SPRING BEAR SEASON

  My bear guide Yoshi and I had an interesting spring.  We were rather busy baiting and setting up new  baits.  Eventually the bear hunters started coming in, and we ended up going 90% success rate.  We ended up with 2 blond bears, as well as a few over 300 lbs.  The biggest this year was 365 lbs,  but we had some true monsters on the cameras.  

  Not only big bears, but lots of color this year.  Going into a bait I had a great look at a 200 lb smoky sandy tan bear. It was the same color as a dark buckskin horse.  Very strange but very cool.  Hoping a hunter gets a crack at him next year.

I am looking forward to our 2013 season, where I am sure we are going to get some big bears.

One of the monsters in at a bait.

Biggest bear of 2012 spring season.

GRIZZLY

  Avery Prieb, my nephew, turned 12  a couple winters back, which allowed him to hunt in Canada.  The spring of 2011, I set up a bait that was on the outside edge of the lodges allocation, in an area no baits have been set up.  We had a monster black bear come in, but through a number of unlucky events, we were unable to close the deal on him.  We'd try again in 2012.

  During the summer of 2011, I left a camera up at the bait to see what came around.  In came a tall and lanky blond bear that looked great, just needed more weight.  I irregularly baited "Av's Bait", and hoped that that blond bear remembered it for the following spring.

  2012 came, and so did the baiting.  Up went the camera on Av's Bait, and sure enough, that blond bear from last year was coming in, but had a bit different coloring.  Looked exactly like a grizzly bear, and had more weight.  Expectations were high, as I phoned Avery and told him he better get his little butt up here and hunt this bear.

  May Long weekend arrived and so did Avery.  My bear guide Yoshi and I went into the bait with Avery to film, and we saw absolutely nothing.  Something was wrong, and we decided maybe too many people in the stand.  So the next day, just Avery and myself went in, crossbow in his hand, and it wasn't long till we had action.

  A little gaffer came in and played around, in and out of the bait a few times.  As light started fading,
 I told Avery to find a comfy spot and try not to move, cause something may happen soon.  It wasn't long, and the little guy looked up and ran off.  Show time?  

  Sure enough, in comes "Grizz" with a sow, and he was weary.  The sow he was with went straight to the bait and started eating.  Grizz checked us out keeping away from any shooting lane.  Avery held it together, and after a few minutes, the moment Avery waited 2 years for finally came.

  Take em Av- take em!  Thwack!!

  Run run run- crash-  ............................ you drilled em!!!!!!  

  I have never seen a 13 year old with such big eyes in my life.  For a kid that plays johnny too cool, he could barely hold it together.  But then again, neither could I.  I am not sure who was more excited, or more proud.

Words are hard to explain just what Avery and I were feeling.  But as we settled down and everything sank in, Yoshi said it best on the way home with the bear. " You did good Avery, you did good."

ICE FISHING WRAP UP

Well here I am in August, getting caught up with a few things.  Like writing about ice fishing...... hmmmm.   Perhaps baby Kiley has life a bit busier than the past.

  Anyhow, the tail end of ice fishing was a blast.  We had some interesting excursions, one of which involved a bunch of farmers from south manitoba, 8 quads, a few sink holes, a whole lot of slush, and fishing when we finally could make it.

  The fishing was strong, lots of numbers, but bigger fish were harder to come by as the season progressed, which is generally not the norm.   My laker spot on Reed slowed down by the end of March, and walleye on Wekusko stayed strong.  Korman really really got tough for me anyway, catch a couple a trip, but nothing like mid winter.  One fishery that stayed strong all year was Woosey lake for walleye and especially Burbot.  Alot of masters came out of the ice there, and those 30"+ burbs sure do fight!

  Funny thing is, from now it is only 3 more months until the ice auger cuts another hole, or hundred.  Till November sometime........

February Guiding

So this last week I was able to get away from the lodge and guide some clients from my home town of Avonlea.   They made the trek up last year, splitting the 3 days of fishing into walleye, lakers, and pike.  This year was the same, however, but with another year of ice  area knowledge under my belt.  My future guide - nephew Avery- also tagged along and was learning the ropes.

   Our first day started out for walleye.  The lake we went to generally doesn't have that great of an early morning bite.  We got geared up and were on the water by 10 am.  The bite started hot and heavy, but slowed down around noon.  It stayed constant throughout the day, and we ended up packing in around 4pm.  Our count was done, and we landed just over the 50 walleye mark.   Not a bad way to start.   This lake I am keeping anonymous, due to the fact that local pressure can easily take this spot over.

  Day 2 had us heading to Reed Lake, going for Lake Trout.  A week prior I scouted out a spot and we lost a monster monster trout right below the hole.  We headed back to this spot and did fairly well.  We landed 12 trout, lost just as many, and had one 34" x 18".  

 Day 3 had us heading to Krug Lake for pike and walleye.  We did land some nice pike on the tip ups, nothing huge huge but very respectable.  The biggest pike was a 39" that had insane girth.  The walleye were biting okay as well, but nothing over 18".  It is good to see that the lake is coming back with a good walleye population.

  Ice conditions were close to the same on every lake.  Just over 2 feet of ice, and between 10" to 2' of snow on the lakes.  Some ice is solid right through, and some is flaky slush ice.  So how long will the ice be here?  No idea.  It will all depend on March weather.  

