Happy Holidays
from all of us at
Perrault Lake Camp!
Once again, here we are wrapped up in holiday hustle and excitement. Mark, the kids, Lucy and I send our best. May you and yours find time to enjoy all that is Christmas! This year the holidays have a little different feel for our family. Our last believer is wise to the magic of Christmas! Carmen was ready so we explained it to her as we did to Jack a few years back. “Christmas is a magical time of year full of wonder and fun. Now you are part of that magic. You must keep it alive and don’t spoil it for the small ones. With this knowledge it is more important than ever to remember and appreciate the true meaning of Christmas by sharing in holiday preparations and traditions. Things like the spirit of giving, gift wrapping, preparing special dishes for holiday meals, charity, spirituality, decorations, holiday baking, Christmas lights, holiday cards, watching seasonal movies/shows/plays/concerts and on and on in merriment.”
Great spiel eh! With all that said, hopefully the journey is merry. A tray of burnt cookies and a few strands of tangled Christmas lights can sure change the tone in a hurry. There’s a life lesson, the hiccups too are all part of the experience and with any luck a laughable memory for years to come. In any case, we are at the age and stage of truly grasping the meaning of Christmas. The memories we make together are a little more special and a lot more precious.
Did you know that Canada Post went on strike November 15th 2024? It was the talk of the nation and what a terrible mess! They walked off the job for over a month and were ordered back by the feds on the 17th of December. Although, the labor dispute may be a good reason for my late Christmas cards, it was no joke. Both parties were firmly planted on opposing sides of a deep-rooted, desperate argument. Mail of any and all kinds was at a complete standstill. No ordering and sending packages, no cards or letters and no bills. Couriers were overwhelmed with parcels travelling between anxious senders and receivers. We teased the kids that rural folks like us won’t have any gifts this year. All the more reason to appreciate the time, love and efforts that build the holidays! Their response, “Shop local!” Our reply, “PLC hoodies it is!”
The giving part of Christmas may be a bit of a work in progress; I know they’ll get it! The soft water season brings with it a wonderful combination of guests, friends and family demonstrating a magnificent example of the spirit of giving! To everyone who made the long trip north, thank you for being here. It was a pleasure to have you all with us in the peaceful Canadian wilderness. Moreover, thank you for all the gifts and tokens of appreciation you brought to our family. The sweet treats, fresh garden veggies, preserves, wild game delicacies, games and more! Your thoughtful kindnesses are a treasure. With the utmost sincerity and gratitude, we are fortunate to share in the memories made in 2024! Thank you all so very much.
The 2024 season went by with record speed as we welcomed so many great people week after week. Upon your highly anticipated arrival, following that lengthy car ride up to Canada and an awkward stiff stretch, our annual guests were all curious, “What sort of projects do you have on the go for this year? It was the most common topic of conversation this season. Right along side, “How’s the fishing?” We’ll get to that shortly.
Mark and I have kept a fairly vigorous pace of progress around here. We have built 3 brand new cabins in 6 years, completely gutted and renovated the other 5 cabins in the last 12 years, removed old outbuildings/overgrowth/cluttered yard junk, whipped up a few new docks here and there, built a sport court for the kids of all ages, landscaped, built a mammoth lakeside cedar swing, plus many other behind the scenes major and minor upgrades in addition to the usual maintenance, upkeep and random explosions of calamity that any given year can bring. HA! Being an outfitter can be quite the adventure. We are pleased with the direction of development. It is our great pleasure to continually offer a better version of Perrault Lake Camp! With all that said I humbly admit that once we completed the construction of cabin 8 last spring, we were tired. Each year was more heavily scheduled than the last. We were racing around like a pinball, careening from one thing to the next. Destroying the to-do list. Wearing thin. So, back to the question of what’s next… We certainly shocked you all with, “Nothing!” Well, not nothing. We couldn’t sit idle if we tried. In the shadow of numerous big projects over the years, there are many loose ends to tie off and little things to finish up. In the New Year, as spring approaches and we move toward the start of the 2025 season, we will look forward to tackling all those odds and ends. At the moment the to-do list is on pause.
So, what indeed will we do with our time? We are making memories with the kids doing the most Canadian thing we possibly can. Hockey! Yes, we are a stereotype. Driving snowy roads, bundling for ungodly freezing temps, packing arena blankets, drinking Tim Horton’s drive thru coffee and eating concession stand taco-in-a-bag for weekend dinners. A spreadsheet keeps track of tournaments, our pockets are full of loser 50/50 tickets and the loud cup is in the car at all times. Just kidding on the last one. No loud cups in this family. The loud cup is the modern mom’s version of the cowbell. It’s a travel mug with a horn built into the lid. Blow in the horn and out comes an obnoxiously loud honk. No thank you. The kids are full tilt invested in hockey. Mark and I are their biggest (well behaved) fans!
