NW Ontario Trip

[pinelakeperch]

Booked a 5 day trip in NW Ontario with Halley's Camps. Can't wait for some trophy smallie and walleye fishing!

[Poppa]

Booked a 5 day trip in NW Ontario with Halley's Camps. Can't wait for some trophy smallie and walleye fishing!

Might not be a better place on earth to fish, IMO. Wife and I are doing a 2-part honeymoon this year. Part one is in a couple weeks in Manitoba, ice fishing all over the southern division. Part 2 is 3 days at Perch Bay Resort outside Kenora going for smallies, largies, muskies, pike and walleye....can't freaking WAIT. There's just nothing like Canadian Shield fishing.

[pinelakeperch]

Might not be a better place on earth to fish, IMO. Wife and I are doing a 2-part honeymoon this year. Part one is in a couple weeks in Manitoba, ice fishing all over the southern division. Part 2 is 3 days at Perch Bay Resort outside Kenora going for smallies, largies, muskies, pike and walleye....can't freaking WAIT. There's just nothing like Canadian Shield fishing.

That's awesome! I've seen the signs for Perch Bay Resort while driving into Kenora for trips with Halley's Camps in the past. Have fun!

[Gbuss]

If you guys need any info on the area I grew up their fishing both just outside pearch bay on the river and on lake of the woods. Also I know of some really good lake trout fishing about 1hr out of kenora. Shoot me a PM

Gbuss

[pinelakeperch]

If you guys need any info on the area I grew up their fishing both just outside pearch bay on the river and on lake of the woods. Also I know of some really good lake trout fishing about 1hr out of kenora. Shoot me a PM

Gbuss

Thanks for reaching out! We've actually done this trip about ten times and are fairly familiar with the area as is. Would definitely be interested in any shore fishing spots you have.

What a lucky guy you are growing up in a playground like that.

[Gbuss]

Thanks for reaching out! We've actually done this trip about ten times and are fairly familiar with the area as is. Would definitely be interested in any shore fishing spots you have.

What a lucky guy you are growing up in a playground like that.

Are you guys flying out of minaki

[pinelakeperch]

Are you guys flying out of minaki

You bet. River Air.

[Gbuss]

If you guys have time befor your flight I would fish below the dam their is some really nice walleye their.

[JD848]

Booked a 5 day trip in NW Ontario with Halley's Camps. Can't wait for some trophy smallie and walleye fishing!

I fished a Halley's camps for 45 years or near there camp,Old Louis Halley was a crazy bugger, me and a native kid show up there to guide below white dog dam.

Louis grabbed the other kid and told him I told you to get a hair cut next time you come,grabed the guy by the neck layed his head on the chopping block and with one whack of an axe cut off about 8 inches of hair,very first 5 minutes I met him. Jean and George were his sons,Jean is Around ,but George is past away,we drank a ton of whisky together ,plus they own ten other camps and River air in Minaki .

I ran an 1890 pro v on the English river system guiding for my self for a few summers around Kettle falls ,one man lake, white dog dam, umperville lake, separation who is owned by Jim Jordan up on Sepration a good friend who died two years ago, I won 6 tournaments in five years up there.

Big walleyes on the sturgeon river, plus big walleyes on the English river, you need a guide or a rubber bottom end because it's been flooded out and there's lots of real estate you can hit or old floating logs.

I would run from whitedog dam all the way up to manerd falls about a 125 mile ride one way and if your off by ten feet or less your inn trouble,i know it better then 99.9 percent of the guys,plus there's places 5 to 9 miles wide,it's a large body of water.

I paid and old trapper ,who has a cabin on narrow lake off separation lake 75 bucks per day,he was 85 years old and lived there 70 years till he died at 95.

I bought maps and he show me a few fishing spots,but I wanted to leaned the river sytsem,so he spent 3 weeks in my boat with me.He saved me 10 years of scouting and no bottom ends and 70 years of experience no one had, I also trapped on Lake of the woods on my brothers line which was huge, and I know it very well also.To many people on the LOTW.

You will enjoy it and if I know where your at,my boat sits up there all summer ,so maybe catch you up that water.

JD

[pinelakeperch]

If you guys have time befor your flight I would fish below the dam their is some really nice walleye their.

Thanks for the tip! Hopefully we have some time.

I fished a Halley's camps for 45 years or near there camp,Old Louis Halley was a crazy bugger, me and a native kid show up there to guide below white dog dam.

Louis grabbed the other kid and told him I told you to get a hair cut next time you come,grabed the guy by the neck layed his head on the chopping block and with one whack of an axe cut off about 8 inches of hair,very first 5 minutes I met him. Jean and George were his sons,Jean is Around ,but George is past away,we drank a ton of whisky together ,plus they own ten other camps and River air in Minaki .

I ran an 1890 pro v on the English river system guiding for my self for a few summers around Kettle falls ,one man lake, white dog dam, umperville lake, separation who is owned by Jim Jordan up on Sepration a good friend who died two years ago, I won 6 tournaments in five years up there.

Big walleyes on the sturgeon river, plus big walleyes on the English river, you need a guide or a rubber bottom end because it's been flooded out and there's lots of real estate you can hit or old floating logs.

I would run from whitedog dam all the way up to manerd falls about a 125 mile ride one way and if your off by ten feet or less your inn trouble,i know it better then 99.9 percent of the guys,plus there's places 5 to 9 miles wide,it's a large body of water.

I paid and old trapper ,who has a cabin on narrow lake off separation lake 75 bucks per day,he was 85 years old and lived there 70 years till he died at 95.

I bought maps and he show me a few fishing spots,but I wanted to leaned the river sytsem,so he spent 3 weeks in my boat with me.He saved me 10 years of scouting and no bottom ends and 70 years of experience no one had, I also trapped on Lake of the woods on my brothers line which was huge, and I know it very well also.To many people on the LOTW.

You will enjoy it and if I know where your at,my boat sits up there all summer ,so maybe catch you up that water.

JD

Small world! I think this year will be our ninth or tenth time going. We've dealt with Gene and his sons most of the time, but I think I do remember George as well. We'll be fishing Margot this time around.

[JD848]

Thanks for the tip! Hopefully we have some time.



