Things Don't Always Go As Planned | Dodging Forest Fires and Fishing The NORTHERN ONTARIO WILDERNESS

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In the winter of 2019 we received an interesting email. Mike and Kim Pierson, of Birch Bark Lodge in Northern Ontario had reached out to Orvis looking for scouts. They had a primitive outpost camp some 60 miles away on a forgotten tributary of the world famous Albany River system, and the old timers around town claimed it used to be a trophy brook trout fishery. Unable to find any evidence other than rumors, and knowing that it hadn't been thoroughly fished in decades, they were looking for someone crazy enough to go investigate. Orvis reached out to us, and the rest is history.
By summer, we were driving 36 hours in Aimee's VW Jetta from MA to ON with our canoe on top and ready for an adventure. No amount of research could prepare us for the conditions we encountered upon arrival, but then again, thats why we love wilderness expeditions so much. The fishing may have taken a back seat, but in the end, we found far more than we were looking for.
To learn more about wilderness fishing in Ontario visit: birchbarklodge.com or find them on facebook @ Birch Bark Lodge
Follow along on our adventures on Instagram @tightloopsfly
Check out our website: www.tightloopsfly.com
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[@andrewwaterrman]

We had been married one week. I remember watching her climb over some huge river rocks, her pretty long black hair a total mess, but she was grinning and having the time of her life. That was over 56 years ago. We don’t fly fish much because of my mobility issues these days. Thanks for the reminiscing reminders! I’ve seen nothing better on KZbin!

[@TightLoops]

Thanks Andrew. Fond memories you have. Its a live well lived and time well spent.

[@LostLakes]

Un-be-lievable. At the end, I felt like I should stand up and applaud...this pulled me in. On any other channel's video I would be writing about what a beautiful brook trout that was, but even its beauty paled in comparison to the film itself. Just brilliant, absolutely brilliant. P.S. For the record, NICE SPECK!!

[@kylekarwowski2642]

I was watching this and thinking this reminds me of the Backcountry Ontario Angler's videos, he would probably dig this. Funny to scroll down and see you in the comments. As stated, outstanding video and awesome brookie at the end!

[@LostLakes]

@@kylekarwowski2642 hahaha that's generous, thanks man!!

[@jaredliddle3396]

@@kylekarwowski2642 I was thinking the same thing

[@kingofbratz3626]

@@kylekarwowski2642 haha me too

[@TightLoops]

Aw, shucks. Thanks dude. It was tough to make a fishing film out of a trip that only produced 4 fish (and the others were all sub 12 inches). It sure made that brookie all the more sweet, though! In the end we're pretty happy with how this one turned out. Even though it got rejected from the fishing film tours . Not quite fishy enough, I guess.

[@DumpsterMarcus]

This is my everyday thing now. I run at work on my lunch break for 4 miles. I watch one of your videos a day till I watched them all. Love the channel guys!!

[@dolbydarma]

Every one of your movies makes me think the same thing, “I wish this movie was longer.” Fantastic as always!

[@DanielleRootes]

I agree!

[@TightLoops]

Thanks! Well, one of the reasons we think they are good, is we trim so much of the fat out. But we're working on making some longer content, for sure.

[@bradfenton]

Great storytelling and the ability to get great shots during the most trying of times. I know in moments of anguish and challenge it is not easy to pause and capture the moment as gracefully as you two. Always great narration as well.

[@TightLoops]

Thanks! I was always partial to this film, but it never really took off. Glad you liked it!

[@jeffvallentine913]

" Things don't always go as planned," as I sit for the 3rd week in self isolation during the current crazy world pandemic. Words couldn't be more true. Your video takes me away from that for a few moments and I feel the beauty and challenge and wonder that is still out there waiting. Thank you for that.

[@TightLoops]

Thanks, Jeff. Glad we could provide a little mental vacation. We're all feeling it right now...

[@Thymallus1965]

You are just so good at making interesting films. Love , Torben, Denmark

[@TightLoops]

Thanks, Torben!

[@maineonthefly]

This by far my favorite video you guys have done!

[@TightLoops]

Thanks, Bradley! Glad you like it!

