Stokes Bay Resort

STOKES BAY RESORT

GOING NORTH OF THE BORDER

ALL TRIPS DEPART FROM FRONTIER RESORT ON THE ASH RIVER TRAIL IN MINNESOTA WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY 26 MILES NORTH OF ORR MINNESOTA ON HIGHWAY 53.  OUR TRIPS DEPART AT 9:00 AM AND 1:00 PM ON SATURDAYS. PRIOR TO YOUR ARRIVAL YOU MUST HAVE IN YOUR POSSESSION
1 PASSPORT/1 RABC/1 FISHING LICENSE.

PLEASE READ THIS SECTION. IT WILL ENSURE THAT YOUR PAPERWORK GOES SMOOTHLY AND YOU HAVE THE RIGHT GEAR, FOOD AND HOTEL INFO. 

PLEASE USE THE EMAIL FOR ALL QUESTIONS. 

Is Stokes Bay Resort really a resort? The short answer is no. We are an outpost camp located 22 miles from the nearest road and are committed to your safe and fun time at camp! Bring the sleeping bag your headed into the woods.

OUTPOST STYLE CABINS 4-6-10 PERSONS
All cabins include, eating utensils, plates, cups & bowls, cooking utensils, pots & pans, stove, gas fridge, tables, chairs, bunks, mattresses with covers, pillows, gas lights, broom, cleaning supplies, trash can and mop. The camp has fish fryers, barbecue grills, fish cleaning house, cell phone for emergencies, marine radio, an awesome central hot shower and a two room latrine system with composting features. When you arrive the cabin will be clean. When you leave you are required to leave it clean for the next person, just like the outpost camps that have fly-in settings.

BOAT-IN TRANSPORTATION
Climb aboard, boating in is half the fun of getting here and if you are prepared properly you will have plenty room for beer! There is no reason that a group shows up with too much gear. Items must be contained in duffel bags or medium to small boxes and coolers. Fishing gear must be apart and ready for the trip. Weight limits set by the boat manufacturer  must be adhered to and this is part your responsibility. We won't be weighing items like a fly-in but make sure you have a good gear list to work from and keep it to a mild roar.  P.S. we already have the kitchen sink in the cabin!

EACH PASSENGER IS ALLOWED 70-100 lbs. OF GEAR PER TRIP
 
EXTRA BEER CAN BE BOATED IN BUT MUST BE DECLARED VIA PHONING CUSTOMS.

Read these regulations and check the RABC section of this document.

The US/Canada Border are reputed to be the friendliest borders in the world but everyone needs to remember that Canada is a foreign country and there is some preparation and paperwork ahead of you. Respect their laws.

When you arrive at Ash River Trail in Minnesota you must have 1 passport, 1 RABC and 1 Fishing license in your possesion.



ESSENTIALS FOR CROSSING AND US PASSPORT-- For good  information go to  www.infonorth.net

 For the CANADIAN RABC Form go to   www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/prog/canpass/rabc-pfre/menu-eng.html
 For the U.S. Passport go to your local courthouse or drivers license issuer.

You need the Canadian RABC and the U.S. Passport and Canada Fishing License before you arrive
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SO...PAPERWORK NEEDED
PASSPORT AND RABC....and FISHING LICENSE COST... AROUND $150.00 FOR THE FIRST TIME AND $25 AFTER THAT!

ONCE YOU HAVE THIS ACCOMPLISHED THE REST IS EASY....
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Criminal Records
Any individuals with a criminal record need to apply for a waiver. This can take 3-4 weeks and sometimes up to 6 months.

Driving While Under the Influence
Canada considers this a criminal offense and if you received one in the last five years you will not be allowed into the country. A possible fix is to call your state’s driving records and ask them to help with your records. Some states will lower it to careless driving and some states will allow this offense to be in state only so it doesn’t show up on all computer searches. It’s worth a try. If your DWI was over five years ago you can
apply for a waiver and receive one BUT I WOULD STILL CALL YOUR HOME STATE AND HAVE IT EXPUNGED IF POSSIBLE. If your DWI was over ten years ago, Canada will allow you to enter the country with no questions asked.

