# Waterfalls lodge Spanish river review



## Zkovach1175 (Mar 29, 2017)

Well we’re back home from the trip and sadly it wasn’t great. The main lakes their were pretty bare as far as fish. You had to work extremely hard to catch a marginal amount. Pike we’re OK, walleye we’re never found, small mouth we’re the most prevalent.

So day two we headed for the Spanish river with big hopes of walleye limits. 9 people in 3 different boats plus a guide. The results were terrible. 2 walleye and 1 hammer handle.
The whole day I marked 3 fish with the fish finder. I also threw every lure know to man, jigged, and drug bottom bouncers. I didn’t get a bite the whole day.

I asked the owner to have the guide the following day on the main lake to target lake trout. He told me no because he didn’t want to move the guides boat from the river to the main lake. I said but the river doesn’t have any walleye in it yet. Still NO HELP!

The following day we fished the main lakes and didn’t catch hardly anything. My son did well with smaller whopper ploppers on smallmouth. He caught the most catching 4 that day.

It was very hot that day and the kids asked the owner and staff if they could get out their famed Hydro-bikes. We were told they haven’t been pulled out yet and they will get to it when they get to it. Yes u guessed it. We never saw them. A couple kids however got to kyack.

I believe the main lakes are unhealthy due to missing baitfish. I never saw a minnow or anything. If it was my lake I’d be loading it with fatheads. My sister never caught 1 fish up there, here two sons totaled 2 fish. My son and I totaled about 12 all week. I’d say terrible results for people who fished hard, and had the correct tackle and tactics.

We decided to leave a day early given the fishing was so poor. I will say the boats, food, lodges, and house keeping were top knotch! Sadly the fishing was awful! I did research on this place and saw decent reviews. Their excuse was the long winter and the fish were 3 weeks behind. Supposedly the ice just came of 2 weeks ago. However the water was 65 degrees.

All in all it’s a nice place for a family retreat if you want to fish a little on the side. As far as a 100% fishing lodge ..... never again!


----------



## HUBBHUNTER (Aug 8, 2007)

Wow I'm shocked to hear that and what a bummer for you and the family. I've heard good things about the Spanish River but have never been there myself.


----------



## Zkovach1175 (Mar 29, 2017)

HUBBHUNTER said:


> Wow I'm shocked to hear that and what a bummer for you and the family. I've heard good things about the Spanish River but have never been there myself.


Yeah not sure what happened there. Definatly walleye weren’t running yet. Maybe bad part of it for the bass and pike. I really thought that was going to be the highlight of the trip. Sadly it was close.


----------



## lodge lounger (Sep 16, 2005)

Went up there several years ago. We worked hard and caught some fish, but not a lot. A few walleye (one notable 30" - talk I overheard suggested they'd never seen one like that from that camp), smallmouth, a couple decent pike. Service was unexceptional to say the least, based on other lodges we've been to. Sorry you didn't have a better experience.


----------



## Zkovach1175 (Mar 29, 2017)

lodge lounger said:


> Went up there several years ago. We worked hard and caught some fish, but not a lot. A few walleye (one notable 30" - talk I overheard suggested they'd never seen one like that from that camp), smallmouth, a couple decent pike. Service was unexceptional to say the least, based on other lodges we've been to. Sorry you didn't have a better experience.


Yeah, everything was good but the fishing. I run that risk picking a different place every year. I just kinda feel like I didn’t get my Canada fishing in now this year. I think I’m headed back to esnagi or kwagama. I throughly enjoyed both.


----------



## Zkovach1175 (Mar 29, 2017)

Wouldn’t mind trying blue fox either


----------



## HUBBHUNTER (Aug 8, 2007)

Zkovach1175 said:


> Yeah, everything was good but the fishing. I run that risk picking a different place every year. I just kinda feel like I didn’t get my Canada fishing in now this year. I think I’m headed back to esnagi or kwagama. I throughly enjoyed both.


