North Winds Outfitter

Vermilion Bay, Ontario

Family-run outfitter offering fly-in outpost camps and drive-in fishing packages near Vermilion Bay, northwestern Ontario, in operation since 1973.

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Overview

North Winds Outfitters (also listed as Northwinds Canadian Outfitters) is a third-generation, family-run operation based in Vermilion Bay, Ontario, on Highway 17. The family's involvement in the area dates to the early 1970s, when the current owners' parents purchased Pine Grove Camp in 1972 and added their first outpost in 1976. The current operator is the third generation to run the business.

The operation includes Pine Grove, a motel and cottage resort that serves as the base camp, and two fly-in outpost camps located on Co-Pilot Lake and Clace Lake. From the base camp, guests can also access more than a dozen drive-in lakes in the surrounding region. Fly-in air service is provided by Wilderness Air Escapes, also based in Vermilion Bay.

Established: 1973

Best for: Anglers and small groups seeking self-guided fly-in seclusion on private lakes, as well as those who prefer fully guided drive-in trips with daily lake rotation.

Best time: The operation has run since 1973; specific seasonal dates are not published, but the primary fishing season targets walleye, northern pike, muskie, and bass through the open-water summer and fall months.

Highlights

Family-run operation since 1973

Third-generation ownership

Two fly-in outpost camps on Co-Pilot and Clace Lakes

Drive-in access to over a dozen lakes

Walleye, northern pike, muskie, smallmouth bass, lake trout and whitefish

Exclusive fly-in lakes with no other camps

Guided and self-guided packages available

Moose hunting also offered

The Fishing

Anglers at the base camp have access to over a dozen lakes reachable by truck and boat, including Lac Seul, Ord Lake, Cedar Lake, Clay Lake, Indian Lake, and Lake X. Species available from the base camp include walleye, northern pike, smallmouth bass, muskie, lake trout, and whitefish. Guided trips are available, and on a five-day package guests can fish a different lake each day.

The fly-in outpost on Co-Pilot Lake targets walleye and northern pike on a 643-acre lake, with portage access to Pollock Lake and Legon Lake for additional fishing. Clace Lake outpost offers northern pike, walleye, and perch. Both fly-in lakes are exclusive, with no other camps or boat caches present. Portage trails connect to additional water for guests willing to walk.

Accommodations

Pine Grove base camp is a motel and cottage resort with cable TV, carpeting, individual beds, daily maid service, and high-speed internet. The fly-in outpost cabins are equipped with solar-powered lights, hot and cold running water, showers, screened porches, gas BBQs, screened fish houses, and new boat motors with deluxe swivel seats. Each party at the outposts receives a kit including towels, bed linens, and bug coils. Meals are not standard at the outposts, though the base camp's five-star guided package includes three meals a day and a shore lunch.

Getting There

The base camp at Pine Grove is located on Highway 17 just outside Vermilion Bay, Ontario, approximately 3.5 hours by road from International Falls, Minnesota. Drive-in lake trips depart from Pine Grove using trucks and boats. Fly-in outpost guests are flown out by Wilderness Air Escapes, based in Vermilion Bay; Co-Pilot Lake is approximately 84 miles and 36 minutes by float plane from the base.

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