Owners since 1987, Jim and Ann have guided many people, from beginner to expert, sharing with them their knowledge of the area's ecosystem. We invite you to join us at the Outpost Lodge for your family fishing vacation!
You can have your choice here of HOW to fish--it's the WHERE and WHEN that we'll help you with. There is fly fishing, bait fishing, trolling, spinning, and casting for smallmouth bass, walleye, whitefish, lake trout and salmon. There are lakes, reservoirs and rivers, streams, brooks and ponds to explore, all within a seven-mile radius.
Fishing licenses and live bait (minnows and leeches) are available at the local Trading Post. We carry replacement tackle and Outpost Gear in our tack store.
When you arrive, we'll supply you with maps and directions to all of our lakes and activities. We'll go over fishing strategies and bring you up to speed on current conditions.
We have fully equipped fishing boats, on several good lakes, for the exclusive use of our guests. We have canoes and offer a complimentary trip on the Mississagi River.
"Fishing made Easy"
Jim has put together an informative summary for several popular fish:
Walleye
Smallmouth Bass
River Trout: Rainbow/Brook
Whitefish and Lake Trout
Pike
Walleye
What to Bring
- Rod and reel 5-7 ft. medium to light action, sensitive rod tip
- Line 4-10 lb. test
Terminal Tackle
- Snaps and swivels (10) Short shank small gap hooks #6-#10(10)
- Long shank, small gap hooks #6-10 (10)
- Removable split shot lead weights 1/8 to 1/4 oz. (20)
- Lead head jigs; 1/4 oz., white, chartreuse and red (small gap if available) (10)
- Leaf spinner rig (Colorado) gold, silver, white or chartreuse (10)
- Trolling baits: large billed or deep diving floating style, natural colouration in spring, with red in summer, bright in fall
E.g. Hot-n-tot, Shad rap, Wally Diver: 2in. in spring to 4 in. in fall
Live Bait
- Minnows: Small in spring, medium in summer and fall. Change water often and only carry two dozen per bucket in cool weather
and one dozen in the heat of the summer. Wet and cover bucket with utility towel in summer to keep cool. On warm days, the
evaporation of water from towel will cool off bucket.
- Leeches: replace water occasionally and keep out of direct sun light. A single ice cube in water keeps them very fresh.
- Worms: Keep out of direct sunlight and in the fridge when done fishing.
When to Fish
Two hours before, until an hour after, both sunrise and sunset.
Day time fishing is more difficult and tends to be in deeper, choppier water, on overcast days.
Where to Fish
When still fishing or vertical fishing, try 15-20 ft. of water in bays with in coming streams and hard bottoms. Fish seek out their
food around rocks, boulders and sunken logs in hard bottomed bays. Your anchor is a depth finder. Simply let your anchor down to
the bottom, one or two feet at a time, and count the depth. Tapping your anchor up and down can indicate the hardness and type
of bottom. You can also find logs and other transitions this way.
When trolling, start by finding 15 ft. of water with depth finder. Proceed at 2 mph parallel to shoreline, gradually moving
shallower and deeper until your bait just ticks the bottom. Continue in this serpentine pattern till you hook up. Take note of
changes in shoreline to help anticipate changing depth. It is dangerous to operate an outboard less than 10 ft. of water.
Fish shallows by anchoring or drifting in 15 feet of water and cast towards shore.
Back to Top
Smallmouth Bass
What to Bring
- Rod and reel 5-7 ft medium to light action, sensitive rod tip.
- Line 4-10 lb. test
Terminal Tackle
- Snap swivels (10), short and long shank hooks #6-10 (10)
- Assorted lead weights 1/8 to 3/4 oz.
- Lead headed jigs, twister tails 1/4 to 3/4 oz.
- Tube baits, jigs 1/4 to 1/2 oz.
- Artificial frogs: soft rubber
- French Spinners: Mepps, Rooster tails, Panther Martins, Black Fury #2 and #3
- Top water baits, crank baits: Zehra Spook (white), Hula popper (black), Rebel Crayfish (natural), Tiny torpedo, Shad Rap (crayfish)
Live Bait
- worms, minnows, leeches, crickets.
Leeches and crickets are the best live baits for smallmouth bass.
