Alton Lake Outpost

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.