Small world! I think this year will be our ninth or tenth time going. We've dealt with Gene and his sons most of the time, but I think I do remember George as well. We'll be fishing Margot this time around.

I haven't see Gene in ten years and the main lodge is above the dam .

I heard his son is running things and the last I heard was Gene running river air.He is a dam good bush pilot and so was George,they no that area better then anyone,except maybe Neil Walsten ,dam that guy took me on some hairy plane rides in bad weather when we had to emergencies to get people out,heart attacks etc.I flew maybe 100 times with Neil taking me to places.

Out of all the areas I fished in my life, the English river owns my soul, I always gave the resort boats room, never fish there spots or bug any of there guests .It's so big that years ago I would see maybe a camp boat on the water,so I could fish 20 spots per day and never see another person.

Then GPS's came out and some tried to map my routes and ended buying new motors,but that water goes down from dams so you better know the water well.Last year 12 ft low so I never went,but it's back up real good now.

In the fall when all is closed down I use to hunt solo up there running that whole system till it froze up.You make one mistake and you maybe walking for week or more or even die,so when the first sat phones came out,i had one.

But you said your going to MARGOT which is way the hell up by north spirit lake, I fished it once years ago while when doing some work for a mining company.Can't be that northern one,hell that's 300 air mile north, no way Gene is flying that far, so it has to be that the one I am thinking off.

The other margot camp which is not on there web site is an older outpost
on a small lake only 1.5 miles wide ,but it's got good fishing,no one goes into it and your all alone to enjoy it.

I helped built Rowdy lake camp when I was 16 ,we went in this time of year and the ice was late going out and we ran out of food,i think it was George who tried to make and air drop but everything exploded when it hit a tree..

I grabbed a 12 foot boat and portage all the way down the surgeon river into umfrerville lake which was open due the current ,night mare of a trip.Took 5 days due bad ice in spots.
But I learnt how to get way up north and later on 5 years later I did 2 canoe trips solo into the north end of the caribou park,it wasn't a park till the late 80's I think.

Your in around Chase or rex lake area in there territory north of umperville lake .

Have a good trip and enjoy ,the Halley's are nice people and they know there stuff very well. They were the frontiers of that area and Louie or Louis Halley broke trail for a large part of that area. He was a tough old bugger and had no fear of nothing, there was no moss growing under his boots let me tell you.

Cheers



JD

[pinelakeperch]

I haven't see Gene in ten years and the main lodge is above the dam .

I heard his son is running things and the last I heard was Gene running river air.He is a dam good bush pilot and so was George,they no that area better then anyone,except maybe Neil Walsten ,dam that guy took me on some hairy plane rides in bad weather when we had to emergencies to get people out,heart attacks etc.I flew maybe 100 times with Neil taking me to places.

Out of all the areas I fished in my life, the English river owns my soul, I always gave the resort boats room, never fish there spots or bug any of there guests .It's so big that years ago I would see maybe a camp boat on the water,so I could fish 20 spots per day and never see another person.

Then GPS's came out and some tried to map my routes and ended buying new motors,but that water goes down from dams so you better know the water well.Last year 12 ft low so I never went,but it's back up real good now.

In the fall when all is closed down I use to hunt solo up there running that whole system till it froze up.You make one mistake and you maybe walking for week or more or even die,so when the first sat phones came out,i had one.

But you said your going to MARGOT which is way the hell up by north spirit lake, I fished it once years ago while when doing some work for a mining company.Can't be that northern one,hell that's 300 air mile north, no way Gene is flying that far, so it has to be that the one I am thinking off.

The other margot camp which is not on there web site is an older outpost
on a small lake only 1.5 miles wide ,but it's got good fishing,no one goes into it and your all alone to enjoy it.

I helped built Rowdy lake camp when I was 16 ,we went in this time of year and the ice was late going out and we ran out of food,i think it was George who tried to make and air drop but everything exploded when it hit a tree..

I grabbed a 12 foot boat and portage all the way down the surgeon river into umfrerville lake which was open due the current ,night mare of a trip.Took 5 days due bad ice in spots.
But I learnt how to get way up north and later on 5 years later I did 2 canoe trips solo into the north end of the caribou park,it wasn't a park till the late 80's I think.

Your in around Chase or rex lake area in there territory north of umperville lake .

Have a good trip and enjoy ,the Halley's are nice people and they know there stuff very well. They were the frontiers of that area and Louie or Louis Halley broke trail for a large part of that area. He was a tough old bugger and had no fear of nothing, there was no moss growing under his boots let me tell you.

Cheers



JD

You sound like you're very familiar with the area! Lucky guy, I wish I could spend more time around there.

You're right about Margot, it's small lake with an older cabin that isn't advertised on their website. It was advertised a while back, but they only use it for day trips now. We had to do a little sweet talking to get it for five days. We're pretty closely connected to it as we've gone there a few times in the past, and I believe it was the first lake we fished when we went to Halley's for the first time in about '07. We were told that when we fish there in August that we'll be the first people to fish it in 2020. Can't wait!

Great smallmouth bass fishing, and I also caught two 30+in walleyes in a single afternoon there. I remember an evening there in about '08 or '09 where I caught, no word of a lie, close to a hundred smallies casting a shallow diving crayfish. I had to purposely pull it away from the pike as it was the only one I had and I was worried about losing it to a toothy critter. I found the same lure at Scheel's down in Great Falls the winter afterwards and bought about 5 or 6 in different colours. Couldn't catch a cold using them at the same time in the same conditions the summer later :sHa_shakeshout:

[Osky]

I haven't see Gene in ten years and the main lodge is above the dam .

I heard his son is running things and the last I heard was Gene running river air.He is a dam good bush pilot and so was George,they no that area better then anyone,except maybe Neil Walsten ,dam that guy took me on some hairy plane rides in bad weather when we had to emergencies to get people out,heart attacks etc.I flew maybe 100 times with Neil taking me to places.

Out of all the areas I fished in my life, the English river owns my soul, I always gave the resort boats room, never fish there spots or bug any of there guests .It's so big that years ago I would see maybe a camp boat on the water,so I could fish 20 spots per day and never see another person.

Then GPS's came out and some tried to map my routes and ended buying new motors,but that water goes down from dams so you better know the water well.Last year 12 ft low so I never went,but it's back up real good now.

