April 6, 2015:  It’s been an uneventful winter up here in Manitoba!  I have stayed busy with travelling through the U.S. to a few different fishing shows to promote the lodge and outpost camps and I’ve spent the rest of the time just taking care of emails and phone calls.  Our daughter Jordan has been playing hockey all winter and I’ve spent some time on the ice helping with practices and we just returned from a ski trip to Big Sky, Montana.  It was Jordan’s first time skiing and after a couple of days of lessons she joined us on some more challenging runs, she did great!  I have had some time to do some ice fishing this winter and it was a real good year on Lake Winnipeg for big Walleye and we fished a few days on a stocked Rainbow Trout pond and had some real good luck there too!  I hunted with Tom in the fall for Whitetail but came home empty handed, but Tom shot a nice buck one evening after I left.

I have also spent a bit of time hiring staff for the upcoming season, but this year was very easy!  12 out of 13 guides will be guys who have guided on Bolton Lake before!!  This is the best season we’ve had for returning guides and it’s going to be better for all our guests, it will be easier on the rest of the staff and as the manager my job will be smoother…at least when it comes to the staff!  Chef Heather is also returning this season so we’ll all gain a few pounds over the season!  Barry’s wife, Jacqueline will be cleaning cabins and working in the kitchen and Riley (one of our pilot’s last season) will be bringing his girlfriend up to do the serving in the dining room and bar.  I have hired another pilot/dock hand who’s main job will be making sure things are clean and working properly at the outpost camps. He will also help around camp with a few new projects planned for this season and he’ll get to build hours on the float plane on the empty flights.

We are very excited about the season ahead of us!  Our bookings are up significantly at the lodge and Aswap Lake is just about sold out for the season!  Our Moose tags are sold out for the season now and we only have a couple more Bear tags left!  Joint Lake had a few cancellations just recently so we have a few weeks still open in prime time!

Open Dates for 2015:

Joint Lake:  Special rate of $1550 per person available for any of the following open dates at Joint Lake for groups of 4 or more.  For groups of 2, the regular rate of $2050 per person applies.

  • June 7 – 14  SOLD
  • June 14 – 21
  • June 28 – July 5  SOLD
  • July 12 – 19
  • July 19 – 26

Aswap Lake:

  • July 7 – 11  Special 4 day price of $1100 per person based on a party of 4 or more
  • August 15 – 22  Special 7 day price of $1700 per person based on a party of 4 or more.

Bolton Lake:

  • July 5 – 12  Special 7 day price of $2899 per person
  • July 19 – 24  Special 5 day price of $2499 per person
  • July 26 – August 2  Special 7 day price of $2899 per person
  • July 28 – August 2  Special 5 day price of $2499 per person

That’s right, we are sold out of May and June dates for 2015!  For the early July date we can shorten the dates into 3 or 4 day trips and there is room for up to 8 guests.  Please call or email for more details.

Last month I started a monthly email newsletter, so the second newsletter will be going out very soon.  If you would like to be on or off the list, please feel free to email us and we’ll add or subtract your address.

We had two couples who run the All Canada Shows come up to Bolton Lake last season so that they could write an article and publish it in their magazine.  It was such a great article that I had it published in Mid West Outdoors as well and now Mid West Outdoors will be coming up to shoot a video at the lodge this summer.  Here is the article:

Manitoba’s Big 3 – Walleye, Pike, Lake Trout….Game On!

By: Steve Cegielski

Set the hook….reel, net, photo, and release – REPEAT. That sums up our Canadian Adventure to Bolton Lake Lodge this past June. Wow, walleye before noon, pike after shorelunch with alittle Lake Trout action mixed into the adventure.

Life is crazy busy….I know, I know, I know – work, kids,sports, and house chores just to name a few. You never have a moment to breath. You’re kidding yourself if you believe life will slow down, so what are you waiting for… put done your phone, stop by the All-Canada, and book that Canadian adventure of a lifetime.

Last winter at the All-Canada Show, I mentioned acouple’s trip to Canada and my wife Jessica’s exact words, “Yes, but how about a lodge that cooks and cleans, I’m on vacation.” That’s where Bolton Lake Lodge enters the story. Trevor and Jodi Dick owners and operators of Bolton Lake Lodge and outposts in Northern Manitoba offer a truly amazing first class Fly-In American Plan adventure package that can be molded to fit anyone’s schedule and fishing prowess.

As a long time exhibitor of the All-Canada Show, Trevor jumped at the chance to showcase his American Plan Fly-In lodge within the All-Canada Guide publication.

Joining Jessica and I on the trip to Bolton Lake Lodge would be veteran All-Canada Show staffer Bob Bruegger and his wife Andrea. Bob and I agreed; time to spend some quality time with our wives while fishing one of Canada’s finest lakes.

Trevor , Jodi and their staff truly make your trip effortless, from the second you touch down on their lodge runway until your arms are tired of setting the hook….they’ve got you covered with first class service, guides and meals. As Jesscia stated “All you have to think about is your next cast.”

I dream of monster pike, when someone mentions Northern Manitoba fishing, but wait a second don’t count out the walleye or lake trout in Northern Manitoba. Trevor Dick explained one night over supper “Bolton Lake is the only Manitoba Lake in the top ten for master angler awards in three fish species – Pike, Walleye, and Lake Trout.” Manitoba is home to the large tooth gators- Northern Pike, but wow the Walleye action is not short of amazing. Not many places on earth can you truly pursue trophy fish in 3 species on the same lake in the same day!

