Bry becomes the new reigning champ despite catching the fewest qualifiers for the week. He boats the biggest fish on three days, the first twice, and the most once. His affinity for northern shows with the biggest and most pike for the week. His strong finish on the final half day at Pike Pond was enough to overcome a miserable first half of Day 5 (1 walleye) and an awful Day 2 (only 1 fish boated).

Matt held the early lead with the largest walleye and pike after three days. Both records disappeared during the final two days. He wound up with the most qualifiers on two days, tied for the most on another, the biggest fish twice, and the first fish once. He also netted the most walleye for the week, which was enough to give him second place.

Dan was in the driver's seat for the championship going into the second half of the final day. He was hanging on to the largest fish for the day and most pike after the morning session. Both records fell, causing Dan to tumble from first to last place in the competition. He finished the week with the first fish on 2 days, the most on 1 day, tied for the most on another, and the biggest walleye for the week.

Overall fishing results

Most Northern: 13 (Bry)

Largest Northern: 39 inches (Bry)

Most Walleye: 37 (Matt)

Largest Walleye: 28 inches (Dan)

Total qualifiers boated:

Matt: 46

Dan: 43

Bry: 34

Group totals:

Walleye: 89

Northern: 34

Dan, Bry, and Matt all nab Ontario Angler fish awards on the trip. Dan and Matt both net qualifying walleye and northern, while Bry's winning northern earns the award. Matt maintains his 3 sticker lead over Dan and Bry.

No smoking power steering pump, no inverted impeller, no bent props, no shorn skeg, no group efforts required to plane out. For the first time ever, the boat works like a charm for the entire trip.

Also worked well:

• Dan's rebuilt trolling motor mount. It's heavier, sturdier, and easier to install than the previous.
  

• Matt's drag setting contraption. The initial "What the heck is that?" was followed by "Set mine." which was in turn followed by "It's taking out my line!" Fewer monsters lost perhaps?
  

• Dan's iteration of Matt's rod holders. Using vinyl seawall instead of plywood makes them less susceptible to winding up at the bottom of the lake next to two rods and reels.
  

• Matt's trailer rewiring. We had trailer running, braking, and turning lights until a pinched wire blew the truck's turning/braking fuse between Michigan and Pennsylvania on the return trip.
  

Did not work so well:

• Dan's boat launching ramps. Preliminary confidence exceeded eventual performance. One ramp snapped under the weight of the truck bed, and the spinning truck tires ripped the wire mesh off both ramps. After fiddling with large grates by the launch, we asked Jim for a tow. He graciously delayed retiring for the evening to assist. We also gave him a chuckle when Matt started driving up the hill with Dan running beside holding the chain still attached to the truck frame.
  

• The trailer tires. One blew in Michigan and the spare went flat just before the Canadian border. Our arrival at the camp was further delayed by a stripped lug stuck in the drum. A local mechanic cutting off the rusted lug and nutf. We finished the trip with one tire attached by 4 lugs, and picked up a spare tire and rim in Thunder Bay.
  

Dan continues the "the tradition" in night time 59 degree lake water. Bry and Matt are disappointed that he forgot to take his soap on a rope with him.

The planned trip is pushed back one day so we can all attend the return of retired player John's Honor Flight. It's a long overdue recognition to those who served our nation. John, you are a true American hero!

Pike Pond delivers many memories over and above Bry’s massive northern.  From, pike surfacing to attack the lures, sometimes 3-4 times until that caught it, to Dan’s pike actually jumping out of the water over the net, to Dan’s tired and injured pike kicking its tail fin to surf he water for a yard or so after being released back to the pond, to 2 big pike destroying 2 of Bry’s treble hooks, to Dan losing a pike because Bry took forever to de-pike the net when he landed the lunker.

While the group was quite successful in Pike Pond it was not without a battle. When Bry nets his big lunker, the fish inflicts a couple of nice gashes on Bry’s hand drawing lots of blood to make sure he knew he was in for a fight.  Not to be outdone, Dan’s lunker, possibly witnessing the bloody battle Bry had, decides to one up his counterpart and drive a deeper gash into Dan’s hand that had him bleeding for the rest of the day.

We had more success trolling than on any previous trip, even though two charged batteries are insufficient for a full day of trolling.

Dan opts for numbers rather than size on the Day 4. He bottom bounces for walleye while Bry and Matt cast for pike. The strategy paid off and moved Dan to 1/2 point off the lead going into the final day.

Matt almost duplicates his pike on walleye on jig double play, but Bry is too slow on the net. Moments after boating Matt's solo walleye Bry nabs a pike. Conspiracy?

Meals: Walleye, Matt's jambalaya and cornbread (compliments of Cathy), Walleye, Bry's chicken tacos (assist to Allison), and Dan's brats (delays in pulling the boat from the lake on the final day left too little time for Dan's planned beef and peppers dinner).

Cathy’s jambalaya was so good that Bryan and Matt forgo sandwich lunches for jambalaya on subsequent days until the well runs dry. Bry pontificates on numerous occasions “this stuff is fantastic”.

Wildlife was plentiful for the viewing during the trip.  On the drive to and from camp the group saw black bear, fox, coyote, wolf and bull moose.  While fishing the group had numerous sightings of bald eagles, osprey and massive turkey vultures.

Matt saves Bry from potential future digestive issues when he inquires “you planning to eat that?” referring to the blueberry muffin with mold growing on the top that Bry was about to devour.

The group passes the evening hours by retooling numerous fishing apparatuses for the next day and relaxing to a few games of backgammon and/or 3 handed cribbage.

We lost a bucketful of minnows during a hurried departure from shore on Day 3. Many thanks to those who donated their leftover bait to our cause.

We had a whole new lake to label. Notable locations at Wawang include:

• The Cliffs
  

• Pike Pond
  

• Weed Bay