Bear's Den Lodge

The Barefoot family are wonderful people! Would recommend their hospitality and services to everyone!

I first came here in 1990 and have been back many times since, if you want an amazing Canadian wilderness experience, with comforts of home, and a chance to catch the fish of a lifetime look no further. Brenda, Art, Joe, and Mike know what they are doing and have spent their lives on the river. Bear's Den is written into the history of our family and a big part of our lives.

My father and I recently visited bears den lodge, we had a great experience, from the start the people there were so helpful with telling us which spots to go to for the best fishing and even where the best views on the river are. About Halfway through our trip my dad got stung by a bee and his whole arm started to swell, once we went up to the lodge Brenda was able to help him with her nursing expertise and he was healed up in no time. Overall the experience was great, the people were amazing, and they really made us feel welcome.

Bears den is an amazing experience for anyone looking for a great fishing trip! Highly recommend to anyone!

I just spent 5 days in the Lodge and could not recommend this place more! Brenda and her family were excellent hosts and very accommodating. The cooking was delicious and they made sure we didn’t go hungry. I can’t wait to go back!

This was one of the most incredible experiences of my life. It's impossible to explain the feeling of being out on a lake, with nothing to worry about but fishing, for 6 days. Everything was handled for us, from our accommodations, meals and equipment. The staff at the lodge are wonderful and will do almost anything to make sure you are taken care of. The lake is gorgeous and the fishing was great!

Another terrific trip to Bear’s Den and the French River delta courtesy of Brenda, Art & Joe Barefoot and Mike! In my job good customer service is extremely important - the crew at Bear’s Den deliver a fantastic experience and then some. This was our 4th trip to the lodge - we missed a few years due to Parry Sound 33 (fire) and the pandemic. I was delighted to see that everyone was still there and that the lodge was exactly as I remember it. Some important highlights and things you should know:
- We booked the full American package which meant that we were eating in the lodge (breakfast, lunch and dinner). The food was excellent as it was on the previous trips and lots of it too! Lunch was a choice of either boxed lunch for the boat or return to the lodge if we wanted a mid-day break. Art’s cooking was brilliant as ever!
- Our rooms in the lodge were cleaned daily with fresh towels ready, better than many hotels. Brenda is meticulous about how clean and tidy the rooms are.
- Our boat was cleaned and serviced without any concern. After each trip back our gas was topped up and considering the price of fuel these days that was a very nice thing for them to do. Mike does a great job making sure that everything is in ship-shape and is very knowledgeable on fishing tips and tricks.
- Lots of room in the porch to store any excess gear that you might be brining in or don’t want to leave in the boats overnight.
- One of the reason’s we love the spot is the pool table and big TV. After a day of fishing what is better than relaxing and watching the NHL playoffs, or a Jay’s game, or soccer while playing pool and laughing about the day and trading fish stories!?
- We came in earlier than initially expected on Thursday and left on Monday morning … no problem at all. Joe does a superb job water-taxiing you to/fro Hartley Bay House/Marina when you arrive … and you aren’t standing there waiting long at all.

Guiding:
- I usually book a local builder to guide us but he isn’t doing that now. I called Brenda & she recommended Gill (Gilles Bernard). The price was reasonable. She told me that “he would fish too and was that a problem? ” To which I exclaimed “Hell no! At least I know we will have fresh pickerel or pike for shore lunch! Why wouldn’t the guide fish? What else is he going to do? ”
- I love a guided day because every fisherman knows that there is always something to learn from an experienced fisherman and boy did Gill deliver on that! Gill took me to 2 new spots that I had not fished before but what he provided was experience, historical knowledge (he has fished the river since 1969 - the year when I was born). He wasn’t afraid to m
- The day was a tough one. A weather front blew thru the day before and wind was not ideal. We still got fish thanks to Gill and his guiding. Best of all - he told us to use his tackle (lures) and insisted on loading each worm and minnow … so as a lifelong fisherman he showed me that I have been putting worms on a worm-harness the wrong way and an actual better way to set the hook. (Setting the hook is something that many fishermen/women struggle with but will admit to).
- The shore lunch that he did for us was on point: fish (pickerel in a light coating … not a single bone), fries and beans.
- Responsible fishermen/women do not drink and boat. I will admit that when I go on a guided trip I do love to have a nice cold BEvERage (or two) with the lunch!
In short he was 15 out of 10!

I know the lower French and Bad quite well. I have been fishing it regularly since 1998. In the past I have stayed with a friend on King’s Island and at French River Lodge when Joe and Ann Ott owned it. I can honestly say that I feel truly at home at Bear’s Den. As we boated out this morning I thought to myself how can I get back again this season? I have already booked next year - same weekend … but I want to go back sooner. In the months ahead as I am sitting in meetings and on video calls I will probably find myself daydreaming about a trip back to the French and to Bear’s Den.

Despite COVID-19, Brenda, Art and Joe really rolled out the red carpet to make my stay enjoyable. Art is a great chef and his meals were delicious. Brenda & Joe made sure everything was there for me including arranging a guide. The fishing was good & I caught the species I was looking for. The Delta is a beautiful part of Ontario that doesn't have the heavy boat traffic of other areas. The cottage I stayed in was clean and comfortable. I would highly recommend the Bear's Den lodge.

