shallows and saw one grab a muskrat that was swimming
too close. A second muskrat came to the rescue, bit the pike, and she
released the muskrat.

Weird. I would never have guessed something like that could happen.

--
Cut "to the chase" for my email address.

rw wrote:
Chas Wade wrote:

I also watched some pike
spawning in the shallows and saw one grab a muskrat that was
swimming
too close. A second muskrat came to the rescue, bit the pike, and
she
released the muskrat.

Weird. I would never have guessed something like that could happen.

Indeed. At first I wasn't sure who had grabbed whom, but when the
second muskrat came to the rescue it was clear. This same pair of
muskrats was swimming back and forth across the little inlet to a rock
5 feet in front of where I was standing casting to the pike. When I
moved up to their rock they just used the rock I'd moved from. Somehow
they weren't afraid of me at all.

Chas
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Chas Wade wrote:

Somehow
they weren't afraid of me at all.

Somehow, they must have sensed that you weren't going to try to eat
them. :-)

--
Cut "to the chase" for my email address.

Chas Wade wrote:




The next day the ice was down to 16 inches thick and looking a bit
rotten on top. More open areas could be seen, and a few pike were
spawning in the weeds where the ice had melted. Some of the guys
fished from boats in the open areas, and they caught a few fish. I
walked the edge of the island and fished in the weeds, catching 3 or 4
fish, about 24 to 28 inches long. I did find a large female in one
weed bed, and managed to sneak up to her, pet her a bit, and then pull
her out of the water after measuring her at 39 inches. Sheridan
Anderson calls this Guddling, it's fun to be sure.

I'm amazed that you can do that with a Pike.


The last day was more great fishing. We found no more spawning
activity, all the fish were in the shallow water feeding and hitting
our flies and lures. I caught about 40 fish this day, a couple just
over 40 inches, a dozen over 36, and had a grand time. My biggest was
44 inches (see abpf for a picture). We flew out by helicopter because
there was still no open water in Yellowknife. One of the guys at the
camp was staying for another week. He's having the experience of a
lifetime, I just wish I could have stayed.


Another great trip!

Are you sight fishing for the Northerns?

Do you ever fish for Grayling while you're there?

PS I think your picture was too big for my ISP as I didn't get to see it.

Willi

Willi wrote:


Chas Wade wrote:




The next day the ice was down to 16 inches thick and looking a bit
rotten on top. More open areas could be seen, and a few pike were
spawning in the weeds where the ice had melted. Some of the guys
fished from boats in the open areas, and they caught a few fish. I
walked the edge of the island and fished in the weeds, catching 3 or
4
fish, about 24 to 28 inches long. I did find a large female in one
weed bed, and managed to sneak up to her, pet her a bit, and then
pull
her out of the water after measuring her at 39 inches. Sheridan
Anderson calls this Guddling, it's fun to be sure.

I'm amazed that you can do that with a Pike.

It was a bit scary to put my hand in the water with that beast, but I
was ready to pull back if necessary. Once I had all but her head out
of the water she decided this wasn't a good idea, and broke away
soaking me with the splash.



The last day was more great fishing. We found no more spawning
activity, all the fish were in the shallow water feeding and hitting
our flies and lures. I caught about 40 fish this day, a couple just
over 40 inches, a dozen over 36, and had a grand time. My biggest
was
44 inches (see abpf for a picture). We flew out by helicopter
because
there was still no open water in Yellowknife. One of the guys at
the
camp was staying for another week. He's having the experience of a
lifetime, I just wish I could have stayed.


Another great trip!

Are you sight fishing for the Northerns?

Yes, about half the time. When the fish get thick in the shallows, you
need to pick out the big ones, or you'll be playing with the little
ones all day.


Do you ever fish for Grayling while you're there?

The grayling don't inhabit this part of the lake, or I would. We need
to motor about 20 miles east along the shore to get to Grayling
territory. This year the ice prevented that, other years the pike seem
to be calling too loudly to get anyone interested in the longer boat
ride.


PS I think your picture was too big for my ISP as I didn't get to see
it.
I trimmed this one down to 850x600, and 77kb is that too big?

Thanks,

Chas
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