In the fall when all is closed down I use to hunt solo up there running that whole system till it froze up.You make one mistake and you maybe walking for week or more or even die,so when the first sat phones came out,i had one.

But you said your going to MARGOT which is way the hell up by north spirit lake, I fished it once years ago while when doing some work for a mining company.Can't be that northern one,hell that's 300 air mile north, no way Gene is flying that far, so it has to be that the one I am thinking off.

The other margot camp which is not on there web site is an older outpost
on a small lake only 1.5 miles wide ,but it's got good fishing,no one goes into it and your all alone to enjoy it.

I helped built Rowdy lake camp when I was 16 ,we went in this time of year and the ice was late going out and we ran out of food,i think it was George who tried to make and air drop but everything exploded when it hit a tree..

I grabbed a 12 foot boat and portage all the way down the surgeon river into umfrerville lake which was open due the current ,night mare of a trip.Took 5 days due bad ice in spots.
But I learnt how to get way up north and later on 5 years later I did 2 canoe trips solo into the north end of the caribou park,it wasn't a park till the late 80's I think.

Your in around Chase or rex lake area in there territory north of umperville lake .

Have a good trip and enjoy ,the Halley's are nice people and they know there stuff very well. They were the frontiers of that area and Louie or Louis Halley broke trail for a large part of that area. He was a tough old bugger and had no fear of nothing, there was no moss growing under his boots let me tell you.

Cheers



JD

You mention Rowdy lake, were you up that country when Joey Dale had a fishing camp on that lake? Babe Vanesse was on a lake nearby as well. I was first in this area in 69.
How about Berni Lamm, he had the Ball lodge on the English just up north of Grassy Narrows? Very impressive lodge set up back then. Employed that whole settlement I think.
Is it the woodland caribou park your speaking of? I think that actually became a park in the 70's, I know I spent time guiding up on those lakes from 76 on, and went as far up as the Poplar Hill/Little Grand Rapids area it was a park then. That's all the Bloodvein, Keeper, and Berens systems running thru that country to the big lake. To get to them at that time we flew out of The big dock in Kenora.

Osky

[JD848]

You mention Rowdy lake, were you up that country when Joey Dale had a fishing camp on that lake? Babe Vanesse was on a lake nearby as well. I was first in this area in 69.
How about Berni Lamm, he had the Ball lodge on the English just up north of Grassy Narrows? Very impressive lodge set up back then. Employed that whole settlement I think.
Is it the woodland caribou park your speaking of? I think that actually became a park in the 70's, I know I spent time guiding up on those lakes from 76 on, and went as far up as the Poplar Hill/Little Grand Rapids area it was a park then. That's all the Bloodvein, Keeper, and Berens systems running thru that country to the big lake. To get to them at that time we flew out of The big dock in Kenora.

Osky

I built the log camp for BABE and the big dock in Kenora was Neil Walsten air ways,i know rowdy like the back of my hand,infact heading down stream the next lake is BABE lake,plus a bit further north 3 lakes up is Vanesse lake which I cut the first portage to that lake. The woodland caribou park was there in the 70' then it expanded in the 80's.

When I got up there ,there were at least 20 lakes only the odd plane ever fished in them,so Babe had me going steady exploring and taking guys that were into that who didn't mind coming in at dark and cut portage after portage learning those lakes.

Rowdy has been trophy lake for some 25 years now or more and Sydney lake has some great walleye ,trout,pike and bass fishing,then you go of Sydney and there pine needle full of FN'S painting on the rocks from a 1000 years ago, i canoed for 300 miles one summer that whole area.I knew where there was food and where the camps were so it was good time ,plus I did it solo.

I just talked to Babes daughter the other day,i grew up with them people and there related to the Halleys.

Joey Dale sold that cabin on the beach to 3 friends of mine ,there all dead,so I have no clue who owns it,i could find out in one call.

The berens is still great plus the bloodvein,but I don't go up that far unless I rent a plane.

I shoot a nice bull about 35 years ago at Bernie lamm lodge on ball lake and the last time I was at his camp was 20 years ago.

They did logging all around the east side of the park, so I spent plenty of time up there doing my contracts.

I took the contract with BABE to cut the English river road to meet up to a road from RED Lake,Crow rock resort owns Rowdy lake,darn Babe never told me he was selling and I wanted that camp,

Babe was in on a camp with Louis Halley and that's how I met the Halleys.


All those places are just great fishing, Sydney lake you could catch fish after fish all day, Oct 18 1978 me and Babe were trout fishing in a snow storm and it was non stop trout fishing, great adventure as a young guy I will never forget and still going up that way this summer. From Rowdy to Halleys landing is a hell of a trip and I did it with no map.just a piece of paper BABE made out for me going down stream into 8 or 9 lakes then the rivers

When I went scouting alone when there were no guest in camp at Rowdy,i would get the plane to fly me around to get a birds I view of the lakes and reefs ,then I would drag a small boat and motor and cut trails into them and many a night I slept under that 12 foot with a good fire and a trap with my 3030.

It's kinda of a good feeling knowing your maybe the first guy into some of the small lakes planes couldn't land into .Some of them may have never been fished after I split ,guys today want to step into the boat and step out on a dock.


JD

[JohninAB]

Lucky you, I am jealous!

No place like NW Ontario for fishing. Ex was from Sioux Lookout and her family had a cabin on Star Island, Lake Kawaweogama. We flew out of Savant Lake to get there. Walleye fishing was spectacular and the tackle shops were eye openers!

Love the old float planes too and when we were in town I would go to the public beach and sit there and watch the planes take off. Nothing like the sound of the ole Pratt and Whitney radials.

When I hit 60 in a couple of years, going to get a seasonal spot at Ojibway Provincial Park and haul my fifth wheel and boat out and spend the summer. Be fishing for smallies, Muskie, pike, Lakers and walleyes. Minnitaki, Lac Seul, Big and Little Vermilion, Deception and so on. So many lakes, so little time!

