A northern lodge season can turn on a single moment: a kid’s jig drops to a LiveScope mark and a 41.5-inch pike surges from the deep. We ride that energy across a year of big fish, bigger decisions, and the quiet math of winter planning that keeps a remote camp alive. Willie the Oil Man joins us for a no-filter catch-up on Two Rivers Lodge—what worked, what broke, and what we learned while chasing muskies in 55-degree water, stacking 100-walleye days a mile from the dock, and filming fly anglers who make a boatside figure-eight look like art.
We dig into the nuts and bolts of remote operations: mapping safe ice around current to tow 500s and drums, cutting barge runs with smart logistics, and leaning on customer-first partners who keep fleets humming. On the water, we talk fly fishing for trophy pike with Orvis talent, boatside eats, and the patient mechanics of a cast that becomes a strip and then a perfect figure-eight. Off the water, we take cabins from good to elite by following one rule—every arrival should feel brand new—and back it up with professional visuals that finally match the experience.
The wilds push back too. We break down a bull moose encounter at ten feet, deer that treat town like a buffet, and coyotes smart enough to lure dogs. Most importantly, we walk through Ontario’s Bear Wise protocol step by step—who to call, what to report, and how to act when a bear turns from curious to dangerous. It’s a frank look at safety, responsibility, and the judgment that keeps guests protected without grandstanding. We wrap with show circuit plans, rehab progress, and some pure fan joy—Bills Mafia highs and Blue Jays postseason grit—because up here, community matters as much as any catch.
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