Trophy northern pike! Hungry in the spring!

Pre-spawn prime time for trophy northerns

When the ice starts to melt, big northern pike go on the prowl, not just for food, but for the ultimate spawning ground. As the sunlight attacks and the ice starts to trickle into the water, northern pike start moving into areas adjacent to the shallow sun-warmed spawning sites. Big female pike are hungry. They need energy for spawning, and they need big male pike to help them out, which means prime time for trophy northern pike!

As an added bonus, the pre-spawn period generally attracts fewer fishermen, which means more pike for those who don’t mind the sunny chill of spring. And since this is also the time of year when northern pike tend to congregate near the spawning grounds, you’ll spend less time finding fish and more time catching them. While the real monster northerns tend to stick to themselves, if you can find one or two small to medium sized pike adjacent to a spawning site, you’ll usually find more.

The actual timing of the pre-spawn period depends on how far north you go. In Minnesota the pre-spawn period for northern pike will usually occur sometime in April, whereas in cold northern Canadian lakes the pre-spawn period can occur as late as July.  Because the water is still cold, the movements are slow but…

You can catch big northerns even before the ice is completely off the lake (if your local fishing season is open) by casting from shore and dropping your lure on the edge of the ice. Drag the lure to the edge of the ice and let it fall naturally. On a warm sunny day the flutter of a shiny spoon will be enough to entice a hungry northern if it’s in the vicinity. If that doesn’t work you can also try a quick jerk once the lure is a few inches down, followed by a light flutter and then a steady but slow retrieve.

Male pike will generally be more aggressive than females during the early pre-spawn period but all big pike will take dead-baits, slow moving spinners and crank baits.

Pike move into warmer shallow bays and flats with slightly murky water as the ice fades. Darker water attracts both bait fish and sunlight, a double whammy for big pike hunters. Shallow, slightly murky, creek-fed backwaters with reeds, weeds and a sand-muck bottom are best, because they warm quicker than the clear hard-bottomed regions of the lake. Trophy northern pike can be taken in less than three-feet of water on a warm spring day, so if you see a big log lying in the shallows, always take a second look. It could be that lunker pike you’ve been looking for your whole life.

Five-inch minnow imitating plugs of silver, perch color or spots of red almost always work well for pre-spawn pike, just remember to keep the retrieve slow. Light plugs, floaters and those that will hold just under the surface work best, and if you’re going to cast spinners and spoons you’ll need to keep them light due to the shallow water.

Fluorescent colors will likely work best in murky water but a flash of silver will also draw the attention of a shallow-water pike with one quick jerk of a spoon or spinner as soon as it hits the water. If you find the pike are following your stick baits or plugs up to the boat or shore but are failing to strike, try a three to five inch Mepps spinner with a bucktail and you might just change their minds.

Sudden cold weather will push pre-spawn pike back into deeper water adjacent to the spawning areas, but they will move back into the shallows as the weather and water start to warm again. The pike will hold steady, often at mid depth in 10-15 feet of water during a cold front, and trial and error on your retrieve depth will help you find just the right level.

Afternoon will usually be the best time for fishing in the pre-spawn period, after the sun has had time to sufficiently warm the water and the pike are on the move. The smaller fish will congregate in mid to shallow flats within a bay while the big monsters will hover off the points and move into the shallows to feed in late afternoon and early evening.

In the pre-spawn and spawn periods, good spawning grounds combined with ample baitfish are the key to finding big pike. Later in the season, as the water begins to warm, pike will seek out cooler water and deeper weed beds, but these must still be adjacent to good baitfish hangouts.

We catch numerous Master Angler northern pike every spring and summer at North Knife Lake Lodge. The cold pristine waters of North Knife Lake are strictly managed and fished by less than 100 people per year. Thus it produces monster northerns (and lake trout) every season. And while it is catch and release, we do keep enough for the most delicious shore lunches on the planet.