- Wild frogs must never be taken out of the environment because they have an important role to play, keeping the mosquitoes to a safe and
balanced level.
When to Fish
Mornings, just after sunrise and evening until dark are good times to fish. Cloudy overcast days, close to shadows and deep cover can be
good for midmorning and midday fishing.
Where to Fish
- Directly in front of shallow points with deep water on either side.
- On the deep water edge of small bays with weed growth.
- Corners of islands with large boulders 10 - 15 ft. down.
- Outside edges of large weed beds.
- On top of sunken islands with deep water all around.
- Bays with sunken logs.
How to Fish
Using a small hook and weight with bait, cast out toward structure. Let drop to bottom before slowly
retrieving. Jigs with twister tails, tube baits and drop-shot set ups can be used the same way.
Spinners are the most productive and versatile - try different retrieves and speeds each cast.
Top water baits need calm water conditions. Crank baits need to be trolled so that they dive relatively
close to bottom structures - 2 mph!
Back to Top
River Trout: Rainbow/Brook
What to Bring
- Rod and reel, light to medium weight
- Line 4-10 lb. test
Terminal Tackle
- Medium long shanked, snelled hooks
- Snap swivels
- French spinners; Mepps Black Fury #1-3 dressed, Rooster tails white
- Spoons: Little Cleo blue and silver, red and brass
Live Bait
When to Fish
Dawn to dusk.
Where to Fish
- Look for dark water in shallow rivers indicating depth changes.
- In front of large boulders.
- Swirling eddies with foam.
- Any natural breaks in direction of water.
- Just below in coming streams.
How to Fish
Cast above area intended to fish. Let river current take baits through area. Control amount of line
out, allowing no slack but letting line drop close to bottom. Retrieve line as slow as possible.
Feel for hits. Set hook firmly and reel in continuously.
Back to Top
Whitefish and Lake Trout
What to Bring
- Medium action rod
- 8-12 lb. test line
Terminal Tackle
- Ball bearing swivels
- Large snelled hooks; long & short shank
- Jigging spoons; Swedish pimples, Krocker spoons; Herring spoons
Live and Dead Bait
- Medium to large minnows
- Dead medium to small smelt
When to Fish
The two hours after dawn and the two hours before sunset
Where to Fish
Start on a 40 foot shelf drifting over 60 foot at most. Electronic depth finders
are very helpful here.
How to Fish
Vertical jigging is the most productive method. Let your spoon settle on bottom. Take up slack line.
Close line bail and raise rod up to 12 o'clock. Then return spoon to bottom. Repeat and raise rod tip
again. Continue jigging feeling the bottom each time. Anchoring in this depth of water is difficult,
so drifting may be the only option. Calm evenings and mornings are preferable. Readjust your line to
settle on bottom. Any strike or change in tempo, raise rod tip and start to reel up in preparation of
a fish on your line. If so, continue to reel up with steady pressure. To fish dead bait, tie on a
large snelled hook and above the ball bearing swivel, attach from 1/2 to 3/4 oz. weight. Drop the
bait to the bottom and reel up any slack. Wait!
Back to Top
Pike
What to Bring
- Medium action rod
- 8-12 lb. test line
Terminal Tackle
- Large short shank single hooks.
- Wire leaders - black, assorted sizes.
- Sinkers - assorted large split shot from 1/4 to 1/2 oz.
- Ball bearing swivels.
- Bobbers - large
- Spinner baits - white or yellow
Live Bait
- Medium sucker minnows (3 - 4 inch)
When to Fish
The three hours after sunrise and the three hours before dusk.
Where to Fish
- On the edges of weedbeds.
- On approach to narrows.
- Around sunken logs.
- In front of beaver houses.
How to Fish
For still fishing from a boat, rig up your line with a ball bearing swivel, a leader and a hook.
Above the swivel, attach the weight. To attach your live minnow, stick the hook under the jaw and
out through the nose. Let it drop to the bottom, leaving the minnow to swim with a little slack
line. This same rig can be used at different depths by attaching a bobber. For the spinners, cast
the edge of the weedbeds, let it drop and then retrieve quickly. Systematically cast along the edge.
Try trolling your spinner baits between spots!
By Jim Kehoe, January 2007
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