With snow blanketing the Mackenzie district and the weekend starting to creep up on me, I started figuring out a plan to fish some of the impressive lakes this area is renowned for. My main issue was accessing areas due to the snow covering most of the backroads but, with a she’ll be right attitude and a strong desperation to wet a line, I found a likely area that looked relatively easy to access.
Saturday morning, I cranked up the heating and started driving, watching as the sun crept over the mountains. So far, the road had been pretty good, it was only as I turned off onto the smaller backroads that the snow started to make driving difficult. However, after a rather scary and, in some places, a pretty slippy drive, I arrived at the lake. Stepping out into the crisp air I couldn’t help but grin at the beauty of the place and crunched my way down to the lake’s edge.
After only a few casts, my rod suddenly buckled as my reel simultaneously started screaming. Several minutes later a beautiful 4lb brown was in the net. After a couple of quick photos and very cold hands, I watched this stunner of a fish cruise back into the icy depths. My day was already made but it wasn’t over yet.
As I crept along the lake’s edge with bitterly cold fingers, I spotted a fish rise just ahead but in order to get to within casting distance of this fish, it became apparent I was going to have to wade. That prospect wasn’t exciting, even with my gumboots. However, I was feeling confident so in the water I went. All was well as I snuck around some submerged logs and, finally, I was within casting distance of where the fish had been. My first cast struck gold and I was soon indulged with a good fight, which took my attention away from the water level on my gumboots. The water rushing down to my toes was beyond freezing but I persevered, and it wasn’t long before a beautiful 6lb lake trout graced my net.
After releasing this fish, I decided it was time to head back before my freezing fingers and toes fell off—but what an awesome day on the water.
