Diaries of a Lodge Owner

Spend an hour with JP Bushey, and you'll quickly understand why his reputation as one of eastern Georgian Bay's premier fishing guides has spread far beyond Ontario's shores. Unlike those who picked up a rod five years ago after watching a YouTube sensation, JP's connection to these waters spans four generations – fishing isn't just what he does, it's literally in his blood.

When JP made the l...

Nestled in the heart of Northern Ontario's wilderness, Buck Lake Lodge stands as a testament to authentic backcountry experiences. Owner John Moffatt welcomes us with stories that span generations, having been born into a trapping family and nearly delivered in a remote cabin. His journey from childhood in the bush to engineering school and ultimately back to lodge ownership reveals a deep connection to these waters that trans...

Ever wondered what happens when a childhood fascination becomes a thriving business? Meet Terri Faloney, the passionate force behind Hammer Hives, whose journey from curious novice to "bee whisperer" offers a masterclass in following your calling.

Terri's story begins with loss and a farm that had lost its vitality. Looking to bring life back to her family property, she turned to honeybees after learning abo...

Stepping off a float plane into the pristine wilderness of Northern Ontario – tired, dirty, and utterly happy – is the moment Melanie Veilleux lives for. As the owner of Hearst Air, she's witnessed this transformation countless times over nearly five decades in the outfitting business.

Born into the family operation when her father pursued his dream of bush plane flying, Melanie offers rare insight into a world few ge...

When the thermometer pushes past 30°C at a wilderness lodge, everything changes. The heat transforms more than just the comfort level—it reshapes the entire rhythm of the north, from fish behavior to guest experiences and staff management.

In this scorching episode of Diaries of a Lodge Owner, I take you through the unvarnished realities of managing extreme heat in the wilderness when air conditioning isn't an option....

Ever wondered what truly separates an ordinary fishing trip from an extraordinary one? It might just be the person sitting next to you in the boat.

Great fishing guides transform what could be a simple day on the water into a rich tapestry of experiences, stories, and connections that last long after the rods are packed away. As someone who built a successful lodge business on Ontario's French River, I discovered earl...

Ever watched the sun rise over a pristine northern lake and thought, "I could do this for a living"? Before you mortgage your home and cash in your retirement savings, you need to hear the raw, unfiltered truth about what it really takes to run a fishing lodge.

Steve Niedzwiecki, former owner of Chaudière Lodge on Ontario's French River, pulls back the curtain on the reality behind the dream job. From the he...

Have you ever wondered what it really takes to turn your fishing lodge dream into reality? Willie and Krista Pawlowsky pull back the curtain on their latest adventure - purchasing and launching Two Rivers Lodge in northwestern Ontario in under 60 days.

The couple shares their journey from vision to execution with remarkable candour. After stepping away from Nordic Point Lodge, they weren't planning another venture so ...

The sweet golden nectar we call honey might be the most remarkable food on earth—the only substance that truly never expires. Egyptian tombs revealed 5,000-year-old honey still perfectly edible, a testament to nature's most extraordinary preservative.

Gary Tibbo returns to the podcast to reveal the secrets of beekeeping, from setting up your first hive to harvesting liquid gold. With 15 years of experience tending bee...

A flame flickers inside the wheel well of a beloved 1992 Ford F-250, threatening to consume it. Just days earlier, another flame—hope for the Toronto Maple Leafs—had burned briefly before being extinguished in yet another Game 7 heartbreak. Such is the rhythm of life for our host this week, where catastrophes and triumphs arrive in clusters.

This episode chronicles an eventful week that begins with the emotional saga of th...

What makes a three-mile stretch of seemingly uniform weed line suddenly produce fish in one specific spot? Why do nine out of ten strikes happen in the exact same location? These are the questions that separate casual anglers from true fishing experts.

Muskie guru Matt O'Brian joins us on the French River to reveal his systematic approach to finding productive fishing spots—a method that has made him one of the most s...

Have you ever wondered what it feels like to control thousands of tons of steel, stretching nearly three miles behind you? In this captivating conversation, Willie sits down with Matt Oleski, a train engineer whose decade-long railway career provides a fascinating glimpse into one of North America's most essential yet mysterious professions.

Matt shares his journey from construction work to becoming a fully qualified ...

Some of life's greatest lessons emerge from weathering unexpected storms. In this deeply reflective episode, I explore how the literal thunderstorms of Northern Ontario and the metaphorical storms of major life decisions have shaped my journey as a lodge owner.

The wilderness demands respect. I share the harrowing midnight experience that taught me this truth—slipping off a boat during a violent storm and nearly falli...

There's something magical about outdoor gatherings—those special moments where food, nature, and companionship blend together to create lasting memories. In this episode, Willie the Oil Man takes us deep into the art of the shore lunch, a beloved Canadian tradition that transcends simple outdoor cooking.

Willie shares decades of hard-earned wisdom on creating unforgettable wilderness meals. From selecting the perfect ...

Gary Tibo's life story reads like an adventure through Canada's cultural identity. Raised in the Sudbury Basin with Aboriginal roots—his father a Beothuk native from Newfoundland—Gary grew up hunting with a loaded gun at age ten, bringing fish home after school, and learning to live completely off the land. His father's determination that Gary wouldn't follow him into the dangerous mining industry led to an appr...

From the moment a float plane touches down on a remote lake to the camaraderie of sharing stories around a community dinner table, the outdoor adventures waiting in Canada's wilderness create memories that last a lifetime. In this captivating episode, Steve and Willie draw on their extensive experience as former lodge owners to guide you through planning the perfect outdoor getaway.

Now is the crucial time when savvy ...

Ever had that perfect fishing moment slip away? Now imagine it happening on international television.

When British angler Matt Hayes and German social media star Babs Kijewski arrived at Chaudière Lodge in 2015, Steve Niedzwiecki was determined to showcase the best of Ontario's Upper French River for their series "Castaway Canada." What unfolded instead was a masterclass in Murphy's Law and human dynami...

Deep within Canada's Arctic territory lies a world most Canadians will never experience - a place where snowmobiles are purchased at the grocery store alongside milk, where polar bears rip steel doors off community freezers to steal walrus meat, and where lake trout grow to mythical proportions. This is the world Justin Jenkins has embraced, splitting his life between Winnipeg and remote Nunavut communities where he works in m...

As winter's grip begins to loosen and the snow starts melting away, Willie and I find ourselves eagerly anticipating spring's arrival. There's something magical about these seasonal transitions – that feeling of renewal and the rush of excitement as we prepare for all that the warmer months bring.

This week, we're diving deep into springtime activities that connect us to the land and its rhythms. I shar...