[@spurgear4]

That old de havilland Beaver has some stories to tell.

[@mikedoherty3563]

I think you got what you paid for but you gave us and the lodge owner a great trip , experience and exposure. Lost in a forest fire probably never happens to me again. Thanks for the short strange beautiful trip!! I felt your pain while still loving the film. Thanks

[@TightLoops]

Thanks a lot, Mike! We certainly have no complaints

[@spencerheffernan1552]

Always enjoy a Bartee project ! Narration was a very nice touch great idea btw. Miss you guys !

[@TightLoops]

Haha thanks Spence. Miss you too bud!

[@atir4u]

You two are amazing. I found your channel the other day and I've watched all your beautifully done videos. I loved every one of them.

[@IdahoHillbilly]

You two Make the most AWESOME VIDEOS...We Always Look Forward to them

[@TightLoops]

Thanks so much!

[@chrisditchburn8337]

Some of the best films I have seen on KZbin guys 💪

[@burkeylynnadventures]

So very good. Reminds me of some of my wilderness canoe trips in N Ontario and esp the two in Quetico. As our canoe renter for Quetico said "You wanna stay from adversity - but it makes it interesting!"

[@joestegmann4339]

Absolutely breathtaking

[@ondafly6504]

Wow, true modern pioneers, beautifully wild. Like your vids!!

[@Mr777manbearpig]

The quality and content of your videos are above and beyond. Very cool and fun to watch. I wish you two all the best in 2020!

[@TightLoops]

Thanks! Same to you!

[@FreakofNature1]

One hell of a film! And amazing Brookie!

[@TightLoops]

Thanks so much! That fish certainly took the sting out of the long portages.

[@CanoehoundAdventures]

Great Video guys... I really enjoyed this one... Keep sharing. Dennis, Canoehound Adventures

[@TightLoops]

Thanks, Dennis! We've got more in the works!

[@shaneparsons3910]

Enjoying your adventures. Thank you

[@fuglbird]

Another nice movie. Which drome do you use for photography? "Open water, waves and canoes don't mix". It's not open water, it's a lake. But experience is needed. Better to stay ashore, good decision. Next time, please don't leave your canoe unsecured on the beach. High tide tide may take it away before morning.

[@TightLoops]

We used a Mavic 2 pro. And I appreciate your interest in trying to educate me here, but nothing we do in creating these films isn't throughly thought through, and I especially take careful choice of my words. I don't know what you mean about "open water"? Here is a dictionary definition: open water(Noun) An expanse of an ocean, sea, or large lake which is distant from shore and devoid of nearby islands or other obstructions. open water(Noun) In a river, pond, or other small body of water, an area of surface unobstructed by aquatic vegetation, boulders, and the like, adequate for navigation or swimming. open water(Noun) An area of an ocean, sea, lake, or river which is not covered by ice. So, as you can see, the large lake we were on is absolutely "open water". In regards to the unsecured boat, as mentioned in the other comment thread, there is a lot you don't see here, and the canoe was tied to a sturdy tree overnight. We enjoy telling stories that might inspire ordinary people to do things outside of their comfort zone, but that doesn't mean we're idiots. We've been doing canoe expedition for several years now, and we've been true students of the craft. Just because you see a shot of a canoe on shore that we took during a break to set up camp, doesn't mean we left it like that over night.

[@WildBlueDiscovery]

Wow...awesome!

[@TightLoops]

Thanks!

[@Alex-hs1uf]

Imagine the Coureurs des Bois who - without satellite phones, Kevlar canoes, mosquito netting, waterproof gear or camp chairs - managed to explore not just northern rivers, bust paddled their canoes around the Great Lakes, and much more. Think of the hardships they faced. As someone who used to make an annual pilgrimage to northern Ontario for a fly-in fishing trip, I was intrigued by your well made video. The beauty and solitude of northern Ontario is captivating. Very well done video. That Brookie at the end was worth waiting for; what a beauty. Kudos.

