Spit separating Merchants Bay, Lake Winnipeg, from Merchants Lake. Photographer Greg Girard and I camped here with brothers Fred and Alfred Mitchell, commercial walleye fishermen. Poplar River First Nation, Manitoba, Canada. June 14, 2011.

Commercial walleye fishermen on Lake Winnipeg traveling to the Poplar River First Nation fish station with the day's catch. Manitoba, Canada. June 15, 2011.

A commercial walleye fisherman places bins of fish on a conveyor belt outside the Poplar River First Nation fish station. June 15, 2011.

Robin Batenchuk, one of only two women from the Poplar River First Nation who skipper their own boats in the commerical walleye fishery. Twenty-three years old, Robin is also the youngest skipper in the Poplar River fleet. Here she's dressing fish she caught earlier the same day. She's also removing and setting aside cheeks--a delicacy--for her grandfather. June 15, 2011.

Willard Bittern, Perreault Bruce, and Ernest Bruce study the river to determine whether we can make it up the rapids in small motor-driven aluminum boats and canoes. Prudence triumphed. We portaged. Poplar River First Nation, Manitoba, Canada. June 17, 2011.

Six-year-old Autumn Bruce and her grandparents, Ernest and Jocelyn Bruce, head up the Poplar River on a camping trip, Poplar River First Nation, Manitoba, Canada. June 17, 2011.