It’s humorous how new adventures turn into much-anticipated traditions. For us, one annual journey started when my now 13-year-old son Tristen and I made a decision to kick off summer time with a father-son journey to Lake Herridge Lodge & Resort, simply south of Temagami. The lake choices have been intriguing, and the mix of fantastic hosts, incredible fishing, and luxuryready lodging have saved us coming again every summer time since.
One 12 months, we arrived on Canada Day and have been promptly greeted by pleasant house owners Nathalie St. Amour and Brad Ferguson. The lodge dates again to 1942 and the pair took over as hosts in 2018. After exchanging updates and fishing intel, we unloaded our gear and fired up the barbecue.
The night supplied us the chance to fish some shoreline on Herridge Lake, the place a few smallmouth bass eagerly attacked our floor poppers. With daylight fading, we settled into our cabin enthusiastic about what the subsequent day would deliver.
Again-lake travels
Lake Herridge Lodge and Resort is located on a chain of lakes. From the lodge, it’s a 15-minute portage into Iceland Lake, and an extra five-minute portage into Driftwood and Wasaksina lakes. Each are straightforward walks with a cache of boats waiting on the finish. All you want is fishing gear, security tools, and lunch. These lakes all have walleye, smallmouth, and pike. The most important within the chain, Wasaksina, additionally has a great inhabitants of lake trout.
The again lakes could be the main target of our journey. The following morning, we left early and portaged to Iceland, flushing a ruffed grouse on the path. After a fast boat journey to the subsequent portage, we cleared Driftwood and headed down the Driftwood River and its tangle of logs and blowdowns. We cautiously navigated this quick and attention-grabbing stretch. The river opened into Wasaksina and I revved up the 9.9 to get us to our first spot. We arrange on a mid-lake cabbage mattress and instantly discovered smallmouth.
Tristen began with a inexperienced pumpkin curly-tail jig and boated a 17 incher. It was enjoyable fishing, however the subsequent half dozen smallmouth have been small, so we have been eager on another choice. “Let’s go for some walleye, Dad,” Tristen known as out.
Island walleye
We moved to a big island level that Brad talked about had been producing nicely. Tristen dropped his jig and I watched his rod double over as he set into a giant one. “That is actually heavy!” he shouted. He performed the fish calmly and introduced a monster walleye to the online. At 31 inches, it was by far his largest up to now. He was elated and excited and I couldn’t have been prouder of him. We took just a few images earlier than the discharge.
With our sonar marking fish, Tristen hooked into walleye quantity two a minute later. Then I obtained in on the motion with a 22.5 incher, fooled by a nightcrawler on a sluggish dying rig. Then the smallmouth made themselves recognized once more. We caught a number of double-headers — our greatest could be a sassy 18.5-inch fish Tristen landed.
We soaked all of it in. The fish, the surroundings, shorestrains cloaked in pine and cedar, the isolation. A bald eagle flew excessive within the sky over us.
After a few hours, we moved on to a favorite bay from earlier years. There have been no walleye, however the smallmouth cooperated. Extra than a dozen placed on aerobatic shows. We might have stayed endlessly, but it surely was a sizzling-hot day and we left early within the afternoon to get again to the lodge so we might cool off on the seaside.
The chunk continues
Our subsequent three days supplied repeats. Smallmouth fishing was constant, and we combined in lots of good walleye. A spotlight got here one afternoon when a gusty wind triggered mid-lake reef walleye. Casting lipless crankbaits and minnowbaits produced a fast succession of fish. Wasaksina has construction galore and it could take rather more than per week to take a look at all of the potential fishing spots.
We awoke on day 5 to chill temperatures and rain. The climate change was welcome however anticipated storms later within the day saved us shut to the lodge on Iceland Lake. Scenic Iceland is a gem and my favorite within the chain. This small lake has all of it, from excessive cliffs to weedy bays. We trolled the shoreline with minnow baits and hooked our first walleye very quickly. The rain began falling tougher however the fishing was good and we landed a mixture of walleye and pike. Tristen caught our final fish, a ravishing 18-inch smallmouth, earlier than a distant rumble prompted us to go again.
Greater than fishing
The Temagami space is thought for its outdated progress white and purple pine and mountain climbing trails, each of which are quick drives from the lodge. No go to is complete with no journey up the Temagami Hearth Tower.
Tristen scampered to the highest whereas I, being much less than enthusiastic about heights, took a slower, two-hands-on-the-rail strategy. The view from the prime was magnificent.
Lake Herridge Lodge and Resort is open 12 months spherical and affords drive-to distant enjoyable for eachone. Households with younger youngsters take pleasure in staying on Herridge Lake to benefit from the seaside and water toys. The spectacular visitor lodge is a superb rainy-day possibility with satellite tv for pc TV, pool, and card tables.
Hunters can benefit from each spring and fall bear, small sport, and moose.
We put an finish to a different nice journey. Some really superb fish have been caught, and we explored a number of new water. There may be nonetheless a lot to see and do and we’re already wanting forward for our subsequent journey again.
Getting there
Lake Herridge Lodge and Resort is simply south of the city of Temagami, alongside Trans-Canada Freeway 11.
Contact
5760 Hwy 11 North
Temagami, Ontario
705-569-3718
lakeherridgelodge.com
Lodging
10 waterfront housekeeping cabins for two to 9 folks.
Value
Fishing package deal begins at $599 per particular person for 3 nights. Contains, 14-foot aluminum boat with 9.9 two-stroke and back-lake entry.
Initially printed within the June-July 2024 concern of Ontario OUT of DOORS
