July 20, 2025.
Saturday, July 19, 2025. The day started out with indecisive skies–a mix of clouds with some hazy blue.
I had walked the grounds near the lodge many times at this point but saw something new every time.
To the right, a common merganser, which we see in northern Michigan.
To the left, top, is a group of long-tailed ducks. The photo to the left shows the difference in size between a merganser (flapping its wings) and a long-tailed duck next to it.
Semi-palmated plover. One of my better photos of one.
We fish several spots, including Bydand Bay and Second River/Second Lake. The fishing is pretty slow again. We troll big lures to lure big fish. It turns into a long morning with little to show for our time on the water.
It was also colder than the previous days.
It is late morning when we see this seagulleating a dead fish. By the scales, I guess it is a whitefish.
The lake is amazing–this color pattern is one we had never seen prior to coming to Great Bear Lake.
Shortly after noon, Mark catches a fish Aidan thinks is worth weighing. It weighs 30 pounds. I ran this video of the hold and release.
I also saw the grasshopper at the right.
We stop for a potty break here. The shoreline is rocky, the upland lumpy and hard to walk on. The scenery beautiful.
While Mark makes friends with fishes, I make friends with a caddis fly.
We leave another amazing rest area, and since it is “drag-a-big-bait” day, I drag the candy corn lure that landed me a big fish last year. This photo epitomizes my luck on this trip.
We return to the lodge and I take photos of all the lures that caught fish. For the record, my biggest fish this trip was about 20 pounds. Not even weighed.
Dinner is tasty, as usual, but the dessert–amazing. I eat this and want to lick the plate.
Still couldn’t believe I could have such good eats in the arctic.
This being our last day fishing, we settle our bill and tip our guide. Our tip consists of cash and this box of Sebile lures, which Aidan had commented on during our days on the water together.
To the right is our bill: it cost $232.84 for a case of Molson, a bottle of Crown Royale and enough diet Canada Dry for the mixed drinks and to take in the boat. Last year we only got enough Crown Real for three drinks, so this bill bothers me not in the least.
The tackle included several lures we got sucked into buying after a lure worked for one of the other guests. Yet each time we come, we think we have everything we need and more.
I also get a Storm Tech Vest with Plummer’s Arctic Lodges on it, which I wore in the arctic and have worn just about every day since I’ve been home. (It is chilly in my office in the basement).
After dinner, I walk again. The day wraps up looking like it might rain.