Big North Lodge & Outposts
Minaki, Ontario
Family-run drive-in lodge and two fly-in outposts on the Winnipeg River System in northwestern Ontario, open since 1978.
Overview
Big North Lodge & Outposts is a family-operated fishing and hunting resort located on Gun Lake, part of the Winnipeg River System, near Minaki, Ontario — roughly three hours by road from Winnipeg and just north of Kenora. The resort was built by Pat and Alex Rheault and opened to guests in 1978. It consists of a cedar main lodge with six shoreline cottages, plus two remote fly-in outpost camps on Roger Lake and Long Lake. The entire camp accommodates a maximum of 30 guests at one time.
The operation is run by the Rheault family and their staff. Guests at the main lodge can choose between an American Plan, which includes home-cooked meals and daily maid service, or a self-catering Housekeeping Plan. The outpost camps operate as self-guided, self-catering packages with float plane transport from the Minaki base.
Established: 1978
Highlights
The Fishing
From the main lodge on Gun Lake, anglers can reach five lakes on the Winnipeg River System by boat without any portaging: Gun Lake, Little Sand Lake, Big Sand Lake, Rough Rock Lake, and Pistol Lake. Target species throughout the season include walleye, northern pike, smallmouth bass, and muskie. Guided fishing trips are available, and guides offer traditional shore lunches of freshly caught walleye. The lodge maintains a fleet of 17-foot Lund Outfitters with 50 hp Yamaha four-stroke motors, pedestal seats, live wells, and non-slip floors; trolling motors and fish locators are also available.
The two fly-in outposts offer self-guided fishing on private, lightly pressured water. Roger Lake, part of the English River system, is approximately eight miles long with depths to 65 feet and is noted for smallmouth bass, walleye, and northern pike, along with accessible rapids and a 40-foot waterfall. Long Lake and adjacent Pressure Lake provide walleye and northern pike fishing. Outpost guests receive Lund boats with motors — 16-foot Lunds with 15 hp Mercury four-stroke motors at Roger Lake and 14-foot Lunds with 9.9 hp motors at Long Lake. Big North Lodge is a member of the Minaki Fish and Wildlife Association, which promotes live release of trophy fish on the Winnipeg River System.
Accommodations
The main lodge property features a cedar lodge building and six fully modern cottages along the Gun Lake shoreline. Cottages accommodate two to six guests each; a larger four-bedroom cottage holds up to 12. All cottages include electric heat, 24-hour electricity, hot and cold running water, and three-piece bathrooms with showers. American Plan guests receive home-cooked meals in the lodge dining room with daily maid service; Housekeeping Plan cottages have fully equipped kitchens and propane BBQs on screened porches. At the fly-in outposts, Roger Lake has two three-bedroom cabins — 700 feet apart, each with its own dock — that together sleep up to 12 people; the Long Lake cabin accommodates up to four people and features knotty pine interior, half-log siding, boardwalk paths, and a screened gazebo. Both outpost camps include solar power with backup generators, propane fridges and stoves, hot and cold running water, showers, propane BBQs, woodstoves, cooking and eating utensils, and a satellite phone (minutes extra).
Fish Species
What They Offer
Amenities available at one or more of this outfitter's properties.
Locations
One marker per lodge or camp. Click a marker for details.
Getting There
The main lodge at Minaki is a drive-in property, accessible by road from Winnipeg (approximately three hours) or from Kenora to the south. Guests heading to the Roger Lake and Long Lake outpost camps depart by float plane from the Minaki base; the outfitter conducts check flights to the outposts every two days, weather permitting. The weight allowance for float plane transport is 100 pounds per person above body weight.
Access:
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