[JD848]

The English River is very long and lac seul is part of it . From ear falls to Hudson or Sioux Lookout is about 130 mile ,I drove plenty of times by boat,

From 1995 to 2012 I spent all My time in that north of Lac Seul so and Sioux Lookout ,you can tell your wife I put my truck into frog rapids when a semi hit it and dumped it in the rapids ,I wasn't in it. He hit another truck and they bounced into mine and over the bank,there's good fishing there by the bridge.but when seen my truck float by I almost crapped my pants.

That whole east side right to silver dollar up to savant I did reforestation so every year I was all over the darn place. I spent time in the hospital in 1984 Sioux after get hurt north of lac seul doing a slash for a road from Sioux lookout to ear fall around the back of lac seul, not far from slate fall reserve .

Yes it great fishing all trough there so when my wife was transferred to Winnipeg I went back pipelining and I miss those area's so much,it's like I lost my best friend,but I will go back.

When I hit Manitoba even though the big lake has some very big walleyes ,I can't stand seeing 300 trucks all around me so I only fished it once.i need the solitude of not have others around and the same with hunting I refuse the hunt where others are driving by so I still go back up to kenora and hunt my old spots even though it's not that great of hunting I enjoy walking all old spots,i just like to see the lake and the smell of it all,there's a unique smell to the air and it's very relaxing.

You cabin is straight east of savant lake, I's just lake after lake all through there and some good moose hunting, the four winds hotel in savant lake we had ball in that little town,some very ill mornings ,no other place to go.

JD

[Osky]

To the OP. Should be a great trip. That area has terrific fishing and as you know is far enough south to have smallmouth. Interestingly last summer I caught a couple smallies in the Berens, all the way up by Poplar Hill. Never seen them up there before. When I was young in that English River area a 1/8-1/4 oz jig with a fuzzy white and blue body was all you needed, walleyes couldn't resist them. Pike were nuts for Red Eye and Doctor spoons.

JD. My first year in to Rowdy when Joey had it was a bare board camp in 67. 68 was Babes camp on Babes lake, it was plywood platforms with canvas tent works on top. The eating/fishing shack was plywood to help keep bears out. Babe also had a big St. Bernard dog to help keep bears off as well. By 74 or so I was up in the caribou park country. The government was trying to force camp owners out but didn't succeed. Most camps up in that country were owned by Glen McLeod and Edwin Showalter. Both out of Nestor Falls at that time, Showalter is now in Ear Falls with his operation.
Glen McLeod had Larus Lake, one of the most incredible walleye lakes on the planet, and then he added One Pine, Mallette, Cairns, and Herod all farther north. I scouted in those lakes for Glen tho he did some of his own. Glen sold out all of his camps 35 years ago to Davey Beaushene of Nestor Falls who added Malahar lake farther up Keeper, Lount on the English River and a few others. Daveys operation Is Nestor Falls Fly In Outposts and I never thought I'd see such incredible modern camps out in the wilderness like he has. He runs prop jet Otters up there. Quick and smooth.
These last 20 years I have been up there a bit but more farther up toward Favourable and Deer Lake area up and over to Trout. Other than those more west into the territories. I've always had that urge to wander.
I recall the first days out of Kenora taking a Beach 18, an Otter or Beaver, or that Gruman Goose. Shaking, rattling, noisy old buggars and when they fueled up it seemed they put just as much oil in for the engines as they did gas. There was even a time back in the 70's when Northwest flight out of Nestir Falls was taking fishing groups to the Arctic Circle to fish Char. I was not asked to guide on any of those trips so I never had the chance to go. Thinking back on a few flights I probably never should have been on I Think someone has been smiling down on me.
My apologizes to Pike... for waxing on about the old days on your thread.

Osky

[JD848]

There were two camps on rowdy when I got there The bare board camp that Jeoy owned Was the one I stayed in while building and cutting logs for what is now Rowdy lake camp,Rodger ,Babes brother still goes up there often.
The St Bernard drown out front in a plane crash.You can see it from CROW ROCK RESORTS OUTPOSTS CAMPS. The other is a cabin tucked back of a beach which may have been built the year before I got there.I just called Babes son and he and I are going into a lake called Daniels,big horken trout in that bugger,i caught two in the 38 to 40 LB range and I know there is way big.One guy got a 58 pounder so I know there in there.


That otter was number 2 ever made cashed at salveson lake some years ago,i was asked to guide those hunters ,but I bwas usy so I said no,8 people died,i flew in that thing lotsa trips.The beaver also lost a door when I was in it after take of ,it's in 175 feet of water in front of Rowdy lake camp,there's 3 cabins we built in 75 or77,the years go by so fast I can't remember the exact time.

All the guys the camps you mentioned sold to others or americans I don't know,Mcleod bought Grassy lake lodge ,then Dale his son I guess bought it.
The twin beach I think is still around maybe.Lount got sold to crash air.,wild Bill owned it then I don't know who got it.That twin beach would shake so bad and back fire lotsa guest where scared to fly in it

I am hijacking the OP'S THREAD,so I apologize ,but he is going to very nice lake which I spent two days on in a tent on the ice,35 years ago and the fishing was great.There some very nice bass in that lake.

Cheers
JD

[pinelakeperch]

I’m loving the stories. Keep them coming!

[Wes_G]

You mention Rowdy lake, were you up that country when Joey Dale had a fishing camp on that lake? Babe Vanesse was on a lake nearby as well. I was first in this area in 69.
How about Berni Lamm, he had the Ball lodge on the English just up north of Grassy Narrows? Very impressive lodge set up back then. Employed that whole settlement I think.
Is it the woodland caribou park your speaking of? I think that actually became a park in the 70's, I know I spent time guiding up on those lakes from 76 on, and went as far up as the Poplar Hill/Little Grand Rapids area it was a park then. That's all the Bloodvein, Keeper, and Berens systems running thru that country to the big lake. To get to them at that time we flew out of The big dock in Kenora.

Osky

Did you ever make it into Sabourin?

