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Posts: 72
| I would like to invite everyone to our first Thorne Bros Fall Outing at Rough Rock Lodge on the Winnipeg River over September 17-24. Following is the basics of the trip. I will post more as the info becomes available.
Come Fish With Us
At Thorne Bros Fall Outing!
September 17-24, 2005
Rough Rock Lodge,Winnipeg River, Ontario, Canada
John and Sandy Kugler will be hosting us for a week of walleye, muskie and pike fishing in the Rough Rock area of the Winnipeg River. The Rough Rock area is very pristine, with very few cabins or resorts in the area and the fish are known to grow to trophy proportions here and they are typically very fat fish. We will be staying for one week (Saturday to Saturday). Both Housekeeping and American plans are available, but urge you to book American plan as this is the best time for us all to get together and share what we have learned is working for that day. If you are coming alone and need someone to fish with, just let us know.
Muskies may be in transition during this time frame and many methods should be explored. Both casting and trolling will have their moments, so be prepared. Casting baits should consist of big plastics (Magnum Bull Dawgs), Jigs (Lindy’s Tiger Tube 8”), Spinnerbaits (M&G and CJ’s), Bucktails (Eagletails), Gliders (Holcombe’s A-P-Lure) and crankbaits (10”Jakes and Triple Ds). These are bigger baits, so make sure you have the tackle that can support them. A good set-up would be a Shimano 6’8” Compre Muskie Rod with a Calcutta 400B spooled with Western Filament’s Tufline Plus in 100#. Trolling baits to consider are 10” and 14” Jakes, 10” and 13” Jointed Believers, Slammer 10” and/or 12” Deep Minnows, as well as, Magnum Bull Dawgs and Spinnerbaits. Remember to bring some leaders at least 4’ in length for trolling. A good trolling set-up would be a Shimano TDR 8’Heavy Downrigger rod with a Tekota 500LC spooled with 100# Tufline Plus.
Walleyes can be as simple or complex as you would like to make them. The simple way to catch lots of fish is to bring lots of plain lead head jigs in ½ to 5/8oz and a couple heavier and tip them with minnows (available at the lodge). A 6’ medium action rod spooled with 6-8# mono is ideal. For bigger fish, bring some 3oz bottom bouncers and some spinner rigs to use with minnows with blades of gold, perch and /or orange. For the bottom bouncers, you will need a heavier set-up, preferably a 7’ medium to medium heavy baitcasting combo spooled with 10-12# mono or 14# Fireline. Also pack some Reef Runner Deep Ripsticks (800 model). The unique thing about Rough Rock is you have lake-type areas and fast moving river, with rapids, areas within a mile of camp. If the lake parts aren’t giving up fish, the river will be and vice versa.
For more information call Brett Erickson at Thorne Bros 763-572-3782, or for more information or to book your trip call John or Sandy at Rough Rock Lodge 807-224-3703 or check out their website at www.roughrocklodge.com
Hope to see you there!
Brett Erickson
www.thornebros.com |
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Posts: 1916
Location: Greenfield, WI | I have fished the waters a number of times.....incredible. Two of the four biggest fish ever in my Tuffy Esox Magnum came from there. The biggest fish I have ever seen swimming (two nights in a row) was there!
I have gotten to know the owners last winter at some of the muskie shows.....more INCREDIBLE!
Leave a good bye note when you leave to go to Rough Rock Lodge, because you might not be coming back home and all your mail will be forwarded!
Edited by Steve Van Lieshout 8/5/2005 4:54 PM
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Posts: 381
| Brett
That time of year is a great time to target Musky and Walleye!
Walleye’s are on the move from up in Big Sand Lake. There are many places not to far from Rough rock to target them. Big minnows work best for me that time of your you can also pull spinners with minnows and mean big fish.
Muskies are also near by in little sand big sand and the biggest fish I have seen very close to the rough rock lodge!
This is a great body of water to fish I wish I could join you. Maybe next year!
Bill Burkholder
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Posts: 72
| So far it will by myself and Jim Murphy (Leech Lake guide in the summer/Thorne Bros employee in the winter) up at the Outing. Jim has been a muskie and walleye guide on Leech for a long time, so he is more than qualified to answer any questions on either. Plus, he has spent quite a bit of time on the Winnipeg River.
If you are coming to the Outing and there is a certain lure you would like to try or learn how to use, just let us know so we can make sure to bring one.
Bill, one of these days we will have to get in a boat instead of just talking about it 
This is something that will probably become an annual event. We have been doing an Ice Fishing Outing up at Muskie Bay Resort on Crow Lake and Lake of the Woods in February for a couple of years now and have had a lot of fun with it. In addition to the Ice Fishing and Fall Outings, we are looking at adding a summer Outing to Tetu Island Lodge on the Winnipeg River, which is north of the Whitedog Dam, in July. Keep checking our Events section on our website for more information.
