Anybody been to Camp Manitou??

[Hoffer]

Hey guys - just wondering if anyone has been to camp manitou in Ontario?? If so, any comments/feedback would be greatly appreciated...

Fish success, Cabins/conditions, etc...etc...

Thanks!!!

[SimilarIsland]

Never stayed at Camp Manitou, but have fished the immediate area for years. Very beautiful area and off the beaten path. Lake Trout, Northern, Smallmouth, and Muskie. We've also caught Whitefish. It is a very "granite" area with very clean, clear water. You'll have access to Esox, Manitou Stretch, Lower Manitou, and even Upper Manitou if you're adventurous. There's Portage Lakes nearby where you can catch largemouths and Walleye. Largemouths up there are like footballs. Never caught a large Muskie up there, but heard a lot of stories and haven't really targeted them. Numbers of large Northerns aren't great, but the quantiy of Northerns along with the constant quality smallmouth action more than makes up for it. Tons of Lake Trout if that's what you like. 100 fish days are not uncommon. Less than 30 is a bad day - we're always C & R.

Another nice thing about that area that the Manitou Stretch always has wind protected areas to fish if the weather gets rough. The Lower Manitou, which is just up the Stretch, can get pretty nasty in a hurry. The Manitou Stretch is like a big river that connects the Lower Manitou with Esox Lake. I've seen Moose, Bears, Loons, Deer, and some of the guys have seen wolves in the area.

I believe Outfitter17 owns the lodge and is a regular poster here. Their island a facilities look pretty good from the water.

[10,000 Casts]

Hofer, you have mail.

[Ron Vroom]

Did 2 trips this winter with good fishing near camp. Matt provides excellent service and cabin was comfortable and well equipped. Have not been there during summer, but facilities appear to be very good. I certainly will be there again next winter.

[kirkatholomew]

I've been up there the past couple of winters targeting lakers through the ice. Matt really has a good set up with Camp Manitou. It's a class operation in a grand setting. Great fishing within sight of camp and plenty of water to explore away from the island. The cabins are spacious and comfortable. It will definitely not be the last trip for me to this remote fishing location. Takes some doing to get in and out in the winter, which is half the fun, if you ask me. Now if I can only find a way to get up there in the open water season to try for those muskies and lakers!

[Hoffer]

Thanks guys for all the input so far! Anyone else - please feel free to chime in!

Similarisland - if you read this - I have a quick question for you....we are thinking about the June timeframe - but it might not be until later June. If you have fished that area - ever done so in that time period?? We were wondering if that might be too late - as the smallies and Norts might be dispersed to the deeper water by then - as we have found happens in other "nearby" water - Lake of The Woods etc...

Maybe manitou is different - so we were just wondering if later June is a concern or not??? Thanks again for any additional input.

[SimilarIsland]

Hoffer,

I like June 1st better than later. I'd be there right after ice out if I could plan it right. If you can catch it when the Lake Trout are still shallow, along with the larger northerns, it's just perfect. The smallies will all bunch up near the spawning areas staging. It seems the largest ones get there first - JMHO. My other favorite time is Fall - man is it beautiful up there! I depends on what you're targeting. For all around fish, on or before June 1 is hard to beat.

[superbee]

Similar - what portage lakes close to CM have walleyes?

[SimilarIsland]

I've heard that Straw Lake to the NW has Walleyes (probably more of a fly-in lake) and I think they (the older guys in our group) said Bretz, which is a double portage on the NE side of Dogfly. Never fished either. I've also heard from multiple sources that Upper Manitou has Walleye and they're marked on my 2007 Navionics chip. Man I can't wait to try out that new 3D software in Manitou with that chip!

[LMFlyin]

You are correct. Straw lake does have walleyes, however its not a true fly in lake. It has road access and a couple of camps do fish the lake. Your able to also boat into Sucan which also has walleye. Bretz though, doesnt have any walleye. Did your group rent boats from Camp Manitou to be able to do the double portage through Dogfly to get to Bretz or did they do it the old fashioned way, carry everything in and out? Alitte more work than I like to do to be able to catch a few fish.

Hope the new chip helps out on the Manitou, never hurts to have technology on your side too. With all that water of the Manitou, doesnt hurt to have alittle extra help no matter how good a person knows the lake.

[superbee]

Similar - email at the address below - thanks

[SimilarIsland]

L&M,

Was it James Lake? I know it was around there.

They always use their own boats and do it the old fashioned way. Sometimes we'll stack up two boats and take the lighter one on in with a little 5hp. There's a little boat dolly we use sometimes. I've been to the outflow of Bretz, but never in - I love that side of Dogfly anyway. Is Bretz Northern/SMB/? I really envy you guys being so close.

[superbee]

 Originally Posted By: SimilarIsland

L&M,

Was it James Lake? I know it was around there.

They always use their own boats and do it the old fashioned way. Sometimes we'll stack up two boats and take the lighter one on in with a little 5hp. There's a little boat dolly we use sometimes. I've been to the outflow of Bretz, but never in - I love that side of Dogfly anyway. Is Bretz Northern/SMB/? I really envy you guys being so close.

James Lake has walleyes, but Bretz is smallies and pike.

