Fishing Lake Esnagi
- Fernanda Fisher
- Aug 26
- 16 min read
How it Started for Me
It all began on a cruise around Japan, where a casual dinner conversation about fishing led to an unexpected adventure in Northern Ontario. I mentioned my fond memories of fishing with my Dad and lamented that the girls and Brian don’t enjoy it at all.
The next night at dinner, Jim, the fisherman, said his group needed a fourth to go fishing on Esnagi Lake in Northern Ontario. He asked if I was interested and, before I had a chance to ponder the offer, Brian piped in, “She’d love to go Jim.”
That was in April and the trip was at the end of August. We never exchanged emails and I figured it was a hollow offer made during a dinner with plenty of good wine. Months passed, and I had almost forgotten about Jim's offer until Brian mentioned that Jim had reached out for my email.
Did I mention yet that I would be the only female going on the trip, sharing a cabin with three men? One I met fourteen times at dinner, and two were complete strangers. Despite my apprehensions, I said yes again.
Esnagi Fishing Origin Story
These trips began well over 40 years ago, organized by a man the group affectionately calls Mother Hen. They were all young men then who, if I understood it correctly, all worked for Dow Chemical.
Each summer, they would take a week of vacation and go to Esnagi, a remote lake in Ontario, accessible only by train or float plane. It was roughing it for quite some time.
Parking cars at the train depot, they would bring all their own food and gear for the week. I don’t know what they actually brought, but I know for certain there was a lot of Canadian Molson and plenty of hard liquor.
Mother Hen’s health issues prevent him from coming now, so I never got to meet him. But I heard plenty of stories that rounded out his mental and physical characteristics. In short, Mother Hen is very smart, very generous, very organized and very particular. I don’t know for certain but I think it was almost an early prerequisite that participants be chemical engineers.
Finding My Courage
As the departure date approached, Jim called with a packing list, and that's when the reality of the trip began to set in, bringing with it a wave of nervousness. I find it really easy to say yes to something that is months away. I am glad that I didn’t ask him what a typical day looked like until after I had said yes.
After he gave me a lengthy list of items to get, I asked what a typical day would look like. When he said up and out by 7-7:30, fish until we catch enough for a shore lunch, then back out until 6, I got a little nervous.
Nervous for several specific reasons, to be exact. First, I do not wake up before 7:30 and I like to enjoy a cup of coffee in bed prior to getting up. Second, I drink about 72 ounces of water each day, and there is no toilet on the boat. I was not about to hang my fanny over the side and was already afraid to ask for a pit stop. Third, what happened if I had to poop while out on the boat? Oh God. Finally, I had no idea what it would be like living for a week in a cabin with essentially three strangers who were all male.
Let me be clear, I never once felt worried about my safety on this trip. While it took some time to settle into a groove as a group, any awkwardness I initially felt was in my head. What I had to get used to were the extended silences when we all were together.
In my mind, I thought for some time it was because I was there and they felt awkward speaking in front of a female. Over time, it became obvious that two of my fishing companions were immensely private and quiet individuals and that they didn’t need to fill the silence with words because they all knew each other so well.
Growing up an only child, I am comfortable with prolonged silences. Once I realized that it was not me causing the limited conversation, I settled in quite comfortably.
My Fishing Partners
I remember that first lunch in Sault St. Marie when we were driving up to Wawa. We stopped at Chuck’s because they liked to stop there.
Jim, whom I met in Japan, is chatty and charming, with a thick head of salt-and-pepper hair. His friendly demeanor made it easy to feel comfortable around him. Bill and Victor were quite different from Jim.
Tall and lanky with a pony tail that reached well past his hips, Bill has an easy smile and kind eyes. While prone to looking off in the distance rather than talking, he would easily banter with Jim without any prodding.
Frequently sporting camouflage clothing, Victor has a perpetually serious look on his face. He, too, remained very quiet for most of the trip. Of the three men that first day, Victor was the one who looked the least happy about having me join the previously all male fishing group.
At lunch I learned that Mother Hen was very uncomfortable with me being on the trip. Not because I am female per se, but because I was an unaccompanied female. Only one other female had ever participated with them and she came with her husband. Clearly he felt there was a serious case of impropriety going on.
Jim and Bill thought it was hilarious how spooled up Mother Hen was while Victor said very little on the subject. I felt a little awkward at how bothered Mother Hen was at my presence but he was not there and the others had agreed to bring me along.