Thank you,
Brett Erickson
www.thornebros.com |
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| Work Lac Suel in there too????? |
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Posts: 670
Location: Minnetonka , MN. | I wold go but I'm going to Crow the next week.  Need more time to plan the trips. |
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| I would love to go but I will be fishing another part of Ontario |
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Posts: 72
| Thought I would drop a quick note before I left. I will be up at Rough Rock all next week (Aug 12-21) and will not be in the office. For information, please call Rough Rock at 807-224-3403. John or Sandy can help you out or I can call you back when I get off the water
Thank you,
Brett Erickson
www.thornebros.com
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Posts: 134
| I would have to agree with Reef Hawg. I was fishing in the group he was with eariler this month, and everything that he mentioned was true. I was truly impressed with the passion for fishing that was displayed by the new owner the Kuglers, along with some personabilty, something that was missing in the previous ownership. But as he also mentioned, without running to the big water closer to Minaki, four musky boats was tight for that camp. The prime spots are at a minimum in that area and it seemed like it was a hopscotch event between us at prime time. I wish all who attend a good time, as it is a wonderful place to fish, but also hope no hard feelings are created or that a full camp doen't disapoint participants with what will seem as like excessive pressure for a Canadian fishing experience. |
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Posts: 72
| Just in town for a couple of days. Off to Lake of the Woods tomorrow. Was up to Rough Rock last week and just missed Jason and most of his group. I will agree with Jason, there aren't a lot of "prime" spots for muskies in Rough Rock Lake, but there are hundreds of out of the way spots--and that is where we saw all of our big fish. There was one superfish that was seen on a 'prime' spot. I am used to fishing Lake of the Woods. To run 10 miles is a short run, so I have no problem running down to Big Sand. Plus, there really isn't many people up there in September.
Lots of big fish moving early last week. When the wind switched and the temp dropped, the fishing became a little more difficult--at least for muskies. The big pike were moving--lots over 35" with 3 between 40"-42". Spent an hour walleye fishing and went through a bag of Gulp Nightcrawlers on bottom bouncers--caught enough by then.
If you have any questions about the Outing, please call John and Sandy at Rough Rock as I will be on the water
Thank you,
Brett Erickson
www.thornebros.com
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Posts: 3518
Location: north central wisconsin | Sounds like you guys still did ok with the weather. Our group nailed em the week before you guys were there, then it got cool for my buddies(and you) the next week. I think they caught half the fish we did, but did see some nice ones. Keep us posted on happenings with the outing. |
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Posts: 72
| Got back from Lake of the Woods on Labor Day. I am the master at timing the cold fronts this year Water temp was once again declining. Went from 67 to 62 over the first half of the week, stabilized at 62 for a couple of days and then warmed up to 64 by the day we left. Our group never saw a 50"er, but got 3 48"ers. Good news is the trolling bite is starting to kick in and should definitely be in affect by the time we get to Rough Rock.
Chuck, I will be by Muskie Bay either Friday night or Saturday morning and will be back through the following Sunday. I always stop by there on my way up and my way back from the Woods or Rough Rock. Bring a good supply of the new 13" Jointed Believers. They have been hot on Crow.
I know that the info for this Fall Outing came out really late for a lot of you to put it into your plans. We will be doing it again next year. Our full list of Outings for 2006 will be on our website around the end of November under the Events section. We have resorts that are working with us to accomodate us when we really like to fish these particular bodies of water to use patterns that we know produce. Most resorts only want groups to come when they have their 'slow times'. It is a real luxury to be able to put something like this together with these resorts during the 'peak' times.
Thank you,
Brett Erickson
www.thornebros.com
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Posts: 32886
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Those headed up, good luck up there! |
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| My wife and I will be heading up to rough rock toward the end of July. We chose rough rock base on the great testimonials on their web page. We’re bringing our own boat (19’ skeeter). What’s the boat launch like? How about the docking situation at the lodge? |
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Posts: 3518
Location: north central wisconsin | Launch is a doooozy. Be sure to stay over to the west side of center on the rock. Watch your spare tire if you have one that hangs down at all. Higher water makes it easier to launch and load. 4WD not necessary but helps, especially if raining or the second or third boat out and the rock is slick. Park in one of the wooded 'slots' carefully, and check on your rig a couple times throughout the week. The docking is fine at Rough Rock Lodge, no worries there. Bring some bumpers. Make sure you know whether you are paying for daily warfage up front, as we were surprised with it upon checkout when we were last there(a number of years ago, and it is perhaps on the website now). |
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| Thanks Reef Runner.... We're from central wi too, north of madison |
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