Before You Fly: Lodging, Groceries & Licenses

Most groups arrive in Nestor Falls the night before they fly out. Trips leave the base between 9:00 AM and noon, and after a long drive, a border crossing, and sorting gear, the last thing you want is a rushed morning. Come in the evening before, sleep well, and show up at the dock rested. Here is where to stay, where to stock up, and what to sort out before you fly.

How To Get Here

One option is Sunset Limo and Transport. They are ready to take care of your travel needs in the North! Check out their website or give them a call. 1-807-548-1450

Where to stay the night before

Northwest Flying recommends staying right in Nestor Falls rather than Fort Frances — you are minutes from the base and already in the rhythm of the trip. Places the team regularly sends groups:

• Kelly’s Castaway Lodge — around the corner from the air base. Kelly Wilson also runs fly-out day-fishing packages with Northwest Flying, so he knows exactly what guests need. 1-877-580-2335
• Clark & Crombie Hotel — an 18-unit motel open year-round with a range of room types. (807) 484-2114
• Arrowhead Resort and Motel — clean, comfortable rooms in a family atmosphere. (807) 484-2132

Mention you are flying out with Northwest Flying in the morning and they will know the routine. Prefer Fort Frances? That works too — allow about a 90-minute drive to the base, and plan your morning so you are at the dock before 9:00 AM.

One more thing: if you arrive the evening before, you are welcome to drop your groceries and gear at the base that night. Northwest Flying will store your food in the walk-in cooler and freezer, so you show up in the morning with just your personal bag.

Where to get groceries

You bring your own food, and the smartest move is to pre-order rather than pack it all from home. Call Cloverleaf Grocery in Emo, Ontario — the halfway point between the Fort Frances border crossing and the Nestor Falls base, about 30 minutes either way. Phone your list ahead and they will have it boxed and ready. (807) 482-2793.

Most groups stop in Emo on the way up, grab the pre-ordered groceries at Cloverleaf, pop into the liquor store next door for beer and drinks, then drive the last 30 minutes to the base. For quantities, the meal plan lays out a six-day grocery list for groups of four and eight. Pack groceries in sturdy cardboard boxes rather than bags — they load more easily into the floatplane — and remember that everything counts toward the 100-pound-per-person limit (see what to pack).

Bait and fishing licenses

Bait. The go-to is Bite Me Bait & Tackle in Nestor Falls, a quarter mile from the air base. Trevor runs the shop and guides these lakes, so tell him which lake you are heading to and he will set you up with the right bait and a few tips on what is working. (807) 484-0707. Coming through Fort Frances? Westside Bait & Tackle, a family-run shop on the north edge of town, is another solid stop. (807) 274-7606.

Fishing licenses. Every angler needs a valid Ontario fishing license. Three ways to get one:

• Buy online before your trip through the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources — about ten minutes, and you print it at home.
• Pick one up at a local shop such as Bite Me on arrival.
• Send the group’s information ahead and Northwest Flying will help coordinate.

Most groups choose the Sport License (about $55 USD for eight days, with higher daily limits) over the Conservation License (about $30 USD, with lower limits). For the fishing on these lakes, the Sport License is worth the extra few dollars. Sort out bait and licenses before departure day — one less thing to think about at the dock.

← Prev: Pro TipsBack to Overview →