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."

While Great Bear Lake can certainly frustrate you at times, it is also capable of producing the kind of fishing experience that most of us can only dream about.

Please enjoy this story about one such experience.

Have you ever wondered how the places you have fished, or otherwise visited on and around Great Bear Lake came by their names?

Do you happen to know what Peter Warren Dease, Edward Smith, Robert McVicar, John George McTavish, and George Keith all have in common?

Heading back to the lodge after yet another day of remarkable Pike fishing on the Whitefish River, my fishing partner and I decided this was not the time to turn our backs to the wind, so we spun our seats around so we could watch the splendor of Great Bear Lake unfold in front of us, as our boat cut a path across the glass like surface of the water.

Ryan O’Donnell is a financial advisor as well as a professional fishing guide who divides his time between guiding on Great Bear Lake in the Northwest Territories, and the Lake of the Woods area in northwestern Ontario. He not only cooked up a batch of this delicious fish one day at shore lunch, but was also kind enough to share his recipe.

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.