Saskatchewan’s Cree River belongs on every pike angler’s bucket list—especially if you fly-fish. Here’s why

#2  There is no better place to land a huge fish on the fly rod

For fly anglers—especially those from the United States, where pike are uncommon or not always recognized as the spectacular gamefish they are—the Cree system might be the best freshwater fly-fishing destination you’ve never heard of. Most people picture throwing spoons and spinners for pike, but these waters flip that script entirely. With sprawling weedbeds, shallow bays and channels alive with baitfish, this water feels custom-built for fly anglers. Even better, it’s often clear enough for classic sight-fishing, letting anglers play the “cast 40 feet at 2 o’clock” game usually reserved for tropical flats.

Of course, conventional anglers do exceptionally well here too, but for fly anglers there are few better places to get big pike on the long rod. At some northern lodges, fly anglers can feel like second-class citizens in a world built around hardware. Not here. The guides understand the needs of fly anglers, from positioning the boat for a proper backcast, to knowing when to slow down and let you work a promising bay.

That’s not hyperbole. Cree River Lodge has even outfitted a few boats with saltwater-style poling platforms, so guides can quietly push anglers into the perfect position for a cast. For pike enthusiasts, this is the holy grail: shallow, clear water; aggressive fish and the chance to throw big flies—including topwater patterns—at very large fish.

And there’s another wrinkle: Unlike fly fishing for bonefish or tarpon, which requires a fairly high level of technical skill, pike aren’t all that hard to hook on the fly. As massive apex predators, they’re not terribly spooky, and they like to eat. So if you’re a trout angler who’s always dreamed of a big fish, but you’re not ready for saltwater, this is an excellent chance to land a truly big fish.

#3  The location is wild and remote, yet comfortably civilized

Getting here feels like an adventure. There are few roads in northern Saskatchewan, so you load your gear onto a floatplane and lift off over a vista of boreal forest and nameless lakes. When the pontoons touch down, you’re stepping into true wilderness: no towns, no crowds, just eagles wheeling overhead and loons calling across the bay. In fact, CRL is the only outfitter on Wapata Lake and a long stretch of the Cree River, so there’s no competition for good spots.

But even though it’s remote, it’s still plenty comfortable. The lodge has cozy, modern cabins, a cheery dining and lounge area and first-rate staff. Here, the skilled guides are all anglers themselves, and the boats—including both traditional aluminum models, the poling boats and even a pontoon boat for those who need more stability when fishing—are perfectly matched to the fishery. This isn’t roughing it; it’s wilderness fishing with just enough civilization to make life comfortable.