Jack and Carmen are both such great kids. They spend their spring and summer working along side Mark and I making great things happen at PLC. When fall rolls around the rink calls to them. They are thriving. The kids are confident, productive members of their respective teams. Both demonstrate a solid work ethic, excellent skill progression, and they are developing friendships throughout our surrounding communities. They each play on 2 teams; 1 community league as well as a travel team, which competes at a higher level of play. Chauffeuring and chaperoning the kids to and from practices, games, tournaments and social outings throughout the winter is becoming a fulltime job. One that team Tycholis is enjoying. The hours we spend traveling to and from are so precious. It is uninterrupted time with the kids. (Thanks in part to the spotty Wi-Fi up here in the sticks.) The interesting, silly and serious conversations we have, the peaceful moments, the mentoring and support that happens in and around their involvement in sport are true blessings. It wasn’t long ago that Mark and I wanted no part of this much ‘busy’ through the winter but it is so worth while. Jack and Carmen are learning valuable skills and life lessons while making a positive impact both on and off the ice. We are so incredibly proud of them!
It’s probably time we start talking fishing; peaceful days out on the water, the smell of fresh water, spruce trees and warm cedar boughs in the air. Just waiting for a bite so you can set the hook and reel in that feisty catch. That’s what the summers are all about up here! Perrault Lake yielded an exciting year of angling highlighted by an impressive leaderboard of Trophy walleye, northern pike, musky and smallmouth bass. Perch and crappie fishing were also very productive in their respective holes and seasons. Thank you to everyone who shared his or her big catch with us as well as the Leaderboard. This year’s shout outs and big congratulations for the largest catch and release fish of the season go to:
-Jacob Van Den Heuvel of WI: 31” walleye caught and released May 23rd. Jacob is a 3rd generation fisherman on Perrault Lake and has been fishing here since he was 5 years old. His biggest walleye is a whopping 33” caught off the dock about 2 decades ago. When he came into the office this spring to share the news of his latest catch, the same wide grin radiated just as it did from that giddy little guy all those years ago. Congrats Jacob!
-Matt Zwolinski of IL: 53.5” musky caught and released June 20th. What a way to commemorate your first trip to PLC! Matt hooked into a huge musky. Right up there with a handful of the all time biggest we have ever seen. Welcome to the 50 club Matt. You are among the elite!
-Cam Senica of IL: 42” northern pike caught and released June 21st. Way to go Cam! That is one impressive pike! It is also one of the biggest pike we have seen from Perrault Lake. A genuine trophy released back into the wild. Cam is also a 3rd generation angler on Perrault Lake. Great catch Cam. Well done!
-Brode Williams of KY: 23” smallmouth bass caught and released June 12th. Now, these good old boys from KY have also been fishing Perrault for 3 generations, over 40 years! They catch some really fantastic fish of all species. It’s always exciting to see what they come up with during their annual trip to Canada. Congratulations young man. What a catch!
Cheers to all our anglers! Whether you caught your new personal best, the smallest fish you’ve ever seen or anything in between, it all adds up to good times in Canada! We happily applaud all of the fantastic fishing at Perrault Lake Camp! Furthermore, if you’re still looking for that next level big fish, hang in there and don’t give up. We see incredible memories made all summer long…
Just ask our young friend Zach from IA. He and his family have been fishing Perrault Lake in July for many years. While they enjoy targeting a variety of species, Zach in particular has been in search of the fish of 10,000 casts. Year after year he has diligently put in his casts. Every musky hunter knows the feeling… A wishful cast out to a patch of weeds, the thrill of a follow. Your heart skips a beat when you feel a bump on your lure as you reel it in. The exhilaration of hooking into a hefty musky, watching in awe as it breaches the surface, tail dancing along the water, flashing its fantastic silvery scales and red tipped fins. Then as quick it appeared she spits the lure never to be seen again. It happens all the time. As deep as the angler hooked into the fish, the fish sure hooked into you! We keep coming back for more. This was Zach’s year. He was up early every morning and out every evening. Halfway through the week it all came together. Zach boated a beauty 46” musky. Persistence pays off! Mark and I were both so pleased with your success. Zack’s mum later told us, “It was meant to be.” She shared a cool story with me… I noticed that upon arrival, Zach had on an old trucker style Perrault Lake Camp hat, circa 1980ish. A brown mesh snap back with brown beak, white front and an old school PLC crest. We have the yellow version in the office. I keep it because it’s the last of the old school hats. Limited. Vintage. Classic! So, upon seeing Zach’s hat I thought, where in the world did you get that? People ask to buy the last one all the time. I won’t sell it. She explained, “I found it on an online garage sale over the winter! I was so excited when I saw it that I bought it immediately! It was a sign!” Although the fateful evening was a bit chilly, Zach sports a stocking cap in the photo. His mum credits that old school hat as his lucky charm. Much like holding your big musky, that of cap looks good on you kid!
