Review Highlights
Guests rate this outfitter very highly. Most reviews are four or five stars, and a few are three stars. Reviewers frequently refer to the operation as Sudbury Aviation, and it flies out of a base near Azilda, Ontario. Several repeat customers have returned for years, and one reports using the outfitter for 15 years. Owner Marg and her staff are named repeatedly as friendly, professional and easy to deal with.
Guests consistently praise the staff and service, the cabins and equipment, and the fishing. Cabins are described as clean, well equipped and no-frills. Typical features are propane fridges, stoves and lights, a wood stove, bunks, and a separate sauna. Boats and motors are called good. One reviewer reports that the outfitter flies in mid-week to check on guests and is punctual on fly-out day. Another notes the short drive to the base from Toronto or Ottawa, about five hours. Smallmouth bass fishing is the most consistent highlight, especially on Kennedy, MacSmith and Scotia lakes. Reviewers report 1 to 3 pound bass in good numbers, and one group reports 50 to 75 bass per angler per day. Pike are common, and 30 to 36 inch fish were reported. Pickerel in the 16 to 20 inch range were also caught. Walleye are described as more variable, with some reviewers calling them spotty or harder to find. One group reported 30 to 40 fish per person over a week.
The main things to be aware of are the basic accommodations and some gaps in camp supplies. One detailed review found missing kitchen items, no oars, too few paddles, and no boat safety kits or enough certified PFDs, and advised guests to bring their own. Water has to be carried up from the lake. Fishing results vary by lake and season. Early-season weed growth made fish harder to locate at Scotia, and one reviewer found the fishing to be mostly 2-foot pike. The fishing is described as more about numbers than trophy size. This destination suits groups of friends and anglers who want a quiet, remote outpost with lots of bass, pike and pickerel, including first-time fly-in guests who are comfortable with simple cabins. It suits trophy walleye anglers less well. Small groups of two to four are the best fit for the smaller camps such as MacSmith.
Read all 11 reviews
Scott Gardner (Outdoor Canada)
Aug 25, 2026
Blog
Think backcountry fishing means an endless drive? Think again. This fly-in adventure was just hours from the city
Trip report from four anglers flying from the Azilda base to Scotia Lake. The drive from Toronto or Ottawa is about five hours, and the floatplane dock is right at the base. The camp had a good cabin, boats, a barbecue and a sauna, and True North left the group alone to fish. The fish were hard to find at first because the weeds were not yet developed, but a 35-inch pike came on the third cast and a 36-inch pike on day 1. Walleye were 'spotty, but very cooperative', and the group also caught smallmouth. The author says the location saves a day or more of driving compared with other fly-in trips.
This lake
Darrin L Ward
Jun 24, 2022
Blog
An incredible experience. Professional, courteous & friendly. I highly recommend booking a flight with True North Airways.
Outfitter overall
Troy Lindner (The Canadian Experience / The Ontario Experience)
Feb 18, 2021
Blog
Sudbury Aviation
Filmed at Scotia Lake, which has two camps. Both have a propane fridge, lights, a big cozy stove, a propane stove and a sauna just steps away, which the author used a couple of times. A group leaving the lake just before the author's flight in said they had been coming for years and caught easily 50 to 75 smallmouth bass a day per angler. The author's group caught some walleye but mainly targeted the abundant smallmouth. They released all their catch, and the camp has pots, pans and utensils. The author recommends it for bass, trout, pike and walleye.
This lake
wallags
Jul 9, 2020
Forum
Your 1st ever Canada Trip: Where and with Who?
First Trip 2002 with Sudbury Aviation. Split week fishing Otterpelt and Kennedy Lakes. Otterpelt had a ton of small pike and if you caught a walleye it was a big one. Kennedy was a smallmouth paradise. My God, the monster bass were everywhere. Great cabins and equipment!
This lake
John P
Jun 5, 2020
TripAdvisor
@the_pottsy1 on Instagram check my page see my fishing videos
Well it was a trip I will never forget I've been there sudbury aviation 3 times Mc Smith lake once it was a small lake but loaded with bass pike pickerel we caught lots of fish all day long it is well worth having the hole lake to yourself peace full, nice cabin at night time when your in bed you can here the loons on the lake I loved it getting up in the morning early to go fishing the mist on the water breathtaking we caught so many fish in seven days that I caught in a life time the owner of Sudbury aviation was amazing women Marg the plane's are safe the cabin nice the best time ever Marg thanks so much ????????? worth it
This lodge
TheTraveller314
Sep 16, 2019
TripAdvisor
Great fishing and great people
We've done a couple of fly-ins with Sudbury Aviation. Marg and her team are great! They're friendly, have great customer service, and make sure to take good care of you. The cabins we've been in have all been clean and well equipped with propane fridges/stoves and a wood stove. They also had a wood burning sauna. The cabins are no-frills but they have what you need for a great week of fishing. The two lakes we've been on had great fishing. 3-4lb bass, 18-20" pickerel, 30" pike. Most of us caught about 30-40 fish over seven days. More than enough to eat and lots to release.
