Liddle's Fishing Adventures Inc. Newsletter for Spring 2004

Spring is upon us! After a long cold winter here in northern Ontario, we couldn't be happier to see the sunshine now melting our snow banks away. We are already busy in our main office gearing up for another terrific summer on the Albany River in 2004. We have many exciting new adventures available to our guests this upcoming season, and feel that this summer could be our best yet! Surely, you are as keen as us to get your line wet once again in search of trophy walleye, northern pike, and beautiful speckled trout. We spend many hours daydreaming in the off-season, reminiscing of those terrific days spent on the waters of Makokibatan and Miminiska Lakes. Spring is just around the bend, and we can't wait to get back to the pristine wilderness of the Albany River to catch up with all of our guests. We hope that those of you that haven't made a reservation for this summer will have the opportunity to visit with us on the mighty Albany River in 2004.

Congratulations! Liddle's Fishing Adventures has been running an ongoing contest on our website at www.liddles.com for some time. It has been exciting to see all of the interest it has generated. We are pleased to announce that David Stephens, of Cambridge, Ontario is the lucky winner of our latest draw for a new rod and reel combo. We hope you catch a trophy on your new rod David, and are excited to see you and your party at Miminiska Lodge this season. Our online contest has resumed as of April 1st, 2004. The next draw for a new rod and reel combo will be held on September 30th, 2004. Thanks to everyone who has visited with us online, and good luck to those future contestants

