SASKATCHEWAN FISHING LODGES

Twin Falls Lodge, A River Runs Through It

By Bill Schneider, video by Gene Colling, 8-21-09

	Watching canoeists from the deck, a group shore lunch, one of many Churchill River walleyes, and the historic church and cemetery at nearby Stanley Mission. Photos by Bill Schneider and Gene Colling. Video by Gene Colling.

“Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it.”

That’s Norman Maclean’s frequently quoted brilliance from his book, A River Runs Through It, and what you can’t help thinking about when staying at Twin Falls Lodge in northern Saskatchewan.

It isn’t Montana’s Blackfoot River Maclean made famous, but the mighty Churchill River, which flows freely through a series of sprawling lakes long-gone glaciers gouged out of the Precambrian Shield. These lakes essentially become wide spots in the river. The Cree name for the river is Missinipe or Great Water, and I couldn’t imagine a better description.

The river basically flows under the deck at the main lodge building at Twin Falls Lodge, which probably has the most scenic setting of any fly-in fishing lodge in Canada. The rustic fishing camp, formerly known as Beyond La Ronge Lodge, is located on a bend in the river between two major waterfalls, Robertson Falls and Twin Falls.

It has eight guest cabins, built with local logs and connected by stone walkways, and a main lodge with a cozy lounge and dining room where hearty, home-cooked meals are served and a large deck overlooking Robertson Falls. Sitting on the deck after dinner and watching the sun melt into the falls is almost worth the trip even if you don’t wet a line.

But that’s for after dinner. Before dinner, and the main reason for a trip to Twin Falls Lodge, is the fishing.

The Churchill River System is a world-famous walleye fishery, so no surprise, the walleye is the major game species at Twin Falls Lodge. We spent most of our three days there jigging for “pickerel,” as they’re often called in Canada, both on the river, sometimes right below the waterfalls, and just downstream from the lodge in immense Mountain Lake. (Nobody word, though, on why it’s called “mountain lake.” It’s probably 500 miles to the nearest mountain.)

We caught several northern pike in the process, so if you want to target pike, I expect you’d have plenty of action.

Twin Falls Lodge also offers short (half-mile or less) portages to three remote lakes (Burnett, Gross and Sotkowy) that might see fewer than 20 anglers per year--or you can take a fly-out excursion for a day on an even more remote lake. We spent one day at Sotkowy and had some great walleye fishing there.

Ron Cojocar manages Twin Falls Lodge along with his wife, Karen, and their 23-year-old son, Leigh. Karen and Ron are experienced; to say the least, having been married 32 years, 28 of them spent managing Twin Falls Lodge.

What’s so special about Twin Falls Lodge compared to the other 200 fishing lodges in Saskatchewan? 

“It’s only camp in the area and a lot of camps have to share their waters with other camps,” Cojocar answers. “With the waterfalls and islands, we have one of the most beautiful spots in Canada.”

The lodge, he notes, has exclusive rights to a six-mile stretch of the Churchill River plus 30-mile long Mountain Lake.

I always like it when managers use the word “camp” to describe the lodge or resort. That tells me the emphasis is still on being a fishing camp instead of a luxury lodge. But at Twin Falls Lodge, you have both.

Cojocar also prides himself on the quality of his shore lunches, and I can confirm that. At noon every day, the native Cree guides all meet at a pre-designated time and place and work as a team--filleting, cooking, serving, and cleaning, all rapid, efficient, and friendly.

I can also confirm that this is not always the case at fishing lodges. I’ve seen guides drag out lunch two hours or more, which frustrates me because it means less time spent fishing in the afternoon.

Another difference between Twin Falls Lodge and many others is what you could call gender diversity. Three couples were staying there when we visited Twin Falls Lodge, which is something you don’t see that often at fishing lodges, traditionally occupied almost exclusively by men. This is partly due to the great location and breathtaking scenery, but it’s also the result of Cojocar’s innovative marketing. He even has one week reserved for women only, and he gives out trophies for the most and biggest fish caught. The Ladies Only Week has been so popular, that he had to expand it to two weeks this year. If interested, click here,

Cojocar pays more attention to details, especially for new anglers, than any camp manager I’ve met. He has spinning outfits for guests who don’t have their own gear and provides tackle boxes with a few walleye jigs he knows work (i.e. precisely the right weight and color), plus one pike spoon, the Five of Diamonds, perhaps the most common lure in Canada. That’s all you need to catch fish here, he notes. He also provides little coolers with an inch of ice frozen in the bottom to keep beverages cool all day.

In fact, Cojocar runs the entire camp with military precision. He wakes up guests at 6:45 am for coffee and tea, if they aren’t already up, and breakfast is at 7:15 am sharp. You get the picture.

The lodge is nicely situated on a small ridge with the main lodge and cabins on one side and the boat dock, filleting station and generator building on the other. This means a little exercise getting from the boat dock to the lodge (unless you take a ride on the old three-wheeler), but it also means you don’t have to listen to the generator running at night, or smell it, which you must do at most fishing lodges. (You don’t have to lug your gear, though. That’s winched uphill on a trolley and then carted over to the lodge in a trailer pulled by the three-wheeler.)

One more advantage is the cost of getting there. You can’t drive to Twin Falls Lodge, fortunately, but you can get there by driving to a nearby native community called Stanley Mission and taking a half-hour boat ride to the lodge. This saves you about $200 off the price.

One night after dinner Leigh treated us with that half-hour boat ride up to Stanley Mission to see the oldest building still standing in Saskatchewan, which is also the oldest church west of Manitoba. Built in 1856 and recently restored, the Holy Trinity Anglican Church of Stanley Mission features more than a 1,000 pieces of stained glass originally brought over from England. Out back is a large cemetery with little picket fences erected around each gravesite to keep away evil spirits during the afterlife.

Both the church and this section of the Churchill River have been declared an historic site, which means, according to Cojocar, “there can be no more building or damming of the river.”

So, I guess that means the river will always run through it and under the deck of Twin Falls Lodge. Don’t miss your chance to enjoy it.

For more NewWest.Net coverage of fishing in Saskatchewan, click here.

Like this story? Get more! Sign up for our free newsletters.