Here’s part one of a trip Kevin Callan took on the Kopka River last year. Here are the other parts of his story.
They took the train in from Armstrong in the morning (so it was before the schedule changed.) I don’t think we’d have all the portages to get to the Kopka if we flew in.
Gord Ellis - “award winning outdoor journalist” – says this about fishing in Smoothrock Lake:
“Smoothrock Lake/Wabakimi P.P.
Wabakimi is one of the world's largest boreal forest reserves and is known for great wilderness canoeing, a caribou herd, and tremendous fishing. In 1997, the park was expanded to 2.2 million acres (892,000 ha). Smoothrock is the best and largest pike lake in this huge park. Its 20-mile (32-km) length is peppered with backbays and narrows that scream giant pike. Fish hard, and catching one 20 pounds or more is almost a sure thing. Numerous 25-pounders and better have been taken from these waters. Top spots include Outlet Bay, Lonebreast Bay, and Caribou Bay. Other excellent pike lakes in Wabakimi include Wabakimi, Whitewater, Whiteclay, and Shabuskwia. Large pike are also found throughout summer in rivers and other current areas throughout the park. This is one of Ontario's most untapped trophy pike fisheries.”
“We always used Little Caribou Lake as an entry/exit, parking @ the small bridge ( @ creek entering Little Caribou Lake) just south of Caribou Lake north out of Armstrong. Lots of circular routes to be found without rail or fly in. We once went east out of Caribu>Cliff Lake> Whitewater Lake>Wabikimi Lake>Smoothrock Lake>Caribou Lake, nice route very little traveled. Have seen quite a few Caribu, bear, wolves, moose etc along the way. We always went mid-May and had no bugs, but June 1st they are there and hungry. Never saw any of the fly-in fisherman then either. Paddling in October was gnarly cold, and my August solo trip was hot (but blueberries were abundant!) and saw a few fly-in folks fishing.”
Les Stroud who has the TV show “Survivorman” spent a year living in Wabakimi with his wife. Here’s the first of 6 videos he made of that trip.
For you history buffs, a video about German POWs who were imprisoned in Canada during WWII.
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