July 2009 Update

Welcome to the July 2009 Hawk Lake Lodge Update. It is funny how certain themes keep on running, whether it be in newspapers, television or almost anything imaginable. Back home, it is the economy or the deaths of celebreties or the swine flu among others. Here, it is the weather - specifically, of the bad and/or unseasonable variety. While not having been given the numbers, the weather service tells us that this has been one of the wettest and coolest summer seasons on record.

This is not all bad. The lake trout were biting up shallow until well into June. Trophy size northern pike, which are usually deep by now are still being regularly caught by those who pursue them. With respect to the smallmouth bass and walleye, the weather, the normal seasonal spawning/location/presentation patterns are all thrown out of order. Most anglers are still catching fish. However, where you find fish and how you catch them is apt to be very different than most years.

This is especially true when th walleye are considered. Although I can't go into great detail here (please call for details), until very recently the walleye have been pretty much uncatchable, suspended deeply over even deeper water.

The bass have refused to show a preference for any pattern at all. Each time out, one is confronted with several diffferent patterns, none of which hold for the entire day. Persistence and flexibility are key.

Sorry that things seem to be like the proverbial broken record. Such is the case this season. Hope is around the corner. A break seems to be in the near forecast with the weather. Good weather always points to good fishing. So long until next time.

June 28, 2009 Update.

Hello again from Hawk Lake Lodge. Since the last update we have have experienced some extreme weather shifts. May and early June saw unseasonably cold and very rainy weather. This was followed by nice, typical summer weather - 70s and low 80s with lots if sun. Starting June 28, however was something rather different. Quite a few checked out to return home on the 27th and those were lucky that they did. Temps plummeted to the low 50s, the wind roared like a hurricane, and torrential rain all occured at the same time. Docked boats almost sank from the heavy rains and the road and grounds appeared similar to an extended high hurdles track. We are just now working our way out of this mess. The good news is that good weather is just around the corner.

Throughout all this folks were still fishing. All returned to the Lodge drenched and cold, but most all were catching fish. We are currently in the post spawn for the bass, with a few beds still active. Only time will tell the success of this year class. It has been too nasty the last few days to see the amount of fry that you would expect to see around the shoreline at this point. Fishing is doing quite well on many of the portage lakes and the main lake is good as well despite the unstable weather. Pike fishing is doing well in Paddy and Portage Lakes. The largest to date is a 23 pounder from Cliff Lake. Walleye fishing has been spotty to date. However, it must be said that only very few anglers have been fishing for walleye in a concerted way.

As stated before, please call for more precise locational and presentational patterns. Overall, the bass fishing has been farily easy most days both as to location and tactics.

So long for now. Please be sure to call us.

June 15,2009 Update

Hello again from Hawk Lake Lodge. Just when you thought that the hope of a nice late Spring were gone, hope has sprung for the "Warmies". To the heretofore uninitiated, the "Warmies" are all true believers, led by the high priest Mr. Gore,
who reckon that the world is indeed warming at a calamitous pace. The only problem is, these folks are considered an endangered species in this part of the world. Just imagine minuscule and ever shrinking groups of true believers in these parts, assembled at one of many public venues, staring at the heavens and chanting, Al Gore, where are you now?

Well, as they say that is a deep subject. This coincides exactly where the fish have been have been holding throughout our extended chill. The good news is that, thanks to the return of warm weather, all sceptics have been forced to return to the fold. That's right, where just a few short days ago we witnessed snow, now we have to wear t-shirts. Sun, calm winds and warm temps are just too much to take (?). This change occurred just in time for me. You see, I had developed a truly menacing case of the "claw". The claw is where a confluence of factors; such as cold damp - weather, gripping a fishing rod too tightly and arthritis conspire to turn your hands into, well a claw!

Let me tell you all these mysteries sure have jump started both the walleye and bass fishing. While the progress of the season lags behind by 2-3 weeks, things have really started to pop. Following good legal precedent, you know the line - some exceptions have occurred, your results may vary, side effect have been observed to happen such as the public consumption of alcohol (yikes!) etc, etc. - I am swooning in my beer for all this, consumed of course in my private chambers.