[Osky]

Yes Wes I have been thru sabouren. It is the next lake north of a lake called Larus lake. I say thru because I have paddled thru and gone on up thru the lakes and finally to Moar lake and on east thru Manitoba to lake Winnipeg by canoe. I may have dropped a line going thru for dinner I don't recall. I do not fool much with lakes that have operations on them which don't involve me, just a courtesy thing if you will.
Many people canoe that route out of Red Lake up thru to the Berens River at Moar Lake then west down the Berens to Lake Winnipeg. I used to accompany some Euro groups doing that.
The fishing is probably good in San because Larus lake just above it is incredible for Walleye. There are two beautiful cabins on Larus in two spots owned by Nestor Falls Fly in Outposts. I never dreamed such amenities could be that far in the bush. In the mid 70's you could honestly stringer any amount of walleyes there over 7 pounds in a day tons over 10 Nd the biggest I recall was 13 maybe? But the sheer numbers... It went way down until the Nestor bought it and went catch and release 30 some years ago, now they are catching whoppers again, eat the small ones. I always caught terrific pike in that lake as well.
I have flown over Sanbourn a ton going farther up, the lodge is kind of on the northeast shore and And looks sharp tho I never see many boats off the beach or out on the lake. I sorta figured it was a very private deal?
Back 40 years ago it was pretty often you would see the caribou swimming in those waters I'm not sure anymore. I think that Park is far enough from the FN settlements where they are safe. Nearer those settlements the Bou and Moose are pretty well wiped out.
I was on a flight up into that area probably 30 years or so ago with a group in a Beach 18 out of Nestor. Not nearly the avionics on board as standard today. The cloud got heavy and dark and we were too far up to quit so as the rain started we descended gradually to stay under the ceiling. Terrific pilot by the name of Clifford at the controls, an unshakable Indian. We kept going, couldn't see anything, gradually dropping lower and lower until I looked at Clifford next to me and he was staring hard ahead and fidgeting his hands, not good. Then I started to hear tree tops hitting the floats on the plane and right about that time I could just make out water ahead. Clifford straightened up in his seat, I remembered to breath and we scooted right down onto that lake which was where we were headed. My group in the back never did realize how close that one ended up.

Osky

[Gbuss]

There were two camps on rowdy when I got there The bare board camp that Jeoy owned Was the one I stayed in while building and cutting logs for what is now Rowdy lake camp,Rodger ,Babes brother still goes up there often.
The St Bernard drown out front in a plane crash.You can see it from CROW ROCK RESORTS OUTPOSTS CAMPS. The other is a cabin tucked back of a beach which may have been built the year before I got there.I just called Babes son and he and I are going into a lake called Daniels,big horken trout in that bugger,i caught two in the 38 to 40 LB range and I know there is way big.One guy got a 58 pounder so I know there in there.


That otter was number 2 ever made cashed at salveson lake some years ago,i was asked to guide those hunters ,but I bwas usy so I said no,8 people died,i flew in that thing lotsa trips.The beaver also lost a door when I was in it after take of ,it's in 175 feet of water in front of Rowdy lake camp,there's 3 cabins we built in 75 or77,the years go by so fast I can't remember the exact time.


All the guys the camps you mentioned sold to others or americans I don't know,Mcleod bought Grassy lake lodge ,then Dale his son I guess bought it.
The twin beach I think is still around maybe.Lount got sold to crash air.,wild Bill owned it then I don't know who got it.That twin beach would shake so bad and back fire lotsa guest where scared to fly in it

I am hijacking the OP'S THREAD,so I apologize ,but he is going to very nice lake which I spent two days on in a tent on the ice,35 years ago and the fishing was great.There some very nice bass in that lake.

Cheers
JD


If you are talking about Daniel's lake off the Gordon lake road I can confirm the really large trout. Also my step dad was the mnr fire fighter out their since 95 and used to open up the fire camp on separation lake up on the english river road all the time. I used to fish that lake too as a kid. Ma. I miss that area. As a kid I would walk to all the small lakes arround kenora to fish. At the age of 10 I would fish from morning to night every day I was not in school. Alberta has me missing those day.

Gbuss

[Osky]

I look forwards to JD words on Daniel lake. I know of some of the lakes mentioned but have not spent time over there. I personally know nothing of Daniel lake tho somewhere back in my foggy mind I think I recall someone speaking of going in there ice fishing?
To JD.... You sent me a note I look forward to speaking with you when I can. Here at my northern MN place I get data connection far better than the hit and miss voice connection.

Osky

[JD848]

I look forwards to JD words on Daniel lake. I know of some of the lakes mentioned but have not spent time over there. I personally know nothing of Daniel lake tho somewhere back in my foggy mind I think I recall someone speaking of going in there ice fishing?
To JD.... You sent me a note I look forward to speaking with you when I can. Here at my northern MN place I get data connection far better than the hit and miss voice connection.

Osky

Yes it's The Daniel on the Gordon Lake I have ben going there for since I was 10 years of age,not many guys fish .I set up my rv some summer right at the beach in big Gordon.

TO GBUSS,yes it the one your talking about plus the mnr fire station is about a mile from the separation bridge and landing.


I have been fishing big Gordon for decades and the trout are not large ,but good eating ,the biggest I ever seen was a 21 pounder come through the ice.

2 Summers ago I went back there for a week with my wife we were fishing about 30 minutes and we had caught a few and then bang I hook onto real nice trout,it took me out to 250 FT of water and drifted half way across that lake,38 inches and I put it back, biggest trout I ever seen come out that lake.

I use to fly then drive into Anishinabi LAKE for years and it has nice trout,but so does way to many lakes to mention. Clearwater bay probably has some of the best trout fishing around ,it's only catch and release,but I think you can still apply for a tag for one fish.

I know the leader of the diving team who use to check that lake out in the fall with the bio's ,he told me that there in there, but everything is in that lake, pike, musky, big bass, large lakers, walleyes .

For me and if you like fishing I once hired out for 2 weeks at plummers Great bear,then great slave he has a camp in Sioux narrows on LOTW 's,then over to northern manitoba to neultin and my last one was nagalininy lake spelt wrong all in 6 weeks for free and got paid. Flights all came out Winnipeg.Great summer in my younger days.


JD

[kilgoretrout]

A nice read brings back the memories I spent a great deal of time in the 70's and 80's guiding for Crowrock from the main camp... I still keep in touch with the Dafcik boys and last fished with them a couple of years ago when two of the brothers came out west and I took them on the Bow drifting for a few days of fly fishing for trout..... I need to get back out there for smallies on the fly......too much fun To the OP have a great trip

[Flanny]

I grew up not more than 2km from the River Air on Pistol.
Never flown up with the Halley's camp people but I know people who have and said it was a great time.

