If you and your girl tribe love fishing, you are long overdue for a fishing trip together. Are you done putting off the trip of a lifetime that will feed your fishing soul? Then listen up.
Northwestern Ontario has everything and anything you can dream of on a fishing trip. Adventure, relaxation, great food, species of fish to challenge your skills, and others that will stoke your confidence.
Whether you and your ladies want remote or convenient fishing, the choice is up to you— and up here, the choices are limitless.
The most difficult part is likely gathering everyone with their busy schedules. If you’re all hard to tie down, you have a couple of options.
Option A: You give yourselves lots of preparation, AKA, start planning your late summer 2019 or 2020 fishing trip NOW.
Option B: Allow yourselves enough freedom to take off on a moment’s notice. This is a bit of a riskier option as lodges tend to fill up before March of each year. However, between a bit of luck and flexibility on your group’s part, you could make it happen!
My girls and I are fans of the latter, but we did manage to plan a fly-in trip for muskie later this year in advance!
As with all groups, everyone wants different things; don’t settle on a place that only offers one activity or one species of fish. Unless, of course, you’re all muskie-crazed women like my girls.
Thankfully, in Northern Ontario, it’s hard to find a place that doesn’t offer any variety. But perhaps some of you want multiple species, and amenities such as a hot tub to come back to? And who can forget about the amazing food options these lodges offer? Understanding the difference between the American Plan vs. Housekeeping should be high on your list, so you know what to expect when you arrive.
American Plan (AP): All meals, cabins, boats, sometimes guides and more are included (these plans will be indicated on the lodge’s website, be sure to read off their AP list to see if it has everything you need).
Housekeeping (HK): Meals are not included. Your cabins are included, but you’re responsible for tidying. Sometimes boat rentals are included in your HK package as well, but as with AP, it’s best to check the lodge’s list to make sure you know what you’re signing up for.
The amazing thing about Northern Ontario is the option to fish on your own or have full access to a guide. You can plan your trip to be fully outfitted and guided or DIY. You choose how much you want your lodge to be hands-on. Even if you want a guide for a day, or for your whole trip.
Some food for thought, guides are excellent teachers–– and I’m not referring to teaching in the way they’ll teach you how to cast–– I’m saying they can tell you what works and what doesn’t, what colours to use, what structure to try; after all, different places offer different fish behaviours.
It’s a good idea to get an idea of how far everyone wants to be from civilization because there is everything from central to middle-of-nowhere options here in Northwest Ontario’s Sunset Country.
Your options are drive-in, boat-in, and fly-in lodges. There are also canoe outfitters who can supply everything you need for a paddling adventure of a lifetime, including flying into our wilderness parks: Quetico Provincial Park, Woodland Caribou Park, and Wabakimi Provincial Park.
Now that you have an idea of what everyone in your group wants, it is time to get the ball rolling on your trip of a lifetime!
Gone are the days of having to wait for sports show seasons or cold-calling lodges using Google. I’m going to let you in on a not-so-secret resource that makes research an absolute breeze.
If you want the most convenient tool for Northwest Ontario lodges, check out visitsunsetcountry.com. This interactive website will allow you to add your chosen lodges to a bucket list, share with your friends, and even help you narrow down choices with its Accommodation Finder.
Send your girls the link and start planning this trip ASAP!