Please call me for the full scoop. Seriously, the fishing is good, easy and predictable at this point. All these overwhelming conflicts have almost made me a believer - almost.

May 31, 2009 Update

After several really nice Spring days; during which the fishing was fantastic on Hawk, Mud, Portage and Wolf Lakes today was very cold and windy. With the winds out of the northwest and completely sunny skies, it was everone's nemesis - the dreaded cold front. Maybe we should take a stab at a new rendition of an old angling theme - the "Cold Front Blues". Upon further thought, best to abstain from that idea lest the loons leave Hawk Lake and environs in disgust.

We did find a reminder of springs past. I refer to the first appearance of the beginning stages of spawning beds on the main lake. You might have know, they were right where they have been for the last seven years. Perhaps they have been there far longer. This is unusual. We had not seen during the prior several days any signs of beds on Wolf, Mud or Portage Lakes. Strange as these normally warm up first and have the earlier spawning activity. On the other, hand Hawk Lake is cold, really cold, damn cold depending on who you talk to and where they came from. Yesterday while making the rounds,we experienced several "wake-up calls" of water splashed on the face - enough to buy into the "damn cold" description.

On other fronts, loons seem everwhere. John and Pam from LaCrosse, WI happened upon a nest on Portage Lake. The Poplar leaves are finding the courage to peer out of their buds, but only reluctantly it would seem. The eagles, osprey, common mergansers are all, as they say here, "oout and aboout". The lovely, but largely unseen, white throated sparrow with their lovely song are ubiquitous. Sorry foks, but no moose, deer, lynx but one impoverished bear have showed up to date. One very spent hummingbird did take up temporary residence in cabin #2. Poor thing was so tired that the legitimate and duly registered occupants were able to pick the bird up in their hand and take outside. I have been told, the the bird in question made a complete recovery.

Call us and we can go over the specifics of the fishing. Suffice it to say here that the bass fishing has been great all out of context given the frigid nature of the water. Odd but fish of 18 and 19 inches seem to be outnumbering the lesser fish.

So long for now.

Spring Newsletter.

MEET THE 2009 STAFF


Please meet the Hawk Lake Lodge 2009 Season staff. I am sure that they will work hard for each and every one of you this year. What we have found here is that we recruit people as they are starting their university and college training. We train them and they return anywhere from two to four years until they complete their education. Most staff depart at that point to get a job in the “real” world.


This is where we find ourselves at this point in 2009. We have three returning staff members from last year. They are Angelo and Sandy Foglia, who return to us from 2009. Angelo is the fellow in charge of maintenance and repairs as well as the men’s staff supervisor. Sandy is the primary housekeeper. Sandy and Angelo come to us from Thunder Bay, Ontario. Paul Brunet is also from Thunder Bay. Paul has worked for other lodges in the past. He will be working for us this year as a guide and dock hand. Albert Smith, along with his brother, Jonathan Smith hale likewise from Thunder Bay. They both are or have been students at Confederation College in Thunder Bay. Albert will serve you this year in the capacity of guide and dock hand. Jonathan will work as our portage man. Krista Mouck will work this year as a combined housekeeper/server in the dining room. Krista is originally from Winnipeg but currently is a psychology graduate student at McGill University in Montreal, Quebec. Adam Strey is from Thunder Bay as well. Adam has considerable experience in the food service industry. He will work this summer as server and kitchen assistant. Last, but certainly not least, Annie Hillier from St. Johns, Newfoundland returns from 2008 as our chef and kitchen manager.


I am sure that the 2009 staff will be eager to introduce themselves to you at their first opportunity. Along with them; Mari, Sam, and myself look forward to welcoming one and all to the Lodge this summer.



CHOOSING THE RIGHT FISHING ROD


Choosing the right fishing rod is often made out to be something purely subjective. This is usually expressed in hip terms by saying the “right rod for you”. While subjective considerations may play a part, such as in rod color and/or graphics. However, most serious anglers are not interested in such criteria. These folks want a fishing rod for one thing – a tool to help them catch more fish.

