Cool Tips

Original Post:  Who The Heck Likes To Go Grocery Shopping...
Original Date: August 27, 2009

Well I do...but only if it means that I need food for an upcoming fishing trip. Shopping for groceries for a do it yourself fishing trip is a very important task and has to be planned out to the last packet of crystal light drink mix...otherwise you could end up very hungry and drinking lake water by the end of your trip. My family plans out every meal for every day and then counts every item of food for one person that would be needed for the number of days of the trip. That number is then multiplied by 4. There are a few tips that make the weight of the food a little less daunting. One tip is, of course, to eat fish a couple of nights. This keeps the weight down considerably. Another tips is to take along no pop or other drinks in cans or bottles. Crystal light packets are very small and light and make great kool-aid type drinks.


I struggled with trying to find the best way to show you how we pack food for a do it yourself trip. I finally just decided to give you the list for our upcoming trip. Keep in mind that this list feeds four people for 8 days. Our grocery list includes:

BREAKFAST:

36 Orange Crystal Light Packets

36 Bagels

36 Large Donuts

LUNCH:

144 Slices of Bread

36 Slices Of Turkey

36 Raisin Boxes

108 Small Candy Bars

72 Crystal Light Packets

18 Cans of Pringles

36 PB & J Sandwich Filling

DINNER:

(plan for 4 nights of fish dinners)

2 Pound Hamburger

2 Box Hamburger Helper (add water only)

9 Packages of Idahoan Potatoes

9 Bags of Frozen Veggies

72 Crystal Light Packets

8 Packages of Ramen Noodles (for the ones that do not feel like fish)

4 Sirloin Steaks

16 Hamburger Patties

16 Buns

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS:

Salt and Pepper

Butter Canola Oil

Fish Batter Paper Towels

Season Salts Paper Plates

Garbage Bags Ketchup

Sandwich Bags Plastic Utensils

Cream Cheese Extra Jelly

As you can see...this list has been exacted to a science. There is no extra food (because there is no weight to be given up for extra food), but there is enough to keep everyone full. You can always pack some snacks as part of your weight if you want to leave a lure or two or maybe a pair of pants behind. I like packing a bag of beef jerky and some cashews because both of these items are full of protein and will keep you FULL for a long time.

Keep in mind that if some camps offer to buy the food for you or to fly in the food ahead of time. This usually means that you can get beer and other goodies flown in, as well. These options cost more so understand that up front and ask about the cost. But if you are willing to pay, these are great options to take advantage of.

Hopefully, our list will help you plan your grocery list for your next trip. If you just take a look around the grocery store, there are lots of ways to keep the weight down and yummy options that can be both nutritious and good. Do not be afraid to experiment with new items if you really, really have a craving for something. Just always keep in mind the weight and try to substitute.

Happy Shopping ~

LIZZY aka The Fisherbabe

P.S. Make sure to look back in the archives of Miss Rikki...she has some great tips on shopping healthy for your next fishing trip!!!!!
 

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Original Post:  Packing Light...

Original Date:  August 20, 2009

is a tough feat to accomplish when your destination is the wild outdoors where it can be both hot and cold in the same trip. But, add on weight restrictions and groceries to the chore and all of a sudden packing becomes harder than solving the riddle of the sphinx. Although it can seem a bit overwhelming at times, making a list and packing early can solve much of the anxiety that can accompany this task.

The first thing to address when you are beginning to pack for a fishing adventure is the weather. You have to know what the weather will be like during the time of your stay. Obviously, there is no way to predict the future and know for sure whether it will be rainy or sunny, hot or cold. However, you can research past weather patterns and talk to the camp managers or owners about weather conditions presently and in the past. A great tool for checking the weather in different locations and countries is http://www.weather.com/. Also, camp managers and owners are great tools in understanding the conditions of the lake.

Even though you can try to guess whether the gods will shine on you and bring sun or whether they hate you and will throw ice pellets at you in july, its never a good idea to pack with only hot or cold temperatures in mind. With Canadian fishing, the temperatures can change drastically from day to day. Last year, on our Pike trip, my family spent a leisurely thursday fishing...and although it was not necessarily warm, it was pleasant. The very next day we woke up, looked outside, and were stunned. There was SNOW on the ground...AND it was still falling out of the sky :( Layers upon Layers were definitely necessary that day.