Big fish. Clean water. Exceptional food. Great company. We hope you’ll join us!

Good fishing!

Thanks to fishing guide and outdoor writer J D Richey for this. You can follow him on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/fishwithjd or visit his Fishing Magazine Web site at http://www.fishwithjd.com.

Diane Edgeworth and Friends at Manos de Amor Orphanage in Mexico

You just know you’re doing something right when you get letters like the one below from Diane Edgeworth.

Diane bought one of our Webber’s Lodges Cookbooks from the Blueberries & Polar Bears Cookbook Series, and used it to help a charity in Mexico!

Dear Webber’s Lodges,

Several years ago I purchased your Blueberries & Polar Bears cookbook. It is my very favorite as well as my daughter’s, so it is well traveled between her house and mine. My husband and I spend several months in Bucerias, Mexico. We have become involved with the Manos de Amor Orphanage here and help with the bake sale part of a big fundraiser they have each year in February. We bake an enormous amount of stuff for five days before the event.

This year we included cherry and apple pies and butter tarts in the lineup, and I used my tried and true pastry recipe from your book. I wanted you to know that many, many people said it was the best pastry they had ever had.

This afternoon I am going to the orphanage to teach the ladies that work there how to make pastry and pies. They really want to learn this, as it is something they have never done. Last year we made carrot cake together, a huge success.

Thanks again for making my baking skills look so good!

– Diane Edgeworth

Thanks so much for this letter Diane. Such a wonderful story! We’re so happy to hear that you are enjoying one of our cookbooks and putting the recipes to work for a good cause. We wish you the very best in your charitable endeavors and we are including a link to the pastry recipe you wrote about, Helen’s Pastry, with the hopes that others will use it for a good cause too.

Thanks again Diane! You made our day!

Soooo… delicious!

Helen’s Pastry

(Helen) Let’s talk about pastry! From my experience with my three daughters and the women who have worked with me at the lodges, pastry is one of the most intimidating challenges they face.

Marie and I don’t use the same recipes for our pastry. Hers is slightly saltier and mine is slightly sweeter. They are both non-fail and they bring rave reviews whether we use them for our main course pies or desserts. We have shared these recipes with sisters, children and friends and they all have moved from the “I can’t make pastry” class to “Hey, this is easy!”

These make enough for three, 2-crust pies. If you don’t need it all, just roll the dough into 1-crust-sized balls, store them in a freezer bag and either refrigerate or freeze. Bring the dough to room temperature before rolling out.

Ingredients:

• 5 cups Flour 1.25 L
• 1 tsp. Baking powder 5ml
• 1 tsp. Salt 5ml
• 1 lbs. Lard 500g
• 1 Egg
• 1 tbsp. Vinegar 15ml
• 1 tsp. Brown Sugar 5ml
• Cold water

Directions

1. Mix together the flour, baking powder and salt.
2. Cut in the lard with a pastry blender until the moisture is crumbly and the lard is distributed like little peas throughout the flour.
3. Break the egg into a measuring cup; beat with a fork and add the vinegar and brown sugar. Beat again and add water to the 1-cup (250ml) mark. Pour the water mixture around the edge of the flour mixture while stirring with a fork. Be sure to moisten all the flour but do not over mix. Divide the dough into 6 equal balls. (1 ball equals 1 pie crust)
4. Sprinkle a board of counter top liberally with flour and roll out dough with a floured rolling pin, adding more flour if necessary. Place the dough in a pie plate, add filling and cover with the top crust. Cut vents to allow the steam to escape.

Blueberries & Polar Bears

NOTE: Never throw away leftover pastry! Make Cinnamon Pastry Rolls. Roll out any amount of pastry in a rectangular shape. Spread with butter, sprinkle liberally with brown sugar and cinnamon. Roll up, starting from a long side. Cut into 1” (2-3cm) slides and put on an ungreased baking pan. Bake at 450*F (230*C) for 10 minutes, or until slightly browned.

