Young’s Wilderness Camp is located on the famed Lake of the Woods, situated on a remote island in Steven’s Bay. It is a great place for families and people curious to explore the Ontario wilderness from the United States.
Driving there is easy: just 90 minutes from International Falls to the dock where you get picked up. The boat ride from there is very quick, only three to five minutes to the camp. The five-acre island offers eight lakeside cabins with screen saver sunrises and sunsets every day! You’re not far past the border, but it feels very far away. This area of Lake of the Woods receives low fishing pressure because it’s difficult to access otherwise. And staying at Young’s, you have the option both to bring your own boat or use one from their fleet.
Lake of the Woods is one of the most well-known lakes in North America for BIG FISH! This body of water is huge when you first look at it, almost overwhelming. One of the many great things about Steven’s Bay is that the shallow and stained water keeps muskie there from spring to fall. The big muskies we landed were four minutes from the camp island. Four minutes! In my experience, in most big waters for muskies, you can expect to make long runs…not the case here.
You can expect to enjoy the majority of the day fishing at Young’s, which ups the odds of hooking one of those beasts. We didn’t actually spend a whole lot of time muskie fishing. Lodge co-owner Perry Anniuk and I got in about nine hours of total muskie fishing. Stats: landed three, lost another boat side, and four other follows, including two Lake of the Woods tanks! Again, this is only in nine hours of fishing, including running time from spot to spot. Along with the big muskies, there’s plenty of walleye action too: Lake of the Woods is very well-known for big walleye.
Of course, no trip to Canada is complete without a shore lunch. Keeper-size walleye can be caught just about everywhere. And be sure to save some room for Young’s awesome home-cooked dinners each night. Every meal is made from scratch and is delicious. The main lodge boasts a very impressive tackle shop, one of the best I’ve ever seen from an Ontario lodge. From rods and reels to a full spectrum of necessary tackle for walleyes, bass and muskie…you find it there. The WiFi is great at the main lodge, so you can keep in touch with family and friends—and most importantly, show off your day’s catch!
For fishing vessels, you have access to 16 to 18-foot deep V boats with 40-50HP four-stroke outboards. These are fishing machines, complete with trolling motors, live wells, and GPS/sonar. Everything you need to explore is both close to camp and deeper into the lake. From what we experienced for muskies, you can easily stay close and fish with giants all day long!
If you’re interested in exploring some different water, you have access to Whitefish Bay, just north of the camp. It offers some beautiful, clear water fishing. It is very picturesque, with lots of islands and natural Ontario beauty…bring a camera! The pike fishing is excellent there, along with walleye and bass.
Young’s Wilderness Camp is a fantastic place for both the serious and novice angler. Especially if you’re into chasing freshwater sharks… MUSKIE. The location makes it perfect for families too.
