Kingfisher Lodge

21/04/2024

Send a message to learn more

21/04/2024

Hello to my fishing friends. We're starting the count-down to returning to camp for the 2024 season. We were fortunate enough to track down a married couple to take the place of our retired Lester and Dianne. This couple come to us from Elliot Lake, Ont. and possess many of the skills needed to work successfully at a tourist resort. He says that his fish-cleaning skills are a little rusty but just be patient and bear with him and I'm sure he will be up and running in no time at all. This gentleman's wife will be head of house-keeping and we have also retained the services of a young lady (from Nepal) as a cabin-cleaner and helper around the camp. I have interviewed all our new staff and I'm sure you will find them personable and very friendly. This will be a new chapter for Linda and I as we'll be relearning and teaching a lot of duties that Lester and Dianne just did automatically. We have had a relatively uneventful winter and spring and hopefully there will be enough moisture from the snow and rain to keep the lake levels up and the ditch levels down. We will all be heading up to camp soon to start preparing for opener-week ( May 18). Our efforts at selling the camp haven't resulted in a sale yet but we've had a few potentially interested parties and its just a waiting game now. our head-count for this up-coming season is on par with where we were last season so things seem to be bouncing back since Covid. We've taken the liberty of bragging to any potential buyers that we have an exceptional number of repeat guests at Kingfisher and for that we are very grateful. The booking season is in full swing right now and as usual May and June is filling up very quickly but I'm pleased to report that we also already have some very busy weeks in July, August and September as well. If you are toying with the idea of a fishing vacation, give me a call and we'll try to accommodate you for the week of your choice as well as possibly the cabin of your choice. If anybody out there is a Musky fisherman, you might consider bringing up some big Musky baits in anticipation of the big trophy-size Musky returning to our docks this season. I will report back when we arrive at camp and update you on what's going on. Stay well, Gerry and Linda Moran/ Kingfisher Resort

Send a message to learn more

03/03/2024

Hello to all my Kingfisher Friends. I am writing this to update everybody on what has been going on this winter. Linda and I are both well and enjoying the mild winter. I have a feeling we're going to pay for it in the upcoming summer but here's hoping for spring rains. I would just like to remind everybody that Lester and Dianne are not planning on returning to Kingfisher this season as they have chosen to retire. As many of you can appreciate they will be missed and we are currently trying our best to find suitable replacement employees to fill the void. We have had quite a few applications but they will be hard to replace. I will reiterate that the positions are for a dock foreman and a head of house-keeping. The dock position entails a general knowledge of outboard motors and boats as well as some construction knowledge as it pertains to docks and general cabin maintenance. The position requires that the successful applicant must be personable, friendly and honest with the guests as well as have the ability to clean fish for the guests (for gratuities). This is a full-time seasonable position with many perks. The full time cabin cleaning position will be for a person with past experience and knowledge of cabin cleaning as well as being personable and honest with the guests. A husband and wife team would be ideal for these positions. Anybody who is a Canadian citizen , has a green card or has landed immigrant status is eligible to apply. We are also attempting to sell the camp but it has proven to be a lengthy process. We will be running the camp for as long as necessary and our health holds out (so far so good). The bookings for this season are pretty much on par with last year and are slowly improving since Covid. May and June are getting pretty much booked-up but there are still some openings. July and August historically are slower to fill but they eventually do fill up. September has still got openings but there again once the season progresses, September tends to fill up as well. Having said all this, it would be wise to call sooner than later if you have a certain week or cabin you would like to claim. We are always close to a phone and look forward to hearing from you. Take care and stay healthy, Gerry and Linda Moran/Kingfisher Resort

