Semi-Guided Fishing
A great balance of guided support and independence. Lake view lodging, all your meals, boat rental with semi-guided fishing and boat orientation.
Semi-guided pricing.
Rates are per person, per day, in US dollars and do not include 13% HST. A two-person minimum applies to every reservation. See our full rates and booking terms.
Semi-guided freedom.
Stay in lakeview lodging, eat well at the Lodge, and fish with the flexibility of a rental boat plus on-call guide support.
When you rent our deluxe boats, we include the boats, motor, and gas to our portage lakes. We launch your rental boat to various lakes — Cedar Tree, Jesse, Wicks, Weisner, and more — so you can experience remote water without the flight.
Perfect for experienced anglers who want a bit of guidance on where the bite is without being locked into a guide's schedule all day.
Semi-guided is the package most people end up wanting once they understand it. You get the local knowledge that makes a trip, which lakes are turning on, what depth the walleye are sitting, where the muskie have moved, without paying for a guide in the boat every hour of every day. You run your own schedule. If you want to fish until dark, fish until dark.
Everything is included except the guide riding along: the deluxe boat, the motor, the gas, lakeview lodging and all your meals at the Lodge. Add guide time on the days you want it.
Guided, semi-guided or self-guided?
Three ways to fish Crow Lake and Lake of the Woods. The boat, the lodging and the meals are the same quality in all three. What changes is how much guiding comes with them.
Premier Guided
A professional guide in the boat every day, all gear and bait provided, shore lunch on the water. The most fish-per-day option and the easiest if you are new to these lakes. See premier guided fishing.
Semi-Guided
Your own deluxe boat with gas included, plus guide support and a boat orientation so you know where to start. Run your own hours. This page.
Self-Guided
Full independence. Deluxe 18 ft boat, 50 hp, gas and outpost lake access, from $190 USD per person per day. Built for anglers who already know how they want to fish. See self-guided fishing and lodging.
Not sure? Most first-time groups take semi-guided, use the orientation and a day of guide time to learn the water, then fish the rest of the week on their own. Compare everything side by side on our rates page.
Remote portage lakes, no floatplane.
This is the part that surprises people. Semi-guided guests get boats and motors launched on our portage lakes, so you fish water most anglers never see without booking a fly-in trip.
Cedar Tree Lake
Quiet water with almost no pressure. A good walleye and pike day when the big lake is rough.
Jesse Lake
Another of our portage options, boat and motor already waiting when you arrive.
Wicks & Weisner
Small remote lakes reached by a short portage, with boats staged so you are fishing quickly.
Crow Lake
Right out the front door. Muskie, walleye, pike, smallmouth and shallow lake trout.
Lake of the Woods
Direct access from our dock to one of the great multi-species fisheries in North America.
Drive Right In
No floatplane, no weight limits, no waiting on weather. Load the truck and drive to the dock.
What's included.
Deluxe Rental Boat
18 ft boat, 50 hp motor with bow-mount trolling motor & spot lock, Garmin GPS with map chip.
Gas Included
On the rental boat to and from portage lakes. Rental cost covers boats, motors, and gas on our portage lakes.
Semi-Guided Support
Boat orientation and local fishing intel from Jake and the guide team. We point you to the bite.
Lakeview Lodging
Modern cabin or motel unit. SAT TV, AC, Wi-Fi, hot tub, sauna, fire pit patio.
All Meals
American Plan — breakfast, field lunch, and dinner at the Lodge.
Portage Lake Access
We transport the rental boat to and from outpost lakes. Remote fishing, no flight required.
Target species.
Semi-guided fishing, answered.
What does semi-guided fishing actually mean?
You fish from your own rental boat on your own schedule, with guide support available rather than a guide in the boat all day. It includes a boat orientation so you start on productive water, and our team tells you what is working and where. It is the middle ground between a fully guided trip and going out completely on your own.
How much does a semi-guided fishing package cost?
Semi-guided is $284 USD per person per day with three people in a deluxe boat, or $317 USD per person per day with two. That includes lakeview lodging, all your meals, the deluxe boat with five gallons of gas a day, and the use of boats and motors on our portage lakes. Prices do not include 13% HST and a two-person minimum applies. Full pricing is on our rates page.
Is gas included in the boat rental?
Yes. When you rent our deluxe boats, the boat, motor and gas are included, including runs to our portage lakes. There is no fuel surprise at the end of the week.
Can I add a guide for just one or two days?
Absolutely, and most groups do. A common pattern is one guided day at the start of the week to learn the water and find the pattern, then fishing on your own for the rest of the trip using what you learned.
What species can I target?
Muskie, walleye, northern pike, smallmouth bass, lake trout and crappie. Note that in Zone 5 northern pike and smallmouth bass are open all year, and muskie opens the third Saturday of June. Walleye opens the third Saturday of May.
Do I need experience to book semi-guided?
Some boat experience helps, since you are running the boat. You do not need to know these lakes. That is what the orientation and the guide support are for. If it is your first time in this country and you would rather have someone with you, look at premier guided fishing instead.