So, you have seen us time and time again, travelling to some of the absolute best fishing areas that the province of Ontario has to offer. Be it for Brook Trout, Bass, Muskie, Pike etc., they are all scattered throughout this great area.
In this top 5, we are going to give you five (with one more as a bonus) of the finest Walleye facilities that we have ever encountered in our awesome part of the world. Trust us, there are plenty more that can be added in here… a 5-lodge limit is SO constraining!
We based this top 5 on fishing first and foremost, then followed by accommodations etc. Trust us when we tell you, all lodges & lakes listed here are rated 5-stars when it comes to Walleye fishing in either numbers, size, or both!
As with most of our “Top” lists, there is no order from best – to worst here.
Esnagi Lake, Lodge 88 (bonus: Mar Mac Lodge)
“Before our first trip to Esnagi Lake” says Ang “we had heard so much about Lodge 88 that we nearly begged to get there. All I can say is WOW thank god we pushed it!”
Situated in the Algoma region of Ontario, North To Adventure’s Lodge 88 is one of those dream destinations. Nestled on the southern shore of Esnagi Lake, “88” is the perfect getaway for the hardcore angler that wants to feel a sense of luxury at the end of a long fishing day. You can fly in or train in.
Twenty-seven-mile-long Esnagi Lake is famous for excellent Walleye & Northern Pike fishing. There’s lots of fish, and there’s big ones. In fact, on our first trip to the lodge, Ang & Pete boated a bunch of 4-7 lb Walleye capped off with a 10 lb+ monster! Incidentally, all of those fish were caught in water less than 12 feet deep.
If that’s not enough, you can portage to nearby Rock Lake for world-class spring Brook Trout fishing!
Lodge 88
Whether you decide on the American Plan (includes delicious home-cooked meals in our dining room) or the Deluxe Housekeeping Plan (prepare your own meals) you will enjoy the ultimate in wilderness accommodation in your recently constructed log cabin or suite all have hot and cold running water.
Lodge 88’s ultra-deluxe accommodations feature large open-concept living/kitchen areas, spacious carpeted bedrooms and modern bathrooms. Cabins with more than two bedrooms have two bathrooms. A gas fire space heater will keep you toasty warm, but should you get too hot each room is equipped with an overhead ceiling fan. Kitchens are fully stocked with everything you need. All linens and towels are supplied. As all cabins overlook the water you can enjoy the incredible northern panorama through large picture windows or from your own private deck with BBQ.
BONUS
Another amazing facility on Esnagi Lake is Marmac Lodge. It too is top notch as far as Ontario lodges are concerned. Obviously, the fishing is every bit as good as Lodge 88’s since they share the same body of water.
Both Lodge 88 and the bonus of Marmac, easily make our top 5 list.
Fish’n Canada @ Esnagi Lake:
Keeping It In The Family – Ang & grandson Nik take a trip to lodge 88. Here is the web article, here is the episode Hotspot and here is the YouTube episode.
Shallow Water Walleye of Esnagi – Pete and Ang hit the extreme shallows of Esnagi for a mixed bag of Pike and Walleye. Here is the web article, here is the Hotspot and here is the YouTube episode.
Hawk Lake, Hawk Lake Lodge
“There are not many drive-to lodges” says Pete “that can boast trophy Walleye fishing on an almost daily basis. Hawk lake can do that bragging and they can back it up!”
This is another lodge (like 88) in where Ang and Pete had to wait a long time to get in.
“We kept hearing story after story about Hawk Lake” says Ang “about its outstanding Walleye fishing (Bass, Pike and Lakers too) but we could never connect on the timing. It honestly was frustrating, however when we finally got in… wow was it worth it!”
Hawk Lake Lodge is located just east of Kenora Ontario. Yes, that is a long drive if you are travelling from the southerly most portion of the province however if you want a true crack at a 10-pound or better “casting with a jig” Walleye, Hawk is the place. On Ang and Pete’s first trip, they were amazed at the results… and Ted Putnam (lodge owner) said “oh, this is nothing, you should see it when it’s good!”
Hawk Lake Lodge:
Guest cabins (1, 2, 3 or 4 bedroom) are private with lakeside decks. A welcome basket of snacks awaits your arrival. Your refrigerator contains an endless supply of soft drinks (refilled daily). Every cabin has its own personal hot tub on the deck looking out to the lake.
Corporate Retreats
The lodge is well suited for corporate retreats and has provided a unique combination of work and relaxation to numerous groups over the years. During the day your group can hold meetings and workshops in the main lodge, complete with all meeting facilities to include projectors, wi-fi connection (for international conferencing to members that cannot attend), team or group meetings spaces as well as audio equipment.
They will tailor a custom food menu to your liking, including snacks, beverages, full team shore lunches (with anything from steaks to shrimp and fish cooked over an open flame), dinner selections and everything else in between.
They can also offer introductory fishing classes to those new to the sport, or for those more experienced anglers they would be happy to pull together more advanced fishing instruction from fish location (including classroom instruction) to fly-fishing techniques.
Fish’n Canada @ Hawk Lake
We have been to Hawk a couple of time and it has never disappointed.
Hawk Lake the Perfect Storm – Here is the web article, here is the Hotspot and here is the YouTube episode.
The Giants of Hawk Lake – Here is the web article, here is the Hotspot and here is the YouTube episode.
Onaman Lake + 44 More, Pasha Lake Cabins
Here is another drive to destination that quite honestly will knock your socks off when it comes to Walleye fishing.
“We call this our double drive-to experience” says Ang “in where we first drive to the facility, and then we drive to the fishing”.
Pasha Lake Cabins offers an array of angling opportunities to the mobile angler and the best thing is, you don’t even have to bring a boat. In fact, most of the lakes you will be fishing do not even have boat launches.
