Tazin Lake Lodge presents a lifetime value of unbelievable northern fishing recollections.
Could 19, 2023
Flying into distant fishing locations all the time flutters the center with gleeful anticipation, because the thoughts conjures pictures of breathtaking surroundings and private finest moments. The flight into Tazin Lake Lodge ranges up the exhilaration and transports keen anglers into certainly one of Canada’s most wonderful fisheries the place the surroundings astounds, and the locals develop massive.
Most fly into Fort McMurray Worldwide Airport, the place lodge workers welcome company onto an amphibious caravan for the flight to the secluded island that Tazin Lake Lodge calls house. The journey takes about an hour and a half, with aerial views serving psychological appetizers for the forthcoming foremost course—big lake trout.
“Usually, all people who fishes right here will get a private finest lake trout, or one thing over 35 kilos,” mentioned Brett Amundson, host of the domestically produced Tazin TV Youtube channel. “It’s a trophy fish manufacturing unit.”
The Strategy
Understanding the Northern Saskatchewan area’s wealthy historical past of exploration and mining, Amundson mentioned the flight into Tazin Lake Lodge presents a mix of training and ambiance. Recognizing outdated mining settlements is widespread, however the pure options take middle stage.
“In your flight in, you’ll cross over Lake Athabasca and on the lake’s south shore, you’ll fly over the Athabasca Sand Dune Provincial Park,” Amundson mentioned. “It’s over 60 miles of shoreline on the lake’s south aspect.
“It’s one of the crucial northerly energetic sand dunes on the earth. That’s undoubtedly one of many highlights for company after they are available in.”
Passing Lake Athabasca, arriving company discover the panorama shifting right into a excessive, rocky character. Rising above these geological options reveals Tazin’s shimmering splendor and readies the center for immeasurable thrills.
Giants Abound
As Amundson defined, Tazin Lake’s deep, clear waters and large forage base with burbot, ciscos and sculpin favors huge progress charges. With no business netting and a strict catch-and-release coverage for trophy class fish, it’s no surprise this angling wonderland continues to crank out spectacular amount and high quality.
“The enchantment is the sheer measurement of those fish,” he mentioned. “There’s only some lakes on this area the place you may catch probably world document caliber fish. In 2019, a visitor caught a lake trout that was estimated at 72 kilos (by way of the size/girth calculation).
“It’s a particular place. What attracts individuals to this lake is the dimensions of the trout—and northern pike. We often get a 50-inch northern pike yearly. I caught one there two summers in the past and now we have a whole lot of them.”
Notably, a brief fishing season of mid-June to mid-September and no ice fishing minimizes the annual fishing stress. This retains the fish largely uneducated and keen.
“They’re voracious eaters and so aggressive,” he mentioned. “They’re simply a lot enjoyable to catch.”
The Fishery
Masking roughly 35 1/2 sq. kilometers, Tazin Lake boasts broad areas with depths of 100-400 toes, with a plunging 900-foot gap. As Amundson defined, an enormous hydrological mission within the Nineteen Thirties produced hydro-electric dams to energy the areas huge mining operations and raised the lake stage about 14 toes.
“Most of Saskatchewan is fairly flat, with prairie within the South, however once you get into the northern finish of the province, you get these actually excessive hills of Precambrian rock that tower 200-400 toes over the lake,” he mentioned. “These hills and plenty of pine forest encompass the lake like a stadium. This makes it very scenic and solely accessible by airplane.”
Persevering with beneath the water’s floor, this sharp, jagged rock construction gives nice habitat for large predators to ambush their meals. With a number of rivers flowing out and in of the lake, present retains the feeding dynamics recent.
One in every of Tazin’s most recognizable options, Laird Island, divides the lake roughly divides the primary lake into 4 quadrants so that you’ll all the time discover a leeward space to fish, no matter wind path. Furthermore, the sizable King Lake on Laird’s southwest aspect is accessible by boat, so anglers can drive proper in to discover a singular fishing alternative with a great deal of massive lake trout and pike.
Fishing Ways
Whereas “eater” measurement lake trout usually roam the shallows, he mentioned the best approach for the giants entails trolling massive crankbaits, spoons, and swimbaits. Rigging with 50- to 60-pound braid and a linking a 50- to 60-pound fluorocarbon chief with a heavy-duty swivel helps make sure you catch what bites.
“We’ll use weights to get the baits right down to the underside and troll them alongside the drop-offs on the sting towards the shallows,” he mentioned. “It simply is dependent upon the place the fish are.” Huge trout additionally fall for in-line spinners, whereas calm days supply nice alternatives to vertically jig 30- to 60-foot holes. Downsizing to medium sort out presents massive enjoyable with midsize fish.
Pike anglers will benefit from the shallow water sport with heat spawning bays, weedy pockets and river habitat. Amundson mentioned the sight-fishing alternatives are an absolute blast, as big pike readily gobble shallow-running crankbaits, LiveTarget jerkbaits, in-line spinners, spoons, and topwaters. Fly fishermen will even rating massive with streamer flies.
“It’s like searching,” he mentioned. “These fish don’t see lures fairly often.”
For a various expertise, Tazin Lake Lodge additionally presents fly-out journeys for walleye and arctic grayling.
Lodge Life
Amundson mentioned the Tazin Lake Lodge technique relies on sustaining a small footprint that minimizes fishing stress and maximizes every visitor’s expertise. Snug non-public cabins supply all of the requisite creature comforts, whereas satellite tv for pc TV and Starlink web permit no matter connections it’s your decision.
A proficient chef retains mealtime pleasurable and filling, whereas fishing guides supply unforgettable shore lunches on tranquil islands. Fried pike or lake trout, “Tazin fries,” and baked beans plus unbeatable surroundings—can’t beat it.
From expertise, he mentioned: “Every part tastes higher once you’re having fun with recent fish on shoreline in Canada.”
For data, go to: TazinLake.com.