Jim drove in my car while Bill and Victor drove in Bill’s. Bill apparently loves to drive because he lives in New Mexico and drove to Michigan for the trip.
Crossing the Border and Finding Great Gin
Crossing the border was an unremarkable event. ‘Where are you headed and what is the purpose of the trip?’ were the questions they asked after we gave them our passports. ‘Lake Esnagi and fishing for a week’ was my reply. On the return trip the only other question was ‘How many fish are you brining in?’
After crossing, we headed to the local Ontario liquor store so the guys could select their drinks of choice. While I don’t drink much, I did see a lovely selection of specialty gins that you cannot get in the U.S.
Seeing the gins reminded me of my trip to Wales with Brian where I learned to appreciate gin and flavored gin particularly. Impulsively, I grabbed a bottle of Rhubarb and Ginger gin and headed to the checkout.
Was this peer pressure? Nope, I was just excited to try it and bring it home to Brian.
Wawa, Ontario and the Flight
Our first night we stayed in Wawa, Ontario at the Outdoorsman. This no frills motel had good pillows, clean towels and a comfortable bed.
The town has a small population of locals that cater to the anglers and hunters that come from spring through fall. I can’t imagine many of them stay year round since there isn’t any other economic engine other than sport fishing and hunting.
By dinner time that night the group had warmed up to me a bit more. I enjoyed just sitting and listening to their banter about past fishing trip stories and Mother Hen, who kept texting them with suggestions and questions about their preparations for the flight the next morning. When I could add something to the discussion I would, but my words were few and far between.
The next morning we were up early for coffee and breakfast before heading over to the town of Hawk Junction and to Hawk Air. I have never flown on a water plane before so I sat up front with the pilot. Northern Ontario is vast and devoid of people and structures. All the way to the horizon I saw trees and lakes of varying sizes.
As we approached Esnagi, I was amazed at the size and structure of the lake. Dotting the lake were small and large islands.
Esnagi Lake, with its jagged edges and numerous inlets, stretches a majestic 27 miles from North to South, offereing a breathtaking landscape. Flying over the lake I saw only one fishing boat. My pulse slowed as we landed and taxied to the dock. This was going to be a great adventure.
Fishing the Esnagi
The guys assembled their rods and reels when we got all our bags and gear up to the cabin. I came with no gear, since my rod in Michigan, which was from my childhood, is now an antique. Once everything was assembled we went down to the dock and set out.
The Northern Way lodge is not for complete novices because they do not rent equipment. Jim kindly lent me equipment for the trip which was very nice. Isaac, the dock boy, will take people out as a guide, but otherwise some level of experience is necessary.
The boats come equipped with two cushioned swivel chairs, a motor and a trolling motor, a Garmin depth finder, several mounts for rods, and a net. Anglers must bring all their own gear and tools to remove hooks and stringers to hang fish caught.
Esnagi Lake has mercurial weather patterns. Jim warned me about this before I left, but you cannot fully comprehend it until you experience it first hand. During our stay the temperatures ranged from 44 to 75, and the winds blew most days from more than one direction.
It was 59 and overcast that first day of fishing, and it then dumped rain on our boat. Bill and Victor were in a different part of the lake and they never got wet. Victor got very lucky since his rain gear was back in the cabin!
At various times over the next week, it was hot enough for shorts, cold enough for three layers on top and bottom. One day the wind produced close to two foot swells. Trust me, riding in a shallow draft metal boat over seriously choppy water makes your teeth rattle. I am glad that I brought Tylenol with me since I had a headache at least once during the trip.
The lake bottom is predominantly rock with very little sand. Referred to as structure, the under water rocks and boulders are where the smaller fish spend time and where the larger fish come to feed. We went from depths of 40’ to 9’ in short order and it was not uncommon to snag your rig (fishing hook and lure) in the structure if you were not careful.
Early in the trip, I wrote in my journal,
I felt so alive and content and full as Jim navigated the boat down the lake. The wind striking my face, causing tears in the corners of my eyes. My hair whipping around me or behind me depending on which way I was sitting. The allure of the lake and its sheer beauty made up for the insignificant size of the fish I kept catching.
