Andy Myer's Lodge @ Eagle Lake

[Smeds]

Just a heads up for those first timers on a budget ... the advertised prices on the website don't cover everything. If you hire a guide, the gas used goes towards your allotted amount ... and any gas over you pay for. Suckers in the fall guided trips are an unadvertised extra as well, whether you want live bait or not. The guides DO like to show you the lake ... so be prepared for quite a little extra $ over what you may think it will cost based on published rates. I figure those that don't know may find this information useful in budgeting their trip. Keep track of how much gas is used ... ask back at the dock upon returning after the dock-hands gas the boats up. It's a very busy camp, and it doesn't hurt to keep track yourself!

Fishing Eagle Lake ... there are definitely some pigs in there! :) Have fun if you go!

[larryc]

Surprising even a first timer didn't notice before the trip there is a charge for gas used. Don't know the AML price of gas this year but gas was $6.75 per gallon at an Ontario resort on LOTW last week.
You've been a busy boy posting your frustrations on most of the message boards !

[Smeds unlogged]

Agreed, but I've heard from many that were suprised as well ... and thought a "heads-up" may help those on a budget. That's what these forums are for ... sharing valuable info from a first-hand perspective.

[larryc]

Sharing is good. I enjoyed Herbeck's reply on MH . [reposted on M1]

[Smeds unlogged]

Well then you'll certainly like my reply to his. I wasn't going to go there, but kinda had to.

[larryc]

Got to read it all before it disappeared. Best wishes for cooler water around Hayward.

[ffishman]

Thanks for the heads up. I hate places that "sneak" in extra charges.

[J-Man]

$6.75 sounds like gouging to me.

$1.37/liter * 3.78 L makes $5.18 per US gallon for non-oxy 91 octane premium Canadian fuel with no ethanol. Even with a couple cents more for the exchange it's less than $5.30.

$0.37 of every litre goes straight to the provincial and federal government for taxes.

At $6.75, I don't blame some people for wanting to haul it from home. We wouldnt sleep at night charging that much.

[larryc]

Justin , I'd guess there is a hefty added expense to have gas barged in to the island resorts ?

[J-Man]

Yes certainly there would be, but i would be shocked if it was that much more..at least around here. I could be wrong of course, but we hear of prices like that on the mainland....and that would not be reason to jack up the price.

Also, most island places can get nearly 25 cents per litre rebates on their gas because there is no road access and those taxes were dsigned to target road improvements (which is a whole other crock of bull, but not worth getting into here.) That rebate would add up to nearly $1 per gallon.

For us, gas is low margin, hopefully high volume. The only other lower margin, higher volume product we deal with is fishing licenses. Nobody should expect to make a living selling either of those two items, but they are must haves for all anglers and boaters.

[larryc]

Wanted to let you know I appreciate your support of the Operation Muskie project.
Tomorrow is the first day for the vets on LOTW.

[J-Man]

We're glad we can play a very small role in helping the event continue. I'll be watching for Mike Winther's reports from Baystore in the next few days to see how things are going.

The fish have been going great in our area and I expect it will be a great CATCHING trip assuming no major fronts role there in the next few days.

We're also looking forward to hosting the two groups of auction "winners" next month for their week stays. One of them includes a vet so that is very cool.

Good luck and best wishes to all those involved with Operation Muskie III over at Walsh's Baystore Camp on Oak Island.

[yamo]

Guys,

I have gone only one time to this lodge, I was invited by a brother of a muskie pro and it was amazing...In the lodge Steve puts on a clinic that is worth 5k in terms of true " hands on " training on scoring pigs!! I'm serious he stood on top on the pool table....The Muskie Hunter guy was there two and the Crew could not have been more serious about putting you on fish. Every night in the lodge 20 guys would be drinking beer and show each other their maps.

Now I will concede you get what you pay for, and here tips, ect. could affect your budget......but honestly I go to Canada usally two weeks a year and have now for about 10 years and AML is by far, I mean not even close the best "FISHING" lodge of your life. I felt when I left that I had gotten a steal for what I paid vs. what I took in experience, fishing education, maps.

Yamo
Iowa

[JEREDOG]

Nothing against Eagle or anything but fishin must be pretty slow right now because i saw one of their boats over here on the Indian Lake Chain. I am staying at Indian Lake lodge. last week there was a group who saw tons of fish and had 13 or 14 in the boat. some getting up to 45 inches. they wereonly here for about 5 days.

[stevie]

jeredog,
i'll post my pics from the last couple weeks,you tell me if it was slow,muskys to 54",walleyes to 31",bass to 5#'s,trout to 25#,and pike to 44",we had a 52.5 and 50.5 just yesterday evening in the boat.
while the chain is an excellent action fishery if there's more than one honest 50" amongst all the resorts/fishermen
all season thats more than most,lots of 32-44" fish. not knocking it ,just the way it is and for many thats good enough but for the serious trophy fisherman eagle has been and will continue to be one of the finest in nw ont.
we avg 2-8 over 50 per week and have for 15 yrs.
my boy took an older guy that cannot cast over there to troll the basin one evening and they boated 3 typical chain fish 36-42".
smeds and i worked things out,he wasn't aware of the gas policy,and i waived it till next time when he will be now, it's not "snuck" in it's been that way forever and will be. i will post it and make it more clear though.
when you run 20' guide boats,fully equiped,new engines,agressive professional guides (with good equip for you if you don't have) and not kids and pension plan types as guides running 16-17' boats you will pay for it and get what you pay for.
i had 10 guides going every day this week so it's obviously what many want,but there's diff strokes for diff folks and there's plenty of options out there to fit what works for you.
live bait in the fall is at the discretion of the guest,99.9% want that bonus chance of the guide running a livebait,nowhere do you not pay for suckers,wi ,minn,ind,ill,and canada.i been at it 25+yrs.
at 5.00-6.00 apeice to us i am not in the bait business it is a service and i end up loosing $ by the time some die,they are trapped for us and the right kind are hard to come by here,sometimes i run 100 miles + at 4;00am to have them for our guests by morning .
we strive to run a professional operation and will continue to do so.
have a great season to all,
steve
aml

[Smeds]

Steve is right ... almost every day we saw fish 50+" long, it IS a spectacular fishery! And we did indeed work things out, he's an extremely busy man who just happened to miss mentioning a few things regarding "extras" that we had no clue about (as someone who has never hired a guide before). The intention of the post was by no way a slam of AML ... just a heads-up for those who may be in a situation similiar to ours (1st timers, rookies, never had guides). The fall sucker-thing was related to me from another guest, so Herbie ... I apologize for that! The guides and their boats are definitely worth their weight, no doubt!

Eagle Lake is in trouble next time we head up to AML!!