End of the season update….and ideas for 2014!

The last half of September is usually a pretty quiet time at VBL but a few adventurous guests make the trip and reap the rewards of a great Fall experience here on Eagle Lake.

Cheryl Perkis was the lucky angler who caught and released a beautiful 42 1/2 inch pike.  Good job handling this big boy Dan!

Lee Miller was part of our last group of the season….staying into October.  Some great weather, and great fishing was the result.  Interesting to note that some of the best walleye fishing was on those shallow water mud flats close to the lodge.  The occasional big pike added to the mix……here’s a dandy 37 incher released by Lee.

More photo’s from Lee’s gang……

A nice catch of lake trout and whitefish from an excursion to Clearwater Lake on the last day of the trout season (September 30).   The portage trail was wet, but we all made it there….and back, no problem!

One of those “end of the season” jobs is to put the boats on the portage lakes away for the winter.

This usually entails me walking back into Caribou, Otter, McGregor and Clearwater Lakes to do the deed.  This year I invited Bryce and Hugh (G. Rection) to give me a hand and check out the bite on each body of water.  We head out into the bush on October 6th.  The first stop was Clearwater Lake to see if we could pick up some whitefish…

Bryce and the first fish of the day…a smallmouth.

Next, a whitefish…

Our fishing on Clearwater ends after this unintended triple header of lake trout.  Off to MacGregor and beyond.

Hugh and Bryce cuddle up for the trip across Otter Lake.  Onward to Caribou Lake…

We actually had some pretty good late season action for smallmouth back in Caribou Lake.  A highlight was spotting a cow moose and her calf along the shoreline.  Time to head back, flipping boats as we go.

Having just returned from a trip down to the “Thousand Island” area of the St. Lawrence I was able to reflect on some improvements to the lodge in the very near future……

Many of you know of my “minor irritation” with other lodge boats intruding on my private space (let’s say, a half mile radius around VBL).  I believe this cool item would be a great addition to the lakeshore deck and beach area.  I’m sure a shot across the bow will get the message across to those foolish enough to venture into VBL waters….

A bit of an expansion to the present VBL boathouse might be in order after checking out this rather stylish one that was built to service what is known as Boldt castle on a nearby island in the St. Lawrence River.  You never know when you may need parking space for those 3 mast schooners that ply our waters.

Boldt Castle seems like a great prototype for expanding the current lodge building.  I could hole up in a turret for the off-season….

….and every cabin should have it’s own clock tower.  You will never miss cocktail hour again!

Of course, this may seem rather ambitious, and some may question the economics of such improvements.  Not to worry, I’ve stumbled upon a guaranteed method of increasing cash flow…..and it’s all natural too…

The fishing season here at VBL may be coming to a close for 2013, but before it does here are a few observations that come to my mind…

Spring, summer and fall at the lodge is a blur of people coming, going, fish being caught, fish being lost, sunrise and the weather each morning brings, adventure and good times.  It’s time to acknowledge that the guests that cross our paths are what make the journey rewarding.  Thank you for being a big part of the VBL experience. 

While I’m not much on keeping track of statistics, it’s interesting to note that we’ve seen a 28% increase in business since 2011.  What this means is we are able to make some important improvements in terms of new boats, motors, better docking, cabin renovations,  metal roofs, new beds, grills, and the list goes on.  Hopefully some of you have noticed and appreciated these changes.  We plan on continuing this in the future.  With increased bookings you may have also noticed that some weeks may have been booked quicker than in the past.  If you have something in mind for 2014, I would encourage you to book early to get the dates you really want.  While you’re at it give the “shoulder season” (early spring, or late fall) some consideration as well.  They can offer a unique experience that may not be found during the rest of the summer.

In the meanwhile, keep tuned to the Electric Beaver over the winter for updates on what is going on up here on Eagle lake, and for what might be coming up for the season of 2014.