Liddle's Fishing Adventures Inc. Newsletter for Spring 2003

The Albany Journal Spring 2003 Miminiska Lodge- Makokibatan Lodge- Makok Outpost (800) AND- FISH Greetings From Your Neighbors To The North The Liddle family would like to take this opportunity to express our deep concern and support for all those men and women of the American Armed Forces that are currently overseas. Our hearts are with you and your families in this difficult time. We all hope for an expedient resolve to this conflict, and pray for every soldier's safe return. Story continued on Page 3 (See: Greetings Cont.). Tie On A Fly! Ever since Robert Redford made the film, A River Runs Through It, fly-fishing has taken on a romantic image in the eyes of many North Americans. A pure sport that brings man closer to nature enticing wary fish with exact replicas of natural food. Fly-fishing is most often associated with trout fishermen trying to elude the most finicky of fish with lifelike insect imitations placed with the most natural presentations. Although this can be very gratifying, it takes a great deal of experience before one acquires a skill level great enough to be competent in such an act. We want to bring the opportunity of fly-fishing to our guests, but want to provide an exciting way to learn the skills. Fishing for northern pike with a fly offers a fantastic thrill. The necessity for perfect casts with exact fly placement is not mandatory. These fish are aggressive and as long as they can see your bait, the odds are, they will come for it. Once the fish attacks, it is like doing battle with a 9-foot ultra light. The rod will double over, as the fish will try to pull line from the spool. It makes for a very memorable experience. This year, each lodge will have a couple of fully rigged fly rods for guests to try. There will be no charge for their use, and available for daily sign outs. Our staff will be available for assistance, offering training right off the dock. What better way to spend a relaxing evening watching the sun go down over the Albany River? We encourage people with their own equipment to bring it along. We recommend a 9-weight rod with matching line. Many sporting goods stores carry tippets that are made specifically for pike fishing with plastic coated metal leaders that are tied to the end of the monofilament tippet. Big bushy streamer flies are effective. We have found flies made from 4 inch pieces of tanned rabbit fur to be very effective. We will carry these at the lodge this season. If you're interested in learning how to fly-fish, or would just like to talk fly-fishing, give Steve a call, or drop him a line. He's always eager to discuss techniques, and to hear about these trophy fish experiences.

Did You Know #1? That a bull moose can grow taller than 2 meters (6-1/2 feet) at the shoulders, and weigh 600 kilograms (1350 pounds). Moose are excellent swimmers, and can dive underwater to depths of 6 meters (20 feet). Ontario's moose population exceeds 120 000 animals. Did You Know #2? There are almost 9000 wolves in Ontario. The largest ever found in the province was 119 pounds. The crushing power of a wolf's jaw is twice as much as a German shepherd's. Did You Know #3? Ontario is home to between 65 000- 75 000 black bears. They can run at speeds of up to 50 kilometers per hour (30 miles per hour), and in the summer months consume an average of 20 000 calories a day. Albany Fact #1: The Albany River is 982 km, or 614 miles long, and flows from Lake St. Joseph all the way to James Bay. Albany Fact #2: The Albany River was named for the Duke of York, and Albany. The river has an important history as being one of the major fur trading routes of early Canada. Albany Fact #3: 135 200 square kilometers, or 84 500 square miles of land are drained by the Albany River system, one of Ontario's largest drainage basins.

Larger Boats For All Guests Our order has been placed, and our new Lund Stalker 16's are being constructed in the factory as you read this article. We are very excited to be able to now include a 16-foot boat, and new 25 horsepower Mercury outboard as a part of every guest's fishing vacation package. Like last season all of our boats will also include Lowrance fish finders, as well as all of the other essentials including: fuel, life jackets, nets, paddles, anchors, etc... We are expecting to have all of the new flat-bottom, pedestal-seat boats delivered to the lodges during the first week of the season, and to have them fully equipped and launched by our first guest's arrival. We are certain that everyone will appreciate having a faster, roomier, and safer watercraft to fish from.

