Friday, June 15 to Thursday, June 21, 2018 (Reed Lake Campground, Grass River Provincial Park, MB)

Friday morning we had some power issues…likely the result of not having enough knowledge about the programming on our new inverter/charger. I went to use my hair dryer and the generator kicked off. Steve played with the programming some more and we've had no issues since.

Steve tried for a long time to latch on to a satellite signal so we’d have TV,  but after a couple of hours, he gave up. Dave is a Saskatchewan Roughrider fan and Uncle Gord is an Edmonton Eskimo fan and they were playing each other tonight. Sorry guys, no football tonight.

Dave and Kerry were taking everyone out fishing…I chose not to go because I had a bunch of things I wanted to take care of. But before Steve could go, he needed a fishing license, so we walked to the office and paid for our campsite…$16.80/night (no services other than pit toilets and garbage bins)…and both bought our fishing licenses…$28 each.

Dave's new Lund boat he got last year, a real beauty and very comfortable to fish from. It has seating for 6, 2 live wells, lots of storage, a stereo, 2 depth sounders, and an electric motor on the bow that has a GPS that holds you on your spot so an anchor isn't required.

After a beautiful morning, a big rain storm decided to come through just as they launched the boat. While they were gone, I cleaned our inside door mat…prior to leaving Edmonton last Wednesday, I had accidentally kicked over a container of air drying crystals that I had sat down on the mat by the door so Steve could empty the water. I cleaned it up the best I could but the residue left on the carpet was being tracked in and out of the trailer. I spent the rest of the time until they got back just puttering around and going on a long walk around the campground and down to the boat launch area.

The rain finally subsided and they had a great time fishing...

 Look at that smile on Esther's face!!

Steve's first catch was a Walleye...

 Gord with a nice Lake Trout...

We all caught lots of fish while Dave and Kerry kept baiting our hooks and netting our catches, great guides! Time to head back...

There's no place to dock your boats here so they have to be loaded back up after fishing...

Now here's a problem with most of the fish here, they're too big to keep! Manitoba has a Master Anglers Awards Program in which you submit a photo of your fish with measurements as proof and bronze, silver, or a gold badge and a release crest and certificate are awarded.
Limits are: Lake Trout - 1.     Over 65 cm/26" must be released. Master Angler over - 89 cm/35"
                  Northern Pike - 2. Over 75 cm/30" must be released. Master Angler over - 104 cm/41"
                  Walleye - 2.          Over 55 cm/22" must be released. Master Angler over - 71 cm/28"

It was a good thing Dave and Kerry were grilling rib-eye steaks for us all tonight!

Us ladies just chillin...spuds and mushrooms on the fire...

A little wine and it's time to eat! Dave and Kerry are certainly spoiling us...

Saturday morning Steve thought he’d give the satellite another shot by moving further back into the bushes…and this time he was successful. Not all of the HD channels are coming in but, hey, that’s okay…better than nothing! After all any type of connection with the outside world is very spotty. Dave has a booster that we can put our phones on that usually gets a bit of a signal, but very slow. So having TV at least gives us some connection with what’s going on in the world…besides, we are TV’aholics! LOL

Just the guys went out fishing today. I was taking care of dinner tonight so I baked a chocolate coconut pie, made some crackers and then the meat sauce for lasagne. After that, us “girls” all went for a 2 mile walk…felt good getting some exercise!

Steve, Dave and Uncle Gord...

Dave finally gets to do some fishing too!

A couple more boats joined us. There were either no picture worthy fish on this outing or we got skunked...

We had been checking daily on a grouse nesting nearby, she had 14 eggs. They seemed to have hatched all on the same day as we only saw here once away from the nest with one of her brood peeking out,  then never saw her again...

We had a pretty early night for a change…in bed by 10:00 and ready to watch one of my fav shows, Ransome, but I was fast asleep in about 10 minutes!

Sunday...and Happy Father’s Day to all Dad’s…and Dad’s soon to be! Uncle Gord had been given this t-shirt from his daughter, Heather, before he left… 

All of us went fishing today, except Kerry…our intent today was to go up to the Grass River and catch some smaller walleye for a fish fry lunch. Cruising along at about 40 mph...

A Beaver lodge in the river...

Steve waiting for his guide to bait his hook and pass him a  rod...

Okay...all rods in!

And finally a fish small enough to keep!

Esther's got something big...

Wow...a 39 1/2" Pike!

Too big, gotta throw that one back...

We were back in by 1:00…In all, we caught 24 Walleye (Steve 7 and me 5)…and we kept 10 for the fish fry.

Dave cleaned our catch…

Washed and bagged, ready for the deep fryer!

We had a delicious fish fry…Dave doing up some fries first, then dipping the fillets in a beer batter and deep frying. Kerry seasoned and pan-fried fillets for her and I…yum!

Steve's first helping...

A little afternoon fun....nice tongue Dave!

Steve, Gord, Dave and Kerry went out for an evening fish…

A double header!

Dave's catch...

