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Has anyone been up to Abitbi lately and can report on the slush on the lake? If you go up the road past munro whats that road like and should I bring an ATV or snowmobile in? Looking at going the long weekend for a few days, got a long drive so want to make sure I bring the right machine.
Thanks in advanced
I think that question will be best answered closer to the date you are going. Supposed to be +8 tomorrow, with rain starting tonight. I don't expect there to be much snow around my area by the end of the weekend.
I do a trip into Abitibi twice a year for Hardwater. Last trip was in mid December this season.
At that point an ATV would have been fine. As Delmer said warm coming to be followed by several -20 nights prior to your trip. My guess is slush and snow will be compacted and than froze solid.
Closest you can get to lake in winter with a truck is km marker 20 on the Munro Lake road. That leaves 8 km of well travelled compacted bush trail to get to the lake.
There is a lot for parking at the trailhead but can be busy on weekends. Overflow parking at km marker 18 at a tee junction. Parking here is on the road.
In December road was only plowed to marker 15 ish. Had to turn around at that point and park on road than sled 13 km to lake.
Last April road was only plowed to marker 10 and had to sled 18 km from there. Seems to be highly variable based on what logging is going on as two weeks earlier that year was plowed right to trail head.
MNR will be set up on road so make sure everything is in order.
As for sled vs ATV - I would go sled as I have honestly never seen an ATV on the lake at that time of year unless it was tracked.
Post a trip report as Abitibi is one of those lakes that can be epic. Good luck!
Closest accommodations? Or camp on ice?
Sounds like an interesting potential future adventure.
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We usually camp. Sled trailer is enclosed and we camped inside it. Nearest hotels are more than an hour but we have done that too - just makes for long days.Quote:
Originally Posted by hunterforever
Great info. Appreciate it.
As far as the part of lake with the fish is the road access point water decent or do you need to travel to another part of the lake?
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My dad and I stay at my fiancé parents in Matheson and come up through Munro road. Its about a 20minute drive from Matheson to the bush. As mentioned before is plowed at varied lengths. Then the permanent huts are usually 1km out from the launch and it doesnt matter where you set the water is so dirty and the water depth is pretty much the same that we typically pick a spot punch some holes send down some minnows and put our feet up.
Nice info guys. Definitely something I’d love to try in the future. I could imagine with the weather/snow conditions we’re having perhaps the road is getting 4x4 drivable to the lake -that is if it was packed down wide enough.
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Yeah my thoughts exactly, waiting to hear back from some locals if the bush has lots of snow or if the majority of it was melted from this heat wave. Ill post on my trip once I get back
BK - did you it make out? Details? Thinking i am gonna head up for one last hardwater trip the weekend of the 22nd.Quote:
Originally Posted by bucknives
Well no word from anyone on winter success there? How’s the canoeing there once things melt? Big parking/camping area?
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Well my earlier planned trip (March 22nd weekend) got kibosched due to a work issue but things are looking up for next week. Gonna try to fish there Monday and Tuesday for one last hardwater rip - stay tuned. In regards to canoeing on Big Ab. It can be done but it is a big (bigger than Nip or Simcoe) very shallow wide open lake that can go from glass to 6 foot rollers in like 10 minutes - seriously it is exponentially worse than say Nip. So if you do it just don't stray far from shore. Camping is at your discretion as entire shoreline is basically crown - so lots of space. Parking again is similar to winter - weekends can be busy but week day not so much. Generally though you should be able to find a place to park.Quote:
Originally Posted by hunterforever
All that being said the after ice out pike and walleye action can be off the charts. I am thinking of heading in there in 3rd or 4th week of May with the Zodiac to maybe set some bear baits and also to fish and get devoured by the bugs.
Road is sketch as F. Fishing today was very good. Will report when I had have better connection. Probs Wed night or Thursday.