My First Fly-In Fishing Lodge Experience

During early June, I experienced my first-ever fly-in fishing trip at Kaby Lodge in stunning Algoma Country. It was a memorable adventure for me and my partner, Eric. Fishing was fantastic on Kabinakagami Lake with non-stop walleye and northern pike action. Our accommodations were cozy, and the chef-prepared meals were divine. It’s no wonder several of the guests that we met visit Kaby Lodge year after year. We had an absolute blast here!

Getting to Kaby Lodge

Eric and I made the approximately 12-hour drive from Ottawa to White River, where we’d be flying out, the following morning. Upon arrival in the area, we checked in for the evening at White River Motel. After breakfast, we headed to White River Air, just a short 6-kilometre drive from the motel. We then hopped on a floatplane for a 25-minute flight to Kaby Lodge. It was our first time flying via floatplane, and the breathtaking views along the way made for such a scenic start to the trip. I was in awe gazing out the window of the plane.

Upon arriving at the dock, we were warmly welcomed by Kaby Lodge owners Tom and Michel, along with their staff. I’ve met Tom, Michel, and their two friendly duck-tolling retrievers at various fishing/hunting shows over the years. It was so nice to finally have the chance to visit them and experience Kaby Lodge firsthand. They truly love what they do. We enjoyed some tea and pastries in the dining room while completing our registration, and then checked into our cabin where we’d be staying the next 3 nights. We quickly organized our fishing gear and headed to the dock. Adam, who has been a guide at Kaby Lodge for 17 years, would be spending the next 3 days showing us around Kabinakagami Lake. 

Fishing on Kabinakagami Lake

Our first day began with a flurry of walleye catches in around 5-7 feet of water off the point of an island using 1/8oz jigheads and soft plastic grubs. I fished primarily with a 1/8oz VMC Mooneye Jighead with a Rapala CrushCity Creeper in Neon as well as Black Nightmare. Eric did best with a 1/8oz VMC Ned Rig Jig and a Rapala CrushCity Salted Ned Roll in Black. Live bait is also available for guests; however, we stuck with artificials. We kept a few fish and headed back to the lodge for a shore lunch that was prepared by Tom and Michel. It was so delicious, providing us with a glimpse of the amazing meals to come. Each meal and dessert was so tasty throughout our visit. 

We spent the majority of the first day focusing on walleye, with a bit of time spent on targeting northern pike as well. During the following 2 days on the water, we alternated between the two species, throwing some larger pike baits with heavier tackle, including swimbaits and spoons. We fished slightly deeper, around 7-9 feet of water or more. I landed so many pike on a 3/4oz Williams Whitefish spoon in Yellow and Orange. I wish I kept track of just how many! We did keep track of the walleye using fish counters. Between Eric and me, we landed over 100. It was so much fun getting into so many fish in such a beautiful setting. A highlight of the trip was a 37.5-inch northern pike caught by Eric during our last day on the water.

Check out all of the fishing action from our trip:

• Part 1 at Kaby Lodge: https://youtu.be/1lc7JZhpfQI

• Part 2 at Kaby Lodge: https://youtu.be/2ccSICIQLZA

Thank you, Kaby Lodge, for a wonderful first fly-in fishing trip experience! We won’t forget this trip. 

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