Wilderness Walleye

Fly-in Fishing with Glassy Bay Outfitters

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have an entire lake that is known for excellent walleye fishing all to yourself, for days on end? I know what that feels like now since our road trip to Elliot Lake this past summer visiting with the gracious hosts of fly-in camps called Glassy Bay Outfitters.

aerial landscape elliot lake

Our fly-in fishing experience began at the docks of the Sea Base in Elliot Lake. After the plane was loaded, we embarked on our journey to our ultimate fly-in fishing experience.

bushplane

On our flight to Bark Lake, we saw picturesque sights below as we flew over remote lakes, dense forests and wildlife. Once landed on Bark Lake, we taxied up to our camp and dock. From there we unloaded and the hosts gave us a quick tour of our camp for our stay. Bark Lake is very remote and we had the opportunity to catch an abundance of Walleye.

The sea base is located on Elliot Lake, the central meeting point for parking and floatplane departure. If you are travelling from out of town and need somewhere to spend the night, they also have a lodge that is available for you!

bushplane and outpost camp

We stayed at Middle Bark/Grey Owl, Located on Bark Lake, 40 miles north of Elliot Lake. Bark Lake is known for its outstanding walleye fishing but also offers Northern Pike and lake trout. The Grey Owl camp is located in the middle section of Bark Lake. The camp is named after a historical, well-known author named Grey Owl. Grey Owl was a British-born conservationist, fur trapper, and writer who disguised himself as an Indigenous man in the 1930s. Here lies one of his camps he would escape from civilization to pursue his interests in fur trapping, canoeing, and writing. His camp is dated, but only 100 meters from our main outpost camp.

According to the outfitters, the walleye don’t really start to turn on till early to mid-June and continue to be good throughout the season. The early season can be fantastic!

angler fishing walleye

Most find that trolling slowly with jig heads with a tail and worm works best. Worm harnesses work well as well. The daily limit is four per person and four in total possession.

We decided to slow troll with a worm harness and split shot weight combination on the edges of breaks between fourteen and eighteen feet of water bouncing our worms off the bottom a fair distance behind the boat and had no issues finding both walleye and northern pike on several locations with similar characteristics which were large boulders and gravel tapering to deeper water or along long tapering rock points off islands.

angler fishing walleye

The pristine wilderness surroundings with not another soul in sight for three days felt incredible, like a cleansing from social media, the hustle and bustle of everyday life, and the sights and sounds of nature ensured a great night’s sleep between fishing excursions to different parts of the lake.

angler fishing boat

Looking for something different this year?

Consider a wilderness, remote trip with Glassy Bay Outfitters, it definitely was an amazing experience I will never forget.

Contact the Outfitters

www.glassybay.com

Special Teaser to inspire you 

About Karl Kalonka

It's possible Karl's love for fishing began as early as the age of five. His parents took the kids on weekend trips across Ontario fishing for panfish, catfish, and bass. "I started with a bobber and worm from the time I was five years old," says Karl. These days, he has the enviable task of doing what he loves for a living, travelling across Ontario fishing, filming and producing two outdoor series, Extreme Angler and Crappie Angler TV.

Recommended Articles

Tomiko Lake Lodge

An Outstanding Resort for Fishing and Families

The Pipestone Foursome: Unlocking the Multi-Species Treasure Trove of Cedar Island Lodge

From explosive topwater smallmouth to rare northern largemouth and deep-dwelling lakers, the diversity of Northwest Ontario is put to the ultimate test.

5 Big Water Ontario Fishing Locations

Where to go big water fishing in Ontario.

Best of The Musky West

Have you fished these top 3 musky lakes in Northwestern Ontario?

20 Years With Fish TV!

Fish TV discusses their favourite Ontario catches

Bob Izumi searches for bass and pike

Fishing unfamiliar territory, Bob Izumi lands monster smallies and Northern pike

Eating Northern Pike

The Best Recipe to Cook This Fish

Go Shallow For More Walleye

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

Frequently Asked Questions About Grass Carp

Learn how to detect these fish species and how to keep them out of the Great Lakes.

Against the Grain

Smallmouth fishing in the heart of walleye country.

When to Use Bright Lures and Dark Lures

An interesting insight, using bright lures on bright days and dark lures on dark days.

Don't Let the Name Perch Lake Fool You

These Northern Ontario waters are packed with northern pike like you'll never believe, abundant gourmet walleye, and yellow perch await.

Mammoth Magnets

Learn how water temperature can affects northern pike & muskie fishing.

Road Trip Challenge

5 fishing holes, one weekend.

Spring Perch Fishing

Use These Tips on Your Next Ontario Fishing Trip

Pleasant Cove Resort

Setting sights on Georgian Bay Northern Pike

Big Boat Portaging

Fishing on Lady Evelyn Lake in Northeastern Ontario

Family Friendly Fishing Getaways in Northern Ontario

Fish TV rediscovers 2 fishing lodges for bass and walleye.

Top 5 Musky Destinations in Ontario

The Musky Hunter shows you where to land the best musky in Ontario waters.

Who Let the Dawgs Out

Fishing Muskie on the Ottawa River