Review Highlights
Guest sentiment about Gangler's North Seal River Lodge is strongly positive. The large majority of reviews are 5-star, and many come from repeat guests who report returning for 10, 18, 20 or 25 years. Owner Ken Gangler is mentioned often, usually for greeting guests at the plane and for his hands-on hosting. Lower ratings are a small minority, and most of them concern outpost camps rather than the main lodge.
Guests consistently praise the fishing. They describe large numbers of pike, walleye, lake trout and grayling, with days of 40 to 100+ fish common. Many report trophy or Master Angler pike of 40 inches or more, and several mention completing the Grand Slam. Fly-out trips to remote, lightly fished lakes are repeatedly called a highlight, and fly fishers say pike, trout and grayling take flies well. Guides are described as knowledgeable and personable, and several guests kept the same guide all week. Food is widely called excellent, including shore lunches, and dietary restrictions and allergies were handled well. Cabins are described as comfortable and clean, and Starlink internet is mentioned favorably. Camp managers at the outposts (Maria, Bain, Clifton, Burnie) are often singled out for friendliness and hard work. Many reviews also praise the eco-tours and northern lights viewing, with wildlife sightings (wolves, caribou, bears), esker hikes, ATV rides and kayaking. Non-anglers rate these highly.
Recurring concerns are mostly about outpost camps. Several reviewers report worn or leaking boats and motors, and rocky lakes (Bain, Burnie) where boats hit rocks and motors were damaged. A few guests were upset by repair charges or by a lack of acknowledgment from the owner afterward. The owner disputed some of these accounts. A few Maria Lake guests said the advertised portage lakes were unavailable, and one said this was not communicated beforehand. Some reviewers said outposts and mini-lodges are comfortable but rustic and do not match the "five-star" description. Other practical notes: early-season weather can be windy and wet, a late ice-out can slow fishing, black flies and mosquitoes can be a problem at certain times, the tackle shop is limited, and travel is long because the lodge is remote. Guests also mention that the fishing is expensive, though some feel it is worth it.
The destination suits trophy pike, walleye and lake trout anglers, and fly-fishing enthusiasts who want a lot of action. It also suits groups of friends and father-son or family trips, including first-time young anglers and older guests. The main lodge, with fly-outs, is the most consistently praised option. Non-fishing travelers who want northern lights, wildlife and guided hikes are well served by the eco-tours. Outpost guests should expect simpler facilities and should check boat and motor condition and which portage lakes are actually accessible.
Read all 15 reviews
Bryan D
Aug 22, 2023
TripAdvisor
Fantastic Experience
This was our second trip to Maria Lake Mini-lodge with Ganglers. Camp managers Shane and Karen took care of every need. Every meal was a pleasure because of the great food and company. The fishing was fantastic because it's an exceptional lake and the boat, motor and related equipment were top-notch. Kathy and I were lucky enough to be the only guests at the camp for the week. The last two days presented us with the most amazing Lake Trout bite anyone will likely encounter. On our last day we counted 121 fish caught with the largest trout measuring 37 inches. Only two of the four portage lakes advertised was actually available this summer on Maria Lake.
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Will (HowardWard)
Jul 6, 2023
TripAdvisor
Gangler's Maria Lake Outpost June 2023
We fished out of the Maria Lake Outpost June 17-24, 2023. The fishing was great - loads of pike to 20lbs, lake trout to 20lb and some grayling. Even better than the fishing was the hospitality of the camp managers Shane and Karen. All meals were fantastic. The only downside of this trip was that we could not use 4 of the portage lakes due to motor and boat issues. Unfortunately, this was not communicated to us by the owner prior to the trip.
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kadcpa
Aug 9, 2013
TripAdvisor
Not as advertised
Paraphrase: Stayed at the Maria Lake mini lodge. The fishing was excellent, but the accommodations did not match the advertising. There was no tackle, the dryer was gone, there was no full bar, the dock was falling apart and the hot water was piped from another cabin. The camp manager and cook were great. The owner replied that the mini-lodge is not advertised with a bar or tackle shop and promised repairs in 2014.
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Sergei S
Aug 5, 2013
TripAdvisor
Not quite five star
Paraphrase: Stayed at Maria Lake mini lodge, which is promoted as five-star. The fishing was very good, but he describes a long wait for a plane, worn boats with mangled props, a leaking boat, no ropes, a generator outage and fair food. He was also angry about a roughly $4,500 beverage bill for 8 guests. He rates it the worst value of his 30+ Canadian trips. The owner disputed parts of this and accepted some responsibility.
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The Legend of Maria Lake
Paraphrase: A long-time guest group (16 years with Gangler's) says big fish came in large quantities. They liked the new motors and the new lodge, and praised hosts Shane and his wife for upgrading the property. They plan to return.
