The Complete Wilderness Experience with Air Dale

They say variety is the spice of life. Regardless if it's related to food, travel, clothes, automobiles or vacation destinations, everyone has their own reasons for what they prefer. I am very fortunate to be able to visit with some of the finest lodge operators in our province of Ontario.

The sights, sounds, surroundings, hospitality, lodging, meals, and of course the FISHING!

World-class fishing.

Getting back to the "variety" topic, I have had opportunities to visit with so many different operators and locations. At times it can be a little overwhelming, but one thing always remains consistent in our selection: the lodge operators do everything in their power to ensure our stay is enjoyable and as memorable as humanly possible.

This past autumn we had the opportunity to visit with the very nice people at Air-Dale Fishing & Hunting Lodge near Wawa, Ontario, who offer guests the opportunity to book drive-in and fly-in trips for some of the finest wilderness fishing and hunting in Canada.

Founded in 1986, this family-operated, family-oriented fishing and hunting resort is made entirely of logs. Cut from trees on the property, these logs give the beautiful structure a rustic appearance. The lodge has 3,600 square feet of interior space and contains dining facilities and a recreation area. There guests relax and enjoy playing darts, checkers or cards; challenging friends to a game of pool; watching their favourite sports team on the big-screen television. This resort really knows how to spoil you.

Situated on the lake, the lodge view is breathtaking. The morning sunrise can be spectacular: watch the birds (loons, herons, ducks, and geese) and moose in their natural habitat from the comfort of the resort.

Air-Dale Fishing & Hunting Lodge has eleven private cabins on its premises and two suites located in the main lodge. Cabins are available with one, two, or three bedrooms, which accommodate two to 12 people. The housekeeping staff is scrupulous in their cleaning efforts. This resort is family-friendly so the guys can make vacation plans with not just the boys, but where the wives and children can enjoy similar wilderness experiences.

The three-bedroom cabins are spacious, offering guests a home-like atmosphere. They have a carpeted living area, a large four-piece bathroom, and a complete kitchen and dining area. The two-bedroom cabins at our lodge can house four people. Each bedroom has two twin beds. All of the two-bedroom cabins have large living areas with a picture window overlooking our lake system. Each of the cabins boasts a screened-in porch, private bathroom, hot and cold running water, heat, electricity, bedding, linen, and towels. You're vacationing in the wilderness of Northern Ontario with all the comforts of home.

Did I mention this place is special?

The hosts, Jenn and Martin Wearn invite you to a complete wilderness experience.

Our trip included some fishing on the main lodge lake with the owner’s son Michael, who is now guiding full-time at the lodge and knows the hotspots for smallmouth bass, walleye, and northern pike. I had some great success fishing a short distance from the lodge with Michael for both smallmouth bass and walleye during a few outings in the mornings and evenings prior to our scheduled fly-in to one of the remote lakes for walleye. The topwater popper bite was excellent on sharp dropping points and main lake shorelines with rock and sand. I caught and released more than 20 smallmouth up to four pounds on the poppers in between our sessions of jigging directly below our boat for walleye on the deeper ledges close to the shoreline.

The main lake waters, Manitowik Lake, Whitefish Lake, and the Michipicoten River, are included in the famous Voyageur Canoe Route chain that ranges from Hudson Bay to Lake Superior. These waters offer some of the best walleye, northern pike, smallmouth bass, lake trout, speckled trout, whitefish, and perch fishing in northern Ontario.

Our fly-in trip to one of the many remote lakes they offer was as smooth as silk, and the view from our float plane to our lake was simply breathtaking over so many lakes and pristine wilderness forests, a true bucket list experience. Michael once again accompanied us, and we had a great day sharing stories and catching walleyes on a remote lake with not another soul in sight other than our camera crew.

My first fish of the day was a thick-bodied 23-inch-plus walleye that was brought boat side, photographed, and released to live another day and reproduce more walleye for future generations. Practicing responsible catch and release will help sustain these great fisheries and provide the same amazing experiences for your children’s children for many years to come.

And what is a trip to a Northern Ontario lodge operator without the classic traditional shore lunch of freshly caught walleye in the catch and keep slot size? Michael took us to a pristine location on the lake that featured sand as soft as the Caribbean and below a slow-flowing waterfall that resembled a location once seen in a painting. 

Truly classical moments will not be forgotten.

Our only regret while enjoying all of these priceless moments at Air-Dale Lodge was not having our own family or close friends with us to experience these amazing moments and adventures.

Treat yourself, your family, and friends this year and visit Air-Dale Lodge, and see why so many guests return year after year to experience the time of their lives in Ontario`s wilderness and get spoiled with all the comforts at home by the friendly hosts.

Contact Information

Outpost Camps Inc.

P.O. Box 1194  Wawa Ontario Canada P0S 1K0

Tel: (705) 992-3903

OutpostCamps@me.com

Website OutpostCamps.com

Facebook Outpost Camps Inc.

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