For admissibility questions, call 807-274-9780 or www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/rabc.html

STOKES BAY CAMP HAS THE FRIENDLIEST AND EASIEST ACCESS TO CANADA. WE RESPECT THEIR LAWS AND THEY RESPECT OUR FISHING TRIP AND VACATION TIME....IT REALLY IS THAT SIMPLE.

MISCELLANEOUS BORDER ITEMS

Alcoholic beverages, tobacco, firearms, insurance, radar detectors, mace You can bring in 1.14 Liters of hard liquor or a case of beer duty free. If you want to bring more it is simple, just declare it and pay the duty, it’s not that much. There is a number on the back of your RABC, when we leave the dock you can call and declare. Trust me, pay the little fee and you dont have to ruin your vacation or keep looking over your shoulder.

200 cigarettes or 50 cigars...again, if you bring more declare it and pay the duty, no sneaking, it just will cause problems. Canada tobacco shops offer Cuban cigars and expensive Cigarettes. If you buy cigarettes get the Export A medium or lights.

You must be 19 or older for the above rules to apply

Hunting Rifles, muzzleloaders or shotguns only please. Canada does not allow pistols or any other weapons in camp. Canada does not allow them in their country. Have your hunting license from your local state or last year’s Canadian license when coming up hunting.

Medical Insurance/Minors. Some policies will cover an air evacuation and hospital bill in Canada and some do not. Check with your agent. Minors need permission slips from their guardians.

Vehicles Double-check your plates, insurance cards, working lights, title and ownership documents While you are doing all this have your garage do the famous ten point check so your vehicle can make the trip without any problems. If you cross the border make sure you are buckled in. *Rental vehicles need special documents, ask your agency. If you are acccessing camp via the Ash River Trail your vehicle will remain in Minnesota.

Radar detectors and mace are illegal in Canada. Don’t bring them if your crossing at Fort Frances. Bear mace is ok but it has to say that on the can.

Money and taxes. All the stores in Fort Frances will give you a fair exchange on US dollars. For the best rates use your credit card. Stokes Bay accepts personal checks or cash only. We do not accept credit cards.
Nightcrawlers are the only live bait allowed across the border and I recommend bringing some.

Questions for crossing the border? Call Fort Frances Customs at 807-274-3655 or hyperlink to the above addresses


PASSING THROUGH CUSTOMS IN YOUR BOAT ...THIS IS THE SECOND MOST DESIRABLE ENTRY
CRANE LAKE  entry point is about 40 miles from camp and has both US and Canadian custom offices on the water. On Hwy 53 you will come to Orr, Minnesota, turn right at the sign that says Crane Lake and go to the end of the road. This access does not require the RABC form, you simply launch at Crane Lake, boat into Sand Lake and tie up to the Customs dock, they will come down and check you into Canada. This customs office is very relaxed and things generally go quite smoothly. Be aware that they do have computer access via satellite and your paperwork mentioned above needs to be in order. There is a public access at this point for your convenience and it is free parking. I work with Daryl Scott at Scott’s Seaplane Base which is just a mile past the public access. Daryl can help you load, orientate you to the map, and park your vehicle in a private patrolled area on his property. The cost is minimal and is well worth it. Besides Daryl is a good guy to know if you have problems. Call him ahead of time and tell him that you are heading up to Dan Houle’s Stokes Bay Resort and you need parking. His phone is 218-993-2341.



RAINY LAKE --THE BIG LAKE entry points are somewhere in the 30-39 mile mark for distance and are marked for navigation. This is a large lake and requires a large boat, although we have gone back and forth with a 15 hp Merc strapped onto a 16' Lund. This route is for the adventurous group that wants to tackle the large lake. You will not see much traffic and it is very, very remote. Give me a call and we can plan this one together. With modern day GPS it is a piece of cake.

