Frequently Asked Questions

Atikokan is definitely not as well known as many areas in North West Ontario like Lac Seul , Eagle Lake, Lake of the Woods etc etc. Make no mistake, all these areas offer terrific fishing and hunting and vacation opportunities. The Atikokan area is best known for Quetico Park - and it's the Canoeing Capital of Canada (we do partial canoe outfitting too!). But Atikokan also has thousands of lakes and amazing fishing & hunting - on par with anywhere in Canada - with less people! Species wise, we offer everything but musky and largemouth bass, but we have terrific walleye, pike, crappie, perch and lake trout fishing and our smallmouth bass is literally world class! Plus we're only 70 miles east of the International Falls border. Why drive further?

One thing that differentiates Atikokan from these other areas is that there tends to be mostly smaller and medium sized fishing and hunting lodges....none of the large operations that you see in other areas. There are some great lodges in Sunset Country - but we hope you choose ours!

Of course, this is a loaded question....fishing is so dependent on so many things - water temperature, water levels, wind, current, time of year, spawning, weather etc etc....The fact is, it's a matter of personal preference. If you were to survey our regular guests, you'd get answers that cover the entire season from May - September. Generally, any time can be great for fishing...the difference is how you fish. You'd fish differently in May than you would in August ...and June is definitely different than September. We try and help with advice whenever you choose to come - and take into account all of the factors noted above and more. It's more about technique, presentation etc...adjusting how you fish will allow you to adapt to all times of the year!

As one couple who comes for 2 weeks in May, 2 weeks in July & 2 weeks in September say "There's no 'best' time - just different"

Our cabins are all fully equipped....we call them "modern" and "housekeeping" - basically because that seems to be the current industry description that fits.

Of course, you'll get more info from our "cabins" page (and there's some videos on our YouTube page), but in a nutshell, we have 9 cabins ranging from 1 - 4 bedrooms - and that sleep between 2 - 10 people depending on the actual cabin.

They're all in a row alongside Banning Lake.. All the cabins have their own propane BBQ's. We have a couple of charcoal BBQ's available if you prefer those as well as a couple of propane fish fryers available.

They're all either new within the last few years, or newly renovated within the same time frame.

All the kitchens have full stoves with ovens - some are propane and some are electric. They have electric fridges (with freezers and ice cube trays) and all the small appliances (toasters, drip coffee makers, microwaves), plus all plates / cups / glasses, cutlery, can opener, cork screw, knife block, pots, pans....basically everything you need to cook a meal for your group. We also include dish soap, tea towels and dish cloths.

The bathrooms are all 3 piece....some have tubs and some have shower stalls. We include hand soap and bathmats. Housekeeping guests have to supply their own bath towels, but American Plan groups have personal bath towels included. If you forget your towels, don't worry - we'll set you up with some!

The bedrooms include all linens - sheets, pillow cases, duvets. Most beds are singles, but we've put at least one double in each cabin allows we will be adding more over time.

The water on tap is good, clean well water from a deep well drilled through bedrock. It is tested regularly, and tastes great (makes good tea & coffee too!). Having said that, even though our water is excellent, some choose to bring bottled water just the same - it's handy for in the boat...plus some do have an adverse reaction to a change in the water that they drink.

Yes - we invested in a signal booster in 2015 that allowed the wifi to be available all over our property. Note that it is decent internet, but it is satellite and should not be used for streaming movies, gaming etc (and why would you want to do that on a fishing vacation anyway?). We'll give you the password when you check in.

As of this writing - no....but you do need one to get back into the USA....so that kinda makes it "yes".

A DUI is a criminal offence in Canada and could result in you not being allowed entry into Canada. Our tourism organizations are working hard to try and address these issues - particularly with regard to old charges. I'm hesitant to put too much info on this page, as things may change and I may not know or may be late to update. There seems to be ever evolving information with this - and, as you'd expect, some info may not be accurate. Check with us when you inquire to book your trip - we'll let you know what we know. Plus we recommend contacting Canada Customs for the most current, accurate information. As well, there are several law offices that consult with this issue ...a google search will turn up pages of them. I'd imagine that many are quality and some may not be. We will pass along any that we've heard of that have helped people we know.

Here's is the Government of Canada websites that address these issues specifically: www.cic.gc.ca

To reach Canada Customs by phone call 1-800-461-9999.

