One of the things we discovered repeatedly at Gawley’s Little Beaver Lodge is that it only takes one Northern Ontario fishing trip for kids to discover that these kinds of adventures are “a lot better in real life.” Convenient as it might be to try fishing on a computer screen, or see someone doing on TV, it does not even come close to matching the amazing experience of being out on a still lake, sitting in nature, and seeing what it’s like to spend some true quality time with friends and family.

If you have a teenager in your home who is going to be trying Northern Ontario fishing for the first time, here are a few things to remember:

Help them pack. They might not know what to bring, from clothes to equipment. Make sure they pack the essentials, and everyone will have a smoother, more enjoyable trip.

Get beyond grades and other small talk. Many adults think that the key to enjoying “quality time,” is in getting teens to put away their cell phones and other gadgets. That is part of it, but you have a responsibility, too: take a break from asking them about their grades and other “normal” topics and try to get into conversations that are deeper, or at least more fun.

Embrace a little bit of technology. You might not want your teen to spend their time texting while you are fishing in Northern Ontario, but let them help you create and edit photos and video clips of your fishing trip. You might be impressed with what they know about the technology, and you will all get some great mementos of your trip.

One thing few people worry about, however, is the outpost fishing cabin, and the amenities they will find within it. This is probably reasonable enough – after all, where you sleep and stay is an afterthought for most serious fishermen coming to Northern Ontario – but does it not make a little difference when it comes to the overall enjoyment of your stay?

We think it does, and our guests seem to agree. Time and time again, visitors to Gawley’s Little Beaver Lodge tell us that they appreciate the amenities we offer. There is nothing wrong with “roughing it,” of course, but few of us want to spend night after night sleeping on the hard ground, staying in an undeveloped shack, or bathing in cold water after a long day of Northern Ontario fishing.

In every one of our outpost fishing cabins, you will find little extras like hot water and electricity. We think this strongly enhances the outpost fishing experience that most visitors to Gawley’s have, but it also makes your fishing trip to Northern Ontario just a little bit safer. After all, how many of us want to spend days being secluded away from medical help and emergency care if we absolutely needed it?

Obviously, when you are booking a Northern Ontario piker walleye-fishing trip, staying in comfortable five-star accommodations is not likely to be your first concern. However, if you are like most of the men and women who come to Gawley’s Little Beaver Lodge, you might find that it is a more welcome perk then you might have thought.

Since we do not know your child as well as you do, we will just tell you that our rule of thumb is that as great as the fishing is here, it is as much about building memories as it is catching giant Ontario pike and walleye. Therefore, we have to leave it to your best judgment in most cases, but here are a few tips to help your trip go smoother:

Let kids pack other things besides fishing gear. While many families choose to make our fishing lodge a “videogame free” zone, you can encourage kids to bring books, board games, and other activities, especially if they have not been fishing before.

Let kids participate in pike and walleye fishing. From holding fishing rods to measuring the catch and taking pictures, there are many different ways for kids to be involved, even if they are not fishing on their own. Make them a part of the experience, and everyone will have more fun.

Get them some fishing lessons beforehand. While you will probably want to share some tips and advice of your own while you are here in Northern Ontario, why not sign up your kids for a weekend fishing class at a local sports shop a couple of weeks before your vacation? They will come more prepared, and will be more excited to try what they learned.

Share your own fishing stories with them. Many parents and grandparents love fishing because of experiences from their own childhoods. Tell the kids in your group what you love most about it, and you might be surprised to see how interested they will become in making their own Northern Ontario fishing memories.

You will get a break from the heat. Because we are up north, perched on the wilderness, our average temperatures tend to be a lot lower than they are in the city. Moreover, you will not have to deal with your daily commute, sitting in traffic and breathing in exhaust, at least for a few days.

There is never a bad time for your first Northern Ontario outpost-fishing trip. If you have not tried outpost fishing, just know there is nothing in the world that is quite like it. Come give it a shot just once, we can promise you will be hooked.

