2025 Better Late Than Never

2025, a year we won't soon forget. Projects, wildfires, endless smoke and a ton of great people!

I had a friend join me in camp for early May. She helped me open cabins, complete my list of projects and get the lodge ready for the big push. We painted all the new cabin doors DLL orange, refinished the cabin countertops and stained the new window trim and cabin steps/decks. All done just in time for our first group of 18 NOT to arrive. Wildfire season started early with evacuation orders for the community of Brabant and the closure of CanAm highway 102 from km 120 to the Southend Junction at km 193. Travelling guests were wayleighed at Missinipe until further notice by Wildfire Management Officials. This fire kicked up quickly and information sharing is very slow. We are not advised or contacted by officials but had to rely heavily on social media, SK highway hotline, daily sk wildfire maps updates and of course first hand experiences by anyone on the 2-way radio or arriving. Once that fire was under control and travel north on CanAm 102 was deemed 'safe', the Ditch, Pisew and Shoe fires really kicked up and the roads closed South of La Ronge, cutting off non-essential travel to and through La Ronge. Population 3 (me, Matt & Freja) from nearly May 28-June 15. We did receive a couple of booked guests from May 28 to the breakout of the Pisew, Ditch, Shoe fires. One was a SaskPower employee that was tasked with surveying the damage to utilities and in charge of organizing new supplies, and equipment for repairs to the Northern grid. A couple of fishermen made it through unmanned barricades and they were extremely lucky and grateful to arrive alive. Active fire... walls of flames on both sides of the roadway, vehicle temp was unreadable and the window glass so hot they were leaned in to the centre of the truck, the truck itself was brand spankin new with 43km when they left home. There was no stopping, no where to turn around, just forward motion and praying the tires didnt explode or the vehicle didnt quit. I cannot even imagine!

So what did we do?? Worked on the shower house build, went to Wathaman and worked there everyday for about a week. Fished!! lol. I have NEVER fished that much in June, EVER! It was good. I dont understand why everyone is always so crazy about June though. Yeah its good but I much prefer my September. Fish June then fish September and we can debate which is better! hahahaha

The days spent at Wathaman we cleaned up dead fall, cut, split and stockpiled firewood for the seasons guests, ripped off the front deck, closed off a doorway, painted the front, levelled the cabin, primed the floor and cleaned the cabin for the first wathaman group due in July....and we fished. Matt told me to book Wathaman 2025 solid and I did, there is no shortage of people wanting over there so it was back to back to back. After working over there and knowing how booked it was for the 2025 season, I came to the realization that the Wathaman accommodation is done. THere are no amount of repairs tpo bring it back. We have done the repairs already, so I listed it as closed until 2028 on the website. There has been too much water damage from windows being left open, there is zero airflow through the cabin and then it gets buttoned up so it has a smell. The roof does NOT leak, which is a miracle, but if I wouldn't want to stay there then its time to do something about it. Our 4 standard groups will be there for 2026 but dont worry, we will rebuild and it will be back better than ever! I can hear the questions now...how long? when? can I get on a list?

Answers: I never stop working for DLL, so as soon as possible. My estimate is booking for 2028 and there will not be a waitlist until fall 2027. I am doing research and evaluating our options right now. Have any ideas? let me know! I have already committed to purchasing NEW equipment dedicated to Wathaman, ahead of the rebuild process. I thought i was done buying fucking boats but I guess not! They are just about double these days and that's with a discount thanks to my winning personality!

Wathaman will be worth the wait, I promise.

This is a sad and tired cabin however its not the roof that is the problem.

Anyways, June 15 we were back in business, full complement and the season finally began!

New friends, old friends, families and neighbours, what a schedule! Barely a drop of rain until August but had 7 tomato plants and a full garden frozen in mid July! Late July saw a 10 year record pike ~double header~caught! A shallow-assed bay less than 3km from camp. Ask me where and I will show you. Matt and I had only one BIG hit in that bay during the first 5 years. We started calling it dead bay and only trolled past it for the last 4 years. It was a double header, the trophy was 47", healthy and swam off on release no problem. The other fish, also a massive trophy was 46", not joking, totally unreal! She was at the end of life, pale, had no teeth, did not bleed, barely out of the water but didn't revive and swim. Too bad but it happens.