If only there were mountains there, or work.. I sure miss it most days.
One day I hope to be able to spend more time there.

Good luck fishing!

Flanny

[Osky]

It's truly great country above Kenora, I was a only a summer person those early years, I envy you who lived there.
What a great simpler time, canvas camps, leaky boats with three or four previous camps names blurred out on them. The great modern invention of the time the "green box" depth flasher. I was lucky enough to fish with some very old guides back then who could drift across some very big lakes they knew and tell you exactly how much to reel up or let down to keep just off the bottom. They never needed a depth finder.
People seemed to not want anything but walleyes back then, pike were a pain. I saw an Indian guide kill the biggest smallmouth bass I've ever seen then throw it back in the water. They had a name for undesirable fish, I don't recall what it was he said.
Canadian Lord Calvert was the top drink of the camp other than beer. Knew a guest who would go out and every morning about 10 he would open a bottle of Lord, flip the top over the side, then loudly say "oops". By nightfall he'd kill that bottle by himself. Other than giggling youd never know he touched a drop. Last full day he quit at noon. He was a pilot and flew into Kenora on his plane so he was always clean when he left.
JD and you other fellas, do you remember how we slung those boats up between the floats of the planes to fly them in? There were some hairy rides I never should have been in on doing that.

Osky

[pinelakeperch]

Jeeze, how things can change. Getting a little nervous. I would imagine that Halley's guests are at least 90% American. With the border shutdown, I'm wondering if they'll even operate this season. I don't see that border opening for months.

[Osky]

Jeeze, how things can change. Getting a little nervous. I would imagine that Halley's guests are at least 90% American. With the border shutdown, I'm wondering if they'll even operate this season. I don't see that border opening for months.

I sure hope you do Pine.... fun country to fish. I’ve got a summer ful of fishingstarting mid June in Athebasca country on up to Slave then across to northern Ontario. Even two jobs o we go Alaska it it’s all in trouble I fear.

Osky

[Poppa]

Sadly, summer 2020 is going to be a total write off. We're nowhere near the worst of this virus outbreak yet. It's going to get scary in the next two months.

[SNAPFisher]

Jeeze, how things can change. Getting a little nervous. I would imagine that Halley's guests are at least 90% American. With the border shutdown, I'm wondering if they'll even operate this season. I don't see that border opening for months.

Yes, existing bookings or making bookings at this time is risky. I have another West coast trip in July as I'm sure other on here do. Fine for now...but you never know.

I hope it turns out for you.

[pinelakeperch]

I sure hope you do Pine.... fun country to fish. I’ve got a summer ful of fishingstarting mid June in Athebasca country on up to Slave then across to northern Ontario. Even two jobs o we go Alaska it it’s all in trouble I fear.

Osky

That sounds like a great plan. I hope it happens for you!

Sadly, summer 2020 is going to be a total write off. We're nowhere near the worst of this virus outbreak yet. It's going to get scary in the next two months.

Scary is right.

Yes, existing bookings or making bookings at this time is risky. I have another West coast trip in July as I'm sure other on here do. Fine for now...but you never know.

I hope it turns out for you.

Hope it works out for you as well! I've been as excited as a child on Christmas for this trip. We can always go next year, but with my dad turning 75 this fall, there aren't going to be limitless opportunities.

[Osky]

Pine...
So many years ago when I fished those same waters a 1/4 oz jig with a blue and white rapped fuzzy body was the best on walleyes. We put a piece of gullet from filleted fish on the hook and caught the heck out of them all day long.
I'm not sure using gullet can be done anymore but a sparkly rubber tail would probably work just as well?
Let's hope the best for all travel this summer.

Osky

[JD848]

I was turned back at the Ontario boarder unless I had a cottage to isolate for 14 days, I have a large parcel of land with a cabin on it,but I was going to fish 100 miles further east. Plus I need to go by ice road or lake, I the ice is pretty mussy after this rain and wet snow for 3 days.

So if FW asked me for my license for fishing and it has only a few days showing the time I bought it,then I would not have isolated like I was suppose to so I will wait till it's opens.

Walleye season is closed here so another 6 weeks, there's plenty of guys who are in the same boat as me so whining about it doesn't do no good,were all kinda stuck.In 4 weeks I can go to camp and isolate,but I won't go anywhere till I know my whole family is safe from this virus,,there more important then any fish.

Your truck breaks down or someone dings you ,anything can happen and you need others help and your a danger in there eyes if your a stranger,99.9 chance all would be good,but why risk it.

Plus I got access tonight to a very nice cabin by Thompson ,so I might take the whole gang there.

It's hard to make plans during a time like this, family first and take it from there.

I got 6 trays full of older jigs to repair about 30 lbs worth,so I need to remove old paint and rust ,plus a pile of spoons that need to be touched up,so I will tinker away, repair a couple rods,i got one electric downrigger plus a manual one ,so I have another electric which only needs a new belt and few wires fixed.

ALL the best

JD

[pinelakeperch]

We're going! Leave August 7th and fish from the 8th to the morning of the 13th. :sHa_shakeshout:

[pinelakeperch]

Booked another 5 day trip for August, this time to a Halley’s outpost named Dowswell Lake. Time to learn how to catch lakers in late summer!

[Osky]

Booked another 5 day trip for August, this time to a Halley’s outpost named Dowswell Lake. Time to learn how to catch lakers in late summer!

Take the proper pole, a dipsy diver, some flashy spoons. You can make the trolling easier on yourself by getting a Down East S10 rod holder.
Hope for some hazy or Rainey mornings. A day of rain they’ll bite all the way thru. Run that dipsy with 85-90 feet of line off the reel, that’ll run the lure 45’ deep or so. When trolling be sure to zig zag, don’t just run straight.
Have the net ready.

Osky

You can jig them as well of course, I just prefer keep the boat wandering. Some evenings those trout will come up hi, trolling a rapala or similar will get it done.

[Wes_G]

Booked another 5 day trip for August, this time to a Halley’s outpost named Dowswell Lake. Time to learn how to catch lakers in late summer!

How did the trip go last year?

