Winter is still hanging on so I'm dreaming of a float plane trip to Canada. I can't afford it and don't have the time if I could, but...

If you could be dropped by float plane anywhere north of the BWCA, where would it be?

Dubwant Lake.... unbelievable Laker fishing, or the Tree River for Artic Char....

Opisquia Provincial Park

North Caribou. Been there 5 or 6 times, great Walleye and Pike fishing.

A lake where I would not be disrupted but a float plane landing or taking off. Just kidding. Nothing specific but anywhere northern Wabakimi. I can't afford it either.

Not Canada but Alaska.

Wood Tikchik State Park, north of Dillingham Ak.
I wanted to make it there last year, but it wasn't in the cards.
I worked with Allison Esklin's "the lead Park Ranger at Wood Tikchik" brother Todd for the last few years on the Kenai Peninsula.

Wood Tikchik State Park

You would be surprised what you can get a fly in trip for with the current exchange rates. If you fly in with a Canadian outfitter who charges in Canadian money with today’s exchange rates you can do a very reasonable priced trip, under a $1000.00 per person. We are doing a seven day boat in to a remote cabin (20 mi from main camp), 16 ft boat w/30 hp motor w/ten gallons of gas (two people per boat), for $450.00 per person. Together with food, gas (one truck since not towing our own boats) this trip will be less than $600.00 pp.

This is if I win the lottery or maybe start one of those go fund me sites. The Arnaud River in ungava Quebec has been my dream for years. Virtually nobody ever gets up to this area. The costs are outrageous, the canoeing extreamly hazardous, the weather hellacious. No one goes here except French Canadians, if you have ever watched these people run whitewater you immediately are aware that they are the descendants of the French Canadian voyageurs.
The big draw for me is a site called the hammer of Thor. This site was unknown to western scientists until 1964.
This region of Canada is very remote, it is hundreds of miles to any substantial population. Alaska has nothing to compare with this.

Here are two photos I stoled from Wikipedia.the hammer of Thor was initially believed to be a relic from Viking exploration, the native Inuits are unaware of its origin.

Wow, we got lucky one year and did a fly in fishing trip for $150 per person for Lakers. I brought my daughter with. Included boat, motor and fuel. Dropped off and camped and fished for three days. In the twenties at night, but each day was nice... Warm and lots, and I mean lots of fish! Flying in is a great experience... I never minded the planes in woodland caribou park.
But maybe Family lake top side of atikaki in Manitoba.

Some lake with no cabin, campsite, or logging road access. At least one waterfall or rapids spilling into it. Lots of islands for shelter and fishing on windy days, but one, long island-less run for easy take-off and landing. With canoes strapped to the pontoons, you need that, as canoes increase weight and drag. I speak from experience, having been landed on a lake that didn't have that, and our pilot refused to return for us, as he struggled to leave the lake empty.

A lake with no name is even better.

In short, boldly land me where nearly no one has gone before!

billconner: "Opisquia Provincial Park "

+1.

I've heard too much about this park in the past couple of years that now I'm feeling the pull to get there!

missmolly: "Some lake with no cabin, campsite, or logging road access. At least one waterfall or rapids spilling into it. Lots of islands for shelter and fishing on windy days, but one, long island-less run for easy take-off and landing. With canoes strapped to the pontoons, you need that, as canoes increase weight and drag. I speak from experience, having been landed on a lake that didn't have that, and our pilot refused to return for us, as he struggled to leave the lake empty.

A lake with no name is even better.


In short, boldly land me where nearly no one has gone before! "

Must have been the worst pilot that ever flew a float plane. I have been on eighteen fly in trips, and it always takes way less room to taxi when they leave empty than when they pick us up to take us out. Curious as to how you got back if he refused to fly in for you, I’ve never been on a fly in trip where we could have walked out in less than a week.

LindenTree3: "Not Canada but Alaksa.

Wood Tikchik State Park, north of Dillingham Ak.
I wanted to make it there last year, but it wasn't in the cards.
I worked with Allison Esklin's "the lead Park Ranger at Wood Tikchik" brother Todd for the last few years on the Kenai Peninsula.


