Frequently Asked Questions, Canada Fishing Questions
Answers to your Canada fishing questions before you head off to a fly in fishing lodge
Located in North central Manitoba, Canada, and surrounded by untouched wilderness, Cobham River Lodge is a premier fly-in fishing lodge. Cobham River Lodge guests often tell us of their fly-in fishing trips to other Canadian fly-in lodges, and they all agree Cobham River is one of the finest northern pike fisheries in Canada.
If you are considering a visit, here are common Canada fishing question people have before their trip:
Bissett Air Base is the northernmost float plane base on the East side of Lake Winnipeg. Cobham River Lodge is located 128 air miles North of Bissett Air Base (1 hour 10 minutes flight).
Bissett is also the furthest road on the East side of Lake Winnipeg. Other than a float plane, the only other way to get to Cobham River Lodge would be to trek 128 miles through the Canadian wilderness on foot.
Distances to other area fly in fishing lodges from Bissett air base:
Both of our Manitoba remote fly in lodge, Cobham River Lodge and Hidden Lake Outpost offer FREE wireless internet throughout the property.
If you have a Android or iPhone with WIFI calling, you will be able to receive and make calls from our Manitoba fly in lodge or outpost. In rare cases we have found that the carrier may block WIFI calling on US based phone due to connecting in Canada. Sprint users have reported this mainly. If you have this issue, Skype or Google Voice (free) Apps are good options, and there is always facetime for iPhone users.
Cobham River Lodge offers two options for your outpost grocery needs.
Option 1: Guests can order their groceries at the local grocer and have your groceries delivered to the air base prior to your departure (Note: this option available for Winnipeg departure only).
Option 2: Guest can stop at any of the multiple grocery stores they will pass traveling through Canada to the air base and can do your own shopping.
Of course, twilight fishing is prime time trophy fishing. Isn’t trophy fishing the reason you booked the trip?
Cobham River Lodge furnishes depth finders and a detailed lamented fisheries map of our waters. Lodge guests enjoy Lowrance Reveal 9 Tripleshot with GPS and side scan. Hidden Lake guests are equipped with Lowrance Reveal 5 Splitshot with GPS and down scan. Our sonars are loaded with high-resolution C-MAP Contour+ maps of the Cobham River and Hidden Lake systems.
Cobham River Lodge does not require a fishing guide for you to enjoy our fisheries. In fact most guest prefer to explore our Manitoba lakes and rivers on their own with our provided GPS sonars and detailed guide maps. If navigating a boat does not sound ideal to you or you just want a care free day of fly in fishing, a friendly and knowledgeably fishing guide is available with advance notice.
Yes, our Manitoba fly in fishing lodge allows take home fish. About half of our guests take home fresh Canadian walleye each year.
You are allowed to take home four (4) Walleye (8 filets) 50.8 centimeter (20 inches) or under per guest.
All Walleye greater than 50.8 centimeter (20 inches) and ALL Northern Pike MUST BE RELEASED. Cobham River Lodge slot limit is recognized and enforced by Manitoba Government since 1990. This has led to the Manitoba trophy fly in fishing Cobham River is known for.
While quite a few Manitoba fly in fishing lodges have upwards of 40+ guests at a time, making the most secluded place feel crowded. We take a different approach, smaller lodge (max occupancy of 16 guests at Cobham River lodge, 8 guests at Hidden Lake Outpost), which translates to better one on one service. You can reserve the whole lodge and 76,000 acres of fishing with a group of 12.
We get asked this question a lot, and looking at other Manitoba lodge’s pricing structures its understandable why. We see Manitoba fly in lodges that include airfare from Thompson, MB, Island Lake, MB, even Yellow Knife, NWT. Which leaves you the added expense and headache figuring out how to get to a far away remote airport just so you can start the fly in fishing trip you already paid for.
Well we make it simple:
All rates quoted on our website include airfare from Bissett, MB.
Bissett is a 3 hour drive from Winnipeg. Guests will plan to arrive the night before and stay at Papertown Inn.
For red carpet door to door service you can choose a Winnipeg departure. St. Andrews is a quick 35 minute drive from Winnipeg. Guests have many options from fine dining to local favorites, along with a wide range of hotels to choose from. Check out our Useful Destinations page for more information on Winnipeg choices.
Yes, there is a possibility to get your laundry washed. If you wish to have clothes washed there is a $10 per load cash fee paid to the housekeeper. This service is only available at Cobham River Lodge and NOT available at Hidden Lake Outpost.
Go fish! Unlimited outboard fuel at the lodge and outpost.
Our Manitoba fly in fishing lodge only offers American plan. For those guests interested in fishing the same system we offer light housekeeping at our Manitoba fly in outpost Hidden Lake. Hidden Lake outpost has many of the same amenities as the lodge including high speed satellite internet but without a full staff or other guests at the cabin with you. Both the Cabin and Hidden Lake are reserved for your only your group. The cabin has a maximum capacity of 8 guests.
Since we opened in 1976 we are the original and only fly in fishing lodge to hold the leases on our system in Manitoba. We have maintained high quality fish management for over 30 years, which is why Cobham River is known for trophy pike.
The nearest settlement is over 55 miles air miles away. So no one will swing by to ask if you have any smokes or spare fish. The guests you had breakfast with is the only other boats you will see during your stay on the Cobham River.