Day 1 our flight out of Winnipeg, MB was a direct chartered flight to the Lodge, a quick breakfast and the guides had some walleyes tied to a rock for us to catch for shorelunch. Just one problem, walleye action was unbelievable and I wouldn’t let the guide leave. I’m not just a talking numbers, but the quality was staggering. Jessica and I boated 50-75 walleyes that first morning very few under 18”, most in the 22-31” range. Yes, you read correctly -31”.

Seventeen years, 42 Canadian trips, and 10,000 walleyes under my belt….and I pulled off my first true Canadian trophy walleye. As I set the hook on the 31” marble eye, I immediately felt the deep dive towards the bottom. Our Guide Berry noticed the extra drag whine immediately and said “ Any guess how big?” “Big net time?” Down, down, down was the theme for the next 2-3 minutes….wow, must be a walleye with that much downward bull rush, but this felt like a 40” pike in weight and strength. As I slowly pulled it up off the bottom we got our first glimpse, Berry hollered “Trophy Fish” as he reached for the big net. Our battle wasn’t over, that big girl horsed me around the boat taking drag and heading back out of sight. A few minutes later , a tense moment as the big walleye came boat side and right to the net , the celebration was on! Quick photo’s until Berry gave the orders – “20 seconds and she must be back in the water.” No better feeling than seeing that big white tipped tail swim downward out of my hands, ready to battle another worthy fisherman in the coming weeks.

Not sure of the exact international rules of fishing, but I had to call my first timeout of my fishing career. I needed a moment to collect my thoughts and pinch myself….I just pulled off a fishing milestone. Well that was a short moment…”where there’s one there’s more” is the common line used when fishing….get back in the game Steve! 2 hours into fishing Bolton Lake and my trip could have ended;following days were just a bonus. Well come to find out, I had a lot of bonus fish to handle….starting with a 41” Master Angler pike two fish later on the same rock reef. Almost called my second time out of my fishing career, but heard you only get 3 in a lifetime, so I better suck it up and get after it.

Let’s recap, It’s day 1 and I haven’t eaten my first Bolton Lake Lodge shorelunch, and I’ve boated two Manitoba Master Angler fish! Did I mention how much I like shorelunch? My favorite activity next to catching fish is eating fish….walleye, potatoes, beans, and corn, bring it on. Berry our guide and James, Bob and Andrea’s guide brewed up an amazing authentic fire cooked shorelunch, while we discussed the morning fishing battles.

Come to find out our boat wasn’t the only boat with hot action. Andrea also landed an amazing 40” pike that morning, along with many hefty pickerel (Canadian name for walleye). Andrea’s view from the rod handle” crazy big fish, my dad’s going to be jealous.”

Bob and Andrea chased the gators of the north more aggressively than Jessica and I. Bob’s famous for his casting agility as Bob puts it “jigging is boring, I need to cast.” Just because he was throwing some big tackle – Suick’s and large spinner baits doesn’t mean the walleyes were safe. Walleye’s of Bolton Lake are supremely aggressive;many chased and tangled with Bob and Andrea’s big baits. Not often do you see an 18” walleye attack a 9” Suick, only in Canada.

Day two brought more walleye action, followed by some pike attacks. We were discussing the shorelunch location and menu with Berry, when my trusty Eppinger Red Eye struck home. Battle ensued, the pike had ideas of a distant rock pile, but my drag changed her mind and I hoisted the 40 incher out of Bolton Lake for a few quick photos and video…all on an empty stomach. Let’s eat!

Ok, we all know walleyes are a predominant bottom feeding fish, occasionally suspend in late summer following the bait fish. Trevor won’t even mentionBolton Lakes walleye unique actions at the All-Canada Show…as he says “I’ll lose credibility as a walleye lodge if I mention my walleye porpoise – surface out of the water at times.” “Most walleye guys will think I’m crazy.” Well, I have visual and video proof, at certain times of the year the walleyes on Bolton Lake are so aggressive that they will actually chase the bait fish to the surface and porpoise out of the water after bait fish. So aggressively that one morning we had to remove the jigs and ty on shallow diving crank baits to catch fish. It sounds even crazier to put in writing…..walleye’s just don’t do that? I dare any veteran walleye guy to ask Trevor about his surfacing walleyes at the All-Canada Show….see how he responds.

Both couples had enjoyed fantastic walleye and pike fishing the past few days, how about some Lake Trout action. James and Berry both asked “ How do you want to fish the trout” Well as you might have guessed Bob wanted to cast, while Jessica and I tried our hand at deep trolling over 100-150’ of water.

Luckily, Lake trout were in transition from spring shallows to summer depths. Bob and Andrea scored on some nice lakers casting spoons in front of a waterfall, while Jessica and I trolled the depths with Berry. Trolling herring baited rigs with line counter reels (provided by Bolton Lake Lodge) worked to perfection, well that’s if the guy working the rod was quicker to the draw. After a couple misses on my part, Jessica showed me how it was done and battled a 32” laker out of 80’ of water. The lake trout battle never ends…water, boat side, photos, and release. The Lake Trout just never quit battling….I guess photos weren’t on the daily agenda.

So much fishing action, almost forgot to mention the service. Remember that was my wife’s only request. We relaxed and enjoyed the service. Made to order breakfasts, shore lunch’s fit for a queen, clean cabins, and three course supper followed by a few drinks around the campfire at night made for a perfect fishing couples getaway – Canada style.

Be sure to stop by the 2015 All-Canada Show and talk with Trevor Dick at the Bolton Lake Lodge booth, his operation and service is above first class, but here’s the kicker…the fishing is even better, and the replica to prove it is on my wall!