What's New at Duck Bay Lodge

May 5th:

The ice went out on the south end of Lake of the Woods this week and the weather is really starting to warm up. We'll be moving out to Duck Bay in about a week; it takes a couple of trips to get everything moved out, so the best way to reach us is by calling the office at (204) 757-2986. If we're not there, please leave a message and we'll get back to you promptly.

We've got a really great staff all lined up and we're all eager to get to Duck Bay and prepare for the season. As usual we've been making our home-made wines again this winter and have four different varieties to serve at Duck Bay. Three of our old favorites and a new red that we're trying for the first time.

Duck Bay Lodge will be open this year from mid-May until October 4th. If you're looking for a trip, please call (204.757.2986) or e-mail (info@duckbaylodge.com) for availability. And should you know anyone who is looking for a Canadian fishing trip and wish brochures sent to them, please let us know and we'll gladly mail them immediately.

Duck Bay newsletter:

Our latest newsletter was mailed out in late January. If you are not on our mailing list and would like to receive it, please drop us a note with your mailing address.

Passports:

We get a lot of questions about whether passports are required this summer or not. What we know for sure is President Bush has extended the requirement for passports (if you are traveling by land or sea) until June 2009. But it is inevitable and it's probably better to beat the last minute rush and get one sooner rather than later. In our personal experience traveling to and from the U.S. as frequently as we do, border crossings are much easier when you present your passport.

Referral reward program:

For those who aren't familiar with our program, for each new adult guest you either refer or bring, we'll give you a Duck Bay Lodge gift certificate for $75. Our guests have long been our best source of advertising and it is our way of showing appreciation.

2007 FISHING DIARY

Week ending September 27th:

The week starts out with beautiful sunny weather in the low 60's and light winds, then a day of 85 degree temperatures, and then back to fall weather - 50's with a bit of rain. The colours are really changing now and the scenery is absolutely gorgeous.

Some of this week's nice catches are:
Jack Franzen (Arlington Heights, IL), a 30' northern. Jack and his sons Mark, Tim and Greg caught over 75 walleyes on their first day of fishing, the same on their second day and their third day was a great crappie day.

Chuck Van Eeckhout (South Haven, MN) and Joel Schilling (Mahtomedi, MN), lots of walleyes including a 22 1/2' walleye and a couple of 20' walleyes.

Mike and Bill Heiser (Lincolnwood, IL), both muskie fishermen, caught their limit of walleyes in 1/2 an hour. Mike also caught a 31' northern.

Week ending September 21st:

Finally some nice fall weather - sunny with light winds and temperatures in the high 60's. By mid-week the temperatures are lower - mid 50's to low 60's and into the 40's overnight. If you are coming us this week, pack to layer your clothing.

Fishing is very active with large quantities of fish being caught. Peter Gorecki, Steve Tue, Mark Tushar and Nick Dekoning caught over 300 northern pike in 3 days of fishing with guide George. And Joanne and Mike Cunningham (Dayton, OH) caught dozens of walleyes on their first day of fishing, over 100 walleyes on their second day of fishing and 75 walleyes in 1 hour on their third day of fishing!

Other nice catches this week are:
John Pirro, (Solon, OH) a 20' walleye
Jim Sayre (Uniontown, OH), 38' and 29' northerns and a 15' smallmouth
Mark Tushar (Oshkosh, WI), a 37' muskie and 29' northern
Kurt Krauss (Lexington, KY), a 39' northern
Nick Picone (Solon, OH), a 20' walleye
Peter Gorecki (Elkhorn, IL), a 29' northern
Steve Tue (Grand Rapids, MI), a 29' northern
Joanne Cunningham (Dayton, OH), a 36' muskie - her first ever!

Steve Kruse (Sunset Hills, MO) caught a 40 1/2' muskie and a 34' northern; both were caught on a chartreuse jig and minnow. Friend Pat O'Brien (Ballwin, MO), a 36' muskie. Among Pat and Steve's other fish caught were three 32' northerns, a 30' northern, 29', 28' and 27' northerns, a 20' walleye and a 15' smallmouth bass

Kurt Krauss (Lexington, KY) and Mike Wolf (Pace, FL) raised 20 muskies during their trip; the largest caught were a 43' and two 42' muskies.