Hazardous wildfire smoke plagued us from June to August when we finally got enough rain to matter. The only reprieve from the smoke was with a NW breeze. Apex fire SW, La Ronge and area fires South, Manitoba fires E & NE then the Wathaman fire directly North. During our family break we could barely enjoy being outside, couldn't work long in the smoke, barely go swimming, even just sit outside . You gotta understand, no sun, cant see the clouds, barely stars or night skies, it was hard on the old mental health...choking on doom and gloom all day every day. August 10, I took a video for the sound of thunder rolling but ya can't see the clouds so dont know whats coming or what to expect. 2 minutes later, Freja and I walked into the cabin, matt and Milo were in the lodge...I sat down at my desk and saw a flash of light, heard the loudest zap and crackle and BAM!!! the scariest crack of thunder that shuddered the soul and shook the whole cabin...70km/hr wind gusted immediately and the sky opened up. Poured over an inch of rain in a minute, then came the hail. Freja and I grabbed our jackets and boots and sat in the porch just in case we needed to make a run for it. It rained so much so quick that it couldnt soak in but it ran directly to the lake. By the end of a week we had nearly 7" of rain. Watching the wildfire map over the coming days the fire count started dropping, knocking dozens off each day. August 10, doom and gloom. August 11...clear as a bell and it stayed that way until we left in October. What a relief for everyone in the area!

Interesting side effect from that lightening strike though....it had to been right close if not right in camp. We did not see any scorch marks or blown apart trees but shit got scrambled for sure! Our infared heater in our cabin was cooked, no longer functional along with a number of other things we found over the next day or two. The 2-way radio in the lodge, cooked. A couple of voltage meters in matts workshop by the generator shack...cooked and one was even brand new in the packaging! My f*%k@! air conditioner in the lodge...cooked. Matt figured a fix for it and it was operational for the last couple weeks of the season.

 I have some screen shots of a depth finder from August...loaded with deep layered trout right out front in the drop off. Did we catch, yes and no. Hooked up lots but landed few of the deep ones, which seemed to be the issue with lots of guests in 2025. I am moving to a lip hook? whats that type of hook called?? Lots of jiggers for deep trout are trebles but I am going to replace my trout lure selection with the lip hooks...or just go with some new Lake Lures that I successfully trialed at Davin late August. The Laker Lure brand will be on our tackle wall for 2026 to aid in the success of angling deep trout. If lake trout are your jam, check out their website and place your order to be sure you get to use one in 2026...its a Canadian Company too!

The rest of August was wonderful as was all of September. Of course when I brought the kids out to get back to school the weather at the lake was fantastic and as soon as I got back it was over and back to near seasonal . If we only knew how nice October was going to be we may have postponed our 2025 exit. September is my time to shine! Kelly brought me a nice new rig to try and I gave it a real good effort for the last half of the month. Fished a bit on Wathaman, after the winterization work for cabin/boats was done then game on! I think matt and I had a dozen double headers and caught over 40 fish in an hour. Ask me where and I will show you! I keep yappin about how amazing September is but I dont think you guys believe me. It can be insane! I am also talking pike, but im sure i could hit walleye if I actually tried, had a dedicated rig and endless minnows. I might just have to put in that effort for 2026. Trout, clearly good becasue they spawn in September. Brought back our limit, smoked...standard for us.

