SUPERIOR continued from page 25 It just so happens that this
beautiful, clear body of water is teaming with Lake Trout that the locals call redfins. Slate Island Provincial Park (www.ontarioparks. com/english/
slat.html ) was established in 1985 and is used by naturalists, fishing parties, sailors exploring Superior, and recently by an increasing number of sea-kayakers. There are a few cabins on the
islands and they’re available on a first- come-first-served basis. When we got to the island, the better of the cabins was being occupied by the crazy buggers who managed to get out the day before in that heavy surf. We opted for a cabin a couple of
miles away and after some minor roof repair and a little home furnishing, we settled in. We fired up the good woodstove to keep the chill off (the water temperature was in the low 40s) and put a fishing plan into motion. We were supposed to have a couple of boats and motors while we were there, but for one reason or another, we only had a canoe and Jerry’s float tube. I’m not a big canoe guy, so my
fishing would be done from shore with Bill, throwing lures and plugs and soaking salted smelts on the bottom. Jerry and Brian occupied the canoe and trolled Williams Wablers. It didn’t take long before I hooked
into a nice three-pound lake trout that fought like crazy before I finally got him to shore. With the water temperature at 41ºF, these fish don’t get sluggish at any time over the summer. Bill and I walked the shore, casting to lake trout that were stacked up 20 feet offshore in anywhere from eight to 20 ft. of water. What a great and different way to catch fish in this truly remarkable place. Jerry fulfilled a bucket list goal by landing a big laker on a fly rod while drifting in his float tube. Gary mentioned that there was
a herd of about 300 caribou living on the Islands, and we saw a couple swimming from one island to the next. And then the unbelievable
happened! I noticed caribou filtering through the black spruce and sphagnum moss
44 BOUNDER MAGAZINE WE WENT OUT ON THE SEASWIRL FOR AN HOUR OF TROLLING.
right into our campground – first one, then another and another. A bull, a cow and calf were all there poking around looking for any scrap of food. (By the way, they like potatoes − mashed, whole or chips.) They would appear from time to time and in fact they would take food not only out of our hands but right out of our mouths. Our camp was warm and dry − if
a little small for four guys − but we told stories and had a lot of laughs. We cooked our meals outside over an open fire − steaks, chops, and of course, fish with all the trimmings. We ate like kings. On Monday, Gary came out
on the SeaSwirl to take us for an afternoon of trolling and a tour of the interior of these islands. He has been hanging around the Slates since he was a kid, as did his father and grandfather; and he knows them inside and out − including the history, geology and the best fishing spots. What a truly beautiful and unique
place! And the fish kept nailing trolled Husky Jerk plugs behind planer boards . That evening, Brian hooked a
beautiful 7 pound redfin and, since we were right in front of the camp, we elected to dock the boat and fillet the fish. We got the fire going and the lard in the pan and with a little Fish Crisp, we had the meal of a lifetime, dining on the fresh, deep fried trout.
We spent one more night in our
little cabin. Gary shared a few stories around the fire and slept on his boat that night. He told us how the salmon would move into this area in July and August and how the fishing is outstanding on certain days. I think I’d like to try that. Our adventure was amazing. On
Tuesday morning we said goodbye to those wondrous Slates and headed back to our launch site at the mouth of the Aquasabon. Bill and I decided to start the long drive back home while Jerry and Brian stayed one more night to fish brookies. Jerry had been corresponding with
Gary over the winter about getting into the interior for brook trout fish, and they decided on a lake that our dad took us to when we were little kids.
Gary had a canoe up there, and
after half an hour of walking straight uphill, they launched. They dropped Gary off on a little island to cast and then started off down a shoreline. Both their rods bowed before they got 100 feet – a double header of two- pound specs! And the hits just kept on coming. They caught and released more than 20 specs, the biggest weighing in at four and half pounds. After this wonderful trip I
wondered why I hadn’t done it earlier in my life. I’ll be back to Terrace in the next
year or so for another great adventure − in some of the most rugged but beautiful country I have ever seen.
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think: viewercontact@globaltv. com;
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*** In celebration of my two years
as a columnist with Bounder, the greatest and most comprehensive publication our region has to offer, it seems only fitting I celebrate somehow. The first thing I’ll do is bring copies of this issue to the boys at deer camp. They always enjoy that. Then I’ll bring a special copy to my tree-stand with me. I’ll roll it up and tuck it inside a knot on the tree where my stand hangs so it won’t get wet. Then each afternoon when I return to my favorite tree (situated alongside my favorite deer runway) I’ll have something good to read in the quiet serenity of the Laurentian Mountains. Yep, sounds like a damn nice
celebration to me! Thanks to the fine folks at Bounder for two wonderful years. Until next time, I wish you
success in your hunting and fishing endeavours.
Jeff Morrison is an award-winning outdoor writer and outdoors columnist. He has written for the Ottawa SUN for the past 10 years.
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www.bellscornersbia.ca BOUNDER MAGAZINE 45
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