FISHING AND HUNTING GUIDES

Sam Rose

Sam returns in 2018 for his third year at MRL. Sam has made himself an invaluable part of the MRL team, working tirelessly to study and learn our waters, hunt down new fishing holes, tracking fish behavior and marking structures in order to optimize guests’ productivity for every trip. He never tiers of fishing and is always looking for ways to change the game and improve results. It’s his passion.Sam Rose GuideSam Rose Guide fish hunt

Equally enthusiastic about our bear hunt program, Sam yearns for every minute he can spend in the bush. Weather its building new stands or repairing others, brushing new and existing trails, studying game trails and bear behavior or rethinking baiting strategies… he plays to win every time. Sam oversees and maintains a rigorous baiting protocol that produces high activity rates each season.

Two things we’ve learned about Sam – his passion for the outdoors is limitless and, don’t give him a challenge unless you’re prepared to see it through with him! 

Sam grew up in Gananoque, Ontario and was introduced to the outdoors at a very young age. He spent many years fishing local waters chasing large and smallmouth bass, pike and walleye becoming a proficient and avid angler. His intrigue and passion for the outdoors led him to also take up hunting in his youth, pursuing both large and small game including waterfowl and upland birds, deer and moose. Today he is a knowledgeable outdoorsman, equally comfortable in the bush and on the water and eager to share his experience helping others enjoy, learn and succeed in their wilderness pursuits.

Prior to joining MRL, Sam also guided successful whitetail deer and black bear hunts in northern Saskatchewan. There he attended to all aspects of hunt operations including clearing and brushing, sighting reports, baiting, transportation, tracking and retrieval and processing of game. He worked closely with hunter guests ensuring their safety, providing guidance and advice and ultimately meeting their needs for optimizing their experience and success. 

Sam has also trained and worked in the resort hospitality industry in various roles including maintenance, grounds keeping and food preparation. He possesses a strong work ethic, positive demeanor and commitment to customer service.

Needless to say, we are thrilled to have Sam back for 2018. We love him and our guests love him. Welcome back Sammy!

Sean Costello

Sean Guide at Marten River LodgeSean joins MRL for the 2018 season and we are excited to welcome him to the team. Having grown up in North Bay and area, Sean has spent most of his life in the bush and on the water…fishing and hunting many species of wildlife and developing a remarkable knowledge of the outdoors.

A true northerner at heart, Sean exudes deep passion and a feverish enthusiasm for all things outdoors. He holds nothing back and is eager to share his insights and experiences with our guests. He brings his lifetime of local, in-field expertise on area lakes and waterways, and practical awareness of the bush, wildlife and real-life accounts of northern living.

Sean’s connection with the outdoors is an honest one. Raised and tutored by his father and a close network of friends and family members with ties to the outdoors in government and the outfitting industry, he has a genuine respect for the environment and an intimate understanding of the laws and regulations that govern and protect our natural resources. He has hunted and guided large game hunts in the Koko Lake and Nipissing regions of northern Ontario, the Blue Ridge Mountains of West Virginia and Alberta’s Rocky Mountains. Sean’s fishing experience is equally diverse, gained over a decade of guiding and putting people on many species of fish in all seasons. Sean guide at Marten River Lodge

“It’s not about taking a record or who caught the largest fish or who harvests the biggest bear. It’s the friendships we make; the memories we share that last. That is priceless and what spending time outdoors is really about”, says Sean.  

Throughout his professional career, Sean has worked in various industry sectors in Ontario and Western Canada including utilities, firefighting, iron works, property management and railroad operations. He is proficient and certified in a broad range of skills from heavy equipment operation and maintenance, welding and steel fabrication, communications and transportation, to systems management. 

Combined, Sean’s skills assets and outdoors life experiences complement the high service level standards we strive to uphold at MRL in providing our guests with The Ultimate Outdoor Adventures we so proudly deliver. He joins a dedicated team committed to guests who come to MRL from around the globe to build lasting memories and experience northern Ontario the way it is meant to be lived.

Welcome to the team Sean!

Brian Dougall

Fishing guide Brian Dougall Marten River LodgeA.K.A. “The Fish Whisperer”, Brian has been guiding in the Temagami region for over 40 years and a member of our guide pool at MRL for many years. He is regarded as one of the most knowledgeable outdoorsmen in the area, having spent most of his life in Marten River, moving here with his parents when they owned and operated their own fishing camp. 

A trapper by trade, entrepreneur and multi-talented tradesman, there’s not much Brian doesn’t do. His cool and calm demeanor and dry sense of humour makes spending time with him on the water a unique and entertaining experience. Not to mention his natural ability to get you on fish! You’d swear he speaks to them!

Brian has fished just about every lake in the area and has trained others in the art and science of guiding. Few have mastered his magic touch. “Old School” in his approach, he is a champion of the back-trolling technique that is the mainstay of fishing in our northern waters and a proven method for high-volume productivity. 

Many people marvel at Brian’s simple, straight forward and unpretentious disposition. He is an honest, gentle man with real-life stories that exemplify the northern wilderness experience. With Brian, there’s no fuss, no muss…just a genuine, matter-of-fact, get-‘er-done attitude about fishing. And when the stringers are full, that says all he needs to say. 

After a successful day’s fishing and guests return to camp, Brain enjoys a beer (or six) in the garage and sharing new and old stories that captivate and inspire. He has been a friend and mentor to Marten River Lodge for many years, an active member of our community and we are grateful for his association with us. 

Here’s to another season Brian…and more great stories to come! 

Dave Simpson

Dave Simpson GuideDavey has been associated with MRL through three different owners over the past 17 years and worked as a Guide for most of that time. In fact, he played a leading role in the development of MRL’s back lake fishing and bear hunt programs which remain key drivers of the business today. The protocols and service standards he helped establish remain firmly engrained in our operations.

A proficient hunter, angler, trapper, knife maker and outdoorsman, Davey cut his way through our vast wilderness to explore and open up remote lakes in the pursuit of quality fishing experiences for MRL guests. Similarly, he combed through 150 square kilometers of our Bear Management Area to locate and construct our stands and blinds and create optimal positions for MRL’s bear hunt program. His legacy of work remains core to guest experiences today and MRL’s ongoing success as a premier lodge.

In more recent years, Davey has been part of our mentorship team and a tremendous resource to us and to a new generation of guides who have benefited from his tutelage and who now carry on the tradition of providing our guests with the Ultimate Outdoor Adventure. Though Davey now runs his own Home Inspection business, he remains a valued ally to the MRL team and occasionally guides for us when his schedule permits.

Guests who have the opportunity to venture out into the bush and on the water with Davey are in for a special treat, some great stories and a memorable day’s experience.




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