Just a short floatplane ride from the Minnesota border, and you’re into a multi-species Ontario adventure! Located on Yoke Lake, Slippery Winds offers great accommodations with many different kinds of fish to catch. Variety! We’re talkin’ walleye, largemouth bass, small-mouth bass, lake trout, northern pike, and muskie. We had a great time filming there and got into some really nice fish.
Home to a gold mine in the 1930s, the lodge has practiced catch and release since the early 1990s. The size and quality of the fishery are evident to the success of this. The entire staff there is very friendly and helpful. Our guide for the stay, Emily Head, put us on the walleye bite fast. She’s a very knowledgeable angler. We had a lot of fun and it’s going to be a great TV episode for The Ontario Experience. Though we only fished on Yoke, you do have access to six lakes, three are via portage during your stay at Slippery Winds. Straw Lake is an easy three-minute walk from the main lodge.
I’ve been fortunate to fish largemouth bass all over the world. As far West as Japan and China, South down to Mexico, East to Vermont… and this trip was the furthest North I’ve ever caught them! And a number of good-sized ones too. From one fallen tree, it seemed like every other cast we were hooked up. We mainly targeted bass and walleye, which is a fun combo. Largemouth bass like to bite in the middle of the day. It’s a fun break from the morning and evening walleye fishing. In fact, you can use the same setup for both, a simple drop shot. This was very effective there. I used live bait for the walleye, and then a soft plastic worm for the bass… makes for very easy fishing and catching!
There are some giant muskies that roam Yoke too. The big one in the lead photo that Emily caught happened just two days after we left. And she got it on a fly rod! The very clear water of Yoke makes for great fly fishing.
If you decide to fish without a guide, the boats are outfitted right. They have 16’ aluminum on Yoke which are equipped with 4-stroke Yamaha outboards, comfortable seats, floorboards, and casting decks. Whether you are using traditional gear or fly fishing, you’ll find them perfect. The boats on Straw are 14’ and are just fine to navigate and explore the waters there.
Staying at the lodge, you are minutes from the fish. I ventured out for a couple of hours one afternoon and within 10 minutes of leaving the dock, I boated a 27-inch walleye! No long boat rides are required to catch quality 'eyes. In fact, the big walleyes we caught were all within just a 10-minute ride from the dock. That adds a lot more fishing time to your day. I don’t mind a nice boat ride, but I’d rather be casting!
The accommodations are great. You can stay in one of five lakefront modern cabins. These all have electricity, heat, a refrigerator, a shower/toilet, and awesome views. Some even have bunk beds if you’re bringing your kids. The main lodge does offer Wi-Fi for uploading those daily fish catches to show off to your friends. The meals are homemade, with big breakfasts for getting your day started and hearty dinners at the end of the day. There’s a lounge in the lodge for relaxing and trading fish stories with other guests. We got to meet another group staying there. They have been coming back there for years. It’s amazing how fishing connects people. And what better place to meet than in the beautiful Ontario wilderness?
Slippery Winds is a great place for friends, families and corporate groups looking for an easy fly-in experience with excellent multi-species fishing (and catching)!