Wood Tikchik State Park "

I’m with LT3. In fact, I’m planning to go there next year!

mutz: "

missmolly: "Some lake with no cabin, campsite, or logging road access. At least one waterfall or rapids spilling into it. Lots of islands for shelter and fishing on windy days, but one, long island-less run for easy take-off and landing. With canoes strapped to the pontoons, you need that, as canoes increase weight and drag. I speak from experience, having been landed on a lake that didn't have that, and our pilot refused to return for us, as he struggled to leave the lake empty.


A lake with no name is even better.



In short, boldly land me where nearly no one has gone before! "

Must have been the worst pilot that ever flew a float plane. I have been on eighteen fly in trips, and it always takes way less room to taxi when they leave empty than when they pick us up to take us out. Curious as to how you got back if he refused to fly in for you, I’ve never been on a fly in trip where we could have walked out in less than a week."

I doubt that he was the "worst pilot that ever flew a float plane."

"...it always takes way less room to taxi when they leave empty than when they pick us up to take us out."

Yep. Because he barely made it out empty is why he wouldn't return for us, our canoe, and our gear.

That first pilot was flying a Beaver. A turbo Otter fetched us, but even it barely made it aloft. Its pilot, who's a pal and its owner, told me to buckle up. That restraining system confused me, so I asked him how it worked.

He said, as he also struggled to buckle up: "I don't know. It's the first time I've ever used it."

Jack, my pilot/pal, also said, "We're going to try this once. If we're not going to make it, we're going to unload. I'll return for one of you and half the gear. Then your dad and the rest of the gear. Finally, the canoe."

Jack pulled out the raft and survival gear and told me to hover my thumb over the transponder and activate it if he gave the signal.

"No need to wait until we hit the water."

He then backed the plane up against a cliff and I could hear the aluminum grinding against granite.

"Aren't you worried about hurting your plane?" I asked Jack.

"We need ever inch I can get."

We actually flew through a canyon tilted and clipped a tree or two.

I wasn't afraid. Too stupid, I guess. I was excited.

However, Jack was scared because when we were airborne and I wanted to talk to him about what had just happened, he said, "Give me a minute."

When he finally talked, he said, "You are never going back there."

old_salt: "

LindenTree3: "Not Canada but Alaksa.


Wood Tikchik State Park, north of Dillingham Ak.
I wanted to make it there last year, but it wasn't in the cards.
I worked with Allison Esklin's "the lead Park Ranger at Wood Tikchik" brother Todd for the last few years on the Kenai Peninsula.



Wood Tikchik State Park "

I’m with LT3. In fact, I’m planning to go there next year!"

Was there a few years ago, didn’t get very deep in the park,but the char fishing was exceptional. Dillingham is a treat in itself. Went to the cafe for breakfast one day, and they were out of almost everything. The barge and the planes that resupply the entire town were 4 or 5 days late because of weather.

Missmolly - What a story. Thanks for sharing! I'd have been terrified.

cburton103: "Missmolly - What a story. Thanks for sharing! I'd have been terrified."

I had my firewall of ignorance protecting me! Plus, I think I'm invulnerable in a plane, as I was in a plane that caught fire (As we gained altitude at take-off, I saw fire trucks emerging and I thought, "Oh, someone's in trouble. I hope they'll be okay." We had to gain enough altitude to turn back to the airport and as we did, you could see planes veering out of their landing paths in all directions.), one I had to swerve off the runway to avoid a landing plane, and scariest of all, a plane that struggled to say aloft due to icing.

This was my Dad. The place is Umiakovic and I would LOVE to go there. I think it is Labrador. Spectacular landscape and great Char fishing.

missmolly: "

cburton103: "Missmolly - What a story. Thanks for sharing! I'd have been terrified."

I had my firewall of ignorance protecting me! Plus, I think I'm invulnerable in a plane, as I was in a plane that caught fire (As we gained altitude at take-off, I saw fire trucks emerging and I thought, "Oh, someone's in trouble. I hope they'll be okay." We had to gain enough altitude to turn back to the airport and as we did, you could see planes veering out of their landing paths in all directions.), one I had to swerve off the runway to avoid a landing plane, and scariest of all, a plane that struggled to say aloft due to icing. "

Because you're once.
Twice.

Three times, alive-eeeee!