[@TightLoops]

Thanks! In times of great hardship we always think about how much grit those that came before us must have had. The country is as rugged as ever, but the tools have certainly improved. Some of the things early explorers did was unfathomable. If you liked this film: consider checking out our Labrador expedition: vimeo.com/ondemand/bigland

[@inspirationadventure197]

Absolute masterpiece, at a time where we are all locked down and craving nature more and more everyday, this is the kind of videos that help us escape and give us things to look forward too, well done guys.

[@TightLoops]

Thanks so much! We're glad we could bring a little light into the darkness. Tough times right now, for sure.

[@patricknoveski6409]

We all love you both! ❤😅

[@Scott-yu7bv]

Thinking of Lewis and Clark’s 18 mile... month long portage always helps me get my canoe off my car and into the water

[@TightLoops]

Now that's a worthwhile rumination.

[@chrisperia3920]

Your videos are amazing!

[@saltedbiscuit]

beauty vid, but I will agree with the majority here that you leave us wanting more! And what a beauty fish to close out the vid!, thanks much!

[@TightLoops]

Thanks! We're working on longer content for the future. But the trick is to ALWAYS leave em wanting more ;)

[@marcburrows5783]

This is the best!!!!!!!!!

[@holdenmc6]

Your content is always incredible and sucks you right in. Thanks for releasing this on KZbin for everyone to watch. I hope you continue to adventure to these places and film. If this virus thing gets under control you should make another trip back to Maine, the first video you made of the Rangeley Region was my favorite and I've watched that all the way through at least 4 times.

[@TightLoops]

Thanks! We'll definitely be back (and have been) to Maine plenty. Still lots of new stores to tell there!

[@TACorsetti]

Great content! Excellent videography, music, editing, storytelling and narration. And your stuff reminds me of our trips to Alaska and the boundary waters. Cheers.

[@jtjosefsen8195]

5:51 really neat edit :)

[@dannyb.9721]

You two are TUFF!

[@TightLoops]

forced to be, really.

[@justintownsend7400]

Excellent videography!

[@TightLoops]

Thanks, Justin!

[@CarlOutside]

So well done as always...really enjoyed this one a lot!!

[@TightLoops]

Thanks, Carl!

[@garyj6743]

Great video! Can't wait for the next one!

[@TightLoops]

Thanks, Gary!

[@ThePursuitofPassion]

The editing was epic! Loved it. Glad to see there was a brookie at the end of it. Loved the lead up to it as well. Canoeing is a passion of mine and I love challenging trips like the one you were on, but I think I may need to add more of the fishing element. Thanks for sharing this incredible journey!

[@TightLoops]

Boy do we wish it had more of the fishing element too! We fished all day every day for a week and only caught 4 fish. And the other 3 were really small. But that was kinda the point of this film, I guess. That fishing isn't always about fishing. Anyway, thanks for the kind words and feedback

[@thisquietplace]

Fantastic video as always

[@TightLoops]

Thanks, Havard!

[@adventuretimefishinghunting]

I love exploring in Ontario!

[@TightLoops]

such an amazing place!

[@07hillg1]

Wicked edit, loved it

[@TightLoops]

Thanks so much!

[@johnnybgood8369]

Beautiful ! what a great adventure , thanks so much for sharing another great video!

[@TightLoops]

Thanks, John!

[@iancarpenter5488]

I like that your films focus more on the journey and less on the fishing. I'm sure that fish shown at the end was one of more than a few caught on this trip. But ultimately in remote fishing trips. The time spent with fishing is just a fraction of the time and effort that goes into making the trip happen.

[@TightLoops]

Thanks!! That means a lot. It’s definitely a conscious decision on our part. There’s plenty of great fish open out there anyway. Glad you saw this video. It’s one of our favorites but it never got much traction.

