Groceries for your Fly-ins

[Camoclad]

Originally Posted by Mojo-NC

We also fly from the Southeast US and usually fly into International Falls through MSP; however, we have also flown into Winnipeg. One of our guys is great for putting together a menu for the week and then breaking it down into a corresponding grocery list. On the year of our fly-in, we flew through Winnipeg. There is a Costco in the city, so that's a good place to buy large quantities of groceries and supplies, but sometimes their quantities are too large for a 1-week trip. For instance, we really didn't need an 80-pack of trash bags. As a result, we also had to go to a Walmart and another grocery store to complete our list of necessities. While at Walmart we searched high and low through the grocery section for fish batter. None to be found anywhere! Where did we finally find it? In Sporting Goods - go figure.

The grocery stores in INL have already been mentioned.

FYI - Winnipeg is a PITA to get out of the city and a boring drive across a bunch of nothing on the way to Kenora, which is where we stayed the night. The drive doesn't get nice until you get to Ontario. When we fly int INL, we stay in Dryden. We like the drive from International Falls to Dryden a lot better.

On our fly-in trip, we purchased some large plastic bins to bring our groceries onto the plane, and then left them with the lodge owner along with our edible/unopened leftover groceries upon our return. We could have left the food at the cabin for the next week's guests, but we were the last group of the season.

All in all we had a great trip!

Thanks MOJO, appreciate the info. We still need to host a SE US edition of the Walleye Central members! Maybe we can get something together for early Spring...

[Camoclad]

Originally Posted by 97roughneck

I think you're going to wait a looooong time before the border is open so you've got plenty of time to worry about your grocery logistics.

I am not worried about it at all, just wanted to get some insight on how others have handled it in the past and it seemed like a good wintertime discussion topic that folks could chime in on if they had something to offer.

[Camoclad]

Originally Posted by bbheli

Yea, that is a problem - when we fly-in we drive to a pickup point and board there to the outpost se we have our trucks up to the point we board the plane. We usually drive up the night before so we only have an hour of road between us and the pickup point for the aircraft. So its about 12 hours from Chicago to Canada plus the night over and the time to get to the outpost and all was still at perfect temps.

We have had the outfitter shop for us ahead of time also and that worked out well. If you get a taxi and put it on ice it should be fine, just remember to bring large zip locks or plastic bags you can seal to put things in so its not floating in the cold water. The ice will give you 12-15 hours if you put it on top and bottom of cooler.

Thanks BB, it helps to know how you all have handled it. Truthfully, I would prefer to drive but I am still working so I am limited on vacation days so flying gets us there in a day. Sooner rather than later, I plan to make leisurely drives up and back with all of the gear for our trip but it will be a few more years!

[Mojo-NC]

Originally Posted by Camoclad

Thanks MOJO, appreciate the info. We still need to host a SE US edition of the Walleye Central members! Maybe we can get something together for early Spring...

That sounds great to me. I'm sure I could get a few of the guys together for a road trip.

[kswalleyer]

we buy our 8 cases of Molson local.

[Camoclad]

Originally Posted by kswalleyer

we buy our 8 cases of Molson local.

We used to have the outfitter fly in the brew early. Getting older, started going fishing to fish instead of drinking trips with a chance of fishing! Last couple times we picked up a couple cases and a bottle of booze at the liquor store in I Falls. Definitely not knocking anyone, our motto used to be, “you can’t drink all day if you don’t start in the morning.”


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[pjshorthorn]

Originally Posted by Camoclad

You know I am going to call someone with an extra truck! Might even see if he has some coolers and plastic storage boxes I could borrow for a week. I can pull up the numbers as we get closer and see if that will work out. The outfitter we are using this year is the one that offers the grocery service. We may just use them if they are still doing that this year. There are a lot of if's though! If the border is closed, you might just wind up with a freeloader (another one) for a few days of MN fishing.

My phone hasn’t rung yet. I got an extra brand new truck and I can get us there in one day. ROADTRIP !!!!

PjShorthorn

[RichA$1970]

I’d buy some MREs as they have a long expiration date as I doubt the border will be clear for a good part of the 2021 season.

[Camoclad]

Originally Posted by pjshorthorn

My phone hasn’t rung yet. I got an extra brand new truck and I can get us there in one day. ROADTRIP !!!!

PjShorthorn

No kidding, I am ready. Maybe a practice run on Tugaloo first.

[Camoclad]

Originally Posted by RichA$1970

I’d buy some MREs as they have a long expiration date as I doubt the border will be clear for a good part of the 2021 season.

I think we will just wait until about week before the trip then decide what to do. In the meantime it has been interesting to see how some others do it. MREs are a hard no, I’ve no desire for a tube of peanut butter on stale crackers or vacuum sealed pop tarts if you get the UN daily rations. At least you will get some matches to start a fire with in them! One less thing to pack I suppose...