Of course, there are other considerations for most of us. Price would be one such consideration. Price is one of the poorest considerations though. As far as fishing rods are concerned, the cost of the rod is one of the worst things to skimp on. Does a good golfer buy his clubs at a garage sale or a pro shop? Of course not. You almost always get what you pay for in everything that you may buy. A good quality (middle to upper price ranges) fishing rod does a number of things for you. It is much more sensitive. It is also much lighter. It sets the hooks with more authority. It increases the enjoyment of fishing. These are among the reasons we should choose our next rod, not stylistic considerations. Remember, a rod is a tool. Beauty is as beauty does. You don’t drive a nail with a screw driver handle, at least not very well.

Consider sensitivity. There are a good number of fishing techniques which demand a high level of sensitivity. These are basically any manner of fishing where the bait or lure is not worked horizontally through the water. Horizontal presentations, such as crankbaits – minnow baits – spinnerbaits – in line spinners (Mepps/Panther Martin, etc.) or trolling techniques do not demand sensitivity. Almost everything else does.

Sensitivity is chiefly a function of construction – low weight, rod guides and rod materials. Rod materials are usually measured by the modulus of the graphite used to make the rod. Modulus refers to both the type and quantity of graphite fibers in the material. The higher the graphite modulus number, the more sensitive is the material. The more sensitive the material, the more you feel what is going on at the end of your line. Beware, however, as cheaper rods may boast of high graphite numbers. The real rub comes from the amount of graphite in the rod as well as the modulus rating. Cheaper rods have much less graphite in them and are actually composed largely of epoxy filler material which is not conducive to sensitivity. Again, graphite construction is costly and you get what you pay for. Rod guides also have an effect on what you end up feeling. Costlier guides have harder ceramic guides and stronger retainers, both of which augment sensitivity. Light weight is achieved by quality rod materials and guides. How does this gobligook translate into better fishing? Well think of it this way. Most anglers would say they are thrilled by the feel of a strike. Now imagine the effect of having that sensation much magnified through the use of a quality rod. The smallest tick is magnified by the “wow” factor into some much bigger and exciting. In addition you can much more easily feel the bottom, and especially the bottom type and structure with a quality rod. Consider such a thing as a more efficient telegraph. The better the telegraph, the more information transmitted. The more information you receive, the better you be as an angler. These things translate into more fun and more efficient angling.

Lack of perceived weight or lightness does not only contribute to sensitivity. It also reduces the strain on the arms during a long day of fishing. I find myself with each passing year the rude ravages of time and age. I really appreciate the way a light rod helps me enjoy with less pain a day on the lake. This keeps one sharper so that when that big one strikes at the end of the day that I am more ready to take ‘em on and less likely to miss or lose it.

One last thing a quality rod can do for you is that it enables you to set the hook with more authority. Hooks are set more by the speed of a rod in the hook set than by brute force. Speed is accomplished by using a lighter and therefore more costly rod. Your fishing partner can stand a little way out from you holding the lure between their finger and thumb and you will not be able to retrieve it try as you may by setting with a normal hook set. Set the hook fast and it likely will come flying back at you. Try this some time. How do you help set the hook faster? Simple – use a longer rod. The trend in most types of fishing these days is to the use of longer rods. From where I set, I would not purchase any new rod less than six and a half feet long. For many applications a seven foot or even longer is better. It is a matter of simple physics. The rod is simply a lever arm. The longer the rod (within reason), the more line you move and the faster you move it. In addition you gain extra power behind every hook set. This is an extension of the “lever” principle.