[@iancarpenter5488]

@@TightLoops It's a shame that this one didn't take off. I'm from Maine and spend my summers fishing remote ponds. Forgotten fisheries, like the one in the video, are some of my favorite ponds to visit. The fish receive little pressure and typically the reason they fell out of favor has been resolved. Whether it be access rights, or a reclaim leaving only small fish for the first few years. My favorite trip by far this past year though was a hike into a pond with friends where we got lost on the way and over shot the pond by over a mile. Backtrack and get on the pond well later than wanted, and we hit the caddis hatch perfectly. But neither of my friends fly fish so I had left my gear at home. The fish could have cared less what lure we tossed at them as they hurled themselves out of the water all around us. thousands of rises. In the absurdity of what was happening and our inability to catch anything in the water that was boiling with fish we were laughing our asses off while my friends heckled me for bringing the wrong tackle. Suddenly I notice a cow moose has joined us on the pond, plucking plants from the water. She was completely unfazed by the racket we were making. As the sun got lower in the sky the moose eventually vanished into the woods and we began to think about calling it quits with only two fish between the three of us. Now would be a good time to mention that while we were lost we had stumbled upon some K9 tracks in the mud. We all commented on how abnormally large they were for a coyote. Based on my estimation of the track size compared to my 130 lb Cane Corso I'd say the animal was slightly smaller. roughly 100 lbs. It was then with the sun setting that a deep long howl came rumbling across the pond. It was far off in the distance, but it froze all of us. In stunned silence we heard it again. We sat and listened hoping we would hear it a third time but nothing. I know coyotes. This was no coyote. All three of us were in agreement immediately that it was a wolf. Much deeper and longer in its howl than any coyote or dog I'd ever heard. That combined with the tracks we saw and I have no doubt. Anyway this whole story is ultimately just a long way of me saying, that a good fishing trip is not solely defined by good fishing.

[@smyproductions]

Unreal video, truly captured the essence. Your editing is on par with that brookie!

[@TightLoops]

Aw thanks! Means a lot, cuz that brookie was a stud!

[@cdeboer11]

Really great work! That opening edit is fantastic.

[@TightLoops]

Thanks, Calvin!

[@Brian-lh4fi]

That Brookie though :-)

[@benbowman1283]

Thanks for making such beautiful, and beautifully told, videos.

[@TightLoops]

Thanks, Ben! We do our best!

[@ExploreTheBackcountry]

Sweet! Very well done! Unreal production as always!! We were about 100-200k south of there, paddling for 20 days this summer. Had some smokey days and called in a forest fire too. Burn cycles in the NW are short. Gorgeous area! Gotta love those cedar choked creeks.

[@TightLoops]

Haha, "gotta love" is one way to put it. There was about 10 more impasses like that were we got so damn tired and frustrated that we didn't even film. Tough, but beautify country. And yeah, scary fire season! Lots of displaced northern communities. 20 days sounds grand. We can't wait to make it back to ON.

[@iamdrglass]

Awesome Video once again.

[@TightLoops]

Thanks!

[@mwcarl2004]

Wow. That was great!

[@TightLoops]

Thanks, Carl!

[@TightLoops]

*HEY GUYS!!! We've got a new feature film out and it's our best yet! Check out "BIG LAND"* kzbin.info/www/bejne/aJqpnXePjNKdbqc *And if you'd like to support us by buying an add free version, you can do so here:* vimeo.com/ondemand/bigland *And if you're curious about what equipment we use on these trips check out our blog post about it here:* tightloopsfly.com/notesfromtheroad/2020/2/6/canoe-tripping-gear-guide

[@dysonmorgan7753]

Seriously so good

[@TightLoops]

Thanks, Dyson!

[@confluencecollective4574]

Absolutely love this, and your other films of course, but this one is somehow especially human and honest.

[@TightLoops]

Thanks! Challenges certainly bring out the humanity in people

[@DrewGallacher01]

Awesome video guys! Giving me the strength to stay positive till we get though the other side of the current situation. You should come and fish in Scotland!

[@TightLoops]

Thanks, Drew! Hang in there! We'll get through this! Scotland is on the list, for sure!

[@diderichlangmannen]

Excellent.

[@TightLoops]

Thanks, Diderich!

[@vance8565]

Awesome,Awesome,Awesome, more please.

[@TightLoops]

Thanks, Vance! Working on it! Can't do much outside these days, but we're still trying!

[@nonewherelistens1906]

You folks are damn fine film makers. Thanks for the journey.

[@TightLoops]

Thanks! Happy to have you along.

