Review Highlights
Guests describe Wabakimi Fishing & Canoeing Outfitters very positively. Almost every review is 4 or 5 stars, and owner Bruce Hyer is repeatedly singled out as friendly, helpful and deeply knowledgeable about the Wabakimi area. Reviewers credit him with route planning, a good canoe rental offer, quick responses by email and phone, and careful questions about skill levels before he recommends a trip. The operation is based at an eight-bedroom lodge in Armstrong, Ontario, about three hours north of Thunder Bay, with outpost cabins reached by floatplane.
Guests consistently praise the remote setting and the fishing. They describe wilderness with very few other visitors, and one review says having a lake to yourself is normal. Walleye, pike and lake trout are described as plentiful and hungry, and several groups ate fresh-caught fish as shore lunch and dinner. The Armstrong lodge is called a good place to rest before and after a trip, with a lake view, a hot tub, a large common area and home-cooked meals. Outposts, such as the one on Shawanabis Lake, are described as private and well equipped. Details mentioned include a full kitchen with propane lights, a fridge and stove, hot and cold showers, a sauna, boats, canoes and kayaks, and two-way radio contact with base. Guests also like the floatplane flights, the maps and rental gear, and the Allanwater Bridge outpost, which the train stops in front of and which staff helped with canoe transport and inReach setup.
Reviewers raise few concerns. The main thing to be aware of is cost. One account says canoeists sometimes balk at floatplane prices, though they rave about the flight afterward. The paddling season is also short, running from roughly late May to mid-September, with October possible for those who can handle the cold. The destination suits anglers who want low-pressure walleye, pike and lake trout fishing, and groups of friends or families who want a private outpost. It also suits canoeists of any experience level, from novices to experienced paddlers, and first-time Wabakimi visitors who want an outfitter to help plan the route.
Read all 12 reviews
Brian J
May 1, 2026
TripAdvisor
Great wilderness experience!
Wilderness canoe trips and fly-in fishing outposts in nearly untouched country. With 5 million acres and very few visitors, having a lake to yourself is normal. Walleye and pike fishing is spectacular because of the low pressure. The lodge is a great place to stay and eat before and after a trip.
Outfitter overall
memaquay
Mar 26, 2024
Forum
I've met Bruce a few times, bought a canoe or two off him. He was originally an American I believe. He was elected as an NDP member of parliament for the Thunder Bay region, and that is where he earned a great deal of respect locally, not so much federally. The Conservative party of Canada was voting to end the long gun registry in Canada. Bruce went against the party line and voted with the Conservatives to end the registry. Bruce was the rare politician who actually represented the wishes of his constituents above the party line. There are a lot of gun owners in the Thunder Bay area. He was disciplined by the NDP for not voting with them, and in the next election he ran as an independent. I voted for him then too, but unfortunately I don't think he won. Anyway, very interesting fella!
Outfitter overall
jdeerfoot
Sep 23, 2023
Forum
Talked to his wife last September in Armstrong and she said they rarely made money with this business. The earliest I ever paddled in the Wabakimi area was the third week in May and the latest was mid September. I understand it is still possible to paddle in October but the cold better not bother you. So you would have a short season to make all your money. In the off season the Hyers moved back to Thunder Bay and may work there at that time.
Outfitter overall
Kelli Majiros
Sep 23, 2023
Blog
I hope the perfect person shows up to buy this! I'll share it with my friends.
Outfitter overall
Colin Field
Sep 18, 2023
Blog
Dreams For Sale: Passing The Torch At Wabakimi Outfitters
The trip begins at the EcoLodge itself near Armstrong, Ontario, about three hours north of Thunder Bay. It's a beautiful eight-bedroom lodge with a spacious common room and an all-inclusive vibe. Bruce and his wife, Margaret, are hosting us along with 20 other people who are spending the night. The Allan Water River provides rock dodging, wave crashing, boat swamping fun on its class II rapids. The Allan Water is a perfect river for the whitewater enthusiast; undoubtedly among my top three favorite Ontario rivers I've paddled. We're surrounded by wilderness with no sign of humankind other than the occasional floatplane passing overhead. The black spruce and jack pine forest is peaceful, rugged and beautiful. We see a couple black bears on the side of the river. We see loons and bald eagles. Michael delivers; after half an hour of fishing from a canoe, he returns triumphantly with two dinner-sized walleye. On our final day on the river, we paddle to one of the company's outpost camps on Windfall Lake. The rustic cabin is complete with solar panels, electric lights, a fridge and a 20-foot-high water tower. The floatplane takes us over the scrubby, barren landscape littered with rivers and lakes and I'm transfixed by the terrain and the tripping potentials. It's a flight that leaves me smiling for the rest of the day and the landing back at the Wabakimi EcoLodge dock is as smooth as they come. Bruce knows Wabakimi intimately and claims to have created 90 percent of its recreational routes. He carefully questions people about their skill levels and trip requirements before recommending a corresponding experience. He says canoeists balk at floatplane prices—although they rave about the experience afterward—while anglers never question expenses as long as the fishing is good.
