About fifteen years ago, I loaded my truck and headed north to Labrador for the first time. I knew I was going in search of brook trout. What I didn’t know was how much the journey itself would come to mean to me, or how the people waiting at the other end would become part of my life.
Since then, heading north has become an annual tradition. Each year, I pack the truck with rods, fishing gear, and bags and begin the long drive toward a place I’ve come to know and love.
You might think that after fifteen years, some of the excitement would wear off. But when the truck is loaded and I’m ready to pull away, I still feel that familiar anticipation. There are a lot of miles ahead, and I look forward to seeing what they bring.
A Stop Along the Way
One of my favorite parts of the drive is choosing a quaint Quebec town where I’ll spend the night.
By then, I’ve had enough time behind the wheel to appreciate getting out of the truck and slowing down. I find a place to stay, get settled, and look for a local restaurant where I can enjoy a good meal and experience a little of Quebec.
That dinner has become part of the trip. I enjoy taking the time to sit down, try the local food, and appreciate where I am. Tomorrow will bring another long stretch of highway, but for the evening, I’m happy to be right there.
Over the years, I’ve come to appreciate these stops more. When you travel a long distance, it’s easy to become so focused on arriving that you overlook everything along the way. A good meal in a small town can become a memory of its own.
There’s no need to hurry through all of it.
The Long Drive North
The following morning, I’m back in the truck for roughly seven more hours toward the twin towns of Wabush and Labrador City.
The northern highway takes me through country that still holds my attention after all these years. Forest, exposed rock, and water fill the landscape. Long stretches of road carry me farther from the places and routines I left behind.
It’s rugged, beautiful country, and there is plenty of time to look at it.
As the miles pass, my thoughts turn toward camp. I think about the people I’ll see, the water I’ll fish, and what the coming week might bring. I wonder how the fishing has been and what conditions will greet us.
Of course, I think about brook trout.
How could I not?
But there’s still road ahead, and I’ve learned to enjoy that part, too. The drive gives me time to settle into the trip. By the time I reach Labrador City, I’m ready to park the truck, stretch my legs, and enjoy the evening.
One More Night Before Camp
Labrador City is the last overnight stop before the floatplane flight into Three Rivers Lodge.
The routine is pretty simple: something to eat, a few drinks, and some time spent waiting for morning. After all those hours on the road, it feels good to relax. Still, there’s always a little restlessness. My gear is packed, the driving is finished, and camp is only about an hour away by air.
That final night can feel surprisingly long.
I’ve been looking forward to the trip for months, and now I’m close enough to picture arriving. I can see the lake, the dock, and the faces of the friends who will be waiting.
First, though, there’s breakfast and a flight to catch.
Leaving the Road Behind
We meet for breakfast before making our way to the floatplane base.
There’s a different feeling that morning. Everyone is getting ready to leave town and head into the bush. Bags and rod cases are gathered, and we go through the necessary preparations before boarding.
One of those steps is getting weighed along with our gear. The crew needs an accurate account of the passengers and baggage to calculate the aircraft’s load and balance. Every angler, duffel bag, and rod case has to be included.
After carrying everything in the truck for so many miles, it’s interesting to watch it all become part of a carefully arranged load aboard a floatplane.
Then we climb in.
The engine starts, and the next part of the adventure begins.
Labrador Through a Floatplane Window
I never get tired of that flight.
For roughly an hour, I look down over an enormous stretch of Labrador wilderness. There is water everywhere: lakes of different shapes and sizes, winding rivers, little ponds, and channels disappearing into the distance.
From the air, you begin to understand how much country is out there.
I find myself studying the water below and wondering what it holds. I’ll spot a narrow connection between lakes or a stretch of river and start imagining where a brook trout might lie. Before I can think much more about it, we’ve passed over another piece of water that looks just as inviting.
There are places down there I’ll probably never see from the ground. That thought stays with me. Even after years of returning, I’ve explored only a small part of this country.
Sometimes I simply stop searching for fishing spots and enjoy the view. The flight deserves my attention all on its own. Wide-open spaces stretch toward the horizon, and the farther we travel, the more distant the highway feels.
Eventually, we begin to descend, and I know we’re getting close.
Friends Waiting at the Dock
Landing on the lake is always a thrill.
The floats meet the water, spray rises, and the aircraft settles onto the surface. After looking down on so many lakes, we’re finally on the one that brings us to camp.
As we motor toward the dock, I start looking for familiar faces.
That’s one of my favorite moments of the entire trip.
Three Rivers Lodge sits deep in Labrador’s Woods River country, surrounded by the wilderness and native brook trout waters that brought me here in the first place. Over the years, the lodge has also become a place where I’ve built friendships.
Seeing those friends waiting at the dock means a great deal to me.
There are greetings, handshakes, and conversations to begin. We unload the gear, carry bags ashore, and catch up. After the long drive and the flight, it feels good to be standing there again.
I’ve arrived with a week of fishing ahead of me, but for those first few minutes, I’m happy just to see everyone.
The First Day Can Wait
Once we’re settled at camp, the first day offers a choice.
You can get your rods ready and head out fishing, or you can unpack, get comfortable, and take a little time to enjoy being there.
I understand the urge to get straight onto the water. We’ve traveled a long way, and Labrador brook trout are a powerful reason to pick up a fly rod. When you know what might be waiting, it’s easy to start reaching for your gear before your bags are even unpacked.
But I’ve also learned to appreciate a slower arrival.
Sometimes I want to put everything in its place, visit with friends, and look out over the lake. After days of traveling, it feels good to have nowhere else I need to go.
There’s no rush.
The fish are there, and they’re hungry. There will be time to meet them.
I want to enjoy these first hours at camp as much as I enjoyed the road and the flight that brought me here.
Why I Keep Going Back
After fifteen years, I still look forward to fishing Labrador. The thought of a wild brook trout taking my fly is enough to get my attention, and it always will be.
But when I think about this trip, I remember much more than fish.
I remember the truck packed and ready to leave. The Quebec town where I stopped for the night. A good dinner after a long day of driving. The highway stretching ahead through rugged country. Breakfast before the flight and the view through the floatplane window.
And I remember coming toward the dock, looking for my friends.
Those moments have become part of an annual journey that I’m grateful to make. Each year brings another chance to spend time in a remarkable place with people I’m glad to see.
When it’s time to leave home again, I’ll load the truck, check my gear, and point it north.
There’s still plenty of Labrador I want to see.
Join Me in Labrador
Sharing this place with other anglers has become another reason I look forward to returning. I enjoy watching someone take in that first floatplane flight, step onto the dock, and discover these waters for themselves.
If you’d like to join me, plan ahead. My hosted Labrador trip fills up quickly, and 2027 is already sold out. I’m now taking bookings for 2028.
To learn more or inquire about reserving your place, visit www.wanderingsportsman.com or email me at ray@wanderingsportsman.com.
I’d love to share the journey with you.
The Wandering Sportsman
Where the journey matters as much as the catch, the flush, or the harvest.
