After what I believe to be one of the most breath taking drives I’ve ever been on, my wife, father in law, and I arrived at Pasha Lake Cabins on Sunday May 10th. We were able to take advantage of Chad’s offer for a free cabin, and within a couple of hours of our arrival had found the fish. We started off by trolling spoons and 1/4 ounce jigs with a white twister tail on it. After several passes on one side of a cove my wife hooked into her first lake trout. We made several more passes in the area and I managed to hook into my first lake trout. These are the first we’ve ever boated, and unfortunately didn’t have the camera. Rule number one! Always…no wait…never leave without the camera! As you can see though, the pike are alive and well in Pasha Lake! My wife landed this beauty after spotting it sitting in the shallows, pitched her white jig out, made two turns on the reel, and the fight was on!!
The following morning we took my father in law out for his first excursion on Pasha Lake, trolling the 1/4 ounce jig, he managed to boat his first lake trout. I don’t think we had been out on the lake more than a half an hour. We managed a couple more pike and another first, a white fish, that morning. As Chad has already alluded to in previous reports, water temp was a key factor in finding the pike. Later that afternoon as the sun warmed up the water, we used the trolling motor and eased into a shallow bay with an average depth of 5 feet. Here we were able to spot the pike and cast to them. Again we were using the white jigs, casting past the pike and running them by. I had one chasing the jig and only hit it when I make an abrupt change to my retrieve, actually stopped the retrieve, and as the jig fell…WHAM!!! he hit it!
There are several challenges to fishing this time of year, and weather definitely was a factor. We had a day of high winds and rain, not a downpour mind you, but wet and cool. We were treated to a banner day of sunshine and warm temps and took advantage of Chads guide service to find the big pike. It was a beautiful day, and one adventure I will remember for quite some time. We followed Chad up several creaks, he pulled the boats up a small rapid, and we got to jump several beaver dams, all to get to Beatty Lake. Fantastic fishing here…we started our way into a small bay and on our way in my wife landed a nice 36 inch northern. Once inside the bay, we started seeing these huge fish laying in the shallows. I lost count of the number of fish we boated in this small area, but I managed my personal best, a 40 inch monster, again trolling the white jig. The key here was not only warmer water, but also changing the speed or characteristics of your lure. I was reeling in real fast to make a turn, stopped to adjusted the boat angle and started up my reeling again. As soon as I moved that bait again, GAME ON!!! line screaming off the real…took quite a while to net him, but well worth the battle. Let me encourage you all to make a trip up to Pasha Lake cabins. My wife and I have fished Canada for seven years, and have never had a day where we boated eight fish over 30 inches. We had 1-30″ Pike, 1-34″, 1-35″, 1-36″, 2-38″‘s, my 40 inch, and my wife with the big fish of the day, a 41 inch pike! Our day ended with about a 30 fish total including those less than 30″.
On our final day we were met with snow!!…Winds that were shooting down the lake at a hundred miles and hour…okay well it was windy any way. After talking with Chad I decided to venture out to the Kinghorn River and try for walleye since it was opening day. I just happened to bring along my neoprene waders so water and air temps were no problem. I bundled up, grabbed a bucket of minnows and made my way out. After about 10 min drive I found myself at the base of a water fall with a nice eddy where the water moved in and out of. I made several casts at first with just a white jig, and was surprised with a light bite. At that time I was using the 1/4 ounce jig I had tied on. Walked around a bit and could not get a bite, so made my way back to my starting point, and at this point learned something very important! I decided to downsize my jig to 1/8 ounce, green head, minnow only. I threaded the minnow on to the jig head, pitched it out and…bump…fish on! I quickly landed a white fish…bonus! So again threaded the minnow on to my jig, tossed it out again, thump…you know that walleye thump…set the hook…walleye!!! I spent the next four hours landing up to 30 walleye. My best for the day was a 25 inch walleye. I landed several 21″, 22″, and 23″ fish as well. Took a couple home for supper and called it a day.
Folks, let me tell you…this is and incredible fishery and there are literally at least a hundred lakes you could choose from. Realistically you could fish 14 different lakes and or rivers systems in a weeks stay here. Chad is an exceptional host and takes time to show you where to fish and the best places to fish. Here’s another thing for you all…the deals keep coming in!!. Mention my name at the time you make your reservation, and Chad will throw in a free days guide service to any one of the many lakes that will provide you with trophy opportunities. Thanks Chad! Good fishing and tight lines to you all!!
That drive along the Nipigon River is incredible is it not?! The fishing is awesome, the scenery is breathtaking… and there’s no fishing pressure. None. Did you run into any other anglers during your time there?
James, I could not agree with you more…amazing drive in.. Nipigon Lake still had ice on it when we drove in, but was pretty well all open when we left.. There was another group of guys that arrived two days before our departure, there was a father an son duo there in a cabin next door, they also did great at Beatty Lake. Only other anglers I ran in to were a few locals at the Kinghorn while I was walleye fishing..
Just the background of your photos are awesome!
Very good report Mr. B. Dad…next time up you’ll have to take the main man, Benji up with you…and if he can’t go, did I mention my middle name is Benji?
Great report and photos! Congrats on the PB!!