Eagle Lake Island Lodge

With all the fantastic lodges and fishing experiences available these days, it can be hard to make a choice when planning a fishing trip to Sunset Country in Ontario, Canada. One of the more unique options to access great fishing awaits for you at Eagle Lake Island Lodge. As is evident in their name, this lodge is located on an island in the middle of Eagle Lake, one of the largest and most diverse lakes in the region of Sunset Country, Ontario. 

If you’re looking for a more accessible option to the remote lodges in Northwestern Ontario, Eagle Lake Island Lodge is a great choice. They transport guests via a large, comfortable, pontoon boat, straight from the car park to the main docks of the lodge. With a focus on hospitality and excellence, Eagle Lake Island Lodges boasts what they’ve dubbed on their website as the “North Woods Views with the Comforts of Home”, and I would have to agree. 

Once we arrived at the boat launch, located thirty minutes from the town of Dryden, Ontario, we were greeted by Cooper, our guide for the week. It was a short six-minute boat ride to the island, with nothing but picturesque scenery all around us. One of the most unique features of Island Lake Lodge is that it is all-inclusive. From luxury accommodations to delicious meals and shore lunches, bar services, boats, bait and more, Eagle Lake Island Lodge provides guests with everything imaginable for their trip. 

Despite being located on such a large lake, guests don’t have to travel far to find the best fishing spots. All guests are provided with a boat and unlimited gas for the duration of their trip, and a complimentary day of guiding to help navigate the lake and key into the best spots, depending on the species. Once settled in, I was eager to head out on the lake with Cooper and see what Eagle Lake had to offer me this week. 

Of the species to be found in Eagle Lake (walleye, northern pike, muskie, smallmouth bass, lake trout and whitefish), my goal was to specifically target smallmouth bass, if the circumstances allowed, possibly spend a little time targeting northern pike and the ever-elusive muskie. However, as any angler is aware, flexibility is an absolute must when it comes to fishing. During my trip, the area experienced rolling thunderstorms, drastic changes in temperature, and high winds… not exactly what I would consider ideal smallmouth bass conditions. Despite it all, my guide Cooper used his knowledge of the lake and unrelenting optimism to locate active fish. Targeting rocky points adjacent to deep water using a 6-weight rod and intermediate line seemed to be the meal ticket this week for huge smallies. 

Eagle Lake is known not only for its vastness but also for its incredible muskie fishery. I was apprehensive to target them on this trip, as I’ve only known muskie fishing (especially on the fly) to take days of dedication and patience -- often with little success. I can wholeheartedly say I was proven wrong. Using a 10-weight rod, floating line and large, subsurface streamers, I moved numerous muskie during my trip. The thrill of seeing an aquatic predator stalking your fly in clear water, slowly emerging from the weeds to follow its prey is an unparalleled feeling. With Cooper's guidance and knowledge of muskie fishing, I was even able to hook up with an absolute monster of a muskie…and experience the heartbreak of losing it boatside.

Eagle Lake Island Lodge does it all from epic fishing and knowledgeable guides to home-cooked meals and warm hospitality. Whether you’re looking for a family vacation, a getaway with buddies or a trophy-hunting adventure, Eagle Lake Island Lodge is ready to welcome you with open arms…and hungry fish! 

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