Our Vision & Story

Worship, adventure, fellowship, and rest. These things come together in a wilderness setting, drawing us closer to God and each other. Going deeper and making new connections.

Swimming, kayaking, sailing, and hiking. Coffees between friends and lots of fish. Rainy day games in the common lodge. An impromptu potluck meal with fellow believers.

Morning quiet time on a rocky point or in your screened in porch. Evening worship to end the day at the campfire. And smores, of course.

The Milligan family is thankful for the opportunity to own and operate Clipper Bay Camp as a gift from God to steward and share with others.

Craig and Laura are based in Winnipeg. At Waverley Church, Laura helps run the homeschool co-op and Craig serves as a volunteer pastor-elder. Outside of church, family, and camp responsibilities, Craig is an engineer and software entrepreneur.

Nature has been a constant ingredient in our spiritual growth. Craig has been camping on Lake of the Woods islands for more than two decades. For our honeymoon we pitched a tent on Oliver Island. When kids came along, we carved out our own campsite on a crown island that we returned to year after year.

This backcountry style was hard to share with other families until we had the opportunity to become the stewards of Clipper Bay Camp on Calvert Island.

If you want to spend your next vacation in a spectacular wilderness setting while also meeting, fellowshipping, and worshipping with other Christians, we would love to have you spend some time with us or our team at Clipper Bay Camp.

We are operating as a tourist fishing camp during peak fishing times of May, June, September, and October. During July and August we are operating as a Christian family camp.

Location and Travel

Lake of the Woods is a vast lake in the Canadian wilderness with more than 14,000 islands. Most of the lake is in Ontario, with portions in Manitoba and Minnesota. Clipper Bay Camp is on Calvert Island, a 58-acre island in Whitefish Bay, 10 miles south of Sioux Narrows, Ontario.

To get to the camp you first come to the camp landing, which is our parking lot and boat ramp. From here you can call us for a pickup on the camp pontoon, or you can launch your own boat, or take a boat that you are renting from us. The ride to the island camp is about 15 minutes.

To get to the landing please use the google map link below. We will also send detailed directions with your booking confirmation.

Google currently shows the landing as "Whitefish Bay Camp" and the island camp as "Whitefish Bay Resort".

You need a passport to come to this Camp from the United States. Guests from the United States will typically cross at International Falls or Baudette Minnesota.

Guests coming from Winnipeg can anticipate a drive of about 3.5 hours to the landing, plus stops.

Landing on Google Maps

Fishing

Whitefish Bay is known for its crystal clear waters and incredible variation in structure. The top species targeted are Bass (smallmouth and largemouth), Lake Trout, Northern Pike, and Muskie. Although there are trophy walleye in Whitefish Bay, the walleye are easier to catch in higher numbers by going north to Yellow Girl Bay and beyond.

Lots of kids have caught their first fish while staying at Clipper Bay Camp. We will be happy to suggest spots and techniques for your fishing adventure and we can arrange guided trips upon request.

Cabin Rentals

We offer 1, 2, and 3 bedroom cabins.

All cabins have an equipped kitchen, electricity, bathroom with hot shower, and comfortable beds. Most cabins have a screened in porch for morning coffee and late night chats. All cabins have a beautiful view of the lake.

Bedding, pillows, and towels are provided. We don't normally change them during the week but you are welcome to swap them out or use our laundry machines as needed.

We do not operate a restaurant or meal service so you should plan to bring all your food to prepare meals in your cabin kitchen. Leaving the island for a grocery store run is possible but there is a cost for each trip to the landing.

We ask guests to leave the cabin tidy with the kitchen cleaned and the floor swept.

Most of the cabins are not perfectly sealed and the occasional mouse sneaks in. We keep this to a minimum with our camp cats and other strategies, but feel that it is fair to warn you of the possibility.

Pets are allowed only in cabins 5 and 6 for a fee of $50 per booking and they must be kept on a leash when outside.

Activities and Amenities

Fishing is the primary draw to Lake of the Woods, but there are many other activities to enjoy.

Swim from the small beach, the docks, or jump from the rock ledge by Cabin 2. Swim across Clipper Bay to the wind sock rockpile. If you are adventurous, you can swim across the south channel to the Aulneau Peninsula. If you are heading out by boat, we can point you to cliff jumping spots, a rope swing, or the big beach on Timber Island for more swimming fun.

We keep kayaks, canoes, and standup paddleboards at the camp, which are free to use for our guests. You can stay in the bay, circumnavigate the island (2 miles), or go further abroad to explore endless channels, islands, and shorelines.

Boat rentals are available ranging from 16 foot aluminum boats with 25 hp motors up to pontoon boats for a family cruise.

The main lodge is a place for board games, shared meals, or a fire in the woodstove on chilly nights. A propane BBQ is available at the main lodge.

Hike the perimeter of the island on a 2 mile rugged trail that includes great views from the tops of high cliffs.

Campfires and smores round out the day at 3 fire pits, which are available for guest use unless there is a fire ban.

Starlink Internet is avaiable at the main lodge and we hope to expand this camp wide with a mesh network in 2024. There is also very good cell service at the camp.