All Stories

Outdoor Adventure for the Whole Family. by Mark Melnyk, host and producer of The New Fly Fishing show Like many families who love the outdoors and have children, my wife and I along with our two very active young boys, are always on the lookout for exciting, wi...

Chapleau Lodge - a slice of fishing paradise. by Mark Melnyk, host and producer of The New Fly Fisher Show. We had a fantastic trip to Chapleau Lodge this past summer.  Although weather played a major part in our adventure, we were still able to unlock the puz...

An Epic Fly-in Experience by Mark Melnyk, producer and host of The New Fly Fisher Show Nothing quite compares to the magic and beauty of Northern Ontario. Sweeping forests, pristine lakes, and plenty of wild fish just waiting to be hooked. Of all the spectacular warm water spec...

Orvis International Destination: of the Year 2019 by Mark Melnyk, producer and host of The New Fly Fisher TV show Hawk Lake Lodge is in Sunset Country in Northwest Ontario, Canada, between Thunder Bay at the west end of Lake Superior and the Ma...

Outfitter Tough, Guide Tough at Air-Dale Hunting and Fishing By Mark Melnyk, host and producer for the New Fly Fisher We pulled in late; it was getting to be summer dark as we wove through the old growth forest to the lodge, washboard roads interrupted by the odd well-deepened po...

A Walk-and-Wade Guided Trip for Brown Trout.

Hearst Air  DIY - the ultimate in remote wilderness cabin lodging. by Mark Melnyk, host and producer of The New Fly Fisher show Hearst Air Service has it all for anglers looking for that unique experience in Ontario’s North! If you’re looking for honest shots at trophy pik...

Ritchie Falls Resort by Mark Melnyk, producer and host of The New Fly Fisher show There is a special time every spring when the stars align and everything works out perfectly for us as anglers—a time when the confluence of natural factors combine to create the perfect scenari...

The Outpost Lodge. by Mark Melnyk, host and producer of The New Fly Fisher Show. Algoma country is well known for its outdoor wilderness opportunities. From kayaking to hiking, to fishing and hunting, its beautiful landscapes provide the perfect setting for whatever the outdoor...

The Nipigon River. by Mark Melnyk, host and producer of the New Fly Fisher show In Ontario we are blessed with such a vast number of rivers and lakes, that it would be impossible to fish them all in many lifetimes. Some of them are quite well-known, others le...

Drive-to Angling in Algoma. by Mark Melnyk, host and producer of The New Fly Fisher show Like many families who love the outdoors and have children, my wife and I along with our two very active young boys, are always on the lookout for exciting, wild destinations to visit—pla...

A Bold Innovation in Stocking Trout Lakes. Years ago, while camping near Blue Fox Camp in the Algoma region of Ontario, four young boys were overwhelmed by the fantastic trout fishing there. Inevitably, they bonded with the place, and forged a lasting friendship in the process. As the year...

St. Mary's River and the SOO guides by Colin McKeown. The St. Mary’s River, which flows through Sault Ste Marie (Ontario), has become renowned for the quality of its fishery and the long season in which it can produce excellent fishing. the Outside of Sault Ste ...

The drive was a breeze, actually literally… it was a breeze! We jumped in the truck and left the house at 5 am, sunroof open, windows wide. It was unseasonably warm for the middle of spring, we were loving it! The sun beat down the entire trip, music turned up and the air of angling excitement pal...

Lauzon Aviation by Colin McKeown I love fly fishing for trout or smallmouth bass, especially if I can do it on a budget. For many anglers, the best option for getting good quality fishing and a fly-in trip is to visit remote outposts. Outposts are essentially “cottage...

Century Lodge on Eagle Lake. By Colin Mckeown. Since I was a young boy, smallmouth bass have been at the top of my list of freshwater fish to catch. I loved casting Hula Poppers, Rebel Poppers and even Rapalas to entice violent surface strikes from smallmouth. Today as a fly fis...

