Here are the Algonquin Park 2006 Spring trip Fishmen!

Homeward bound. We came with three canoes and a kayak. We didn't portage much so we brought in bottled water which was a good thing because our water filter broke early into the trip.

Lucky for us the island had plenty of dead fall to burn. Most of the weekend the camp fire was lit and used to keep the Bush Coffee warm and to dry out many pairs of socks and pants.

There were several Loons on our lake calling mournfully into the cold darkness, their voices being answered on distant lakes or simply echoing throughout the hills around us to be absorbed into the dense black forest.

Two good things about going into the Park at this time of year is that there is fantastic fishing and very few bugs.

One of our anglers saw a Great Grey Owl and I think I saw an Otter like thingy.

Here is a stringer of a couple Whitefish and a Splake. The look in his eye when he saw the frying pan being heated up was inspiring...he didn't even blink! ;)

One trick we used was to look inside their stomachs to see what they are feeding on. We could generally match the contents to a lure, but we usually added a bit of worm for insurance.

Yes, that is a really big Splake! Caught in our secret Honey Hole on the second day, this fellow made the entire camp of anglers gasp in awe. Some even became very quiet in either reverence for its stature or perhaps for the internal turmoil it caused...must not say the "j" word ending in "y" and containing "ealous"!

These are truly beautiful fish.

Some of the Fishmen were more sad about leaving than others. This fellow was the first to catch a Splake right off the shore of our camp site. On the first morning we awoke to his elated cries. It didn't take long for the entire camp of Fishmen to have their hooks baited and cast.

The First day was cold and we had periods of rain. The snow began falling the second day off and on. When the clouds were over the weak sun the air became rapidly crisp. When the clouds moved off the temperature moderated some what. This picture was taken on the morning of our trip out of the Park. The night before we heard the wolves howling. This year they were farther away from our camp, but their haunting calls still echoed throughout the calm night air.

I feel this picture speaks for itself...all I could possibly add is...BURP!

Here's our cook in action. The average sized Splake were pink and flavourful. At this size the fish feed on Dragonfly larva and Crayfish which contributes to the delicate taste. The Whitefish was a little blander, but still good.

The Catch - o - dah - Day! Yes, there was a couple Fly Rods in action this weekend; however, most of the fish were hauled ashore using Bait Casters. These fellers are about to be cleaned. The Herring Gulls were already circling overhead-waiting for a tasty fish head snack.

The cooks pan is only 'so big', so we had to measure the monster fish. It was strange how popular the fish was...everyone wanted to take a picture with it.

This angler is one of the best. Famous for his skill and the endless buckets of Bush Coffee he brews and consumes at every meal, it is no wonder he always seems so alert.

When portaging a canoe with the Brent Giant, he constantly needs to raise the canoe off his head to see the trail. We only ran into a couple trees this time.

Yes, the Brent Giant himself was there to catch a few Brookies. You can't really see it, but it was raining and snowing which seemed to be good weather for fishing. Yes I am wearing everything I brought, but it was very cold. Behind me is a really good spot to get your worm stripped by the minnows...but it was fun when you hook into a Whitefish that gives a little fight. This spot is right off our camp.

Why eat fish when there is plenty of toast? This angler was instrumental in helping to haul in the monster fish. Always in a calm state, he knows how to lure the fish into thinking everything is all right...then he sets the hook!

Yes our camp cook and fellow angler is looking a little intense here, but he had his work cut out for him with all the fish we hauled in. If you can't find him, just look for the trail of empty Coke bottles...or simply listen to the sounds on the wind. His latest gadget is a diffuser plate which I highly recommend.

Having never fished before, nor caring for it much...you can always count on this type of angler to bring home the trophy fish. Without a worm, on a messy weather day, the Honey Hole does not disappoint. This Fishman went a little father than most in testing the waters, but always managed to steam dry off by the camp fire. This fish was so big it was rapidly eating its way up the food chain...good thing we came along to stop it.

We have anglers of various skill and interests with us. This one has been known to jump in after the fish...he blames his slippery boots. Serious minded, he comes with an assortment of gear which makes him able to tackle every condition. Here he is working the ol'bait caster.

We didn't waste any time getting down to the purpose of our mission...FISH! Here is one of our more productive anglers working the secret Honey Hole. We were fishing for Splake which is a hybrid between a Lake Trout and a Speckled Trout. We also caught loads of Whitefish and a very small and frightened Catfish. All the fish croaked and gurgled when we took them off our hooks...one even whispered my name.

We arrived in the cold, but after the guys dried out from falling in the rapids, we felt good.

The water felt warm on the surface but would wake you up quick if you fell in. After a long search we found a site. Originally thought to be only 3 outta 10, it was soon determined to be far better. :)

Packing is almost complete. Made sure I packed my old dive knife in case the wildlife chooses to snack on me. Found out that my paddle partner's truck has been having brake problems, this is not good for my nerves. Can't take my car because the dirt road we take into the Park is crossed by a creek that floods a little too deeply in the Spring. My paddle is painted and my tackle box is complete so I am ready for our trip. Broke the tip off my fishin' rod last year when it snagged on some shrubs as I was pulling the canoe out of the water. New rod is 6" longer which makes it a little more challenging to pack. Next entry should be next week...wish us good fishing and pray we are not on a dinner plate ourselves before the weekend is over.

Going into the Park this weekend. Weather is going to be rough again this year. At least there will be no 5 inch sheets of ice silently stalking us as we battle the shifting head winds on our way to our favourite campsite. Might wake up frozen to the ground again...man that's not a lot of fun.
Packing my gear tonight...better be ready this time.