Forrest Lodge,we're all about Outdoor Adventure

So here we are in the middle of January! Wow, what a year we had at Forrest Lodge. The summer that never came until September, the huge walleyes, and what about the gators! And the hunting season when we needed bug dope and SPF30. As I sit in front of this computer and think about last summer I can almost taste the walleye from any particular fish fry. I can also remember the friends that we all made at any particular fish fry. While I stood over the fryer and talked to our friends I recall how everyone had a fish story to tell. It didn’t matter if it was about a certain bait or presentation or a favorite spot or even an event from years gone by at another fishin’ hole, these are the things that cement us all. Any one moment in your life that you can recall and smile about and share is what makes us all brothers and sisters. And what a better way than to go fishin’. Talk about comradery! Someone once said “Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day, teach a man to fish and he will eat for a life time”, or something like that. As we progress through these “economic uncertainties” just remember the cement. When you go to the local Mega Mart think about where that coffee maker was made or where that LCD TV was made or where the produce came from. Now think about where that fishin’ reel was made, or the fishin’ rod, or the tackle. Even the gas that you put in the car that was made from parts from where? When you are at the Mega Mart does the guy behind the counter know where the bite is hot? If not then tell him. Cement. Just something to think about next time you spend a few bucks. Down the road from us are few local bait shops. I can spend hours looking at stuff and another few hours talkin’ about stuff. Cement. I get a mail box full of catalogs. Every body has the best prices or the best deal or the biggest discount. The more you buy the bigger the discount. So I call these guys and start talkin’. Cement. I don’t buy much cuz’ most of the product is made somewhere else. I guess I like to talk. And sometimes it gets me into trouble. The other day I spent about an hour on the phone talkin’ to a friend about about ice fishin’. Cement. If you haven’t hard water fished then you owe it to yourself to go give it a try. Oh, and take your best fishin’ buddy with you. Cement. There is something about fish through the ice that puts the experience and the taste of the fillets in a whole’ nother world. Go to the local pond with your fishin’ buddy, snag a few blue gills, clean em’ up and get them in the fryer while your hands are still numb and savor each bite as though it was your last. Cement.  While the weather outside is frightful, get together with your fishin’ buddy and look at your tangle boxes and talk about fishin’ and stuff and tell stories and jokes and remember….THINK WALLEYE!…..cement.

Wow, another year has come and gone, where does the time go. As midnight approached, all was quiet, not a creature was stirring, not even Scott (he has to get up at 6 a.m. for work). I was lying there thinking about how regimented we are. We have to know what time it is, we have to know what day it is, we have to know… you get the idea. I thought about being at the lodge, slowing down and looking all around at the surroundings that we were provided to enjoy and celebrate. With all things that are wrong in the world today, take a minute or two, and look around you. Look at the trees, the water, the landscape, family, friends, pets,look at everything. Absorb it like a sponge. There’s more good than bad, more giving than receiving. I guess without knowing it, I made my New Years resolution; to look at everyday as a new beginning,  a new adventure and take the time for the journey of life and enjoy it along the way.

May all of you have a safe, healthy, happy and prosperous New Year. 

Scott and MaryJo

So after a record setting September for temps running well above normal, October is making up for it. The hunting season saw 3 moose come through with the last of our hunters ckecking out this morning. Yesterday we saw fairly mild temps and brilliant sunshine. We were able to get a lot of our chores done. The floating dock is lashed together and the anchors have full slack on them. The last Lund is sitting at the main dock waiting for one last trip out for some cold water walleye. This morning we closed cabin 5 and shut down the water system. We can pull the main intake line out with the ATV so it goes pretty quick. Draining the main lines takes about 10 minutes and the same amount of time to shut down a cabin. I just disconnect the feed line to the cabin, open the hot water heater drain and pull all the packings from the fixtures. Then I put a non toxic anti freeze in the lines. Same with the toilets, just bale out the bowl and pour some anti freeze in. Did I mention that we have about three inches on the ground and it is still coming down. What a beautiful sight to see Caribou Lake and Forrest Lodge covered in white. Monday is Thanksgiving here and we have a fresh piece of moose tenderloin ready for the grill. But before we close for the season there are just a few final chores. Cabin 7 needs a shower surround as does cabin 4. I am hoping to do some pine panelling also. So as winter closes in on us here in the north country MaryJo and I want to thank all of our guests that make Forrest Lodge the great place that it is. With out our guests we would just be another lodge. So from us to you ” THANK YOU”!! This winter spend so time gong through your fishing gear, read a few fishing article, do some sport shows and remember……THINK WALLEYE!    SEE YOU NEXT YEAR AT FORREST LODGE!!!  Watch for monthly posts and updates on our sport show schedule. We just may be in your neck of the wood so stop in and see us.

