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Posts: 398
Location: Wisconsin | I've been going to NW Ontario for a number of years now, but I would really like to try new water. I know Rowan and Dryberry are phenomenal waters, but is there much information on either of them in terms of topography? How about boat launches and camping regulations? |
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Posts: 349
| Dryberry is drive in with an access at the very northwest corner of the lake. People say the road in can be almost unusable but I haven't seen it first hand. Camping is not allowed.
As far as I know, Rowan is fly in only. I'm not sure if there's any resorts or out posts other than Nielsens.
Don Pursch has lots of experience on both lakes. He's obviously and openly biased towards Rowan but I think he could give you a good idea on what to expect from each lake as far as similarities and differences. I talked with him at a sports show about Dryberry, Rowan, and Crow... to say he was very helpful and knowledgeable would be an understatement. |
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Posts: 256
| I don't know anything about Dryberry but I have been to Rowan. It was a fantastic trip. In three days we caught 6 muskies, lost a few more and my wife caught her biggest fish ever (a 48" inch tank). I also saw one of the largest fish I've ever seen. I recently caught a 54.5 that my wife netted and my wife said it wasn't as big as the one we saw up at Rowan. We actually will be headed up to Rowan shortly for our second trip at Nielsen's. |
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Posts: 540
Location: Leech Lake, Walker MN | If there is any thing I can help you with be it Rowan Or Dryberry all you have to do is give me a call I will share what I know no problem |
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Location: Waukesha, WI, USA | We flew into Nielsen's Fly-In Lodge once. They treat you like kings and you'll see more pig muskies than you will ever see again. Catching them can be a little tough on flat calm blue bird days because the water is so clear. Highly recommend booking Don as a guide one day if he still does it. |
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Posts: 224
Location: Madison | Haven't fished Dryberry.
Rowan has three resorts. I've stayed multiple weeks at both Nielsen's and Rowan Lake Lodge. Nielsen's has a great central location, and good boats. RLL is cheaper, but the boats aren't nearly as good. Hook n horn is very high end/expensive, and tucked away in a corner of the lake that's decent in spring, but requires the most running to fish spots.
If you think you'll make more than one trip over the years, Rowan is a fantastic adventure. And well worth the investment in time. Will be heading back to Rowan (staying at Nielsen's) in early September, can't wait! |
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Posts: 7079
Location: Northwest Chicago Burbs | Video Info from Don about Rowan: http://muskie.outdoorsfirst.com/videos.asp?search=pursch
*and you can see over the years that I actually got skinnier. It's weird. |
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Posts: 76
| I have fished BOTH lakes---and they are very similar in their makeup. Big fish inhabit both systems. The only "rentable" property on Dryberry is Redden's outpost camp--- they were 120 bucks per person/per day the last time I checked. You have to drive to Longbow Lake (up near Kenora) to pick up the cabin keys and return them when you're trip's done--- unless you make other arrangements with the owners ahead of time. Nielsen's is a FANTASTIC trip---the people, food, accommodations, and fishing is TOP NOTCH. The fish are there to be caught---no doubt about it. Rowan is MUCH easier to get to---as the road to Dryberry is extremely difficult. Four wheel drive is a MUST---as you're driving over some very SKETCHY terrain and through some nasty water-filled holes. The fishing is very similar on both waterways----good weedbeds---great rock reefs---- islands, saddles, rock walls---- and open water baitfish schools to work. If you want an easier trip altogether---Rowan's the way to go! If you're looking for a more "rustic---middle of nowhere" kind of vibe--Dryberry is right up your alley. Good luck on whichever lake you decide to visit----Pat |
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Posts: 10
| I've heard that Dryberry is way to clear of a lake and with very litle weed growth.Rowan sounds like a better option |
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Location: Waukesha, WI, USA | I may add that if you take a break from muskies the lake trout and bass were easy to catch on Rowan. |
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Posts: 18
| Just Google "Nielsen's Fly-In Lodge" or "Rowan Lake" and you'll see tons of pics of great muskies and lots of pics of the same faces as they have a tremendous number of repeat fisherman and women who make their annual muskie hunt-trip-vacation to Nielsen's on Rowan. They also have a number of folks who make multiple trips each season. That says a lot about what's so special about this place!
