# Northern Woods Lodge Brookies



## zenfish

I'm currently planning a late August multi-species trip with a heavy focus on brookies and have been looking at Northern Woods Lodge. They are fairly new so I can't find any reviews. Anyone have experience or knowledge about this operation? Other suggestions. I've already contacted Mike Borger and he's given me some other great options but I'm pretty intrigued by these guys. Thoughts?


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## cdacker

JMO, but I think you will have a tough time finding brookies that time of year on that body of water. Unless they have access to spring fed lakes that hold exclusively brook trout, you might end up disappointed if your focus is on brookies. I'm also leery when a website boasts having personally caught and clients catching brook trout 5-7 pounds and the photo gallery contains all 1/2 pound to 3 pound fish. If someone catches a 5 pound brook trout, they almost certainly take a photo of it. 
What lakes / river systems did Mike suggest?


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## zenfish

He suggested Kwagama lake lodge, Luella lake fly in with Mattice lake outfitters, Nipigon camping, or paddling a couple lakes in Lake Superior provincial park. The first two are probably outside of my budget range and don't really give a multi species option. Nipigon sounds awesome but I currently don't have a boat but may be buying one soon. LSSP is intriguing as I love fishing and camping with my kayak.


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## zenfish

FWIW I would be delighted to catch brookies like the ones pictured on their website. Personal best brookie is 14" currently. I would happily mount any colored up male 17" or larger.


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## Forest Meister

Like cdacker said, that isn't the best time for brookies but you should definitely be able to beat your personal best in LSPP without half trying. The end of the month might be better than the beginning because, believe it or not, I have notices a bit of cooling of both the air and the water that time of year up there. FM


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## gunfun13

I fished out of Kwagama about 10 years ago. We went mid September but it was unseasonably hot the week prior to us getting there and our first day there. My dad and I caught 2 fish in 3 days of fishing but one was 19.5". The owners were great and had a great time despite slow fishing. I'd go back, just hasn't fit into the schedule/budget.


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## flockshot

cdacker said:


> JMO, but I think you will have a tough time finding brookies that time of year on that body of water. Unless they have access to spring fed lakes that hold exclusively brook trout, you might end up disappointed if your focus is on brookies. I'm also leery when a website boasts having personally caught and clients catching brook trout 5-7 pounds and the photo gallery contains all 1/2 pound to 3 pound fish. If someone catches a 5 pound brook trout, they almost certainly take a photo of it.
> What lakes / river systems did Mike suggest?


most other places I would say you were right, however, the east shore of superior is an exception. also , part of why lspp was set up was to protect world class brook trout fishing...


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## flockshot

Forest Meister said:


> Like cdacker said, that isn't the best time for brookies but you should definitely be able to beat your personal best in LSPP without half trying. The end of the month might be better than the beginning because, believe it or not, I have notices a bit of cooling of both the air and the water that time of year up there. FM


also remember that this year, there is still ice on the lakes right now and will be for some time, last year, surface temp on lake miji first week of august was high sixties, my guess was thermocline was less than 20 as we caught lakers suspending in only 25.. oh, and by august in the park, its just as likely to hit 30's at night as it is to hit 80 in the day..the park is a brook trout place. Zen. This is from one of the lakes i pm'd you about ..average brook on a sunny hot day


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## cdacker

flockshot said:


> most other places I would say you were right, however, the east shore of superior is an exception. also , part of why lspp was set up was to protect world class brook trout fishing...


I agree with LSSP being one of the exceptions; I was referring to the OP's chances on Long Lake.


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## Mike Borger

Hey bud, guess I should be a little more active on this forum!

Did you make a decision yet?

For what it's worth IF it's a wet summer there should be plenty of brookies in the river flowing out of Long Lac. Most of the better fish are undoubtedly migratory coming from Lake Superior. If there's enough water you should catch fish. Kind of risky though.

Too bad you don't have a boat to fish Nipigon!


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## cptncor

Take a week off an explore the feeder creeks on the N side of Superior. We took our motorcycles to Thunder Bay in 05' found a small river full of monster brookies, my biggest was easily over 20-21" most 14-18", caught them all day and kept only few for dinner. You would be surprised what is a 1/2 mile or more from the two track. We also have fished in the spring a couple times near Naipigon with limited success. Floating it sounds sweet.


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## zenfish

No final decision yet. Northern woods lodge seemed a little sketchy when I talked to them. They also failed to return the call with answers to a few questions I asked. Based on this, I'm probably steering away from that. Looking like either Nipigon or LSSP at this point. Lots of variables still to sort out with the biggest being budget and whether or not I'm traveling alone. A few more bills to pay and then we'll see...


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## Mike Borger

zenfish said:


> No final decision yet. Northern woods lodge seemed a little sketchy when I talked to them. They also failed to return the call with answers to a few questions I asked. Based on this, I'm probably steering away from that. Looking like either Nipigon or LSSP at this point. Lots of variables still to sort out with the biggest being budget and whether or not I'm traveling alone. A few more bills to pay and then we'll see...


Good luck with your planning, hope it all works out for you!


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## DTyler

Our families new favorite camp! Awesome walleye and great Brooke trout. Been there 3 times now and can't wait for next year. Under new ownership, so I hope things don't change much. They told my brother and I about a small creek running into the lake and we caught 60 bookies over 12 inches in 2 hours. Our biggest was 19 inches, but in a creek 5 ft wide it was amazing. Better to talk to them by email.


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