| It was one incredible week! Plummers Arctic | | | | anglers, John and I caught over 40 fish between |
| Fishing Lodge tucked in the northeast part of | | | | us! An activity that we never tired of was |
| Great Bear Lake, in the Northwest Territories, | | | | enjoying the afternoon Northern Sun and scouting |
| Canada. Almost nine (9) years have passed, yet I | | | | out the many islands that dotted 'The Bear'. Much |
| can transport myself back with all the sights, | | | | to our guide Kelly's chagrin, we really weren't |
| sounds and feelings as if it were yesterday. My | | | | there for the fishin' - we were the sightseer type |
| recollection of that Plummers experience is as | | | | of tourist that comes to Plummers. The solitude |
| vivid as the hundreds of photographs and video | | | | afforded us with the gentle rhythm of the trolling |
| footage captured during this dream working | | | | boat and the anticipation of when we would see |
| vacation. The hospitality, the gourmet meals and | | | | the next eagle, or caribou or musk-ox on 'The |
| the unending attention to detail exhibited by | | | | Bear' shores was just the ticket to help two |
| Chummy Plummer and his staff at the Great | | | | hardworking executives from the big city of |
| Bear Lake Lodge provided the rooted harmony | | | | Ottawa, Ontario to unwind. |
| that balanced the sometimes overwhelming awe | | | | We became known to other guests at the lodge |
| of nature that constantly and completely | | | | as the two 'anglers' to stay away from! Perfect! |
| surrounded us. Mother Nature reigns supreme in | | | | Come to think of it, we always had fishing places |
| this Arctic wilderness. People are insignificant | | | | completely to ourselves. Bob Izumi was filming a |
| participants in the daily cycle of life in this true | | | | show for his "Real Fishing" TV series at the same |
| north. | | | | time as our visit. Even he didn't seem the least bit |
| This 'up close and personal' touch with nature | | | | interested at my elation that I had snagged what |
| makes Plummers Great Bear Lake a must-go-to | | | | our guide said was the smallest trout he'd ever |
| Nature Vacation destination. A rustic destination | | | | seen - less than 1 pound 'soaking wet'! Kelly said |
| that has now been discovered for its "not just | | | | the lure weighed more than my prize catch! Now |
| for anglers" amenities. Ideal for capturing first-rate | | | | there is fishing talent I don't often forget to boast |
| photographs. And perfect enough for President | | | | about! John was on the opposite end of the scale |
| George Bush, Senior, along with a few of his | | | | from me as far as being a sports fisherman. He |
| closest Canadian friends, to visit every summer. | | | | did capture, and I mean capture, a trout that was |
| Visiting remote Canada, north of the Arctic Circle, | | | | the size of a dog - a 34 plus pounds! Wow! Ya |
| in late August was one of those | | | | gotta see the pictures! |
| 'planets-all-lining-up' opportunities. Accompanied by | | | | I went camera crazy here! Images of fishing in |
| my business associate John, our week long | | | | the 9 p.m. dusk light, casting right off the lodge's |
| adventure leaves memories as crisp as the early | | | | shore. Wolves near the camp, caribou that hadn't |
| northern morning air. And what better way to | | | | been seen this far south of the Arctic Circle so |
| start our morning than hearing a Plummer's | | | | late in the summer season! The ultimate trip within |
| staffer call out "Coffee gentlemen." A carafe of | | | | the trip was our fly-out to the Tree River Camp, |
| steaming coffee placed outside of our door | | | | Nunavut. This camp consisted of eight (8) |
| accompanied our 6 am wake-up call each day. | | | | tarpaulin-roofed, stilted bunk houses and a cook |
| That first coffee of the day set the pace for the | | | | house in the middle of 'no where north'. Flat |
| short walk to the lodge dining building and for a | | | | tundra and low bush were contrasted by |
| 'whatever your heart desires' breakfast. | | | | mountainous visas that could only be described as |
| Just flying to The Great Bear Lodge is something | | | | a "black grand canyon", moon-like terrain. We |
| in itself. We flew out of Winnipeg, Manitoba on a | | | | were on the Canadian Shield. Tree River itself is |
| Boeing 737 Jet, first landing at the Great Slave | | | | edged with hardened mud river banks where |
| Lake Lodge on a gravel runway and then on to | | | | arctic squirrel-gopher-like creatures known as |
| the Great Bear Lake Lodge, once again landing on | | | | 'sik-sik' were housed in borrows within the river |
| a gravel runway! The jet had special flanges | | | | banks. The camp cook, Carol, and her helper, |
| behind the front wheel to prevent stones from | | | | Mary, treated us to a incredible dinner of roast |
| being ejected into the jet engines. It is something | | | | beef and Yorkshire pudding. To top off this |
| else to look out the airplane window to the rear | | | | sumptuous meal we had ice cream and cake for |