[@adamkenney2112]

Wow. Absolutely stunning. Looks like the trip of a lifetime, I'm jealous

[@TightLoops]

Thanks Adam! It was an asskicker. But as always, the second it was over we wanted to be back 😬

[@adamkenney2112]

That's how it always is! I live in Maine, but it's a goal one day to take a trip over the border to Canada

[@cohenlewis1481]

Amazing

[@TightLoops]

Thanks, Cohen!

[@dns2008]

WOW you will not forget that trip!

[@TightLoops]

You got that right!

[@davidlynrivers804]

Love your canoe cover !!

[@TightLoops]

Thanks! Its a NorthWater. Check out our blog post about it! tightloopsfly.com/notesfromtheroad/2020/2/6/canoe-tripping-gear-guide

[@dabeger]

Outstanding work. This video really does suck you in!

[@TightLoops]

Thanks so much!

[@jeremyatkinson4976]

Thanks I think your scripts are getting even better. More direct, less flowery, but that's a matter of personal taste. I take it your report was not positive?.

[@wildernesscanoeassociation]

I honestly hope you can get out canoe tripping more often.

[@TightLoops]

Gosh, us too! There’s such a wonderful culture around canoe tripping up your way and throughout Canada. It’s just not the same for most of the US. We’re doing our best to keep the spirit alive, but it’s hard sometimes.

[@lambertsaldi1550]

Nice Brookie 👍🇺🇸

[@TightLoops]

A beaut for sure!

[@dr.jasonpaulk8669]

Wow! Beautiful film. Consider submitting for the Drake's annual fishing film awards!!!

[@TightLoops]

Thanks Jason! We've been in the Drake awards for many years and won several awards. We were nominated for "film of the year" last year, and wont "best adventure" for our film Big Land! Check it out here: vimeo.com/ondemand/bigland

[@rliardjr]

Your videos are awesome, keep it up! Do you still find the Old Town Penobscot a good choice for the open water and whitewater of the north?

[@TightLoops]

Thanks! They are bombproof canoes, and we love their rugged build, but at 100Lbs they are not ideal for trips with long portages!

[@calebstasko]

11:17 made me chuckle haha loved it. Amazing work as always! p.s. where do you source your music for your films? more specifically the ambient stuff?

[@TightLoops]

Thanks, Caleb! Most of it is sourced from free archives! KZbin creator library, freesound.org, Free Music Archive etc.

[@calebstasko]

Tight Loops thanks!

[@jaredliddle3396]

This was an amazing film! You've done a great job of showing what the reality of exploring new territory is like. I'd like to know what kind of canoe you used? I use my gear pretty hard and am a fan of dragging my canoe similarly to the way you two have, but my cheap second-hand canoes suffer from the abuse.

[@TightLoops]

Thanks, Jared! We're dragging it because it weights 100 pounds . But it can definitely take the abuse. Check out this blog post, it might answer some of your questions! tightloopsfly.com/notesfromtheroad/2020/2/6/canoe-tripping-gear-guide

[@mathiskorn]

What a great footage- well done. What kind of filters do you used to get this unique look? Best Mathis

[@TightLoops]

Thanks! And I think we connected on instagram, right? For any one else reading, Mathis was asking about our color grading. We color grade everything to taste, but often use a LUTIFY lut to get a base look.

[@paddlehooked4687]

Well done. Wish there was an hour long version... maybe packed with fishing too.

[@TightLoops]

Thanks! Fishing wasn't great on this trip. We fished every single turn in the river, and only caught a couple fish over a week. The plan was for this to be a "fishing" film. But when we only caught one fish worth talking about, we had to pivot.

[@TightLoops]

Sorry that bugged you. It's a cinematic tool to show distance and time. We're more filmmakers than "how-to" guys. But there's lots of great content out there if thats what you're interested in! Check out @backcountryanglingontario he's done some NASTY portages over the years, and makes great longform films that don't shy away from that stuff.

[@user-xn3dp5lu5l]

Great video! Dont betray in layers as I wanted to the river. I would be very happy if your videos have English subtitles. Thanks.

