I thought 100-fish days, bird-eating muskie and crystal clear, untapped watersย were a myth until I visited Nestor Falls, Ontario.

Only an hour andย a half flight north of International Falls, Minnesota, Nestor Falls Fly-Inย Outposts is a family-run outfit that has been making the myth true forย 30 years. Last summer, they added a fleet of pedal-powered kayaks atย their Kay Lake and Onepine Lake outposts.

You could spend your whole life trying to catch a trophy muskie. Or,ย you could spend a few days on Kay Lake and cross monster muskellungeย off your life-list.

Cast or troll a Storm FlatStick in UV-pink around rock islands, cliffย walls and over weed beds to hook into a trophy. Or, switch to a 10wt flyย rod and monster muppet fly for the ultimate challenge. Fishing doesnโ€™tย stop when the sun sets. Work a Lake X Lures Fat Bastard and wait forย the explosive crush of muskie jaws. Thatโ€™s right, these fish eat loons. Thatย should get your blood boiling.

If you donโ€™t get ripped off your kayak by moss-colored behemoths,ย switch over to light tackle and wear out your arms catching big smallmouthย bass. The lake’s reefs, submerged islands and rock-to-weedย transitions are filthy with bronze linebackers. Youโ€™ll need plenty of XRaps,ย tubes, curly-tail grubs and flukes. Fly guys will want to tie upย crawfish imitations and topwater flies.

Muskie Fishing At Nestor Falls | Photo by: Bill Lindner

Tired of bass and muskie? Switch to lake trout.

Pack a portable fishfinderย to search the deep water sections for suspended trout. Vertically jig a Buzzย Bomb, Heddon Sonar, spoon or heavy hair jig to pull lakers from the deep.

Kayak fishing these fly-in lakes offers opportunities to explore the mainย lake or portage to smaller bodies that get even less pressure. Looking forย walleye and northern pike? Make the trip to Onepine Lake where anglersย report 100-fish-days with hard-fighting fish that hardly ever see a hook.

Escaping on a fly-in fishing expedition may seem out of bounds forย kayak anglers, but opportunities at Nestor Falls put this dream tripย into reach.

OUTFITTERS & GUIDES
Nestor Falls Fly-In Outposts
Nestor Falls, Ontario
Canada P0X 1K0
1-807-484-2345
1-877-653-1524
www.nestorfalls.com
FISHING GEAR
Get your Ontario fishing license onlineย before you leave.
Anglerโ€™s Pro Shop: www.anglersproshop.ca
807-484-2525
KAYAK
Nestor Falls Fly-In Outpostsย provides Old Town Predatorย PDL kayaks at both the Kayย Lake and Onepine lake locations.
Pedal Drive and paddlesย provided. Bring your PFD, kayakย accessories, portable fishfinderย and GPS.

Food

Pack lots of high-energy, high-calorie foodย and donโ€™t forget your fillet knife. Ingredients forย the classic Canadian shore lunch can be foundย at Dalsegโ€™s Fine Foods in Nestor Falls, Ontario.ย Looking for great snacks for your adventure?ย Stop at the Safeway in Fort Frances, Ontario.

What’s biting

Smallmouth bass, walleye,ย northern pike, lake trout, muskie

Seasons

Late May through October

Rigged up

Smallmouth bass: X-Raps,ย tubes, flukes, curly-tail grubs,ย spinnerbaits, topwaters, 1/16-1/8 oz. black marabou hair jigs,ย crawfish-imitating flies

Muskie: Storm Giant Flat-Stick (UV-pink), bucktails, Fatย Bastard, large flies

Lake Trout: Buzz Bombs,ย Heddon Sonars, PK Luresย spoons, hair jigs

Walleye: 1/8 โ€“ 3/8 ounce jigsย (black, chartreuse, orange), Gulp! Alive! minnows andย leeches, Shad Raps, Originalย Rapala Floaters, 1/8 oz. Stormย 360GT Search Bait

Northern pike: Spinnerbaits,ย spoons, bucktails, largeย Husky Jerks, oversized flies

Game plan

Fish Kay Lake and nearbyย waters for smallies and muskie.ย Keep an eye on the fishfinderย for lake trout when crossingย deep sections of the lake.ย Travel to Onepine Lake to loadย up on walleye and chase trophyย northern pike.


This article was first published in the Spring 2017 issue of Kayak Angler Magazine. Subscribe toย Kayak Angler Magazineโ€™s print and digital editions, or browse theย archives.

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