From Blueberries & Polar Bears, Page 184, Desserts

Shel Zolkewich

Manitoba Travel/Outdoor Writer and Fishing and Hunting Marketing Consultant Shel Zolkewich recently launched a new Web site at www.ShelZolkewich.com, and she was kind enough to mention Webber’s Lodges in a few of her stories.

Thanks Shel!

Shel writes about the outdoors, travel and food when she’s not playing outside, on the road or eating. Oh, and she’s also on Twitter @shelzolkewich.

Shel’s recent adventures included a trip to the tundra to serve as cook at a caribou hunting camp (Hey, that’s us!) and making a long overdue journey to the Ukraine with her Dad Merv.

An avid angler (see that story here) and hunter, Shel writes a hunting column in the Winnipeg Free Press, works as a Fishing and Hunting Marketing Consultant for Travel Manitoba, and writes for numerous other magazines, newspapers and Web sites.

Publications Shel has written for? Up! Magazine, Going Places, Canadian Gardening, Travel Manitoba, Outdoor Canada, Western Living, The National Post, West Magazine, Winnipeg Free Press, The Globe & Mail and EnRoute. An impressive list and we probably missed a few!

“The new Web site includes words about all the things I love in life,” said Shel in a recent email. “Food and fishing, history and hunting, travel and whatever-else-comes-along. There will likely also be posts about cottage living and my slightly rampant love of Hudson’s Bay Company point blankets.”

Thanks for thinking of us Shel, and best of luck with your new Web site!

Shel Zolkewich with trophy Lake Trout at North Knife Lake Lodge

Pheasant Hunting at Oak Tree Lodge

Letter from the Makens Family, Oak Tree Lodge, Clark, South Dakota

As we find out during our life’s journey, relationships are important, and when we cultivate long-term relationships we begin to find out what a beautiful jewel they are. The Doug and Helen Webber family create those types of relationships with their customers.

The passion they have for the Canadian wilderness and their ability to share it with people all over the world is legendary. Their family provides exceptional life experiences that include eco-tours for polar bear viewing and beluga whale watching, as well as world-class fishing and goose shooting, caribou hunting and moose hunts.

Over the years Doug and Helen have passed on their passion to their daughters and son-in laws. They have continued to pass on their vision and from all observations they been very successful!

Being a father of seven and loving the great outdoors, my wife and I have taken our children all over the world to experience the wilderness and enjoy the great outdoors of God’s creation.

We have found no other place in the world that provides all the amenities and family atmosphere that are a special part of the experience at Webber’s Lodges.

We have been going to Webber’s Lodges since the mid ‘80s and I know we have been to one or more of their different lodges 18 times. In several of those years we have also brought up customers and employees.

There was world-class hunting at every turn, but even though our family and customers were taking their daily limit every day, they raved more about Helen Webber and her kitchen crew’s cooking the most.

Over the years we bonded very well with the Webber family team, and we really do appreciate the continuing relationships we have developed over the past 30 years. What started out as us bringing our children has now extended to the next generation and our grandchildren!

Our family has developed a Cabela’s Certified hunting lodge as a destination for pheasant, waterfowl and white tail deer hunting in Clark, South Dakota.

We are a 6-generation family farm 112 years old. Visit us at www.OakTreeFarm.com. Our “Gold Standard” for ambience, culinary cuisine, hunting experiences and relationship building has been set by the example of the Webber Family and their team. Our hats are off to them for the many years of excellence that Webber’s Lodges have provided our family and friends.

We treasure our relationships with all the family and team.

Sincerely,

Bill & Diana Makens & Family

From our family to yours, Thank You!

Read more… Oak Tree Lodge works to make best use of land’s resources through farming, hunting and wind energy

Trophy Moose! All in the family!

The Reimer clan has returned from its annual winter moose procurement expedition, which once again proved to be successful, resulting in a freezer full of fine moose meat to see us through the winter.

