General Information
How to plan?
- Choose date and location
- Secure date with deposit
- Book your hotel rooms for the night before your flight where needed
- Read through packing list and preparation info
- Have a planning meeting with group, explore many great resources online about light weight equipment and menu planning.
- Prepare the payment for the balance of your trip ahead of time
- Drive up, fly in and enjoy 🙂
Booking & Deposit Information
- Dates are confirmed only when the full deposit is received
- One deposit is required for the number of people in the group. Example 4 people 4x200 – $800 due
- Deposits are payable by personal check, e-transfer or credit card (no surcharge on the card for deposits)
- Deposits are non-refundable. If someone cancels, their portion of the deposit is non-refundable.
- Deposits are not transferable unless you have the same number of people originally booked.
Final Payments
- ONE Final payment can be made by 1 week (7 days) prior to your arrival by credit card.
- US customers – Call your credit card companies to advise you will be making Canadian transactions BEFORE to avoid being flagged for fraudulent charges. If you are sending a check, please mail 2 months prior to your arrival with express shipping for tracking. You may use the day’s exchange rate to write your check, but the exchange rate used for your balance will be the rate the day the check is deposited intoour account.
Hotels & Bait Shop
Preparation
- The packing list is to help with the necessities; If you require more gear than the allowance per person, feel free to do so and you will simply pay for the extra flight needed to bring the extra gear in and out. Charter rates will apply as per mileage to each camp. Starting at $1400/flight.
- Have a planning meeting with your group. Plan the menu, group gear and personal items. All the information is to help you get ready, answer all your questions and help you avoid last-minute surprises. Size restrictions on gear are for loading airplanes and ensuring we can get all your gear on board. If you still have questions after reading through all the info and planning as a group, you can then list your questions and send an email for clarification. Cc the group so everyone gets the same information. Unfortunately, I don’t have time to answer all emails, especially requesting information already provided. We’re trying 😊 but please do call if I don’t answer important questions quickly on email.
- There are great resources online to help minimize your gear and get ideas on packing food. That way you can make room for the good stuff!
- Bait needs to be purchased in Hearst, call to have your order prepared if needed at 705-362-4828 and make sure you ask what time the bait can be picked up, please. They aren’t always open very early in the morning. KEEP YOUR RECEIPTS. You must show receipts for bait to conservation officers when checked.
Fishing licences are available online or selected licence issuers or ServiceOntario centres across the province. You can also call the outdoor card center to update your information, renew your cards or indicate you’ve lost your card. 1 800-387-7011
We do not have fishing licences available at the base. They are online or at the bait shop.
US/Canada Border crossing. It’s important to review rules on crossing foods, DUIs, children with a different last name, old criminal records and medical issues.
US State Department: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel.html
Canada Border Services Agency: http://www.cbsa.gc.ca/menu-eng.html
Arrival
- We are located 17 miles west of Hearst on Highway 11, approximately 20-minute DIRECTIONS.
- Office opens at 6:45 AM and planes are scheduled for first departure at 7:30AM. Unless the office has called you and specified a time for your group’s departure, all groups are to be at the base for 6:45AM. This will give you enough time to unload and weigh your people and gear to quickly get you and your group off to the lakes for a full day of fishing.
- You may leave your vehicle at the base and leave a key in the office if you wish to do so.
Your Responsabilities
- Be aware of fishing/hunting regulations and licences required and follow all limits. If you keep a fish, you kill it. Keeping fish in a live well and exchanging them through the day is not good practice.
- Keep the camps clean. Empty the fridge/freezer, clean the stove top/oven, mop the floor and pick up garbage around the camp and inside. A little goes a long way. Just as you appreciate coming into a clean camp, others appreciate you leaving it the same way.
- Boats need to be cleaned out of garbage and weeds and pulled in to shore with motors properly When the motors arent tilted, the foot drags and hits the bottom of the shore and damages the motors.
- Please do not write on the walls of the camps. If you wish to leave a little something from your trip, please bring something to write on and leave on the wall OR write in the provided guest Everyone loves reading a good story.
- Firewood is essential for heat in the cabin. For outdoor fires, use any other dead trees, branches, sticks and old logs you can find. We work very hard to get this wood ready for those who need a fire in the cabin. Respect our staff and other guests and do not waste firewood outside.