By Mark Melnyk We had flown on a private charter from Churchill, Manitoba (the polar bear capital of the world) to Nanuk Polar Bear Lodge on the shores of Hudson’s Bay. It was September, and the short window for sea-run brook trout was now! “He” was lying right there on the runw...

November Fishing By John Quinn “The Delaware is done.” “Well, you know, we’re from Northern Vermont, believe me, we understand November fishing.” “Naw, I wouldn’t take you out.” “Hmmmm… OK… appreciate you taking the call.

Keepemwet by Mark Melnyk Fly anglers, for the most part are devout conservationists. Most every fish is considered a sport fish, destined to be caught and then released, rarely harvested. The sport is in the act of watching a wild specimen be fooled to take your fly. Even better...

Unicorns of the North by Mark Melnyk. They do exist. They aren’t easy to see but with the right sense of adventure, the proper equipment and a fly rod in hand, you too can bear witness to a fish that most every angler has on their bucket list. That’s the reputation ...

Birch Lake Resort, by Mark Melnyk. Northern Ontario has a catch and release bass season outside of regular bass fishing season. Think about bass fattening up for winter in the fall, catching them through the ice in the winter and targeting pre and post-spawn fish as the...

Algoma Wild Brook Trout Primer. Catching beautiful brook trout (called “specks” in Northern Ontario) on a fly rod is one of the best aspects of coming to Algoma Country. From dry fly fishing to streamer fishing, it's one of the few places left in North America where you can cat...

Dog Lake Resort All  anglers can agree on one thing, catching big smallmouth bass on topwater flies or lures is the best! One of the places to find outstanding topwater action is at Dog Lake Resort in Northwestern Ontario. Dog Lake Resort is a drive-to facility th...

Chaudiere Lodge Located on the French River in northeast Ontario, Chaudiere Lodge is blessed with some outstanding smallmouth bass fishing opportunities. In fact what we really liked about this location is that you could also fish for other species such as largemouth bass or even m...

Branch’s Seine River Lodge For those who love to catch big smallmouth bass on topwater flies, you should consider Branch’s Seine River Lodge near the town of Atikokan, Northwestern Ontario. Just a few hours from the Canadian-American border at Fort Francis, t...

Merkel’s Camp For anglers looking for pike and musky, a great drive-to location with excellent fishing, comfortable accommodations and great pricing is Merkel’s Camp located in Northwestern Ontario.

White River Air Service For many fly fishers, wild brook trout are that ultimate species to catch on a fly. In Algoma Country there are numerous fly-in locations, both accessible and affordable, which provide outstanding fly fishing for wild brook trout. One of our favourites is ...

Fishing Adventures with  John Giuliani  Most people associate Atlantic salmon with angling on the East Coast of Canada. However, in Algoma Country,Northern Ontario, fly fishers have the opportunity to cast and swing flies for large Atlantic salmon on the St. Mary’s River, loc...

Birchland Cottages For many fly fishers the search to find large smallmouth bass on a fly is a never-ending quest. Good news! There's a place in Northern Ontario that has bountiful numbers of large smallmouth bass…it's Algoma Country! In the region east of Sault Ste Marie along...

Lodge 88, Esnagi Lake In Algoma Country there are great fly fishing opportunities for pike and walleye, as well as numerous other warm water and even cold water species.

West Yellowstone is a small Montana town located at the western entrance to Yellowstone National Park. Home to several fly shops, West Yellowstone is strategically situated amongst some of the world’s finest fly fishing. Within a short drive, rivers such as the Madison, Firehole, Yellowstone and S...

Just like trout in rivers, stillwater trout have basic needs. There are three primary factors involved when hunting stillwater trout; comfort, protection, and food. At first glance, lakes can be vast, featureless and apparently impossible to read. They lack the visible character and manageable si...

Inukshuk Lodge – Nunavik, Northern Quebec Imagine casting flies for huge and hard fighting Arctic char that average 10-14 pounds, while watching seals, polar bears and whales…all part of the exceptional experience you get at this very special lodge. For seventeen ...

