Page 1
Page 2
Page 3
Page 4
Page 5
Page 6
Page 7
Page 8
Page 9
Page 10
Page 11
Page 12
Page 13
Page 14
Page 15
Page 16
Page 17
Page 18
Page 19
Page 20
Page 21
Page 22
Page 23
Page 24
24TuesdayMarch262013AnglerssoakupsunshineatannualshingderbyByMEAGANWOHLBERGEventheunluckiestsher-manhadnothingtocomplainaboutatthisyearsFortSmithshingderbyastheperfectweatherandsunshinemadetheeventalmostlikeabeachgetaway-ifyoucouldcloseyoureyesandforgetaboutthesnowforasecond.Temperaturesaroundthe-1Crangecoupledwithacloudlessskyhadiceshersloungingontheirsnowmo-bilesacrosstheNatawaLakearea-thethreelakesincludedintheFortSmithderby-withtheirlinesstrunglazilyacrossabranchorrodsstuckintothenearbymeltingsnowpack.PilotMichaelGoehlerwasthebigwinneroftheweekendcatchingthelargestjackshwhichweighedinatover18lbs.HisprizewasatripfortwotoEdmontonfromNorthwesternAirLeaseNWAL-hisem-ployer-alongwiththemuch-covetedbraggingrights.ZackMacArthurwonthebiggesttroutwhichwasjustover5lbs.The500cashdoorprizewenttoCamPhillips.Over65participantsreg-isteredinthisyearsderbywithmanymorecomingalongjusttoenjoythedaywithoutdroppingaline.Morethanlastyearmanyewouttothelakesratherthanmakethetwo-hourtrekbysnowmo-bilefromFortSmith.NWALbroughtout25passengerson10tripsaltogetherthroughouttheweekendfromFridayeveningtoSundayafternoon.WesaidwedhaulthemuntilpeopledidntwanttogoanymoreNWALgen-eralmanagerBrianHarroldsaidwithalaugh.HarroldsaidNWALhasbeensendingpeopleoutonflightsforsolonghecantrememberwhentheystarted.Itsgoodforthecommu-nityandthatswhywedoithesaidnotingthatitsnotamoney-makerbyanystretchoftheimagination.Youhaveelderswhodontwanttogo80kmbyskidoosothatwaywegetSportsRecreationFishingthemouttheretheycanwanderarounddoabitofshingandgetbackontheland.Thatsthemostim-portantthing.Thosewhodidoptforthesnowmobilejourneyhadabumpyridebutplentyofsun-shineandevensomewildlifeontheway.YoucouldnthaveaskedforbetterweatherHarr-oldsaid.MackynnenMacDonaldTaylorshowsoffoneofthethreeshhehauledoutoftheiceofBlackmanLakeonthesunnySaturday.The5year-oldwastheeventsyoungestangler.HilaryTurkotriesherluckatsnaggingabigonenearthegranitecliffsofBlackmanLake.AvidshermanDonMacDonaldspentFridaytoSundayoutonthelakes.KarenPalmerMarie-ChristineDallaireandChelseaVanTolwishforshonNatawaLakenearthejudgescamp.ThegirlsewinforthedayonaNorthwesternAiright.GeneviveCotdreamsofshasshereclinesonhersnowmobilewhileshingonSaturdayevening.ANorthwesternAirLeasepilotdropsoffanotherloadofshingenthusiastsonNatawaLakeonSaturdayafternoon.Theairlinebrought10loadstotalling25passengerstothethreelakes80kmnortheastofFortSmithovertheweekend.PhotosMeaganWohlberg