Larry Nagy is a
geologist, a guy who understands mountains and glaciations and
the flow of surface water. He's poked around in many of the
world's corners, and when it came time to hang up his rock
hammer and Brunton compass, he picked a little lake on the lee
side of the St. Elias Range at the doorstep of Kluane National
Park. With 25 miles of shoreline, Tincup has ample shallow
bays, rock bluffs, drop-offs and stony reefs to provide
structure for lake trout (lake char in Tincup parlance), and
the odd pike. (Not that there's anything wrong with the pike,
it's just somewhat strange to find them in this particular
lake.)
Lake trout are the main event, and fishing for them is stellar
as soon as Tincup becomes free of ice in mid-June. Drawn to
warmer waters in shallow bays in search of the first active
baitfish, five-pounders are plentiful and behemoths of
40-pounds-plus are not all that infrequent. Early in the
season, fly anglers with 8- or 9-weight rods casting big
salt-water streamer patterns like Tabory's Sea Rats or Snakes
ought to find themselves hooked into trophy lakers. So, too,
for spin fishermen. Spinners and spoons fished with medium to
heavy rods through weedy cover in six to 10 feet of water
often produce bragging-size fish.
Bring an ultra light rig, too. Small spinners will seduce
grayling in Tincup and lakes and rivers in the Kathleen
drainage, reachable by the lodge's De Haviland Beaver.
Grayling rise to dries, particularly dark patterns of No. 14
and smaller, and they'll hit dull or dark-coloured weighted
nymphs as well. A 5-weight system is about right. The Kathleen
also holds rainbows up to 20 inches. In addition to one-day
fly outs, Tincup offers overnight adventures to outcamps as
well. Guests have use of motorboats and the first two days of
guiding are included.
In the 1960s and 70s, Tincup became a destination for
international anglers in the know. But the old lodge burned in
1981. For a decade it was all but abandoned. Then Larry and
his brother Ernie bought the place and built four new cabins
and a main lodge, all of cedar. Red roofed and the colour of
dark toffee, they're located facing the lake on a little
alluvial plain where a stream enters Tincup. Inside the
stylish cabins you'll find all the modern conveniences:
private baths, ample closets, a wood stove to shake the
morning chill and 24-hour electricity. Ethnic dishes from
Germany, Hungary and France are featured as well as good
Canadian beef and fish. After dinner, a stroll up the mountain
behind the lodge may be just the tonic you need for a good
night's sleep in this land of the midnight sun. |
