PYNA-TEE-AH

Want to feel like you’re in the Swiss Alps without leaving North America?  You can definitely do so at Pyna-tee-Ah, located on beautiful Quesnel Lake!  Pyna-tee-Ah offers fishing immediately from the lodge or you can fish many other nearby lakes as well as the Mitchell River (one of the inlets to Quesnel Lake) and some fly-out lakes as well. 

Our hosts at Pyna-tee-Ah were Gary and Peggy Zorn.  They’re terrific individuals and we had lots of fun both fishing and socializing.  Also, Peggy is a great chef.  We especially enjoyed her daily baking; outstanding!  We’re also still talking about her homemade soup (great on two cold, rainy days), stir fry, chicken and so much more.  And, oh those homemade biscuits and homemade breads!

Back to fishing….  Pyna-tee-Ah is known for it’s wild rainbow trout and dolly varden fishing (dollies generally in the fall season).  Here it’s not uncommon to tie into a trout weighing 5 lbs. or more.  Imagine the fight!  Apart from the monsters, there are lots of 2 lb. trout which readily take the fly.  Our fishing was a bit tough due to an unstable weather pattern, but it was very exciting.

Two days were spent on Quesnel Lake with Gary stalking the big fellows.  Lindy did hook into one guy in the “5 lb.+ club” but she was only able to get it near the boat before it jumped and threw the hook (barbless again).  Oh well, next time.  However, on a non-fishing note, we had the joy of seeing both a cow moose and her new-born calf and a mule deer also with a tiny new-born at the lake’s shore as well as numerous osprey and bald eagles.  Beautiful and amazing!

On our other two days, we fished with Don, an experienced local guide who was lots of fun in addition to being a great guide.  Our fist day with Don we tried Hann Ingram Lake.  We both enjoyed a first-time experience of fishing from a one-man pontoon boat.  It lets you get right into the areas where the fish lie (not to mention, the water is so clear you can look beneath you and see lots of fish too).  We both had a lot of fun using it and it was a great new way to fly fish.

Our second day with Don was spent at Keno Lake.  We again caught lots of trout but no giants.  We enjoyed the fishing and the overall setting (as well as the one-man pontoon boat).  Again, a non-fishing treat was seeing and hearing a pair of loons and their chick on the lake.

Overall, Pyna-tee-Ah was outstanding.  Wonderful fishing, magnificent settings, wonderful food, great socializing and lots of fun!  We enjoyed it so much, we’re heading back in September 2003 to try for one of those big dollies and some big rainbows!  If you want to learn more about Pyna-tee-Ah, both as a fly fishing destination as well as an eco-touring destination, check out Gary & Peggy’s website, www.pynateeah.com.

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THE SETTING

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THE FISHING

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