It is a cost-effective vacation. With the economy still feeling a bit unsettled, taking your summer vacation in Canada is a great way to save money and reduce your stress at the same time.

Being close to nature is good for you mentally. It is only natural to want a “break” from all the stresses of urban life once and a while, so if you live in a big city, getting away from all the noise and people might be just what you need, at least for a little while.

The fish are only getting bigger. Because of conservation regulations put in place to preserve Northern Ontario’s pike population, the average size of fish caught in Lac Seul is increasing every year. This is your best chance to catch a record-size fish yet.

Gawley’s offers a good mix of comfort and “roughing it.” It is hard to beat our combination of a wilderness setting along with modern amenities like the Internet, hot water, and satellite television in our remote cabins. If you want to get away from it all without sleeping on the hard ground, we have the perfect setting for you.

A Northern Ontario fishing trip something you and your family will never forget. In the end, this is probably the best reason, and the one that keeps so many people coming back time and time again. Visiting Gawley’s Little Beaver Lodge is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience, so do not miss out!

If you are creative in designing promotions for your employees, it just might. Imagine a sales contest where the top prize is a week of fishing at one of our cabins, or a cost-cutting program where any employee who finds a way to improve efficiency wins a Gawley’s fishing trip. Or, you could even decide to bring key managers or staff members up for a team-building exercise. In each of these cases, you and your employees get a chance to go fishing and get away from the office, but you’ve added more to your bottom line in the process.

If you are considering creating a northern Ontario fishing promotion in your company, here are a few quick tips to help you get started:

Leave enough time to make an impact. If you can plan the end of your contest at least a month away, you’ll have an easier time coordinating the details… not to mention motivating your employees.

Include friends and family. Let the winner, or winners, spend time fishing Lac Seul with friends and family by making their reservations a part of the trip.

Get the most out of the trip. Lots of people come to plan, strategize, and think of long-term goals in this peaceful, natural setting. But leave a few days for celebration and reflection, too – you’ll find it easier to relax and get a little bit more of a positive effect from the process.

While there are lots of great vacation spots you could hit, why not take advantage of the warm summer temperatures and try remote outpost fishing in northern Ontario? If you have already been up to see our world-class pike and walleye, then you know how much fun it can be. And if you haven’t, you’re in for a treat.

Here are just a few quick reasons to consider coming up to Gawley’s Little Beaver Lodge during the hottest summer months:

You get longer days without the heat. As you probably know, going north gives you both more sunshine each day and slightly lower average temps – the best of both worlds!

Outpost fishing is a great, relaxing way to spend some time. If you are reading this blog, you probably already know about the joys of outpost fishing, and namely what a great once-in-a-lifetime experience it can be. But just in case you don’t, ask someone who’s already given it a try; we are willing to bet they’ll tell you to give it a shot at your first available opportunity.

It’s hard to get any closer to nature than this. Cities can be great for living and working, but it’s only natural to want to “get away” once in a while, and you can’t get much farther from the traffic, noise, and congestion than this. Why not spend a little bit of your summer in one of nature’s most beautiful places?

Summer is coming fast, so don’t forget to check on our northern Ontario outpost fishing schedules today. When it gets too hot and crowded in the city, we’d love to see you up here at Lac Seul!

There are two schools of thought that we should mention. The first says that you should plan out as far as you possibly can, even years ahead of time. Why? Well, if you know it’s on the calendar, it’s easy to schedule the rest of your life around a longer trip. Plus, you’ll have plenty of weeks and months to think about the details, make sure you’ll pack everything you need, and make arrangements for the time that you’re away. Besides, as lots of fishermen will tell you, anticipating your upcoming fishing trip is half the fun!

Of course, there’s the other side of the coin – the school of thought that says, if you have a long weekend or a few extra days, why not try to arrange something on the spur of the moment? Since most of the best lodges, ours included, have daily flights in and out, who’s to say you can’t grab your family, or some friends, and head up for a few days of world-class fishing in Ontario? There is even the possibility you could save a few dollars on a last-minute special.