Generally, the food / tobacco / alcohol allotment is fairly good. Sometimes certain products are not allowed....check with us on any of these, and as well refer to the following page for specific, up to date information: www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca

Yes - Atikokan is about a 25 minute drive from us and has groceries, beer, liquor etc. We always encourage our guests to patronize our local businesses. Note that many stores aren't open on Sundays though. We understand also that you'll want to maximize your time in the woods or on the water, so we will always pick up any supplies you need - we're in town almost daily.

Effective January 1 2018 there is no tax rebate available. Our tourism lobbying organizations are working hard to get that rebate back. We'll advise if anything changes.

Well, around 98% of our guests are from the US. As such, much of our costs in marketing and advertising are in US funds as well. Most resorts in North West Ontario also quote in US funds. It also helps when most of our customers don't have to worry about currency fluctuations that will affect the actual price they pay on their trip. When we quote our American guests a price in their currency, they know that it will not change.

Absolutely! Although most stick to our 5 lake Seine Chan, many like to go to one of our many portage lakes.

Some you can trailer a boat to and launch at. Others you drive / walk to a boat cache and. Some have motors mounted on the boats already - others you bring a small outboard with you (2 - 6 hp provided)....others are available to fish via canoe...it's your choice.

For our package plan guests, usage of trailers and portage boats / motors (and canoes) is included. We provide directions to the lake(s) and you get yourself there in your vehicle. If you don't have a vehicle or one that won't suffice to haul boats or travel gravel roads, we can drop off / pick up. There is an extra fee for this service.

For guests bringing their own boats, they're welcome to trailer to the lakes with launches - we will provide directions. You can also rent our portage boast / motors / canoes on a daily basis as well for the other lakes.

Also ask us about setting you up for a fishing (or relaxing) day in the world famous Quetico Park! We can provide the canoe for you & set you up for the day trips. We'll supply the canoe - you can drive yourself to the access point or we have shuttle rates. It's a great way to experience the wonderful wilderness of Quetico while looking forward to being back in your comfy cabin on the Seine that night.

They can certainly be bad at times, but usually in the morning and late evening. Blackflies generally have wrapped up by the end of June. Mosquitoes are directly related to how wet the year has been. Recent years have actually not been bad for mosquitoes (which is a great surprise!).

We provide coils for the cabins and encourage guests to bring repellant. Thermocells also work great. Hopefully the trend of low mosquito counts continues!

Good question - and the answer is "No"! We're a second generation camp - purchased in 1967 by Carl and Joan Branch. Quentin & Lori Branch took over in 2001. Since then, almost all the facilities have been built new and older facilities have been thoroughly renovated. The facilities - and equipment - are all excellent. You get the years of experience and history that comes from a camp and owners who have been in business over half a century, with the benefit of of great new cabins and gear.

It depends on what you're fishing....we will work with you with advice on everything from rods and reels, tackle, bait - and everything else you need to know. Once you're here, we're always happy to continue to discuss tackle, gear, techniques and all the stuff related to fishing.

The fishing season generally is May - October. As you'd imagine, the beginning and end can have some cold days....but prepare for any weather at all times. Shorts, t-shirts etc....but also sweatshirts, long pants, windbreakers and warmer coats. It even doesn't hurt to have gloves - particularly in May & September, but they can be handy any month. Don't forget good rain gear. And the quick dry shirts and pants are great.

• Sunglasses are always a good idea - polarized preferably.
• Don't forget good sunscreen.
• We can have temps in the 90's and also have snow, so it's best to be prepared with everything.
• We'll advise if there are extreme conditions that have been happening?
• Here's a chart (in Fahrenheit) of average temperatures:

Like most fishing lodges - yes - guests are responsible for any damage to equipment aside from normal wear and tear. As you'd guess, most damage is prop - and in more extreme cases - lower unit damage.

We do what we can to help you avoid this...many of our motors ....and we always advise and remind you to not lock the motor down.

We also mark the more common (rock / reef) hazards on the system - cautioning that these are not all of them - and jugs can move without us knowing.

We also take guests using our equipment out on a system orientation, showing - aside from fishing spots - many of these these hazards, how to navigate certain channels and answer any questions about the safe operation of the equipment.

The vast majority come and go without ever damaging our equipment. With the aforementioned efforts plus guests operating the motors using caution and being careful, we have many, many seasons where no damage - aside from normal wear & tear - is done. It definitely can be done.