August / September Fishing Report

Better late than never…..

Well I hope your fall is going well. Time to think about putting boats and gear away for the season. Here at the lodge boats are tucked in the garage and the cabins winterized. A few projects are still ongoing, as usual. All in all it was a great season……thanks for being part of it!

No need to point out the obvious, like where was the August fishing report? Hard to remember that far back but suffice to say I missed the deadline. Was it procrastination? Laziness? Lack of mojo? Early onset dementia? Likely all of the above, but what’s wrong with a combo Aug/Sep update? Not a damn thing……..

Summer time and the livin’ is easy……loading up the bug with a beer run. For those not as prehistoric as some of us, the engine is in the back. Bonus trivia: note that the windshield washer pump is actually the spare tire pressure…..plus who needs air bags when the spare tire is also the impact deflector!

Arnie and Judy Novak back in August doing the traditional shore lunch.

Some people take organization seriously…….seems to work well though!

……and a personal best 27 inch walleye!

Long summer days and evenings…

Apparently it was Judy’s week to school Arnie on how to fish. Of course boat control is essential too…

Way to go Julie P.

…….and of course Joe P. There was a evening weed pattern for walleye that seemed productive but elusive at the same time. Seemed like the walleye were restless this summer and had no predictable pattern.

Mike Heenan….nice!

Ray Heenan……nice one too!

Excellent!

Pot of gold location seems to be Colonel’s Island.

Cruising back to the lodge on a warm summer day.

From back in the day a remarkable realistic rendering of Gord and Susanne on the search for the elusive “Gordolunge”……….not sure if it was Sara or Mary Walker who did this. I was reminded of it when another young guest painted us the following this past summer…

Thank you Hannah Zehr!

One of the morning rituals…..dumping off some fish treats for the gull, pelicans and eagles.

For those who claim the Ice Out contest is rigged and nobody ever gets to pick a prize, well here’s Mitch, last years Ice Out winner picking a fine looking VBL hoodie for his effort. Proof……..and take that you conspiracy theorists!

Here we are in the VBL control room…..also known as the screened perch. Cigars, cocktails and bold talk. Here George from Manitoba and I exchange views on why the fish aren’t biting. In the end we agree neither of us care.

Later we are interrupted by Susanne and forced to talk sensibly. How did this bourbon make it into Canada? Ever hear of a boycott?

Now here’s Andre from Germany. Our farthest travelling guest at VBL in 2025. His mission was to catch his first musky, which he did accomplish……..way to go! Now hooked on musky, he has booked a return trip for August 2026……see you then!

Huge musky like this 57 1/2 incher are likely his goal……….hmmm….

So as fall roles around the mornings become cooler, sunrise is later and often we are greeted with a fog rolling onto the lake.

Fall is when you start seeing these large groupings of young mergansers. Apparently safety in numbers.

Not sure the variety, but interesting. Natures nuclear explosion of fungi.

…..also an explosion of fall flowers.

One of the final events at VBL each season is the annual Musky Madness Week. We had a full camp of serious and not so serious musky anglers. Often the latter were distracted by the lesser species…….

Kevin with a nice portage lake trout.

Kevin’s teammate Andy with a similarly nice trout.

……and some whitefish to round out the catch. Where’s the musky?

Then there is the annual dash to the finish line………who will catch the biggest perch of the season to win the coveted “Perch Rodeo”? Now to the uninformed this category of competition should seem to be a benign sport…….full of comradery and fun. Oh, if only that was the case. Unbeknownst to most this category is made up of a few driven individuals, borderline manic……staking everything on finding the perch glory hole, and that elusive 12 + inch fish. This year those titans clashed in a fiery ending that few saw coming. Let us backtrack to early September when the leader board was shattered with this fish……….

Oh yes, Jill Swanson is smiling over this chunky devil-fish. An actual “bull perch”.

Realizing I was treading on dangerous waters, no expense was spared to validate the size of this beast.

A legitimate 13 1/8 inch brute. The Thompson Paint Shop yardstick never lies.

Which brings us back to the end of September when Andy’s fishing partner Kevin hauled in what appeared to be the winning perch. In the final hours of the contest could this fish usurp Team Swanson? The yardstick will not tell a lie. Its impartiality was brutal…….13 inches. Defeat! Kevin took it well……..he will return to fight another day. Andy is seeking legal council……… Congratulations Jill Swanson for being the 2025 Perch Rodeo queen!

Bald eagles over a foggy Gull Rock……

What about the musky madness competition. Another tight race with 7 musky entered during the week.

Cutting to the chase, it turns out the father son team of Adam and Gabe Hickson took first and second place with a 50 1/4″ and 49″ musky…………congratulations on two very nice fish!

Adam……guaranteed to never be up the creek without a paddle.

50 1/4……..no forward facing sonar required.

49 inch fish by Gabe.

Gabe also took the “Best Photo” category with this shot.

Another good photo……Mark Doucette. Evidence to your lack of budgeting when it comes to musky baits!

Mark did take 3rd place with this very nice 45 1/2″ musky…….congratulations!

A few smaller ones from Adam……..seems he had them dialed in that week!

In the “other” category Andy Lewis with a top place 41 1/2″ pike.

Andy was stunned by the adulation from the crowd…….nice shirt by the way!

Even Joe Moskal….”the professor” had an entry in the “other” division……nice one!

Joe is either giving me the secret to his walleye catch or telling me there’s a lumpy mattress in cabin 4…….definitely a violation of my personal space.

Of course, as per usual, nice fish caught after the competition ends. Mike Zahrt with a very colorful musky. We won’t mention the 3 muskies Len Belpedio caught just before the competition started.

Marty McVicor with what could have been a dandy entry……..but congratulations of your catch!

Even Joe Moskal got into the post tourney excitement………very nice catch while perch fishing!

Hats off to these two dudes who once again did a fantastic job of cooking all the steaks for the Musky Madness awards night. Mike Zahrt and Bob Stephens…….chef du cuisine.

Even the wood boat made it in the water for Musky Madness. Susanne and I had some followers but no entries……….sad but true.

Stella indicating that the end of the season is upon us.

Kevin has even come out with his own line of fishing action figures. Sure to be a hit this Christmas!

The end of the season isn’t all fun and games………preparing for 2026!

Speaking of 2026 don’t forget that the further we progress into the fall and winter the fewer cabins that will be available for next year. Throw caution to the wind and book before it’s too late. Call me selfish, but I much prefer to have my regular guests come back every year than have to break in the newbies………..so if you have an inkling……give me a call. 888-301-8229 or email us at vbay@drytel.net.