The Sutton river! Marc

The Sutton river! Marc

mapsguy1955: "


This was my Dad. The place is Umiakovic and I would LOVE to go there. I think it is Labrador. Spectacular landscape and great Char fishing. "

Labrador! Fishing here is unequalled anywhere. So good they named the worlds best dog after it, or maybe it was the other way around?

old_salt: "

LindenTree3: "Not Canada but Alaksa.


Wood Tikchik State Park, north of Dillingham Ak.

Wood Tikchik State Park "

I’m with LT3. In fact, I’m planning to go there next year!"

Old salt,

I would contact Allison (Allie) Eskelin the head LEO Park Ranger and pilot for the park.
Her e-mail is included in the online brochures.
She gave me a lot of information about where to go and how much time it would take to do some routes.
Her husband is from MN, and she wants to take him to the boundary waters, she will most likely pump you for info on the BWCA.
I only met her one time and she may not remember me.

Have fun, I'm jealous.

Msmolly your talk of pucker factor in a turbine otter reminded me of this great otter float plane video. The Otter is a big plane, you can haul close to a dozen people in it.

There are some great places in Utah and Idaho that you can only get into with a wheeled bush plane. Like Frank Church Wilderness of No return.

We flew out of a lodge on Diana Lake in northern Quebec, near Kuujjuaq in an Otter... Runway was 600 feet long with big rocks all over it... Yes for pucker factor. Best Brookie fishing I have ever seen... 6 days and probably 7-800 fish, all between 2-5 lbs and beautiful.

Wow, so many incredible places. This is fun.

I'm going to take a hard look at Opasquia, that's got to happen.

fadersup: "Wow, so many incredible places. This is fun.


I'm going to take a hard look at Opasquia, that's got to happen.


"

Pack your full-body suit mosquito netting! :)

Going up there in June. Not a fly in trip. We drive to Ignace then drive an hour north, and another hour boat ride to the cabin. We are just on the start of the float plane area. We can see them flying by us. We stay at Cobblestone lodge.

ellahallely: "Msmolly your talk of pucker factor in a turbine otter reminded me of this great otter float plane video. The Otter is a big plane, you can haul close to a dozen people in it.


There are some great places in Utah and Idaho that you can only get into with a wheeled bush plane. Like Frank Church Wilderness of No return."

What a video! Thanks!

hey mutz.... what lake are you talking about? and what outfitter? thanks for any info.

Bump. Float plane trip is definitely happening, just have to decide where.

Looking to keep it a reasonable drive from MN. Solitude, scenery and great fishing.

My partner wants a cabin and motor, I prefer to camp and paddle. Any more suggestions before I pull the trigger on a reservation?

I am lucky...back in 2007 I was able to go on a fly in trip to Wollaston Lake Lodge which is a 5 star resort in Northeastern Saskatchewan. The best part, it was fully paid for by a vendor through my work. Nice accomodations, gourmet meals, all the free booze and beer we wanted and a fully guided trip. It was an amazing experience, Wollaton is a large lake full off pike but also Lake Trout with Grayling fishing close by. Not much for walleyes though. One of the days we took a float plane into a remote lake for walleye fishing, on my first cast I caught a 28 incher.

Pike were the primary target and the goals was 40 inches or better. We caught 30 plus fish all day long and I didn't get my 40 until the day of the fly in, ironically on the walleye lake. Got two that day around 42 inches. The guides were great doing all of the work including landing fish bare handed. We also had wonderful shore lunches each day, fully prepared by the guides.

i am extremely grateful for being able to experience this trip, it was probably a $4000 - $5000 trip per person and I would never be able to afford something like that.

Some shots from the trip:

Having done a fair amount of tripping in Arctic Canada, I would say a backpack trip in the Torngat Mountains of Labrador--or on Ellesmere Island--would be in order. But, then again, a long paddle down the Back or Dubawnt Rivers would suit me just as well...

The nice thing about the Canadian Arctic is that it is TWICE the size of Alaska, but with 1/10th the number of people. And the best places tend to be chunks of geography that the vast majority of folks have never heard of...

mutz: "You would be surprised what you can get a fly in trip for with the current exchange rates. If you fly in with a Canadian outfitter who charges in Canadian money with today’s exchange rates you can do a very reasonable priced trip, under a $1000.00 per person. We are doing a seven day boat in to a remote cabin (20 mi from main camp), 16 ft boat w/30 hp motor w/ten gallons of gas (two people per boat), for $450.00 per person. Together with food, gas (one truck since not towing our own boats) this trip will be less than $600.00 pp. "

If you are interested in sharing where you are going, I would like to know. PM if you wish.
Jake

Our June '19 trip has us flying into the middle of Woodland Caribou and paddling out. Really looking forward to it!

