Fishing for trophy pike in Northern Saskatchewan.

1. BY JOHN CLEVELAND
This past spring I received a call from
Maxine Key, the owner of Milton Lake
Lodge. She invited my son Zack and I to
sample the great fishing and exceptional
hospitality at her lodge. Milton Lake
lodge is located in northern
Saskatchewan 25 miles south of the
Northwest Territories. It is in the heart of
some of the best trophy pike and lake
trout country in Canada. The lodge holds
a maximum of 16 guests per week while
adhering to a catch and release policy.
Therefore, there is very little pressure on
the fishery and the potential for some
exceptional fishing on the lake’s 2,000
pristine acres.
JOINING THE CONGREGATION
As the floatplane approached the lake,
Zack almost jumped out of his seat as he
said, “Dad I think I see the lodge on the
horizon!” A commanding cathedral-like
structure perched on a high rocky prome-
nade, its angular roof rising into the clear
blue Saskatchewan sky. It looked like a
place of worship placed in the wild. The
vision on the horizon was breathtaking as
the plane settled to the lake’s surface,
baptized by Milton Lake’s crystal waters.
We were looking forward to joining the
congregation at the lodge for a few days of
fishing, fun and the kind of soul enhance-
ment that only a fishing trip in the
wilderness can provide. After an enthusi-
astic welcome at the dock by Maxine and
her staff, we were taken to the grand
room of the main lodge and each assigned
our own private sleeping quarters. We
were invited to hurry back for what
would be one of many delicious, chef-pre-
pared, gourmet meals we would enjoy
during our stay.
BAPTISM
Our guide Nick, in spite of an injured
arm in a sling from an accident the day
before, was enthusiastic as the new day
unfolded. Eagles soared overhead on ris-
ing thermals from the lake’s surface as
the sun rose on the serrated horizon of
the new day. Nick set us up over a shallow
water flats with scattered weeds when
Zack let out, “Oh yeah Dad I got one!”
On Nick’s second cast of the trip, a
nice pike snatched his Five of Diamonds
Dardevle out of the weed bed and started
doing underwater cartwheels. As he
pulled the hook out of his first pike’s jaw,
it belly flopped back into the water and
baptized Zack with a huge splash of
Canadian holy water on his smiling face.
The enthusiasm Zack expressed landing
every fish regardless of size was refresh-
ing. They were all trophies in his eyes. He
had followed my advice and put on an
Eppinger Five of Diamonds that would, in
days to come, serve him well as he pro-
ceeded to out fish me two to one the
remainder of the trip. By the time the trip
ended, the lure’s paint was shredded, as if
a school of Piranha attacked it.
FISHING WITH THE BOSS
The next morning, Maxine informed
us at breakfast that our guide Nick was
in too much pain with his injured arm
and she would be our guide the rest of the
week. She admitted she had not guided
before. We figured it would be fun to fish
with the boss even if she was new to guid-
ing! We began our day on the lake at 8am,
and when Maxine hit the throttle of the
40hp Yamaha on the 17’ Lund Outfitter, it
was evident she at least knew how to
handle a boat and motor like a pro. Our
question was could she find fish? We
fished hard all morning and caught a few
nice pike, but Maxine insisted it was a bit
slow by her standards. Zack and I hadn’t
noticed and were having a blast wrestling
pike to the boat on a regular basis. As we
Page 54 December 2014MidWest Outdoors “Helping People Enjoy the Outdoors”
www.pinesunsetlodge.com
info@pinesunset.com
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Fly-in Fishing on
6 Remote Lakes
Milton Lake—The Heart of Trophy Pike Country
Milton Lake Lodge looks like a wilderness cathedral.

2. skimmed across the Lake towards a
secluded island to have lunch, the reflec-
tion from the lake’s rippled surface looked
like sapphire dust had been sprinkled
from the heavens.
SHORE LUNCH
Shore lunch at Milton Lake Lodge is a
grand event, as everyone gathered at that
day’s venue to enjoy a tasty meal and talk
about the morning’s adventures on the
water. We enjoyed a classic shore lunch of
mouthwatering pike fillets cooked on a
hot skillet with potatoes, baked beans
and sweet corn on two occasions. On
another, we took a break on a lookout
near the lodge. It was complete with a fire
pit, wooden benches and a commanding
view of the lake. We ate homemade chili,
fresh baked cornbread and salad. On sev-
eral occasions, we headed to the lodge and
had grilled hamburgers with all the fix-
ings. These daily gatherings made for a
nice midday break and helped add to the
camaraderie between both the guests and
staff. The camaraderie factor is part of
the enchantment and charm that Maxine
has woven into her unique lodge.
Everyone is made to feel like they are
part of the family.
EVOLUTION AND REDEMPTION
I knew from experience we were fish-
ing the right cover and structure for pike.
It would just be a matter of time before
we hit the jackpot. Our jackpot came after
lunch on the second day out when Zack
asked Maxine if there was a place where
he could use a top water lure for pike.
