My skills have improved a lot since my first couple trips. That's more a statement of how low my skills were to begin with. I was losing lures cause I didn't even know how to tie a good knot. You mean you spit on it? Duh? 

Yes, you need new friends.

In my group, we all lie equally so it is fair. We watch each other like hawks. Because we each know how deceitful the other is, we end up honest. 

I might point out that if you catch one smallie on a Quetico trip you should lower your expectations generally!

I've had some bad experiences with fishing contests.

1st year I went I didn't know how to fish, but caught the biggest Walleye, only one I caught too.

The pay-off was swept under the rug.

2nd trip I caught the only smallie.

Same guy complained to the trip leader that smallies shouldn't count that year. So nada again.

No more fish contest for me. I had suspected it wasn't a very honest contest, i.e. "1st liar doesn't stand a chance". On a later trip I witnessed my fishing partner trying to add length to his catch. Of course I spoke up and told the truth. He wasn't happy. Seems he felt it was every body's right to fug the numbers.

I don't trip with these guys now for various reasons. Not that all fisherman are like this group, but I read this and thought I'd share. Glad I don't trip with these guys anymore.
Hope everyone enjoys a friendly contest.

I think it sounds like an awesome idea, and my old man and myself would definitely be willing to put some money in the hat...

I have been walleye fishing Kawnipi/ McKenzie bay area usually the last week of June and over the 4th of July for over 25 years. I am usually on the big water of Kawnipi when winds allow and in McKenzie Bay when I can't be on Kawnipi. Great fishing. I used to bring in a flat of 500 nightcrawlers before live bait was banned and I had tremendous numbers and size. Since then I have used gulp/powerbait on Lindy rigs and jigs and have trolled hard plastic lures and my catch rate and size has gone down by a 1/3. However, it is still great fishing.

For the past 4 years I have been hitting Brent/Comnee lakes for walleyes and smallies. I believe my catch rate is comparable to Kawnipi but I have caught larger walleye in Brent/Comnee on average.  Also, there seem to be fewer paddlers in the Brent/Comnee area but still more vrowded than I would like.

I would be up for a fishing contest for sure.

Kingfisher wrote on Feb 27^th, 2012 at 5:33am:


"Zephira"? Zephyr is the greek variant meaning west wind. ( just thought you might want to know  )

I see no one, at least so far, took you up on having the contest at said location where I suspect part of the challenge is arriving in one piece. That would certainly add a little wrinkle to the contest would it not? 

Heck, why not make it a REAL contest and hold it on Zephira Lake?

Sounds like a great idea and a nice donation to someones gas funds given my fishing skills

//Windsailor

sounds like good clean fun Jon........$50 is a bit much though......we might need that extra dough just to get there considering what the price of gas might be this summer.......ouch!

You are exactly right Old Salt fishing in the Quetico is exactly the opposite of a traditional fishing contest. But I submit it would be a real fishing contest. Unlike the lame contests conducted on motorboat accessible lakes this would be completely self propelled, barbless,without live bait, and a real test of fishing skills with or without depth finders. If any of you have read the book "Born to Run" this could be the fishing equivalent to the "Greatest race the world has never seen". Every Quetico trip is a real fishing contest but with only a few participants. I am going to listen to MT on this issue and buy and bring a depth finder this year.
Jon Bratt Bird Island