Back from an outrageous 4 days at Cedar lake. Will post a trip log w/ photos later, but here are some hilights:

Road in was sweet... I did it at 60 - 80km/h. Not the road I remembered.

Five thunderstorm cells all converged on the area on Fri night and a lightning strike sent the top of a tree flying down through my tent. My 3rd close call in four years.

Found 2 good spots for walleye and one for bass.

Caught a couple nice trout. One was on my stringer hanging over the side and a monster walleye came up and ate in in one gulp, leaving only the head.

Bugs were not the worst I have seen. Deeps Woods off was fantastic. No bug nets or anything.

Finally had the chance to stop by and meet Jake at the Brent Store and he was away for a few days. Go figure....


Anyway, more to come later as I am exhausted and have a lot of photo's to download.


Sean (of Ajax)

Wow... That's definately not the road I remember either

Used to be almost like WP cart trail
( usually took a couple of beer
for the non driver of course )

Definately will shorten trip in June to Cedar and
allow an earlier arrival and hopefully still a functional vehicle
for the retirn trip home

I take it NO MOOSE on the road due to bugs as it appeared
they may not be as bad as anticipated

Thanks for update

P.S what type of dog is "Hunter"

DD (my dog) is a black lab
We may not cross paths at Cedar
as I'm pulling pin early afternoon due to other
places booked for Fri nite till 1 July incl.

Rac n

Hey Racoon,

Hunter is a Catamaner (part Catahoula Leopard Dog and part Weimaraner... One of those designer dogs)... Looks along the lines of a black lab. Very friendly and loves to play with other dogs. Spend a lot of time at leash free areas...

I am planing to be on the water at Cedar by 8am Friday morning. We were on the water by 9am last Thursday morning.

There were some moose on the road this morning, or so we were told. We saw 5 moose in marsh at the mouth of the Nipissing.

As for the road, even after the storms we had this weekend, I was expecting to lose a wheel or something off the truck, but it was a great drive...

Sean (of Ajax)

Sean:

I hope you learned a lesson about those monster walleyes in Cedar. Never ever ever put trout on a stringer....never!!!


Bo

I look forward to reading about it Sean. Sounds like you had quite the adventure.

The road into Brent was redone about ten years ago and depending who you ask, it's both good and bad. Jake has said a number of times how he hates how the new road let's "every RV towing idiot in" (...his words, not mine!) and as a result, it no longer holds that feeling of being an exclusive club for hardcore paddlers it once did. Brent is still my favorite access point, as it's one of only a few places where no matter how "busy" it gets it's location will always discourage the kind of traffic you will find in the South.

I'm a rookie angler...even saying that may give me too much credit , so I ask you... what is a stinger and why does Bo say not to use one?

With my first trip of the year just a week away. I'm glad to here the bugs aren't that bad on Cedar. I have never been there in June before, so knowing that I may not be eaten alive is very reassuring.

Can't wait to see the pics and trip log Sean and glad you had a fun and safe trip.





Jim

http://www.algonquintrips.blogspot.com

Oh yeah, I learned something Bo... I learned what to use for bait when I go back for revenge at the end of the month.... hahahaha... I am glad I didn't go for a midnight skinny dip, could have been in some real trouble.... hahahaha... Tell ya though, seeing all those teeth coming up towards me was a bit scary though...


Sean (of Ajax)

I live in Newcastle (about 20 minutes East of Ajax) and was just wondering what time you left Ajax in order to be on the water in Brent for 9:00 am? The drive from my place to the permit office usually takes about 4.5 hours I think.

The office at Brent opens at 7:00 am, so in order for me to be there for when it opens I would have to leave my home by about 2:30 am? Does that sound right?

Also, this will also be the first time I have NOT had to rent a canoe. I have always launched my rental from the dock behind Jake's place, but is that just for those renting from AO and if so, should I be launching from the beach/parking lot just south of the store?

Jim

http://www.algonquintrips.blogspot.com

Firstly: A stringer is a rope or metal chain with clips spaced along its length that allows yu to hang your fish from and keep them fresh in the water.

Secondly: Every time I have gone into Cedar, the office has only opened at 8:00 Am. Has the hours changed? I was there in May and it was still 8:00.



Canoeguy
www.canoeguy.ca

Hey Jim,

Bo says not to use a stringer because the walleye look at the fish on your stringer and see them as a free & easy to get lunch, which is exactly what happened to my trout.

The bugs are there and in some places they are big in numbers so you are going to get your share of bites, but I have seen worse years and better years. I think this year is not too bad at all.

We left Ajax at 2:34am. We went up Hwy 12 to Washago and onto the 11 to North Bay and across hwy 17 to the Brent Road. We left the permit office at 8:44 am. HOWEVER, we had an unexpected 50 minute stop in North Bay while my buddy went into Wal Mart to buy a jacket as he realized he left his on his front steps while we loaded his gear into my truck. We were at Cedar Lake just after 9am.

They told me over the phone the permit office was open 7am - 7pm. I was aiming to get there for 7am and would have been pretty close if there wasn't a North Bay Detour.

There is a small beach and dock and parking just west of the Brent Store where you launch your canoe from.

Sean (of Ajax)

Ahhh...."stringer" not "stinger". lol. Thanks Darren.

As for when the permit office opens, I thought it was 8:00 too, but I seem to recall Sean saying it was open at 7:00?

Feel free to correct me here Sean.



Jim

http://www.algonquintrips.blogspot.com

From the permit office to Cedar? I recall the permit office just off the highway. That seems more like a world rally time.

Was cruising down the road at 60km/h easy (bit faster on a couple straight sections). The road was that good. Arrived just after nine, probably about 10 - 15 after... Took slightly longer on the way out because of a couple washboard sections due to rain.



Sean (of Ajax)

Dear Mr Sean

Thank you ever so much for the lovely trout. Deeply appreciate you keeping it nice and fresh, until such time as I was able to enjoy lunch.



Yours,


M. Walleye

(ps...a little garlic and butter would have been nice, but I certainly don't wish to complain about a free meal)

Sean, I know you said in jest that now you know what to use for those large walleye in Cedar. And I know you know that you can't use trout as bait as they are a game fish. For those new to fishing, note that it is illegal to use any game fish as bait. Some game fish in Algonquin Park are trout, walleye, bass, perch, pike, etc.


Bo

Yeah, the road sounds much improved since I went on it. We had fist sized rocks and took it at 60kph whipping around the corners by tapping the brake while keeping the accellerator down. Rally car driving. At 2am there wasn't much chance of anyone else being on the road. The bravado of youth. Stopping distance was tested.

I think I need to go back to Cedar. Find some of those trout and walleye.

Yes Bo, I do say that in jest. No worries there.

I do wonder though, if I was fast enough to pull that stringer up out of the water and over the canoe, do you think the walleye would have jumped in the canoe after it? Now THAT would have been a fish tale, eh?


Sean (of Ajax)

Yes, Sean, if that would have happened, that walleye would have been a keeper if I read the rules correctly. If the walleye didn't bite the trout, and ended up in the canoe, yahoo, shore lunch here I come!!!!! The rules don't state that you can't tease big wallleye to jump in your canoe!!! LOL LOL LMAO


Bo