Nobody likes to spend money needlessly. How high a quality do I actually need? How much should I pay to ensure buying a quality rod, one which will realize the benefits listed above? As indicated above, most good rods come in the mid to upper price ranges. Let’s take St. Croix Rods as I am most familiar with them. You could specify a number of companies that also build good rods. No need here to buy a top of the line item on the $300 to $400 price range. I would be afraid to take these in a boat for fear of damaging them. But the mid range Avid series is a fine rod in every respect for around $150. There are no flies on the lower cost Premier which is also a fine rod which sell for around $100. If you go much below this in any product or brand line and you sort of fall of the table quality wise in most cases. The rods have either inferior modulus graphite, or a lower percentage of graphite and inferior guides and rings. All these deficiencies will set you back. Your enjoyment and effectiveness as an angler will suffer as a result. I am all for enjoying my rare opportunities to the utmost.



HAPPY HOUR

All of our returning guests have come to enjoy immensely our nightly happy hour observance here at Hawk Lake Lodge. The refreshments, but especially the camaraderie, the fish stories – both the truthful as well as the over processed all make the Happy Hour what it is. However, changes to this format are imminent. Late last year the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) informed us of changes in enforcement practices which will greatly alter Happy Hour.

For the 2009 season the following changes will be instituted to makes us compliant with the new enforcement of regulations. As I currently understand the new regulations, the following changes have to be made. First, alcoholic beverages are still allowed within the guest cabins. They are not to be available in the main lodge, tables or happy hour areas. All alcohol must be consumed in the private cabins of the guests only. Guests may, however, invite other guests to their cabins for a drink. Hawk Lake Lodge may no longer comp or buy any beverages for its guests. All wine, beer and liquor must be bought by the guests or a designated third party such as friends who will be met here.


Happy Hour will still go on with appetizers, cold drinks, fruit juices, and water. Most of all, the camaraderie, stories and fun – these no government can as yet take away from us.

Please forgive us for any pain these changes will make. We are compelled to follow these regulations or risk being closed. When I mentioned that these changes are in force for 2009, changes may occur in 2010. For one thing we are trying to get a special circumstances waiver. Another possibility is that we may succeed in obtaining a license to serve. This, however, will take time. Certainly this will take more than this fishing season. It is also not clear that even if we applied that we will be successful since the local community has a strong say in the matter. Another point to consider is that if successful, Hawk Lake Lodge would have to serve anyone from the general public both in the dining and bar areas. Many have expressed the sentiment that this would indeed change the character of Hawk Lake Lodge. Please let me know your thoughts on all of these changes



PASSPORT DEADLINE

It should come as no surprise that as of June 1, 2009 that all US citizens traveling to Canada will be required to have a valid U.S. Passport in their possession. This requirement will then be extended to those traveling by surface transportation as well as air or boat transport which had already been covered by this regulation. It should be noted that this is a requirement of the U.S. government in the interests of “security”. The Canadian government is in no part involved in this matter and has actually argued in vain against these changes to long established travel practices between the two countries. The current deadline only applies to those who drive into Canada from their homes or from the International Falls, MN airport.

Applying for a U.S. Passport has never been easier. All you have to do is to go to your local post office. Bring with you an embossed (not photo copied) birth certificate along with a couple of passport type photos which you usually can obtain in local drug store. The applications themselves which are short and easy can be found at the post office. All you have to do then is write a check to good ole Uncle Sam for his time and effort (?). As of 4/22/2009 the lead time to get you new or renewed passport is from 4 – 6 weeks. This time can be cut in half should you be so moved to pay a premium of $60.00. The return time can be further cut should you wish to pay for Express Mail (usually overnight) for both the outbound and return mailings. We have found that as in most things, the squeaky wheel gets the oil. You can usually get quick customer service consideration should you need it. Just call the number listed on the application.

Please let me know if you are in this boat. Just look at all this as your passport to a much more fun Hawk Lake Lodge boat. I have on file contact numbers and special case application procedures for those who require very short term consideration.