That first day, I caught two Perch and a small Walleye. I felt so proud of myself but quickly was humbled as my fishing companions brought in larger fish … and more of them. There is no more humbling experience for a junior angler than to reel in what you think is a whopper only to have it measure out at a measly 13-17 inches. Talk about humiliating!
I gained a great deal of knowledge about fishing on the trip. And I have so much more to learn about lures and selecting the right location to fish. I learned about trolling, back trolling, jigging, crankbait fishing and casting. My favorite days were spent trolling and casting.
My personal fishing challenge for much of the trip was learning to determine when my sinker (a type of weight) hit the bottom. I was perplexed by this task and obsessed quietly over it for several days. Perhaps my lure was dangling in limbo instead of on the bottom.
All I know is that 3 men caught fish while one woman reeled up and let out line feeling both frustrated and depressed simultaneously. For gosh sakes, I love fishing! My last name is Fisher! What am I doing wrong? At one point I wrote in my journal that perhaps ‘I wasn’t meant to go fishing’.
Fishing Styles
Each of the three men had a slightly different approach to catching fish. While I shared a boat with Jim for the week, I spoke with Bill and Victor about fishing when we were in the cabin. If we were fishing near their boat, which we rarely did, I would try to observe their fishing styles from afar.
Walleye and White fish tend to like colder, deeper water. It is my understanding that they will come up to feed on smaller fish like Perch in shallower water. One approach then is to drop a line where the bottom is rising up to a shallower depth. Since the water was brown and frequently choppy, having a Garmin depth finder made it easier to determine the depth.
Another approach is to stay close to the shoreline and search for fish coming up. These fish might be hungrier than those deeper down.
There are many different types of lures to use. I stuck with one style the entire week and only changed the weight of my sinker. The others would try to improve their luck by changing out their lures.
There are so many different types of lures to choose from. Lures can look like small fish, can be shiny and shaped like a spoon, and they all come in many styles and colors. While they may work one day, it is also possible the fish will pass them by. Fish are such fickle creatures.
Worm quality is also very important. Referred to as nightcrawlers, Jim ordered a flat of worms before we arrived and we flew them to Esnagi. I learned the hard way that each of us was responsible for our own worm box.
The worms need to remain moist, have a sprinkling of cornmeal for food, and some Sphagnum moss on the top so they have additional nutrients. Victor brought us our worm boxes each day, but he never touched the contents of the boxes other than to add more worms.
About day three, my worms looked pathetic. They were thin and not moving much. Believe it or not, several looked flat in places. Victor then taught me the box needs to be soaked in water so they wouldn’t dry out. My box was bone dry by day three. The following day, I had plump happy worms wiggling around again. Who knew I was a worm killer before they even became bait!
Crank Fishing and My First 18” Walleye
The third day it was very windy so we went crankbait fishing. This type of fishing is when you let out a line behind the boat and then navigate back and forth over a patch of water. The boat speed is greater than when trolling but it is still slow.
That day I wrote in my journal,
The wind was so strong we could only crankbait fish today. Jim was wrestling the tiller and his line simultaneously and it was a real challenge. At one point, he just reeled his line in and we talked while I fished. I forgot about my line and enjoyed the day, the place and, the conversation.
Bam! Something hit my line and it was real. I pulled up on the rod and began to reel it in. So many times this trip I thought I had a fish and didn’t. When Jim got the net I was surprised to see an 18” Walleye looking at me. The thrill of my first keeper fish. I did a little dance in the boat and felt giddy with success. Of course it was a little fish compared to what the others caught, but this was my fish and I was so proud.
Lodging and Food and Staff
The Northern Way lodge is rustic. Supplies only arrive by seaplane or train and then boat. Our cabin and the lodge where we ate are constructed of logs and plywood sheets. Our shower is a very small slightly rusty metal stall.
There is a water filtration system to clean the water brought up from the lake. We had very hot water for our showers which came in handy when I was chilled.
There are two beds in each of the 3 rooms and dressers for our clothing. Our cabin had a refrigerator, sink, stove and two cabinets for storing snacks. All cabins have a common area with a couch, table and chairs.
In no way would I call this luxurious living. The water shut off twice while we were here but came on pretty quickly. We had a heater in the living area but not in the bedrooms so at night I pulled the covers up over my ears to stay warm. The windows didn’t shut completely either, but they were screened to keep out mosquitoes.