Don and Lynn Pursch at Nielsen's go above and beyond to make your trip comfortable and memorable.
I've been going up there every year since 1994 (20 years) and I can't wait to get back up there next week!
Mitch
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Posts: 1767
Location: Lake Country, Wisconsin | Mike-n-Grey - 8/4/2014 11:22 PM
I've heard that Dryberry is way to clear of a lake and with very litle weed growth.Rowan sounds like a better option
I heard it is a great lake and has some serious giants in it....it is definitely on my bucket list |
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Posts: 16632
Location: The desert | I'd love to hear more about the road into Dryberry from anyone who had traveled it... |
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Posts: 7079
Location: Northwest Chicago Burbs | Pointerpride102 - 8/6/2014 3:58 PM
I'd love to hear more about the road into Dryberry from anyone who had traveled it...
Do you remember the "road of death" thread about this road? About the funniest thing ever posted on M1st. I looked, couldnt find it. |
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Posts: 16632
Location: The desert | Slamr - 8/6/2014 3:03 PM
Pointerpride102 - 8/6/2014 3:58 PM
I'd love to hear more about the road into Dryberry from anyone who had traveled it...
Do you remember the "road of death" thread about this road? About the funniest thing ever posted on M1st. I looked, couldnt find it.
I don't, but I'd love to read it.
I've been on some hairy mountain roads that I thought I was going to roll a truck. So I have an appreciation for truly terrible roads!
I ventured into a Canadian lake that the camp owners believed hadn't been fished in 15 years. Told us the road was terrible. Got to the lake and wondered what part of the road was the terrible part!
Part of the fun is getting there. |
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Posts: 1767
Location: Lake Country, Wisconsin | I also heard ( maybe they have made improvements since...?) that the camp on Dryberry is pretty dysfunctional and about as wild as the road is.....regardless, couple old timers have told me some great stories about the fishing. |
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Posts: 259
Location: Madison, WI | I have been to both. Here are my thoughts...
Dryberry is less expensive... UNTIL you figure in the cost of the new vehicle you will have to buy yourself after the "road of death" that you will have to travel on. I understand that we all want to catch 50+ inch muskies, but at some point, it just becomes a complete pain in the tush when you have to struggle that badly to get to a place.
Please keep in mind that in order to successfully fish for muskies (especially if bringing your own boat), you need access to two things:
1. Gasoline
2. Electricity (for charging your trolling motor batteries)
These were difficult to come by on my one (and only) trip to Dryberry. I'm not in any way saying this to keep people off of my secret "honey hole". I am willing to concede that Dryberry is loaded with huge muskies. But I would say "so what"?? Why does that even matter when the lake is nearly IMPOSSIBLE to get your boat into (without killing yourself). If you have your own float plane, by all means fish Dryberry for a day. But in my opinion, it's simply not worth it. After 2 days at Dryberry, I still remember my dad saying to me, "When do we make our escape from this place?"
We were both dreading our departure, and NOT because we were enjoying ourselves. But rather because we were dreading having to travel back over the "road from hell". It just plain wasn't fun. We didn't see or catch anything in 2 days there. We didn't fish appropriately either, because we were preoccupied with rationing the gas and electricity.
Rowan: This is the best musky water in the world, in my opinion. I have been to LOTW multiple times. I have fished Pipestone / Clearwater, Cedar, Perrault, Cliff, Eagle, Thaddeus, Crow, Minaki, etc. In my opinion, Rowan is the best.
I've been to Rowan 6 times (every year 1991-95, and again in 2004). Nielsen's Fly In was always my favorite place. HIGHLY recommended.
If you want to fish trout water, and don't want to fly, then I would suggest Crow Lake at Nestor Falls, or Pipestone Lake near Emo. (I have also heard good things about Longlegged / Stork, as well as Manitou, but never been to either of these places personally. These would be two other good trout water options to consider)
Dryberry? No way. Life is too short to waste your time with a backhoe, a shovel, and a chainsaw in an effort to get your boat to the landing. When you decide to launch your boat on Dryberry, it's a clear sign that your muskie fever has morphed into an neurotic obsession. Seek professional help immediately.
