Fort Frances, Ontario
Owner-operated outfitter running two self-guided outpost cabins on remote lakes in northwestern Ontario.
Hal's Outposts is a small, owner-operated outfitter based out of Mine Centre, Ontario, offering two self-guided outpost experiences in the Fort Frances region of northwestern Ontario. The fly-in outpost sits on Tompkins Island on Loonhaunt Lake, adjacent to the Pipestone Chain of Lakes, while the second outpost on Esox Lake is accessible by boat. Both cabins are the only outpost on their respective lakes.
The operation was built by Hal himself — described as an accomplished angler, guide, and trapper — with the Loonhaunt cabin constructed from the ground up in 2017 and the Esox Lake cabin added in 2021. Fly-ins depart from Fort Frances, Ontario, with Rusty Myers Flying Service or Northwest Flying Inc. serving as the air charter options.
Established: 2017
Loonhaunt Lake offers fishing for walleye, northern pike, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, and lake trout. The lake spans roughly 5,045 acres with 76 miles of shoreline, and its proximity to the Pipestone Chain of Lakes provides additional pike and bass opportunities via a short portage. Esox Lake, the boat-in outpost, is noted for muskie, lake trout, smallmouth bass, and northern pike, and is the only outpost on the lake.
Both outposts are self-guided, housekeeping-style operations. Anglers bring their own food and fishing gear and fish on their own schedule. The Loonhaunt outpost is equipped with 16-foot Lund boats with Yamaha motors and an on-site fish cleaning shed.
The Loonhaunt Lake cabin sleeps six guests comfortably and includes three bedrooms, a kitchen and dining area, a screened-in porch, an indoor shower with hot and cold running water, solar power with a tankless water heater, and a wood-burning stove. Towels, bedding, pots, pans, and firewood are provided. Guests are responsible for bringing their own food and personal flotation devices. A fly-in weight limit of 100 lbs per person applies; advance grocery arrangements are available at an additional charge. The Esox Lake cabin, built in 2021, is also the sole outpost on its lake, though specific cabin details for that location are limited in available sources.
Amenities available at one or more of this outfitter's properties.
One marker per lodge or camp. Click a marker for details.
The Loonhaunt Lake outpost is accessed by floatplane, flying out of Fort Frances, Ontario — a roughly 19-mile, 9-minute flight. Charter air service is available through Rusty Myers Flying Service in Fort Frances or Northwest Flying Inc. out of Nestor Falls. The Esox Lake outpost is a boat-in camp reached by driving approximately 30 km up Highway 502, then 30 km down Cedar Narrows Road to the boat landing, followed by a short 5-minute boat ride to the cabin. Fort Frances sits near the Canada-U.S. border, making it accessible to anglers driving from the midwestern United States.
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