Camping all Summer at Manic 5 (Part 4)

We were well into the month of August. Did some great fishing trips. Even explored a couple

of lakes that probably no one ever tried. One of them was a surprise.

It was the first week-end of August and the boys and I had been checking the map. We were looking for a lake that the only way in was to walk and also something on the top of a mountain. We wanted a lake that know float plane could land on. So, fairly small but not to small. We found one on the map. We could drive about 10 miles from here. Then, which looked like from the road maybe a hour, hour and half walk if there's no trail, we hoped that there was none. We wanted savage territory. Tomorrow that is where were going and wake will be early.

It was 6 am and it looks like a nice day, not much sun, but no rain. Each had our pack sac, lunch, fishing rods and our tackle lures worms and dry flies in the pack sac, fly dope. We had light clothes and running shoes on. We knew that it would a long walk and hard climb.

One hour later we were on our way through the bush, not to thick, a lot of fallen trees here and there. Big trees, the boys asked if a cyclone went through here? I said maybe a tornado. It was like something about 400 feet wide just past by and pushed all the trees down to the ground. I said lets move over to the side and maybe it will be easier to walk. Which we did. Had a 5 minute rest and then continued.

We had been walking for about an hour when we saw a big black bear. He was about 300 feet away and standing on his back legs. He was looking at us. We stopped and watch him, it was trying to smell us. We waited and watched and after a few minutes it went on to doing what it was doing, eating.

There's the lake just ahead, it's smaller than we thought. We were a bit disappointed, but you'll never know what's in there until you try. The lake was an oval shape, yes like an egg. About 800 maybe a 1000 feet in length and 400 to 500 feet wide. A lot of trees had fallen on the side of the lake and some in the water. It looked pretty deep and the water was a violet or light purple maybe darkish blue. This was the highest lake around and a small discharge at the other end.

Oh yes, we also did see fresh moose tracks near the lake.

The boys had their rods ready and had found a place that they could take a good cast. Casted a few times and not a touch. We moved along the side towards the discharge. Nothing not a bite. It was close to 10 am. We tried different lures and tried lure and fly on the same line and not a bite. Are you guys hungry? Yes.

We sat and had a couple of sandwiches and grape juice. We were beside the discharge a very small creek. Did you see that, where the rings are on the lake over there. What I saw was a big fish I saw it's tail. What ever kind it is it's a nice size. It was after those bugs that's on the water.

The boys were casting and nothing biting. I said let's try it with just a small hook and one inch of worm. I'm putting a small sinker so that I can cast a little farther. Exactly what we needed as my first cast I had one and what a fight. I'll take my time because we did not bring the net. It took about five minutes and I had it on shore, well in the bush. I beautiful speckle trout, a nice red belly and lots of colors. A quick look like that, I say about 3 pounds and 18 inches. The fishing went on and great it was. The boys had something on their lines and they were having fun. I can still hear them saying, why big ones like this on such a small lake. We had one with each cast. Small ones and big ones. They were biting like crazy.

We fished for a good three hours, we did not really count how many we caught. But did keep three nice ones each. This would be pretty heavy in our pack sacs going back. I did keep two more close by and this was for the bear if he was still close by and I know that he would be pretty hungry and they can smell fish from a great distance.

We arrived at the camping at 5 pm. sharp without seeing the bear. A few of our friends came over to see if we did catch something. When they saw what we had, they want to know where we went. Which lake, I said the name of the lake is the lake with "no name" and that's the name we still use today.

Eleven beautiful speckle trout weighing from 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 pounds. A beautiful day and wonderful, once again fishing trip.

Camping all Summer at Manic 5 (Part 3)

Yes a few weeks have gone by and everything is going well. The children are having fun. The boys have explored the surroundings at least 3 miles around. They also built a tree house and did lots of fishing, even brought an old age couple, in the seventies out fishing on the seven lakes. The madam did fish before but never caught anything. I guess they had good guides because they both caught their twenty speckle trout. They were more than happy, they both paid the boys $25.

Our camping site was getting more visitors, campers visiting the Manic 5 dam and deciding to camp for a few days at Doreen Lake. The permanent residents had also grown, we were up to eight trailers. Everyone was enjoying the summer. All was going well and we all helped each other, we had become a big family.

We were in the last week of July, it was the phase of the full moon, a Friday night. I said to the boys we should go fishing around 11 to-night, with a full moon like this it should be great. They asked were? The lake next to us, Louise Lake. Okay.