Poor with instructions
Inconsistent acceptance of payment methods causing unnecessary delays

I recently had the pleasure of staying at Bear's Den for the first time with two friends for a short fishing trip. Honestly, I can't recommend this place enough. Our hosts were incredibly helpful and friendly; they went out of their way to make sure we were comfortable and had everything we needed, while giving us space to just relax and enjoy their amazing space. The fishing was solid and the scenery is absolutely breathtaking; I can't wait to get back up there again!

My family & I had such a great experience at bears den! Such friendly service & such a clean facility. Highly reccomend going!

Second time visiting and another great experience. The area is gorgeous and the fishing is great. The food is very good and the staff are very accomodating. I highly recommend booking Gilles as a guide for a day to guarantee some good fishing, a fish fry lunch and some beautiful views.

Absolutely amazing place to be! Went for a few days with a group of friends and it was one of the most fun and exciting cottage trips we've been on! The cottages are quite well equipped (no AC so watch the temps!) and the experience was impeccable. The entire experience was great with lots of good fishing spots just a few minutes' boat ride away. Highly recommend this place!

Food, housing and hospitality were all 10+. Fishing was challenging however that is how fishing goes sometimes. Amazing location!

I had herd of the Ben's Den Lodge 12 Years ago, when it was only a dream to go. This past weekend I went with 10 guys for a work retreat. The weather did not cooperate with 40 km winds and rain all weekend, but we still managed a 100 fish weekend. Nothing to write home about, except the 2 muski follows on a figure 8 at the Bears Den Dock.

We stayed in the lodge. The service was excellent. The staff new the history of the areas, could recite the locations and techniques, and best seasons to fish. I look forward to coming back to fish, and learn more about the history of such an amazing area.

I've been renting boats from here for 4 years now for my camping/fishing trips. I've never had an issue reserving a boat, but I call ahead a month or so to make sure they are not rented out. I'm a camper so I've yet to try the cabins, but I've done a walk around out of curiosity and they are decent and clean. Brenda, Mike and Joe are very friendly and have always taken good care of us. I'll be back for my second bi-annual trip in the fall, I can't wait to come back to the french!

Great food, great hospitality, great service all this is surpassed by great guide and fishing. What a fantastic trip! Brenda went out of her way to ensure we had a positive and enjoyable experience. ……would highly recommend the Bear's Den Lodge.

2019 was our second year fishing at the Bear's Den Lodge and we look forward to returning again. The facilities are very good and the cabins are kept clean, which makes it a pleasure to stay. We rent boats, in which case the motors are kept in excellent working condition, along with the boats themselves. The owners are friendly and helpful, along with the staff that work at the Hartley Bay Marina. I highly recommend Bear's Den if you are looking for a great place to stay and fish.

Great location and boats are amazing. Everyone is very helpful and the cleanliness of the rooms is superior to most fishing lodges. Great work. See you next year.

I spent a few nights in French River for some fishing with some friends and decided to rent a boat on our last day from Bear's Den Lodge.
BIG MISTAKE. Upon arrival, we requested a fishing boat for 4 of us and also opted in for a trolling motor and fish/ depth finder (at an additional cost). Once we got out on the water, we noticed that the makeshift seats were falling off due to the rotting plywood they were screwed on to. Secondly, there were multiple rivets missing causing the boat to fill up with water when moving at moderate speeds. Lastly the trolling motor did not work. We found out later that they had hooked it up backwards. When all was set and done. Our bill for a 5-hour rental came to $240. This included a charge for a trolling motor that we were never able to use ($10), gas charge ($60) although the tank only held 30L max and there was some gas left when we retired it and lastly a $35 charge for a "chipped" prop which was chipped to begin with. Not to mention the rude an condescending attitude of "Mike" who appeared to be the owner of the place.

I highly advise anyone looking for an enjoyable and budget friendly experience to stay away from this place at all costs.

My party and I stayed there for a week and it was one of the best weeks of my life! The Lodge is family owned and operated by an incredible group of people. I now love them like they're my own family. Ive never experienced hospitality like this before. The cabin that we stayed was immaculate. Not to mention the food that was prepared! Every meal was simple yet incredible. The owner is a former chef and it really shows. All this wonderful experience was smack in the middle of the most beautiful scenery Ive ever seen, The French River. I recommend that EVERYONE visits this place at least once in their life. I promise you'll love it.

Amazing place. Cabins are well maintained, as are the boats. And the French is just a magical place.

Once a year for the past 3 years Great Canadian Female Anglers head to the French River in search of the great musky! Brenda, Art and Joe owners of the Bears Den Lodge make us ladies feel right at home, with cozy clean cottages, amazing food, and hospitality that makes the true experience a once in a life time holiday you will never forget and forever be itching to go again year after year. If you have been thinking of going to the French River to enjoy the beauty and fishing this is the place for you! You will not be disappointed!