ParkerMag: "Our June '19 trip has us flying into the middle of Woodland Caribou and paddling out. Really looking forward to it!"

I really like the sound of that!

crawdaddy: "hey mutz.... what lake are you talking about? and what outfitter? thanks for any info."

Crawdaddy
Sorry I missed this last March, if you happen to see my response, it is happy days lodge on Windermere lake app. Halfway between Chapleau and Wawa Ontario this is about 150 mi north of Sault Ste. Marie Mi.
They fill up fast with a lot of repeat business, with five or six cabins at the base and the remote cabin.
We have been very happy on two trips going back in June 2019.

My planned trip, referenced earlier, has been postponed for a year.

Flown several times. The best in a single Otter to Duo Lakes. We had to fly low through the Rockies out of Mayo Yukon. It was about a 40 minute flight

Beaver some eight or nine times in Wabakimi. The most memorable take off in a strong headwind. We shot straight up.
Then the rest of the trip bumpy and I was hanging out the window. Never quite barfed.

Flying recon over a lake with the wings pointing up and down is a delight.

mutz: "You would be surprised what you can get a fly in trip for with the current exchange rates. If you fly in with a Canadian outfitter who charges in Canadian money with today’s exchange rates you can do a very reasonable priced trip, under a $1000.00 per person. We are doing a seven day boat in to a remote cabin (20 mi from main camp), 16 ft boat w/30 hp motor w/ten gallons of gas (two people per boat), for $450.00 per person. Together with food, gas (one truck since not towing our own boats) this trip will be less than $600.00 pp. "

Mutz, I'd love to learn more about the trip you took (outfitter etc.). Feel free to shoot me an email if you'd like. Thanks.

JJ

It does not have to break the bank to take a floatplane. Last summer we used Bluewater Aviation out of Bissett, Manitoba. Round trip total was $2500 US. We had two canoes strapped on the floats of the Turbo Otter. We flew in 45 miles and out the same. It was $11 a mile after the minimum of 40 miles. 40 miles from Bissett puts you in a lot of great places. So, for $650 US each we were dropped where I had taken 9 days to paddle to in the past. Put a Pac Canoe inside the plane and six can split the $2500. No park fees on the Manitoba side so if $ are tight it is even better.

Marten: "It does not have to break the bank to take a floatplane. Last summer we used Bluewater Aviation out of Bissett, Manitoba. Round trip total was $2500 US. We had two canoes strapped on the floats of the Turbo Otter. We flew in 45 miles and out the same. It was $11 a mile after the minimum of 40 miles. 40 miles from Bissett puts you in a lot of great places. So, for $650 US each we were dropped where I had taken 9 days to paddle to in the past. Put a Pac Canoe inside the plane and six can split the $2500. No park fees on the Manitoba side so if $ are tight it is even better."

Marten, I haven't heard much about Atikaki PP. Care to share some more details about your trip? Sounds incredible.

Marten, I haven't heard much about Atikaki PP. Care to share some more details about your trip? Sounds incredible. "



There are some Atikaki videos on my Youtube channel

Martin's Youtube channel

This is for an unlisted video of Atikaki



Unlisted video of Atikaki- need to use this link to see

Also if you go to Canadian Canoe Routes (CCR) and do a trip report search for Atikaki you will find a lot of details for the park. If you search SE Manitoba they will not show up.

I've done 6 fly ins into Ontario , my dream trip would probably be Athabasca or Great Slave , for trophy pike and lakers.
a cheaper trip that is good , is drive to Lac Seul or Lake St. Joseph . i would pick St.joe's ;)

Marten: "It does not have to break the bank to take a floatplane. Last summer we used Bluewater Aviation out of Bissett, Manitoba. Round trip total was $2500 US. We had two canoes strapped on the floats of the Turbo Otter. We flew in 45 miles and out the same. It was $11 a mile after the minimum of 40 miles. 40 miles from Bissett puts you in a lot of great places. So, for $650 US each we were dropped where I had taken 9 days to paddle to in the past. Put a Pac Canoe inside the plane and six can split the $2500. No park fees on the Manitoba side so if $ are tight it is even better."