Just remind them to remove the boats daily as they are not allowed to leave them without a MNR boat cache. I would appreciate an email

[SimilarIsland]

Superbee,

We never leave our boats, but I do see quite a few unstickered boats.

Sent you an email about 15 minutes ago. Let me know if you need me to try again.

James would be quite a portage!

[Hoffer]

Hey guys...you have all been very helpful - hope you dont mind a few more questions on specifics...

We are narrowing down our time to go. It looks like we may try to hit the manitou around the 12th of June. What do you think of that time period this year considering what will probably be a little later ice out this year - compared to others.

The other questions has to do with colors and tackle. We are usually used to fishing stained water where we go. It sounds like this is more clear water. What colors do you find work best?? Also, what lures would you suggest for Norts and SMB?? We will also try for some trout - but have never fished trout - so any feedback there would be appreciated. I have no way to pay you back for your help and advice except for a big thank you - and also I promise to post a detailed report when we get back!!!

Thanks!!!

[LMFlyin]

The week of June 12 should be good. You can never predict the perfect week. Its during a good time frame. You'll enjoy the trip either way. The bass could be in full swing spawn, hard to guess that as alot deals with how warm the weather is up to that point, way too earily to tell now. You'll catch fish, be just a matter of where you will find each specie according to what the weather is this spring. Hope you have a good time and yes, please report when you get back. Always interesting to see how people do after the trips.

[Hoffer]

L&M

Hi. thanks!

How long have you owned L and M?? My brother and dad and I did a fly in with L and M- I want to say about 12 years ago...we flew out of Rusty Myers back then in fort frances. I cant remember which lake we flew into..it was mainly a walleye lake. Kind of long and narrow with a little river/rapids that flowed in to the lake just around the corner to the left of the cabin as you faced the lake. we had a very good time!! Caught lots of walleye and didnt have to try too hard. I would recommend you guys - nice set up and lots of fun.

[LMFlyin]

Hello Hoffer-Glad you enjoyed your trip with L & M in the past. My parents are L & M. Larry and Mary, Im one of the son's of the family, I work for them full time as myself and Larry now do all the flying ourselves. I cant say I own L & M, but been with the buisness over 20 years now (from the start you could say). Yes, we did use Rusty Myers to charter our fishermen in back then and we just flew around ourselves in our own cessna doing the camp work at the lakes, as we didnt have any big planes back then to fly the people with. L & M has reconstructed the buissness alot since your visit, moved our base up to Dryden and our lakes are up to 150 miles north of Dryden. Some awesome lakes up in that area. Just a bunch of walleye and northern up in that area, not much else. My older brother took over some of the lakes that L & M use to operate between the Fort Frances and Dryden area. I cant say for certain which lake you were at with us but could of been mabey Cleftrock lake by your discription. That was always a fun lake.

You'll like Camp Manitou, nice variety of fishing. Nice location. You should have fun trying for all the species. Breaks the day up when your able to switch things up. As mentioned before by someone else, the Manitou is a "pretty" lake too. Matt, the owner of Camp Manitou, does a good job too.

If you ever get the "bug" to do a remote outpost trip in the future, keep L & M in mind. We'll show you another good trip, if not better than the last.

[Hoffer]

L&M, yes I am almost positive now that you mention the lake that it was Cleftrock.

We had a very nice time on your fly in - nice cabins and everything else from the fly in to setting things up was very smooth. I would recommend you guys with no hesitation. We would like to save up for another fly in in the future...and we will give you a call!

Regarding our mantiou trip - the Only thing I am concerned with is that we are bringing our own boat to manitou - is it a major issue to get to the resorts from the landing using your own boat??

Thanks again and hopefully we can connect on a fly in in the future.

[SimilarIsland]

Hoffer,

The distance is no big deal, but if you don't know the water, there's a couple of "tricky" spots between Esox and the Stretch. There'll probably be someone else "going in" that you should be able to follow - just ask. Everyone is nice and seems to work together pretty well up there.

[fishinlarry]

Can you launch at Esox for a day trip or is landing only for resort guests?

[SimilarIsland]

I'm pretty sure you can. There's no permits required to park there.

[fishinlarry]

Thanks, how's the road in. Can you take a 17 1/2" Lund in?

[SimilarIsland]

Scary from 502 on the gravel road to the landing because of the logging trucks, but a pretty decent gravel (Cedar Narrows) road. The last mile or two to the landing is a one lane gravel. That's the only bad part anymore. It can be pretty rutted with bottomless puddles, but you shouldn't have any problems if you go slow and take your time. A couple of years ago, we made it with my wife's Cadillac with five guys pulling a small boat overflowing with groceries - LOL. Four of us had to get out and push a couple of times. My Suburban has no problems, except of course at the gas pumps! The "ramp" is kinda like backing down a steep curved creek bed, but works fine.

[Hoffer]

sheesh! Now you guys haveme worried!! I didnt know the roads in were bad...I was planning on towing my 16 foot lund behind a doge caravan. I went up a couple years ago with the same rig to Eagle lake - south shore lodge - the lst 10 miles on that gravel road are bad - but it wasnt bad enough to get stuck - do you think I have anything to worry about without 4 wheel drive?