It's Time For Spring Cleaning! As the snow begins to melt, and spring approaches, excitement builds in our office in anticipation for another season at the lodges. As you can imagine, there is a tremendous amount of co-ordination required by everyone to ensure everything will run as smoothly as possible for our season opening. As departure day approaches, there is usually a scramble to make certain that all of our staff, and supplies are prepared to make the long journey north to Nakina. The first day at the lodge is always one of the most exciting of the year. Once the aircraft are loaded, and our seatbelts are buckled, it's good-bye to civilization, and hello to the wild Northern Ontario outdoors. It's always a terrific feeling to take those first few steps from the airplane, and to reacquaint ourselves with the peacefulness and beauty that surround the lodge. The long harsh winter season always proves to be hard on our equipment, and getting everything running, and continue to run properly is an endless challenge in the first couple of days. The first step to beginning operations is to get the generator running. With fingers crossed, the start button is depressed, and the familiar chug of the diesel engine begins another summer. Our staff soon realize that there is much to be done, as everyone is delegated tasks to prepare the lodge for a busy summer season. The entire lodge, and cabins are given a spring scrub down, the kitchen is unpacked, laundry is completed, boats are launched, docks are put in place, not to mention load after load of food, fuel, and supplies that we receive by aircraft in the first week of operations. Although the pace is hectic for the staff, it is essential to ensure our operations are perfected by the time of our first guest's arrival. Preparations are already underway to make the move north for another summer, and I'm sure that when we arrive, our crew for 2003 will be ready to handle any unexpected adventures awaiting us.

Greetings Continued from Page 1. In these times of uncertainty, everyone must take special vigilance to ensure the personal safety of themselves, and others around them. Since the terrible events of 9/11, security around the world has tightened, especially here at home, where airport and border customs screenings have intensified. We want to ensure that those of you who will be driving across the Canada-US border this season are aware of what you will require to move quickly and easily between countries. Please ensure that you carry complete documentation with you when crossing the border. This includes a copy of photo identification, and proof of citizenship in the form of a passport or birth certificate. We have contacted the Canada Customs Agency, and they have assured us that although border delays for commercial vehicles can be lengthy, vacationers traveling to Canada should not expect to wait more that five minutes when entering or exiting our country. Worldwide, Canada is regarded as one of the safest traveling destinations, and Northern Ontario is exceptionally safe. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact our office, as we would be pleased to address them for you. Fishing Pristine Waters In July What better time to enjoy Ontario's long sunny days than July! Warm days, cool nights, few bugs, great fishing... it doesn't get any better! Just imagine the feeling of the sun's morning rays reflecting off of your face, the mist rising from the glassy water around you, and the unmistakable call of the loons in the distance. As you tie on your favorite lure, you look around to realize that there is no one else in sight, just you and the beautiful wilderness surroundings. For our readers who have experienced this first-hand, you are probably reliving a similar memory and many more right now. If you have yet to experience a Liddle's Fishing Adventure, these memories are yours to make. So what are you doing in July? Plan a vacation to one of our fantastic facilities on the beautiful Albany River, and witness the majestic beauty of the untouched outdoors with your family and friends. Call our office today. We would love to help you create your own unforgettable memories, by planning your July fishing adventure.

What's In Store For This Springs Weather? Spring is on its way, and we can't wait to go fishing! As opening day approaches, the topic of conversation often turns to weather, and how things are looking in Northern Ontario. So far, this winter has been bitterly cold and snow accumulations have been higher than average. However, spring is now upon us and the warmer weather has arrived. We are expecting that the lodges will experience the spring thaw on schedule this year, and are planning to fly into both Miminiska and Makokibatan Lodges on the 12th of May. Our office has been in contact with various people in Nakina in the last little while, and they inform us that it's beginning to feel like spring in the north. Daytime highs are well above freezing temperatures, and the prediction is that the lakes in the area will be free of ice by the beginning of May.

New Online Are Printable Brochures! We are constantly making changes to our comprehensive website: www.liddles.com . One of our most recent improvements is the addition of an online printable version of our brochure for Liddle's Fishing Adventures. We felt that this was an excellent way for prospective guests to take a physical piece of our literature away with them, very easily, and almost instantaneously. Please feel free to print a copy for yourself, and distribute it to anyone that is looking to experience an ultimate fishing vacation. Please keep checking in on our website often. In the near future there will be the addition of our new "Guest Photo Album" section, where we will post pictures and captions from our guest's adventures at Liddle's. You never know, maybe there will be a photo of you with the trophy you caught on Makokibatan, or Miminiska Lake posted on the internet in the near future. If you have any digital photos of your past trips to share, please forward them to fishing@liddles.com . Our latest "Free Online Contest" for a Shimano rod and reel combo has come to a close as of the end of February. Thank you to everyone who entered. We would like to offer our congratulations to Richard Hansen of Evergreen Colorado. Your name was drawn as the winner for the fishing rod prize. We're looking forward to seeing you at Miminiska Lodge in May. Our Online Contest has now been reopened, and the new deadline is September 30th, 2003.

