Almost time / How much time?

[Bob]

Hey everybody,

I am almost paralyzed by the fact my trip is only 16 days away. I have already started planning where I am headed for the first day (maps all marked up)to find 'em and get a pattern going.

Just wondering about how much time you all spend on the water during your trip. I typically spend 12-14 hours a day on the water. 5-11 with two 2 hour breks. The other 5 guys in the group think I am nuts. Am I that odd to want to play hard? After all I didn't come to sleep. The rest of the group typically goes out for 2 hours 10-12 in the morning and 7-10 at night. Seems to me like such a waste to spend so much time in the cabin. I guess I am asking so I can plan to go with a different group next year.

How does your group do it? Am I that odd?

Bob

[bigfish1965]

Nope... not odd at all. It depends on what you came up for. Some guys come to unwind and relax and fishing is only a part of it. Ohter guys are here for the fishing...they can relax at home.I've done it both ways...if the bite is on, you'll find me on the water, end of story.

[IaGuy]

No you are not crazy, your fishing buddies, if you can call 'em that are the crazy ones. Why would you spend $500+ to stay in the cabin and sleep/eat/playcards. Might as well stay home for that. This will be my third year up in paradise, first time to Lac Seul. You can bet that every awaken hour will be spent on the water. Renting our boats for the week, more then likely will not have lights, so will have to get off the water when we can no longer see. 5am, have not been on the water quite that early, is the fishing better at that time then 7am? One thing about fishing all day in Canada,it sure makes you sleep good at night. Have 2.5 weeks left until the trip, and it's all I can think about. Good luck on your trip, maybe you can catch a new group of fishermen to go with next year.

[eyedoktr]

You're not nuts at all. I'd do the same thing except maybe not take the two hour breaks. I lived on small lake for about 15 years. I can't count the number of times I'd go out fishing friday evening around dusk and not tie the boat back up to the dock until late the next afternoon. Then get up sunday morning before sunrise and fish 'til dark. The lake was only about 4.5 miles long so at the farthest point I was only a few minutes from home. Emergency potty breaks were the only time I went home. Now that's nuts.

[Northern Manitoban]

Odd? not at all Bob.Wow you could fish with us lol,my group we spend most of the day on the water bring drinks and food out with us in the boat,we usually do come back for a few hours in the afternoon when the fishing has slowed down but allotof the time we are out for the full day which here can be up to 15 hours or more.When the bite is really good which is in june we are out to catch them and not sit around camp.Sure they are long days but we have been rewarded year after year with great catches.Good luck! NM

[FIB]

You are right on, I'm heading up tomorrow AM. It takes me 18 hours to get to the lac and I'm getting as much line time as I can squeeze in. My group fishes from 9-3, comes in and eats/rests a bit. Then usually out from 6 until dark which if I remember correctly is about 10 PM. Have a camp fire and a couple drinks, then do it all over again. It's the best trip on earth, I will be thinking of next year on the ride home this year. Best of luck on your upcoming adventure.

[Joe]

You're not odd. I'm usually up at 4:00 a.m., quick breakfast and on the water before 4:30. Stay out until noon, then back to camp for gas, more bait and pick up the sandwhich I made from the fridge. Back out by 12:20 and stay out all afternoon until dinner in the lodge at 5:30. I always request soup and mashed potatoes because I can put it down fast....no chewing. Quick stop at the shack with the half moon on the door and I'm jogging back down to the dock and back on the water before 6. Usually stay out until 10:30 or 11, then back to camp and straight to bed...no use in just sittin around. After a week of this I'm really relaxed and ready to go back to work.

[T Bone]

Last year we were out on the lake from about 5:00 AM - 9:00 AM. Then come in for a few hours, hit the afternoon Lake Trout bite from about 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM, then get out for 'eyes around 6:00 PM - 10:00 PM. So about 10 hours a day...

If that's what you're there for, that's what you do. Like Bigfish said, it all depends on what you want. I've gone up there to fish and when we've failed to hook up with fish, we just sit around and stare at the lake, drink several beers, shoot the bull and relax.

Every year is different...just let it happen. It's all good no matter what happens....it's the annual Canada trip.

[retire55]

Bob:

Our group's routine for walleye trips is much like the one that T-Bone has. We're up at 0430 hrs for coffee and toast, fishing for walleyes from 0515 until 0930 hrs, then back to the cabin for a full breakfast. The evening meal is at 1715 hrs. What anyone does after breakfast until supper is up to each set of individual boat partners. We're back on the water for walleyes from 1800 to 2200 hrs. Clean fish, clean-up, drink a favorite beverage or two and get ready to do it all over again the next day. Consequently, you'd fit in just fine!

[downeast80]

Well if the weather is good and the bite is on there will be only 2 things to hit solid ground for! Last year was a letdown as we were up there during the storm of the century june 7th-13th and had a day and a half we could not hit the water! A normal day would be on water at 6:30am back at noon for lunch and a potty break on water at 1:00pm back at either 5:00 or if its a late supper say fresh fish we will be back just before the mosqitoes come out for the feast!!

[Bob]

Thanks guys.

Just glad to know that the way 'I was brought up on the water' is pretty common. These guys I go with make the trip REAL cheap (own their own Cabin) on a fly-in lake out of Red Lake but the downside is they are more concerned with sitting around the cabin. The only thing that keeps me off the lake is safety. Like one poster stated the storm of the century was my week too but forunately we were far enough North that we got out everyday, but the cabin fever was insane for me. I am realizing I just don't 'like' my group.

I guess I need to decide to spend some more money and go with a group that fits my style better. Oh well the trip is so near I can taste it and I guess I will spend 2/3 of the time fishing by myself. This may be the last year though;-)

Sure wish I could follow the logic of sitting inside chatting when the view / fun is outside, but to each there own.

Brett

[Thumper]

Yeah, isn't it funny how the first night or two, after spending all day in a boat, when you're drifting off to sleep you really FEEL like you're DRIFTING. Like the bed's rocking!

That's when I _know_ I've been fishing in Canada! :)
- Rick

Friday morning... I can hold out _that_ long.

[Thumper]

Do your current buddies drink beer all day? Maybe the Canadian regs prohibiting alcohol in the boat is their reason. Maybe they should be looking for camps in the US? Just a thought.

[Stehle]

The group I'm with kind of splits the difference with the time. We get up around 4:30-5:00, eat and are out on the water at 7:00. We fish all morning and stop for a half hour shore lunch. We then fish some more. Everybody is back by 6:00 with dinner around 7:00. We eat, drink, sleep and start all over again the next day. I've not tried the night bite but many at the camp do. I would hate to traverse the rapids 'n rocks by moonlight.

[Sam]

Come on guys you dont even begin to fish like we do. The first thing we do when we get to the Outpost Camp is burn down the cabin and the half moon shack. This allows us plenty of room to fish in the Sun and under the stars and dig latrines. We fish 24 hours a day ,the only time we stop is to eat and visit the latrine. Once in a while a guy will get lazy and doze off but we tie his rod to his arm so a good fish will wake him up. We eat Sushi for all meals so we dont have to waste time cooking. Ours is a fishing vacation....maybe a little drinking too.....JUST 16 MORE DAYS.