"Jackpot" John Schroeder
Edited by jackpotjohnny48 8/12/2014 3:05 PM
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Posts: 349
| JackpotJohnny, thanks for the post, it's interesting to hear form someone who has fished so many world class NW Ontario Lakes. When did you go into Dryberry? |
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Posts: 16632
Location: The desert | Great post John.
For me, the adventure of getting in sounds like half of the fun.
I've also heard the ramp there is actually pretty decent. Perhaps it just looks that way after traveling the road. |
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Posts: 259
Location: Madison, WI | TSwoboda and Pointerpride,
Thanks for the replies. To answer your question, we went to Dryberry in 2001. We intended it to be a 10 day stay. Ended up making our "escape" after 2 days. Then made a phone call to a friend of mine who worked at Big Narrows on LOTW, explaining that we still had 8 days to kill. They made some room for us, and my dad and I spent the last 8 days of our trip on LOTW.
I fished really hard the first day on LOTW (to make up for lost time). Caught a 41 inch muskie and 29 inch walleye on my Ghosttail on the first day (which helped ease the pain). Don't know if there have been any improvements since 2001, but there are too many other good waters up there besides Dryberry, that I'm not in any hurry to find out.
I really think that if you want a good shot at some big muskies on trout water (other than Rowan), I would rank them as follows (from most accessible to least accessible)...
1. Crow (right on the highway at Nestor Falls, and the fishing pressure is still light because LOTW is across the street).
2. Pipestone (Has no boat landing. You have to take the railroad portage from Clearwater. This is really not that difficult at all, but it seems to discourage excess traffic. Very low fishing pressure, in my opinion, and very scenic)
3. Manitou (You have to go down a logging road and launch on one lake and boat through to Manitou. I've never been all the way down the gravel road to check it out, but it looks FAR more manageable than the Dryberry Road).
Pointerpride: Trust me. I LOVE the adventure in NW Ontario. I just got back from there with my wife, and we did some canoe portaging through the woods for some fantastic fishing. But Dryberry is (or at least was in 2001) a complete nightmare.
Be safe and have fun, guys!
"Jackpot" John Schroeder
Edited by jackpotjohnny48 8/17/2014 7:40 PM
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Posts: 16632
Location: The desert | Good stuff, thanks John! |
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Posts: 76
| Hey there John,
While I most definitely agree with you that the logging road into Dryberry needs some vast improvements---- I just thought you'd like to know that I too have fished BOTH lakes with a "much different" set of results. I began fishing Dryberry in the early 90's and with the exception of our first year( had NO idea what we were doing at the time.) , someone in our fishing party has put a 48" plus fish in the boat EVERY trip up there. I began fishing Rowan in 1992----stayed at Nielsen's------I consider Don and Lynn to be great "friends". However--- the fishing there was CLEARLY not as impressive as my Dryberry experiences at that time. I revisited Rowan in 2012---my 20 year hiatus was at an end----had a great time--- caught fish up to 45 inches---lost a super hog! Went to Dryberry a month later caught 13 fish in 5 days three over 50. That old logging road and wild horses couldn't drag me away from Dryberry. I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree on WHERE the best musky waters are----- that old road is part of the "ADVENTURE" that IS Dryberry. Nothing great ever comes easy----and Dryberry is ONE great lake! Hope you're having a great season---- I'm headed up there tomorrow for some GIANTS---- just caught/released my 500th musky at the opener in June----- bring on that logging road---haha!!! Take care----Pat |
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Posts: 50
| What about Dryberry Falls resort. Does Louis still run or own the place yet? Went there once and it seemed like he was getting out of the resort business.
Brian |
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Posts: 956
Location: Home of the 2016 World Series Champion Cubs | secretbuck - 8/18/2014 6:59 PM
What about Dryberry Falls resort. Does Louis still run or own the place yet? Went there once and it seemed like he was getting out of the resort business.
Brian
Dryberry falls resort has been closed for a few years now. IMHO that was the best access for Dryberry. Sad to see Louis shut her down. |
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