Riley, our chef and next son-in-law to be, was first up on the board. We had spent the better part of the day snowmobiling in from Churchill to Dymond Lake and getting the cabin heated up in preparation for the big moose hunt. The days are rather short in the Arctic in December so we opted to go for a ride late in the day (2 p.m.) to check for moose signs.

We came upon some very fresh tracks and the decision was made for Riley to take the bull that was making them! A very fine 300-yard shot with his new Winchester 30.06 did the trick and after much handshaking, backslapping and a few congratulatory smooches from his sidekick Karli, we got down to the real part of the moose hunt.

The real work of course, was getting all that fine meat cut up and back to camp before dark, in –40 degree temps before our fingers froze solid! Karli made short work of getting a much needed fire going while Riley and I hustled to butcher the moose. The trick to staying warm with bare hands in the cold weather is to get at it quickly while the animal is still throwing off body heat, with a quick dash to the fire occasionally to supplement the experience. We managed to make it back to camp with all our body parts still attached in less than three hours.

On Day Two the rest of the clan arrived and we all headed out the next morning under a bright blue sky into sharp temps of -45 with the windchill! The cold snap really had the moose on the move looking for browse and it did not take long before we were once again into fresh signs.

Son Adam wasted little time and took a very tasty 2-year-old calf with an awesome head shot from 80 yards with his trusty 30.30. While standing on a snowmobile seat no less! Again after pictures were taken, a fire was first on the list of activities before jumping into the tough work of prepping the moose for returning to camp. It is no small feat to skin, cut up and get the meat packed up and on to the sleds in those -40 to -50 temps. Thank goodness for brush, matches and tea around a hot fire!

With the day only half shot we packed up for the return to Dymond Lake Lodge, but we hadn’t driven 500 yards before we ran into three more moose, one of which was a huge bull! Wow, these kids have no idea what a real moose hunt looks like — this is getting way to easy!!

The cow and her calf quickly headed for the heavy timber and the cover of thick willow bushes, which in that area stood over eight feet tall. Unfortunately for the bull, he did not follow her, and decided to cut his own course along higher ground. That left him exposed to the sharp eye of Fraser and his Grandpa’s old faithful .300 Win Mag.

Fraser didn’t have to wait for an engraved invitation and made no mistake with two quick shots to take down a beautiful trophy bull moose. A new fire was quickly built and the two son-in-laws got down to the business of skinning and prepping the moose for the return to the lodge. This one had us running out of daylight and we were a tired, cold and hungry crew by the time we got back to the lodge. But all agreed, it was an awesome experience.

We rebooked our moose hunt for 2013!

See you next year!

The Stained Glass Cookie Team! Terri & Brianne!

by Helen Webber

Once a year — at Christmas time, we seem to give ourselves permission to indulge in those rich, decadent morsels.

We have included here some of the special things that have become tradition for us at Webber’s Lodges. All the recipes here can be found in our Webber’s Lodges Cookbooks. Enjoy!

Vinarterta comes from my Icelandic heritage. I remember my mother making it and then eventually turning over the task to my sister Louise, who has made as many as 15 in a season to be distributed to family and friends.

I eventually started making my own, plus enough for my daughters’ families, and now I am pleased to say that my youngest daughter, Shari, has picked up the torch.

Marie brings us the recipe for one of the best Christmas Fruitcakes I have ever tasted. The original recipe came from an old cookbook that is long out of print. The Ribbon Salad was my aunt Helga’s contribution to Christmas dinner and now that she is no longer with us that job has passed to another.

We need to keep the traditions alive so that we don’t lose sight of where we have come from, and of all who have gone before us to bring us to where we are now!

Some of our traditions have already been printed, so we will just recommend them to you. From the Cranberries & Canada Geese cookbook we have Christmas Bread (page 64), Christmas Danish (62), Hot Cross Buns (61), and Caramel Popcorn (104).