   My next guiding trip is mar 5-8.  We will see what happens then!

Ice Fishing up to February

This winter has been an interesting one.  It has been soooo warm.  This has meant alot of snow, and not much ice.   As well, if a person likes slush puppies, just head out to the lake, put your flavoring in a cup, and hold it behind the snowmobile.  

  I am not sure how long we will have ice this year.  With high water, and poor ice, we might be in to open water by mid April.  

 Fishing so far has been real good for me.  I had 2 goals for through the ice this year.  First- to learn the rainbows in Korman Lake.  Second- to learn the the east side of Wekusko for walleyes.   WIth a baby this winter, my time has been limited, but I have stroked the first goal off the list.

  I have fished Korman 5 times, and have caught 9 master Rainbows.  Allan (dad) fished twice with me there, and he also caught 4 masters.  He also battled a fish for 5 minutes (and yes the drag was set correct cause I checked since it was taking so long), and the fish ended up getting the line caught in a sliver in the bottom of the hole and straightened a size 4 gamy to get off.   Not sure what it was..... but it's still out there roaming the depths of Korman.

  I also fished File Lake once, and managed to catch a 31" and 32" laker.   The picture is not that great since I didn't have the camera warm- because the information from locals is that there is no big fish in that lake.   These were not monster trout- but the definitely were not push overs.

  Woosey Lake also got a few holes punched in.   We have been doing quite well with walleye there, but also in some big burbot.  The last time out one client caught  a 33" brute.  But as the story goes- we never got to see the one that just about spooled him!!!

  I plan to keep you all posted on the ice as well as the fishing!

Bryan

BABY!

 October came along, and Elissa's tummy was getting rather large.  It was time to head south to be ready for the baby to come, and for me to get a bit of hunting done as well!

  We headed out to my family farm for a few days, where my dad and I got to do some speckle belly goose hunts.  Maggie got to show her stuff out there and she worked her magic.  After getting my fix on some hunting, it was time to head into the city and wait.

  It wasn't long and we welcomed our baby girl to the world.  She gave us all a scare, and we were a bit shocked that it wasn't a boy....we were sure it was going to be a boy.  At that moment we named her Kiley, and she had us wrapped around her finger ever since.  We are so blessed to have a daughter!

  Now, Elissa just had surgery, but no one was going to stop the physiotherapist in her.  That day she was showering, and the next day doing small walks.  One more day and Elissa was released (one day early).   We were now parents........yikes.

   So when you come to the lodge this year- you will be greeted by our new welcoming committee!

Bryan, Elissa, Kiley, Bauer, and Maggie

IN MEMORY Of JOE KOZAK

IN MEMORY Of JOE KOZAK

  I remember the first time I talked with Joe.  You could tell he was excited to come up here, and man did he have questions.  It seemed like he may have been burned by a different fishing lodge before, and he was making sure, multiple times, that things were exactly how I said they were.

 It was July of 2010, when he first graced us with his first trip to the lodge.  Tall, slender, and getting up there in age was Joe.  He also brought with him his lovely wife Dorothy, which we were to find out they married just a few years prior. 

 Elissa and I hit it off with Joe and Dorothy, and it wasn't long until they were back up (I think it was 2 weeks later).  They had such a great time up here, I know it was therapeautic for Joe, and was reliving his glory days.  You see, Joe was battling cancer and came between the Kemo treatments.  What a great way to spend the time that you have away from the hospital.

  As our friendship grew, we learned more and more about Joe.  He was quite the cook, and had recipes for just about everything.  He also headed up the Garlic and Honey Festival in the Pembina Valley.  It was evident that Joe was a true outdoorsman, he loved the outdoors, and he loved to eat from it!

  This is also where I got my contact to go turkey hunting.  I was blessed with the opportunity to hunt on his friends ranch, where I made Joe proud and harvested my first Miriam Gobbler during a snow storm.   I am still not sure who was more proud, myself or Joe. 

  As Joe and Dorothy were tired of everyone else catching the big big walleye, they wanted to book at a high quality time, as well as book myself as a guide.  So we picked a time in later June 2011 that worked for both of us.  As the dates approached, Joe was not feeling so good.  No one from their home town thought it was a good idea for him to come up- but Joe thought otherwise.  He more than made it, and also brought another close couple with them.  Here is the article from their hometown newspaper:

 It was an honor to guide Joe on that trip, and to see such a big silly grin as he pulled up the masters.  I'm not going to say it wasn't challenging guiding the crew, but we made it all work out.  I feel that I was extremely blessed to have given him such a great trip, and more importantly a great time with his wife Dorothy and friends.  

  Three weeks after having them in my boat, I got a call from Joe's daughter and could tell from her voice that this wasn't going to be good news.......  Joe had passed away.  

  Needless to say I was hit with all sorts of emotion,  both happy and sad.  I can't help but cheer up when I think about Joe reeling up the next moby dick, and holding a beautiful golden Tramping Lake master.  Next year at the lodge just won't be the same.....

  Thanks for all the memories Joe, you will be greatly missed.  

Joe's First Tramping Lake Master Walleye

Bryan and Elissa Bogdan

Wekusko Falls Lodge