PPS Destinations Report

Wellesley Lake, Yukon Territory, Canada

Date:         June 11 - 18, 2001

Speaker:   Dr. Raymond Bertolotti, San Leandro, California

Topic:       New Concepts in Adhesion Dentistry

Reported by Ernst 'Ernie' Schmidt

Although the Yukon and North West Territories are emerging as fly fishing frontiers, many still consider these waters as the territory of lure fishermen trolling their deep-sunk lures on lead lines.  Although this may be true in the latter part of the summer months, nothing could be further from the truth in the early season.  This destination gets the 'two thumbs-up' from the members for both fishing action as well as sight-fishing possibilities.  

Wellesley Lake is an anomaly in itself.  Instead of a wind-swept narrow lake cut in a mountainous valley, Wellesley sits on a plateau between the glacial-fed White and Donjak Rivers which flow southward from the St. Elias mountains into the Yukon River drainage.  The crystal clear waters are abundant with shoals, some of which are sandy, others rocky with the majority being weed-covered like some of the most productive trout lakes.  The result of this large lake with barely inflow nor outflow is that the waters are extremely rich in insect life.  Main species of this fishery are the lake trout, pike and lake whitefish.

Our week began and ended on a high note!  As we arrived on a perfect sunny day with calm flat waters, numerous whitefish and lake trout were rising to hatching chironomids right in front of the resort.  As soon as I could get my Yukon fishing licence, I quickly strung up my 5-weight with a strike indicator and used a #12 gold-ribbed black chironomid pupa.  After cutting the motor only 200 metres in front of the dock, I began casting to the numerous cruising fish on the massive 3-foot shoal.  My first four fish came in the first half-hour just before lunch.  These lake whitefish were the predominant species and their takes were sublimely subtle.  Once hooked and played, they were extremely difficult to handle near the boat due to the extreme rotund shape of these 2 - 5 pound fish.  After lunch, Ned Yarborough (Lakeland, Florida) and I spent the afternoon and evening trolling large rabbit strip leeches in 8 to 15 feet of water.  Lakers from 7 to 15 pounds were the order of the day!  I spent several afternoons and mornings with Ned, who entertained me with stories of flying during WWII, growing up in Alabama and life in general.  This amazing octogenarian still manages to practice dentistry three days per week!  During the rest of the week, I had the pleasure to host/guide Ray Bertolotti.  Nothing like having a resource like this all to yourself alone in a boat!!!

The next morning saw the weather change to a "mixed bag" for the next several days.  As the weather varied from windy and rainy to reasonable, most of the members spent their days  trolling flies along the extensive shoals surrounding the entire lake.   Several fish in the twenty pound plus range were caught with reports of several fish approaching thirty pounds.  Despite the cold waters of this northern lake, these large fish were amazing fighters, behaving like king salmon, taking 100+ metres/yards of line before being turned.  As a diversion, most of us cast plugs in the shallow bays for the numerous aggressive pike.  Cast plugs stripped along the surface were very productive for pike up to four feet long.  

As the week neared its end, the hoped-for break in the weather finally materialized and we were blessed with two and a half days of the best fishing one could wish for.  As the weather improved, the lakers began to cruise the ultra shallow shoals on the lake.  As we drifted over the shoals with the motor pulled up in order to protect the prop, the cruisers were clearly visible due to the extreme red fins which distinguish these crustacean-eating fish.  I recall fishing with my good friend, Rod Wentworth (Redmond, Washington), one evening, with each of us catching and releasing 15 - 20 lakers in the 8 - 15 pound range.  We would have easilty caught more if they would have been quicker to land and midnight hadn't approached so stealthily .  Of course, fishing near the longest day of the year meant that the sun did not actually set until 11:50pm.

Happily, the last day was the best.  I spent the morning with Ray trolling at Long Bay.  The day was absolutely calm and I landed a strong fish in the 25 pound class.  After lunch, I went out on my own and drifted the dead-calm waters of the gravel shoals on the north end of the lake, just down from the resort.  In the high sun, I clearly saw many cruisers in waters too thin to drift the boat over.  I had an absolute ball casting to and catching at least 20 fish in the 8 to 12 pound range using a small chartreuse clouser on a 5 wt. outfit.  Despite the prospect of catching such huge fish up to thirty pounds on the trolled fly, nothing could compare with the thrill of sight-fishing for these handsome crimson-tipped fish with light tackle.

Aside from the fantastic fishing, our week was highlighted with excellent daily presentations given by Dr. Ray Bertolotti of San Leandro, California  We were all treated to the latest in bonding as well other useful dental information.  In addition to the regular lectures scheduled for each day, the informative program was augmented during times of inclement weather and, amazingly, an extra session was held on the last day despite picture-perfect weather.  This was at the special unanimous request of all the members who felt that the wealth of information given by Ray was of more value than fantastic fishing on a picture perfect day in a fantastic setting.  Now that has got to be a first for PPS!!!

Kluane Wilderness Lodge is the only lodge on this large lake, providing exclusive use for its clients.  The lake is accessed by a scenic 1 1/2 hour flight from Whitehorse, Yukon aboard a single-engine DeHavilland Otter floatplane.  Roomy, comfortable wood huts house its guests and the central lodge was an inviting place for meals and socializing.  Complaints about the food generally were in the form of being "too good" and too "difficult to resist".  I sincerely think the plane was much heavier on the way out than on the way in!  Like I said, this lodge gets two thumbs up for service, comfort and, above all, fishing.  To view more information on this well-run lodge, run by owner, Brian Dack, check out the link for Kluane Wilderness Lodge.

Dear reader, if you have any questions about our trip to
Wellesley Lake, please feel free to contact me at eschmidt@direct.ca.  

For more pictures of our trip, please visit the Photo Album.  For those of you who were on the trip, please check out More Photos