Gray Wood Outfitters

Overview

Gray Wood Outfitters is a family-owned operation run by two couples, Andrew and Monika Gray and Adam and Caroline Wood, staging fly-in fishing and hunting trips out of Nakina, Ontario. The outfitter operates four camps situated on Beteau, Windsor, Richter, and Blackbirch Lakes, all within the Attawapiskat River system in the far north of Ontario. Beteau Lake serves as the main lodge, with the remaining three functioning as self-guided outpost camps.

The operation combines the owners' backgrounds in hunting, fishing, and hospitality. Flights to all camps are provided by Nakina Air Service using aircraft such as the Cessna Caravan and de Havilland DHC-3T Turbo Otter. The camps range from roughly 130 to 180 miles north of Nakina, placing them among the most remote outpost camps in the province.

Best for: Anglers and groups seeking self-guided, fly-in fishing in highly remote northern Ontario waters with minimal fishing pressure, including families, small groups, and trophy-focused anglers.

Best time: Camps operate through the open-water season from late spring through fall, with Walleye and Northern Pike active spring through fall and peak fishing generally reported from late May through August.

Highlights

Four fly-in camps on Beteau, Windsor, Richter, and Blackbirch Lakes

Northern Pike and Walleye the primary target species

Camps 130 to 180 miles north of Nakina

Flights by Nakina Air Service included in trip cost

Boats and motors included at all camps

Housekeeping outpost camps and staffed main lodge available

Attawapiskat River system with minimal angling pressure

The Fishing

The primary target species at all four camps are Northern Pike and Walleye. Beteau Lake, a widening of the Attawapiskat River, is known for high-volume Walleye catches and trophy Northern Pike that regularly exceed 40 inches, with fish over 50 inches having been landed. Windsor Lake spans approximately 20 miles across three connected bodies of water and offers strong Walleye numbers along with trophy Pike. Richter Lake is noted for high-volume Walleye fishing, with daily catches of 50 to over 100 fish reported by guests. Blackbirch Lake, the most remote camp at 180 miles north of Nakina, provides access to additional Pike and Walleye fishing with very low angling pressure. Sturgeon and Perch are also present in some waters. The lakes and river system feature Canadian Shield structure including rocky points, weed beds, sandy bottoms, and current breaks.

Fishing at the outpost camps is self-guided. At the Beteau Lake main lodge, on-site staff are available and knowledgeable about local fishing. Boats and motors are included with all packages, with one boat provided per two guests. The waters see minimal fishing pressure given their remoteness, and guests have reported consistent action throughout the open-water season.

Accommodations

Accommodations vary by camp. The Beteau Lake main lodge has multiple sleeping cabins accommodating groups of up to 12 guests, along with a shared mini-lodge featuring a full kitchen, refrigerator, stove, cookware, and eating utensils. Amenities at Beteau include generator power, hot and cold running water, shower facilities, a freezer, Wi-Fi, internet TV, and a fish cleaning station, with on-site staff present. The Windsor Lake camp has a renovated 36 x 24-foot two-bedroom cabin sleeping up to 8 guests. The Richter Lake cabin is a renovated 32 x 16-foot structure sleeping up to 8, equipped with a shower, hot and cold water, a fish cleaning station, propane heat, and a gas range. The Blackbirch Lake outpost cabin is 36 x 24 feet and accommodates 4 to 8 guests. All outpost camps are fully equipped for housekeeping with boats and motors included. A meal plan option is available at the Beteau Lake main lodge; outpost camps operate on a housekeeping basis.

Fish Species

pike walleye sturgeon perch whitefish

What They Offer

Amenities available at one or more of this outfitter's properties.

Guide service

Meal plans

Gas included

Fish cleaning

Fish freezer

WiFi

Fly-In Fishing (Gray Wood Outfitters Beteau Lake in Superior Country)!

YouTube

The Canadian Experience visit to Gray Wood Outfitters Beteau Lake

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Windsor Lake, Gray Wood Outfitters - YouTube

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Chasing Trophies In Ontario's Far North - A Trip To Windsor Lake - YouTube

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Windsor Lake Outpost Camp Tour - YouTube

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Blackbirch Beatdown! - Remote Canadian Fishing With Graywood Outfitters In Nakina, ON

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Incredible First Day Walleye Fishing At Blackbirch Lake!

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Amazing Walleye Jigging In Ontario's Far North

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4.3

Based on 4 reviews from across the web

Summarized Review Highlights

Gray Wood Outfitters earns strong overall praise across most reviews, with guests consistently describing their trips as excellent or exceptional. The outfitter operates fly-in outpost camps — including Blackbirch Lake and Beteau Lake — in remote northern Ontario, and the general consensus is that the experience delivers on its promise of wilderness fishing with minimal pressure. Owner Adam Wood is noted as attentive and communicative, and on-site caretakers such as Wayne at Beteau are singled out for their resourcefulness and helpfulness. The camps are described as clean, well-maintained, and accurately represented on the outfitter's website, with functional full kitchens, hot showers, satellite TV, WiFi, and reliable generator power. Boats and motors are reported to be in good condition and well-suited to the waterways.

Fishing is the clear highlight for most guests. Multiple reviewers report outstanding walleye and northern pike action, including frequent catches of pike in the 40-inch-plus range and the possibility of very high walleye numbers in a single day. The lakes and river systems are praised for their productivity and accessibility, with good fishing available close to camp. All northern pike are released under camp policy, which guests appear to respect and appreciate. One reviewer, however, had a notably different experience, reporting poor pike fishing and inconsistent walleye action during their stay, attributing it partly to unfavorable weather and water conditions. This is worth noting as a realistic possibility on any remote fishing trip where conditions can vary significantly.

