Now that I have some time on my hands I thought I would start writing up some "reports" Sorry to say I'm limited on the number of photos on this forum. To see more...check out my blog.

http://matokuwapi.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!8F5D1613549B146C!1058.entry

I took this trip in mid May but I haven't had time to post it until now.

Imagine my surprise when I opened up an email from Wilson's (fly shop), in Toronto, to learn that I had won a trip in a draw at the Izaak Walton Fly Fishing Forum in Toronto. It was a trip for one to a classic Canadian fishing resort in Quebec, near the town of Tamiskaming.

La Reserve Beauchene is an anglers paradise, spread over 50?000 acres of pure Canadian wilderness. With more than three dozen accessible lakes to explore and seven species of sport fish to choose from you have just found yourself in the perfect anglers heaven.

If you decide to go, you have the choice to stay in the main lodge a k a the White House, on the American plan or you can stay in the various cabins or even camp if you desire. Cabins range from big and extravagant to small efficiency cabins. All are in beautiful settings, very clean and very well equipped. My stay was in the "White House". VERY NICE indeed!!

It has a nice relaxing lounge area with fireplace , games, a pool table, TV, CD/VCR, Computer with high speed internet and a self serve honor bar with some very nice choices indeed. Next to the lounge is the dining room, which overlooks the water. I can?t say enough about the staff at Le Reserve Beauchene. They were very helpful and bent over backwards to make my stay memorable. I was always a little bit nervous about traveling to Quebec, because I don't speak a lick of french. Let me say, don't let that stop you. The people there are friendly and language was not a barrier in the least.

The food...OMG...the food!!! The food, presentation and service is spectacular. If I was thinking properly I would have taken photos of the plates served to me?but who?s thinking when the food looks like fine art and tastes as good.

Boats are included in the package. I hadn?t played around in a power boat since I was a youngster. It didn?t take to long to orient myself and get out there?though I?m sure I looked like I didn?t have a clue. I managed to get where I wanted to go and back without any problems and without crashing into anything. After a few minutes, terror turned to excitement and I had a ball out there. That?s not bad considering the only boat I?ve used in the past 40+ years only needs a paddle. I decided to venture out into the big lake ?Beauchene? on the first day. My goal was to try and catch a Lake Trout on a fly rod. It took me the better part of three hours as most were in deep water, over 100 feet down but I finally found some in the late afternoon, in 45 ft of water where I thought my sinking fly line could get to. With a little luck and a stupid mistake, I hooked into a nice Lac Beauchene Lake Trout.





If numbers count to you, I would suggest bringing a variety of tackle options. You?ll have the best chance at all species in a short amount of time. There are a lot of fish in these waters. This was May and the lakes were COLD. (45 F) Being an avid fly angler, I wanted to make this a total fly fishing experience. I was not concerned with numbers so much. I kept my goals reasonable and was able to get what I came for. This reserve is very well known for its large Smallmouth Bass. Though I gave is a short try, I decided not to spend a lot of time looking for them because the weather conditions were unsettled as we just had a cold front slide in?. and I can fish for good size smallmouth very close to home, so I really wanted to concentrate on the other fish this area is famous for?. in particular, brook trout?BIG ones.



To get to the Brook Trout I was hoping for, requires some back road driving to the smaller lakes on the reserve. You are provided with good maps and each lake is marked with a number and a small parking access. Some require short walks?others, longer walks, some...portages, but that was all fine with me. Each lake also has a john boat available for your use. You just need to bring the electric motor, which they provide. I?m more than happy in my FishCat4 float tube and flippers to get around in, as this gives me the control I want, goes on my back like a back pack and weighs all of 12 lbs. That's a lot less then a motor and battery. These lakes were made for float tubes.





The really neat thing was that some of the lakes I fished were probably fished for the first time this year by me. You are the only one on the lake. It's all yours and no one else...unless you have a buddy with you. It was the later half of May and the black flies were active. I?ve always believed if you wanted to get still water brookies on a fly rod, black fly season was the time to go for them. I had a bug jacket with me?. and yes they do work quite well. I strongly recommend it.

After trying a few different tactics with the fly rod, I finally fell into one that worked. I won?t say it was easy. It isn?t. It will test all your skills. If catching is important and you?re not confident with your skills, I would highly recommend you hire a guide who knows this reserve, if you want the best chance at getting into some truly spectacular fish. It?s just a wise investment when you?ve already invested so much.

I apologize for the quality of the photos below. I was fishing alone , in a float tube ?and my camera has seen the bottom of rivers just one too many times. I missed more shots than you see here. It?s tough holding on to these strong slippery guys without doing damage. All fish were released unharmed.










These are magnificent fish in the spring but they would be truly spectacular in their deep fall mating colors. I?d love a chance to get up there to catch fish for the biologists doing their fish studies some year.

There are also Walleye, Pike, Splake, Lake Trout, SM Bass and White Fish. ALL of these species can be caught on a fly rod?and if that is your game, this is a grand place to play. Is this place designed specifically for fly fishing? No? but don?t let that stop you. This is what the real game of fly fishing is really about. It?s also about beautiful places and this on one of those too.






I think these photos just about say it all.