| of the plane as it lifts off and seeing a cloud of | | | | dessert. Did I say we were in a remote camp on |
| dust coming off the runway. Once airborne, it | | | | the Arctic Ocean? Sure felt like the Ritz! |
| sure looked like some good ol' boys were rippin' | | | | We unsuccessfully tried our hand at Arctic Char |
| up a gravel road below us! | | | | fishing. Enough of that story! With our guide Kelly |
| The fishing on this Lake is nothing short of THE | | | | we continued with our boating down the Tree |
| BEST. Great Bear Lake is the eighth-largest lake in | | | | River river to touch upon the shores of the Arctic |
| the world and fourth largest in North America. | | | | Ocean. We stood next to an authentic inukshuk, |
| Awesome! Incredible! Some o f the world's largest | | | | saw weather bleached caribou bones, ate some |
| lake trout have been reeled in on Great Bear | | | | not-so-sweet blueberries and walked the bluff at |
| Lake - 72 lbs . Seventy-two pounds makes this | | | | the mouth of Tree River. We scanned the Arctic |
| fish over 140 years old! It's sport fishing only at | | | | ocean waters and could see a sliver of land on |
| Plummers. All catch and release. Plummers | | | | the horizon. Victoria Island maybe? |
| practices strict conservation rules, so there will be | | | | A desolate yet primitive beautiful land in August, |
| plenty of fish to catch for centuries to come. | | | | we imagined how harsh the winter climate must |
| For every two anglers there is a guide assigned | | | | be to those living here in Canada's north. No time |
| for the week. He or she takes care of operating | | | | for those chilly thoughts now! The late August sun |
| the boat (18 foot aluminum), determining the best | | | | was warm; perfect for standing near the cliff |
| location to fish each day, preparing the fresh fish | | | | shore while watching seals play in the mouth of |
| lunches on one of the hundreds of islands (now | | | | Tree River below us. At that moment we felt as |
| there's a culinary treat!) and any fishing tips/tricks. | | | | though we were a small speck in the northern |
| John and I were not preoccupied with fishing and | | | | universe. I'm certain it was the solid black rock of |
| so we turned our attention to aggravating our | | | | the Canadian Shield beneath our feet that kept us |
| guide, a young University of Manitoba student | | | | from being swallowed up by this "Arctic Vortex". |
| named Kelly. And we drove him to the limit; | | | | Everywhere I turned there was a photo to be |
| asking him all sorts of stupid questions. We did | | | | taken. My Canon EOS A4 'photo-exercised' |
| have some coaching from a few of the | | | | through 20 rolls of film that trip. I scanned these |
| Plummer's staff on the top 'best stupid questions' | | | | pictures and share some of the best ones with |
| to ask, so we mixed them in with our earnest | | | | the world. Go to and search on "plummers arctic |
| questions: | | | | fishing". |
| "So how many pounds of potatoes do they go | | | | Returning to our base camp at Great Bear, we |
| through in a season at this lodge?" (Stupid) | | | | fished a couple of more days and then continued |
| "How many trout do you figure are in Great | | | | this incredible nature trip with one more |
| Bear?" (Stupid) | | | | memorable experience: we jumped into the frigid |
| "How big is this lake anyway?" (Earnest) | | | | Arctic Circle waters of Great Bear Lake. Good |
| "How much Red River Cereal do they go through | | | | news! We did receive a special Plummer's tee-shirt |
| in a season?" (Stupid) | | | | for our stupidity to brave this dunking. Printed on |
| "Who is that lady that drops the coffee carafe at | | | | the tee-shirt is " I was Stupid enough to Swim in |
| our door each morning?" (Stupid) | | | | the Arctic Circle". Yes, in our finest dress of long |
| "How many gulls do you think are on this lake?" | | | | red underwear we jumped off the wharf at the |
| (Stupid) Gulls, nature's garbage disposal crew, | | | | Plummers Lodge into the 43 degree Fahrenheit |
| always showed up when the guide was finished | | | | water! For the record, at that temperature |
| cleaning the trout for lunch. | | | | everything shrinks! To this day, my tee-shirt is |
| "How cold is this water?" (Earnest ) If you are | | | | proudly displayed in our family room. |
| wondering, 42- 45 degrees Fahrenheit is the | | | | Plummer's Arctic Fishing is one of those |
| correct answer. | | | | destinations you should put on your must do list. |
| John and I arrived at Plummers with only our | | | | "GREAT FISHING OUR CLAIM, MOTHER NATURE |
| clothing and camera equipment. No need to bring | | | | OUR FRAME." What a perfect way to experience |
| any fishing gear of your own. Plummers equipped | | | | the beauty of Canada's north. Take your whole |
| us with all the rod, reel and tackle gear we | | | | family on a trip of their lifetime! |
| needed. They did a great job because, as novice | | | | |