Nestor Falls Weather

I always tell groups to arrive the night before. Your departure from our base is typically between 9:00 AM and noon, and after a full day of driving or flying, dealing with customs, and getting your gear sorted, you don't want to rush that morning.

Come in the night before, get a good sleep, and show up at the dock rested and ready.

My recommendation is to stay right here in Nestor Falls rather than Fort Frances. You're close to our base, the area is beautiful, and you're already in the rhythm of being up here. There are several places I send groups to:

Kelly's Castaway Lodge — Right around the corner from our air base. Kelly Wilson runs a great operation. He actually runs fly-out day fishing packages with us too, so he knows exactly what our guests need. 1-877-580-2335

Clark & Crombie Hotel — Their 18 unit motel is open year around and offers a variety of room types. (807) 484-2114

Arrowhead Resort and Motel — Clean comfortable accommodations in a family atmosphere (807) 484-2132

Any of these will take care of you. Just mention you're flying out with Northwest Flying in the morning and they'll know the drill.

If you'd rather stay in Fort Frances, that works too — it's about a 30-minute drive from our base — but plan your morning accordingly. You need to be at our dock before 9:00 AM.

One more thing: if you get into Nestor Falls the evening before, you're welcome to bring your groceries and gear over to our base that night. We'll put your food in our walk-in cooler and freezer so everything stays fresh for the morning. That way you show up with just your personal bag and we load up and go.

Have questions about timing? Call me at (800) 461-2126 and we'll work out the details for your group.

You're bringing your own food for the trip, and the smartest thing most groups do is pre-order their groceries rather than packing them from home.

Here's what I recommend: call Cloverleaf Grocery in Emo, Ontario. Emo is the halfway point between the Fort Frances border crossing and our base in Nestor Falls — about 30 minutes in either direction. Call them ahead of time with your grocery list and they'll have everything boxed up and ready for you when you arrive. Their number is (807) 482-2793.

Most groups stop in Emo on their way up, grab their pre-ordered groceries at Cloverleaf, pop into the liquor store right next door for beer and drinks, and then drive the last 30 minutes to our base. It's a smooth routine — our customers have been doing it for years.

If you're arriving the evening before your trip, bring your groceries to our base that night. We've got a walk-in cooler and freezer right here, and we'll store everything overnight so it's fresh and ready to load in the morning.

For meal planning, we've put together a ➜complete trip planning guide with suggested grocery lists for groups of four and eight — including breakfast, lunch, dinner, and all the condiments and supplies people forget. Use our "Special Report" to help when planning your grocery order. It covers everything from shore lunch supplies to how much ice to bring.

A few tips from experience: pack your groceries in sturdy cardboard boxes, not plastic bags — they load easier into the float plane. Remember that everything counts toward your 100 lb per person weight limit, so our complete trip planning guide will help you plan smart.

Need help with your grocery plan? Call me at (800) 461-2126 and I'll walk you through it.

Two things you need to sort out before you hit the lake: bait and your Ontario fishing license. Both are straightforward.

Bait: My go-to recommendation is Bite Me Bait & Tackle in Nestor Falls. Trevor runs the shop, and he's just a quarter mile down the road from our air base. What makes Trevor different from a regular bait shop is that he's also a fishing guide who knows our lakes. Tell him which lake you're heading to, and he'll set you up with the right bait and probably give you a few tips on what's working. He's a great resource, especially for groups who haven't fished this area before. 807-484-0707

If you're coming through Fort Frances, there's also Westside Bait & Tackle just as you're leaving town heading north. It's a family-run operation — another solid option if you want to grab your bait before the last leg of the drive. +1 807-274-7606

Fishing Licenses:

Every angler in your group needs a valid Ontario fishing license. You've got three options:

The easiest route for non-residents is buying them online before your trip through the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources website. Takes about 10 minutes, you print them out, and you're done before you leave home.

You can also pick one up at a local tackle shop like Bite Me when you arrive, or send me everyone's information ahead of time and I'll help coordinate it for you.

Most groups go with the Sport License — it runs about $55 USD for eight days and gives you higher daily catch limits. The Conservation License is about $30 USD with lower limits. For the kind of fishing you'll be doing on our lakes, the Sport License is worth the extra $25.

My advice: sort out your bait and licenses before departure day. One less thing to think about when you show up at the dock ready to fly.

Call me at (800) 461-2126 if you need help with any of this.