Flying in to a remote lake for a week of un-interrupted fishing has been a dream of Kermit for over 30 years. As a pilot I looked forward to seeing the operation of float planes in the Canadian bush. I even read about float operation before making the trip and was surprised at some of the things I learned, like it is more difficult to lift-off from smooth water than water with a light chop.
We left Our Baltimore area home at 3:00 PM on a Friday in order to arrive at the sea-plane base in Azilda, ON, by 8:00 AM Saturday. After some trouble finding the place we arrived a little bit early. The pilots were anxious to get going because bad weather was moving in. While the others transfered supplies from the trailer to the planes I settled up the accounts and we purchased our sport fishing licenses. As you can see from a few pictures the weather was cloudy and rainy for our 30 minute flight, but it didn't require anything more than a light jacket to be comfortable. After we un-loaded, the departing party loaded up and took off. They made it back to base but later in the day the weather forced them to land and spend the night in the bush. I guess that is why they are called bush pilots.
Click on the picture below to learn more about True North Airways.
Oh No! Were all going to die. Joseph is flying the plane!
Making our final approach to Scotia Lake through the windshield of the deHavilland DHC-2 Beaver
There goes our contact with civilization and the beginning of a week of wilderness living and fishing.
While we are un-packing Joseph was catching the first Smallmouth Bass.
Kermit finds a perch close to the food where he can supervise operations.
I got up early Sunday morning to look for wildlife and catch the sunrise over another beautiful day.
Like most wilderness campsites we found our friendly critter whose appetite overcame his fear of man
This is the cabin with kitchen and bunk beds. The toilet is out back and the sauna and shower house are on the far side. We had to carry our water and heat it on the stove.
The Canadian Maple tree along the edge of Scotia Lake.
Ken and son Joseph with two Northern Pike and a Smallmouth Bass.
The sunsets were numerous and gorgeaous. Just when you put the camera away it would change into a totally different scene.
The Beaver taking off. What a beautiful sound of the nine cylinder radial.
Everybody wants to know where Scotia Lake is on the map.
Jeff and I worked together with the down rigger about 50 feet where he hooked this Lake Trout. The first either of us ever caught. MMMM good!
It must have been a rainy afternoon when we were all laying about.
This may have been the same evening or another. I don't remember.
We ate four meals of fish like this catch of Smallmouth Bass cooked on the outdoor grill.
We found this huge beaver dam along a feeder stream. The beaver were gone and the dam was eroding away.
Jeff with another nice size Smallmouth Bass.
Steven fishing from and old rock dam on the North end of the lake. The dam was used to raise the water level for logging years ago.
Here is the entire group waiting for the planes to take us home.