That sounds like a very reasonable alternative to the long paddle. I'm glad to see that they took your canoes too.

I agree, Dubawnt is the best laker fishing I've ever had.

Great videos, thanks for sharing. This decision was supposed to get easier.

HighnDry: "

billconner: "Opisquia Provincial Park "

+1.

I've heard too much about this park in the past couple of years that now I'm feeling the pull to get there!"

Curious what you've heard? I would love to know more. Remoteness? Details, details. I would love to hear.

I haven't been there yet so I'm probably the wrong person to ask. It's certainly remote, more mosquitoes than you can imagine, and I believe that you will be flying out of Red Lake north to the first nations fishing village first where you have to camp out overnight while you wait for a plane to take you in....or something like that. Those that have been will be happy to fill you in!

HighnDry: "I haven't been there yet so I'm probably the wrong person to ask. It's certainly remote, more mosquitoes than you can imagine, and I believe that you will be flying out of Red Lake north to the first nations fishing village first where you have to camp out overnight while you wait for a plane to take you in....or something like that. Those that have been will be happy to fill you in!"

Cool. I'd love to hear from anyone that has been there.

I was there in 2013 and this link will give details on the trip.

Martin and Farmers 2013 Opasquia canoe trip


The best news is this E-mail from the new owner of Big Hook. Big Hook has a great transport system to get you up to Opasquia.

Hi Martin,

My name is Ryan Carlson. I'm the new owner of Big Hook Wilderness Camps. Steve and Evie forwarded me an email from you inquiring about canoe outfitting.

The answer is yes, we're still renting out the canoes and are glad to arrange transportation and any other items we are able.

Please feel free to forward my email address any parties that may be thinking about a trip.

Thanks again,
Ryan

Ryan Carlson
Big Hook Wilderness Camps
PO Box 4121
Hopkins, MN 55343
P: 970.363.4665
www.bighookcamps.com

Good video Marten. It really gives you a sense of the park. The GIS link has since gone defunct due to proprietary issues I guess. I'll see if I can get the pdf version to load. I'd be interested in seeing your route laid out "on paper" so to speak!

HighnDry: "Good video Marten. It really gives you a sense of the park. The GIS link has since gone defunct due to proprietary issues I guess. I'll see if I can get the pdf version to load. I'd be interested in seeing your route laid out "on paper" so to speak!"

This link has the gps file you can download..
CCR route database with GPS file from our trip

Perfect! On a related note, how did you find the Novacrafts handled? I guess this trip would also be a good use of a pakboat to keep costs low and have "your own canoe" with you.

Because Big Hook charters a 9 passenger plane every Sat. to transport the fishing camp guests to and from the Sandy Lake airstrip a Pacboat cannot be taken. Also Big Hook only makes money for the canoe rental so to make this viable you need to rent his canoes after being flown with a float plane to their base in Opasquia. The canoes handle fine, the canoes are heavy but handle very well. The portages are short and flat so the heavy royalex is not a problem. If I go back I would want to use the Dagger solo canoe he has there.

Thanks. That touches on a couple of my concerns with that setup. Portaging Royalex can be an experience especially if pakboats or your own kevlar canoes are not an option. Flat, short portages are nice too!

To make the info on Opasquia easier to access I started a new thread here:
Opasquai contacts and info links

Great video and info! Thanx!!!!

HighnDry: "Perfect! On a related note, how did you find the Novacrafts handled? I guess this trip would also be a good use of a pakboat to keep costs low and have "your own canoe" with you."

Part of the problem here is the weight restriction on gear that can be transported via the two legs of the flights from Red Lake to OPP. I have a pakboat but opted not to take it due to this limitation.

There has been some discussion among my two previous trip mates about a potential return trip...maybe it will see OPP yet! (It did quite well on a WCPP trip along the Bloodvein River.)

Marten, MagicPaddler, Jimbo and I will all be at Canoecopia this year. Maybe you can corner one of us for more details of an OPP adventure.

dd

cburton103: "Missmolly - What a story. Thanks for sharing! I'd have been terrified."

+1!! Yikes!! Sounds like a nightmare to me!