From the Black Currants & Caribou cookbook we have Stained Glass Cookies (page 182), Christmas Rum Balls (195) Nan’s Trifle (161), Traditional Tourtiere (140), Vinarterta (198), Ribbon Salad (192) and Christmas Fruitcake (200).

We hope you enjoy these Christmas recipes as much as we have!

Wishing you a warm, safe and wonderful holiday season and a very Happy New Year!

Helen & Doug Webber, Jeanne & Mike Reimer & and our families!

Martin Piette (left) with Master Angler Lake Trout at North Knife Lake Lodge

Big fish, delicious meals, zero stress — that’s the North Knife Lake Lodge fishing experience in a nutshell. Martin Piette and Germaine Bourque had a fabulous time at North Knife Lake Lodge this summer.

“We had an amazing trip to Webber’s Lodges,” said Martin after his trip. “We felt more than welcome. The people were absolutely charming.”

And you just know you’ve had a good fishing trip when you come home a few pounds heavier as a result of all the delectable meals you’ve had.

“We had such delicious meals and shore lunches,” said Martin. “I must have gained five pounds that week!”

Martin went on to say that stress was nowhere to be found during his time at the Lodge, which is definitely how it should be when you’re on vacation.

Guests rave about the variety and tastiness of the meals our chefs prepare. Of course, the meals are just one of the great features in our all-inclusive fishing vacations. The fishing is second to none at North Knife.

We had a whopping 65 Master Angler Lake Trout and Northern Pike come out of our lake this summer.

Thanks Martin and Germain!

Germain Bourque (right) with trophy Lake Trout at North Knife Lake Lodge

Doug Webber (2nd from right) receives Travel Manitoba Award of Distinction

Our own Doug Webber, founder of Webber’s Lodges, was recently honoured by Travel Manitoba at the Manitoba Tourism Awards, as the recipient of the Winnipeg Airport Authority Award of Distinction.

Congratulations Doug!

The annual Tourism Awards recognize outstanding contributions to the provincial tourism industry, including promoting Manitoba as a quality destination, ensuring an exceptional visitor experience and fostering professional tourism. The Award of Distinction recognizes an individual, business or organization reflecting exceptional leadership in Manitoba’s tourism industry.

Doug has played an integral role in the development of the Manitoba hunting, fishing and ecotourism product inventory for the past 45 years. He has set industry benchmarks for service and quality and has always been focused on continuous improvement of his products and facilities.

Doug has served the Manitoba tourism industry in numerous different capacities over the past five decades including: Manitoba Lodges and Outfitters Association (MLOA) President; Mayor of Churchill (1990-1996); Board member for the Canada/Manitoba Tourism Agreement; and member of the Northern Manitoba Sustainable Economic Development Commission in 1991-92. He has also been an active member of the Churchill Chamber of Commerce since he first began operating Webber’s Lodges.

“Travel Manitoba and the MLOA have been invaluable resources for us over the years,” said Doug. “I owe them, and many others, especially my family, a big thank you. Nobody accomplishes these things on their own. This award is quite an honour.”

During his term as mayor of Churchill, Doug hired an economic development officer, with the goal of finding ways to diversify offerings in Churchill. He was also asked by Travel Manitoba to act as the Churchill Ambassador/Tour Guide for Italian royalty. During his time as MLOA President, Doug was actively involved in the development of a handbook for new lodge start-ups and he has been tireless in his goal to share his vast knowledge of lodge operations, customer service and product development with all those with whom he comes in contact.

Doug has also been responsible for, or involved in, the development of 10 separate lodges and outpost locations in Manitoba and has hired, trained, and mentored countless students, aspiring guides and bush pilots, and First Nations peoples.