Thinking back, the season was overall a good one. The water level was on the higher side, dropping gradually as the weeks went by. The ice went out a couple weeks before we opened. Yes, dock damage as usual. Minor repairs and away we went. I’m telling you, it is the definition of insanity! This season the fishing off the docks was extraordinary! Hand to god honest truth, we had a few guests that did not leave the shoreline all week! Kids were catching all kinds of perch and smallmouth, which must have attracted the walleye and those feral northern pike. Keepers and even a handful of Leaderboard walleye were landed from the pier. How great is that! Folks were having a ball catching fish from a lawn chair as they gathering for friendly evening fishing tournaments.
Weather wise, we experienced steady rainfall throughout the spring and summer. No risk of fires. At times we had heavy rains and huge downpours. There were a few torrential storms that came on with walls on water falling like we have never seen before. Drenching sheets of water, like the clouds decided to dump an ocean on us. The sound of it hitting the roof was like a freight train running through the house. The grounds flash flooded, the boats on the docks filled up to the transoms, trees came down. Each storm seemed more intense than the last. We were digging drainage, diverting the flow, cleaning up all summer long. (I said that the season was “overall good.” There’s always something to worry about.) Late summer and fall were absolutely beautiful in northwestern Ontario. August and September brought warm sunshine, good fishing and fantastic berry picking. I especially enjoy this time of year. What a treat it is to wander through the peaceful pine trees picking and eating blueberries. Hard on the back but Mark and I are at the age and stage that the Advil sits next to the Tums in the cup cupboard… The berries are so good!
As the season drew to a close, the end of September brought the return of a very exciting event for our family, especially Mark. After 7 years of unsuccessful attempts in the Ontario moose draw Mark was lucky enough to receive an archery Bull Moose tag. How can I convey his level of excitement? Mount Everest is big; Marianas Trench is deep! Ok, I’m getting carried away. Our modest outdoorsman was pumped! Nature is where he feels most at home. Mark very much enjoys the challenge of an archery hunt. Although he would never let on of his talents, he is indeed a proficient woodsman. He is skilled, observant and patient. Most importantly, we eat moose! We were all thankful for the opportunity to experience this cultural event and family tradition once again.
The archery hunt opens on the 3rd Saturday in September. That morning Mark was up early and off well before daybreak. He headed to a predetermined location showing much sign of moose traffic. He hiked a few miles in to an old logging cut. A large portion of the forest had been cleared the year before offering excellent vantage points. The clearing sat adjacent to a lake bordered with thick marshy weeds, the snack of choice for a healthy moose. The sun gently lit up the sticks and small trees around Mark. He sat silently listening to the life all around him. Birds chirping, squirrels rattling branches and the faint patting of little paws as a fox streaked by. After a while there were footsteps sloshing through the lake maybe a mile away. It’s amazing how sound carries. Mark let out a cow call in hopes that the hooves belonged to a bull moose. Following the imposter’s moan of the cow moose he heard the reply he was looking for! The deep short grunts of a bull in search of a mate. It takes a while to lure them in; patience is key. One snap of a twig, a trace of human sent, they’re gone! These two went back and forth for a while. Mark watched a big bull moose with an impressive rack of antlers walk well within draw range. An archers dream, the moose was within 40 yards when it turned broadside and presented a perfect shot opportunity. Mark admired the animal’s size and stature. Not the biggest he had ever seen but plenty respectable for sure. The bull walked on. Mark passed. After all it was only day 1. This experience was 7 years in the making. Far too soon to call it quits.