- Fire-bans are important to avoid forest fires and risk to the camps. If the signs are up, DO NOT make an outdoor fire. If there are no fire bans, you will be able to burn all the paper waste.
- Please be conscious of how you pack your food and other items to create the least garbage possible. Bring a water filter to avoid bringing drinking water. If you bring drinking water, bring large jugs to refill your personal refillable water bottles. Please refrain from bringing cases of bottles as they produce a terrible amount of plastic waste.
IMPORTANT – CLEAR MEDIUM SIZED GARBAGE BAGS ONLY. ALL GARBAGE WILL BE FLOWN OUT FOR RECYCLING WHAT CAN BE SENT TO RECYCLING. Just like home, separate your cans from the garbage.
Fishing Regulations
- Conservation Licence – 2 walleyes, 2 pike in possession, no big fish
- Regular Sportfishing Licence – 4 walleye (1of 4 over 18inch) 6 pike (2 of 6 over 24” only 1 of the 2 over 34”)
Fish in the fridge, freezer and stringer are part of your possession limit.
Leave skin on your filets to identify them and lay them flat and individual for freezing.
You can get charged if you have a zip lock full of frozen fillets that can’t be identified for quantity and size.
ZONE 8
HILLMER, WANZATIKA, MCLEISTER
ZONE 3
QUANTZ, NAPKEN, SUNSHINE & MARTISON
ZONE 1
SUTTON RIVER
Packing List And Tips For Getting Ready For A Great Trip
Please make sure everyone in the group is aware to avoid surprise costs at the last minute.
Weight Limits
100 lbs of cargo/food/beverage per person (based on body weight up to 220 lbs)
Example – if you weigh up to 220 lbs, you can bring 100 lbs, if you weigh more than 220, simply deduct from your cargo weight. You can average the weights out for the group. 320 lbs x 4 = 1280 lbs total for a group of 4
Here are some simple graphic examples for you. You can do the same for any amount of people in your group. 2,3,4,5,6,7,8… same thing.
- 4 x 220 lb bodies plus 100 lbs/person = 1280 lbs
- 4 x 200 lb bodies plus 120 lbs gear per person
-
320 lbs / person body and gear
(185 + 220 + 197 + 232 = 834 lbs bodies + 446 lbs gear))
- you can leave 100 lbs total for the group check flight
- you can leave 50lbs total for the group check flight
Remember that if there is an overload on the way in, there is an overload on the way out. All extra flying will be charged. If the weight is mostly beer and food, then it’s usually not a concern on your way back as you will have consumed it.
- Quality CLEAR medium size garbage bags (no xl large bags please)
- Think of containers you can use to bring your garbage back in.
- Avoid plastics, try cardboard and paper to be able to burn at camp (if we don’t have a fire ban that is)
- Beer cans to be crushed (crusher at camp) and returned in clear plastic bags for refunds.
- All other cans can be cleaned out and in a separate clear bag.
- Please No individual plastic bottles for drinking water. Bring your personal reusable drinking bottle and larger containers of drinking water. It is much less expensive and eliminates the plastic waste. There are great water filtration systems available online…google it!
- Consider prepping your foods before you leave…I know…it takes time, but it will also save time at camp and give you more time in the boat!
Your Home Away From Home
- Pots & pans
- Eating & cooking utensils
- Coffee pot – stove top style
- Large cast iron frying pans
- Juice jugs
- Mixing bowls
- Dish tray for drying
- Strainer
- Can opener
- Propane stove with 4 elements and an oven
- Refrigerator with a small freezer (big enough for freezing fish)
- Ice trays
- Propane outdoor BBQ (propane included)
- Propane outdoor fish fryer (bring your oil, and return home with your oil)
- Wood stove for heating (split /cut firewood for indoors only)
- Coleman lanterns for light, mantles and fuel/propane included
- Large white pails for carrying water from the lake
- Floor cleaner supplied with mop and bucket for cleaning camp prior to leaving
- Cut wood for INDOOR wood stove heat only
- Boats have safety kits, bailer, paddles and boat seats with back rests and anchors
- Ice trays
- Propane outdoor BBQ (propane included)
- Propane outdoor fish fryer (bring your oil, and return home with your oil)
- Wood stove for heating (split /cut firewood for indoors only)
- Coleman lanterns for light, mantles and fuel/propane included
- Large white pails for carrying water from the lake
- Floor cleaner supplied with mop and bucket for cleaning camp prior to leaving
- Cut wood for INDOOR wood stove heat only
- Boats have safety kits, bailer, paddles and boat seats with back rests and anchors
Before you leave / cleaning policy
- Please empty boats of garbage, lures, dead bait and debris.