I'll be sure to give you a report and I even saw a picture on Mar Mac's face book page of a stringer of Brookies! The head guide from Mar Mac now works at camp esnagi so I am planning to pick his brain about Rock lake.


----------



## Zkovach1175 (Mar 29, 2017)

HUBBHUNTER said:


> I'll be sure to give you a report and I even saw a picture on Mar Mac's face book page of a stringer of Brookies! The head guide from Mar Mac now works at camp esnagi so I am planning to pick his brain about Rock lake.


Mike B basically said ice off till 1st week in June is when it’s good. Try that triple swivel flutter spoon trick too. I’d also jig flutter spoons.


----------



## Zkovach1175 (Mar 29, 2017)

HUBBHUNTER said:


> I'll be sure to give you a report and I even saw a picture on Mar Mac's face book page of a stringer of Brookies! The head guide from Mar Mac now works at camp esnagi so I am planning to pick his brain about Rock lake.


Shoot me a screen pick of that. I don’t have facebook


----------



## HUBBHUNTER (Aug 8, 2007)

Zkovach1175 said:


> Mike B basically said ice off till 1st week in June is when it’s good. Try that triple swivel flutter spoon trick too. I’d also jig flutter spoons.


Yep, and I have several flutter spoons I'm taking that I use over on Sag River on the ice. I am not optimistic that we will kill it but hopefully a fish or two.


----------



## HUBBHUNTER (Aug 8, 2007)

Zkovach1175 said:


> Shoot me a screen pick of that. I don’t have facebook


Upon closer inspection they look like specks.










Sent from my iPhone using Michigan Sportsman mobile app


----------



## Walleye Wizard (Feb 5, 2006)

Dang Zkovach now you have me worried about Mt trip to the Spanish River in July. I think we are quite a ways downstream from where you were. We will be about 10 min boat ride to Lake Huron. I watched some YouTube trolling Boom Camp Bay at the mouth of the Spanish. I hope my trip fishing wise is better than yours! Sorry for the less than stellar trip.


----------



## Zkovach1175 (Mar 29, 2017)

Walleye Wizard said:


> Dang Zkovach now you have me worried about Mt trip to the Spanish River in July. I think we are quite a ways downstream from where you were. We will be about 10 min boat ride to Lake Huron. I watched some YouTube trolling Boom Camp Bay at the mouth of the Spanish. I hope my trip fishing wise is better than yours! Sorry for the less than stellar trip.


I think you should be fine. I really believe it was our location and time of year that hurt us. We went there cause the walleyes were supposed to be nuts but they weren’t there quite yet. The summer YouTube videos have proved that river to be a winner. I’m sure you’ll do well. Just a bad time and location I believe for us. 

I’m going back to my roots and brookie hunting!


----------



## HUBBHUNTER (Aug 8, 2007)

Zkovach1175 said:


> Shoot me a screen pick of that. I don’t have facebook














Sent from my iPhone using Michigan Sportsman mobile app


----------



## Zkovach1175 (Mar 29, 2017)

That’s a great brookie!


----------



## TrailMarker (Dec 8, 2012)

Walleye Wizard said:


> Dang Zkovach now you have me worried about Mt trip to the Spanish River in July. I think we are quite a ways downstream from where you were. We will be about 10 min boat ride to Lake Huron. I watched some YouTube trolling Boom Camp Bay at the mouth of the Spanish. I hope my trip fishing wise is better than yours! Sorry for the less than stellar trip.


Makes me laugh N, you wanna leave some of the best walleye fishing in the world to find walleye. Certainly it’s about the experience of Spanish River, not catching. Otherwise, you just drive the 90 minutes to Saginaw Bay, limit out and come home.


----------



## Walleye Wizard (Feb 5, 2006)

TrailMarker said:


> Makes me laugh N, you wanna leave some of the best walleye fishing in the world to find walleye. Certainly it’s about the experience of Spanish River, not catching. Otherwise, you just drive the 90 minutes to Saginaw Bay, limit out and come home.


