Hard to sleep (again). Whitehorse has little darkness too and we are up early for the floatplane to the lake. I’ve been wondering how one little airplane takes two pilots and seven passengers with 50 pounds of gear apiece. The good news is that the largest floatplane servicing the Yukon will hold more that that as we haul the week’s supplies and provisions too. Sadly, one of the other pilots who also services the lodge (and one of the owner’s stepson) was lost on a cargo mission the week previous.
The hour and a half flight goes over millions of acres of remote unoccupied wilderness with many small lakes, white-capped mountains and one ribbon of road – the Alcan Highway. The lodge setting is picturesque, rustic and a very warm and welcoming. Brian and his staff – Katie and Jerry (young and married), Sharon the chef and Yukon Bob and Tag (owners with Brian) – make us comfortable, tell us what our week will bring and feed us awesome chili to start the adventure of a lifetime.
By early afternoon we are fishing two to a boat and learn that even unskilled rookies like me can catch fish fairly easily. Mark and I each catch four before dinner – a mix of pike and trout about 18 inches to 28 inches each. The fresh air is terrific. It really seems as if the afternoon flies by and it is dinnertime. The other seven have arrived when we come off the lake and we are all together. Mysteriously, orange stuff (shirts, hats and a huge flag with an enormous “T” appear everywhere………could there be Tennessee fans hereabouts?)
One would be hard put to dine better anywhere on earth than here. If at least one complaint were to be required, mine would be too much/too good – it’s soooo hard to stop eating between the fresh air and the generous helpings.
Mark announces the Tennessee Style Fishing Derby……his rules. After some debate, it is decided we each put in $40 for Tuesday ($520 total) with four prizes:
Most Pike
Most Trout
Biggest Pike
Biggest Trout
Tuesday is now officially a real competition.
Amazingly, after dinner everyone goes back to the boats and we all resume fishing for 3-4 more hours. (Who would’ve thought???) Mark and I catch zip but it’s okay because at the far end of the lake three moose come out to graze – three huge bulls with massive racks and one “yearling”. The clouds shift, the light is perfect and I get lots of super photos from about 100 yards. Mark actually gets a little nervous – says I’m taking the boat too close. Who knew? They look like big stuffed animals to me.
When we return to the lodge Brian is lighting a fire and a few of us have a nightcap while he burns boughs cut down to clear a path for his new satellite receiver. The Internet is coming soon to the lodge.
It’s bedtime – Ed and I make a roaring fie in our cabin’s firebox and we are fast asleep before our heads touch the pillow.
A great start to an amazing week!!!!
Tin Cup Lake
Nice guys, ugly hats
Brent caught his first fish
Jim gives Brent advice on how to hold a fish
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