Part Two – The Retrieve Due to the soft, often subtle way that trout feed in lakes, the presentation challenges for stillwater are more taxing than those of moving waters. Stillwater fly fishers develop their hand skills—not only to help meet the casting challenges lakes dictate, but a...

Part One: Casting Stand on the shore of any lake and you soon realize that stillwater is a different presentation arena to that of a river or stream. The casting challenges differ, longer distances are often required to cover water, and leaders in excess of 15 feet are not...

So you've decided to do it. You're going to visit that new lake everyone has been talking about. Or perhaps, you're finally going to give stillwater fly fishing a try. With your decision made, your next step should be to focus on your approach.

There are only a few places in the angling world that are famous for “Grand Slams”. This special designation is usually bestowed upon a lucky angler who can catch three different species all in one day of fishing. At Kasba Lake Lodge in Nunavut, achieving the �...

Accessible Algoma Most great fly fishing destinations in North America are expensive and difficult to access. The Algoma region, on the other hand, which is located centrally in northern Ontario, is neither expensive nor difficult to access and offers a cornucopia of fly...

The French River in northeastern Ontario holds a special magic for muskie anglers —filled with great structure such as weedy bays, inlets, sunken humps and drop-offs. The river, which runs between Lake Nipissing and Georgian Bay, is also known for its trophy-sized walle...

Poppers for Bronzebacks Okay, confession time. I have boxes and boxes of popper flies, way more than I can use in my lifetime. Searching out and buying poppers is almost like an addiction. Every time I go into a fly shop anywhere in the world, I check out their selection of poppers...

Labrador Brook Trout Essentials. Labrador brook trout have chiseled out an existence in one of the most rugged and spectacular environments in the world. Over time, these char have evolved into aggressive predators capable of consuming a variety of prey, from small mayflies and cad...

by Bill Spicer The double haul enables casting incredibly long distances and helps deal with wind more effectively. However, learning it has frustrated many fly fishers, as, initially, it feels as awkward as patting the top of your head while rubbing your stomach in a circle at the same ...

The Hunt for a Record I caught my first smallmouth bass on a four weight rod. At the time it seemed like I had hooked into a record brookie, but when I finally netted the fish, which turned out to be  a two pound smallmouth,  I realized bass fly fishing was maybe something I s...

Crown Jewels of the North by Colin McKeown Ever since I began to fly fish in the early 1990s, wild brook trout have been very special to me. Wild brook trout can survive only in clean, clear and unpolluted waters – something usually only found in pristine wilderness locations...

By Colin McKeown In 2000, when I was taping the first season of The New Fly Fisher, I travelled to Michigan to do a show with Bob Linsenman and Kelly Galloup, whose recent book, Modern Streamers for Trophy Trout, had rocked the fly fishing commu...

Fall-run Great Lakes Steelhead By Chris Marshall The streams at the eastern end of Lake Ontario which feature steelhead runs are mainly small. There are a few exceptions, such as the Salmon River, on the New York side, but almost all the bigger rivers are too warm in summer ...

Crooked Lake by Chris Marshall Located in the south-east corner of the Queen Elizabeth II Wildlands Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, Crooked Lake is little more than 50 miles north of the city of Peterborough. Yet it is as pristine and untouched as the lakes of the Canadian Shield far to the nor...

By Colin McKeown I have had a strong attachment to Atlantic salmon fishing since I hooked my first fish on Nova Scotia’s Margaree River nearly 20 years ago. With their aggressive surface takes, acrobatic jumps and reel screaming runs, Atlantic salmon have cons...

by Colin McKeown My  love of fishing began very early, when I was only five or six. At my parents cottage I loved to use a bobber and worm to catch bass off the dock. The one day as I reeled in a small rock bass, a long shape lunged out from under our dock and ripped the fish off my hook. The ki...