You are right TM about the experience but it is a tough pill to swallow to go that far and not catch “fish”. It doesn’t matter what we get into whether it be pike, smallmouth or panfish as long as we are catching something. I am really excited to go but at the same time not wanting to speed up the clock. My son graduated high school today and this is part of his gift. Shortly after we get back and resume summer he will be off to college. Then comes the empty nest.


----------



## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

Here is my add-on to one of the other (total of 3) posts you've put up about your experience at this lodge.

Bad fishing doesn't necessarily make a bad Lodge. Poor Service makes a bad Lodge. Choosing to go to a place where you've already been advised the fishing is marginal is an informed decision. Please don't blame the lodge for your poor experience, if they gave you good Service.


----------



## Floater (Feb 8, 2003)

I disagree. I have never been on a Northern Ontario trip, although its on my bucket list. The lodge having phenomenal service does not make it a good fishing lodge or experience. I can only guess that the OP did not book his trip based on the lodge amenities. I assume they advertise themselves as a fishing lodge first and foremost. I assume the OP booked this trip based on the promise of walleyes jumping in the boat as the lodge's website or show booth picture wall shows. I'm sure the lodge told them about the fantastic fishing when they were booking their trip and placing their hefty deposit. I've read the posts. A handful of fish a day sucks! From what I've read, the lodge made no effort to put these people on fish. When the OP suggested that they try for lake trout, the lodge basically told them it was too much work to move the boats around. Hell, the lodge wouldn't even break out the water toys they advertise for the kids because it was too much work. I've fished with plenty of guides. I agree that the fish count at the end of the day does not make the guide. Its the effort the guide puts in to make sure the clients know they did everything possible to put them on fish that matters. I did not see that efforts in the above posts. I have gone back to guides that gave me fishless days when I saw the effort but I never went back to the guides that phoned it in on bad days and said "that's just fishing..."


----------



## TrailMarker (Dec 8, 2012)

Floater said:


> I disagree. I have never been on a Northern Ontario trip, although its on my bucket list. The lodge having phenomenal service does not make it a good fishing lodge or experience. I can only guess that the OP did not book his trip based on the lodge amenities. I assume they advertise themselves as a fishing lodge first and foremost. I assume the OP booked this trip based on the promise of walleyes jumping in the boat as the lodge's website or show booth picture wall shows. I'm sure the lodge told them about the fantastic fishing when they were booking their trip and placing their hefty deposit. I've read the posts. A handful of fish a day sucks! From what I've read, the lodge made no effort to put these people on fish. When the OP suggested that they try for lake trout, the lodge basically told them it was too much work to move the boats around. Hell, the lodge wouldn't even break out the water toys they advertise for the kids because it was too much work. I've fished with plenty of guides. I agree that the fish count at the end of the day does not make the guide. Its the effort the guide puts in to make sure the clients know they did everything possible to put them on fish that matters. I did not see that efforts in the above posts. I have gone back to guides that gave me fishless days when I saw the effort but I never went back to the guides that phoned it in on bad days and said "that's just fishing..."


People have to understand also that certain times of year may be subject to weather fronts, bug hatches, you name it, and they all impact fishing The only thing that pays when fishing a spot, especially new water, is persistence. Not everyone will have fish jump in the boat and not everyone has persistence to figure out what the fish are doing. We have had banner days, and we have had pretty bad days only to arrive back at the dock to see that even though we had a bad day, others in our camp did much better fishing different areas and techniques. As far as guides at lodges in Ontario, that's a subjective term. They may indeed be a true guide, or they may just be the hard working dock jockeys that gas up the boats but never get time to fish! But, we need those guys too, because moving out of the boat to the dock on sea legs at the end of a 16 hour day wouldn't be possible without them.


----------

