“Rainy Lake is the best lake that there is,” said Denis “Barny” Barnard as he sat–fishing rod in hand–waiting for a bite last Friday afternoon.
And with that love of the lake, Barnard has started a new business venture–Barny’s Fishing, Guiding, and Cabin Security.
Whether it’s sunny and hot or well below the freezing mark, the 51-year-old plans to spend all his time on the lake. He’s been an avid fisherman since he was a kid, spending hours fishing with his father, who also ran a guiding business.
Pulling up to a spot he recognized, Barnard searched a reef for walleye. “This is where the biggest walleye ever caught on Rainy Lake was,” he said as he watched the scanner for fish slowly floating over the rocks below.
Moving on, he pointed out landmarks, from beaver dams to underwater reefs, and the stories that go with them–his stories and those of others.
Barnard appears to know the lake like the back of his hand but, as he cruised along, he suddenly slowed down, circling with interest to check out the features of a reef he hadn’t noticed.
“I think I’ve been in every bay in Rainy Lake and every time I go out, I discover something new,” he remarked.
Barnard can be spotted anywhere on the lake with his brand new boat, a combination of Mercury and Lund equipment he’s driving for Pinewood Sports, which will be sold this fall as a demo.
He always is willing to guide, whether for amateurs or experts, who want to be led to the hot spots. He’s led groups from across Canada and the U.S., spending at least four days a week on the water with patient–and not-so-patient–anglers.
“One guy said, ‘How can there be so much water and no fish,’” Barnard recalled.
Canadian Tire owner Ray Engelbertink is among those who have hired Barny for an outing.
“It was excellent,” he said Tuesday. “We had a lot of fun and we caught a lot of fish, which is exactly what you want because I’m not an experienced angler.”
Customers also can enjoy their catch with a shore lunch cooked over an open fire.
“A lot of them like the shore lunch,” Barnard said. “When I’m on the lake, I do the cooking. When we go home, my wife has her own special way of cooking walleye.”
Deftly filleting the fish and serving up a meal of fries, beans, and battered fish. “I wish I had a dollar for every fish I’ve filleted,” he laughed.
Barnard also has been preparing for the upcoming Fort Frances Canadian Bass Championship later this month, which he fishes with longtime partner Clint Barton, hoping to find the right hole to catch the winning stringer.
“My theory is get to your spot and get to your fish as fast as you can,” he explained.
But fishing isn’t the only thing Barnard does on the lake. Over the past four months, the recently-retired Fort Frances OPP officer has been steadily increasing his cabin security business, checking up on homes and cottages when the owners are away.
“I want to do it wherever, whenever,” explained Barnard, who hopes to check on cottages and homes surrounding Rainy Lake, Lake of the Woods, and even right in town.
With years of experience leading criminal investigations and his knowledge of the lake, Barnard will take to the water or ice to check on properties on a weekly basis.
While most of the business will be during the winter, checking on cabins by snowmachine, Barnard said he would be happy to do anything that keeps him on the lake.
“If they want to order a pizza, give me a call,” he laughed. “It might be a pretty expensive pizza, though.”
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
