Packing list for Canada Pike / Walleye trip

[DaubsNU1]

Brother and I are headed to the Churchill River system in northern Saskatchewan in one week. We are primarily targeting pike, but will be looking for some walleye as well.

 

Brother's good friend has done this trip to same lodge for 20+ years. We have a pretty good idea what will catch fish, and what to bring...friend even shared tracks through the river system, marks/pins to fish, etc. This is a drive in, self guided fishing trip.

 

Driving brother's truck and pulling his Lund Alaskan 1800. We will be staying at the main lodge...our cabin has electricity, running water, kitchen, Wifi, etc.

 

Here is my list so far...what am I missing?  Thanks!  Daubs

 

o   Brother’s Truck

o   Spare key

o   Three 5 gallon spare gas cans, filled (no fuel stops on last leg of trip)

o   Rain-x windshield

ü Oil changed, tire pressure checked, all maintenance completed

ü Rock-tamer

o   1800 Lund Alaskan and trailer:

o   Boat license and registration

o   Watertight flashlight

o   50 ft rope,

o   bailing bucket

o   whistle

o   First Aid Kit

o   Ibuprofen / aspirin / Tylenol

o   Mustang PFD’s

o   Spare prop for Mercury 90hp

o   Bring my Ulterra and remote as backup

o   Bring spare Helix 9 as backup

ü Re-pack trailer wheel bearings

ü Check bearing buddies

ü Check tire pressure

ü Check wheel nut torque

ü Oil and filter change on Mercury 90hp

ü Lower unit oil change

ü Bimini top

ü Large pike sized landing net

ü Jaw spreaders

ü Gator grip

ü Bubba electric and standard filet knives

Fishing:

o   Polarized fishing glasses, low and bright light

o   Casting and spinning rods and reels

o   Spare reels, two of each

o   Extra line, braid and fluorocarbon

o   Rod tubes

o   Pike tackle-box

o   Walleye tackle box

o   Pliers and braid scissors

o   Screen cleaner and towel

o   Wet wipes

Bring:                                      

o  US Passport

o  Purchase fishing license before leaving home

o  Truck sunglasses

o  DeLorme InReach

o  Garmin Rino GPS

o  Battery brick

o  AA batteries

o  Chargers for phone, Ulterra, etc.

o  Cold medicine (night and daytime formulas)

o  Pillow

o  Lever Soap

o  Bug spray and Thermo Cell

o  Rubber boots / green Boots

o  Flashlights and head lights

o  Stanley and Yeti’s

o  Sun hat, buff, and gloves

o  Long sleeve sun shirts

o  Shorts

o  Long Pants

o  Long socks

o  Waterproof hikers

o  Tennis shoes

o  Water shoes

o  Cooler weather gear / insulated

o  Folding chairs

o  Gore-Tex coat

o  Gore-Tex bibs

o  Gore-Tex hats

o  Frog-Togs

o  Ear plugs

o  Sunblock

o  Coolers and Food

 

 

[gim]

Eastern Nebraska to northern Saskatchewan, and towing a boat?  That is a haul.

 

Looks like you have a good list.  Just don't forget anything on it. 

[Susky River Rat]

A credit card with high limit just in case. 
 

You also forgot something extremely important…………..BEER!

[DaubsNU1]

@gimruis, we are looking at ~19 hours of driving time. Breaking in to two days of driving.

 

@Susky River Rat, HA! There may be an adult beverage, or THREE on this excursion : )

[gim]

2 hours ago, DaubsNU1 said:

we are looking at ~19 hours of driving time. Breaking in to two days of driving.

I assumed you weren’t making a 20 hour trip without a break somewhere.

 

Wheres the pit stop? Fargo? Winnipeg?

