As many of you are aware the Ministry put a crew into our place in early May for a Spring Musky Spawning Survey. This consisted of a 2 or 3 man crew (assisted at times with volunteers from Muskies Canada) setting 3 or 4 trap nets in likely spots throughout the French River Delta. Each net was left for 3 days. If it didn't catch a Musky it was moved but if it did the clock was reset for another 3 days. The final count was 56 Muskies up to 43 lbs (see picture), putting our area at the high end of any surveyed! One of the nets had 40 Walleye from 3 to 9 lbs! (I can be bought).
Photo: Bart and Arunas with 43 lb Musky
A secondary but important part of the netting was to obtain fertilized eggs for the restocking of the Spanish River, severely damaged by a toxic spill some year's ago.
This was Mark's job and if they successfully caught a male and female on the same day he would work his magic, and to the strains of the Love Boat Theme, he would race off to the highway and a quick trip to the hatchery in Espanola with his important cargo.
FIRES
What an interesting season we've had! We got to camp in late April after waiting for strong west winds to raise the Key River enough to navigate with the big boat. The previous fall Paul and I took 2.5 hrs to get up the river to put the boat away. I didn't need that again. May was good weather but near the end we had a rainstorm of biblical proportions. The local rivers ran at spring flood stage almost to the end of June but that was the last rain till late August. In the meantime drought took hold and the area started to look like California with hot dry winds and forest fires everywhere we looked. In spite of a total fire ban and no lightning, fires were popping up everywhere. That picnic island in Otter Bay many of you are familiar with will never be the same. There were fires that I know of at Bad River, Bustard Island, Bass Lake, Key Harbour, and 2 at Britt, all involving water bombers, and fire crews. You are responsible for the cost of careless use of fire. The park manager at French River had personally delivered several firefighting bills, one of which was for $2 million.
Some of the boys were back in October for the Fall Walleye Index Netting but with less than stellar results. The weather was terrible. This is a protocol designed for small lakes where your test net has to be attached to shore. There were few fish with the exception of one deep lift at the mouth of the French containing 60 walleye. They pull out when the water temperature drops to 50 degrees. That's just about the time the fish are moving back in from open water, but what do I know.
We had another lightning strike this year, fortunately not quite as spectacular as 94 with the exception that it struck me a glancing blow this time! I was outside the dining room looking at the storm I thought was out past the Bustards, when I felt a SNAP like static electricity on top of my head and simultaneously lightning struck the pump house out back. Apparently lightning puts out feelers to find the best route to ground, and then follows that route. This time I wasn’t it! After that day I was pleased to tell anyone who would listen that I had been felt and then rejected.
Hopefully by now you have noticed the new flyer. Maybe some of you are in it (sorry no royalties). That's an even better deal for those of you south of the border. I'm hoping to have a currency converter on the web site (www.georgianbayfishing.com) very soon to give you the latest exchange rates and while I can't match that bank rate I’ll be close.
I want to remind everyone with reservations pending that they are not confirmed without deposit ($75 Can or $50 US per adult), and that we are filling rapidly. Don't lose out!
I wasn't able to book any US shows this year although Rainbow Country Marketing is representing us at 12 shows. I'll only be at the Spring Fishing Show in Toronto Feb 14-17 at the International Centre by the airport. Anyone with, or wanting reservations can reach me there at Cell 705 746 3216 during the show and I'll get you in.
Other times this phone won't be in use.
New for the season
Hopefully we've seen the last of that leaky top on the taxi. I have booked time at the manufacturer to build and install a hard top. There is only a brief window in spring before ice out to do this, and he's not sure I can fit in the schedule, but we're sure going to try.
Cabin 8 is on the hit list this year. I've left it alone out of respect to Jim Clark (deceased) and his buddy Harry, who has now succumbed to the allure of the newly renovated cabins. We need the space and this ones going to be a palace.
We're working towards washrooms for all. Cabin 11 will be upgraded to flush in the spring and hopefully 6 and 7 as well this summer. That will only leave 1 and 12 to go. Will it ever end?
In closing I want to extend best wishes to all of you for the New Year from Dorothy and I and hopefully we'll see many of you again this year.
Dave Bulger
Georgian Bay Fishing Camp
ort. It's sure hard to get up to speed again after dropping your guard for a month or two of rest. We lasted at the lodge till the end of October and when the season came to a close we went home to Parry Sound for a well-earned rest. 