SIOUX NARROWS, Ont. - Golden sunsets spread across the sky, reflecting on still waters as loons make their plaintive cry and beavers chew on the bark of fallen branches.

Waves lightly tickle sand beaches as eagles soar overhead and fish leap into the air.

This is the incomparable Lake of the Woods in the aptly named Sunset Country of northwestern Ontario, a lake with 14,000 islands, more than 104,600 kilometres of shoreline and 404,685 hectares of surface water. This is Lake of the Woods, home to a wildly diverse fishery that includes walleye, northern pike smallmouth and largemouth bass, crappie, trout, perch and the mighty muskellunge.

This is Lake of the Woods, parts of which extend south into Minnesota and west into Manitoba. It's an immense body of fresh water with incredible fishing and unspeakably gorgeous scenery in every season.

With many resorts on the massive Ontario portion of the lake from Kenora on the Trans-Canada Highway south along Highway 71 through Sioux Narrows and Nestor Falls and farther west into Morson, Lake of the Woods can be explored in many different ways and on many budgets.

For fishermen and families wanting a relaxed vacation deep in the heart of the Canadian Shield, a houseboat vacation may be the ultimate way of exploring Lake of the Woods and being introduced to the wonders of Sunset Country.

Dan and Noreen Luce, transplanted Minnesotans, who in 1977 cut with chainsaw and machete their way from the shore to a dilapidated campground they had just purchased, are experts in houseboat travel on Lake of the Woods.

The dynamic and friendly couple own Lake of the Woods Houseboats and Laughing Water Trailer Park at Sioux Narrows, a mere 14.5-hour drive from Lethbridge.

Their operation, with an incredible view of the lake located on a peninsula at the eastern edge of Long Bay, offers three cabins, numerous camping sites with laundry service, showers, flush toilets, convenience store, dock, gasoline and licences.

Read more at http://thechronicleherald.ca/Travel/1205999.html