Tale's of Garden Island Lodge
Here are some wonderful stories, pictures and experiances that guests wanted to share with us! If you have a fun or cool story you would like to share email it to us at fish@garden-island.com. Feel free to inlude pictures! We look foward to reading your adventures!
Bricker Family Making New Memories
Many years ago we decided to go to a remote fly in fishing lodge. It was a fun experience but so much of our time was in travel coming from south central Pennsylvania. My husband started looking for a place not as far but still fairly remote. That is when he discovered Lady Evelyn Lake. Our first years were spent on the North end of the lake. We enjoyed each year with Janice, James and their summer family until tragically Janice's time here ended. Things were not the same. We still loved this area of Canada and decided to give Garden Island a chance. It too became our summer fishing destination. It takes awhile to learn the lake but we've managed to catch some exceptional fish. After Mike purchased Garden island we found some awesome improvements in the facility. Last year we brought our 15 year grandson who loves casting for bass. He also loves food which is never scarce since all our meals are provided. I guess I could go on and on about Garden island but it's important to know it's a great safe place to go to relax, fish, eat, and enjoy the beautiful sunsets with friends or family.
Goodrich Since 1999
Three generations of Goodriches have been going to Garden Island since 1999 and have only missed two years caused by COVID closing the border. Our good friend John Aspinall from England flies over every year to join us. We love the lake the fishing the camp and the great service. The fishing is great and Mike has done an excellent job of upgrading all parts of garden Island.
Sir snags a lot
Have you ever been fishing with someone and thought to yourself “ if you snag one more time, I will send you into the lake to go get it!”. Well, that’s how I got to spend a week at Garden Island with my friends. I swear the water could be 70 foot deep and some how he would snag. It’s likely that we discovered every rock and water logged tree on this side of the lake. Despite it all we still somehow managed to catch several board fish and had a wonderful trip. Next time I’m going to put him is some elses boat or I might lose what little sanity I have left!
A Lady Evelyn Lake Family Legacy
Since 1953, Garden Island Lodge has been the beating heart of Drew's family saga on Lady Evelyn Lake. It all started with Grandpa Art, the trailblazer who whisked the Nisbet clan away to this summer paradise. For decades, it’s been the stage for epic family vacations bursting with laughter, legendary stories, and fish tales that grow bigger with every telling. Watching Art's old 16mm films—capturing the same cozy cabins, swim spots, and famous fishing spots we adore today—adds an extra sprinkle of magic and nostalgia to our adventures. Read More here on their blog post
One Long Boat Ride In
The day started off beautiful but that ended up being a lie. Us and our friends in another boat went fishing near the dome. It started storming pretty bad so much so that the water started white caping! Naturally we decided to go back in while our friends stayed out. HAHAHAHA… Big mistake on our part a 20 min ride took 90 min at least In the storm to make it back to Garden Island lodge. It’s the first time I have ever felt happy to be wearing an uncomfortable life jacket. We finally arrive back at the dock soaking wet, shivering and lightly bruised from slamming though the waves. Only for our friend to pull in about 10min later unharmed. Turned out the reason it took us so long to get in was we were traveling with the storm. It had stopped raining on them shortly after we left and they had a calm ride in. So much for my nautical expertise?
You only had one job
One time I decided to take a trip to franks falls to get some pictures (note I have been there before) along the way I knew from previous trips that there are 2 critical places where you need to go left or right. I know now its left! During that tip I didn’t know it was left. The problem with going right is there are lots of hidden rocks. Since I couldn’t remember which way to go I sent my daughter to the front of the boat to watch for rocks. Unfortunately, as a rock made contact with the prop. I hear a horrible “Scrape CRACK BANG!” immediately followed by the word “ROCK!” coming from my daughter’s mouth. We still made it to the falls with one less blade on the prop. If you make a run to franks fall when you have a chose of left or right pick left twice!
One Picky Fisher Girl
My granddaughter and I have been going to Garden Island for several years and its the only lodge I will stay at now on Lady Evelyn Lake. Garden Island is a far better location for consistent big walleyes! There are always plenty of new areas to explore and dissect with my Humminbird each season along with my friends Leon and Tom.
My favorite all time story happened the first time I brought my granddaughter Sasha along with us. We came to the lodge with the Saturday crowd. I'm always anxious to gobble down some lunch and then hit the water right after we arrive. Sasha decided the weather wasn't up to her standerds and decided to stay in. She has always gone fishing with me since she was just a toddler. But one thing she likes to remind me of is that she is more intreasted in eating fish than catching them. Normally As soon as she catches her next meal she is ready to go in!
That evening was sunny and calm so she decided it was decent enough for her to come and show us guys how it's done. About ten minutes after stopping and dropping our lines we had drifted out to about 70 feet so I told her to crank up. The next thing I know her rod is doubled over! Yep, her first fish at Garden Island only ten minutes is a 30 inch walleye. She wouldn't hold it (It was declared to slimy) so she took the picture while I held it and then released it. You can imagine the look on the other guests faces when she wrote up her catch on the board on the shed that Saturday night.
It's really hard to find a Ontario lodge with good boats, reliable motors, plenty of bait plus an all-included American Plan. Garden Island is what the Canadian remote wilderness experience is all about and I'll be coming back to the lodge for as long as they will let me! It's awesome to be staying at a place that values your business as much as these folks do.
I could fish every day for a year
Prior to my first trip to Garden Island in 2021, I had already fished many lakes in Ontario. Good fishing and remote lakes were two important requirements in selecting the right place for me and my fishing buddies. Garden Island met all my criteria and exceeded my expectations. Our group has had amazing fishing experiences including Bass, Pike and Pickerel.
There is something magical about a bass smacking a topwater bait on some quiet bay during an evening fish at Lady Evelyn. The boats, cabins and meals are great. The lake itself is amazing! I could fish every day for a year and I am sure that there would still be spots yet to try for the big one. Perhaps the most compelling reason to keep going back to Garden Island is Mike and his Staff. His family are all really good people and made sure we have a wonderful time.
I now go to Garden Island twice each year along with two groups of my friends. As soon as the snow starts to disappear, I start thinking of Lady Evelyn Lake and what new fishing tactics I might try to catch the elusive trophy fish.
Mike Lees