Fifteen Days To Burntroot and Back - Summer 2009
by - Stephen Molson
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Day Eleven
The next day we decided to head back to the river section and fly-fish the current areas. A young cow moose watched from an island as we passed by.
We caught released more fallfish and brook trout, keeping a few smaller fish for dinner, releasing everything else. On the way back we passed what is likely the same moose enjoying a cool refreshing dip and a break from the flies while browsing.
Fresh water sponge (Spongilla lacustris) in RedPine Bay – common throughout the waters of Algonquin Park.
We prepared an early dinner of brook trout, fallfish + wild mint (Mentha arvensis) that was found growing along the river’s edge.
Day Twelve
We headed back out on Redpine Bay late in the afternoon and caught and released a nice 32” laker (6 pounds).
My buddy had a 10-pounder on by the boat that was able to shake the hook free. Like all big fish, it too would have been released.
This fish was caught a few minutes later.
Day Thirteen
The next day was our last full one on RedPine Bay. It was fairly windy during most of the day so we stayed back and did some laundry and explored some of her back bays and empty campsites for future reference. The next morning we packed up and returned to Big Trout. We didn’t fish at all on our return trip, kept the rods stowed away. The winds were quite strong and after following Big T’s convoluted west shore along half her length we crossed over to her eastern side. We made camp on a small island site close to the mouth of the expansive creek flat and prepared spaghetti and home-made pasta meat-sauce for dinner.
Day Fourteen
Next morning we packed up by early afternoon and headed down the creek and back to Merchant. Western winds were still quite strong but at our back and once in the narrow protected confines of the creek they weren’t an issue.
Looking east down the channel towards the narrow creek leading to the portage back to Merchant L.
We had hoped to have time to head up to Warbler’s Lake, via a small feeder creek. However time-wise it didn’t work out.
View up the small tight weed-choked channel to Warbler’s Lake.
This leopard frog was enjoying a safe spot on watershield. No largemouth or northerns to bug him in this lake.
A bull moose enjoying some aquatics, with a plethora of deer and stable flies speckled on his forehead.
Going for a swim he was able to shake most of them temporarily, leaving a cloud chasing close behind.
Made it through Merchant in good time and were on Happy Isle by late afternoon. The headwinds were very strong, making a crossing on Happy Isle slow and plodding. Once we rounded the eastern mid-lake point we took shelter along the shoreline to wait out the gusts. While we bobbed in the small sliver of protected water we rigged a rod and cast out. We quickly caught and landed a good eating-size smallmouth.
The winds gusts subsided by 8 pm so we continued on and settled for an older site just before dark. For our last dinner we cooked Pad-Thai smallie.
Day Fifteen
The next morning we awoke once again to strong gusty winds. As it was our out day we packed up quickly in anticipation of stronger winds by mid-morning, so we were on the water by 8 a.m. In 20 minutes we were beached at the sandy landing portage back to Opeongo L. We had nearly ½ the day yet before our arranged scheduled water taxi pickup so we relaxed on shore, soaked up the sun and enjoyed conversation with the many other groups who were coming/going that day from the landing.
We eventually (and leisurely) portaged all our gear and vessel across the portage where we made a quick noodle meal and again engaged in friendly conversation with other crews on the Opeongo side. Taxi showed up at 4:00 pm and after loading us up detoured around the bay to pickup up a 2nd group. We were back at the docks by 5:00 pm.
We quickly unloaded everything from the water taxi and I went up to retrieve the parked car. As I packed Mark grabbed his hygiene kit, his clean clothes, footwear and towel from the car and proceeded to the welcoming and heavenly hot showers. I had my opportunity to clean off when he returned and took full advantage. There few things feel better and as refreshing than ending a mostly rainy two week trip to the interior with a nice hot shower and cleansing soap. Ahhhh, feels great on the bites and scratches. Drinking a coke or ginger-ale (warm or cold) is fairly high up there too.