We hopped into the 16 foot Prince craft skiff and headed for the other side. I said we will give a try here, close to shore, they come and feed close to shore at night. We all had something bright in color as lures, like white or yellow even silver. The moon was full and we could see the trees the shore line even the moon reflecting on our lures.

The boys gave their cast towards shore. I had told them to reel fast, this would keep the lure up on the surface of the water. I heard the splash when the trout hit the lure. What a fight he's giving me Dad. Bob had a nice speckle. Take your time. Once aboard it was a nice one, a 2 1/2 pounds 16 inches long. We caught 6 beauties each and said that's okay for tomorrows lunch. They were all in the 14 to 16 inches.

We got back to camp it was 1 o'clock in the morning and Mom was not to happy. Were sorry.

I said hey do you guys want to go and try pike fishing, it's fun also. The boys never ever were out pike fishing. There's a place on the Manic 2 reservoir a big creek or small river that runs in the Manic 2 reservoir. I saw this when I was out Moose hunting. Pretty sure that there's some big pike there. The said okay and I replied, not before Sunday.

It was Sunday and another beautiful day. I asked do you guys still want to go for those big pike? We have to bring the big fishing rods with the stronger line and the big tackle box.

It was 1 in the afternoon and down we went on the Manic 2 reservoir. We had a good 2o minute ride with the 20 horse power. As we traveled I pointed out to the boys were we had been Moose hunting a few times and the place that we killed a big bull moose.

Here's the place, that big creek, we'll go up as far as we can and then let ourselves drift down. Okay lets cast. Gary said I got one a big one, take your time and give him some lose, if not he'll snap your line. It snapped the line. I gave a cast at about where it broke the line. I said I got one, what a fight, it was huge and it didn't want to come close to the boat. I worked it very slowly and finally brought it in. It started to jump and bounce in the boat. The boys were having a close look but not one of them decided to take the lure out of the fish's mouth. I said don't put your finger into their mouth. They have a lot of teeth and few rows of them. As I was taking the lure out, my daredevil I said look, another lure in it's mouth. Gary said that's mine the yellow lure with the black diamonds. The boys said these things are as bad as sharks. Well we call them fresh water sharks and when they decide to bite, they bite on anything. It was a nice size around 20 pounds.

We fished for a good 3 hours, caught real nice ones and kept them. Did put the smaller ones, less than fifteen pounds back into the water. We kept 10 big ones in the 20 pounds and no less.

I said okay time to back home. Boys said, oh no not now, we like this, it's more fun than fishing speckles. Home we went.

Camping all Summer at Manic 5 ( Part 2)

The week went by pretty fast. The boys did a lot of fishing. The camping had grown as two more trailers were added to our Out in the Wilderness Camping. The boys are the one’s that gave it the name. The two friends and family were co-works and good friends.

Friday night was a gathering around the camp fire and singing a few songs while having a good beer. Oh yes for supper was the speckle trout that the boys caught on Doreen Lake.

Around the fire that evening I asked the boys and my daughter what do we do for the week-end? The response was quick from the boys. We want to go fishing at the 7 Lakes. Asked my wife and she yes that would be nice. So I said okay, we’ll take two boats and we have to leave here nine. If we want to try all the lakes. The seven Lakes are small lakes about 1 mile in length. These lake all communicated from on to the other without portaging. The lake all had nice speckle trout, averaging from 7 to 14 inches.

Next morning which was Saturday, a nice sunny day. The boys had the fire going and I said , bacon and eggs on the fire this morning. So it was and everyone looked happy, I said I guess everyone like the outdoor living and the pure fresh air and good sleeping we get. That was it, no television , no radio, no telephone, it was quiet. Oh if someone had to reach us that wasn’t a problem, the constables at the gate knew where to find me. I always let them know were we are and were we are going.

All that talking this morning were late and all the big ones are going to be hard to catch. It was close to 10 AM and on our way to the seven lakes. At the Hydro dock there was 10 Dores ( flat bottom boat made out of plywood ) they were 16 feet long and a good 5 feet wide. Each had a 15 horse power and let me tell not to fast but solid you could walk around in the boat and no danger to tip over. We took two boats the boys with one and Mado , Mel and I with the other. The boys had been driving our operating a motor boat since the age of 6.

We fished on the second lake and caught a few nice ones; well we kept the bigger ones.Tried the next two lakes and a few nice ones. They were not biting much because it was hot and the sun was over us and it’s noon. The boys it’s said no good at noon, it will be better around 5 o’clock. I said there on the bottom, the big one’s are on the bottom at this time of the day.

