Fishing Lodges Around Pickle Lake, Ontario

There are literally hundreds of choices when it comes to a fishing trip in Ontario's Sunset Country. With a land area covering over 60,000 square miles, sometimes it can be hard to make a choice. The good fishing starts right at the US border so do you need to travel further north to catch big fish? The answer is no you don't but for a fishing experience beyond belief, where there are almost no people, a trip to Pickle Lake, Ontario should be on any angler's bucket list.

The Township of Pickle Lake is located well, on Pickle Lake and that makes sense for at least one reason haha. Pickle Lake serves as an airbase and is an important part of the gold mining industry. New developments in bringing power to remote indigenous communities have the town poised for growth in Ontario's far north. But if you're an angler, it is the lakes and landscapes that surround the town that makes this part of Ontario's Sunset Country special. Read on to learn why a trip to this area will be so worth it if you love the outdoors and fishing.

Pickle Lake welcomes self-contained campers to the township at our RV park on Pickle Lake and at another spot on Graveyard Lake. Both have plans and the township is working on upgrading this location this summer as well as at the Pickle Lake campsite.  They have water at the fire hall and grey and black water can be dumped at the waste disposal site. Adventure bikes and self-contained camping and adventure campers also come to enjoy Pickle Lake.  They can also stay at the campgrounds north of Pickle Lake off Nord Road.  The township operates Mud (Badesdawa) Lake - permits obtained in town, or the campers can crownland camp on several sites at - Menakos, Pipestone, and Mawley.

Top photo courtesy of Old Post Lodge

Pickle Lake is located at the terminus of Ontario Highway 599. Access to Highway 599 is off the Trans-Canada Highway 17 near Ignace, or if you're coming through Sioux Lookout, off of Highway 642 (the Silver Dollar corner). Fully paved and with year-round maintenance, the drive up the 599 is an experience unto itself. They call it the wilderness corridor for a reason! You have an excellent chance of seeing wildlife, moose, bears, whitetail deer, bald eagles, and more. You'll pass through Silver Dollar where you can get gas and munchies on the way up to Pickle Lake. The Highway is approximately 292 kilometers (181.4 miles) long. 

There are a lot of lakes in this vast sub-region of Sunset Country but a few worth noting are described in more detail below:

Sturgeon Lake:  This is a large lake with two long arms that connect at the Sturgeon Lake Narrows. The southern arm is approximately 22 miles long and extends in a northeast direction where at the narrows, the north arm begins and it extends another 15 miles but in a northwestward direction. Together, these two arms give Sturgeon Lake its telltale "V" shape. The lake has spectacular fishing especially for walleye, lake trout, and northern pike. The place to stay on Sturgeon Lake is Cobb Bay Lodge.

Lake Savant: With a surface area cover almost 90,000 acres and depths up to 200 feet in spots, Lake Savant is another incredible fishery in Sunset Country. Given its remote location, Lake Savant has no fishing pressure and the catches reflect this, both in size and numbers. The walleye fishing is off the charts and the potential for a trophy-sized 'eye is better than average. You'll have no problem catching shore lunch. Savant also has quality fishing for big lake trout and trophy northern pike. The place to stay on Lake Savant is Wildewood on Lake Savant.

Lake St. Joseph:  While there are a lot of ways one could describe Lake St. Joseph, "an incredible fishery" is probably most accurate. This massive lake has a surface area of 195 square miles is 56 miles long east-west and over 11 miles wide. The lake forms the headwaters of the mighty Albany River System. In the waters of Lake St. Joseph, you'll catch walleye along with massive northern pike. Many of the pike are over 40 inches in length. Places to stay on Lake St. Joseph include Slate Falls Outposts, Old Post Lodge, and Camp Lake St. Joseph.

Osnaburgh Lake: Located about 25 miles south of Pickle Lake is Osnaburgh (Oz) Lake, an outstanding walleye and northern pike fishery. Catching pike over 45 inches long is possible here and the lake record for walleye is 29 inches. Oz Lake Lodge is the only resort on this 26-mile long lake.

Fly-in Outposts and Lodges: While not accessible or even visible off the road, the region around Pickle Lake is studded with lakes and there are many gems you can fish while staying at a remote fly-in outpost or lodge. When you're this far north, the fish almost jump in the boat and 100+ fish days are the norm for a group of 4 anglers. When was the last time you caught 20+ fish in a day? Some choices available in the region for fly-in fishing include Birch Bark Lodge, Guardian Eagle Resort, Pickle Lake Outposts, North Caribou Camps, North of 51 Outposts, and Slate Falls Outposts. Some of these fly out of Sioux Lookout but the lodges and outposts they fly to are located in the Pickle Lake region of Sunset Country.

If you want to visit Pickle Lake or anywhere in Ontario's Sunset Country, here are a few links you might find helpful.

• Free Guide & Map Order Form
• Places to Stay
• Essential Travel Tips
• Hunting in Sunset Country