We ended up out there as well I think probably about a week before you. Fished around Kenora for the most part, but did a day on the Winnipeg river around Rough Rock and fished a day on another small lake around Minaki for smallies. The bass fishing was on fire! Only found a couple small muskies on the river though and walleye bite was extremely tough!

We are going to head out there again this year, probably for Musky opener in June though.

[pinelakeperch]

Take the proper pole, a dipsy diver, some flashy spoons. You can make the trolling easier on yourself by getting a Down East S10 rod holder.
Hope for some hazy or Rainey mornings. A day of rain they’ll bite all the way thru. Run that dipsy with 85-90 feet of line off the reel, that’ll run the lure 45’ deep or so. When trolling be sure to zig zag, don’t just run straight.
Have the net ready.

Osky

You can jig them as well of course, I just prefer keep the boat wandering. Some evenings those trout will come up hi, trolling a rapala or similar will get it done.


I’ll definitely be reaching out to you closer to time, as I don’t have a damn clue what I’m doing when it comes to lakers. Only fished for them once while guided on Red Lake.

How did the trip go last year?

We ended up out there as well I think probably about a week before you. Fished around Kenora for the most part, but did a day on the Winnipeg river around Rough Rock and fished a day on another small lake around Minaki for smallies. The bass fishing was on fire! Only found a couple small muskies on the river though and walleye bite was extremely tough!

We are going to head out there again this year, probably for Musky opener in June though.

The trip was great! We had some surprisingly windy days, but the fishing was great. Non-stop bass, and I got into a few really nice walleye.

That’s awesome about the musky. I’ve never fished for them; mind you I’ve never fished water that have them either.

[Smoky buck]

Osky is giving good advice. Another method is long lining with trolling weights 3-6oz will get you down up to 60feet give or take depending on the amount of line you have out. Spoons are a go to for Lakers but myself I like J plugs, flatfish, believers, and large crankbaits with a wide action. Zigzag trolling is also good advice but when trolling lures that float I like to bump the throttle or pause as well. They have a bad habit of following so breaks in lure action help trigger strikes

Trying to convince the wife we should do a trip for musky in Ontario this year but she is worried Covid restrictions might screw things up. Never fished Ontario but it’s on the list

[Osky]

Osky is giving good advice. Another method is long lining with trolling weights 3-6oz will get you down up to 60feet give or take depending on the amount of line you have out. Spoons are a go to for Lakers but myself I like J plugs, flatfish, believers, and large crankbaits with a wide action. Zigzag trolling is also good advice but when trolling lures that float I like to bump the throttle or pause as well. They have a bad habit of following so breaks in lure action help trigger strikes

Trying to convince the wife we should do a trip for musky in Ontario this year but she is worried Covid restrictions might screw things up. Never fished Ontario but it’s on the list

Great points Smokey. I’m a blade/spoon guy so that’s where my head was at. That lake is on the south edge of the park, I’ve been over it often but never down on it to know the water clarity. That will dictate things a bit.
Deep humps are a bonanza, and in lakes like that pulling a lipped bait 30-35’ deep around sharp points will usually give up some really big pike.

Osky

[pinelakeperch]

Great points Smokey. I’m a blade/spoon guy so that’s where my head was at. That lake is on the south edge of the park, I’ve been over it often but never down on it to know the water clarity. That will dictate things a bit.
Deep humps are a bonanza, and in lakes like that pulling a lipped bait 30-35’ deep around sharp points will usually give up some really big pike.

Osky

Have you fished Dowswell or any of it’s close portages (Bilko, Sylvia, Veronica)?

[Osky]

Sadly, summer 2020 is going to be a total write off. We're nowhere near the worst of this virus outbreak yet. It's going to get scary in the next two months.

Have you fished Dowswell or any of it’s close portages (Bilko, Sylvia, Veronica)?

No I am sorry I have not. Flown over them often to a variety of lakes in the Park just north of there and points farther up.
JD... may have gotten in there you might try asking him?

Osky

[JD848]

No I am sorry I have not. Flown over them often to a variety of lakes in the Park just north of there and points farther up.
JD... may have gotten in there you might try asking him?

Osky

I never fished that one, 8 miles east and i fished lakes all over in there, cut portages into Vanance lake plus another to the west in the 70's. I spent months with only myself and sometimes guests and never seen a boat,the odd plane.

I did know a guy who helped build that cabin on Dowswell ,but he is history.George Land was a FN trapper up in there 50 years ago also history.

If i remember correctly there's a creek at the south end takes you into Homer, the guy told me of nice pike and walleye. I flew into that lake in the spring before ice out,but we fished 4 lakes in that area in those 2 days.

Either way there's good fishing in dowswell, dipsy divers,bottom bouncers of all sizes up to two ounce running some type of spinner or spoon and you will do well. Cabela's sell all types of spinners with swivels that you just replace a different spinner blade .So buy 6 packs of different colors and troll it at different speeds doing zig zags and they will hit. Jigs drifting into the structures will do well also.

I flew over and around it many times looking at the structure so get the pilot to do a twist around the lake and memorize the structures if it's not to windy,there will be maps in the cabin or Jean or his son will point you in the best spots.

Enjoy your trip ,nothing beats being the only people on a lake.

I might book a trip this summer if i can get my grandson in a bush plane, thinking maybe Sydney about 8 miles east of Dowswell.That lake has little pressure and it has everything a guy could want if you don't catch a hundred walleye a day it's a bad day, nice lakers ,no musky??,but big darn pike. Sydney is at the top of my list for fishing,it's as good as needs to be.

ALL the best on your trip and try the portages out if you get a chance, there full of fish.

Cheers
JD

[pinelakeperch]

No I am sorry I have not. Flown over them often to a variety of lakes in the Park just north of there and points farther up.
JD... may have gotten in there you might try asking him?

Osky

You're a lucky man!

I never fished that one, 8 miles east and i fished lakes all over in there, cut portages into Vanance lake plus another to the west in the 70's. I spent months with only myself and sometimes guests and never seen a boat,the odd plane.

I did know a guy who helped build that cabin on Dowswell ,but he is history.George Land was a FN trapper up in there 50 years ago also history.

