Emma Levez
Northern News Services

NNSL (Jul 13/98) - Fishing lodges are popular summer getaways -- not only for Northerners, but also for people from other parts of Canada, the United States, and even Europe.

Visiting a lodge is by no means "roughing it." Most provide meals, tour guides, boats and individual cabins -- some also boast of saunas and whirlpools.

Agnes Billa, office manager at Blachford Lake Lodge near Great Slave Lake, says that the main reason people visit their lodge is the access to remote wilderness. "Some people go jogging on the hiking trails that we maintain and they come across wildlife," she explains, "It's amazing for them to see that."

Blachford Lake has been in operation since 1980. It is close to Lutselk'e on the south shore of the East Arm of Great Slave Lake, 90 air kilometres southeast of Yellowknife. Most of the clients are from the NWT.

"We have a high number of repeat guests" boasts Billa, "We're very proud of that. One guest will be making his twentieth trip this year!"

Tourists can visit remote areas in the Eastern Arctic with Edwin Evo Outfitting based in Baker Lake. "I took quite a few people last year," remembers Evo. "Mostly tourists from Minneapolis, Boston, Montreal."

He can take up to seven people for overnight trips at a cost of $300 a day per person. "Most visitors are looking for trophy fish, 40- or 45-pounders," says Evo. "But only about three out of 60 are the lucky ones."

Colville Lake Lodge is one of the oldest lodges still active in the NWT. Fifty-five kilometres north of the Arctic Circle, it has been in operation since 1965. For a week long stay, the cost is $990 US.

The number of visitors to Colville Lake Lodge has decreased over the years, according to owner Bern Will Brown.

"There are not as many people coming in to fish as there were 25 years ago," he says. But the people who do come always leave happy. "The fishing is very close and people don't have any problem filling their quota."

The red and white daredevil is the most popular lure used by visitors, but it doesn't seem to matter which lures people use. "There are so many trout that they are eating each other." exclaims Brown.

On the North Arm of Great Slave Lake, Trout Rock Lodge boasts of great fishing, and a promise of many wildlife sightings. For $995 US, visitors can enjoy three days and nights of quiet, relaxing outdoors fun.

Ferguson Lake Lodge is 240 kilometres northwest of Rankin Inlet. It has been in operation for 12 years and is an extremely popular fishing spot. "We are always booked two years in advance," remarks employee Pelagie Sharp.

The main lodge is at Ferguson Lake, but there are actually four separate camps. Seventy per cent of the visitors are from the U.S., but they also have guests from all over Canada and Europe.

The most common fish found in that area are lake trout and arctic grayling. "We're very proud of our largest fish caught -- 66 pounds!" says Sharp. "We made the world record for the largest arctic grayling last year."

Bruno Jaurnell bought Sandy Point Lodge (located on Gordon Lake) four years ago. It has been operating for 16 years.

Jaurnell believes that it is the uniqueness of the North that attracts tourists. "People can't comprehend the idea of having the whole lake to themselves," he says. Sandy Point also draws many repeat guests. The North's seemingly untouched wilderness brings people back again and again.