Any Canada fly-in fishermen here?

[forgop]

Getting ready to take the plunge of putting down a deposit on a trip in September 2013. A week long of fishing for walleye, northern pike, and smallmouth bass amongst the moose and bears. I'm going to start making this an annual trip with a group of guys with no contact for the outside world to fish, drink beer, and smoke cigars.

This is who I'll be going through. http://www.airivanhoe.com

I'm already looking forward to it.

[dave]

Nice! Just got back from here: http://goo.gl/maps/Xd0p
Fantastic trip!

I've flown in to a couple different lakes in Northern Ontario about a half-dozen times over the last 35 years. My folks have been going every year for over 30 to the same camp: http://mccuskerlake.com/

I've never done a lodge-type, however; always small camps with cabins that sleep 4-10. I'd always flown out of Red Lake before, but this year new owners are flying from Nestor Falls. Great because we saved about 3 hours of drive time (from Milwaukee) and gained an extra hour of flying :)

Let me know if you've got any questions about walleye or northern fishing up that way. I've never gone that late (we always go in June) or been that far east, but I'd love to discuss!

[hammondc]

Top 3 on my bucket list. One day.

[Chainsaw13]

My dad and uncles used to do fly in trips back in the 70's. Chapleau Outpost if I remember correctly. Not sure if that place is open or not still. I"m not sure if the black flies are still an issue in September, but worth looking into.

[forgop]

Let me know if you've got any questions about walleye or northern fishing up that way. I've never gone that late (we always go in June) or been that far east, but I'd love to discuss!

I was advised to avoid June/July cuz the mosquitos are so bad.

My cousin's step dad has gone for 40+ consecutive years and has been giving all kinds of advice.

[dave]

IMHO, it is much more important to time trip around the fishing and weather than around the insects (at least in Northwest Ont.) Between the black flies, horse flies, deer flies, mosquitoes, etc. all having different peak times, it can get a little nuts trying to predict. This year there were hardly any mosquitoes. But the black flies were insane. (At least for the other 5 members of my family -- for no good reason, I'm pretty immune to biting/stinging insects. Same boat, and my girlfriend would be hounded and bit by them all day and I'd never even see one four feet farther aft in the boat. Crazy.)

Whatever time of year, just make sure you take plenty of repellant. Ultrathon works for black flies - and Off/Cutter/Repel at 25+ for skeeters and the rest. Take more than you think you'll need.

[forgop]

This guy has gone throughout all of the seasons and made it sound like we'll be killing it no matter which month we choose. I think he uses to go June/July and said it was just as good in Aug/Sept and the bug situation was much more tolerable.

[dave]

Tackle box MUSTS:

-Daredevil
-Johnson Silver Minnow (trail a 2 1/2" x 1/4# strip of white walley belly)
-Little Cleo
-Jig heads - lots....1/8 to 3/8 -- colors not too important, but I did find that if I used darker tails, they were more effective with darker heads (and I only had a few black jig heads along - wished I'd brought more.)
-Twister-type tails - lots and lots various colors; last month where we were, yellow was very hot
-Nice, big inline spinner bait - maybe 1/25-1.5 oz
-Spreaders - for the hammer-handle northerns
-Med. diving crank - bright color(s)
-Wire leaders -- buy a few different kinds early and take the time to check them out; there's some really crappy ones out there nowadays (I broke at least three on big fish and had a couple bizarre heavy duty (Berkley) that had wire so fat I couldn't put jigs on 'em and they killed the action on spoons without split rings.)

[dave]

How was the trip, Duane?