Even though this coming weekend is the big Golden Walleye Classic fishing tournament, there were few boats on Lesser Slave Lake this past Saturday and Sunday.
Are all the ‘hot’ fishing spots dialed in? Has everybody got their strategies detailed, honed and polished to the last degree? Is “pre fishing” for the secret spot a thing of the past. Maybe.
Fishing Lesser Slave Lake has been consistent and decent most of the summer, and most anglers were catching their limits.
With the cold front and rain the weekend just past, things slowed down. But, there were still catches being made. That rain is now also bringing lots of silt into Lesser Slave, so this might mean an adjustment in technique.
Remember, there are over $200,000 in cash prizes. First place is a jaw-dropping $60,000!
The tournament itself is run from Shaw’s Point Resort on the north shore of Lesser Slave Lake, just past Grouard and beside Hilliard’s Bay Provincial Park. With 100 two-person teams expected in the tournament, and it being the last long weekend of summer, Shaw’s is expected to be packed.
The tournament has run over the past 28 years. Fishing takes place Saturday and Sunday.
Good luck to all the teams. Here’s hoping you all enjoy fair weather, and tight lines.
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Speaking of ‘fair weather’ Saturday afternoon just past saw two funnel clouds in a rain system as it passed down the length of Lesser Slave Lake. Rain was spotty during the day, but in late afternoon there was a concentrated cloud formation that made its way from west to east, heading down the lake. As it seemed to pass Spruce Point Park, a small but definite funnel cloud appeared, reaching about halfway from the cloud to the lake.
Not having enough energy to feed it, it lasted about two minutes, then fizzled out. A few minutes later, a second funnel cloud appeared out of the same rain and cloud system. This one was also small, barely lasted a minute and only reached about a third of the distance from cloud base to lake. Again, with the day cool, there wasn’t enough energy to power it up, so it too fizzled.
Sorry, no photos, but maybe one of our readers has something.
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As said, we are in the final days of summer. And yes, that means that school will be starting.
For many of us, it doesn’t come soon enough. Kids are bored. Parents are worn out. Teachers are rested up. Schools are all cleaned up and ready. Summer is over and the old story – “A change is as good as a rest” will be found to be oh so true.
But you know what? We were looking for those ‘hazy lazy dog days of summer’ and really, it seems they never happened. There was lots of sunny days, but lots of rain days too.
Many people are saying, with the weather system known as El Nino packed up and leaving the long, long range forecasts are for lots of snow. Maybe not especially cold, but lots of snow. Bring it on!
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Local government officials might take note of this week’s editorial talking about development opportunities in the High Prairie area.
The main direction of the opinion piece is, why engage in skill development when you aren’t even looking after things right in front of you?
And, speaking to all the elected people around this region, if you think you really are doing a great job, step back, take off the rah-rah ‘Chamber of Commerce Everything is Just Wonderful Booster Hat’, and objectively look, really objectively look, at the Five Pillars of a Community:
1. How is the quality of education?
2. Are there job and business opportunities?
3. What is the quality of recreation?
4. How is the quality of health care?
5. Is the community a safe community?
Then ask your neighbour, are we doing our best for all the people who come looking at our communities? Or are we happy we are ‘good enough?’ No need to be negative or positive with no reason. Just be truthfully objective. Done? Now, take that positive impression most of us have and sell that to an outsider. Argue the benefits of our region compared to what they have