Dad called early last week and asked if I wanted to do a snowmobile/ice fishing trip to the camp in Indian Bay the following weekend. Always up for an adventure I agreed and plans were made for a four day extra long weekend to the Kittiwake Coast.

I loaded up Project REV, my 2006 Skidoo MXZ 800 and first trailered to Dad & Iris's house in Bay Roberts where we loaded both machines into the enclosed trailer along with all of our gear and headed to Indian Bay. Dad would be riding his trusty reliable 2011 Yamaha Venture Multipurpose which he bought brand new 10 years and 5000km ago in 2013.

The drive was beautiful and trouble free with clear sunny skies and typical winter temps of around -8. We grabbed a quick bite to eat after passing through the park and continued our drive via Gambo.

We reached our final destination shortly after 2pm.

We unloaded the machines, stowed our gear in Dad's Pelican sled and hit the beautiful freshly groomed trails to camp.

The groomed trails are a huge improvement compared to the many arduous rides for Dad and the boys years ago, well worth the cost of a trail pass, whether it's a weekend or season pass.

After a fantastic ride we arrived to the camp at Backup Pond approximately 4:30. This was my first time back here in almost 24 years! I made one trip just after it was built and simply never got in for a trip in all those years since!

• Indian Bay Trip May 14, 1999

I only had one small hiccup all weekend with the sled, I fouled a plug on the last stretch on the ride in. After turning off the groomed trail I helped get Dad's machine and slide over a large angled drift onto the pond and left my machine idling. The plug gave out crossing the pond, a fresh set were swapped in and I never had a hitch after. The old plugs were a few years old.

The camp is quite well appointed with all the comforts of home and is impeccably well kept. At approximately 24'x24' plus an addition for fridges and bathroom, its a very practical layout. The beautiful vaulted ceiling makes this small camp feel extremely spacious inside.

With sled fixed, gear put away, generator fixed, and fire lit, Dad and I ran down to the pond for a few buckets of water. Water is carried in garbage bags in buckets which are tied over for the run back and prevent spillage.

Supper this evening consisted of pan fried Turbot and some flavoured rice.

After an early start and a long day, we hit the bunks early so we could have an early start the following morning.

Saturday was seasonably cold at -9 with moderate winds, and overcast skies which quickly cleared off to a beautiful clear sunny day.

On the breakfast menu today were my homemade Moose/Bacon sausages with fried eggs & toast.

With breakfast cleared away we hit the trail and headed up Backup Pond towards the island for some ice fishing.

Conditions on the ponds were not ideal for snowmobiling but we made it work. Glare ice from the previous week's melt meant snow for cooling the machines was sporadic in places. However there was enough hard pack around which loosened up enough to do the job if you picked your way along.

We set out lines on back of the island but never had any luck, after awhile I packed up and moved across the way just out from a brook and re-planted my lines.

I quickly hooked one nice mud trout, so I called Dad and he joined me re-setting his lines.

Dad still loves his traditional ice reels and this Ice Fishing Buddy he bought years ago, I believe it may have been a 3rd Wesley Rovers Fundraiser a long time ago.

A little while later I hooked a 2nd nice trout. It was an awesome morning on the pond with lots of people stopping by for a chat including members of the Shed-Headz Outdoors & Newfoundland Hunting and Angling Junkies Facebook groups!

All in all not a bad morning ice fishing!

Lunchtime we headed back to camp and threw together a quick lunch of fried homemade fresh fish white puddings and a tin of beans.

These puddings are similar to fish cakes only better and more convenient to take in the woods. I cut them into discs and fry them up brown and crispy.

After lunch we decided to take a run on the sleds taking advantage of the groomed trail network.

Trails were cold and crisp but impeccably groomed. The surface was loose enough from the busy weekend traffic to keep our liquid cooled machines at operating temperature.

Photo Credit: Max Pickett

Along the way we ran into my buddies Bill Hillyard and Max Pickett who are in for a short weekend of riding, they are staying at relatives of Max on Four Mile Pond. Bill was riding his beautiful new Yamaha Sidewinder, and Max his Skidoo Expedition Extreme 850.

We rode all the way to Travers Brook before heading back to camp, quite a spirited & brisk ride!

When we got back, we grabbed a couple more buckets of water which should last us the rest of the weekend. While it was still light outside, I gassed up the generator & both snowmobiles, topped off injector oil on my machine and brought in a bunch of firewood. Easiest to do this while still suited up and daylight, plus this way everything is ready to go the following morning, or for an evening adventure!

Today's supper menu was strip loin steaks with a side of rice.

While I prepared supper, Dad had a few tunes on the accordion.

Another dandy meal in the country!

After supper we headed across the pond to the beautiful camp of Elsie & Lloyd Spurrell. We ran into these long-time friends of Dad on the pond earlier today and dropped in for some stories and song.

The table in their camp is beautiful, it holds pictures sealed under bar top resin from decades of adventures both at this camp and all over Newfoundland and Labrador. Moose hunting, trouting, salmon fishing, bush plane crash, it's all there! A truly fantastic piece of history and a beautiful idea for any camp.

Of course no evening can pass without an array of delicious snacks!

Sunday morning arrived albeit with a later start than normal after a late night across the pond. Breakfast today consisted of my homemade Jalapeño Cheddar Moose Sausages, eggs and more pan fried fresh fish white puddings.

Today we hit the trails for another day of ice fishing, we headed first to Number 4 just offshore of the old warden's shack. A dusting of fresh powder overnight certainly helped crossing ponds today, the fresh snow easily kept the machines cool & slide rails lubed.

Dad had the lucky hole on Number 4 catching one pan size followed by another dandy mud trout. He did hook another slabber but it came off the hook just as it breached the water.

Fishing cooled off on Number 4 so we packed up, headed over to Number 3 and re-set our lines.

This time the luck was in my favour. I was showing another gentleman how my jaw jerker rigs worked when the far one triggered. I knew by the bend in the rod something decent was on and sure enough I pulled up this dandy.

As the sun set we packed up our gear and headed back to camp for supper.

Not a bad day's catch!

On the menu tonight was my famous back woods boil-up concoction of thinly sliced moose, onion & mushroom seasoned and pan fried. This was paired with my usual, french onion white rice.

Absolutely outstanding!

This evening we relaxed around camp and I read through a log book the boys fill out for every trip over the last 25 years. Some get quite creative such as these two entries, the first about heating up frozen shingles for the new shed and the other about dad & the Argo when he first installed the new canopy top in 2007. Interestingly the very first entry in the log was from my own very first trip here in May 1999.

Monday morning we had a quick breakfast of boiled eggs on toast, set about packing up our gear for the trip out and cleaning up camp for the next adventurers.

Weather was warmer today and a little overcast. The trails were once again absolutely beautiful and perfectly groomed. 

We made it safely back to Bay Roberts after an uneventful drive, I loaded up my machine for the final leg to Torbay but not before enjoying a dandy supper prepared by Iris. This was one of the best trips we've done in a long time, it was last minute and everything worked out great. No breakdowns, perfect weather, great fishing, dandy riding and most of all memories to last a lifetime. Take advantage of every opportunity you can to get outside and do something great!

Cheers, MIKE

Copyright © 2011 Michael Smith