Magnificent Manitoba Fly-In Fishing Experiences

Close your eyes and imagine …

A plane you’re on touches down on a runway in either Winnipeg or Flin Flon, Manitoba. You gather your luggage and gear and are greeted by another pilot who will take you on a shorter jaunt to a remote lodge where your final destination—access to northern Manitoba’s fish-rich waters—awaits.

Ultimate Fly-In Fishing at Kississing Lake Lodge

“The whole environment up there is just different,” said Jasmine Still, the trip coordinator for Kississing Lake Lodge.

And so is the level of service and accommodations offered by the lodge. Guests opting to stay by the main lodge are subject to five-star treatment, including hot coffee delivered to your door each morning and many of the creature comforts of home (WiFi, anyone?).

While people travel to Kississing Lake Lodge to unwind and unplug and just soak up the surroundings, the main attraction has been and continues to be the fishing.

“We really have a unique location,” Still added. “The lake is large and there are tons of hot spots. The fishing never gets boring.”

Between northern pike that often exceed 40 inches, walleyes that regularly measure 25 inches or more and lake trout that consistently push 30 inches, the next hook set at Kississing Lake could be a trophy-caliber catch. From mid-May to early October, the fishing at Kississing Lake Lodge is as good as it gets. The lodge provides guides who have plied the local waters for decades and are just as skilled in preparing a tasty shore lunch.

“It’s just a very homey feel,” Still said. “We are best known for not only the amazing fishing but the great overall experience.”

If Kississing Lake isn’t remote enough for you, the lodge offers the ability to jump back in the float plane along with a guide for a 1-day outing to one of four other nearby lakes to chase pike, walleyes or lake trout in a different setting.

If you’re into a more private, on-your-own adventure, the folks at Kississing Lake Lodge have you covered with outpost camps on nine different lakes, each offering their own set of scenic backdrops and fishing scenarios. Some of the cabins are 40 miles from the nearest road, so when they say you’re on your own, they mean it.

Boats, fuel and basic necessities are provided for guests at the outpost locations and the lakes tend to be smaller, but the fishing doesn’t suffer as a result.

“That’s more of a DIY trip,” Still said, “The accommodations are not as high-end as back at the main lodge. It’s just a different type of experience.”

More Information: Kississing Lodge

Or call: (800) 230-5519

Pent-Up Demand at Laurie River Lodge

Following two difficult years of being shut in, globally, anglers across North American have set their sights on Canadian fishing experiences that are second to none.

“The demand for fly-in resort and fishing access is as high as it’s ever been,” said Brent Fleck, who co-owns Laurie River Lodge alongside his wife Erin. “This year has already been extremely busy for ours and neighboring resorts—people want a fishing adventure, and we are happy to provide that.”

If you want a Canadian fishing experience done right, Laurie River Lodge offers just that. The Flecks offer a combined 30 years of lodge management experience, and when combined with the assistance of their children Chase and Madison, a youthful enthusiasm takes the experience to a new level. The combination of five-star customer service and world-class fishing makes this destination a top consideration for those looking for a first-class fly-in experience.

Laurie River Lodge is located about 550 miles northwest of Winnipeg, Manitoba, which keeps to the wilderness theme. The slow-flowing tributary to the Churchill River provides the adventure-seeking sport angler with legitimate repeat opportunities at Master Angler class northern pike, walleyes and lake trout.

Most northern pike fanatics recognize the Churchill River system, including the Laurie River, as the finest big pike habitat on the planet.

“In addition to the fishery on the Laurie River itself, we also have access to numbers of small and medium size lakes full of eager fish,” he said. “The river flows through each of these lakes creating a situation where access to prime pike habitat is easy.

“Anglers can reside in one of our six contemporary lakeside cabins, each completely designed to keep our guests warm, dry and comfortable when not on the lake,” said Fleck. “Each cabin features private bedrooms, three-piece bathrooms, warm carpeted floors, 110-volt electricity and large decks with a beautiful view of McGavock Lake are all part of what makes Laurie River Lodge one of the most popular fly-in fishing destinations in Manitoba.”