May 2009 Update

Hello again from Hawk Lake Lodge. We welcome all of you to the 2009 season. So far it is shaping up to be a cold spring. The ice went out prior to our arrival on May 8. At first the weather seemed promising. However, things soon changed. We had several snows and persistent cold weather. The weather seems to be on a slow, but sure warming trend as of late. Translated into fishing, the shallower and more stained portage lakes are doing well on all species. Things are definitely pre-spawn for the bass. No signs of nesting activity have been noted on any of the lakes as of May 25. The best presentations are simple, like a jig and grub, and slow. The more clear, especially, Hawk Lake are completely different matter. Due to their relative deepness and also because clear water absorbs less heat, these lakes are lagging behind for bass and walleye. On the other hand, the Northern Pike and Lake Trout fishing has not been affected by the cold. Please note that from now on I encourage all of you, especially those who are soon to visit the Lodge, to contact me prior to your arrival regarding the fishing. I say this because I can be much more detailed in my recommendations (I type slowly!) and we do not wish to share this information with anyone but our friends. Only very general information, henceforth, will appear in the updates that is of a fishing nature. Please keep in touch. So long for now.

Fall 2008 Newsletter

Observations 2008


Each fishing season is different. The variables – weather, forage base, water temperatures, water levels, population cycles, spawning success – the list goes on and on all impact the fishing each and every season. Putting the pieces together are some of the most rewarding and challenging things about fishing. Many would have all the pieces of the puzzle put together for them. Perhaps others are only interested in converting fish to food. The truth is the best part about fishing is the satisfaction obtained is making sense of all the variables, of putting all the pieces of the puzzle together.

The biggest mistake all of us make is to assume that the same patterns (a combination of location, presentation and environmental conditions) will work season after season with little or no change. Not only do these patterns change from season to season but also within each season and to a lesser extent at times within the same day!

In each of the seasons we have been privileged to spend at Hawk Lake Lodge, I have tried to keep detailed journals of fishing related things such as ice out dates, weather trends and fishing patterns. The one characteristic that stands out for the 2008 season is that in many respects it is like no other season that we have seen at Hawk Lake and the surrounding portage lakes.

Let’s take the weather as an obvious example. Once we arrive in the spring of the year in Canada, you can usually see a fairly rapid progression from late winter to warmer weather. This year, we were greeted on the night of our arrival with a winter storm which dumped in excess of a foot of snow. Now we have seen snow fall before this time of the year. But 2008 was different in that the snow and cold persisted well into the month of May. This caused a much later than normal ice out. When the ice finally did release its grip, the water temperatures stayed colder than usual well into the summer. Air temperatures also were below normal for much of the summer, but especially in that critical period (for spawning fish) of late May and early June.

This disruption of normal weather patterns wrought havoc on the spawning cycles, and by association the location and feeding patterns of almost all species of fish found here. The lone exception is the lake trout, which spawn in the fall of the year.

The northern pike usually spawn at the time of ice out. These fish generally have much time to recover by the time we get to fish for them. This year time frames were much compressed. Ice out occurred this year at mid-May, up to a month later than normal. Rather than finding well recovered and actively feeding fish during the prime part of the season for trophy pike, the fish were still struggling to recover at this normally favored time. As a result, the success on trophy pike was somewhat disappointing.

Walleye were similarly affected. Walleye generally have finished their spawning by mid-May. This year found the lakes just becoming ice free at this time with water temperatures much colder than required for the walleye to spawn. The first week or so of the walleye season saw many walleye caught in typical staging areas outside of their spawning sites prior to the spawn. The difference this year is that the spawn took place during the open season, not well before it. The fish had little to no time to recover. There was also much less of a tendency for the fish to remain around their spawning sites where we are accustomed to fish for them, neither on the way in nor on the way out. With the colder water, the fish seemed to immediately leave and suspend over deeper and more stable water. The result of all this is that fishing for walleye became inconsistent. Presentation methods and locational patterns differed greatly from what would be encountered in a normal season.

The smallmouth bass were also adversely affected. The smallies spawn during a few weeks from late May to mid-June. The water is too cold earlier to successively reproduce and spawning later results in fry that are too small to survive the next winter. The fry must grow to around 3+ inches to survive the winter. This really puts the pressure on bass to get their spawn successfully done in a small window of opportunity. It is for this reason that we vigorously promote not fishing for spawning bass. Time is already working against them. Any disruption by us, whether for fun or to fill our stomachs, really tips the scale against them. As the Canadian biologist, Gord Pyzer, has said - if we persist in exploiting the bass we will reap the type of fishery we deserve.