Fantastic Adventure Packages Now Available For 2004! For those of you that are looking for additional things to do on your Liddle's fishing vacation, we are now providing many adventure options, which can add to your ultimate wilderness experience. Whether you are taking a fly-out trip to get dropped off on a remote lake or river for a day of fantastic fishing, or just sitting back taking in the breathtaking visual display of the Northern Lights, we can provide you with the experiences that will create life-long memories that go far beyond the average 'fishing trip'. Be sure to read further about our new adventures inside the newsletter. Fly-Out Adventures Liddle's Fishing Adventures will now offer daily fly-out fishing trips to add to your already unforgettable fishing vacation. Hop aboard our Cessna 185 floatplane, and let your imagination run wild. Choose from an unlimited number of untouched lakes and rivers, where plentiful schools of trophy walleye, northern pike, and brook trout call home. What better way to add to your ultimate fishing trip, than to be dropped off on a completely secluded body of water, knowing that the monsters lurking below have never been witness to a fishing lure. Fly-out adventures can be booked through our main office. These packages include round-trip flight to your choice of destination from either of our lodges, boat, motor, gas, and of course the opportunity for you to experience an unimaginable day of fishing! Canoe And Kayak Adventures There really isn't a more relaxing way to take in the pristine wilderness that surrounds Makokibatan and Miminiska Lakes than heading out onto the water aboard a canoe or kayak. These non-motorized craft glide along silently enabling their passengers to experience our beautiful natural surroundings in a whole new light. We now have canoes and kayaks at both of our lodges for guests to use free of charge at their convenience. Nature Viewing Northern Ontario is home to thousands of species of plants and animals. To the nature enthusiast, the vast boreal forests surrounding our lodges offer unlimited opportunities to view all sorts of wildlife. Each season our guests report seeing many birds of prey including bald eagles, and osprey, as well as black bears, moose, woodland caribou, wolves, marten, otter, beavers, and many more different species of animals. Several of our staff are trained in animal behavior, and are always keen to bring our guests to areas most likely to view animals. If you are an avid birder, we can provide you with a descriptive checklist of all of the birds that inhabit our area, as well as informative tours of bird sighting hotspots. Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) Viewing What better place to view the spectacular night sky than the remote regions of northern Ontario. Our lodges provide terrific vantage points for those interested in the stars and our Milky Way Galaxy. Because there is no light pollution from streetlights or surrounding development, stargazers are amazed by the clarity and sheer number of stars filling our night sky. Many times throughout the summer we are witness to the spectacular light displays of the Northern Lights or Aurora Borealis. Words cannot describe the magnificence when our skies come alive with the flowing rays of pink, purple, yellow, green, and red light. There are still some guests who visit with us that are skeptical of the aurora phenomenon and suggest that it is perhaps just an urban legend. All of our staff diligently watch the skies throughout the summer and are always eager to let our guests know when they notice the "dancing curtains" beginning to emerge. Any skepticism is quickly replaced with awe and astonishment when our guests experience the celestial phenomenon known as Aurora Borealis. Guided Day Trips Fishing For Sturgeon For the 2004 season, we are excited to introduce at both Miminiska, and Makokibatan Lodges, guided day trips to fish for the "living dinosaur" of the fish world; the giant Lake Sturgeon. For the regular rate of $120USD per day we will provide you with an educated sturgeon guide, all of your heavy-duty tackle, bait, and the chance to do battle with "the most ferocious fighting freshwater fish". Due to Ministry of Natural Resources Regulations, we can only offer sturgeon fishing on a catch-and-release basis. The sturgeon-fishing season begins June the 15th, and is open for the remainder of our operations into the fall. For those of you not familiar with the sturgeon, these fish are the largest freshwater species in North America generally in the 3 to 5 foot range, and not uncommon to grow 7 feet or more. Average weights are between 10 and 80 pounds, but have been known to reach 200 plus pounds in some waters. They are very prehistoric in appearance, with a tough gray leathery skin, shark like tail, large hidden sucker mouth, and body armor made up of rows of sharp bony plates. Sturgeon are typically found in areas with current, and predominantly live along the bottom, feeding on clams, crayfish, minnows, and dead matter. By offering the added adventure option of a day trip of sturgeon fishing at our lodges, you can now have fishing thrills that few people can claim to have experienced. Imagine the excitement of a 5 or 6 foot Albany River sturgeon weighing eighty pounds, exploding from the water in a tail dancing display… Think of the thrill of hearing the prolonged scream of your reel as the 60-pound test line quickly disappears from the spool, and your guide scrambles to give chase. If you would like the opportunity to do battle with the strongest freshwater fish around, give us a call. We would love to book you an unforgettable day trip, and the chance for you to have your picture taken beside one of our prehistoric monsters, the giant lake sturgeon! GPS Orientation We will now offer complimentary GPS orientation courses at our lodges so that guests can get the most out of their GPS units. We encourage everyone who has a GPS to bring them along on your fishing vacation so that you can learn to use your unit more effectively, as well as participate in our GPS scavenger hunts. We will also provide you with the co-ordinates to all of our fishing hotspots, enabling you to find the exact locations of where the fish are biting best. If you don't have a GPS of your own, but are interested in this popular technology, we have several units available to sign out free of charge at our facilities. Fly-Fishing We will have fully equipped fly rods available at our lodges once again this year. There is no charge for their use, and are available for daily sign-out. Our staff is always available for assistance, providing training right off the dock. What better way to spend a relaxing evening than watching the sun set over the Albany River, while learning to master your fly fishing technique?

Fishing At The Lodges In August A common question that comes into our office is "What's the fishing like in August?" and our answer is undoubtedly terrific! Our many guests who experience the beautiful weather and explosive walleye and northern pike fishing found throughout the weeks of August will be the first to tell you that there might not be a better time to enjoy the beautiful Albany River. August in northern Ontario is typically filled with sunny days and warm temperatures, not to mention the plus of having the absence of bugs during this part of the summer season. Our fisherman find that walleye are typically very aggressive this time of year, and are commonly caught trolling crank baits like the Hot'n'Tot, and Reef Runner along rocky drop-offs, or over sunken shoals. Northern Pike fisherman should know that August is perhaps the best time of year to catch large numbers of trophy specimens. Our weed beds are fully established by this time of year, and are frequented by trophy northern pike that avidly search for hiding prey. Are you contemplating making vacation plans for this coming August? Why not fly into one of the Liddle's facilities, and experience Canada's best fishing opportunities! We'd love to be your host on the Albany River at Makokibatan or Miminiska Lodge, and provide you with an unforgettable wilderness fishing experience.

