Cache - Head - Kenneth - Harness - Pardee - Lawrence
Kirkwood - Phipps - Bonnechere - Cradle .. and Return (2009)
by Stephen Molson
Trip Description:
Had 3 wind-bound days where I couldn't leave camp, in 2 x 1.5 day stretches: one stretch on Head, the other on Lawrence.
Every 3rd day it rained .. 1 lightning storm, one day it snowed, only 2 days where the winds were < 10 km/hr (even in the evenings/mornings) and had frost on 2 nights.
Fishing was good though - 21 lakers caught, despite limited fishing opportunities. All but 3 released: 11 on Head (1 kept), 6 on Lawrence (1 kept), 1 on Kenneth (released) and 3 on Cradle (1 kept). 3 hookups that turned into long distance releases on Cradle, a pair on Lawrence and a pair on Head L.
On the wind bound days I heard the trees crash in the forest around camp, luckily none within the perimeter of my camp sites. Some had fallen across the portages (Head-Cache) making the returns more challenging and time-consuming.
Only saw one deer (Kenneth Lake), one Pine Marten (at my Cradle Lake campsite), one eastern red-backed salamander (Harness Lake), 4-5 beavers, one muskrat and a pair of loons and mergansers on every lake.
Seagulls were nesting and dive bombed when I got close to their rocky perches .. otherwise always happy to eat the fish guts/bones left for them.
These yellow-patched winged sparrow-sized fly-catching birds would float about nailing the mating mayflies off the rocky point of my Head Lake campsite - fun to watch.
Trout Lilies, purple/white Trilliums, star flowers + Dogwood were in flower. The Blue Flag Iris weren't out, but the toads were-a-plenty along the portages.White and Yellow Water Lilly just poking their cylindrical leaves through the surface in the backbays/coves. Water levels generally lower than normal for time of year (low snowpack to blame?).
I didn't run into many parties on this trip, so it was difficult for me to get updates on NHL playoffs.
One large group of 5 canoes (guided high school or college kids) met on Bonnechere - Phipps portage. It was half their crew of 10 boats, they were going to meet up with their other 1/2 on Harness I believe ( I met up with their other half back on Head Lake).
Otherwise, just a crew of elderly gentleman heading to Kirkwood on the Lawrence/Kirkwood Portage (who claimed they were going to fish for Brookies - a species I've NEVER caught in Kirkwood), and a few canoes on Head Lake.
Blackflies were out on the sunny days, and swarming, but just the odd mosquito though. Big mayfly and midge hatches occurred on the warmer days, tree pollen showing on lake surfaces. Surface water temps between 53-55 F.
Trip Photos:
Put-In on Cache Lake.
Canoe landing at Cache Lake, beginning of portage to Head Lake.
Head Lake campsite.
View south from campsite.
Chippy at Head Lake campsite.
North shore of Head Lake – looking from campsite.
View east from campsite.
View north from campsite.
One of the kept lakers from Head Lake – this one caught casting from shore at campsite.
One of the released lakers, Head Lake.
Caught then swiftly released this little laker on Head Lake – note the AP lure from FAU package.
Newly hatched Mayfly taking a breather on tarp, Head L.
Kenneth Lake landing, view is southwest.
Looking west down Head Creek, from portage landing to Harness Lake.
Harness Lake canoe landing from Head Lake portage.
Portage landing on Harness Lake, to Pardee Lake.
Bridge crossing on Harness-Pardee portage.
Portage landing on Pardee L from Harness L.
Lawrence Lake campsite’s canoe landing.
Look west down the lake from campsite.
This laker kept for dinner, Lawrence Lake.
Pad Thai with laker/dried-shrimp/coriander/peanuts.
Beautiful healthy fat fish in Lawrence Lake – here's another 3 lb'r caught and released.
Kirkwood Lake landing from Lawrence Lake portage.
Phipps Lake canoe landing from Kirkwood Lake portage.
Bonnechere Lake landing from Phipps Lake portage
Cradle Lake campsite.
Cradle Lake laker for dinner.
Cute little Pine Marten at night (~11:00 pm), searching for squirrels, mice or birds
Zoomed in ...
Cradle Lake side of campsite.
Bonnecher Lake side of Cradle Lake campsite.
The next day, I returned to Head Lake campsite and then headed out to Cache Lake for the drive home.