With weight restrictions being part of the process during these types of trips, you have to keep your clothing at a minimum. You need to make sure you take enough clothing to stay safe and warm, but no extra. Two pairs of jeans or pants usually do the trick...along with a couple tshirts. On top of those basics, you should think about carrying along a hooded sweatshirt and a fleece jacket of some sort. Thermal underwear is also a must as it protects your body's core and keeps in the heat. Warm socks are important, as well. I suggest smartwool brand socks because they keep your feet warm with only one pair. If you put on too many pairs of socks, your feet will not stay warm because the layers of socks will cut off your circulation. Another simple option is a really warm light-weight boot. My husband has a pair of Irish Setters that are protected by a high degree of Thinsulate but are EXTREMELY light. They sell this boot at Cabelas. It's amazing. Raingear is, of course, always a must, and if you are traveling someplace cold, bring along your coveralls. Warm gloves can help protect your hands from the icy air and are an important tool in keeping your fingers from frostbite.

It must be mentioned that these clothes will get dirty. When you are taking only a limited amount, you must resign yourself to wearing the same things day in and day out (with, of course, the exception of undies and socks :). Remember...your rain gear is what gets the most disgusting. The clothes that you have on under the raingear usually stay dry and clean. Don't be too concerned about wearing clothes with fish slime on them. If your rain gear is working properly, your clothes should be wearable for at least two to three fishing days at a time, and doing this REALLY saves a lot of weight.

Duffel bags are a must for this type of situation. Any type of regular suitcase (especially ones with any metal parts or rollers) just plain weighs too much. Those types of suitcases usually weight 10-20 pounds when empty. Thats a lot of lures and tackle you could be taking instead. Duffels only weigh a fraction of what the regular suitcase weighs and is so easy to carry and pack. If you buy a larger bag, everything from you clothes to your sleeping bag will fit inside. It is a must have for this type of trip.

My family always manages to keep our weight down under the restrictions. Yet, we always have everything we need to make for a great trip. Personal items such as shampoos and soaps can be shared by the group so that no one person has to carry the weight for all. Places like Cabela's and Bass Pro Shops carry microfiber towels that weight as little as an ounce. These towels will save you a pound or two if you are heading to a place with a shower but that does not provide towels. Sham-wow towels make for very light yet durable boat and cabin towels. I like to take along a flashlight. It gets pretty dark at night...and they have bears in Canada :)

You must remember that the weight limitations include everything. Your tackle box, gear, clothing, and groceries must all fall within the guidelines. Extrememly efficient packing is a must for a nice relaxing trip. When it comes to weight, every little bit saved helps. There is nothing worse than getting to the airport and finding out you are over. Such chaos ensues that I shudder to even think about it. The main tip to packing in these situations is to just think light. Really think about whether you really need an item or if it is just a luxury that you could possibly do without. AND ALWAYS WEIGH YOUR BAGS AND GEAR BEFORE YOU GO!!!!

On a side note, my tacklebox is so light that it weighs EIGHT POUNDS LESS than my old one. I use the Plano 9606. Its a hip-roof tackle box that has three pull out trays on each side and a deep space in the bottom for extras. This tackle box is very durable, and when fully loaded, only weighs about 20 pounds. Compare this to my hubby's which weighs 30+ pounds and you can see that my tackle box really saves the weight. I always recommend this Plano box ,because it's AWESOME!! Another imporant tip to consider is to make a list. I always make a list a couple of weeks in advance of my trip. This allows me to really think about the weight restrictions while I considering my clothing and gear. That weight restriction usually has to encompass everything and is on a per person basis. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance to inquire about any restrictions before you go. Nothing sucks worse than showing up and having to leave half your gear in the truck...trust me on that one.

For my trips, I usually try to stick with the least amount of clothing that I can get by with so that I have plenty of room for my gear. It must be stressed again that rain gear is a must have in any situation. The temperatures in Canada can get pretty dangerous, and rain gear is the first step in ensuring the warmth and safety of your body.

In the end, the best tip is just to make a list and really think about what you are packing. Because there are no stores around, you must prepare and pack everything that you need. Just do not go overboard and make sure you talk to the others in your group to ensure that there are no duplicate group items being taken along. Packing can be the funnest part of your pre-trip planning process, because it allows you to really get excited about where you are going and the fish you are about to catch.

Happy Packing ~

LIZZY aka The Fisherbabe

 

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Original Post: Maps...Your Key To Fearless Adventures!!!

Original Date: August 19, 2009

Fishing in the Canadian wilderness is an unsheltered, somewhat primitive experience. This is coming from our standpoint of course. Our family takes pride in living on the bare essentials. We enjoy exploring and discovering. It is the challenge of living off the land that is the motivation to tolerate freezing conditions and thundering white caps. Our family does not hire a guide for even the biggest of lakes we travel to. However, we ALWAYS have on hand several copies of a detailed map!!

Being your own guide for a lake where no other human soul is around can prove to be very nerve-racking. Therefore, hiring a guide might seem very appealing. Although guides can be a useful resource, you should not be scared to navigate the lake on your own. The next time you plan a trip consider the fact that lake navigation is not really all that tough.

