Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Canada Fly In Lakes?

I have never flown into a 'fly in", lake. I was fishing the years back with a young man that talked about encountering a boat around a point on a fly in lake to them. When the Yankees asked how they got into the lake, the response was, "Our 4x4 is parked around the corner".

Do you fish lakes that take some knowledge, or skill to launch a boat? If so, how do you do it?

Fly-in Lakes are generally referred to locally as outpost camps. They are owned by an outfitter that has to pay a fee per year to the Ministry of Natural Resources. The vast majority of them are located on great walleye fishing lakes. Several years ago the MNR increased the rental rates so dramaticly that many were closed down and abandoned. Also logging operations came so close to many of them it made for easy access by locals. I don't know of very many of them that couldn't be reached with a little ingenuity and willingness for hard work i,e, portaging.

I was once invitided on one of these trips by friends of mine from Minneapolis--They had arranged to rent an outpost camp and fly-in and stopped by my house on the way to the outfitters float plane base. I don't like flying so I told them I would drive and hike in--there was some small delay on their flight so I had supper of fresh fish ready by the time they got there.

You sound like a good friend Karl, and you have that Canuck savvy.

We have had very good experiences flying north out of Red Lake. I would like to shake the hand of someone who drove or walked to some of the lakes that we have fished.

John, just for the sake of oneryness , do you think the Wright Brothers were the first to fish those lakes? (broad smile!)

I have always said that it would be wonderful to have the means to have a float helicopter to set down on some of the small lakes that we overfly.

Lakes like that John, I've had the pleasure of being a guest on one, it rained walleyes for a time. Well, it seemed like it to me, I was rigging my line while the others were keeping the air wet landing the fish.

Here's a little something to consider Richard. The area north of Red Lake is considered part of the 'Near North'--the Hudson Bay Company had good detailed maps of all that country from the 1760's long before the Wright Brothers flying bicycle.
In his journal of 1784 Sir Edward Umpfreevile complained about his Indian guide wasting 2 days fishing at Wabinosh Bay on Lake Nipigon. When questioned about it the Indian guide replied it was the best fishing spot on the whole trip between Nipigon and Fort Garry {Winnepeg}.
Wabinosh Bay is my personel favorite fishing spot in the whole world--it still ain't easy to get there and I frequently see float planes land there for a few hours fishing,

Karl, it is Karl?, I forget so much, the Americans love to think of Canadian fishing as "Big water", and it can be and is that.

When I see a fellow still in work clothes, on Friday after five afternoon, gassing up his old pickup, and old small outboard, that is the man I'd like to go fishing with. Those small, "secret", lakes are what I have learned to be the most fun to be on. Also, you don't need to spend $50,000 to do it.

We should go fishing someday, the good time might be worth more than all the pickerel in Ontario.

We should go fishing Richard--you are welcome here anytime--I have boats and motors here and even a small cabin for you to stay in. I am however, about a 6 hr drive East of Wabigoon.
It's been several years since I've been out Wabigoon way--I once managed a forest fire at Amstel Lake North of Dryden and I did some guiding up around Savant Lake back in the 80's.
I know you have some great walleye fishing out that way but I have big,big Lakers here and I live within 3 miles of where the world record Speck was caught.

Karl, that six hours is the rub. Still, it is something we should do, "someday"!

I use to fly out of Nakina. Good fishing. A wonderful vacation.

Bob, the idea is to fish the lakes with lighter pressure without the expense, or spending days on one lake. I you know how to get into the lake, somehow other than paying a float plane it is less expensive, and a lot of fun.

Have fished a good bit of water all over Canada. Miss the great fishing and scenery and the people were very friendly
Savant Lake?

Used drive up there from Wisconsin in the 1970's and get in there with canoes and fish Savant and portage into other lakes in the area. Some big pike. I remember portaging in to Rock Cliff lake. Big walleyes and nice brook rtout up to 5 lbs. That was in 1975 through 1978. I think started getting pressure. We then in later years in the 1980's and 90's would find a float plane and lash our canoes to side of float plane and pay to fly us in remote lakes and pick us up a week later. We used 2 hp motors and Grumman square back canoes

Would love to get back up there and fish the area.

ribka, go for it, as they say, "Enjoy yourself, it's later than you think." The Yankee dollar is strong against the loonie, fish safely!

Richard, I love those Canadian lakes and the fly-ins even more. As John noted getting to most of these on foot, going through the dog hair surrounding these lakes, one would have to be a snake.

But, man, is there any better past time in the autumn of one's life than to be in a boat with good company that can net your 'eyes for you?!

One of the major factors to access to a lot of Outpost Lakes was the logging buisness. Logging pays to build the roads. I would say the hieght of the logging buisness occured during the 1980's. The MNR tried to help by restricting access to some of these roads but there are ways around that.
The logging Industry has been on a down hill slide since then. We've had something like 30 pulp and paper mills close down with the subsequent loss of population. Logging roads fall apart pretty fast when the maintenance stops and I have noticed a lot of lakes I use to drive right up to require a lot more work to get to.
ribka talked about Savant Lake. In the 70's Great Lakes Paper had 3--100 man camps in close proximity to that town--there were a couple of well-known fly-In operations a couple of gas stations and convience stores a Hotel and Motel and grocery store. Now there is nothing left but a small general store. It looks like a ghost town.
Same story all over Northwestern Ontario. A lot less access and a lot less fishing pressure.

That sounds right Karl, I drove an Olds station wagon to a lake in the late 80's, no problem. . Five years ago, I scratched the pickup some going down the same trail. The trees had grown in that much.
One thing about it, there a lot, a lot, of lakes to chose from.

It is always good to hear your input on there matters, you know your "stuff".

Over the last five plus decades I have had the pleasure to fish a wide swath across NW Ontario, Ear Falls, Sioux Lookout, Atikokan, Ignace, Savant, Terrace Bay, and WaWa. I have a friend that has owned several camps over the years and the first year at a new location he waited till ice up then explored and ice fished by snow machine then decided which lakes were worth the effort to get a boat into. Logging roads north of Terrace Bay opened a lot of access for us.

Wabigoon, I have only fished a couple of lakes in Ontario, High Wind Lake and the Indian Lake Chain. I'm fortunate to be able to drive up again in about a week, and plan on exploring some new(to me) territory. Crossing at Fort Francis, I'll be starting at Brownie Lake for smallmouth, Indian Lake Lake ,walleye and pike for a couple of days, and then up to Red Lake, Stormer, and Kirkness Lake for walleye and pike. I have reservations for this first have of the trip. I can't say enough good things about the people at Indian Lake Lodge. Lance and Cheryl make it a very special place.

Once I leave Stormer, I want to head east through Thunder Bay, Nipigon, and WaWa. Does you have any recommendations for road accessible trout fishing along that route?

I'll cross again at Sault Ste Marie, and then back home. It is a long trip from North Georgia, so I want to see as much as I can. I truly love Canada and it's people.

Thanks!