"The biggest fish I've ever had on my line was at Mountairy Lake. I'd estimate it was probably about 44 inches long. It was so big we couldn't land it in the boat, so after about five tries at landing it--the hook was coming out every time it made a run. It was so big you couldn't get your hands around it. As hard as my brother-in-law and I tried to get it in the boat, we never did. I guess maybe that's the one I keep going back to fish for."

While longtime Mountairy Lake devotee Tim Baron says the elusive Northern is an incentive, the lake is also, "the best lake ever fished." With a fair amount of Northern in the 35 and 40 inch range, Baron finds Mountairy (85 miles northeast of Kashabowie Outposts) an easy lake to fish where he says you can always count on 10-12 good Walleye fishing spots.

"People talk about the old adage of 'can you put 100 fish in the boat a day?' and you definitely can do that," said Baron, whose 12 year old son is anxious to join Baron's usual group of guys next summer for his first fishing trip. "My son asks me, 'how many fish do you catch a day, Dad?' I say, 'well, usually you catch Walleye until you're sick of catching fish and then you try for Northerns for awhile."

After many Kashabowie Outposts fly-in fishing trips over 11 years, Baron's group of typically 6-8 guys has fished Mountairy in Spring, Summer and Fall and Baron said the fishing is consistently rewarding.

While the group catches enough for shore lunch, most of their fishing is catch and release, where they pursue the trophy fish that lurk in the waters, especially along the rocky shoreline.

The large three bedroom cabin comfortably accommodates 12 and with a wood stove, Baron said the group was warm even during an October trip. The cabin has all necessary amenities include propane stove, fridge and barbeque, hot and cold running water, shower, solar lights, barbeque and fish cooker available, kitchen and cooking utensils, ice house, boats and motors and all the necessary gas and bunk beds with mattresses (all you need bring is sleeping bags). Radio phones, Baron said, provide security. "Kashabowie Outposts tell you every trip, 'call in--we appreciate it. Their attention to detail and safety factors are great. They'll drop off ice or stop in and check on you.'"

Another attraction Mountairy holds for Baron's group is an evening tradition. At one of the lakes fishing holes is "a spot we call 'the rock.' At the end of the night we'll have three or four boats of us and we'll meet there and fish for Walleyes. We can tell stories and still catch 25 Walleyes. That's probably one of my favourite things to do at the lake," he says.

Whether it's the continued pursuit of the One That Got Away (and the plenteous other trophy-sized Northerns that inhabit the deeps of Mountairy), or the steady supply of Walleye, this is a lake that keeps Baron and his friends returning year after year.

"I've always found Mountairy the best
because the Walleyes are so numerous there
- and catching fish is fun."
Tim Barron

Article by Jessica Smith

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1. It’s nothing to go out and catch 50 fish.
2. Trophy Fishing – Down to a Fine Art.
3. I waited thirty years…