I have come to a conclusion about fall trout fishing and the circumstances around the trout spawn. There are 2 factors (water temp and time) and one OR the other needs to be met. September was warm from start to finish. Fishing mid month the inlets, creeks and channels cool off first indicating the lake is in transition and the spawn is coming. Temps in these areas would be mid 50's but the main body was much warmer and we were catching females full of eggs. Fishing September 28, the main body of water remained at high 50's but one day we were catching males (squirting) and the next day (Sept 30)it was all females and they were empty. We tried different depths, different areas different times, technique and lures...everything. But it wasnt the trout spawn we have previously experienced and it was over before we even realized it began. Every year is different and i'm sure I will come up with another variable to add to the formula for fall 2026...September IS my time to shine!

2025 was a big year! Delayed start, Fires coming and going, choking on smoke, revolving door at Wathaman, deadlines, guidelines, hiccups, all out fun, chaos and seriousness every single day.

Shout out to BEN S and his crew that fished Wathaman for 10 days! I know some of you are thinking WTF how did he get 10 days over there?? It was 2 years of coordinating, planning and logistics for brothers Bernardus & Harry, with their adult sons Ben and Max, to travel over 14,000km, all the way from Norfolk Island Australia to Davin Lake Lodge and Wathaman Outpost. When Ben and Harry were their sons' age they adventure travelled with their father to a number of amazing location. When they started their own families, time marched on and life proceeded until they got the grand idea to restart the tradition with their own sons. I love a good backstory! Internet research for their innaugural adventure trip led them to Wathaman Outpost...and me! Thank you for the priviledge of meeting you all and for signing up to the Wathaman Outpost experience. Its tough to ensure you have all the supplies let alone enough supplies for a 10 day experience in the bush...in a foreign country. We were happy to restock their supply of beer, potatoes and butter or provide them with any additional supply requests. They were amazed that there was nothing in the water that could kill them and the only thing in the bush with potential to kill are bears and wolves. Nearly everything in australia can kill you...bugs, spiders, mammals, the weather. You do NOT enter a body of water from the same entry point twice and you certainly don't linger or play...because of the alligators! They were all able to freely enjoy and relax in the clean crisp water on Wathaman. I call that a success. Comprehending Ben on the 2-way radio every day was serious business...matt straining to understand his accent and comprehend a couple frequent coloquialisms he used: blowy is windy and that will now live in our brains rent free for the rest of our lives...so funny! I didn't even try to understand...I am hearing impaired so if I can't read lips when someone has an accent I am a goner!

My own personal highlights of the season: fishing on wathaman in late September was made even better by spotting a loon feather floating by. A few years ago I found 3 little loon feathers on a sandy beach and I had been looking for #4 ever since. I reached out and was able to scoop it up and now my collection is complete.

The northern lights were a spectacle from mid August right up until we left in early October. The evening of August 22 was somewhat cloudy but the moon was in the darkest part of its monthly phase so the sky was wide open. There were a bazillion stars but looking out past the dock over the lake the Milky Way was clearly visible! It was the tail end of the perseids meteor shower and our loyal guest and artisitc friend, KVR, captured the most amazing picture of the Milky Way complete with meteors, all reflecting off the lake. I was able to see the Milky Way with my own two eyes...i dont think i have ever had such a profound and meaningful experience anywere else on earth just by staring at a night sky....another reason why fall fishing is so amazing!

Before I bring the kids out for back to school and all the crazyiness that ensues, Matt and I set the deadline...the day we leave the lake for the season. We decided October 3 or shortly thereafter. The kids need that date set because they really do miss us alot after living and working so closely all summer. So...one of the hardest day's of our year was set.