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Maria Lake Magic
Paraphrase: A June 2026 report from a devoted Maria Lake guest, who has gone since 2005. Wind and rain, but the fishing was great. Master Angler pike (44, 43, 42 in) and large trout were daily occurrences, with many doubles. Called it the trip of a lifetime.
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Outstanding Fishing & Excellent Service
My family and friends started fishing with Gangler's in June 2000 and will continue into the future due to the quality of the fishing and the customer support. This leadership starts at the top with Ken Gangler and works its way to the individual camp managers. I'd recommend Gangler's to anyone who is serious about quality and trophy fishing. We have stayed at the Maria mini-lodge and the main lodge on Egenolf.
This lodge
Canadian Grand Slam on the Fly
This was our 6th year in a row fishing Maria Lake the first week of the season - June 2019. Once again, and as it always is, the fishing was spectacular. We are fly guys, so the opportunity to target pike, lake trout, grayling and white fish on the fly at the top of the water column is the reason to fish Maria Lake the first week. And, being able to do it all in the comfort of the Maria Lake mini lodge puts the trip over the top. The biggest pike was 42 inches. We were also able to catch a ton of grayling in the 16-18 inch range.
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Fished Maria mini lodge outpost, August 3-10, 2019
Great outpost. Very comfortable. Camp managers, Robert and Tracy were very nice and accommodating. Very good, sizable lake with lots of very good pike beds, trout hole. Fish are schooled up nicely this time of year. Weather was a bit tough, but that's the far north. Take a good rain suit and boots. GPS is also handy. We return in 2020. Tracy is an excellent cook too.
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Incredible Fishing Vacation!
My wife and I were at Maria August 13-21. The camp managers, Shane and Karen, exceeded all possible expectations. They worked so hard to make sure everything was perfect, and then went even further by personally guiding us to several fishing hotspots. We had an absolute blast fishing and exploring this beautiful large lake. The pike were fat and healthy and absolutely exploded on almost any lure. Whenever we wanted to target Lake Trout, we found plenty willing to hit our jigs in the deep holes. Thanks to Shane, I caught my first Grayling.
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Best NP and trout fishing in 20+ years of trips.
This is the 2nd review written about the June 8-15, 2024 week at the Maria Lake outpost camp. I want to second the job done by camp managers, Bobby and Erin. I have done fly-ins to Manitoba for 20+ years and this was the best northern pike and lake trout fishing I have ever seen. We caught 50 trout in 2 hours on a mid lake rock pile hump in Maria. On two separate occasions we portaged into Caron Lake. My daughter and I boated 120 northern pike up to 43.5 inches in about 6 hours of fishing. 69 of these fish were over 30 inches.
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Will (HowardWard)
TripAdvisor
Gangler's Maria Lake Outpost June 2024
We fished out of the Maria Lake Outpost again from June 8-15, 2024. As was the case last year, the fishing was terrific. We caught many pike 33-40 inches and lake trout up to 20lb. The new camp managers, Erin and Bobby, had things at camp running smoothly and efficiently. The food was wonderful. While no reflection on the camp managers, the only downside of this trip was that we could not use the walleye or grayling portage lakes due to motor and boat issues. We were only able to get to one (Caron Lake).
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Double Grand Slam!
My wife and I spent 9 nights at the Lake Maria Mini-Lodge. Dennis and Annette were great hosts. The food was good and so was the fishing. We both completed the grand slam and we both caught a master angler fish. The cabins were clean and comfortable as was the lodge. This is a wonderful destination for fishermen.
This lodge
Will (HowardWard)
TripAdvisor
Great Week at Maria Lake Outpost
We fished out of the Maria Lake Outpost for the third year from June 7-14, 2025. As has always been the case, the fishing was great. We caught many pike 30-40 inches and lake trout up to 20lb. The new camp managers, Annette and Dennis, had things at camp running smoothly. The food was wonderful. The only downside of this trip was that we could not use any of the advertised portage lakes. We specifically selected this outpost because we liked the flexibility of exploring multiple lakes and we have been told by Ken G. each year that next year the lakes will be open. Thanks to Annette and Dennis for a great trip.
This lodge
Will (HowardWard)
TripAdvisor
Maria Lake Outpost - June 6-13, 2026
4th Trip to the Maria Lake Outpost - June 6-13, 2026. The fishing was great, the weather not so much. Windy and wet some days but we caught plenty of good pike, lake and grayling. Worth it! We were very fortunate to have Annette and Dennis as camp managers again. Always friendly, accommodating and ready to help. They had things running pretty smoothly at the camp considering it was the first week of the season with a late ice-out. Heading back up in Sept! Thank you Annette, Dennis and Ken Gangler for a great trip!
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Boats & Equipment