Pipestone Lake Outpost Experience the magnificence of the Canadian Wilderness on Babe Winkelman's favorite lake. Outpost packages $61 U.S. per person per night Fully Guided $150 per person per day

The Area:

The outpost is located on Pipestone Lake in Northwestern Ontario, about an hour and a half north of International Falls MN. Pipestone is part of a chain of lakes that consists of Clearwater, Despair, Loon Haunt, Footprint, Slender, Weld, Jackfish, Stone Dam, Manomin River and of course Pipestone. There is no road access to Pipestone, the only way to get there is by boat or plane, or a snowmobile in winter. To get there by boat you travel up Clearwater lake and take a short mechanical portage to Pipestone. It is about 22 miles by boat to the outpost. T he outfitter will meet you at the boat launch and either take you up in his boat or you can follow in your boats.

Accommodations:

Three bedroom log sided cabin on a cliff overlooking Pipestone Lake. The cabin has three bedrooms with two beds in each room. A kitchen and dining room, a sitting area with tables, couches and chairs. The indoor bathroom has a flush toilet and hot showers. Other amenities include, a thermostat controlled wood stove, refrigerator, deep freeze, propane cooking stove, a screened porch overlooking the lake, and a floating dock in a protected bay. The lights and water pump are run off solar panels and there is a generator to run the lights, fridge and freezer. Guests bring their own bedding, tea towels, bath towels, and shore lunch pans. All other pots, pans, and place settings are provided.

Pine Crest is a 6 person three bedroom log sided cabin. Northwest Arm is a newly constructed two bedroom cabin with 4 beds, so the camp can accommodate 8 people. There is a separate bathroom and shower house about 10 feet from the main cabin. Other amenities include a wood stove for heat, refrigerator, propane cook stove with oven, deep freeze, electric lights and water pump run off of solar panels, and there is a Honda generator to run the lights, fridge, and freezer. Guests bring their own bedding, towels, tea towels, food, and shore lunch pans. All other pots, pans, plates, utensils, cups and glasses are provided.

The fishing:

August 15 to October 15: World class smallmouth bass fishing, a 100 bass a day with big fish weighing between 4-6 pounds is not common. May 1 to May 30: Ice out lake trout action. Lake trout will average 5-10 pounds with 10-20 pounders taken occasionally.

May 15: Walleye season opens, the walleye can be a challenge on this system. Ther are thirty-inch plus fish to be had, but an angler needs good skills to catch them, these are excellent eating fish and a person should take the time to catch a meal. Walleyes are often caught when you are bass fishing or even when casting spoons for northern pike, and trout. June 19: This is the season opener for muskies.

Babe says that the biggest muskie that he ever saw was on Pipestone. They say these are the fish of 10,000 casts, and that may be so, but there are fifty plus inchers taken every year from this chain of lakes. Northern Pike can be caught year round and there are 20 pounders in the bays. Most of the pike are 5-10 pounds and when you fillet them boneless they provide excellent eating.

Fall trips can be combined with several different hunting opportunities. Gear lists are available at the time of booking.

Reservations are guaranteed with a $100 deposit per person. Trips are Saturday to Saturday starting May 1, 2004. Call 807-482-3877

Packages:

Either camp is available from May through October each year and during the winter for ice fishing by arrangement. Price is $61 per person per nighit. Discounts are available for children. Boat rentals are $110 per boat per day, if you need to rent an extra boat. The boats are 16 foot flat bottoms with an outboard motor., flat floors and seats with backs on them.