When making trip preparations, one of the first things to do, after choosing the location, is to buy a map of the lake. A company known as Map Town Ltd. (http://www.maptown.com/) sells topographic maps for pretty much every single lake in Canada. They offer maps in multiple scales. Although it sometimes takes several panels of paper to get the entire lake, my family orders the 50,000 to 1 scale because it offers more fine detail. Often you can get an entire lake on a 250,000 to 1 scale. However, this is not always better. The details on the 250,000 to 1 scale are often tougher to navigate from because of the smaller size.

The map is bought as soon as the trip is planned-this means, in a perfect world, the map should be bought a few months in advance. It is a good idea to get it shipped early for a couple of reasons: (1) it takes a few days to a few weeks for shipping and (2) because the sooner it arrives, the sooner fishing spots can be located. We tend to fish every nook and cranny of the lake until we find that hot spot (a.k.a. honey hole.) For Northern Pike, we look for rivers or tributaries that flow into bays. The inlet to the lake and outlet are always pinpointed on the map as these are usually major areas for major fish. For Pike, we look for the marsh symbol on the map because that may indicate that the lake bed around that area is muddy…which in turn possibly suggests that there may be weed beds found in that area. For Lake Trout, we look for reefs (or underwater rock formations) during the spawn. When Pike fishing, rocky areas can also be pinpointed for walleye fishing. These reefs are indicated by a cross (or a +) on the maps.

After the map is bought, you can make very good quality copies at your local FedEx/Kinkos or office supply store. These stores are also capable of resizing the maps so that you may enlarge them to an appropriate size. Another good tip for maintaining the quality of your map, and for waterproofing it, is to buy extra-large Ziploc bags to hold the maps so that they are protected. This also works well to protect them from the major fish slime of your major fish!!

After your maps are bought, copied, secured in their protective coverings, and you are sitting in your boat ready to fish, you must finally put your fears aside and navigate the lake. For the first day on the lake, we choose a shoreline to hug (North or South) and which direction from camp to head. Once the boat is out on the lake, we stay loyal to that shoreline and loyal to the map. We follow the curves on the map with the curves in the landscape itself. You should begin to memorize the islands that you pass and the reefs that lie in your path. Understanding and memorizing the landscape of the lake can prove to be a useful, and even a lifesaving, skill.

The first day we fish a specific portion of the lake by the afternoon. Then, we hit those same fishing spots (if we found any hot ones) again that evening on the way back to the camp. The next few days you can follow the same routine going farther on the lake until your party has covered the entire area you have planned to fish. Maybe by that time, you have fished the entire lake…Not too difficult eh?

Happy Navigating ~

Miss Rikki

and

LIZZY aka The Fisherbabe

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Original Post: Research - The Fundamentals Of Choosing A Good Location...

Original Date: August 17, 2009

Research is the obvious place to start when thinking about planning a trip...any trip. For this series, I will utilize my knowledge of Canadian fishing to plan that perfect getaway. I will plan a do-it-yourself fishing trip from start to finish so that you guys can get a good idea of each step in my process. I think that a trip to Canada to fish should be a dream of any avid fisherperson. The natural beauty is unmatched, the wildlife is abundant, and the trophy fish are waiting. This information will show you how to plan that trip and how to make it easy and affordable.

When I decide to take a trip, the obvious first step is to figure out exactly what my goal is for that vacation and what my expectations are. For example, if my goal for my vacation is to catch monster pike, I choose to take my vacation in May or June. If my goal is trophy Lake Trout, the September spawn is when I want to be on the lake. It is very important to begin planning months in advance to ensure that you have ample time to budget for your trip and fully research every lake and lodge that falls within that budget.

As for the expectations, you need to decide what you want your trip to be. Do you want a fly-in adventure? A drive-in adventure? A campsite or a RV site? You need to really think about what you want this trip to be and what you can afford. Do not be discouraged if your budget does not allow a fly-in fishing trip to remote areas of the tundra. There are great drive-in lakes that are less expensive and offer fabulous fishing at a fraction of the cost. The only downside to those lakes are that they are more accessible to other fishermen. That does not mean you will not catch that monster...but it may mean you have to work harder for it.

Another important step to consider at this point in the planning stage is the amount of money you can afford to shell out from start to finish. We all know how expensive fishing can be. Therefore, it is VERY beneficial to just sit down and budget for your trip before you start researching any potential lakes or lodges. Be sure to include the amount you can spend on the lake or lodge, any expense for additional gear or tackle, gas money or airfare (or both), groceries, and miscellaneous items like fast food, hotels, and things like that. Also, remember that a do-it-yourself option will cost you less because it will be unguided and you will, most likely, be bringing your own food.