I just checked the weather report on the home page just below this link. You can’t believe everything you read! Right now it is 72f with mostly sunny conditions and a mild nor-wester. The black flies are THICK. Not to bad here on the property with the breeze but if you get into the bush or even in town the blood suckers are in clouds. They are making up for lost time from this summers cool wet conditions. The fishing has remained in a late summer pattern with little change over the last few weeks. Walleye are still holding in the same areas with solid numbers coming in. The big meat is running deep yet and needs a slow retrieve to get the hook up. Bigger minnows are working the best to get these lazy hogs to hit. As the weather cools these lazy lunkers will move into their fall feeding patterns. We are still waiting for a hard freeze to hit and really start to cool the water. The shorter daylight hours help but with the mercury hitting the upper 60’s and 70’s during the day it’s going to be a waiting game. Mixing up the approach and hitting some of the sharper drop offs and deeper rock structures is the trick with these conditions. We fished some new water for the first time the other day. I was mostly just looking for structure watching the radar screen. My fishing buddy was impatient and got out the meat stick and began working the shallow areas and shore lines. She was throwing a Mepps Musky Killer and mixing up her retrieve speed and direction. You can take the girl out of musky country but you cant take the musky fishing out of her. I told her that no big gator would hit that close to the boat doing figure eights, but she gave me her look and just kept on doing her thing. If  looks could kill! So after 4 hook ups with some average size gators I figured I better shut up and let her do her thing. She fishes totally barbless so the release is easy at the side of the boat. She just gives a little slack and the gator does a head shake and away they go. Just one of them needed a little help with the pliers, but he never left the water or was netted or touched. I’ve got most of the boats out of the water and the motors serviced and winterized. All but 2 cabins have been closed for the season. Congrats to Allyn R. from Wisconsin for filling his tag with a nice bull moose, I didn’t measure the rack but it’s about a 36. A very typical bull about 4-5 years old. I’m no expert, but I sure would be proud! Just a few more weeks to go before we call it another season here at Forrest Lodge. Check back again cause we’re going fishing and maybe I’ll share a recipe with you. Surf, turf and feather northern style! Remember…THINK WALLEYE !

Yes, I know it’s been a month since my last report. Everyday I look at the grass and everyday I strap on the big Jonsereds trimmer and give her hell. I’m caught up for the most part on the grass cutting, although there are a few places that escaped the blade. I’ve guided a few times during August and had a few days that MaryJo and I went out. The bite has been solid for the majority of fisherman. One thing that I have seen over the years is a mess of fishing gear. I have a small soft sided kit with a selection of jigs and a few spinner rigs and chain sinkers. When ever I fish new water, whether it be in Wisconsin through the ice or further south hunting for snapper, I always ask around and find out where the bite is and what the approach is. So when your guide or host says that a particular location with this particular rig will get you on the fish it is probably the way to go. I realize that you can lead a horse to water, but generally they will take a drink. Not so much so with some fisherman. OK back to the bite. MaryJo’s island has been producing the usual with some really dark colored walleye and the odd blue walleye coming in. The evening bite at the Narrows has been off and on the last few weeks. The walleyes are in water everywhere from 20 feet to 60 feet. Live bait continues to produce the best results and the artificials in the bucket of scent are working well also. I used some last year and found that by tearing it in half gave me better hook ups. As the weather starts to cool the bigger walleye move into a more aggressive feeding pattern. By next week I hope to see the water begin to cool. The lakers have been coming in but no real braggers, so MaryJo has had the smoker going almost everyday. She did some gators with a cajun spice that went down great with a chilly Blue. Its hard to believe that in the next 2 weeks we will be doing the moose hunt. I did some scouting the other day and found that the moose are still well hidden in the swamps. We have had temps in the 80’s with calm winds and bright sunshine. This morning we had pea soup fog so thick I couldn’t see across the bay. It is melting a little now and the breeze is picking up. Tonight is fish fry, one day early but we have some check ins and check outs so we wanted everyone to get in on the meal. By the end of the month it will be a surf and turf meal, fresh walleye and moose tenderloin. Are you drooling yet? Remember……THINK WALLEYE!