While home, I had made plans for Matt and I to take a short trip south of the border mid October. I picked a place in Fontana, CA where I wanted to get a new tattoo and we would hang around the Los Angeles area for a few days following. Flew to Vegas, got the car and stayed overnight but in less than 6 hrs we were off through the desert. I love seeing how things unfold when you truly live in the moment. A light turns red, you decide to go right, you meet or see someone or a random opportunity comes up. Seize that moment to see where it takes you...that's how i ended up in Fontana Ca getting a cover-up tattoo that I am truly in love with. Ask me where and I will show you LMAO! We went to the iconic Comedy Store on Sunset Blvd. saw some pretty big celebrities perform, took in a Lakers game (it was Pride night), enjoyed Santa Monica Pier and walked barefoot along the beach during the NO KINGS protest, went to Long Beach the next day but do NOT recommend waking along the beach barefoot! I do recommend eating BBQ from the back of a random pickup truck in the parking lot...It was delicious, the fellow was very engaging and we did not die. We saw some of the major highlights in the city where all pop culture originates. We saw lots of shit we are still trying to forget too. Took in the MASSIVE scale of the Port of LA, ate the freshest seafood in Cabrillo beach, visited friends in San Pedro and literally soaked in all the unique beauty and sunset views the San Pedro cliffs has to offer. Not a single hiccup, delay, terse word, or foul mood for a week straight. I also did NOT win mega millions or powerball so leaving that part to chance didn't materialize like I had hoped hahahaha!

Once back and we both dove right in to the winter schedule. Matt is back working at

NuWave for another winter and is away in a camp as we speak. I am busy at my desk and working Home Care part time. Freja keeps me busy driving her to swim 5 days a week then to crib tournaments or swim meets on the weekends. Milo is living the life of reilly going to the gym and keeping up with schoolwork for grade 11. He has a great group of friends that keeps his social life busy once his priorities are met for the week. He is making plans for post secondary after graduation June 2027. For those of you picking up what I am dropping, I suggest you start thinking about all the good things I have been saying regarding September. September is where its at! Am I right Kelly??? When you can find those walleye schooled up and they hit your bottom bouncer time and time again, then they are too big to even keep! No one probably even reads this far except you Kelly but I guarantee there will be some shocked June regulars come early booking for 2027 dsespite my best efforts to advise them all during the 2026 season.

We plan on staying home for Christmas this year, kids wanted to be close to nana, my mom. She is good, independent and still very agile, physically and mentally healthy for a 1941 model. We both live in Lloydminster but she will spend a few days here and will probably beat us at Monoploy again. She is a scoundrel! Last time we played she bankrupted us all in like an hour. Turned into a slum lord once them houses started going up! At least she wins swiftly. I hope for lots of snow by Christmas but the -30 temperatures can screw right off so we can spend a few days skidooing around the prairies. Nana has opted out of that portion of the Christmas 2025 experience. We had a water valve leak in our house this summer, thank god Kevin's daughter was staying here or it could've been alot worse. I am in the midst of organizing trades to get the work done and I expect the bulk of it will be completed early in the new year.

We havent really finalized any plans for 2026 yet so I will have to update you on that in the New Year. We truly look forward to the start of each season and 2026 will mark our TENTH year at Davin Lake Lodge. For the last 9 years we have shared our lake, our family, public moments, private moments, christmases, sunny days, starry nights, all of our highs, most of our lows, our hard work and our relaxing moments. It is with a heavy heart that I also share with you that we have lost a very important part of our family and Davin Lake Lodge. Timber was with us from the very beginning of this journey and had been a fixture in daily camp life for everyone. She greeted you on arrival, definitely licked many a BBQ flipper, her alerts to nearby bears were to be trusted and she appreciated every scratch given and stick thrown for her. She hated getting wet but loved to swim and was ecstatic but well behaved each and every time she got to ride in the boat. Laying in her comfy porch chair, staring at the lake while catching a breeze was her favorite spot on earth. She was a deeply loved companion and will forever remain a member of our family. She can never be replaced and poor BARK!! will never measure up, but I have 337 pictures of her on my camera roll to help remember all the best times.

During this holiday season we will reflect on all the years we have shared and dream of all the possibilities for the future. We wish you a Merry Christmas surround by loved ones and a Happy New Year filled with hope and prosperity.....and tight lines!

Danica. Matt

Milo, Freja

and of course BARK!! too

One last thing....First 3 people to like/comment on this blog post, shoot me your mailing address and I will send you a Christmas gift to commemorate our upcoming 10th anniversary!

D