22/11/2023

The 2023 Newsletter

10/07/2023

02/07/2023

Hello again, Well we're into July now and have some fishing updates. On July 01 we had the pleasure of hosting an outstanding young fisherman and his family in camp. As many new arrivals to camp tend to do, he headed for the dock to try out a fancy multi-coloured Musky lure. Before long I got a report of him catching a 48 1/2" Musky off the north-end of the dock. That was pretty exciting news as we've had a large Musky hanging around the dock for years now. After a while I get another report of another Musky being caught off the dock. I was under the impression that this was just another report of the 1st Musky but no, this one was a 46 1/2" musky caught at the middle of the dock system by the same fisherman and lure. This was unheard of as we're not known for a population of trophy Musky. Now to add to the excitement, a short time after the 2nd report, I get advised of another Musky caught at the south-end of the dock. Of course my response to this report was "yeah we already heard, 46 1/2", but no, this latest one was a 45" At this point we were blown away. Not only were they Musky, but they were all trophies, caught and released off my dock by the same guy on the same day. The rest of this young mans party went up on the big water (route 66) and spent the day catching very large Walleye ( many were 20-24" ). Their biggest complaint was that they were hard pressed to catch many "eater" walleyes. That's a complaint I'll take all day long. This past few weeks, we have seen the Crappie slow down replaced with large numbers of Jumbo Perch and of course the usual Northerns. The reason for the slow-down in Walleye is our annual hatch of Mayfly's which usually tends to curb the Walleye catch for a few weeks. It was nice to know that the big (and deep) water is holding its own for Walleyes.
We still have our camp listed for sale with a few interested parties but nothing firm yet. We still have some empty cabins for July yet, so if you're interested in doing some fishing, please don't hesitate to call 1-800-452-8824. I will follow-up with another update as the season moves along. Stay safe, Gerry and Linda Moran

23/05/2023

Hello from Kingfisher Resort in beautiful Northwestern Ontario. We have been up and running for 3 days now and things are moving along nicely. We didn't have any winter or critter damage over the last 6 months. Lester and Dianne are with us again for this season and I have also hired a young lady to help Dianne in the cabins. Linda's right arm is slowly getting better but she still doesn't have her full range of motion in it. She's carrying on her physio-therapy on her own at camp.
We have managed to get about 12 boats and motors in the water and will put in another 6 very soon. We will be experiencing some very heavy weeks this summer so will be looking to purchase some much needed new equipment. Now to get to what everyone is anxious to hear:-- Fishing Results-- We have been experiencing a real resurgence in both numbers and size this past week and can only hope it will continue into the summer. Just yesterday we had a guest report catching a 45" Musky at Chair Island, other guests caught a 28” Walleye, 2 X 27" Walleye as well as 4 X 26", a 23" Whitefish, a 15" Crappie at Keynote, a 19" Smallmouth(caught and released) and finally a 40" Northern, there have been some Perch caught but nothing of any size. It goes without saying that everybody is eating their fill of Walleye this week in camp. One comment that I've heard is the large size of the minnows being offered as bait. I believe the reason for the increase in the size of the minnows is due to the lack of trapping pressure on the minnow populations in the spawning lakes. I don't believe the fish that are eating the minnows seem to mind the size one bit. We also have crawlers and leeches as a bait option for our guests. I should also advise our guests that we won't be offering our annual fishing contest this year as we are in the middle of trying to sell the camp and it wouldn't be fair to saddle a new owner with the added expense of paying for prize rods. (assuming we sell this year). The bookings this season have been better than average but we've still got some cabins available throughout the summer and into fall. If you're looking for a fishing holiday let me know the date you need as well as the size of your party and we will make every effort to accommodate you. I should also add that we are getting a large number of private boats coming up as well as personal pets. If anybody has any questions please feel free to call on our toll-free # 1-800-452-8824. Stay well and hope to see you for what "may" be our last year. Gerry Moran/Kingfisher Resort.

24/03/2023

Hello again to all my friends and fellow fishermen. Just doing some late Winter/early Spring updates.

As most of you are aware the border restrictions due to Covid have all been lifted, so, you're now free to cross unimpeded again.

My mother passed away in February, she was a world traveler and had a great run n her 97 years. We have had some health issues among our extended family but hopefully they are being resolved. Linda and I are both fine other than a recent visit from Mr. Covid. We are both recovered without and lasting side effects.

Linda's physical therapy for her arm she injured last April is progressing nicely. Nonetheless, we are looking for a person to help Lester and Dianne with their duties this summer.