Ok, so it’s not Scott, it’s MaryJo. Scott has been busy getting caught up on yard work since we are JUST getting our summer now, in September. Today he’s on the road to Thunder Bay, one of his favorite things to do, just kidding. It’s hell day for him. The fishing has been so-so, with average size walleyes being caught in the narrows,up by the Beav, North end of Cove and around MaryJo’s Island. Some smaller Lakers being caught in 40-80 ft. A couple of  Northerns pretty much anywhere you go. In the next few days I should have a better report on the fishing. A great group of guys that come twice a season are here for the next week. I guarantee they’ll find out where the fish are hiding. And just maybe, Scott and I will be able to head out ourselves. We’re suppose to have some really nice weather this week, into the 70’s and sunny. Soon we’ll be switching gears getting ready for our Moose hunters. Then the end will be in sight. I will make sure Scott gets back to writing his blogs and keeping his fans up to date.

As Scott say’s,” Think Walleyes!”

 Weber Island. Just look for the guy in Beaver Dam WI.with the big grin on his face and he will tell you all about it. It’s almost like fishing in a barrel. Just rig up with jig and minnow, drop it in 25 feet of water with a straight line and set the hook just as you feel the little tug. I was using leeches on a jig and hooking up with some nice fish. Again jig color was not a factor for me. Some fisherman are set on one color and wont change up. Its just fishing. If you find yourself working at it then its time to stop and rethink why your on the water. The other day my fishing partner got a case of the giggles. She was hot on the walleyes, every cast. I couldn’t get my line in the water cause she kept me on the net for most of the time. So she pipes up and says “whats so hard about this”? The other day I headed up to the north end with a group and fished in a few spots that produced fair numbers but no real whoppers. I was pulling 16 inchers from 46 feet of water. We moved down to the Beav and again had just small to average size fish. I beat the rain back in, so I didn’t get to try a few deeper holes. This is the time of the year when we start fishing in the deeper holes for the big meat. The narrows are still holding walleye with the evening bite being the hot time. With the overcast and spotty showers we have just been running up to the narrows for a quick limit. No report on the lakers as the focus has been walleye. Just a few northerns with the odd one taking a walleye here and there. I’m sure everyone has heard the tale of a gator grabbing a walleye while reeling it in.  Well, it’s true and it happens more often than what you would think. Of course you cant keep the northern because you caught it using game fish for bait. It usually makes me mad because they take a bite out of the walleye and then it dies, so these gator bitten walleye have to go for the frying pan. The majority of our fishing is catch and release of course, but a fresh walleye meal is our reward. This morning brings another day of overcast and rain, although we did go almost 36 hours with no rain and mostly sunny yesterday. We worked on the grass again but just cant manage to get ahead. If we wait long enough the snow will cover it. Today, take your favorite fishin buddy and go to the local mom and pop sporting goods shop, look at fishin gear and spend a few bucks. Don’t break the bank, just a $20 or a $50.  And remember……..THINK WALLEYE!

Every day for about the last month we have had rain. Sometimes just  a shower or 4, other times all day downpours followed by a gulley washer. We started to cut grass this morning and managed to get the hay meadow in front and in back done  just before a little shower moved in and got every thing wet. Now the sun is trying to come out but to the north west is another big dark purple cloud. Needless to say I haven’t been on the water much. MaryJo and I made it out a few days ago for about an hour or so. We just ran to the narrows and hooked up a few good eaters. Between showers the wind is keeping the water worked up. Today its just a mild foot to foot and a half chop. Guests are reporting steady action at all the usual holes. No reports of any bragging rights, just the average 16-20 inches. And what a fashion show of  Goretex, every color, style and configuration available. Other than keeping up with the daily chores we decided to put a new sink in #5 along with new light fixtures. Thats been keeping me busy for a few days. One of my favorite things to do is belly crawl under a cabin and work on plumbing. It’s inevitable that I forget something and make it half way under before I realize it and crawl back out. Yesterday the fox was helping me under cabin 5. She has become very accustomed to people and will eat from MaryJo’s hand. The other day she brought 2 kits with her. They stayed their distance while she came up on the porch and got a treat. We remind guests that she is a wild animal and still needs to keep her instincts about hunting and keeping her distance from humans. I wish she would start hunting some of the red squirrels around here. Then theres the darn bear. After going this long without any bears around the lodge we got hit the other night. So I made a mad dash to the dump and sprayed the garbage trailer with amonia. So far, so good. The blue berry crop is almost non-existant so the bears are on the move. At the dump I counted 8 of them and they are so bold that even while I was backing up to the garbage pit 2 of them came right up to the trailer. After I got out of the truck and yelled a little to back them off, they were right back again almost pulling the bags off the trailer before I could. According to the weather report by Sunday we should have a little break in the rain so I’m hoping to get out. And as I look outside again ……it’s raining. Remember….THINK WALLEYE!!!

