In The Muskoka Territory: A Narrative Analysis

Yet another account, written less than a week later, from In the Muskoka Territory: The Fortunes and Misfortunes of a Party of Holleyites on a Canadian Canoeing and Fishing Expedition, New York Holley Standard July 24, 1902:
The Standard last week abandoned a party of five Holley fishermen on the shores of Muskoka lake, leaving them in the throes of preparation for a week's canoeing trip, and with an implied promise of some further account of their adventures.
A greener lot of tenderfeet never invaded Canadian wilds. Some had enjoyed camping and fishing in a comfortable civilized way, but none of them knew much of the character of the expedition they were planning...... on the return portage back through Crane and Blackstone to Lake Joseph
The next camp was on Crane Lake, which with its neighbor, Blackstone lake, are reputed to afford the finest Muskinonge fishing in the Muskoka district. Part of an afternoon devoted to fishing in Crane lake yielded a fine seven-pound yellow pike, and some bass but not a 'lunge. But at sundown after supper, two of the party sneaked away by themselves with a canoe, and in less than an hour come back with three fair-sized 'lunge, and two or three pickerel.
Though there was no almanac in the camp to prove it by there was a dim suspicion afloat the next morning that the day was Sunday out where they keep track of the days.
An easy day was planned - a leisurely trip over into Blackstone lake to the last camping place, where we purposed to devote all of Monday and Tuesday forenoon to the capture of several hundred pounds of big fish to take out as trophies for a triumphant home-coming. But after dinner an inventory of the commissary department showed little left but a small chunk of salt pork and a few potatoes. A previous raid on the solitary farm house the others side of the lake, had yielded nothing but on loaf of bread and a few quarts of milk which had been consumed at dinner. There were plenty of fresh fish, but after fish morning, noon and night for nearly a week, one does not look forward longingly to two days of exclusive fish diet. So we packed up and made the eight-mile journey – including three miles of portaging – out to Gordon Bay, grub and
civilization.

Percy St. Michael-Podmore, a well travelled British sportsman and adventurer, published two books about his traveling experiences and recommendations to other would-be travellers. The books, in their time, were well read. St. Michael-Podmore visited Crane and Blackstone Lakes in September 1902.
In A Sporting Paradise, Percy St. Michael-Podmore, 1904:
EXTRACTS from Notes. Friday. — “It has been very hot to-day. We fished during the morning in Blackstone Lake. Mac had a 35-lbs. maskinonge on his line. The incident was remarkable. Having hooked a small bass, he was playing it toward the boat, when this huge fish struck, grasping the bass with a grip of iron. During the afternoon I landed upon some of the islands and shot about a dozen ruffed grouse. My friend's catch for the day bumped the scale at 30 lbs.
After listing his experiences with fishing on the Muskoka Lakes, Whitefish Lake, Horseshoe Lake and Windfall Lake he states:
I am of opinion that no fishing can be found on the face of the globe to compare with
Blackstone and Crane Lakes. I tried all the famous spots in this neighbourhood, and during previous visits I have explored the fishing-grounds of Lake Joseph, Lake Rosseau and Lake Muskoka, but Crane Lake stands first in my estimation as a region beyond the tramp of trippers, townsmen, and objectionables. Here one realises [sic] freedom, health, and enjoyment.
He points out Crane Lake especially as, in 1902 there was just George and Caroline Vankoughnett with a new born child, just the bare beginnings of a homestead.
And more from another book of St. Michael-Podmore, Rambles and Adventures in Australasia, Canada, India, &c, 1909
Crane Lake and Blackstone Lake are my favourite fishing waters. The route is by steamer to
Port Sandfield and Gordon Bay, and then by canoe with a guide or by waggon [sic] road through the bush from Port Cockburn.
Fish are most abundant in these waters, and a good catch is certain even to inexperienced anglers. Green frogs and minnows are the best bait. Pickerel, black bass, and maskinonge afford excellent sport. We were content to average about thirty pounds' weight daily, though others, of the “terror type,” boasted of slaying one hundred pounds' weight. Deer, bear, and wolf are to be procured in the backwoods of this locality, though they are not to be compared in numbers to Timagami. Dave Lawson, a forester, told me that he was chased by wolves one winter near Blackstone Lake. He shot his two deer during a hunt of three and a half hours. Lawson saw the traces of several moose in this
neighbourhood.
Also in Rambles and Adventures from his last trip to Blackstone and Crane in 1904. (Note the mention of One Tree Island and this is perhaps the first recording of the name of Blackstone's smallest island):
On May 21st, 1904, while trolling off One Tree Island, with some 30 yds. of line astern, I felt a crunch at the spoon, and the line began to slip away from the reel at a terrible pace. I had hooked a huge maskinonge. The fight for ten minutes was the most exciting of my life. The first run would have snapped my line had we not backed the boat gently. This sent us into deep water. Two or three times I managed to turn his head and reel in the slack-line, but, by foolishly under-estimating the weight of the fish, he snapped the hook and got away.