A Lake With Options

Getting to Northeastern Ontario’s Lady Evelyn Lake is part of the whole experience.
Lady Evelyn 5.jpg

Temagami is quintessential Northern Ontario. I’m talking legendary fishing, rugged terrain, pristine lakes, and old-growth forests -- the likes of which have captured hearts and inspired imaginations for generations. Along the northern periphery of this world-renowned wilderness area, Lady Evelyn is waiting. She’s an angler’s dream; a lake with options, and they all lead to fish.

If your angling style is about the journey, then Lady Evelyn is right up your alley. There are no roads in, and getting there is part of the whole experience. You can charter a float plane out of Temagami, or you can opt to have your boat brought over the Mattawapika Dam to enter the lake via the Montreal River. No matter how you get in, you’ll find leaving the hard part.

Where To Stay, Where To Fish?

preacher's point lady evelyn lake
Off Preacher's Point on northeastern Ontario’s Lady Evelyn Lake. (Photo credit: Tanya Van Kempen)

Backcountry campsites dot the shoreline of this lake, making boat camping and canoe tripping great options for anglers. If you are looking for something a little less rustic, then Garden Island Lodge is the way to go. Garden Island is the only lodge on the southern arm of the lake. It features nine cozy cabins, exceptional service, and fantastic food. Start your day right with a fresh cup of coffee and a hot meal prepared and served at the main lodge. Once you’ve had your fill, grab your gear and head down the path to the docks, where a boat waits for your day out on the water. It only gets better from there.

The walleye are plentiful here, and basic knowledge of angling tactics for these golden beauties will take you far. I’ve had success year-round fishing structure, mostly off rocky points, and early in the season, it doesn’t seem to matter what I throw at them. Everything from worm harnesses to coloured jigs tipped with minnows works well from spring through to early summer. Later in the season, trolling slender crankbaits like the original Rapala is a favourite technique. Should you tire of walleye fishing, Lady Evelyn also provides ample opportunities for smallmouth bass and monster northern pike.

ontario walleye lady evelyn lake
Evening's catch: Rebecca Van Kempen with a big walleye from Northeastern Ontario’s lady Evelyn Lake. (Photo credit: Tanya Van Kempen)

You can customize your experience on Lady Evelyn every time by alternating how you go, where you stay, and what you fish. With breathtaking scenery and top-notch fishing, this lake is a guaranteed memory maker.

Recommended Articles

Adventures on the Nipigon River

Anglers can target Chinook Salmon and Steelhead in this body of water—but most come for the trophy Brook Trout.

Summer Smallmouth

Bass Techniques to Help You Catch a Trophy

3 Great Ontario Walleye Destinations

Karl of Extreme Angler recommends must do walleye lakes in Ontario.

Top Flies for Northern Pike

Try These Go-to Flies and Tips on Your Next Trip

Top 5 Tips To Fish Smallmouth Bass in Ontario

Ontario has some of the top smallmouth bass opportunities. in the world.

Eagle Lake Island Lodge

A Boat-to Ontario Lodge Experience

Go Shallow For More Walleye

Walleye anglers think the fish are always in at least ten-foot or deeper. They're wrong!

Brook Trout Fishing at Dunlop Lake Lodge

Brook Trout Fishing 15 km of Elliot Lake, Ontario

Ontario's Trophy - Splake Prize

It is fair to say that Ontario offers the finest fishing for splake anywhere in the world

Paradise Cove Resorts

On the hunt for Musky in Ontario's Sunset Country

The Tigers of Sunset Country

The most picturesque of all freshwater fish.

Let the Sunshine In

Find the perfect time during hot summer weather for success on the water

Ten Mile Lake Lodge

Enjoy Northern hospitality fishing for splake, brook trout and lake trout

Discover Chapleau Lodge

Smallmouth bass fishing on Borden Lake

Top 10 Fly Patterns for Brook Trout

Learn Brook Trout Fly Pattern Choices for Surface Fly Fishing

Wag Your Tail For More Walleye, Bass and Trout

Fishing with friends brings camaraderie and a lesson, or two.

Baptiste Bass

Catching 5- to 6-Pound Smallmouth Bass Each Fishing Season

Pike Aplenty

How to select the right spot to catch pike in late fall fishing in Ontario.

St. Francis Titans

Fishing the Original Muskie Capital of the World

Algonquin Brook Trout

A Fishing and Canoe Trip on Algonquin's Upper Nipissing River