We had a very small field mouse that joined us for warmth at night until we got a mouse trap. I don’t like killing animals, but when a mouse tries to join me inside the cabin, I get unhappy.
The Northern Way is only open during fishing and moose hunting season. The people who come here use the lodge and cabins only to sleep and eat. There is nothing to do if you are not out fishing or hunting.
We had four young women and a chef who took care of us over the week. Mark, the owner, was also on site along with Isaac, the young man at the dock.
It must get pretty lonely out there with no other company. There is no town to visit on a day off, and most of the clients are all men there to fish, drink and be with each other. Olivia, Brooke, Iliana and Akira seemed happy to see me when I would pop in to the kitchen to say hello or ask for coffee.
Each of them were quite different in personality. Wearing her cap down low, Akira was very shy and not prone to saying much unless spoken to. Iliana, Brooke and Olivia were more outgoing and engaging. It was not uncommon to see Brooke carrying on conversations with the other fishermen.
Dan, the chef, did a very good job considering the obstacles he faced. During our stay he received only one shipment of food which contained fuzzy strawberries and one less bag of lettuce than he asked for. But Dan was resilient and undeterred. He found new ways to work with the food on hand each day and we never went hungry.
We had thick-cut pork chops, BBQ pork ribs, several kinds of creative chicken dishes and even a penne with vodka sauce one night. When two of us told him about health issues, he made sure to accommodate us in ways I never would expect someone to do in a remote place like Esnagi.
Breakfasts were usually a set menu of eggs, bacon, ham, sausage, potatoes, and toast. We could also ask for pancakes or French toast as well. Think hearty fare to keep our bellies full while out fishing.
Lunch was either a boxed lunch on the boat (sandwich, apple, chips and water) or a shore lunch. Shore lunch consisted of two large plastic bins.
One bin contained wood, paper and kindling while the second contained potatoes, onions, jalapeños, oil for frying, seasoned flour, baked beans, and wooden disposable utensils to eat with.
Jim and the others didn’t like to deep- fry the fish and preferred to use Andy’s Red Fish Breading and to sauté the fish. Either way, lunch was on the boat or on an Island.
We each had our jobs during shore lunch. Jim lit the fire and cooked while I chopped the potatoes, jalapeño and onions. Bill gutted and prepared the fish while Victor breaded the fish and delivered it to Jim. After the meal we all cleaned and loaded the supplies up.
Because there are no ways to bring out the trash created at the lodge, we would burn all the trash and scraps before we left and bring the cans back to camp. We also had help from the Seagulls and even a couple flyovers by Bald Eagles.
Returning Home
Getting out of the boat that last day was hard. I loved the confines of the boat and the pure pleasure I found trolling on the lake. The lake and the chance to catch a fish called me back each day. Esnagi cast a spell over me and I savored every minute that we were on the boat with a rig in the water.
I learned a great deal about myself and about fishing on this trip. I learned to ask questions of my companions, to be quiet and listen to others, and to care less about what I was doing wrong.
Once again silence became my friend, allowing me to listen to the birds and scan the water for a jumping fish or a swimming otter. There were calm misty mornings and choppy return trips. Almost every day I could count on seeing a Bald Eagle soaring over Esnagi across from the dock and, with the help of my Merlin Bird ID, I even learned to recognize its call.
I came here to prove several things to myself, that I can go solo on a trip like this; that I really do like to fish as much as I think I do; and, that I can hold my own fishing with people, even when I am clearly out of my depth.
I walked away from this adventure knowing that I will travel alone again; that I really love fishing and was very disappointed when we had to leave; and, that I can hold my own in a group of three very talented anglers.
It was bittersweet leaving Esnagi. While I longed for a bubble bath and a good loofa scrub, I would miss my travel companions and the lazy nights spent sitting around quietly enjoying each other’s company.
In January, Jim will begin to prepare for the annual Esnagi Lake fishing trip. He will reach out to people to gauge availability and contact the lodge to secure a cabin. It is my hope that I will be asked to return with the others. I would love to bring a female friend along to share a room with but honestly it really doesn’t matter to me. Being the only female is just fine.
As I left Esnagi Lake, I felt a deep sense of fulfillment and a longing to return. Next year, I hope to be back, more prepared and ready to catch that elusive big one.
I'm Jealous!
Hey Fernanda! Very nice review of our big adventure, and nicely written. Thanks for treating us Homo Neanderthalensis kindly!