Kingfisher Resort is up for sale but it could take several years before we get any results. We will make every effort to ease the transition for our guests when a sale does happen. It will my top priority to consider the peace of mind of my loyal guests when a sale does happen.

As an unexpected bonus of the Covid epidemic, the fishing has improved in both numbers and size. The months of May and June have seen brisk booking activity as have some weeks in August and September. July has some openings at the moment and if a fisherman can do some adjustment to his technique and tackle he can do very well in July.

The July, August and September rate is reduced by $5/person/day. We find the weather is usually more consistent as well as the numbers of fishermen on the lake seems to drop.

We had a reasonably mild winter and hope that pattern continues into April and May. As long as we get snowmelt and rain toto maintain the lake, we should have a great Spring.

Our construction goals this year will include new shingles for cabin 9 and the fish cleaning house. We plan on extending the deck cabin 7. We will be replacing a part of our dock system.

FYI, my answering machine has been acting up lately and I'm sure that some people's messages may have not been returned. If I don't reply to your message in a few hours, please call my cell at 1-807-630-4587 or send me an email. You can also message me through Facebook.

Thanks again everyone and for some this may be our last chance to get together. Please take care, stay well, we hope to see you this season

Gerry and Linda Moran

13/03/2023

24/11/2022

The 2022 Newsletter

07/11/2022

HAWAIIAN STYLE TERIYAKI CHICKEN 😋
3 pounds chicken thigh ( boneless, skinless )
1 cup soy sauce
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
5 clove(s) garlic ( 3-5 cloves, crushed )
1 ginger root ( 2-3 slices, cut thin and lengthwise )
Directions
This is the basic ratio for the sauce, you will just increase it depending on how much meat you are soaking. You want there to be enough marinade that you can stir the meat freely. If it's hard to stir, you need to add more sauce.
Combine the water and soy sauce and then dissolve the sugar in the liquid. Add the desired amounts of ginger and garlic. Add the chicken. You can soak the meat in the marinade for up to 3 days but you want to soak it for at least 24 hours. You can also boil the chicken in the sauce right after you make it if you want to eat it sooner than later.
After you have marinated the meat for a few days, you are ready to grill. Just cook the meat on the grill like you would any other meat. If you are cooking a lot, grill it on hot heat and then stick it in a put on the grill. Add a little fresh teriyaki sauce to the pot and it will steam the grilled chicken assuring the chicken ends up very tender and juicy.

06/11/2022

FRENCH ONION BEEF AND RICE 👉 https://iwashyoudry.com/french-onion-beef-and-rice/
This easy one-pan dinner is packed full of delicious flavor in each and every bite!

06/11/2022

This beef tips and noodles is lick-the-plate-clean good! The gravy over the noodles is just the best! https://www.justapinch.com/recipes/main-course/pasta/beef-tips-and-noodles-2.html

26/09/2022

Italian Meatloaf 😋😋
Ingredients
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 lb. ground mild Italian sausage
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 C. chopped bell pepper
1 tsp. olive oil
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. parsley
1 egg, beaten
3/4 C. Italian bread crumbs
2 slices white bread, crumbled
1 T. milk
8 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese, reserve 3/4 C. for topping
1/4 C. parmesan cheese
1 C. marinara sauce, plus 1/2 -3/4 C. more for topping
Instructions
In a small skillet, heat the olive oil over med. high heat and sauté the onion and bell pepper for 3-4 minutes, remove from heat.
In a large bowl, add the meats, onion and peppers along with all remaining ingredients reserving 3/4 C. mozzarella cheese for topping.
Now, dive in there with the best tools God gave you, your hands and combine everything really good. Once it has all come together, place and mold the mixture in a baking dish of your choice. I used my oval Portuguese stoneware for ours.
Spoon 1/2 to 3/4 C. of the marinara sauce on top and spread around. Place in a 400 degree oven for 50 minutes. Remove from the oven and top with the remaining cheese and sprinkle a little dry basil over the top.
Return to the oven for 10 more minutes. Make sure the meat is not pink before serving, baking time will vary depending on the thickness of your loaf.

