Mandanna Lake

Guests rate Wilderness Fishing Yukon very highly. Nearly every review gives 5 stars, and there is one 4-star review. Several reviewers are repeat guests: one is on a second trip, another a third, and one has booked a return. Others say they plan to come back. Owners Bernard and Amanda are named repeatedly, and one group said dealing with them felt more like dealing with friends than with a business. The camps are private fly-in cabins on lakes such as Coghlan (also spelled Coughlan or Coughlin), Claire, Frank and Ken.

The fishing is the main draw. Reviewers report northern pike that strike readily, often in the shallows and sometimes on sight, with many over a metre long and one 45.5-inch fish of just over 40 lbs. Lake trout are large and strong fighters, with fish of 83 to 90 cm caught. Most are caught by trolling deep or casting shoal drop-offs. Arctic grayling are plentiful at some lakes, and one group estimated well over 500. Guests also report catching whitefish. Catch counts run from dozens to a few hundred fish per trip. Reviewers also praise the cabins as comfortable and well equipped. Features include a wood stove, solar lighting, propane stove and fridge, a shower, a full kitchen, a sauna, an outdoor grill, and boats and motors that worked well. The logistics also get good comments: Whitehorse airport pickup, a grocery stop for provisions, and a scenic float plane flight of about 30 minutes. Guests also mention the wildlife (moose, bald eagles, loons, caribou, otters), the scenery, the solitude, and the helpful advice on flies and fishing spots. One reviewer called the trip very affordable.

Complaints are few. The only recurring caveat is that lake trout can be harder to catch in some conditions. One 4-star reviewer said they went deeper than in earlier years, at 60 to 80 feet in early June, which made trout fishing difficult. Another reviewer had the most success trolling at 20 to 25 meters in cloudy conditions. Guests bring and cook their own food and are on their own at a single-cabin camp, so the trip suits people who want that setup. It is best suited to anglers who want a private, remote fly-in trip, whether for numbers of pike, big lake trout or grayling. It also fits groups of friends, families, repeat fly-in guests and first-time fly-in guests who want comfortable cabins. Fly anglers will also find pike willing to take flies, and one reviewer also tried fly fishing for lake trout.