Tips Learned

By:Steve Cegielski, All-Canada Show, Operations Manager

Everytime I travel to Canada I'm always on the look out for new tips / tricks to add to my arsenal to create a better trip for myself and the Canada crew. Even after dozens of trips north of the border, I almost always come home with a few new ideas. Our latest trip to Sportsmans Lodge, Sask. provide multiple tips that will definitely make the next trip even more enjoyable.

Guided adventures allow access into dedicated guides way of life...tricks they've been using for years, so I pay close attention. I watched and learned cooking techniques, boat manuvering, fish cleaning secrets, and maybe the most important bird's nest removal.

Anyone who has ever casted a bait casting type reel knows how demoralizing a good birds nest can be....watching your buddy hit some amazing water while your out of the game with twisted line. I've mastered the bait caster, but still 3-4 times per week I forget to change the tension after switching lures and the next cast isn't pretty.

We'll last week after one of those so called bad casts I found myself alone holding one of the best bird nest's I've ever created. After a few minutes I located the problem loop and all I needed was to pull the loop free and get back fishing. But the problem was the loop was buried in the spool and my fingers were to big to reach....Here comes the best tip of the trip....The guide tapped my on the shoulder and handed over a special line clippers with attachements including a small hook and pointer. Wow, I've got to have one of those....I think I saved 10 minutes of fishing. One quick hook of the loop and I was back in business.

I'm happy to report I've found just the tool this weekend at the local sport shop, now I'm ready to battle the birds nests.

Making memories and living life

By: Jennifer Young, All-Canada Show owner

This summer has been so fun. My family has made so many great memories together. As I get older, I am starting to appreciate people in my life more than ever. I recently had a friend who died of a heart attack at age 41, and his facebook page had pictures of a cruise that he took with his wife and daughters last year. I am certain that his family is so glad that they didn't wait to take that vacation.

When money is tight, people sometimes want to give up things that they should keep (family vacations) and keep things that should be given up (wasteful spending - daily cups of coffee from Starbucks, fast food, extra vehicles, interest from credit cards, etc). If you want to discuss more ways to save money for your next trip to Canada, please email me at jennifer@allcanada.com

When I look back on my life, I can remember the sights, smells, sounds from trips to Canada and other places much more than I remember other childhood memories. My youngest child is 9 and my oldest is 13, and it seems like yesterday when they were born. They all remember our trips together to Canada, and it is such a great tradition - way better than going to Disney World! Take your kids with you on your fishing trip to Canada - it is OK for them to spend some time at the camp or lodge without video games and all of the other entertainment that they have at home. Kids love to spend time with their parents, and they love it when your cell phone is turned off or not usable! Parents love their children, and we want the best for them. The biggest gift that you can give your children is your time. Enjoy them now while they are still young.

I am laughing out loud (lol) in the boat. It is an unusual picture of me, but it makes me smile every time that I see it, so I wanted to share it with you.

Saskachewan Lake Trout

By: Steve Cegielski, All-Canada Show, Operations Manager
Traveling north of the border with three other hungry Northern Pike fanatics set the competition bar high. I knew I probably had the least experience when it came to tangling with the toothy monsters of Saskatchewan. I've chased my fair share of large pike, but I'm truly a walleye fisherman that dabbles with pike. Don't get me wrong I love the pike beasts and desired the trophy as much as the next guy. But on this trip the Veteran skill prevailed just like I could have perdicted. I did tangle with quite a few nice pike, but left the heavy lifting to the veterans. As a group we boated 10 pike over 40 inches...not bad for a 4 day trip!

So if you can't beat them at their game switch gears and try something new. I'll be the first to admit I have limited knowledge of Lake Trout and their desired habitat, but I'm learning quickly. Lakers have intrigued me for the past year, I've trolled the depths of lakes and landed my share of Lakers, but jigging in 100 ft of water has peaked my attention.

Well that's where I found my self last week....we were between pike honey holes and the guide took the oppurtunity to float drift over a Laker hang out. Quickly with light walleye gear I tied on a heavy jig with gulp attached and lower to the depths. Not 5 minuites into the drift I hooked a large 30" - 10lb plus healthy Laker that wanted nothing to do with the waters surface. With 6lb test mono I had my hands full to pursuade the Lake Trout to the surface....what a fight, my forearm still aches after that fight.

Now the fire has been fueled with alittle sucess. I need to study the Laker and their tendencies, so I"m prepared to target them on my next trip north to Canada.