[@515conman]

How long was the trip? Incredible footage!

[@TightLoops]

thanks! It was a week. Picked up on day 7.

[@fasafishr]

DAMN BLACK FLIES ! LOVE YOUR FILMS

[@TightLoops]

Haha, the worst. Though I've always said that if you're getting bit by blackflies then it means you're right were you want to be; on an adventure. It's all part of the experience! Thanks for the kind words!

[@kylekarwowski2642]

I have heard black flies are a sign of clean water. They are all over the place in the summertime in the UP where I live. There are some beautiful local beaches on the south shore of Superior but if you go out there shirtless in July the flies can flat out ruin your day.

[@kingofbratz3626]

Cool video. Not sure about the fire pit during a strict province wide fire ban though?

[@TightLoops]

Thanks! I also see that you changed this comment several times to strike a more pleasant tone, which is kind of you and I appreciate. You’re 100% correct to bring this up, and hopefully people reading this will pay attention. Firstly, we’re from the American West, where fire is a very serious and seasonal occurrence , so I assure you we take it deadly serious. This trip was very early in the season, July 1st I think. Might even have been the very end of June (I know I put July as a title in there but it’s just my recollection). At the time we flew into the bush, we were instructed that there was no fire ban. We also saw no evidence of fires on our flight in (as you can see in the film). On our second day we woke up to that smoke, with no knowledge of where it was coming from (ended up being about 60 miles away). We were not comfortable having fires during the trip because of how tight the timber was, and it being pretty hot and dry. However, the fire you see in the film was the only fire we had in a week of travel, and we chose only to have it because we were on a very small and wet island in the middle of a very large lake. Day 5 is completely absent from the film because it’s absolutely poured rain the entire time and we couldn’t get our cameras out. The rest of the trip felt safer for fires but we still didn’t have any. Obviously when in the bush we have limited satellite comm to the outside world. When we emerged back to civilization several fires were burning extensively in the province, and though we weren’t told directly I assume there would have been a ban in effect at that point. Aaaaanyway, point is, you’re right, no one should kindle fires during a province wide ban. If we were ignorant to the current orders, we’re very sorry, but we truly were ignorant to them. We acted to the best of our knowledge, and that was very safely. Thanks for the comment though, it’s definitely worth calling people out for bad behavior. The fires in ON we’re devastating to many communities.

[@kingofbratz3626]

@@TightLoops lol sorry yeah. i'm from the area and in law enforcement. it was a crazy year for fires. We take fire bans very seriously. I thought for sure that area was under a strict ban like every where else. The initial edited comment(s) was because the Ministry would likely send you a hefty fine based on your video; they can be that way, and I was going to give you a heads up... I changed it because I sounded disgruntled and snotty... and after watching such an amazing video, didn't feel right. haha. You're obviously covered though. Cheers. New fan here for sure.

[@TightLoops]

I mean here’s the thing, when we went in fire wasn’t really a concern yet (or at least wasn’t on our radar at the time) so we didn’t ask law enforcement directly. We chatted with the outfitter that flew us in etc, but they could have not known. It’s possible we were wrong, but if we were it was just a mistake, not an entitlement or act of defiance. But it’s a good message to share regardless; always ask. That was by far the scariest fire experienced we’ve had. We’ve been around a lot of fires in The States, but always had access to a road. The smoke was so thick that we couldn’t get a plane in if we wanted. Felt pretty helpless. When we were driving home hotels were over booked full of displaced First Nations families from the northern communities. Scary stuff. Anyway, nice chatting! We hope to return to Ontario again soon. It’s achingly beautiful country up there.

[@Jaimelapoesie]

Two new ones this fast?! Stop, save some for later. We're going to be expecting this now that we all have nothing to do...

[@TightLoops]

Haha sorry! This has just been sitting around basically done for months, but never had the time to finish it. Felt good to finally get it out there.

[@fjdkfdfjdf33]

I could tell from the beginning you'd find yourselves in a pickle.

[@TightLoops]

haha. QUITE the pickle

[@BlanketsWilson]

First lol

[@TightLoops]

haha, you got it!