Given a much later than normal ice out, and unseasonably cool weather, the spawn period was thrown way off base. As a consequence, bass could be found during much of June and July in pre-spawn, spawn and post-spawn condition all at the same time. We must remember that all those fry hatching out after mid-June, would in all probability not see their next spring. The result of this is that we often find one or more gaps in the year classes (size) of the smallmouth bass. The uncertain association of numerous factors that effect the bass populations should impress upon us at least two things. One is that robust fish populations and consistently high levels of success are not a given certainty. We must all do our part to help out in the process. Secondly, conservation must be embraced by one and all.

One final observation that was very evident in 2008 had to do with the type of presentation methods we all use to catch fish. In previous year notes, I find that in the course of the season vertical presentations – things that are fished mostly on or near the bottom – worked best about 75% or more of the time. Presentations that move horizontally through the water, regardless of depth, make up the balance of presentation types. This trend has held consistently over the five years of record keeping. This season was, as you may guess, different. This season the horizontal type of presentation won out by a wide margin. Not that vertical techniques did not work; they did. It is just that the horizontal offerings worked better. Very odd! I am still researching possible explanations for this. I will endeavor to share this with you at a later date. By the way, should you wish to know more of what types of lures we are talking about and how and when to use them, please give me a call. So long for now. We hope to see you next season.

To Keep or Not to Keep


I like simple, direct, comparisons such as the one above. They cut to the chase. They avoid beating around the bush. They may even offend some folk’s sense of PC (as in political correctness). They do, however, get the point across in a direct way. And directness is a very important, yet sadly lacking commodity these days in many ways.

By “to keep or not to keep”, I refer to the juxtaposition of the ideas of “harvesting” fish to eat and catching, then releasing all fish caught. Now let me say, that I am rapidly becoming old. Because of this, I can vividly recall the time when to toss a fish back was simply thought insane. To take a fish legally caught from an angler’s hand, was just like confiscating a hand gun…..you would have to pry it out of the owners dead and cold fingers as the saying goes. I like most others of these bygone days were true believers.

The reason I write these words, is that we need change today more than ever. Many in the press promote the notion of sustainable harvest, sort of like you can have the best of both worlds, that you really can have your cake and eat it too. Not a few of our guests ask sincere questions as why catch and release is so important. Many of our neighbors here are of the same persuasion. Let me add, that catching and eating what we manage to catch harkens us back to a time much more ancient than recorded history to a time when we indeed did live in this manner. For this reason, it all seems so natural and pleasurable. In doing so, we feel that we can throw off the fetters of our current existence and return, if only for a moment, to a simpler past.

Yet time changes all things. Water resources are being degraded, habitat is being destroyed and fish stocks are dwindling worldwide. On the other hand, the human population of the world is exploding. Thus, there are two vise jaws clamping down on the natural order of things. There was a time, when people could live off the land. When resources were exhausted, people could just move on. The trouble is, is that we are running out of land to move on to. Can more (and growing) continue to live off less (and declining)? The answer is self-evident.

What can we then do? What part can we play in this? Indeed, time changes all things. But people can change too. Reflection, knowledge and adaptation can go a long way in changing the way all of us look at these things.

First, let us all reflect. By reflect, we all need to think deeply about what we want in our fisheries both in the short and long terms. None of us can proceed along this path unless through thought we become convinced of the need to do so. Do we want to preserve what we now possess, or in a longer term for our children and grandchildren? What decisions, practices and sacrifices are we willing to make to this end?

Second, we all need to arm ourselves with a little knowledge. Much of the knowledge of the science of fisheries has accumulated on recently. If we have not kept pace, chances are that we do not have the right knowledge tools to form our opinions. We could go on for an extended period in this area. Please feel free to contact me should you so wish as I would like to explore these matters as your fellow student. We can sum up by quoting the famed Canadian biologist, Gord Pyzer, if we fail to practice these things, “we will have the type of fisheries we deserve”.

