Plummer's Arctic Lodges
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories
Family-owned outfitter operating remote fly-in lodges on Great Bear Lake and Great Slave Lake in the Northwest Territories, plus an Arctic Circle char outpost on the Tree River.
Overview
Plummer's Arctic Lodges is a family-run fishing operation based in the Northwest Territories, tracing its roots to explorations by the Plummer family in the late 1930s. The location of its Great Slave Lake Lodge was discovered by Warren Plummer and his father by canoe in 1938, and the family later became early users of floatplanes and ski planes to explore further north. The business grew into full-service lodges on Great Slave Lake in 1949, Great Bear Lake in 1959, and a Tree River camp in 1960.
Today the outfitter operates lodges described by trip brokers as Great Bear Lake Lodge, Great Slave Lake Lodge, Trophy Lodge, and the Tree River Outpost, along with the self-guided Arctic Circle Outpost. The company now operates three lodges on Great Bear Lake, a lake the size of England and only ice-free for about 90 days a year, where it remains the sole lodge operator. All trips are staged out of Yellowknife, and the company describes itself as the longest-running fishing operation in the Canadian North.
The operation has a long aviation history, having historically used aircraft ranging from de Havilland Otters and DC-3s to jet aircraft, and its main lodges are built with airstrips capable of handling large aircraft. Reviewers and outdoor writers commonly refer to the Plummer family as pioneers of Arctic sportfishing tourism in the region.
Established: 1949
Highlights
The Fishing
The lodges are built around trophy lake trout, Arctic grayling, and Arctic char, with northern pike also available at some locations. Great Bear Lake Lodge and Trophy Lodge are known for large lake trout, with fish in the 40 to 60 pound class reported by guests and outfitter listings, while the Tree River Outpost, reached by floatplane from Great Bear Lake, is used specifically for Arctic char fishing near the Arctic coast. Great Slave Lake Lodge is promoted as a location where large lake trout are caught close to the lodge without extensive travel by boat.
Fishing methods include trolling, jigging, light spin tackle, and fly fishing, with guides working from aluminum boats. Guests fish under continuous daylight during the short Arctic summer season, and most main lodges use professional guides, while the Arctic Circle Outpost is offered as a self-guided option for groups of four to twelve anglers using boats and motors supplied by the outfitter.
Accommodations
Accommodations vary by lodge but are rustic yet comfortable, with private cabins or lodge rooms, daily housekeeping, and hot water. Guest reviews describe clean rooms, comfortable beds, and features such as daily coffee delivery and serviced towels. At the Tree River Outpost, guests stay in canvas-roofed plywood cabins that accommodate four guests each in twin beds, with wooden floors, oil or propane heat, and 24-hour electricity. Trophy Lodge is a larger, hotel-style facility accommodating up to 22 guests with a gourmet chef, Wi-Fi, and amenities such as a pool table and meeting space. Meals across the lodges are hearty, with cooked breakfasts and dinners, shore lunches prepared streamside or over a campfire, and a stocked bar.
Fish Species
What They Offer
Amenities available at one or more of this outfitter's properties.
Boats included
Getting There
All trips begin in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, where guests typically arrive the day before their scheduled charter flight into the lodges. Guests are then transported to the main lodges by chartered aircraft; the company's main lodges have their own airstrips, with Great Slave Lake Lodge historically able to accommodate large aircraft such as 737s, while Great Bear Lake Lodge is reached by smaller charter aircraft such as ATRs from Yellowknife. The Tree River Outpost is reached by floatplane from Great Bear Lake Lodge as a side trip, located above the tree line near the Arctic Ocean. The lodges sit hundreds of miles from the nearest community, and Great Bear Lake itself is roughly 500 kilometres from Yellowknife.
Access:
Air service:
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