Liddle's Fishing Adventures Inc. Newsletter for Spring & Summer 2005

A Father and Son Adventure of a Lifetime All of our guests expect to have an incredible fishing vacation on the Albany River, but not all of them have experiences like the one that I will share with you. Two friends joined us at Miminiska Lodge this season with their young boys. They flew all the way from Warren, MI and met us on our private runway on Sunday for a 4 day stay. Although, the fathers were familiar with fishing; for the younger boys it was a new experience. We assisted them with proper fishing equipment, introduced them to their guides and showed them the famous 'hot spots' on the lake. They were excited each morning to head down to the dock, and after the boys finished their breakfast and hot chocolate in the morning, they raced down to the dock area for a day of unbeatable fishing. Throughout the days, they visited Miminiska Falls, where the beautiful water gushes down a 40 foot drop, and the walleye fishing is incredible. They went to the West Arm and the Narrows, enjoying the many reefs in the area, working the ledges for the feeding walleye. And of course, they worked the north shore of Curry Bay to lure out the monster pike from the developed weed lines. Days with incredible weather, matched with action packed fishing is a treat for any father and son team. One gorgeous evening, the two families ventured near the lodge to fish the 'Honey Hole', an underwater structure that holds an unbelievable number of walleye and pike…. And to their surprise…sturgeon! One incredibly lucky young fisherman caught the largest fish of his life. After casting for walleye, he felt a weight on the end of his line that was certain not to be a small fish. For 45 minutes the son, along with the help of his father, reeled in a 63 inch mammoth sturgeon. This prehistoric fish jumped up out of the water, slapping its body against the waves, trying with all of its might to release himself from the line in which he was hooked. But the fisherman won the battle. Sore arms and wrists, accompanied the smiles of the families as they cheered, pulling in and releasing the monster sturgeon. Take a look at the photos to see the excitement that can be shared by visitors of the Albany River. This adventure will be a lifelong memory, not just for the incredible fishing success, but also for the smiles and laughs shared with family and friends.

A Special Thank You A special thank you to all of our guests and friends who contributed to us being recognized as the Northern Ontario Business of the Year (1-15 employees). We were honored last month to receive this award recognizing business success in northern Canada. To stand among such entrepreneurs and strong leaders at a regional celebration from all economic sectors, was a privilege and joy. We were excited to be a part of the great celebration of Northern Ontario success and leadership. While we cannot overlook the many challenges that businesses face in the North, such as dwindling populations, and a less developed infrastructure, we are inspired by many businesses and individuals that have experienced incredible victories. The Liddle family believes that a business needs a strong base and foundation to expand upon in order to grow into new areas and handle challenges successfully. Gerry Liddle planted a vision and passion in our family in 1960 when he purchased a remote fly in fishing lodge in northern Ontario. He had a passion for fishing, northern Ontario lifestyle and sharing Ontario's natural resources with others. The enthusiasm that the late Gerry Liddle had for Northern Ontario has spread through three generations and Liddle's Fishing Adventures has grown into a successful operation that we love. We are proud of what we have achieved over the decades to build a business that has a strong foundation and the ability to continue to grow. Thank you for your support and loyalty over the years. Our guests have become friends, the lodges have become our homes, and the business is our passion. We are excited to share the beauty of Northern Ontario with others and experience the incredible fishing resource that is available.

The world is traveling again! We are pleased to share with you that our bookings for this upcoming season are well on their way to surpassing the typical levels for this time of year. This is exciting news, as it illustrates that the general public is feeling confident about the future and that there is a feeling of stability and certainty in the times ahead. People are willing to build new experiences in their lives, and taking the time now to act upon their dreams. Many people have contacted us expressing their thoughts of experiencing the fishing trip of a lifetime, and the exciting part is that they are doing it now, and not waiting. Building a fond memory that lasts with you forever is our goal. As one perceptive guest noted, "It was an experience of a lifetime, and I am so pleased that I took the time to enjoy it when I could." Space remains on a number of dates at all of our facilities. We have the perfect getaway fishing package for your needs. No need to dream of the getaway to pristine wilderness and fishing any longer. Now is the time. Come fish with us!

Contact us for your free DVD Get ready to watch some great fishing action on DVD! A year ago, a film crew from Toronto visited both Miminiska and Makokibatan Lodges. They took some excellent footage of our facilities and produced a 15-minute DVD video. It is a quick overview of the accommodations, services, and equipment and of course, it includes the fishing excitement found on the Albany River. The video offers a first hand account of what to expect on a fishing vacation with Liddle's Fishing Adventures. For a free copy of the video, please give us a call or email us at our North Bay office and we will mail it to you right away, no charge at all. Also, if you have a friend that may be interested in the video, send along their name and address and we will send a DVD package to them as well. Fishing like it was in 1930's The Albany River and lakes offer the best walleye and northern pike fishing found in Northern Canada. This was true back in the 1930's and it still is today. In the early 1930's, Ontario's Ministry of Sport and Game sent employees up into the region to explore and document the fishing resources that were available in the far north. The Albany River basin was described as "a rugged landscape with fantastic fishing potential suited for the avid outdoorsman". Not only were the water temperatures, the water movement and bait fish and bottom substrate perfect for producing a strong fishery with an abundance of trophies, it was so far off the beaten path that the inaccessibility kept fishing pressure to a minimum. And still today one of the only ways to fish the world famous Albany River system is to fly-in with us. Because we feel that the protection of the river and the fishing resource is so valuable, we instituted conservation practices to be followed while fishing on the water body. Trophy fish are all released back into the water to swim again. We provide each angler with a digital camera so that photos of all those great big fish can be captured and bragging rights can be shared with friends. Come experience the incredible trophy fishing on the Albany River, just like it was in the 1930's, and thank you for helping maintain the resource for future generations.

2005 - Year In Review 2005 was a season of warm weather, big fish and great memories. The warm weather and sunshine came in early May, and stayed with us all season long. By mid May the ice was off the lakes and at the start of the fishing season, the catching was incredible. The opening season Walleye were more aggressive than usual with many of the big females actively feeding right away. This is an exciting time of year to fly fish for big Northern Pike as well. The Northern are congregated in the shallow water and silently pulling a streamer fly through the water is irresistible to them early in the year. As the water warmed up in mid June, the fish migrated out to deeper water and could be easily found off the reefs and underwater ledge structure throughout the lakes. The most productive walleye bait is still the old faithful 3/8th ounce jig with a rubber twister tail. In recent years there have been great advancements in the design of these rubber tails. It is certainly worth some time in your local tackle shop to investigate some of these new baits and come to the lodge with a variety of options. Try the "living eye" and the "Power Bait series". Although we had a shortfall of rain at the lodges, we thank the western part of Canada for supplying the Albany River with higher than average water levels this season. This provided better navigability for guided river trips. And those guided river trips had unbelievable success! Beautiful Brook trout, and plentiful Walleye were caught and released all season long. Thank you to all who visited us this year, as we are pleased that we can share this piece of Canada with you. And if you could not arrange a trip last season, please join us this year for the trip of a lifetime.