DAY FIVE - WEDNESDAY - Fishing Vacation Georgian Bay Fishing Camp

Home Intro Day 1 Day 2 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Day 7 Day 8

This morning we were feeling discouraged.  Fishing had been up and down, mainly down.  Last night the wind really blew and the winds had shifted to the NW. Cold front!  Dave, the owner, said, "I hope you caught your fish, you know what a cold front means."  I thought it couldn't get much worse.  Four days of fishing, three pike and four bass in the fridge, many smaller fish.  We had eaten fish and it was good!  Wanted more.  We had been taking fishing pretty seriously, 8 or more hours per day in the boat, exploring, looking for fishing holes, casting, trolling, still fishing, casting flies… Always took a lunch, sometimes an early dinner. 

 

Even though it was windy and over cast, we decided to head to new territory.  With maps in hand, plenty of sandwiches, and our rain gear, we headed to the northwest for the main outlet of the French River; by Obstacle, Dorion, Claw, Magee, and Sabine Islands.  We saw foundations of old buildings near the mouth of the French.  There were large iron boilers along the water's edge.  Went by McIntosh Camp up to Dallas Rapids.  We fished from the rapids down through several pools, finally in the last pool, next to the game wardens cabin, we caught walleyes; Dad one and me two. Mike caught a nice bass, but he was still disappointed, he wanted walleyes.  After many days of hard fishing, we were pumped again, found a walleye spot.  I will tell you, I have never caught walleye like these.  After a heck of a nice day of fishing, we headed back to camp across the windy bays.  Cutting cross wind, the waves splashed up and sprayed over the side of the boat, we got wet!  I cleaned the fish, as I did the entire trip.  Rather enjoyed it and got pretty good at filleting. 

 

That afternoon we explored the eastern outlet of the French River.  Maps call it the Bass Creek, which outlets Bass Lake, a wide part of the river.  We followed the channel till it ended. During high waters there is a set of rapids. Now it is a trickle, due to low water and the blasting of Dallas Rapids in the 60's.  A boardwalk led up into the woods from a dock.  This is the rebuilt walk, dating back to the 30's, that connected Rainbow Camp, on the southern shore of Bass Lake to Georgian Bay.  We walked up the trail to find the remains of Rainbow Camp.  There were several cabins open for campers to use.  The new owners had fixed the best cabins and razed the rest.  They let canoer's and boaters stay in the cabins at no cost.  The nicest cabin, filled with eccentric decorations, was the owners.  They also left it open.  We heard people could stay in their cabin, but had to move out when the owners came for a visit.  We met a lone canoer, staying in one of the cabins.  He was two weeks into a 4 week journey on the French River system.  He had started in the upper French, paddled down the main outlet, portaged the Dallas Rapids and paddle out into Georgian Bay. He cut up the eastern outlet, portaged up the walkway and into Bass Creek.  From Rainbow Camp he would now paddle up stream to his point of origin.  Four weeks alone in the wilderness, I would go crazy after two days.

 

There used to be a tramway, for hauling heavy equipment to and from Georgian Bay.  It had been built to haul the sawmill equipment from the French River Village, up into the upper French River and Pickerel River.  The tramway was also used to haul the Georgian Bay Fishing camp from the middle French down into the Bay.  Tasks that seem daunting even today, yet with horses, steam power and back muscles, great feats were accomplished by those tough souls back then.

 

We ate fish that night.  Mike made a Birthday cake for Dad, candles and all.  Dad was really touched by it.  Later he told me he had to fight back the tears he was so touched.  We drank beer and talked about the old day's and the next day's fishing plans.  It was back to Dallas Rapids for Walleye.  I read about the old town site on the lower French River, where we had seen the boilers and foundations.  Planed to explore the site tomorrow. Sitting on the front porch, looking at the stars and moon, we felt like fisherman and again felt like the Brothers and Dad of yesteryears.  The three of us together, exploring the wild waters, and catching fish.

 

I think for the first time, in the many years the three of us had been off on trips together, I was comfortable enough with who I am, and could completely accept them for who they were.  I could see some of me in both if them, but I am not a carbon copy of either.  Looking back now at the trip, one of the most striking things is just how different Mike and I really are, and that goes deep to the inner self.  In a group setting, Mike has always risen to the top and been a good leader.  I am most comfortable when I have a good leader, and function in a creative support role.  Not that I don't do well as a freelance, sole practitioner.  Actually I do my best work as a lone wolf, and have never sought or preferred the role of a group leader.   I guess these roles go back to childhood, Mike was the big brother and  I, the little brother,  always struggling to keep up with him.

 

 

Big fish of the trip

 

Dad    18"               5 lbs.   Smallmouth bass

          22"               4 lbs.   Walleye

          27.5"                      7 lbs.   Sucker

 

Mike    17.5"            4 lbs.   Smallmouth bass

          28"               8 lbs.   Walleye

          32"                        Northern

 

Rick     I didn't measure the fish I caught, but I caught many, not the biggest, but the most.  Caught every species except a sucker. I was most excited about catching a northern and smallmouth bass on a fly rod.