Day 2 brought in another bull, a huge beast of a moose. It was larger than the first with big wide paddles crowning his massive head. This one was aggressive and fierce. The male responded rapidly to Mark’s cow calls, swaying its great antlers side-to-side, crashing through the alder bushes and small poplars. It was a cool, frosty morning. Bright sunshine streaked through the forest canopy. The bull was huffing and grunting, approaching head on. Locked on its target. Mark’s adrenaline was pumping. He gave a short call. The bull paused, from 30 yards away it looked Mark right in the eyes and blew a great blast of steaming breath from its formidable snout. Mark said it was the most intense thing he has ever seen. Like facing off with a fire-breathing dragon. The pair stared back at each other waiting for one to make a move. It’s unethical to shoot at an animal head on. As quickly as this encounter escalated it ended. No broadside billboard from this one. The bull moose turned away and took off.
Days went by. Mark hunted a variety of locations. He heard a moose or two from a far but none came close. He questioned his decision from day 1, ‘Maybe that was my shot.’ Every hunter can relate. The pursuit wears on you. After a week, he found himself back where he started in the logging cut perched 10 feet up on a slash pile of discarded poplar trees. Pretty much a giant pile of big sticks, leftovers from the logging harvest. The morning was calm and clear. What do you know; the weeds along the lake saw a little traffic. He heard the familiar faint splashing of hooves through the shallows. Mark listened for 5-10 minutes. Can’t be too hasty. The movement persisted for a while so he geared up for his best cow moose impersonation. A long, solid whiny wail of a call echoed through the still air. He waited for a response. A few minutes went by. The steps in the water had stopped. All was still. Then, “OOOF!” A bull reciprocated with its instinctual deep grunts, “OOOF,” as it made its way up from the lake. Amazing how they can hone in on the origin of a sound. Slowly but sure, the bull found it’s way toward Mark. As it approached, Mark quietly moved off the logs to a cluster of thin birch trees. Bow and arrow in hand, garbed in camo, silent and still, he watched a huge black bull moose close the distance between them. Those long powerful horse like legs effortlessly crossed the rugged terrain. A giant head and thick muscular neck supported an impressive rack of antlers, bigger than the set that walked on day 1. The moose swayed his antlers side to side, sort of like a figure 8, raking the willows as he went by. The bull call announced his presence; the raking signifies that he is willing to challenge other males who may have also answered the cow call. Mark carries an old moose shoulder blade with him, which he uses to imitate this action when necessary.
Before the moose was close enough for a shot it began to walk away, up a ridge looking for a better wind in search of the cow. Mark used the shoulder blade. He scraped the willows and small trees around him, mimicking a challenger in the area. It worked! The bull turned back with renewed interest, rack swaying, barking out aggressive grunts. He wasn’t backing down. He was 50 yards from Mark when he turned broadside presenting his vitals. Mark didn’t hesitate. He drew and loose. THWACK! He was sure the arrow connected right behind the shoulder blade. The great animals hind legs buckled before nature’s flight response kicked in. The moose took off, thundering through the woods along the ridge. Mark took a deep breath to slow his heart rate, “it was a good shot.”
Mark stayed put and listened to the forest. Silence at first, then slowly the birds started to sing, critters began to squeak and scamper; harmony was restored. He searched for over an hour. The woods were thick with brush and deadfall. There was no sign. Mark followed the line he thought the moose took, and then branched off high stepping back and forth for clues. He certainly appreciated how well adapted a moose is to its environment. It’s hard work high stepping through an old forest. Anxiety had set in: Did I miss? I couldn’t have… Finally, relief! He literally stumbled upon it about 150 yards from where he shot. A remarkable specimen lay on the hillside just below the ridge. It’s imposing body bedded down among the leaves in the dark earth, head to the side with one large paddle sticking up in the air. Well blended into its surroundings.
His first message was to Carmen: moose down. She had gone scouting with her dad prior to the hunt and had no problem giving him a hard time about coming home empty handed. His hands were full now! Mark harvested a fantastic bull moose with a 51” antler spread. We had help from friends and neighbors to recover the animal and we are very grateful for their support. Upon harvesting a moose it is indigenous custom to cut off the bell, fill it with tobacco and hang it from a branch. It is an offering to the creator in exchange for taking a life. We respectfully obliged. The freezers are full. We are fortunate.
The past year was all about the value of each and every day. Enjoying the moments both big and small, and appreciating the memories made as we navigate the busy schedules that dictate our day to day. We have had a wonderful year. Thank you all for being a part of it. We’ll look forward to hearing from and seeing everyone again in 2025!
Be sure to check out the 2025 Christmas Newsletter photo album on our Facebook page. It is a phenomenal collection of photos –good times and great people at PLC!
With our warmest wishes and kindest regards we hope that the holidays are joyous, peaceful and celebrated with family and friends. May the New Year bring much love, fun and excitement to you and yours.
Your friends in the north,
Mark, Amy, Jack, Carmen & Lucy