[DaubsNU1]

@gimruis little Air BnB north of Winnipeg. Long first day...then 8 hours on day #2

[PaulVE64]

A  net or lip grippers

 

 

or else directions to the nearest medical center

 

Edit - you did include a net, my bad

[MN Fisher]

21 minutes ago, PaulVE64 said:

A  net or lip grippers

 

 

or else directions to the nearest medical center

Or some of those steel mesh fishing gloves.....or LOTS of Band-Aids.

[PaulVE64]

Paddles

Whistle

Compass

Duct tape

Deck of cards

[warefisher]

Good topic.  Thanks for posting.  If I can say it, there are similar threads on “Walleye Central”.

[Further North]

1 hour ago, PaulVE64 said:

A  net or lip grippers

Go with a net.  Lip grippers are jaw breakers on big pike.
 

I have a pair of these in each boat for de-hooking big pike and muskies:

https://www.menards.com/main/tools/hand-tools/pliers-plier-sets/masterforce-reg-15-triple-joint-needle-nose-pliers/68103/p-1503642864338-c-9156.htm

...going barbless makes it a lot easier, and you won't loose any fish because of it.

I have a pair of these in both boats as well: https://www.menards.com/main/tools/hand-tools/shears-snips-bolt-cutters/knipex-cobolt-reg-8-bolt-cutter-with-notch/7131200sba/p-1444437030809-c-1550852385007.htm?exp=false

...way better to cut a hook than tear a fish to heck trying to get a deep hook out...and great to have if you don't de-barb your hooks and someone manages to get hooked with a pike-sized lure.

 

[Dwight Hottle]

Extra jaw spreader & pliers. A boga grip or lip gripper to aid in getting hooks out. Consider breaking/snapping the hook barbs off with a pair of pliers. It's best to tie a string or heavy line to the jaw spreaders & to the boat so you don't lose them in the heat of the moment. Have a good trip. That is a great area to fish. 

[Choporoz]

Bear bangers; but probably best to buy them after you cross the border.

 

Tried air horns, sprays, whistles, bear bells....bangers are best

 

[Loomis13]

I saw spare truck, but not spare boat key. If you have one anyway.
 

[Swamp Girl]

The Churchill is quite a river. Enjoy! I'm glad you're taking a PLB. Carry it on your body. 

[MassBass]

Cash

[DaubsNU1]

Just got back from the trip. WONDERFUL! 

 

No major issues. Just a few things to add to the list.

 

Great time! I will sort through picks and post a report in the next few days. 

[TnRiver46]

I caught most of my pike recently with 6 lb mono and a flemsy two piece rod , I definitely wasn’t trophy hunting tho 😂. My wife also caught some with 6 lb and flukes. I did have one bite off some stuff but I finally caught and ate it so the joke was on the pike 

[DaubsNU1]

My Brother had a huge Pike swim right up next to the boat, inhale his 1 oz. spoon AND the 12" leader, and snap his 40lb braid like it was nothing(!)

 

So he moved to the 18" leader...and another huge pike did the same thing with his favorite bucktail...gone!

[Further North]

9 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

I caught most of my pike recently with 6 lb mono and a flemsy two piece rod , I definitely wasn’t trophy hunting tho 😂. My wife also caught some with 6 lb and flukes. I did have one bite off some stuff but I finally caught and ate it so the joke was on the pike 

Any pike caught on light line with no wire are a gift from the fishing gods...

56 minutes ago, DaubsNU1 said:

My Brother had a huge Pike swim right up next to the boat, inhale his 1 oz. spoon AND the 12" leader, and snap his 40lb braid like it was nothing(!)

 

So he moved to the 18" leader...and another huge pike did the same thing with his favorite bucktail...gone!

Braid is useless for pike and musky...without a wire leader.

...I chase pike and musky a lot...and I've never seen a leader that long get swallowed and cut, must have been pretty cool.

[TnRiver46]

I actually bought some wire at a tackle shop before rainy lake but didn’t use it as all our fishing trips were kind of short. I think we got 10 on the light line but they were all about two footers except one smaller. 
 

im taking the leaders home for gar fishing I guess