With a knowing smile she said, “I know
just the spot young man,” and redirected
the boat towards a narrow channel about
a half-mile away. We slowly eased
through the shallow channel and into a
secluded bay that had a dark bottom and
scattered light weeds growing just under
the surface. The first pike blew up on
Zack’s buzz bait, and it was game on for
the rest of the trip. It was particularly
satisfying to watch my son’s abilities
evolve as the trip progressed and he
gained experience and confidence. With a
morning of slow action behind us, this bay
had become Maxine’s “redemption” and
saved her from having to answer any
embarrassing questions about fish popu-
lation densities in the lake.
It became evident as we fished during
the ensuing days that Maxine had under-
sold herself as a master boat handler and
hunter of fish. She was an expert at stalk-
ing our boat into likely waters and even
cut the motor and paddled us into posi-
tion several of times. When she had spot-
ted nice pike in the shallows, she would
deftly maneuver us into a good position
for a cast. I don’t know that I have fished
with a more competent guide. We were
joking with her every day about this trip
being her guide certification test and if
she did well, I would be signing her guide
certification license. Maxine guided us
with grace, knowledge and the good
humor of a seasoned professional, and
passed the test with flying colors. I told
her the next time she invites me up to the
lodge I will remember to bring a pen and
sign her guide certificate.
GEAR BASICS
Buzz N Rex spoons and Eppinger Five
of Diamonds spoons were our top per-
formers on this trip. The skirting on
Zack’s buzz bait got so chewed up by
vicious strikes we had to reconnect it sev-
eral times to keep it in the game. I rec-
ommend a 7-foot med/heavy rod for
northern pike with 30-pound braided line
and a 12-inch 30-pound test steel leader
with cross lock snaps to secure the lure.
The heavy tackle will help you cast large
lures and control large fish in heavy
weedbeds and structure. A selection of ¾-
oz and one-ounce Dardevles and Redeye
Wigglers in a variety of colors covering
the spectrum of light to dark finishes
including hammered copper and silver
will put you in the money on almost any
Canadian pike adventure with the
Eppinger Five of Diamonds being my
number one choice throughout Canada
for pike.
LUXURY AND COMFORT
Milton Lake Lodge offers a command-
ing view of the lake from the angular 20-
foot-high picture windows ascending to
the peak of the cathedral ceiling of the
grand room. The lodge sits on a beautiful
rock outcropping on the shore of the lake.
It was built to make a statement of luxu-
ry and comfort while engaging guests in
the expansive magic of the Saskatchewan
wilderness. The interior is classic upscale
comfort with leather furniture and beau-
tiful wood paneling throughout; complete
with a bar and well stocked tackle shop. A
spacious deck out front with hot tub
awaits you after a full day on the water
chasing trophy fish. Canada’s non-con-
tentious relationship with Cuba even
affords guests the opportunity to enjoy
one of the genuine Cuban cigars available
at the lodge after dinner. Maxine Key is
mentor to an exceptional team of people
that genuinely care and cater to your
every need by paying attention to the lit-
tle details during your stay as if you were
at a fine hotel. Milton Lake Lodge would
be the perfect place for a corporate
retreat and has WIFI Internet service to
keep you connected to the rest of the
world. In 2015, they will be offering a spe-
cial fall black bear hunting package coin-
ciding with the lake trout spawn. From
personal experience I can tell you there is
nothing more exciting than fishing for
huge lake trout in shallow water during
the fall.
SHARING THE GIFT
As Zack and I headed towards the
lodge on our last day I couldn’t help but
think how special it has been to share the
gift of a remote Canadian fishing trip
with my son. The special bonds and mem-
ories we built together were sealed with
the glue of a wilderness adventure at
Milton Lake Lodge.
John Cleveland is the Marketing
Director of Eppinger Mfg. Co., maker of
the world-famous Dardevle line of spoons.
Contact info: Dardevle1@aol.com website:
www.Eppinger.net
Milton Lake Lodge contact info:
info@miltonlakelodge.com
Website: MiltonLakeLodge.com
Page 55December 2014 MidWest Outdoors “Helping People Enjoy the Outdoors”
The Original
Rex Spoon
by
The Spin N Rex and Classic Rex spoons are a
favorite of freshwater anglers seeking Pike
and Bass in heavy cover such as thick
weedbeds and difficult to reach shallow water
structure. The Rex has the ability to get to
where the fish are and entice them to strike
like no other lure on the market!
Eppinger makes the Rex Spoon from the
same high quality materials that have
made the Dardevle a worldwide perfor-
mance standard for over 100 years.
The Rex Spoon’s unique darting
action and ultra flash consistently
trigger aggressive strikes in game
fish.
*All Eppinger lures
are made with
pride in the United
States of America
Rex Spoons are available in
the following five finishes:
Nickel, Gold, Copper, Black,
Crackle Frog
Skirts colors available:
Chartreuse, White, Black/Blue,
Chartreuse/White,
Chartreuse/Black
Please see your local dealer or visit our website www.eppinger.net
Toll free number: 888-771-8277
One of many trophy pike the author’s son Zack caught on a buzzbait.
Zack felt every pike he caught was a
trophy.
The view from the deck was breathtaking.