21/09/2022

Morning everyone. We just got word on the news channel that the federal gov't has decided to not only drop the ArriveCan app as a requirement to cross the border into Canada but they are also dropping the proof of vaccine requirement to crossing. Apparently all this will take affect on 30 Sept. 2022. The only covid mandate still in affect then will be the need to wear a mask on airplanes and in terminals. The gov't is still encouraging people to get their Covid shots and boosters and based on the proof of their effectiveness at lessening the more serious side-effects of the virus, I'd say they seem to have done their jobs. Its just too bad that the mandates weren't dropped sooner this summer to allow people to come fishing for this season, but next year will have to do. Having said this, if anyone wants to book a trip for next year I would suggest you do it sooner than later as there will likely be a rush on bookings when the word gets out. We will also require a deposit of $100.00 a person to secure your booking. I will be putting out a newsletter shortly but I wanted to get this bit of good news out there right away. Stay safe, Gerry Moran/ Kingfisher Resort

15/09/2022

09/09/2022

09/09/2022

PHILLY CHEESESTEAK PASTA
Ingredients:
2 tbsp butter
1 medium onion chopped
1 1/4 pounds ground beef
8 oz. white button mushrooms sliced
1/3 pound coarsely chopped provolone cheese...
Full Recipe:
https://bit.ly/3o7EuLg

09/09/2022

Hi folks, Well we're quickly drawing to another completed year. We are all looking forward to getting home to our loved ones and familiar digs. We are in the process of closing down for the season and should be out of here on Sept.19. Lester and Dianne will be flying out of Thunder Bay back to Newfoundland on Sept.22 and Linda and I will be driving to Winnipeg to visit our son and daughter-in-law and then to Penticton, B.C. for a long overdue
visit with my 97 year old mother and my sister and brother-in-law. This season at Kingfisher has been an enjoyable year and we had quite a few friends and relatives drop by for visits and fishing. Lester and Dianne's daughter, son-in-law and two grandkids paid us a visit this summer and Lester took his grandson out and got into some very nice Walleye. That was a first for the little guy. As most of you are aware, we've decided to list the camp for sale. We have a lot of positive features with this camp that many camps don't have so I don't anticipate it'll be a tough sell. When we finally get settled in to our winter digs I will post a newsletter with the results of our yearly fishing contest. Until then, stay well and we sincerely hope to see some of our reluctant guests next season as its been too long. Best to all, Gerry and Linda

30/08/2022

Leader board Aug 27, 2022

02/08/2022

Greetings from the great white north. Here we are Aug. 01 and still enjoying the life of a fishing camp owner. We have listed the camp with a realtor and it may take a while to sell it so you'll probably be stuck with us for at least another year. We have had several people stop in to check us out but camps historically take time to sell. Linda and I had 4 days of family at camp to celebrate Linda and my son-in-laws birthday and we thoroughly enjoyed their visit. Lester and Dianne will be looking forward to the arrival of their daughter , son-in-law and both of their grand-kids to camp soon. July has been fairly slow this year (as it usually is) so that's given us an opportunity to get some much needed maintenance done. We have recently had cabins #2 and #4 re-shingled and #3 will be done this coming week. That will leave cabin #9 to do in the spring. There hasn't been much movement on the fish leader-board lately but we have had some interesting fishing related stories. The dock fishing has been quite productive this summer. I was able to land a 26 1/2" Walleye right out of my boat tied to the dock. We've had people spot a very large Musky hanging around the dock. I caught it last week with my Pickerel-rig and 6 lb. line hooked onto a small walleye but just then Mr. Musky tried to steal it . Lester was there taking pictures. A short fight later he broke off my rig and took off. About a 1/2 hour later Lester hooked a small fish and guess who came back for another run at a free meal. He snapped Lester's line as well. Based on the pictures we got we estimated the Musky to be between 45"-50". Muskies are territorial so apparently they tend to hang around the same area. We are still trying to catch this big guy so we can relocate him away from our dock system. The water level has come down noticeably but with all the rain we've been getting its still much higher than last year. We've had to discover some new fishing hotspots which will get passed on to our new arrivals. we are starting to fill up again in August and September but we still have some cabins left for that last minute fishing trip. If you are having problems with the ArriveCan app. or any other concerns please don't hesitate to call me. Take care and stay well ! Gerry

04/07/2022

Cool easy knot

fishing knot to add on your list. Отличный рыболовный узел ч...

