My son, Chip (Dr. Harold L. Halfhill,II, Paducah, Kentucky), and I have been going to Trout River Lodge since 1989. The only year we have missed since then was in 1990 when my grandson, Tyler, was born. In the mid nineties, we introduced a friend of mine from work, Danny (Felix D. Roberts, Nicholasville, Kentucky), to Trout River Lodge. The three of us have not missed a year since! We typically make a trip to Trout River twice a year; once in the spring and once in the fall.

The fact that this is a trip of over 1250 miles one way for us should tell you something about how much we enjoy these trips. The fishing is absolutely outstanding! We have caught walleye and pike in sizes and numbers that are unbelievable to our local fishing brethren who have not experienced this kind of fishing. Each day starts off with not a question of whether you are going to catch fish, but how many and how big! But the fishing is not the only attraction that Trout River Lodge offers.

How many people have had the opportunity to watch a black bear try to take a moose calf from it's mother for the afternoon meal, and see the mother fend off the intruder; watch six bear cubs scurry up the same tree as we passed close by; see multiple moose swim the lake at the same time; watch eagles take fish away from opportunistic sea gulls for their lunch; listened to the lonesome call of the loons as they patrol their fishing grounds; watch a fox sneak along the shoreline trying to catch a quick meal; listened to ruffed grouse drumming in the woods; and all this while never missing a beat catching walleye, pike, and smallmouths.

And, if you should have a day you are having a little trouble finding the "feeding frenzy" area, a quick trip to the office and a little consultation with Rick or Lucille Heithoff and you are, nine times out of ten, back in the middle of the action! Rick and Lucille, along with their daughter, Laura, and son-in-law, Bill, make Trout River Lodge a place you will look forward to visiting again and again.

I should add that we take fish cookers with us and eat fresh walleye for dinner at least two nights during the week. Eating fresh walleye is almost as good as catching them!

As I am writing this, I can look up at my calendar and tell you how many weeks it is until we leave for Trout River Lodge. The first thing I do when I get my new calendar each year is mark the weeks down and the three of us can tell you at any time during the year how many weeks it is until we depart.

In our case, we trailer bass boats to the lodge (there are usually about six of us, the three regulars and three "semi" regulars) and this is another good feature. The roads are such that you have the option of taking your own boat as we do, or excellent fishing boats are available to rent at the lodge.

I do not hesitate to highly recommend Trout River Lodge to anyone seeking an unforgettable experience in the fishing and outdoor adventure arenas of northern Ontario. If you happen to be there at the same time we are, look us up and we would gladly share one of our "honey holes" with you!