Misty Mountain Fly Shop

Birch Lake Resort

Nunavik Arctic Char

Wilderness North, James Bay

Anderson's Lodge, Sioux Lookout

Nagagami Lake Lodge

Brace Lake Outfitters 

By Chris Marshall The Fish The freshwater drum or sheepshead (Aplodinotus grunniens) is the only member of the Sciaenidae family which lives in fresh water. All the rest, including the prized red drum or red fish as commonly called, live in salt or brackish ...

By Bill Spicer with Colin McKeown Big brook trout are my favorite fish, and Labrador is the best place to fish for them, where they can be taken on everything from nymphs and dries to mouse imitations and streamers. The brook trout is one of the most incredibly beautiful creatures in ...

by Chris Marshall The water of the shallow cove was clear and unruffled, shimmering in the afternoon sunshine. It was unusually hot for early May.  I was standing in the shallows of a wide bay, camouflaged among the dry stalks of last year’s cattails, absolutely motionless.  Across the ba...

Spring and Fall Steelhead

Cedar Island Lodge – Bass, Pike & Musky

The Mattawa Fly Fishing Experience

MarMac Lodge – Brook Trout & Pike

Soft Hackle Wets, Part 2 by Chris Marshall More than a Simple Hackle While all the main nineteenth century writers emphasise the importance of soft hackled flies without wings, they also incorporated sparse, soft wings on many of their patterns. In man...

by Bill Spicer As fly fishers we are constantly seeking different ways of presenting the fly in order to get the optimum drag-free cast and to avoid spooking the fish. The curve cast is an effective way of doing this, for it enables the caster to place the line and leader on the water wi...

Maitland River – Fall Steelhead

Auld Reekie Lodge

By Chris Marshall The only flies I used when I first began to fiddle with a fly rod were sparsely-tied, soft-hackled patterns. I grew up in a moorland valley in the southwest corner of Yorkshire. As far back as I can remember, I was fascinated by the river whi...

Lake Superior has some amazing steelhead runs, and some of the best are located in and around Thunder Bay, Ontario. For anglers looking for affordable steelhead fishing and lots of river options, this is the place. Within a few hours drive of Thunder Bay and even right in the heart of the city, the ...

Esnagami Lake Lodge

The St. Mary’s Rapids, Sault Ste. Marie

Agnew Lake Lodge

Air Ivanhoe

For many fly fishers catching a brown trout on a dry fly, streamer or nymph is like nirvana. One of the least known locations in Ontario for big browns is the Upper Credit River near Orangeville. Graham Bristow from A Perfect Drift Guide Service located in Orangeville has been fishing the waters of ...

Line Choice and Related Techniques for Manitoba Parklands, Part 2

Lake Erie has been producing some record-sized smallmouth bass over the past ten years. The shallow flats and rocky shoals on the Ontario side of the lake has become a favourite haunt of fly fishers who want a shot at catching smallmouth that weig...

Line Choice and Related Techniques for Manitoba Parklands, Part 1 by Phil Rowley Since my first introduction to the Parklands region of S.W. Manitoba over 10 years ago pilgrimages to this stillwater trout Mecca have become an annual event. Over the past five years, I...

Little Known & Deadly Secrets for Catching More Bass There is something almost magical about watching a large smallmouth bass enhale your popper off the surface. Sometimes they gently sip it down, but often they explosively hammer it…it’s all part of why catching bass on a topwate...

A Stillwater Trout Mecca by Phil Rowley Not many Canadian fly fishers, and even fewer south of the border, would identify Manitoba as blue ribbon trout country, yet the Parkland region of the province, west of Winnipeg, boasts trout lakes which rival the best in the world, regu...

Camp Narrows Lodge, Northern Ontario Catching large northern pike or big smallmouth bass is always a thrill but catching them on a fly rod and fly…. that is the ultimate experience. That is why I am always in search of new locations that have trophy-sized fish. For years I have heard abo...

If we could only get inside the mind of the fish, some important aspects of their feeding behavior, feeding preferences, and basic trigger mechanisms would suddenly become painstakingly clear to us. However, until that happens, we will have to remain satisfied brooding and speculating over what it i...