Get To Know Us Our summer staff has always been an integral part of our operations, ensuring all of your needs as a guest are met. It has always been the Liddle's priority to offer the very best in guest service. However, finding new members for our summer staff with the commitment to exceptional customer service that we strive for has not always been easy. We receive hundreds of applications each year and spend a generous amount of time scouting prospective employees from all over Ontario. This winter has been no different, as our management team has been busy holding interviews to find the best prospective employees for the upcoming season. Of course not all of our staff is new. Heather and Steve Liddle will manage Miminiska and Makokibatan Lodges once again this season. After a long cold winter, both are very excited to feel the warm summer sunshine, and to catch up with all the returning guests. Marc Kuzyk is also anxious to be returning to the lodges again this summer, and already is preparing for improvement projects at both of our facilities. Our lodge cooks: Jody Head, and Brett Clark will be leading our kitchen operations once again, and have both expressed excitement to whip-up a few new recipes. Amanda Currie has chosen to join Jody in the kitchen at Miminiska again this summer. We all will enjoy Amanda's bubbly personality around the lodge in 2003. The "Notorious" Eli Baxter celebrated his 80th birthday over the winter, and proved he is still as spry as ever. It shouldn't be long until we receive his verdict for when ice-off will occur. Like everyone, we can't wait to see Eli guiding on the mighty Albany River again this summer. Eli Baxter Jr. will also be returning to Makokibatan Lodge this summer season, and is excited to start guiding another season on the Albany River. Pam Liddle is continuing to log hours in the pilot seat as she works towards her commercial fixed-wing license. She is hoping to have her flight test completed by May, so she can return to Miminiska Lodge again this summer. Matt Liddle, who has been a busy student at Western University in London Ontario, is looking forward to getting his exams finished with, and heading north to Makokibatan Lodge for another summer. The dock staff at Makokibatan Lodge comprising of Steve Bird, and Mike "Woodsy" Woods will be tending to our guests again this season. We all can't wait to see you up on the beautiful Albany River this summer! New Office Staff We would like to welcome Barbara Yellenik, our newest member of the Liddle's Fishing Adventures office team. Barbara brings with her over sixteen years of administrative experience and prides herself on her excellent customer service abilities. She has worked and lived in Northern Ontario most of her life, and enjoys a variety of outdoor activities including: fishing, camping, kayaking, and skiing. As Guest Liaison, Barbara is committed to taking care of all of the planning details of your vacation, and to ensure that your stay is most enjoyable. Barb looks forward to getting to know all of you, and addressing any questions or concerns you may have.

Would You Like Some Cheese With That Wine? Sharing the largest fish tale was the objective for most of the people that joined us at our receptions in Grand Rapids and Chicago in early March. Everyone enjoyed telling a few lodge stories, laughing, and getting to know fellow anglers a little better. The guests that had been to our lodges before were wrapped up in the memories, discussing the trophy fish they caught and reminiscing over the fantastic walleye shore lunches each day. If only walleye could taste that good at home! People talked about the great sunsets, the northern lights, the incredible wildlife and the scenery that our lodges offer. Guests from Miminiska couldn't stop talking about the unbelievable fishing at Twin Falls during the early spring season and then joked about the unusual cold weather in May and June. We are hoping that the northern parts of Ontario will warm up earlier this year. Guests from Makokibatan Lodge reminisced about taking a day trip with a guide along the famous Albany River. They spoke of how the raging rapids slammed the sides of the boat and how the guide maneuvered ever so perfectly between the rapids and the rocks. The fantastic fishing was only a bonus in comparison to the unbelievable scenery and beauty along their journey. The people we met at the reception that had not been to one of our facilities in the past were very excited to hear the stories of others, to look at the lake maps and plan where to fish each day, and where to travel to see the best scenery that Makokibatan and Miminiska Lakes can offer. If you didn't get a chance to attend one of our receptions, and have questions regarding our lodges, please feel free to give our office a call. Draws for past and new guests were held at the receptions. We are happy to announce that Randy Loper from Alto, MI, has won our returning guest draw, and will be sent a new rod and reel combo. We also held a draw for a 25% discount off any fishing package offered by Liddle's Fishing Adventures. Congratulations to Billy Gill from Rockford, MI, who has never been to one of our lodges in the past. We hope to see you at the lodge this year Billy! Roger, Steve and Heather enjoyed chatting with everyone that joined them this year at the Wine and Cheese Receptions. They can hardly wait for the summer season to start, and to have a chance to catch up with all of those guests that were not able to attend the event.