New Shore Lunch Recipe

Joel Prunty, media manager, All-Canada Show - I’ve eaten a lot of shore lunches over the years…and traditional fried walleye, potatoes and baked beans is still my favorite. A fishing trip to Canada isn’t official until I’ve eaten one.

There are many varieties of shore lunch in Canada including fish chowder, which is great on a cold rainy day, stir fried fish and vegetables is awesome too – plus you have every kind of baked fish imaginable. But on our latest adventure to Sportsman’s Lodge in Saskatchewan this month we had something new and so good it is now my second favorite shore lunch.

After frying up some walleye our guide drained the frying pan and added a ½ bottle of zesty Italian salad dressing. Then he pan fried northern pike fillets in the dressing, boiling off the liquid and searing the pike in what remained…just scrumptious!

On my next adventure to Canada I will defiantly be trying it out for myself. If you have a favorite shore lunch recipe…pass it on to us.

Summer is coming to an end

By: Jennifer Young, owner All-Canada Show

School shopping, teacher lists, school supplies, it sounds to me like summer is coming to an end for all of those children and teachers who have had the months of June, July, and August.

I come from a long line of teachers: my grandmother Hutchison, my mom, multiple aunts, two sisters (Cecilia and Theresa), my mother-in-law, and my husband are teachers. It is fun when they get together because the conversation usually goes back to the classroom or their "kids".

My sister, Theresa, says summer is like a weekend: June is Friday, July is Saturday, and August is like Sunday.



Hopefully all of us have spent quality time with our loved ones this summer. Summers pass by so quickly and when you look back sometimes years fly by. Take your family to Canada this year...don't wait. The memories will last a lifetime.

deHaviland Otter a magnificent plane

Joel Prunty, All-Canada Show, media manager - Last week I flew on a deHaviland DHC3 Turbo Otter (pictured here with my nephew Joe). This is the exact same model of plane that crashed in Alaska this week where ex-senator Ted Stevens and five others were killed. This is a sad story for many reasons, but the saddest of all is it didn’t have to happen.

The Otter is an unbelievably airworthy plane and with the turboprop conversion, incidence of mechanical failure is among the lowest of all aircraft. The first Otter flew in 1951 and was originally called the King Beaver after its little brother the deHaviland Beaver.

Like the Beaver, the Otter was built for the bush and this no-nonsense plane is at home in the wilderness. It can carry a large payload or up to 10 people comfortably. The Otter has earned a well deserved reputation for being very reliable even in the extreme conditions of the Arctic.

I don’t know the circumstance of the crash in Alaska, but my guess is the weather conditions will be the primary factor. This usually comes down to poor judgment (pilot error) in marginal flying conditions. The rugged, varied and mountainous landscape of Alaska adds greatly to that risk.

Personally, I can’t wait to hop in an Otter again…they are a magnificent aircraft designed and built in Canada. Do not be afraid, however, to question your pilot if visibility is potentially a problem. As one pilot told me “I’d rather be on the ground wishing I was in the air…than in the air wishing I was on the ground.” Safe Travels

Moose Hit the Road

By: Steve Cegielski, All-Canada Show, Operations Manager
Late summer means "Locked at Lac Seul" has been in storage for a few months and not expecting to make any apperance until winter. This all changed last week when Cabela's called to request "Locked At Lac Seul" to be apart of their booth display in Alanta,Ga at the FLW Bass Fishing Tournament.
I awakened the sleeping giants, dusted off the massive antlers, and readied them for the long trip south. Repacked the trailer wheel bearings and greased the display rollers and the moose were ready. It took some adjustment to driving the huge trailer without the concern of icy roads. I'll have to say it did take some of the challenge out of the trip, but I definitely welcomed the dry roads for the 2006 mile round trip.
Hotlanta definitely lived up to it's name....100 degree days is common down there. Great to showcase great taxidermy in new areas....that's the farthest away from home the moose has ever traveled.
Good to be home...the moose are back in there summer resting mode, ready for winter travels....2011 All-Canada Show is right around the corner.

Booths for Sale - 2011 All-Canada Show

By: Jennifer Young, owner

The vision of the All-Canada Show is to be THE best place in the world to plan and book your next fishing or hunting vacation to Canada.

Our website has evolved over time. It is AllCanada.com
It includes multiple ways to search for lakes, fish species, trophy hunts, lodge name and more.

The All-Canada Show is a sport show that travels to 11 cities in January and February. Here is the website that includes facility locations, show hours, hotels, show attractions and features by city: AllCanadaShow.com

If you own a Canadian lodge, camp, resort, or outfitting company and are looking to promote your business to Americans, please contact me at jennifer@allcanada.com or 920-983-9800 X 111.