Committed to the need and armed with factual knowledge, we become prepared to move forward adapting to the changes we face. We must understand that the negative trends we mentioned are growing with each passing year. There will be many opposed to this thinking and unwilling to consider change. Yet move ahead we must.



Fall 2008 Update


We trust that this update finds all of our guests and friends well. We wish to thank each of you who visited us at the Lodge this season. We hope that you enjoyed your visit. We can assure you that we enjoyed spending time with each of you.

To many of you who visited earlier in the season, it comes as no surprise that this has been an abnormally cold year. The ice out came about a month later than normal. The weather did not show its normal progress toward summer. Water temperatures lagged far behind where they should have been. More importantly, these weather factors directly contributed to the unusual fishing patterns that persisted for much of the season.

It is not that the fish were not available or did not bite. Rather, the fish did not behave as they normally do. Patterns, locations and lure presentation were all thrown off. Those who were able to maintain an open mind and adapt continued doing very well. We will dive into this subject in our next article.

As everyone knows by this time, the economic times are really tough at present. I find it nothing short of amazing as to the depth and breadth of the changes in a few short months. Many of us are struggling and those who are not struggling are nonetheless very concerned. Hawk Lake Lodge is no different. We battle sharply escalating costs, especially in Canada. The US Dollar is passing through an historic weakness worldwide. Business in the Lodging sector is at or near historic lows. For this combination of reasons, many lodges are in poor condition. The one sure thing, however, is that tough times do not last, but tough people do. One day we will look back on these times much like we look back at 1973-1975, or 1979-1980, or 1987. The only thing to do is to support one another during the interim as best as we can.

One good economic item at present is the relatively low cost of gasoline. Last summer in Canada we flirted with prices approaching $6.00/gallon. Perhaps this will cause the airlines to roll back airfares and add-ons?

Speaking of airfares, we have received special fares from Prelude Travel (800-561-8907). I am including them here, not so much to push Prelude, as to let everyone know what is currently out there. The key word here is “currently”. We have been told that these fares are strictly limited. It may be worthwhile to consider purchasing tickets while these fares are still available.

We believe that bookings will be down this year due to the economic factors we have just mentioned. We are working hard to maintain and even expand all that Hawk Lake Lodge has always been. We do however need and deeply appreciate any support that our guests and friends may be able to lend us during this difficult times.

We would like to take this opportunity to wish each of you the very best of Holiday Seasons. May the spirit of this time abide with each day of the coming year.

Below please find the airfares currently being offered:


Prelude Travel Inc. 426 2nd St.S. Kenora, ON P9N 1G6Phone: (807) 468-1928 . Toll Free: 1.800.561.8907 . Fax: (807) 468-9729
IT’S THAT TIME AGAIN!!!It is time to start thinking about your upcoming fishing/hunting trip. The airfares are out and space is limited. The prices below reflect the lowest possible fares, based upon availability. Book early to get the dates and times that you want.
STATE WINNIPEG INT’L FALLS
ND $388.00 $460.00
MN NE SD $405.00 $480.00
CO IA IL IN KS MO MT WI $455.00 $521.00
AR ID KY MI NM OH OK PA RI TN UT WV $476.00 $567.00
AL CT GA MD MS NC NJ NV NY OR SCTX VA WA $504.00 $605.00
AZ CA FL LA MA ME NH VT $531.00 $639.00

**A VALID PASSPORT IS REQUIRED WHEN FLYING INTO CANADA** **ALL TRAVEL MUST BE VIA NORTHWEST AIRLINES**** THE ABOVE FARES ARE IN US FUNDS AND DO NOT INCLUDE APPLICABLE TAXES**


Please remember that all folks entering Canada this year will need to present a valid US Passport. I just renewed mine and it only took about 3-4 weeks with regular processing. Express processing is available with a much shorter wait time. The process is easy and is available through most local post offices. Please let me know if you need any assistance in this regard.
Frank Walker
Hawk Lake Lodge
800-528-9045 (USA)
807-548-5606 (Canada)
www.hawk-lake.com