Fresh caught walleye cakes with chipotle mayo sauce and fried potatoes and rhubarb crisp for dessert. I finally had a chance to fish this afternoon for a few hours. Many people think that we get to fish when ever the notion strikes. Just not so in this business. Priority is making you, our guest, happy and comfortable. Cleaning cabins, cutting grass, washing boats and all the rest of the good stuff comes first. We had a few trees to clean up after the heavy winds that blew through here the last few days. The sun was out with temps in the 60’s f but a strong steady nor’ wester that wouldn’t let up for almost three days. Our friends to the west took a heavy hit and a few prayers need to be said. I thought about fishing the route but changed my mind as I headed north up the lake. I ducked into little Caribou and made my way to the creek. I snagged a few little guys and moved with the breeze down the shore to the west and hooked into a few little gators. Always fun to catch a few of them to get the kinks out of the line. I set the drag easy and let em run a bit. With the walleye gear and a lucky lip hook these guys are fun to tease, I like to see if I can get them to get a little hang time and a tail dance. On the way out I hit a few of the rock piles along the island on the north side and hooked up with a few more walleyes. Nothing to talk about, just the average 16-20, and a solid bite too. I was using a mix of minnows and leeches on a 1/4 oz jig. Chartruese, green and white, it just didn’t matter what color. And the depths were all over the place. 8 feet, 20 feet and everything in between. This was in the middle of the afternoon as I didn’t head out until almost 2 0′clock. The chop was lite to moderate so I throttled up the Ranger and headed for Cove. Its always a steady bite there, just feel out the humps and work the edges just north of the little island. You know what I’m talkin about if you fished it before. And speaking of steady bite!!!! There must have been a dozen boats from the only other 2 lodges on the lake fishing the narrows. About 1 mile of running the obstacle course. There is over 25,000 acres of water to fish on Caribou lake, but these guys just sat in the middle of the narrows boating fish after fish. Not all that difficult to catch, but not all that challenging either. There is this fellow from the Beaver Dam Wisconsin area that keeps asking about the bite. Well, Neal, its just fishing. Don’t try so hard, relax and head for Beer can. Remember…..THINK WALLEYE!

Crazy weather. Last week it was in the upper 80’s, then the rain came and temps dropped to the low 40’s. Rain and cold for 6 days with a stiff nor-wester. The bite was as cold as the weather. A slow presentation with live bait was the only thing producing a bite. I had no reports of anyone using slip bobbers, but this would have been textbook approach. I fished for a few hours on Thursday between mild rain showers and steady winds. I just hung a leech off a 3/8 oz jig and worked it deep and slow. Boat position was key as we had to be right over the fish to trigger a bite. Most of my bites were on the way down and by keeping a straight line it is easy enough to feel the bite. These guys were just gumming it for the most part so I let them put a little pull on it before I set the hook. This soft bite is a good time to use the longer more sensitive rod with a little lighter line. I use a 7 foot St Croix with a Pflueger spooled with 6lb mono. It is a very sensitive rod that lets me feel every bump when jigging. I also had MaryJo’s  Jig n Rig  61/2 foot with 10lb mono that I use for spinning gear and dragging the bottom. Yesterday the weather straightened out and we had bright sun with a good walleye chop. Today brings bright sun and so far just enough breeze to put some ripples on the water. I’m still behind on the grass cutting, but just maybe I’ll get the Ranger in the water today and run up to the Beav. All work and no play makes Scott a dull boy. After all, it is a holiday. Remember…THINK WALLEYE!