The American Plan offers hearty breakfasts and five-course gourmet dinners served daily in the main lodge, and resort guides can cook your fresh-caught walleye over an open fire for lunch on the lake every day at noon. Laurie River Lodge is relatively small as they run only 20 to 24 guests per week, which allows a personal touch that only improves the overall experience.

“Getting here is easy,” he said. “Simply fly into Winnipeg and we offer flights from that airport to our lodge. Get to Winnipeg, enjoy a nice dinner, spend the night and next morning we’ll pick you up with a charter flight to northern Manitoba. Considering how remote the fishing lodge is, we make it very easy to get here and enjoy the entire experience.

“Aside from the outstanding customer service, amazing food, our customers rave about the fishing,” he said. “We provide a tackle rental service, but many anglers still bring some gear with them. We do ask that each guest limit luggage and fishing gear to a maximum of 65 pounds to accommodate the charter flight. Bring personal items, clothes and raingear—that’s it!”

With a true shot at trophy-caliber fish, anglers can expect not only quality, but quantity at Laurie River Lodge.

“Over the course of a 4-day trip, our guests will catch 10 to 12 Master Angler quality northern pike at or exceeding 41 inches,” he added. “Manitoba’s Master Angler walleyes measure 28 inches and most of our guests will meet or exceed that mark by double digits. The lake trout must measure 35 inches to qualify for Master Angler and 10 or more of those per trip are common as well. It’s not uncommon at all for a boat to exceed triple digits in a single day. The fishing is just amazing. You’ll not regret a visit to Laurie River Lodge!”

More information: Laurie River Lodge

Or call: (800) 426-2533

Shine On In Eastern Manitoba

You’re never too old or too young to seek out adventure. Earlier this month, for instance, Shining Falls Lodge, a fly-in destination in a remote part of eastern Manitoba, welcomed a guest who was 94 years old.

“Age is not a limiting factor,” said Tobias Becker, who has owned and operated Shining Falls Lodge along with wife Ellen for the past nine years.

The Beckers both have engineering backgrounds—they met while enrolled in the Biosystems Engineering Program at the University of Manitoba—but Tobias explained there came a point about a decade ago when they discussed doing something different.

“When it came to the point to figure out what to do with our life, we wanted a bit more freedom and a different lifestyle,” Becker said. “We talked about a fishing lodge as a retirement plan or something to aspire to (own).”

Then they got a tip that someone was looking to sell Shining Falls Lodge. When they visited the property, Becker had never been on a float plane before. He said he and his wife had the same reaction when they arrived.

“I think we said, ‘Oh darn it, I think we’re buying this place,’” he recalled.

And what a place it is.

Surrounded by the Atikaki Wilderness Park, Shining Falls has unmatched scenery and fishing for walleyes—“unlimited walleye,” he said—and northern pike.

“It’s an iconic Canadian Shield spot,” he said.

The lodge also offers a great blend of modern amenities in a remote wilderness setting. All four cabins—three can sleep up to eight while the fourth can accommodate 12—come with fully furnished kitchens and three-piece bathrooms.

Getting to Shining Falls is pretty simple—you fly there. Guests meet the float plane pilot in Bissett, Manitoba, and embark on a 60-mile flight to the lodge.

“There’s no other way to get to us,” he said.

Becker said fishing guides are available for the guests, but he estimates 90% of guests wind up self-guiding. He attributes that to the straightforward makeup of the lake.

“It’s a shallow lake and that makes it an easy lake to fish,” he said. “The walleyes are always accessible, and the pike are easy to fish for.”

As summer unfolds, he said, the walleye will become more structure oriented and likewise for the pike.

“The fishing is always interesting,” he added. “We have two river systems flowing in and two flowing out. It’s a fairly dark water lake so the sunlight doesn’t impact the walleye as much. They can’t hide. They’re always on the structure somewhere and in large quantities. It’s just such a good ecosystem with good flow.”

While walleyes in the 28- to 30-inch range have been caught, the lion’s share fall in the 16- to 22-inch window.

“We’ve had guides take guests out and they can’t catch them physically faster anywhere else from the standpoint of getting the hook back in the water,” Becker said. “Whatever you’re used to catching you will catch a crazy amount more here.”

More Information: Shining Falls Lodge

Or call: (204) 480-8674

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