The one recurring concern across reviews is not with the outfitter itself but with Nakina Air Service, the charter provider used for fly-in transport. While most guests report positive flight experiences, one reviewer had a strongly negative experience involving scheduling problems, strict weight enforcement, and unexpected costs for additional gear. Prospective guests should be aware of this variability and plan accordingly around luggage weight limits and flight scheduling. Gray Wood Outfitters is best suited for groups of fishing buddies or fathers and sons looking for a self-guided, remote fly-in experience targeting walleye and trophy northern pike. It also works well for small groups of up to eight to ten people who are comfortable in a well-equipped but independent outpost setting.

Summary generated May 26, 2026

Read all 4 reviews

Troy Lindner Jan 8, 2024

Blog

A Canadian Fishing Adventure: Gray Wood Outfitters

We had an awesome time visiting Gray Wood Outfitter's Beteau Lake outpost camp! This location in Ontario's Superior Country is known for its big northern pike. Beteau Lake is part of the Attawapiskat River system, celebrated for its remoteness and minimal fishing pressure. The area's conservation efforts and catch-and-release policies contribute to thriving fish populations. The possibility of catching up to 100 walleyes in a day can be done. We had numerous double and TRIPLE hook-ups on walleyes. This river system is fairly easy to navigate with plenty of good fishing just minutes away from the camp. You can catch fish right off the dock too! The cabins there are comfortable and spacious. Beteau Lake Outpost can accommodate 1-10 people with four sleeping cabins. There is also a mini-lodge with a full kitchen, refrigerator, stove, cookware, and eating utensils. You'll also have access to a hot shower and WiFi. The on-site staff are very helpful too. And they know how to find and catch fish! The boats provided are perfect for navigating this river system with plenty of space to store your gear and land a big fish! If you're looking for an amazing far-away destination with incredible walleye and pike fishing, check out Gray Wood Outfitters.

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Sep 22, 2021

Outfitter

Overall, this was BY FAR, the best fishing trip that I & my 4 fishing partners have ever had!

Air travel, provided by Nakina Air Service was great for our trip, which ran from 27 AUG – 4 SEP 2021. The camp itself is accurately depicted on the web site and cabins were clean, appeared well maintained & laid out to easily accommodate at least 8, although there were only 4 in our party. All the appliances, including full size frig, stove/oven, freezer & propane heaters in the kitchen & cabins worked well, along with the satellite TV. Wifi also worked. Elec power was provided by Honda generator & worked flawlessly. Shower caused a problem toward the end of the trip but a new pump was installed by Wayne (Camp Caretaker) & issue was resolved. Although he just arrived at Beteau, Wayne was, in a word, incredible! He is a jack of all trades & master of many! A real keeper!! Boats were 14 foot Lunds or equivalent with new 15 HP Mercury motors and were excellent. We caught 8 x 40"+; 5-6 x 37"+; a bunch in the 34"+ range as well as many over 30". Within 2 hours the first afternoon, I caught two 40"+. I've been on 15+ trips to Canada without a 40"+ & I got 4 myself! Both the Northerns & the Walleyes were exceptionally healthy-looking fish, especially heavy for their length & put up fantastic fights. All the Northerns were released in accordance with Camp policy. Adam Wood of Gray Wood Outfitters, texted several times to ensure that all was going well & see if we needed anything.

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SweetD

Forum

Graywood Outfitters — disappointing fishing and poor air service

Fishing for Pike was not good at all and we fished hard for them……weather and water levels were not ideal but expected so much more than it produced! Caught a couple 28+" Walleye but overall the Walleye fishing was not consistent or good during our stay. As for Nakina Air worst air service we have ever encountered. Scheduled flights weren't even close and they counted weight to the ounce and gave us some bs that could we have separate charter at some crazy cost if we wanted all of our stuff in. There was no weather whatsoever so that was not a problem. Just poor scheduling and over booked to the point couldn't come close to providing good service. Never again with them. I very well may give Graywood a go one day if they have a different charter provider. If not too many great outfitters out there with exceptional service and excellent fishing.

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Google

Gray Woods Outfitters, Blackbirch Lake July 2025

Gray Woods Outfitters, Blackbirch Lake July 2025. The trip was excellent from the flights (Nakina Air is the best) to the accommodations to the fishing. This was my 3rd trip to Blackbirch with my son and as always, we had another exceptional experience. More quality Walleye than we cared to count and numerous Northern Pike, with each of the 3 trips having produced multiple Pike in the 40 inch plus class. Blackbirch is a great productive lake but Mistassin Lake, which is to the South and through a shallow rocky, yet navigable channel adds unlimited opportunities. Mistassin offers rocky shoals and moving water for Walleye and numerous weed beds for Pike, it is a great fishery! The portage lake to the East offers additional opportunities for Pike and exploration but does not support Walleye populations. All in all these three Lakes offer endless opportunities for exploration, great fishing and adventure.

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Getting There

Guests drive to Nakina, Ontario, where they are flown to their chosen camp by Nakina Air Service, operating from Cordingley Lake. Flights are included in the trip cost. Aircraft used include the Cessna Caravan and the de Havilland DHC-3T Turbo Otter. Flight distances range from approximately 130 to 140 miles for Beteau and Windsor Lakes to roughly 180 miles north of Nakina for Blackbirch Lake, with flight times around 59 minutes to 90 minutes depending on the destination. All camps are accessible only by floatplane.

Access:

fly-in

Air bases:

Nakina, Ontario

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