Pasha Lake Cabins
From the Pasha Lake Cabins Basecamp there are many lakes that offer a variety of Walleye opportunities for both Numbers and Trophy fish.
We don’t want our guests thinking that they just have Pasha Lake to fish. We want our guests to experience the adventure and thrill of fishing a different lake every day. You can think of Pasha Lake as the gateway to some of the top lakes in Ontario and a starting point for multiple Trophy expeditions. Lakes are accessible by boat or driving. Some lakes require a short walk down some portage paths through the forest, which adds to the adventure and lets you get a taste of the Northwestern Ontario Wilderness.
On the lodge’s web page, they state they have access ro 45 different Walleye lakes within a 2-hour drive from the camp. Honestly, that list would take years upon years to complete.
“We have shot at 3 unique Walleye locations on the Pasha list” says Pete “and I can honestly say, it was some of the best Walleye action we have ever experienced.”
“One of those trips Pete’s referring to” continues Ang “is Onaman Lake. It’s a gorgeous trail walk from the truck to the boat, and quite honestly it was a trip of a lifetime. Once we found the Walleye, it was fish after fish on pretty much every technique we tried… simply amazing!”
Fish’n Canada @ Onoman Lake
This was a trip to remember for Ang and Pete. There is always a sense of high anticipation when going to fish a new area and Onaman delivered the goods. Here is the web article, here is the Hotspot and here is the YouTube episode.
Kesagami Lake, Kesagami WILDERNESS Lodge
Here is a fly-in Walleye destination that is nothing short of awesome. The reason we say this is because Kesagami Wilderness Lodge is primarily known as a trophy Northern Pike destination and trust us… that it is! However, the Walleye population on Kesagami is quite honestly, astounding! In fact, most ardent Pike hunters take much of their trip and dedicate it to Kesagami Lake Walleye. Let’s be honest, catching 20-50 fish per person, per outing is something only dreams are made of.
“On our first trip to Kesagami” says Ang “we didn’t know which way to turn. First, we’d be catching giant Pike out of the shallow weedbeds and then maybe 50 feet away we would start smashing Walleye after Walleye. Confusing yes… fun… Ohhh yeah!”
Kesagami Wilderness Lodge:
Built in the mid ’80’s, the fly-in “American Plan” lodge is welcoming and luxurious beyond expectation. Handsomely appointed rooms and rustic cabins, a spacious recreation area / lounge with massive fireplace and stained-glass windows offer guests relaxing moments and social activities when they are not fishing.
At Kesagami, boats are huge, stable, square-back Scott canoes with plenty of room for anglers, their gear, shore lunch box and camera equipment.
Guides are available through the outfitter and a hearty shore lunch built around just-caught golden walleye fillets should be part of any trip here.
Kesagami Wilderness Lodge welcomes individuals (no “double occupancy” surcharge), families, physically and/or developmentally challenged persons. The lodge staff will enthusiastically prepare for and attend to the special needs of anglers and guests to insure a memorable visit to Kesagami.
Kesagami Wilderness Lodge is one of those places that we here at Fish’n Canada are most definitely going to give a return visit to… it’s an absolute must!
Lac Seul – Outpost camps (Andersons) and lodges
Our final entry on this Walleye list is Andersons Lodge and Outposts on beautiful Lac Seul. Now without downplaying the prior lakes on this list, Lac Seul’s Walleye fishing is simply “beyond belief”!
Seul is a massive waterbody that is chock full of Walleye and the average size is quite impressive. In fact, all but one of Fish’n Canada’s trips to Lac Seul were packed with big Walleye. On that single trip in where the fish weren’t classed as big, it was because the guys were on a multi-species adventure in which Walleye were the shore lunch targets while Pike and Smallmouth Bass were priority.
“We have visited Andersons twice now” says Pete “and both trips were so outstanding that we want to go back ASAP!”
The first Fish’n Canada trip was to Anderson’s drive to base lodge near Sioux Lookout. From there we took a short drive to a portion of Lac Seul that was loaded with quality-sized Walleye… nice quality that is!
On our second trip we took a LONG boat cruise to Anderson’s Tom’s Landing outpost camp. This destination is normally accessed by float plane however if you want to take your own boat, the option is there. That is exactly what we did.
As for the Walleye fishing, well aside from fish pretty much everywhere, how does catching your daily shore lunch fish from the camp’s dock. No need to burn time and gas.
Andersons Lodge:
Our cabins have pine siding inside and out, cedar vaulted ceilings, ceiling fans, full decks with chairs, spacious and tastefully decorated living and sleeping areas, carpeting and laminate floors, private bedrooms that feature double beds with quality Simmons box spring/mattress sets, reading lights, four-piece bathrooms that feature molded full-piece tub/shower units; electric refrigerators, stoves, microwaves and coffee makers. Of course, we can not forget to mention windows, lots of them, to provide you with that perfect view of the lake in all of its natural beauty!
Guests on our American Plan packages will also enjoy the pampered feeling of having our housekeeping staff clean their cabin daily. Return from your day’s adventures to a clean cabin with perfectly made beds and fresh towels. Just another one of the ways that Anderson’s Lodge goes the extra mile to make sure that your stay is stress free and totally relaxing.
Trust us when we tell you, once you visit Andersons Lodge, you will be a customer for a long time!
Fish’n Canada @ Lac Seul – Lac Seul has treated us ultra-kindly throughout the years. As to our most recent multi-species trip (including Walleye), here is the YouTube episode.
CONCLUSION
This “Top 5” list was quite fun to put together since it brought back fantastic memories for Ang and Pete. They stated over and over while making their choices, “man it is hard to pick just 5 when there are so many Walleye destinations out there. It should have been a top 20… or 30… or…???
Some Day..