It’s been many years since I’ve fished the McTavish Arm, so this trip to Arctic Circle Lodge was going to be something of a homecoming for both me, and fishing partner Kenny Gold.

Just Once!

That’s right, just once I would like to check in at the airport without some sort hassle!

While we have published a number expedition logs, or trip journals as we call them over the years, it’s not often that we come across one detailing a trip on the lake during the winter months.

Although we don’t have much in the way of detail regarding just who these hardy adventurers are, one thing we do know is that they hail from Great Britain, and are experienced Arctic travellers, having done something similar on Great Slave Lake a couple of years prior to this adventure. In fact, one or more of this group may have also travelled to Antarctica.

Over the course of 11 days, they walked and skied approximately 102.4 nautical miles – or approximately 118 statute miles (a nautical mile is equivalent to 1.1508 statute miles) – across the frozen surface of the lake from Cape MacDonnell, down the Keith Arm to Deline.

You Really Can Get There from Here - Eventually

I’m pretty sure that anyone who has visited Great Bear Lake, either as an angler, guide, canoeist, naturalist, prospector or whatever, has a story to tell, and in this section we are going to be featuring your short stories or anecdotes - and by "short" we mean about 500 words or less.

While at times it seems to fly by, a year is actually a very long time – particularly between our fishing trips to Great Bear Lake.

Anything can, and sometimes does happen that threatens to throw a wrench into our plans, but in 2012, not unlike the previous thirty plus years for many us, the fates were once again in our corner, we overcame the odds, and would soon be gathering in Edmonton on the first leg of our journey to the "Bear."

The demise of a “northern” urban legend regarding the possible whereabouts of the original Air Force 1.

For many, a trip to Great Bear Lake is likely to be a "once in a lifetime" experience, and unless you are an experienced Arctic traveler, preparing for a trip of this kind, takes a fair amount of thought and planning.

Environmental conditions can run to extremes, and changes in the weather are at times measured in minutes or hours, rather than days. It can get downright hot, and ice and snow are not unheard of throughout the short Arctic summer.

The fish you catch will challenge your skill and equipment in ways you may have never encountered, and if you happen to forget some critical item, like your medication or prescription glasses, it's one hell of a long walk to the nearest pharmacy or optician.