- Empty fridge and freezer
- Clean fridge/freezer
- Clean stove top and oven
- Sweep and wash floors
- Empty all your gear, broken gear and old pillows as well.
Items You Need To Bring
Food
Communicate with the group and ask about any allergies, preferences, dislikes… this will bring you to a grocery list that suits everyone. Plastic containers instead of glass jars, powdered juice, milk, soups and sauces… this will save on weight, and consider containers you won’t through away. A few precooked meals are great instead of bringing all the fixings. Water purifying tablets or a small purification pump for drinking water. If you feel you might be over on your weight because of food and drinks, you can pack 1 or 2 boxes and mark them with your name, camp name and fridge or freezer then fly it in on the check-flight if needed.
- Coolers (2 medium / group of 4) large coolers are very difficult to handle in and out of the planes. Large heavy items take away space in the airplane for the rest of your gear, they are difficult to load and unload possibly causing damage to the planes and most importantly the pilot…you want to keep them happy 😊
- Lifejackets
- GOOD FIRST AID KIT including aspirin, Benadryl …. prescriptions
- Cooler (2 medium / group of 4) large coolers are very difficult to handle in and out of the planes. XL coolers weighing over 150 lbs will be subject to surcharges.
- Condiments (small portions)
- Zip lock bags for fish fillets
- ICE (we have ice in cubes or blocks available for sale at the base)
- Matches / Lighter
- 2 Filet knives and an all-purpose knife
- Scissors
- 2 dish towels / rag
- Quality CLEAR medium size garbage bags (no large bags please)
- Biodegradable Toilet paper
- Complete First aid kit (aspirin 81mg, Benadryl for allergic reactions…)
- Insect repellent / sunscreen, spray rather than aerosols
- Batteries for cameras, radio, fish finders, GPS, 2-way radios…
- Satellite communicator (inReach, Zoleo, Spot…)
*** pro tip – Get one medium duffel and commit to this ONE BAG ***
Think layers, with one good rain suit and extra socks. A FEW changes of clothes for varying weather conditions. Fast drying clothes are great and eliminate having to bring many outfits.
Hat and polarized sunglasses tip—have straps for your glasses to avoid dropping them in the lake
- Life jackets ~ ONE CERTIFIED LIFE JACKET PER PERSON
- Waterproof footwear and Sandals ~ can double as slippers in camps
- Sleeping bag and pillow ~ there are inexpensive inflatables available, they save space and weight. compress your bags and pillows to help with space.
- Toiletries ~ toothbrush, paste, razors, deodorant, biodegradable soap, medication, sunscreen, fly-dope / bug spray, towel and facecloth
- Flashlight, Headlamp / batteries
- Small all-purpose pocketknife/multi tool
- Camera/phone ~ don’t forget the extra batteries and memory cards
- Polarized sunglasses
- Tackle box
- Fishing net
- Fish gloves
- Needle nose pliers
- Stringer
- Fishing rods / reels / extra fishing line
Tackle & Fishing Gear
Then comes tackle! The most important part of a fishing trip. Please keep in mind the species you will be fishing for. Clean out the bass, trout, bluegill and other tackle you will not need. The water is tea stained therefore bright colors are great for walleye jigs and jig tails. The pike are ferocious and will leap at anything… spoons, surface lures and leach like baits are great with perch colors and silver too. Once again, XL tackle boxes are heavy and not always necessary so think about downsizing for the trip.
Tips ~ Worms are efficient, and they last longer. You can call ahead to get bait ready for the day you fly-in
Dangerous Goods
THERE ARE CERTAIN ITEMS THAT ARE REGULATED WHEN BEING TRANSPORTED ON THE AIRCRAFT.
We need to be aware of ALL items such as aerosol cans, batteries, bear spray, corrosive products… pack them separately for them to be readily available to place in proper containers for the flight. (batteries, bear spray especially…)