Early June. Up North.

To me there is no better time for a successful Canadian fishing trip than early June. Can't argue with 40 total years of experience, both good and bad. I prefer the early June odds.

This year we were a group of five, two less than last year.

Along for the trip beside myself were The Bro, The Swat Team (Tom and Pat) along with Pat the cop’s dad, retired cop Tony.  We had a lot of laffs and caught a lot of fish.

Later I will publish the obligatory fish photos. Here are some landscape images for now.

Each year brings it’s own surprises across the border, usually all good. This year it happened to be the earlier-than-usual spring season and a seasonally odd but stable weather pattern that had us confounded on the first day or so of fishing, when our catch was lighter than usual. Ice out usually occurs in early to mid May but this season it was late March. They had very little snow during the dark months.

Having a full moon was not good either. Fishing usually sucks during the full moon cycle but only for those who fail to adapt.  Not that I even see the moon up there since the sun sets about 10pm, well after I retire to my bunk and before 4am when I awake.

Another weather phenomenon for early June this year was the dry air, clear bluebird skies and light variable winds all week long, except for the final day. The sun was as strong as I recall while in the high altitudes of Colorado. Last week I soaked myself in spf50.

Lake of the Woods in Northwestern Ontario is part of a geological anomaly called the Canadian Shield. It consists mainly of sparse soil, pines, lakes, bogs and rock.

We caught plenty of fish. We always do. After all, it was early June. We rely on our years of experience fishing and vast amounts of time we have spent on the water. My guess is we caught three group walleye limits last week, fried and ate two limits. Then my neck sprouted gills. We brought home the rest.

We’ll be back next year. My guess would be in early June.