After figuring out your budget, the real fun can begin...RESEARCHING LAKES AND LODGES!!! The amount of information that is at your fingertips these days is truly amazing. The internet is an amazing source for planning your trip and most lakes and lodges (in all areas of the world) are now on the World Wide Web. I suggest doing a google search for camps and lodges in the area of the world that you choose to visit. Most countries (states and cities) have tourism boards that can send you a TON of information if you request them to do so, and often you can even sign up by email.

For a trip to Canada, there are number of options for beginning your research. First of all, look at all the materials from the tourism boards. I like to visit tourism websites such as http://www.travelmanitoba.com/, http://www.spectacularnwt.com/, http://www.sunsetontario.com/, http://www.sasktourism.com/, and http://www.allcanada.com/ (among others) to really get a feel for each region. I really like that these websites have in depth information on most camps or lodges in the areas that I really like to fish. There is no better place than Canada to find awesome fights from Pike, and these sites can lead you to the best lodges and lakes the country has to offer. Once you do some cursory research on the different regions of the country, you can narrow down which one you want to visit and eventually come to a conclusion on which one you want to fish.

Once you have settled on a region, you can begin the in-depth research of learning about the land, lakes, and lodges that the area has to offer. This part of the process is very important because it is where you begin learning about each lake and lodge and where you begin adding and cutting from your list of possibilities. I sincerely suggest keeping a notebook handy for this portion of the process. Writing everything down in one place will keep all the information clear and separate and will keep you from confusing one lodges prices with another. Plus, you can save all those notes for your next trip!!

For each lodge you research, write down the website, the phone numbers (many have two numbers-a summer and a winter), and the rates for the time of year you want to visit. The prices can vary so keep that in mind. If a lodge really intrigues you, but seems out of your price range, write it down anyway. Also, this is a great place to write down important information about the lake itself such as how big it is, how deep it is, what types of fish live there, the average size of fish caught there, and the size of the record fish caught there..but keep in mind that there is a tendency for camps to embellish a bit to make their camp look better. Make a list of your favorite lodges and lakes and really begin researching the quality of the lake. You can often find photos and reviews on the internet from folks that have visited that lake before. Do not be afraid to ask them what they thought and how the fishing really was. We are all fisherpeople with the same goal...if you ask, we will tell you!!

After you research the lakes and find the ones that best fits your needs, narrow down your list of lodges to the ones that interest and excite you the most. Then, pick up your phone and start dialing. Talking to the camp owners and managers is the ONLY way to really get a feel for the camp and the service that you can expect once you are there. It is also the only way to find out the exact rates of the trip. You will be spending quite a chunk of change on this trip so do some comparison shopping. Some camp owners and managers will work with you if they can afford to do so and sometimes will offer a discount or a group rate. Talk to them about your price limitations and they may offer a bargain...just do not expect it. Remember that your vacation is their livelihood so always be polite and never feel entitled.

Also, when speaking to the camp about rates be sure to ask some important questions: (1) what does the price cover and are boats, motors, and unlimited gas included; (2) is airfare to the camp included; (3)where does the flight depart from; (4) what meals are included in the price and will the price go down if I bring in my own food; (5) what, if any, amenities are there in camp; (6) what are the weight limitations and restrictions on the plane; (7) is there a camp manager on site or a satellite phone available; (8) is there heat/stoves/appliances/cookware on site; (9) when is the deposit and final payment due and what are the terms regarding cancellations of the trip whether by you or the camp itself; (10) are fish finders or a battery to run your own fish finder available to you; and (11) any other relevant question or issue that concerns you or that you feel you would like to know before your adventure. Never be afraid to ask!! Also, make sure that you explain that you are wanting the do-it-yourself/housekeeping option because some camps do not offer that plan up front. In some situations, you will have to specifically ask for an unguided/housekeeping plan.

Once you have spoken to the camps, you can finally mull the decision over and choose which camp is right for you. Take your time when choosing and make sure you are comfortable with your choice. After doing this, you can finally move forward to the next stage of planning your perfect trip.

Keep in mind that it is often necessary to plan these do-it-yourself trips with at least four people because you are often the only people on a lake. At remote locations, you want to make sure that you have at least two boats so that if something happens to one of them, you have a safe way to make it back to camp.

There you go. The first part of my five part series on planning your own do-it-yourself fishing trip. I hope that the tips that I have given here will help guide your planning efforts and show you all that it really isn't all that hard!! PLUS...you get to talk to some really cool people who own their own fishing camps. That must be a pretty cool job!!

Stay tuned and check back because tomorrow its ALL ABOUT MAPS...

Happy Researching~

Lizzy aka The Fisherbabe