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The TRL Difference |
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We get many questions about TRL and Labrador from potential guests that have either never been to Labrador or have been to one of Labrador’s other lodges. Why should I come to TRL instead of another lodge? Why Labrador instead of Alaska, New Zealand, or Argentina? There are several things that make Three Rivers Lodge exciting and distinct from other lodges, no matter where they are located
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Our River System The Woods River is a vast and largely unfished watershed in the most inaccessible part of Labrador. We are protected from Labrador’s few population centers by both distance and one of the largest reservoirs in the world, Smallwood Reservoir. The only way to reach our area is by float plane or by a daunting trip across this huge reservoir followed by a harrowing upstream trip through 50 miles of freestone rivers and connected ponds with numerous portages around white water rapids. The net result of all this is a true pristine wilderness that largely remains untouched by human hands. The river system is so large and varied that we can experience the widest variety of fishing imaginable; from tiny uncharted, unfished feeder streams to wild mountain freestone streams, calm backwaters and ponds to brawling powerful rapids with true big river fishing situations. Our lodge is centrally located in this watershed with very easy access by canoe or floatplane to this entire wilderness. Best of all, TRL has been a catch and release, fly fishing only lodge since our inception. The net result is that we have a tremendous population of large brook trout in their native setting; unspoiled, undamaged and free from human predation and “management”. We recognize that these giant brookies are there because they have been undisturbed for millennia and we want to carry on that absolute minimal impact. We recognize that the entire system needs to remain in balance forever. For example, we have many large Northern Pike in our watershed. Many lodges have made a habit of killing as many pike as possible because they eat brook trout. We believe that one of the primary reasons we have so many large brook trout is precisely because there are numerous predators like pike, eagles and ospreys providing a natural selection process that allows the strongest and healthiest fish to survive. |
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Native Trout in their Natural Environment So why come to TRL instead of New Zealand, Argentina and Chile? In addition to the easy answer that we are much closer, our Labrador brook trout are native fish, swimming in their ancestral waters in the natural environment where they were created. All of the trout in New Zealand, Chile and Argentina are imports. They are non-native fish that have been transplanted into an environment where they don’t belong. While they can still be fun to catch and the scenery is undoubtedly beautiful, there is no substitute for the true feeling of connection with nature that comes from catching native fish in their natural environment. Besides, wild Labrador brook trout are the most beautiful fish in the world. |
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River versus Flat-water Fishing One of the major distinctions between TRL and other Labrador lodges is that we focus on wade fishing in the rivers rather than pond or lake fishing from a canoe. This is partly due to our personal preferences for wading and partly to the number of productive rivers and streams in our system. Many Labrador lodges are situated on lakes and you spend the vast majority of your week sitting in a canoe, occasionally visiting the inlet or outlet to stretch your legs. While you can certainly chose to spend your week in a canoe at TRL if that’s your preference, we have found that most people enjoy the feel of the river and flowing water so much that they want to spend most of their time knee deep in the river. Unfortunately, many Labrador lodges just don’t have access to enough flowing water to make that a viable option for a week-long fishing trip. |
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Seclusion Three Rivers Lodge is 150 miles from the nearest town, but that’s not all. We only allow 10 fly fishers onto our huge watershed at any one time. The only people you will see while on the river are your partner and your guide. Unlike Alaska lodges where there could be 30 others in camp and where you frequently compete with other lodges for a place to stand in the river, TRL offers true seclusion for all our guests while they are fishing. But when the day is done, you’ll have your choice of continuing your seclusion after dinner in your own cabin with a good book or your own ruminations of the day, or gathering in the lodge with the other guests and our staff for some camaraderie, friendly card games and soothing libations. |
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Fly-outs Another thing that distinguishes TRL from other Labrador lodges is that we include two fly-outs on our river system in the price of our weekly package. This allows us to fly you to one of our remote camps for an overnight stay or to simply spend the day on that remote stream that looked good from the air, or to reach that remote spot where the brookies are stacked up like cordwood. It also serves another purpose which is to spread our guests out to reduce the fishing pressure on some of our nearest river systems so that they will continue to remain healthy and pristine. We also have numerous boats and canoes scattered throughout our river system for additional mobility after you have flown out. Fly-outs to more remote locations for Arctic Charr and Landlocked Salmon (available for an additional charge to cover flying costs only) add still another dimension to the TRL angling program. |
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Staff The partners and staff of TRL are committed to the idea that every guest should enjoy a wilderness angling experience that exceeds his/her expectations. Our lodge is staffed with some of the finest people that we have ever met. We are fortunate that the very high personnel standards we set have attracted some truly wonderful people. Many of our guests leave having justly made new, lasting friendships. We do our best to insure that our staffs experience in the wilderness is enjoyable and rewarding so that they will continue to return and grow with us. |
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Our Facilities We believe our facilities are easily the finest of any lodge in Labrador. All of our guest cabins are sturdy, built with the best materials, and tightly built to minimize insect invasions. Though they are new, they are largely built from traditional native materials - log rafters and paneled walls – and exude the warmth and mood of time-honored sporting camps. There is a private bedroom and bath for every two guests that includes a shower with hot and cold water and “just like home” fixtures and plumbing. Each two and four person cabin has a common room for relaxation with a refrigerator for your beverages and snacks, and a wood stove to knock the chill off on cooler nights. Our beds and bedding are high quality and comfortable. Rooms are cleaned daily and linens changed regularly. Our main lodge is also well built of the best materials and spacious enough for everyone to relax. All of our buildings are connected by raised walkways to avoid mud during inclement weather. |
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Safety Because we are in a very remote area, the safety of our guests and staff is of paramount importance. Every year, we train and re-train our staff in first aid, CPR, small boat handling, and wilderness survival. Most of these skills and attributes come naturally to TRL folks because we are highly selective in issues of character, instinct and ability. We provide the highest quality equipment for our guides; the best boats and motors, certified aircraft, and communications including radios and satellite phones. Each guide carries a GPS and a satellite phone at all times so they can respond to an emergency situation, communicate with the lodge and each other, or even call in a med-evac helicopter if an emergency arises. |
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Stewards of the Wilderness We spare no effort to protect the environs that we have the great fortune to utilize each summer. We practice catch and release at all levels. Perhaps more importantly, we have invested in the proper tools and techniques to disperse our fishing activities and, therefore, minimize the pressure that even a few anglers per week can put on a river system. This effort includes providing far more boats and motors than would be normally required. It includes providing a float plane in camp to comfortably and efficiently move our anglers over a larger area. We have built a unique outpost camp down river as well as several tent camps in the remote headwaters. While these investments were designed to reduce angling pressure on the water, they also provide a remarkable variety of wilderness sporting opportunities for our guests.
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We are privileged to have discovered a brook trout fishery second to none. The Woods River system with its streams and tributaries produces extraordinary and abundant specimens of salvelinus fontinalis, bright, strong river trout. It is and will remain an ecosystem very worth protecting. We are confident that the Three Rivers Lodge experience offers our guests the very best in a wilderness fly fishing adventure. |
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