You are required to use the Remote Area Border Crossing Permits for the Ash River access and Rainy Lake access. I recommend these for any boat in traffic and also for those that might have a glitch on their record. Once they issue the permit you are allowed in and out of Canada through the remote wilderness areas. These permits are available by downloading them from the computer. The search engine for Canada RABC is listed above.

http/www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/prog/canpass/rabc-pfre/menu-eng.html

If you are having problems, call 807-624-2162 for more info.

Maps are available at www.fishermapsmn.com order the E1 map that shows Crane, Sandpoint, Namakan and Rainy Lakes. This map will be marked with the US Coast Guard Buoy system that navigates you to Rainy Lake after the Kettle Falls motorized portage. On this map you will see the Stokes Bay area, stay on the south side of the bay and watch for our signs and camp! Can’t miss it cause we are the only one there. For those entering on the RABC through Kabetogama and Ash River you will also need the E-17. If you want to call Fisher Map, their number is 1-218-741-9544

WHEN YOU NAVIGATE THE BUOY MARKERS, KEEP THE RED ON YOUR LEFT GREEN ON YOUR RIGHT COMING TO CAMP, WHEN LEAVING PUT THE READ ON YOUR RIGHT RETURNING!

You have now read all the details so let’s get to the brass tacks.

FISHING GEAR! AND LICENSES. LICENSES MUST BE PURCHASE PRIOR TO YOUR TRIP. TWO WAYS FOR THIS....  YOU CAN GOOGLE SEARCH  ONTARIO FISHING LICENSE MNR this will bring you to the MNR site. Or quite simply get all of your parties information on a sheet and fax it to

     RAINY LAKE SPORTS     TELE; 807-274-6429   FAX #  807-274-1363

This year a plastic outdoor card will be mailed to you with your license. Then, next year you will simply fill out the information on-line and it will be downloaded right at your house.

Rainy Lake is a fishermen¹s dream come true. In-fisherman, American fisherman, and a bunch of the pros say this lake is one of North America’s top multi-species lakes. May right through September is our best months because Rainy is a big lake and doesn¹t get the August blues. In fact, some of our busy weeks are in July -August when the fishing is great and the weather is warm. I get a little nervous with all the hype these guys put out because we all know that fishing is fishing. Sometimes they jump in the boat, but usually we still have to pull them out of the lake with our fishing gear!

SMALLMOUTH BASS
Generally known as smalleys, these tremendous fighters have more fight per pound than just about any other fish alive. The action starts mid May and runs right through September. You can fish them like you fish largemouth. Ninety-nine percent of our smalleys are released. The growth rate for these fighters is under 2 inches per year. Pride yourself on releasing carefully. You might be catching a 10-year-old fish so let’s treat them like the prize they are. Mid May through June finds them spawning in the shallows and very aggressive top water hitters. They will go a little deeper as the summer goes on and then we fish the windy sides, weed lines, humps and reefs.

Check with your local bass shops for the latest and the greatest in finesse presentations. Twister tails, plastic worms, fat grubs, shad raps, Mepps spinners, road runners rapalas, top water baits, jerk baits, live crawlers, minnows and leeches all work well.

NORTHERN PIKE
Our pike fishing is stable and produces nice fish on every trip for the angler that pursuits these voracious feeders. Pike are in the shallows during May and early June and they hit on almost anything you throw at them. Later in the summer it is best to start following these fighting monsters into deeper water, along weed beds, or out on the humps and reefs. Traditionally these are catch and release fish but despite the bad press pike get, we still keep a few for shore lunches and meals at the camp. Rainy keeps its low water temps through July and with this warm water the table fare on pike is delicious. Trophy fish can be kept but a good picture and measurements will provide your taxidermist the tools he needs to create an artificial.