Steve caught a Master Angler 41 ½” Pike, but won't be putting in for it...

We fished until after 10 pm...awesome evening!

While the rest were out fishing, Esther and I tended to the campfire and had a great visit.

Monday (18th) we all headed out on the boat today for some Lake Trout fishing….4 of us fished while Dave and Kerry took care of baiting, netting and releasing our catch.

Esther caught a Burbot...''I'm not holding that ugly slimy thing!"

We were back in around 2:00…14 lake trout were caught…plus numerous Burbot and 1 small Pike...I caught 7, Steve 6, Uncle Gord 1…Esther nothing but a Burbot.

We enjoyed some of Esther’s delicious pea soup for lunch....and then the guys went to get fresh water. Dave fills up a 45 gallon drum from a spring in a roadside ditch about a half mile up the road.  The highways department put a containment around it.

Uncle Gord filling up his water bottle from the spring. It's ice cold and very refreshing!

Tiny silk worms are an issue here this year...there are trillions of them dropping down from the trees on webs....

The guys went out fishing after dinner…Steve caught 2 lake trout and snagged a dead one about 29" by the tail…too funny! He now holds a record which will probably never be broken! Dave and Uncle Gord each got 1.

At dusk we visited two rock islands nearby to Dave's favourite Lake Trout area full of nesting
Cormorants, Gulls, and Pelicans...

 Second island...

Two Pelicans in flight...

Another fabulous sunset just after 10 pm.

While the guys were gone, Esther, Kerry and I walked to boat launch area where there seems to be an occasional cell signal. I managed to have a text conversation with both our sons Rob and Chris. 

Tuesday (19th) morning, not knowing that the plan was to go out fishing early, Steve and I decided to do our resistance exercises and have showers. Consequently we weren’t ready, so the others all went out fishing.

Steve ended up getting started on editing pictures…we have no internet here but if he can stay up-to-date on the pictures, then when we are back on-line, that part will be done. By the way, I am also writing/jotting down daily notes each day in preparation of blog updating.

I went for a walk around the campground then thought I’d pull out my crocheting…it’s been a while!

After lunch we all went out fishing but OMG it was hot! For a change there was no breeze on the lake and the water was flat.

I reeled in 2 lake trout, Uncle Gord and Dave each got one…and Steve got skunked.

Esther and I peeling and slicing apples for Kerry's apple crisp...while Uncle Gord swats horseflies.

Another fish fry for dinner but with onion rings this time...

Yummy!

 More fishing after dinner...

We always looked for where the gulls were feeding on bait fish...

And another gorgeous sunset....

Wednesday (20th) and more fishing! Another Burbot...

Nice...I think this is Gord's 32" Laker...

Dianne's personal assistant...

Esther (or Gordon?) had managed to catch a Lake Trout small enough to keep. This is a totally different concept to us...back home we're usually trying to catch fish big enough to keep (if we want to)...

Our site...although this site is smaller than the one we had 8 years ago, this is a big rig friendly campground...

Dave and Kerry's site is much larger....

Esther getting her nails done...Kerry does a wonderful job...

Esther and Gordon's last night, so time for some pictures in the "big red chair"... FISH ON!

FITH ON!

Thursday morning, after big hugs, Uncle Gord and Aunt Esther left…time for them to head back to Edmonton. Wow! That was a fast week!

So the top score this week is:
Steve's  41 1/2" Master Angler Pike
             29"approx. "DEAD" Lake Trout (nobody wanted to touch it) snagged by the tail
Esther's 33 1/2" Lake Trout
Dianne's 26" Walleye

Our best days were: when we caught 24 Walleye and retained 10 small ones for a fish fry.
                                 caught 20 Lake Trout in the morning and another 10 in the evening.

Dave, Kerry, Steve and I went out in the boat to catch some Walleye for dinner.  Most of the fishers here are Americans and the boat behind us asked Dave if they could follow us to the Grass River as he wasn't sure if he could remember how to get there.

There's been wildfire smoke in the air for the last couple of days, apparently blowing in from Saskatchewan...

Look how flat that water is! Reed Lake is peppered with many islands. Dave said the Woodland Caribou will often swim to the islands to have their young, away from predators...

Entrance to Grass River...

Too big!

We have 4 Walleye for dinner...

Once we caught 4 that we were able to keep, we left the Grass River and headed out onto the lake to fish for big Lake Trout. It was EXTREMELY hot sitting out there, again, with no breeze…and no fish…so we decided to head in.

Back home, Steve turned the generator on and got the A/C going. We all had showers and then Dave and Kerry came over…Kerry did my nails while the guys visited.

Dave and Kerry cooked dinner and brought it over...we are sure getting our fill of fish (which is wonderful!). After dinner, it was time to watch a football game. Dave's favourite team, the Saskatchewan Roughriders were playing the Ottawa Red Blacks.

Later that night we had a super thunderstorm as we went to bed. We were woken again in the wee hours with more thunderous booms!

And that is the end of week one...stay tuned for week two!