Outfitter overall
Bill R
Jul 30, 2017
TripAdvisor
Macsmith Lake mid-summer
Flying off Whitewater Lake near Azilda, ON, Sudbury Aviation flies anglers to eleven outpost lakes that offer walleyes, northern pike, smallmouth bass, brook / speckled trout, and lake trout. The flying service was courteous & professional. MacSmith Lake (W, NP, SMB) is approximately 1.5 miles in length, with numerous islands and weed-rimmed bays. For a smaller lake, it is surprisingly deep, with a large, mid-lake shoal. Many parts of the lake feature stretches of rocky shoreline. The Macsmith camp accommodates six, but is better suited to parties of two to four. The vertical log cabin is equipped with propane appliances (refrigerator-freezer, lights, stove, BBQ) - all in good working order - bunk beds, a wood stove, kitchen counter & sink, table & chairs for six. However, the kitchen lacked a few important items (milk jug, glasses, spatula). Water must be carried up from the lake. On site is a second lot building - a sauna. The boats and 8-HP motors at the camp were among the best that the Northern Ontario Fisherman has ever used at outpost camps but there were no oars and not enough paddles for the three boats. Neither were there boat safety kits or enough certified PFDs for guests, so anglers are advised to bring their own. At Macsmith Lake, the consistency of the smallmouth bass fishing was a pleasant surprise. Mornings and evenings, bass would aggressively jump any topwater bait and go aerial to free themselves (which they very often did). Afternoons, bass were found along the distinct weed lines in the many back bays of Macsmith Lake. More a numbers lake than a trophy fishery, bass in the 1 to 3 pound range are the norm, with the occasional 4 lb. fish hooked (though not always landed). Walleyes at Macsmith are a little more challenging, but they are there for the catching early and late in the day or under overcast skies. The mid-lake shoal, while a snag-fest, is the best spot on the lake, but we caught several nice fish in the 16 to 18-inch range trolling fast-breaking shorelines and rocky points. Pike will be pike and invariably show up when fishing for bass or walleyes, shallow or deep, over rocks or near the weedlines, no matter the lure, bait or technique. For the most part, Macsmith northerns range from 2 to 5 pounds, but surely larger fish are there.
This lodge
Andrew E
May 21, 2017
TripAdvisor
Quality flight training and superb views.
I spent a few days with the flying school side of Sudbury Aviation, I completed a Sea Plane endorsement for my licence, and most of the bush pilots course that they offer. The standard of instruction is excellent, the aircraft well looked after and the atmosphere is great. Sudbury Aviation also offer fishing trips and run remote lake side lodges many miles from the roads, I haven't stayed in one but visited as part of a trip out from base. The accommodation is basic as befits the location, log cabins with bunks, a wood stove and kitchen as well as a sauna and a remote lavatory. The flying school operates year round, on floats in summer and skis when the lakes are frozen, I think the cabins are summer only. My overall experience was excellent, and I will return to fly the rest of the bush course and build experience in this sort of aircraft, thoroughly recommended.
Outfitter overall
What are your top 3 fly in outfitters in Ontario?
My first trip was with Sudbury Aviation. Good outfitter (Marge) & nice price, nice cabin, & boats, fishing was OK if you wanted to catch nothing but 2 ft. northern pike all week. Not a favorite.
Outfitter overall
Fly in outposts.
Marg runs a great show there, very nice cabins and separate sauna/shower houses, good boats and motors, and excellent bass fishing on Kennedy. We have flown with Sudbury Aviation, Air Ivanhoe, Gogama Lodge (Derry Air) and would have no problems going back with her outfit.
This lake
Have used Sudbury Aviation for the last 15 years for our annual fly in fishing trip, best camps in the province, great cabins and equipment, been fly in fishing trips for over 25 years wish we would have used Sudbury sooner. Marg and her staff are great to deal with and very friendly. Most outfitters in the province tell you they will check in with you mid week but they don't, not so with Sudbury Aviation they fly in mid week and actually land and make sure all is ok and when they tell you you will be picked up at 9 am on fly out day you must be ready, they're always on time. Can't say enough about Marg and her team great people to deal with.
Outfitter overall
Boats included
