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

Shield Lakes & Rivers

A Million Acres of Water. Where do You Start?

5 Flies for Ontario’s Most Popular Species

In these northern waters live of the most revered fish anglers wish to target on fly.

Northern Ontario is Great for Fall Bass

Learn the best regions for fall bass fishing.

Eating Northern Pike

The Best Recipe to Cook This Fish

A Houseboat Adventure

The Ontario Experience visits Lac Seul in search of huge muskie

Bronzebacks of the Whalesback

One of the top bass destinations in North America.

Finding Walleye Gold

Fish at Moose Horn Lodge and Experience Fish-rich Lakes

Manotak Lodge

Trophy Muskie, Big Walleye and First-Class Hospitality

Brennan Harbour Resort

Largemouth Bass Fishing on Lake Huron

Lac Seul Outpost Adventure

Lac Seul is known for big fish of all species.

International Destination of the Year 2019

Hawk Lake Lodge received this great acknowledgement.

Five Brook Trout Flies

What flies to bring when fishing for brook trout.

Reaching Deep For Walleye

Fishing for big Walleye in Ontario's Bay of Quinte.

Don't Forget The Umbrella

It's raining smallmouth bass, walleye, and northern pike here in Northern Ontario

Lakair Lodge

Largemouth bass fishing on Lake Nipissing

The Best Of Times in Northern Ontario

A guide to the best time of day to hit the ice while fishing this winter.

Walleye World in Northern Ontario

Ontario’s Premier Walleye Fishing

Difficult Day Walleye

Learn a few techniques to address the sometimes challenging fishing conditions for walleye.

Fishful Dreams Do Come True

Landing my favourite species on back-to-back casts at Cedar Lake Camp

Best Bass Baits for Lodge Trips

Sure-fire baits and techniques that have resulted in success at Northern Ontario fishing lodges