Chad Rushin (Brainerd, MN) caught a 30' northern on a jig and minnow. Among Chad and father Fred's other catches were a 32' northern and a 16' largemouth.

Week ending September 14th:

This week brought real fall weather with between 40 and 60 degree day-time temperatures. The wind has been relentless this week, which has made fishing a little more difficult. The cooling weather has moved the fish into shallow waters.

Some of this week's nice catches from corporate client Hammel, Green and Abrahamson (Minneapolis, MN) are:

Elmer Ellis (Tyler, TX) brought 47' and 46' muskies right up to the boat; caught a 30 1/2' muskie and a 30 1/2' northern
Michael Woodson (Maple Grove, MN), a 30' northern
Stan Pehling (Apple Valley, MN), 20' and 26' walleyes
Robert Layton (Whitehouse, TX), a 27' northern
Dan Polachek (St. Paul, MN), two 35' and a 29' northern
Bill Vaughn (Houston, TX), a 27' northern, 17' and 16' smallmouth bass and two 20' walleye
Nori Umemoto (San Jose, CA), over 20 northerns in one day including a 36'. And a 43' muskie.

Winner of the Hammel, Green and Abrahamson Invitational Cribbage Tournament: Bill Vaughn and Bev Thunder.

Nice catches from other guests are:
Stan West (Shapopee, MN), a 28' northern
Mike Birt (Eden Prairie, MN), an 18 1/2' walleye
Bob MacGregor (Minneapolis, MN), an 18' walleye
Hugh Meier (Bloomington, MN), a 22' walleye
Jack Spindler (Excelsior, MN), a 17' smallmouth
Kurt Krauss (Lexington, KY) and Mike Wolf (Pace, FL), two 30' northerns.

Week ending September 7th:

The week starts with day-time temperatures in the 80's and overnight temperatures in the 60's. By mid-week, it is comfortably in the 70's.

The fishing is extremely active right now for all species of fish. The guests are catching and releasing hundreds of walleyes a day. Guests Pat, Gary and John Maki (Elk Grove Village, IL) with guide George caught 50 walleyes in a 40 minute period. And another day they caught 129 walleyes in 129 minutes.

Northerns are also very active; guests Becky and Lou Nicpon (Bolingbrook, IL) caught over 40 in one day. And for muskie, Nik and Jane Zewers (Lino Lakes, MN) raised 8 in one day and boated 2 - a 41' and a 44'. Another day, they raised over 12 and caught a 44' and 42' and also Jane's first muskie ever - a 43'. Other muskies Nik caught during his trip are another 41' and a 35'.

Some of this week's nice catches are:
Steve Hendrickson (Lake in the Hills, IL), two 38' muskies and a 37' muskie
Duck Bay guide Dan Furyk, a 24' walleye
Becky Nicpon (Bolingbrook, IL), a 30' northern
Diane Hendrickson (Lake in the Hills, IL), a 17 1/2' smallmouth bass
Nik Zewers (Lino Lakes, MN), 35' and 32' northerns
Pat Maki (Elk Grove Village, IL), a 31' northern; husband Gary, a 36' and two 30' northerns and son John, a 32' and 29' northerns
Lou Nicpon (Bolingbrook, IL), a 32' northern and a 17' smallmouth.

Week ending August 31st:

Our entire resort was booked for corporate client Elite Swine (Landmark, MB). They fished each morning, had shorelunch, then returned to the resort for business meetings for the rest of the day. The guides reported that a lot of fish were caught - over 75 each morning. Even the ladies who had not fished very much before did well. Dianne Couture and Sandy Trudeau caught 11 one morning. The biggest fish caught were by Barry Bergen with a 23' walleye and Bernie Lawrence with a 17' smallmouth.

We goofed up:

Unfortunately we have lost our entire summer's fishing data. Thanks to all who check our site frequently for up-dates; sorry for the inconvenience.