02/07/2022

Hello to all our Kingfisher Friends. Well, here it is July 01, 2022. The water levels have dropped lately but its still over 3 feet at the 1st. narrows. Lester's fish cleaning house still has an inch or so of water on the floor. He's moved back into the place despite the water and just wears rubber boots. The only noticeable changes to camp is the new Kingfisher road sign just north of Whiskey Jacks. We are also getting 2 cabins re-shingled as of July 18. We've had a busy May and June with guests but it'll be slowing down in July a bit. The fishing has been a little different than previous years but everybody is adapting to the higher water levels and relocated fish stocks. As an indicator of how things have changed, I caught a 26' Walleye as well as a 17 1/2" Smallie off the dock recently. Everybody who fish's off the dock is catching a surprising amount of 12"-13" Walleyes. The Perch population hasn't really schooled up yet but again that is likely the fault of the higher water level. We had a visit from the Ministry of Natural Resources (game and fish) people recently. They checked one of our groups in their cabin. One of the fisher people admitted to catching their limit and then carried on catching for their fishing partners which is a definite no-no. That admission earned that "honest" person a substantial fine. Just remember, your possession limit includes what your license says you can possess and no more. You have to count what's in your fridge, your freezer, your stomach and no more that will exceed your limit. You can not catch four, freeze them and then go out and catch four more. We also learned of a new regulation that has been in existence for over a year now. Everybody who is in charge of a boat (camp or private) must carry with them a printed receipt for where they purchased their bait ( minnows or leeches - crawlers don't count). I will provide every boat operator(from my camp) with a receipt which will contain the operators name, the duration of their stay at whichever camp, names of additional passengers, camp retail-bait license # as well as the name and address of the camp. The receipt should also itemize the type and quantity of bait you have or will have purchased during your stay. The fine for contravening this regulation is $360.00. Our leader board has changed a few times recently: 41” Northern caught by Rick Wehrle on 09 May'22 in Aerobus Bay, a 28" Walleye caught by Zach Henke on 01 July '22 in the 1st lake, a 22" Small mouth Bass caught (and released) by Chris Nordman on 01 June'22 in the 2nd. narrows north, a 26 1/2" Laker caught on 31 May '22 by Adam Walter, a 12 3/4" Jumbo Perch caught by Helen Baumgartner(grandmother to Zach) in the 1st. Lake on 30 June'22, a 21" Whitefish caught by Dave Wheeler on 29 May'22 in the 1st lake, a 35” Musky caught by Adam Walter ( different address) on 13 June'22 in 2nd. narrows S., a 15 1/2" Crappie caught by John Zimmerman on 20 June '22 in the 1st. lake. That about covers the front runners for this week. We have also been given a heads-up that there are now large-mouth Bass as well as Blue-gill out there in limited quantity. The border restrictions are remaining the same until at least Sept.30'22 so if anybody was pinning their hopes on restrictions being lifted in order to come across the border, I'm afraid that won't happen for this fishing season. If anybody has any questions or problems concerning the border, please don't hesitate to call me at 1-800-452-8824. Stay safe, and well, Gerry
'