Check with your local bait shops and talk pike fishing with them and tell them where you are going. Don’t get sold on the whole store but a few good pike lures are a necessity. Your medium weight rods work fine on pike when you use a steel leader. A couple of favorites are the basic flashy spoons, large buzz baits and flashy spinners, minnow baits, crank baits, jerk baits, soft plastics and bottom jigs, some 6 inch musky baits that run deep work well.

WALLEYE
These trophy fish make for excellent angling and even better table fare. Shore lunch just isn’t shore lunch without these sought after banquet fish. Rainy Lake removed all commercial netting and has an excellent slot limit rule in place making for some of the best walleye fishing anywhere. Presentation and location vary throughout the year but you can always catch a walleye in 10 feet of water in Rainy Lake. Reefs, points, weed lines of coontail or cabbage, humps, boulders, and drop offs all hold walleye during
different times of the year. Sunrise and sunset hours, along with cloudy days finds these marble eyes working the shallows foraging for minnows. If you were going to be limited to one bait for walleye it would have to be a jig and a minnow! Always works always stays on the line. Luckily we don’t have to bring one bait so we recommend some of the following tried and trues: 1/8, 3/8, 1/2 ounce jig heads tipped with a minnow or plastics will probably be the most productive walleye bait you can bring along. Some jig heads have a very small spinner on the eyelet, if you can find these bring a few up along with the bucktails. Live bait tips the jig head and also plastics up to 3-inch grubs; 4-inch curly tails and finesse style worms will be effective with walleyes all summer long. As fishing goes, certain days, certain presentations and certain water all make the difference. To keep the action going on these certain days be prepared with crank baits, walleye divers, fat raps, shad raps, rattle raps and deep divers, slip bobbers. Lindy rigs, leech spinners, and crawler on a harness all work well on this trophy fish. Present your bait slow and wait for the classic light tap to indicate a hit. Don’t forget to bring a flat of crawlers, it’s the only live bait you can bring across the border. At Stokes Bay we say catch and eat some of these delicious white meat fish. Release the small ones and the big ones for future fishing. When using crank baits, switch the back treble to a single or pinch two barbs because it really cranks on their lips.

CRAPPIE
The crappie fishing in Stokes Bay can produce quality fish over 1 lb. With frequency for those that know how to rig for crappies. Small beetle spins tipped plastics or live bait has been effective. Slip bobbers and live bait, hair jigs, plain jigs, jigs with small spinners, and small crank baits have all produced fish at Stokes Bay. You can catch and eat some of these but it gets hard to keep those big slabbers after you just did battle with them.

STURGEON
Bottom feeders that hold in the current areas around the Stokes Bay area that don¹t get fished too hard but really should. No one in camp has really pioneered this untapped resource yet and we are waiting for someone to come up and give us a lesson or two. Last year we caught and released two of these beauty’s, both around the 30 lb. mark.

GENERAL
Depth Finder - A good portable is invaluable, compass or GPS to navigate with.
Fishing Rods - Light to medium action is all you will need spooled with 6-12 lb. test
Life Jacket - We have them at camp but having your own is better fitted to your comfort.
Solid pair of needle nose pliers - A net if you have one, stringer, small cooler for drinks, thermos, fish rag, bait bucket, fish marker buoy.

PACKING GEAR
Bring duffel bags not suitcases, grocery items boxed in small boxes, fishing rods must be broken down and bundled with the tip ends on the butt ends and tied together. It works great! Tubes also work well. Limit your cooler to small personal coolers and only one large per planeload; they take up a lot of room. No loose articles, everything should be in a Canvass bag or sack. Live Bait in oxygen packs and boxed. Ice in bags and boxes.

FINAL COUNTDOWN AND DESTINATION
Ok, your insurance is in order, groceries packed and your buddies don’t have any hidden criminal record or driving-under-influence convictions in the last 5 years! Helluva preparation list, ain’t it? If this is your first time to Canada it will get easier after this and once you discover our resources you will be back year after year.