“I think at one time everyone who was running a hunting lodge on the Manitoba coast of Hudson Bay was one of our former employees,” said Doug. “Our first guides were three Chipewyan men from Tadoule Lake and three Cree men from Churchill. Helen (Doug’s wife of 47 years) went to school with many of the First Nations people that would later work for us, and they were actually the reason we started North Knife Lake Lodge in 1976.”

Doug has been directly involved in the Manitoba tourism industry as a goodwill ambassador; has worked with Thompson Spirit Way to develop a Thompson/Churchill connection for the benefit of both communities; and has raised the bar for quality of service and accommodations with regards to offering guests memorable, value-added experiences.

The Webber family, Doug and Helen, daughters Jeanne, Shari, Toni and their partners and grandchildren, has built an international reputation for exceptional customer service, fabulous food and world-renowned fishing, hunting and ecotourism destinations in Manitoba.

It’s been a long journey from that first lonely canvas-covered Quonset hut on Dymond Lake 30km north of Churchill in 1967, to the establishment of four world-class eco-lodges that now include Dymond Lake Lodge, North Knife Lake Lodge, and through daughter Jeanne and her husband Mike Reimer, Nanuk Polar Bear Lodge and Seal River Heritage Lodge.

In 1972 Doug bought out his first partner and turned the property into what is now known as Dymond Lake Lodge, which operates as a goose camp and an ecotourism destination. In 1974 he made his first foray into the Manitoba guided fishing business by leasing a property on South Knife Lake and in 1975, he obtained the necessary permits to begin construction of  North Knife Lake Lodge.

In 1976, upon learning that Churchill’s only chartered airline was going out of business, Doug recognized that northern Manitoba’s tourism industry would suffer and took the necessary steps to help prevent this. He became a licensed pilot and started Dymond Lake Air Services Ltd. Today he is one of the most experienced commercial bush pilots still flying in Manitoba.

“And probably the oldest,” said Doug.

The establishment of North Knife Lake Lodge made Doug the pioneer of 5-Star Fishing Lodges in Manitoba. When North Knife Lake Lodge was originally built it was quite rustic, but due to the changing demands of clientele, it evolved into a luxurious destination with upgraded accommodations and amenities. North Knife Lake Lodge was also one of the first lodges in Manitoba to implement a policy of barbless hooks, and Doug was involved with the Manitoba government in promoting the “Go Barbless” fishing campaign and creating legislation to that effect.

Since the beginning, Doug has had an unwavering commitment to sustainability and responsible tourism which often set him apart from others. He was dedicated to these practices long before they became industry norm, beginning with recycling, composting, water conservation and flying out garbage to licensed dump sites in the 1970s, to on-site gardens, raising chickens for eggs and the use of local foods.

The imaginative use of local foods was a major factor in the creation of the delicious recipes found in Webber’s Lodge’s award-winning cookbook series, which was co-authored by Helen Webber and Marie Woolsey.

Doug was the first fly-in lodge operator in Canada to implement consistent solar and wind generation technology at all his lodges, resulting in a 75% reduction of fossil fuel consumption and noise pollution over the last 25 years. His commitment to the environment and ecotourism best practices have inspired both guests and fellow lodge owners to respect the pristine landscape surrounding his lodges and out camps.

Continuously seeking out new ways to demonstrate his commitment to the preservation of the environment, while also maintaining the level of service and product quality his guests have become accustomed to, Doug recently purchased a new generation wind turbine to place at North Knife Lake Lodge, which will further enhance the use of naturally sourced power.

Doug now maintains a supporting role with Webber’s Lodges as an advisor, consultant and offers ongoing marketing and operational support. He brings a wealth of knowledge and insight to the development of new tourism products.

“I could never have done any of this without the help of my family,” said Doug. “They’ve been with me every step of the way from that very first summer. Everyone helped out every season. They’re the main reason for our success and for our repeat customers over the years. All of our lodges are family-run and many of our guests appreciate that. Success is a team effort. My family deserves this award as much as I do.”