16/06/2022

Hello to all our friends and fellow fisherpersons. Just a quick update on our ongoing road closings and openings. I just got "official" word that the Hwy #105 road closure is still in effect. There is a total prohibition on all vehicles using that section of Hwy.. They have Hwy. people at the roadblocks stopping all traffic. Apparently the gravel road shoulders have eroded to the point that it is affecting the pavement. The Quibell detour is still in affect and I've been told that the signage has been improved. I explained the Quibell detour in a previous message but I'll repeat it here. Go past (W/B) the Hwy. 105 turn-off for a mile or so until you see the Shell gas station. Right across hwy #105, you'll see a large sign that says Blue Lake Provincial Park. Take that road (Hwy 647). You'll see detour signs on that road. Take hwy # 647 until you see more arrows indicating a right turn onto Hwy. 609. Proceed on Hwy 609 for awhile until it turns back onto Hwy 105 and go straight north until you come to camp. I apologize for the confusion about the road closures but we're running on rumors as well as what face-book tells us. If anybody has any problems with the detours or ArriveCan app. please don't hesitate to call me (1-800-452-8824) and we'll walk you threw it. Stay safe and thank you for your patience.

10/06/2022

Hello again, well, things are quickly changing around here. Lester and I went to Dryden yesterday and we're able to avoid the Quebell detour and drive through the "water across the road" at Buller Creek on Hwy #105. Its a very short drive through the water and about 3 or 4 inches deep. I was driving my SUV Jeep and got through without any difficulty. The next few days of warm sunny weather should see the water recede even more off the road. Everybody that is driving on that stretch of Hwy #105 have been driving around the "road closed" signs. There is also a large electric message board located at the site but it hasn't been activated yet. I'm hoping they'll be removing the signs and posting a flagman at the crossing by this week-end. The leader board results have been changing almost daily as follows: 40" Northern, 25 1/2" Walleye, 22' Smally, 26 1/2" Laker, 12 1/2" Perch, 21" White-fish, and 14 3/4" Crappie. We haven't received any reported catches of Musky yet but I suspect some Musky that are caught are mistaken for Northerns and just thrown back. The weather here has been warming up lately and we are seeing very large populations of fish on the fish-graphs. Sometimes the fish are fussy and don't bite what we're offering but the time of day has a large influence on the bite. We're all looking forward to getting caught up with all our loyal past customers and getting to know all our new guests. If anyone has any questions or concerns about the hwys, the ArriveCan app. or border restrictions please don't hesitate to call or text me. Stay well and safe travels.

03/06/2022

Hello everyone, We've been in camp since May 14 and are being kept quite busy. The trip in was uneventful despite the road detour we had to take at Vermilion Bay. The last I heard was that there was still a lot of water over Hwy #105 at Buller Creek on 105 but apparently it is slowly going down and may be reappraised in a week or so. The fishing on Lake Wabaskang has been outstanding despite the high water levels. We have already added to this years leader board : 39" Northern caught June 3, a 22' Small Mouth Bass caught and released on 01 June, a 26 1/2" Laker caught 31 May, a 11 1/2"Perch caught 31 May, and a 21" Whitefish caught 29 May. The Walleye category hasn't been filled yet as we've had no trophy Walleye caught and reported yet. Muskie and Crappie will be reported as the season goes on. We have also had a few calls from guests regarding the ArriveCan App. This app is a requirement that must be completed prior to entering Canada. One of the concerns is what camp address to fill out. This form requires a physical address and not a P.O. box number. The address that seems to work is," Hwy 105, #1 Kingfisher Rd. When you're into the form it will ask you if you're staying in a hotel or motel, just scroll to the bottom and you'll find "other", that's the one you click on. Another concern is the postal code. In Canada we use a combination of numbers and letters. In our case the postal code is P"zero"V2K"zero"(P0V2K0). As for food rules at the border, due to Avian flu going on in the U.S. and Canada, all poultry and poultry products must be cooked or boiled prior to crossing over( no raw meat or eggs). Potatoes and all pitted fruit are still prohibited coming into Canada. All of these food products are available in Canadian grocery stores at reasonable prices. This year there is also a ban on bringing in live bait into Canada. We have Minnows, crawlers and leeches for sale on site here at Kingfisher Resort. When the road closures are lifted, I will post an update on the Kingfisher Resort facebook site. So far May and June have taken care of themselves but there are still several openings for weeks in July, August and September. If anyone is interested in some banner fishing this summer, just give me a call at 1-800-452-8824. Have a good summer and take care, Gerry, Linda, Lester and Dianne