Unlike other Manitoba fly-in fishing lodges, we don’t require you to buy an airline ticket to a remote Canadian destination like Thompson, Red Lake, Yellow Knife, etc.
Getting to us comes down to two options:
Departure from Bissett, Manitoba:
Our base rates include your chartered floatplane flight from Bissett Manitoba seaplane airbase utilizing Otters and Caravans.
Bissett, Manitoba, is a three-hour drive from Winnipeg International. All of our floatplane flights load up at first light and arrive at the fishing lodge by 8 a.m., weather permitting. We start you off with breakfast, and you’ll get a full day of fishing on your first day.
Guests going home also get an early start because they will be back at the seaplane airbase by 10 am to start their travel home. Most guests flying out of Winnipeg International choose to book the 3 or 5 pm flights home.
Departure from Winnipeg, Manitoba:
For guests who want to drive less than the 3 hours to Bissett, we offer our Lac du Bonnet seaplane airbase departure.
Lac du Bonnet is a 70-minute drive from Winnipeg International. The Lac du Bonnet seaplane airbase utilizes Cessna Caravans on Amphibious floats. This option also loads at 6 AM and gets you to our fishing lodge around the same time as the Bissett Seaplane Airbase because the Cessna Caravan flies 30% faster than the Otter out of the Bissett Seaplane Airbase.
Airport transfers to Lac du Bonnet are included.
This flight option is excellent; you can save money by booking a 2 p.m. flight home from Winnipeg International. It also allows your group to stay in Winnipeg the night before, where there are more entrainment options than our Bissett seaplane base option.
Since you are a fly in fishing lodge, is my first day of fishing spent getting to the Lodge/Outpost?
As a fly in fishing lodge, one of our top priorities is to get you into the lodge or outpost by 8 am. This gives you the full days fishing with shore lunch on day one. Unlike other fly in fishing lodges that have to arrive late morning/early afternoon we feel you paid for a full days fishing not a half or quarter day.
Gratuities are an expression of your gratitude for service that is over and above your expectation.
We recommend one gratuity for the entire team, which will be equally distributed to every team member who worked on providing you with a wonderful experience. The amount of gratuity you provide is entirely up to you and you alone. As a guide, our past lodge guests have provided our staff a range of between 8% to 12% of their package price.
Hidden Lake and pilot gratuities are not expected and entirely up to you if you choose to.
At both Cobham River Lodge and Hidden Lake Outpost we have a large population Canada wildlife, including Moose, Black Bear, Beavers, Bald Eagles, Mink, and River Otters. In addition, however more rare are Northern Caribou, Lynx, and the occasional Big Foot (so guest have said, still waiting for the photo. My guess just a lynx screaming).
Manitoba by law requires the use barbless hooks when fishing in the province. Barbless hooks do less harm to the fish and ensure a healthy population in our river system. Don’t have barbless hooks, no worries. Just clip or bend down the barbs on the existing single/treble hook.
Cobham River Lodge; Average Depth 7.6 Meters (25 Feet), Deepest location 13.7 Meters (45 Feet)
Hidden Lake Outpost; Average Depth 3.6 Meters (12 Feet), Deepest location 6.1 Meters (20 Feet)
When you travel, things happen. They just do. That’s why we recommend Travel Guard to put your mind at ease. Guests that have travel insurance will have peace of mind knowing there is help replacing lost luggage, assistance in getting a passport replacement, medical evacuation reimbursement, or a non-refunded deposit due to illness to name a few.
NOTE: Cobham River Lodge does not sell travel insurance. Any guests that enter into an agreement with a travel insurance company, is between said guest and travel insurance company. Travel Guard is not affiliated with Cobham River Lodge.
Cancellation Policy
Before November 1st
If your reservation is cancelled before November 1st of the year prior to your trip, we will refund all funds paid, less trip deposit. The retained deposit may be applied to another trip in the same or following calendar year.
After November 1st
If your reservation is cancelled on or after November 1st of the year prior to your trip , your deposit will be forfeited and the balance received can be used on a another trip in the same or following calendar year.
NOTE: Reservations can be transferred or sold to new guest(s) not currently booked with Cobham River Lodge.
Most of our guests make it a tradition to return year after year, sharing their piece of paradise with friends and family, hoping to pass it down to the next generation. With very few dates available yearly, our rebooking policy gives our guests a short time to secure their dates before they are available for other inquiries.
Since our flights arrive at the lodge or outpost by 8 am the return flight back arrives at the air base before 10 am, weather permitting. That means you will be back in Winnipeg in time to catch the late afternoon flight home, or still have plenty of daylight for that drive home.
There is no right or wrong answer to when the best time is for northern pike fishing. Every month of our fly in fishing season offers different weather, colors, and fish activity. If you’re not fond of the cold then late June-through August is your ideal fishing time. If you want color then late August is your choice as fall color is in full view. If you like the fast action of a walleye spawn, late May-first week of June is your choice time. Monster trophy Northern Pike, June, mid July-through August. You will not be disappointed. Fly Fishermen your ideal time is the last week of June, first week of July. May fly hatch is on and trophy white fish are 300 yard from our dock.
Still have some unanswered Canada fishing questions? Please send us a message, we are here to help.
