Onaway Lodge
Ear Falls, Ontario
Drive-in fishing resort on Lac Seul in northwestern Ontario, offering walleye and northern pike fishing with eight cabins and outpost access.
Overview
Onaway Lodge is a drive-in fishing resort situated on the western shores of Lac Seul, between Vermilion Bay and Ear Falls in the northwest corner of Ontario. The lodge occupies the west end of Scout Bay on Lac Seul and has a history dating back to the 1950s. It is operated by Blair Campbell and is associated with Northland Outpost Company, which runs two fly-in outpost camps — Tully Lake and Darkwater Lake — that depart from Onaway Lodge's dock.
Lac Seul spans over 120 miles and is composed of numerous bays, peninsulas, streams, inlets, and hundreds of islands, giving anglers an extensive area to explore without ever needing to portage. The lodge serves as both a self-contained main camp and a staging point for fly-in outpost guests traveling to more remote waters.
Established: 1950
Highlights
The Fishing
The primary target species at Onaway Lodge are walleye and northern pike, with smallmouth bass and muskellunge also present in Lac Seul. The lake's diverse structure — shallow weedy bays, deep sections, island shoals, and long weed beds — supports a variety of angling approaches. Slot-size regulations are in place for both walleye and northern pike, and Onaway Lodge enforces an additional camp rule prohibiting over-slot fish from being brought in and cleaned.
Guide service is available and includes a shore lunch cooked on-site. A deluxe guide option adds fish cleaning service and use of a 20-foot covered Alaskan boat. Self-guided anglers can rent 17.5-foot Lund Outfitter boats with 60 hp Honda motors, GPS, depth finders with Navionics mapping, and Millennium seats. Live minnows are stocked in the boathouse for bait.
Accommodations
Onaway Lodge has eight cabins ranging in size from two to six bedrooms, spread across several acres to provide separation between groups. Each cabin features lake views and either a large lakefront deck or a screened-in porch. Cabins are equipped with full kitchens including cookware, dishes, utensils, coffee pots, and toasters; all bedding is provided. Meal plan options are available, including a full plan with breakfast and dinner served family-style in the lodge dining room, a modified plan offering dinners only, and a self-catering housekeeping arrangement. A fish cleaning house and freezer storage are on-site, along with a marina and boathouse.
Fish Species
What They Offer
Amenities available at one or more of this outfitter's properties.
Getting There
Onaway Lodge is a drive-in destination accessible by road via Highway 105, approximately 50 miles north of Vermilion Bay in northwestern Ontario. Guests coming from the United States can enter Canada at International Falls, Minnesota, cross into Fort Frances, Ontario, and proceed via Highways 11, 502, 17, and 105 to the lodge — a drive of roughly three hours from the border. The final mile to camp is via a signed turn off Highway 105. For guests booking fly-in outpost camps at Tully Lake (25-minute flight) or Darkwater Lake (15-minute flight), floatplane departure is from Onaway Lodge's own dock.
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