This lodge
Aslowhand
May 25, 2022
Forum
Wabakimi solo trip spring 2022
Bruce Hyer of Wabakimi Outfitters proved helpful by email and phone, gave a good offer on a canoe rental and helped plan the route. The train stopped right in front of Bruce's outpost at Allanwater Bridge, where the outfitter's staff helped with canoe transport and inReach setup before the paddle down the Allanwater.
This lodge
Ramble Out Yonder
Mar 16, 2022
Blog
Wabakimi: Stories from an Unplanned Adventure
First-time outfitter customers who needed help after a last-minute change of plans. They found Bruce Hyer and the crew friendly and knowledgeable, with all the gear needed for a canoe trip and excellent maps. He knew the canoe routes in detail and pointed out the best caribou spots and favourite campsites.
Outfitter overall
Down Wabakimi's Allanwater River To Whitewater Lake
The group got off the train in front of the Allanwater Bridge outpost at 1:15 a.m. and found it a plush entry into Wabakimi. The outpost sleeps at least 12, and the outfitter lets paddlers camp on the grounds for $15. The writer chose the Allanwater Bridge start for the first Wabakimi canoe trip.
This lodge
The Canadian Experience (TV crew)
Feb 25, 2021
Blog
Wabakimi Canoe Outfitters
The crew started at the Armstrong lodge, an eight-bedroom place with a lake view and hot tub, and called it a great place to rest up before the trip. They filmed their TV episode at the Shawanabis Lake Outpost, the only cabin on the lake, with two bedrooms, a sauna and an extra cabin. They ate walleye and lake trout caught there and could not decide which tasted better. They also noted two-way radio contact with base.
This lodge
Troy Lindner
Feb 25, 2021
Blog
Wabakimi Canoe Outfitters
We started out our adventure by driving to their Eco-Lodge Bed and Breakfast, located in Armstrong. It is just three hours north of Thunder Bay. What a great place to rest up before our trip. This eight-bedroom lodge has an awesome lake view, a hot tub for relaxing, and a big open main area for meals and meeting other guests. Brenda and Bert Zwicker run the place and will make you feel right at home with their hospitality, help and home-cooked meals. This is way better than staying in a little motel! For our TV episode, we chose the Shawanabis Lake Outpost. Shawanabis Lake is six miles long, and holds walleye, pike, and lake trout. The outpost is the only cabin on the lake. There are two bedrooms, a sauna, and an extra cabin if your group needs that. We cooked up some fresh caught walleye and lake trout in the fully equipped kitchen (propane lights, refrigerator and stove). The showers have hot/cold running water too. For our meals, we dined outside on the picnic table which was a fantastic experience. This is a perfect location for families and groups of friends who want to get away. We had shore lunch and dinner with the delicious walleye and lake trout caught from Shawanabis. It was tough to say which tasted better! And speaking of tasting good—the blueberries! There were patches of them all around the island. Owner Bruce Hyer is called the 'Father of Wabakimi.' After meeting him and hearing his amazing stories, it's very clear why. Wabakimi Canoe Outfitters offers entirely different adventures than anything we have done filming the TV show. If you're a novice paddler or an experienced canoeist, they have you covered for an amazing Ontario Experience.
This lodge
Wabakimi Provincial Park, Ontario: A True Wilderness Canoeing Destination
Rented a canoe from Wabakimi Outfitters for a six-day paddle, finished with a night at one of their outposts on Shawanabis Lake, and a floatplane flight back to the main lodge the next morning. They describe the outposts as private and well equipped. They also stayed at the lodge at the end of the trip. The writers say the fishing is excellent, with hungry walleye, pike and lake trout.
This lodge
Off-Grid Ontario Fishing Adventures: Shawanabis Lake Outpost
Stayed at the Shawanabis Lake outpost, a six-mile lake holding walleye, pike and lake trout. The cabin has a fully equipped kitchen with propane lights, fridge and stove, plus hot and cold showers. There are 14' and 16' boats, canoes and kayaks. The group had shore lunch and dinner from fresh walleye and lake trout and picked blueberries.
This lodge
Boats included