Eli Baxter I can't think of anyone that I have a greater respect for than Eli Baxter. Telling it like it is, certainly is an attribute that Eli lives by, and is probably why he is admired so much by those he meets. Those fortunate enough to have spent time with him over the years are quick to see his strength, and his contagious zest for life. For over 65 years Eli has been guiding his guests up and down the Albany River, and has provided thousands of unforgettable days of fishing. We recently interviewed Eli so that we could pass on a little about his life experiences to you, our interested guests. Eli was born along the banks of the Ogoki River on January 27, 1923, to his parents Josephine and George Baxter. George was employed by the Marten Falls Trading Post, which was owned by the Hudson's Bay Company. He transported furs and trading supplies up and down the Albany River between Lake St. Joseph and Fort Albany. Eli had three brothers and 4 sisters, and at age 9 was forced to attend a residential school in Sioux Lookout by Indian Affairs Canada. At age 12 he was allowed to return to his family, who at the time resided on Washi Lake, 15 miles down river from Makokibatan Lodge. When asked to describe the house he lived in, and the food his family ate, Eli replied with a chuckle "we lived in a tee-pee, and ate meat!" He explained that they often smoked sturgeon and whitefish that they caught, and enjoyed rabbits when they were plentiful in the area. He would also hunt and trap for moose, beaver, and muskrat. All meals were prepared in the tee-pee over a fire. Eli began his guiding career at the young age of 12, taking guests from Makokibatan Lake down river to Grassi Lake, and then further to Marten Falls Trading Post. He navigated the mighty Albany River using a 19-foot chestnut canoe. In the early days, Eli was limited to using a long wooden pole to push his canoe up and down the river, but soon used his earnings to purchase a 5 horsepower Johnson outboard motor, which he really loved. At age 16, Eli was asked by Indian Affairs to join the Canadian Army. He served in Thunder Bay, working kitchen duty for just under a year's time. Eli never saw a battlefield. It was around this time that Eli applied to take over the trap line on Makokibatan Lake as the previous trapper Harold Drake passed away. The Baxter family was given trapping rights in the Makokibatan Lake area in addition to their traditional trap line on Washi Lake. In 1944, Eli met a young lady named Florence on Kaganagiami Lake about 20 miles to the south west of Makokibatan. He spotted her snaring rabbits and was instantly attracted to her. When not busy trapping, he spent his time courting Florence for the next three years. In 1947, Eli and Florence were married. They continued to live around Makokibatan and Washi Lakes, where Eli spent the majority of his time trapping, and Florence spent her time tending to their children, preparing meals, and constructing sturgeon nets from twine. In 1972 Eli was appointed Chief of the Ogoki Reserve, which is located approximately 90 miles down river from Makokibatan Lake. Although he was acting Chief, Eli stated that he still spent the majority of his time on his trap line away from the reserve. The summer of 1974 saw the construction of Makokibatan Lodge, where Eli was soon employed as head fishing guide. Eli has worked at the Lodge every summer since, creating an almost legendary reputation among fishermen and other acquaintances. Over the years Eli has met many distinguished members of society, and has been featured on many television shows for his outstanding guiding abilities. Eli's family, consisting of 11 children continued to live on Makokibabtan Lake year round until the mid 1980's when Florence fell ill, and was hospitalized in Geraldton, Ontario. Eli acquired a house in Geraldton to be with his wife, but still spent a considerable amount of time guiding at Makokibatan Lodge throughout the summer months, and trapping in the winter months. Even at the age of 81, Eli shows little sign of wanting to slow down. He still gets excited every spring in anticipation of ice-off, knowing that he will soon be returning to his home on Makokibatan Lake. Over the years, Eli has left a lasting impression on just about everyone he has met. Our office definitely sees the impact of his reputation, as the request for his guiding services goes well beyond the actual number of days in a summer season. His insights on life definitely create long lasting memories, and his uncanny ability to read the skies for upcoming weather, or to know exactly how the walleye will be acting on any given day make most of us wonder if he posses powers we don't have. It surely will be a sad day when Eli decides to hang up his guiding boots, as we have been so privileged to be able to learn from his knowledge of the great outdoors, and his shared wisdom of life.