Hope this email finds everyone well and looking forward to a great summer.

With everything that we have all been through this last couple of years it is nice seeing things getting back to normal especially with today's announcement about no more testing for international flights into the US. For all of you US guests there is still time and spots available for anyone thinking of making a fishing trip this year. With us all being basically locked up for the last couple of years, it is nice to be out doing things again.

Our summer started out as usual with the drive up to the Yukon from home with lots of wildlife sighting with everything from deer, moose, black bears, grizzly bears, stone sheep, caribou and the list goes on. There was more snow than usual in the mountains and lots of the lakes along the way were still frozen over.


I think we are a little bit early 


You’ve got to be kidding! 

Thanks to a new website we were able to see in real time that there was still a lot of ice on Wellesley, but it was starting to break up. So on the 28th of May, Deb the lady doing the cooking and Melissa the lady doing the rooms and myself and the dog set out for the lodge in a smaller plane. Sure, enough when we got to the lodge everything was frozen over but we were able to land on a smaller lake close by and walked to the lodge. 6 hours later we made it and found everything intact. Then it was a matter of getting everything ready for the first group on the 1st of June and hoping that the ice would be off for them to fly in. As it turned out we were able to fly in all the supplies on the 31st and then the guests on the 1st. A few long days and a tired crew.


Well we are here but not where we are suppose to be.  


Are we there yet? 

The first group had to fish around the ice for a few days and had great fishing. It all adds to the adventure and the long awaited first shore lunch was great. The lake took a little longer than normal to turn over after the long winter, but it didn’t seem to affect the fishing too much. Big numbers of northern pike and lake trout have been caught with both flys and spoons. With the spoons bright colours and fishing 10 to 15 feet of water has been best.


Come on, one more load.

For the fly fishermen leach patterns, bead headed woolly buggers and streamers have been working best. As more hatches start to take place many other patterns will turn on. The hatches have been slow this year with the cooler than normal spring but with it warming up now it won’t be long.


Not bad for on the fly eh guys 


They can only get bigger.

Fishing along the various shoals has been most productive both wading and casting from a boat. What is nice about this time of the year is the ability to sight fish for the trout, pike and whitefish. I find that the morning is best as you can see into the water better because of the angle of the sun.

It’s the time of year when it doesn’t get dark, so as long as you can stay awake you can keep fishing and a few guys have put in some long days and always with big smiles on their faces when they finally call it a day. Moose and black bears have been spotted along the lake so far and there are a large number of swans also on the lake this year which is unusual. Usually, we see the big numbers in the fall when they are starting to head south for the winter.

For anyone thinking of making a trip now that restrictions are opening up, we still have room in some of the weeks for the fishing trip of a lifetime. June and early July is best for flyfishing and spin casting in the shallow water and later on is when we usually catch our bigger fish. The pike here never go into the deeper water so they can be taken anytime of the year fishing the shallow water.

If you are planning a trip after August 10th, you will have a good chance of seeing the northern lights.


It’s so nice to be back.

Until next time, enjoy your summer and we look forward to seeing you.

From Brian and the staff at Kluane Wilderness Lodge.