DRIVING DIRECTIONS---GO TO OUR MAPS SECTION ON THE MENU...I HAVE IT COPIED
Our main trips originate at the Ash River Trail. A good road map is your best friend at this point. Check your mileage, some people come through Wisconsin northern route on Hwy 53 and enter Minnesota at Duluth and stay on 53 north to Ash River Trail and some go through Eau Claire, and catch Interstate 94 West and enter Minnesota at St. Paul and take Interstate 35 North to Hwy 33 North at Cloquet and then pick up Hwy 53 North to the border. Again, check your mileage and do the math. One is freeway all the way and the other is not. GO PAST ORR MINNESOTA 25 MILES AND TURN RIGHT AT JIMS ASH TRAIL STORE,,,,THIS IS A GREAT STOP FOR LAST MINUTE ITEMS,,,TELL HIM YOUR GOING TO DAN HOULES STOKES BAY CAMP FOR THE LOCAL DISCOUNT........................AFTER YOU TURN RIGHT FOLLOW TO THE VERY END IF I AM PICKING YOU UP. OR, IF YOU HAVE YOUR OWN BOAT YOU CAN TURN LEFT AT THE ASH RIVER VISITOR CENTER SIGN OR GO TO THE END FOR THE FRONTIER LODGE........YOUR CHOICE.....
 
If you are crossing the border at Internation Falls for a hunting trip only, prepare for an hour or so due to traffic on Saturdays. If you get in the night before, I recommend crossing the border and staying in Fort Frances at one of the local hotels. Do not stay at the Rainy Lake Hotel unless you really like the seedy side. The Rendezvous at 807-274-9811 is right next to the seaplane base on Rainy Lake and has clean rooms, restaurant and bar. If they don’t have room ask them for another hotel or call the Chamber at 800-820-FORT. If you want to stop before the border I might recommend
stopping in the Virginia/Eveleth area about 90 miles before the border. Two good hotels are the Super 8 Hotel at 1-800-800-8000 (national) local is 1-218-744-1661 or the Eveleth Inn at 1-888-354-6230, this last one has the full bar/restaurant set up.

Cross the border and take Scott Street right through downtown Fort Frances, on the right hand side you will see the IGA if you need any last minute food items. Back on the road continue down until you see the lake, at this point the road swings left onto the frontage road along the lake. One mile down you will see Rainy Lake Sports, stop there and buy your hunting licenses. YOU MUST HAVE A HUNTING LICENSE FROM YOUR STATE OR A FIREARMS SAFETY CARY. 

Each trip is different so make sure you have your plans and directions. If you are flying out continue down the road for 1.5 miles more and you will see Rusty Meyers Flying Service just past the Rendezvous hotel. Pull in the parking lot and you’re set for the fly-in. If you are running late or have questions call the flying service at 1-807-274-5335.

If you are boating out from Fort Frances on a hunting trip we will meet you at Rainy Lake Sports.

Congratulations! You made it to camp - now what?
When your plane or boat arrives at camp, you will be greeted at the dock where your crew will help off load the plane, and start getting your gear into the cabin. Once this chore is complete we will go through a camp orientation for your convenience and safety for enjoying your new fishing camp for the week. You will be assigned a boat and motor and we will distribute maps and check over the fishing hot spots. It will be your duty to keep your boat clean and safe, any busted props or misused gear becomes your liability and we will have to charge you for it so pay close attention at the map work. All camps charge this fee for gear abuse. In the last two years no one has had to pay anything, so don¹t be alarmed just pay close attention. At camp you always have to remember that the nearest hospital is a very long ways away. Once you are settled in, the week is yours to plan and do what you want. This is a fisherman friendly camp,,,that means that after the day visit with the neighbors and share some hotspots and whats working and whats not....WELCOME TO STOKES BAY OUTPOST CAMP.