If i remember correctly there's a creek at the south end takes you into Homer, the guy told me of nice pike and walleye. I flew into that lake in the spring before ice out,but we fished 4 lakes in that area in those 2 days.

Either way there's good fishing in dowswell, dipsy divers,bottom bouncers of all sizes up to two ounce running some type of spinner or spoon and you will do well. Cabela's sell all types of spinners with swivels that you just replace a different spinner blade .So buy 6 packs of different colors and troll it at different speeds doing zig zags and they will hit. Jigs drifting into the structures will do well also.

I flew over and around it many times looking at the structure so get the pilot to do a twist around the lake and memorize the structures if it's not to windy,there will be maps in the cabin or Jean or his son will point you in the best spots.

Enjoy your trip ,nothing beats being the only people on a lake.

I might book a trip this summer if i can get my grandson in a bush plane, thinking maybe Sydney about 8 miles east of Dowswell.That lake has little pressure and it has everything a guy could want if you don't catch a hundred walleye a day it's a bad day, nice lakers ,no musky??,but big darn pike. Sydney is at the top of my list for fishing,it's as good as needs to be.

ALL the best on your trip and try the portages out if you get a chance, there full of fish.

Cheers
JD

Fishing Vanance is one of my favourite memories. We were at the main lake (don't remember the name - they don't have it anymore) and portaged to Vanance. Trolled around some bays and eventually found one where we hit nice walleye consistently during a few passes. After deciding to jig and drift that bay, we hit 20in walleye non-stop for over an hour. One of the pilots from Halley's came in for a routine check-up and tied his lane to a tree onshore and hopped on our boat to try to bring home a few eaters. After putting back a pile that were too big, he finally managed a few. Said his goodbyes, hopped back into the plane, and flew away. What an afternoon. We returned to that main lake and portaged to Vanance on several more occasions, but weren't able to relive the magic.

I'll be sure to follow your trout recommendations. I'm mostly excited for the bass in Dowswell, as well as the walleye in the portages, but I wouldn't be opposed to catching a few lakers as well. I'm hoping you get out there this summer!

[Osky]

Sadly, summer 2020 is going to be a total write off. We're nowhere near the worst of this virus outbreak yet. It's going to get scary in the next two months.

You're a lucky man!



Fishing Vanance is one of my favourite memories. We were at the main lake (don't remember the name - they don't have it anymore) and portaged to Vanance. Trolled around some bays and eventually found one where we hit nice walleye consistently during a few passes. After deciding to jig and drift that bay, we hit 20in walleye non-stop for over an hour. One of the pilots from Halley's came in for a routine check-up and tied his lane to a tree onshore and hopped on our boat to try to bring home a few eaters. After putting back a pile that were too big, he finally managed a few. Said his goodbyes, hopped back into the plane, and flew away. What an afternoon. We returned to that main lake and portaged to Vanance on several more occasions, but weren't able to relive the magic.

I'll be sure to follow your trout recommendations. I'm mostly excited for the bass in Dowswell, as well as the walleye in the portages, but I wouldn't be opposed to catching a few lakers as well. I'm hoping you get out there this summer!

Pine.
Pick up some barrel swivels, some plain snap clips, and a length of Stealth fishing line. 80 or 100lb strength. Tie a swivel on, measure out about 14 inches of Stealth, cut and tie off the clip on that end. This will give you a very flexible leader and the heavy poundage will keep most, not all, pike from biting thru it. Use these home made leaders when bass and walleye fishing there and you have a very good chance of landing some trophy pike.

I put these on for all my clients wether jigging, trolling, casting, doesn’t matter. Big pike/musky just can’t seem to layoff those bass and walleye baits.

Note above where I mentioned trolling in 30 feet or so off points. Big pike and big small mouth Will hang at that depth waiting for the Cisco or whitefish schools to move in towards shore to feed. Good times.

Osky

[JD848]

You're a lucky man!



Fishing Vanance is one of my favourite memories. We were at the main lake (don't remember the name - they don't have it anymore) and portaged to Vanance. Trolled around some bays and eventually found one where we hit nice walleye consistently during a few passes. After deciding to jig and drift that bay, we hit 20in walleye non-stop for over an hour. One of the pilots from Halley's came in for a routine check-up and tied his lane to a tree onshore and hopped on our boat to try to bring home a few eaters. After putting back a pile that were too big, he finally managed a few. Said his goodbyes, hopped back into the plane, and flew away. What an afternoon. We returned to that main lake and portaged to Vanance on several more occasions, but weren't able to relive the magic.

I'll be sure to follow your trout recommendations. I'm mostly excited for the bass in Dowswell, as well as the walleye in the portages, but I wouldn't be opposed to catching a few lakers as well. I'm hoping you get out there this summer!

Rolston or Giving lake might be where you stayed to portaged into Vanance, i came in from Rowdy then up the falls onto Chaval then into Rolston then into vanance, made for a long day of fishing and site seeing.

The main Walleye whole in Rolston was right out front of where the cabin is now built, nothing was there when i went into those lakes.

No one had any boats up that way so a it was hot fishing, plus back then it was just great to go explore the area.

JD

[Osky]

Rolston or Giving lake might be where you stayed to portaged into Vanance, i came in from Rowdy then up the falls onto Chaval then into Rolston then into vanance, made for a long day of fishing and site seeing.

The main Walleye whole in Rolston was right out front of where the cabin is now built, nothing was there when i went into those lakes.

No one had any boats up that way so a it was hot fishing, plus back then it was just great to go explore the area.

JD

Shining times back 50 years ago in that country JD... the fish were big and plenty. Spinning gear, green box depth finders and rapalas were changing things forever.
People hit those lakes hard. 20-25 years ago the smart outfitters went to catch and release, eat what you can and let the rest go. It is really paying off. There are some lakes again up there and in the Park where you can find walleyes at a 21-22 inch average catchem all day long. I know a few with 22-23 inch average size again.
I enjoy reading of the folks here heading up that way. Flying in, personal gear, basic fishing boats, cribbage boards, alone on the lakes but for loons by day and the dancing lights at night. I hope everyone here gets to experience what we lived.

Osky

[pinelakeperch]

2.5 months until Dowswell :sHa_shakeshout:

Thanks for the laker tips, I'll be making a trip to Cabela's shortly.