JohninAB
06-21-2014, 07:22 PM
Every year, for I do not care to remember, a group of us have headed north for a guy's week only fishing trip. Each year we have hit Rock island Lake for the first weekend then off to North Wabasca Lake for the next week.
RIL was as low as I ever remember it in my years of going there. The islands were quite pronounced as the furthest island out from the launch was a good 3 to 4 feet out of the water at it's highest point. Closest island was a good foot or so. Birds were nesting quite nicely when we were there. Launch, be careful not to get your trailer axle caught between the cement pads. Launching a boat otherwise was no problem. New this year was a $5 per 10 pieces of wood charge. Pay up front when you self register and they will deliver. Problem being was we got there around 3pm on Friday, paid for wood and never received a stick till Saturday around 12. Some serious scrounging for wood occurred for the first night of festivities.
Walleye fishing was slow. Trolled around the islands mostly although others in the group tried various other areas of the lake. Between the 7 of us, we caught 6 legal walleyes all weekend. They were nice and healthy and males still had milt. Also, as usual in RIL, be on the lookout for the odd dead head. Go to lure for walleye seemed to be a Rapala XRap in blue and white. Numerous pike were caught as well although nothing of bigger size.
Monday saw us arrive at NWL and set up camp. The previous year we endured torrential rains and no firewood and a campground that was in dire need of some work. Unfortunately, not much had changed as we got the same ole song and dance about rain has not allowed for firewood to be bucked and split nor had it allowed for the grass to be cut in our group site. Grass was a good foot tall. At least we had sunny and dry weather for the majority of our stay this year.
Know last year lots of complaints were made about the lack of maintenance by the Lions club and eventually the MD supplied a summer student to clean the campsite up. The MD wants to take over the site and sure hope they do as RIL which is run by them is a well taken care of site. Or better yet, wish Ralph Klein would have left the campsites in forestry's care. Oh well onto the fishing.
Fishing at NWL was not as good as previous years on the walleye front. Biggest walleye our group caught was 5lbs 15 ounces but numbers caught that were keepers was way down. In fact, the annual RCMP Derby there did not have a largest walleye category as there are concerns about the health of the walleye population in the lake. If I was a betting man, I would put money that walleye limit changes are coming sooner than later for NWL. We did seem to catch all age classes of walleyes while we were there just not the numbers we were used to. The pike fishing was consistent as ever with numerous 100 cm plus fish caught and released. Again Rapalas of various colors and Len Thompson's seemed to work quite well.
All in all, it was good times with good friends as usual.
RIL was as low as I ever remember it in my years of going there. The islands were quite pronounced as the furthest island out from the launch was a good 3 to 4 feet out of the water at it's highest point. Closest island was a good foot or so. Birds were nesting quite nicely when we were there. Launch, be careful not to get your trailer axle caught between the cement pads. Launching a boat otherwise was no problem. New this year was a $5 per 10 pieces of wood charge. Pay up front when you self register and they will deliver. Problem being was we got there around 3pm on Friday, paid for wood and never received a stick till Saturday around 12. Some serious scrounging for wood occurred for the first night of festivities.
Walleye fishing was slow. Trolled around the islands mostly although others in the group tried various other areas of the lake. Between the 7 of us, we caught 6 legal walleyes all weekend. They were nice and healthy and males still had milt. Also, as usual in RIL, be on the lookout for the odd dead head. Go to lure for walleye seemed to be a Rapala XRap in blue and white. Numerous pike were caught as well although nothing of bigger size.
Monday saw us arrive at NWL and set up camp. The previous year we endured torrential rains and no firewood and a campground that was in dire need of some work. Unfortunately, not much had changed as we got the same ole song and dance about rain has not allowed for firewood to be bucked and split nor had it allowed for the grass to be cut in our group site. Grass was a good foot tall. At least we had sunny and dry weather for the majority of our stay this year.
Know last year lots of complaints were made about the lack of maintenance by the Lions club and eventually the MD supplied a summer student to clean the campsite up. The MD wants to take over the site and sure hope they do as RIL which is run by them is a well taken care of site. Or better yet, wish Ralph Klein would have left the campsites in forestry's care. Oh well onto the fishing.
Fishing at NWL was not as good as previous years on the walleye front. Biggest walleye our group caught was 5lbs 15 ounces but numbers caught that were keepers was way down. In fact, the annual RCMP Derby there did not have a largest walleye category as there are concerns about the health of the walleye population in the lake. If I was a betting man, I would put money that walleye limit changes are coming sooner than later for NWL. We did seem to catch all age classes of walleyes while we were there just not the numbers we were used to. The pike fishing was consistent as ever with numerous 100 cm plus fish caught and released. Again Rapalas of various colors and Len Thompson's seemed to work quite well.
All in all, it was good times with good friends as usual.