So which one makes more sense? In the end, it probably depends on your individual situation. If you know you have some vacation time coming, and want to be sure you get a great spot at a great northern Ontario fishing lodge, then it probably makes sense to book your trip well in advance. On the other hand, if you suddenly find yourself with a few open days and want to experience an unforgettable fishing adventure, then why not pick up the phone and see if you can be enjoying yourself in just a few short hours?

It absolutely is. In fact, business and corporate fishing trips aren’t as rare as you might think. Here are a few reasons to consider booking one with us today:

Fishing makes for a great mental break. Sometimes, the best thing you can do to solve a problem or inspire creativity is get away from the office. Combine that with a setting where nature is all around you, the love that lots of people have for fishing, and the change of perspective that can come when you get away from the office, and you have the prescription for a breakthrough.

It might be the incentive your employees need. Maybe a northern Ontario fishing trip isn’t something you need for your whole staff, but as a contest prize that can inspire your sales team, or to motivate other employees to have a goal or win a contest. Few things can drive performance like the prospect of getting away from it all with friends or loved ones.

Fishing trips can be a wonderful teambuilding exercise. There are a lot of ideas and activities that are overdone in the corporate world, usually in the name of “teambuilding.” But when it comes to hitting a pristine lake and pulling out record-sized pike and walleye, you really can get your employees on the same page and working together. If you’ve been looking for an out-of-the-box way to change their perspective, a trip up to Gawley’s just might do the trick!

Here are a few things that make for really great outpost fishing:

Bigger fish. Obviously, outpost fishing is a lot more fun when you’re catching bigger fish. Of course, here in northern Ontario and the legendary Lac Seul, we’ve been blessed with some of the biggest pike walleye on the planet. Still, you should be sure that your fishing lodge is well-equipped to help you find a great catch.

Quiet lakes. For some, outpost fishing isn’t so much about the fishing as it is the peace and quiet. This makes location supremely important, as some outpost fishing spots are more private and remote than others. Be sure to ask pointed questions to find out whether your cabin and lake are really secluded, or you’ll be sharing it with neighbors, or a noisy highway.

Better cabins. Going out into the wild doesn’t always have to mean “roughing it” with outhouses and cold water. Having a few of the amenities from home can make your stay more pleasant and enjoyable. Also, you’ll want a cabin that’s big enough to comfortably accommodate the size of your group.

Daily flights in and out of your resort. Timing is everything, and there’s nothing worse than having to wait around for flights in and out. If your lodge doesn’t have a fleet of modern, well-maintained planes, you could find yourself spending precious vacation hours sitting around while aircraft are being fixed.

Good friends and family. Last but not least, how much you enjoy your N. Ontario fishing trip will depend a lot on the company you bring. There’s nothing like some quiet time away with the people who are most special to you, so invite them all and make the most of your outpost fishing getaway.

As it turns out, the fishing is still just fine. In fact, it might even be better than it ever was. Here are three quick reasons why:

The fish are getting even bigger. Because even the biggest pike and walleye are being allowed to continue growing, the average sizes of the fish caught our lakes are going up and up. If you’ve been looking for a chance to catch that once-in-a-lifetime fish that you’ll tell your friends and family about for years to come, this summer could be the perfect opportunity.

You don’t have to worry about cleaning or transporting fish. For all the joys of catching fish in northern Ontario, few of us really enjoy cleaning them and shipping them back home. Many of the sportsman who come to Gawley’s these days find that doing away with these details makes their fishing trip even more enjoyable.

You get a better trophy in the end. There are always going to be some sportsmen who miss being able to catch a giant fish and hang it in their home, or on an office wall. But with modern digital photos, handheld camcorders, and other tools, the photo “trophies” you can get from a  northern Ontario fishing trip are actually a lot better, since they doesn’t take up space, can be taken anywhere, and you don’t have to worry about damaging them on the wall – you can always just print new ones!