The boys pulled over to see what we had. I said two nice ones, Moms and Mel, 13 and 14 inches. The biggest one we have is 10 inches. We had a nice dozen speckles.

I said anyone for a sandwich yes were hungry, okay just let the boats drift side by side and we’ll have lunch. It was a beautiful and up to now a good fishing trip. After lunch let’s go too the 7th. Lake, I know a place were there’s 14 inch speckles, even 15 if they decide to bite.

We were at the 7th. Lake and it was close to 3 PM. I said right now the fish are on the bottom and not to interested in what we have. We gave it a try, casting and reeling fast or slow and nothing at all. I told the boys to pull over and I’ll show you what one of my old constables showed me when they don’t bite. I pulled out a very small hook from the tackle box. Took my leader, hook and everything off my line. All I had was the bare line. Tied that little hook on, got a worm out of the worm box and took only one (1) inch of worm, not any longer and put the worm on hiding completely the hook. Everyone was watching and listening.( I told myself I hope I catch at least one.) There was no sinker, Just the line, hook and worm. I casted as far as I could, I let the line sink right to the bottom, I kept pull more and more line out. Everyone was watching. I said I’m on the bottom and started to reel slowly, something is biting, I gave a yank and I got one and a good fight at that. It was a nice 14inch speckle. We fished, catch and release, we did not
Count how many we caught and put back. I say 100 would not be lye. We did keep 20 beauties. We fished up to 6 PM and said it’s time to head back if we don’t want to have supper to late.

Everyone appreciated this great day.

I will be back with another story next week.

Camping all Summer at Manic 5

The summer 1981 we decided to purchase a 21-foot mobile trailer and camp all summer up near Manic 5. No I was not on holidays for the whole summer, I worked at Manic 5 from Monday to Friday and finished at 5 pm. So it was great to do both, work and pleasure.

My wife Mado, daughter Mel 5 years old, my two sons Gary 12 and Bob 13 were all tickled about the idea and I was also excited about this also. It will give me the opportunity to spend more time with my love ones. Also to show them what the outdoors and wild life is all about. Although they knew quite a lot already.

School had just finished it was a Friday and that same day around 5 pm we were on our way up to Doreen Lake. With the trailer behind our 1975 GM vista cruiser station wagon. We had a good 3 to 4 hour drive up that steep and winding road to Manic 5. It was 238 km. drive.

We arrived around 9 pm everything went well. We decide to leave everything as is and sleep in the trailer like it was. Tomorrow morning after a big breakfast will be the installation of our home for the summer. The boys made a camp fire, we all sat there until midnight, it was a beautiful place the full moon was reflecting on the calm lake and I could see on the children, face that were happy and looking towards having a great summer. This without no television and the kids said that they could do it, the complete summer without watching TV.

We were the only ones camped in the wilderness and 5 miles from Manic 5. Doreen Lake is a small lake with small speckle trouts 8 to 10 inches in size. Like we say the best eating when their pan size. The whole family are all crazy about fishing even Mel my daughter, she caught her first speckle trout she was a little over 2 years old. I can still see her today, she held it in both hands and started kissing the fish, saying I caught one Papa I caught one.

The next morning after a great sleep and a good breakfast we were ready to put the trailer and all in place. Like we said we are here for the summer. Today is the 20^th. June and we are not leaving here until school starts and that is the 6^th. Of September.

Well it took the weekend to get all in place. We also dug a well, I had a water pump, generator, boat and motor, chestnut canoe, nothing was missing. Our fishing gear even spare ones for the visitors. Also brought my 32spc. Winchester rifle, as in the wild bush like this, wolves, bears do come pretty close. No garbage is left lying around and a trip to dump was once a day.

It was Sunday afternoon and the boys Bob and Gary decided to get some speckles or brookys for supper. They asked us how many do we want to eat for supper. I remember saying at least 4 nice size one’s. They were back an hour later with 20 nice trout, 9 to 10 inches in size and red. Great supper that night, oh yes supper is always late when your camping. It was 8 pm. All this was cooked out side on the open fireplace that we also built during the weekend.

That evening was just sitting around the campfire with the guitar and singing and me telling my stories about the old days. I said Dad has to go to work tomorrow morning and he starts at 7 am. I think 11 pm. is a reasonable time to go to bed during the week and latter on the weekends. Everyone said okay for that and we know that everyone gets up early when you’re out camping.

This story will continue next week....