Ontario Wilderness Houseboat Rentals

Ontario Wilderness Houseboats (Ontario Wilderness Houseboat Rentals) runs self-drive houseboat vacations on Lake of the Woods from Gill’s Morson Marina in Morson, Ontario. The Gill family has owned and run the houseboats and the marina since 1985.

You captain your own houseboat. Instead of staying at a camp and running 20 minutes across the lake each morning to reach the fishing, you beach the houseboat on a sheltered sandy shore in the fishing areas and stay there. Most groups come back to the houseboat for shore lunch. Some stay in one spot all week; others move once or twice.

Morson sits in a quieter, less developed part of Lake of the Woods, with less boat traffic and no competing for a beach. It’s about 35 miles from the Baudette–Rainy River border crossing, which makes it a short drive for Minnesota guests.

The 2027 fleet is seven houseboats from 43 to 64 feet, sleeping 2 to 12 depending on the boat. There are small boats for couples and two-to-three-person fishing trips, and a 64-foot flagship with two bathrooms for large groups and multiple families. Every houseboat has a generator, propane heat and hot water, a fully equipped kitchen, drinking water, a gas barbecue, Humminbird Helix GPS with lake mapping, paper maps, a marine radio, safety equipment, a swim platform, a fish-cleaning station and a waterslide.

Each group needs its own fishing boat with a motor. You can bring your own (dock staff help launch it and tie it behind the houseboat) or rent one at the marina. You bring food, properly fitting life jackets, personal gear and at least one phone with a plan that works in Canada. Fuel is billed on what you use. Licences, bait, ice, linens, canoes, kayaks and other extras are available at the marina or as add-ons. The Angler and Family Fun packages bundle the boat, gear and extras.

Staff give every group an orientation at the dock and a test run down the channel before you head out. After that you can text the owners anytime on the lake.

FAQ

Where do trips begin? At Gill’s Morson Marina, 10045 Hwy 621, Morson, Ontario, on Hanson Bay. From the US, cross at Baudette–Rainy River, take Highway 11 east to Sleeman, then Highway 621 north to the marina. Vehicle and trailer parking is included with your rental. Check current border requirements and your arrival time for orientation before you travel.

How many people can stay on a houseboat? The fleet sleeps 2 to 12, from a 44-foot boat suited to couples up to the 64-foot flagship. The two 54-foot boats each have two bedrooms with doors and two bathrooms. Bed counts and layouts differ by boat, so match your group to the floor plan before you book. The operator can help with that.

What’s included with a houseboat rental? Propane, generator power, heat and hot water, a fully equipped kitchen, drinking water, a barbecue, GPS and paper maps, a marine radio, safety equipment, a swim platform, a fish-cleaning station and a waterslide. Fuel (billed on use), fishing licences, bait, ice, linens and fishing boats are extra. Parking at the marina is included.

How does fishing work on a houseboat trip? The houseboat beaches in the fishing areas, so you’re already close to the fishing when you wake up. Groups fish from their own small boats, brought or rented. Each group must have one. Lake of the Woods around Morson holds walleye, sauger, muskie, northern pike, smallmouth and largemouth bass, crappie and perch. Staff talk through spots and target species at orientation. The lake is in Ontario Fisheries Management Zone 5. Check current regulations and licences before your trip.

Do I need houseboat experience? No. Most first-timers arrive knowing very little. Staff walk you through the systems, the map, the GPS and the buoys, then take the boat down the channel with you before you set out.