Our office is going to be closed on Good Friday and Easter Monday.

We are so happy for our oldest son, Louis, who has been working on his commercial pilot license this winter while he is attending university. Louis passed his commercial pilots license exam and we are so proud of him for all his hard work!

It’s our 80th anniversary for Halley’s Camps this year!! Chris’s grandparents started the camp in 1946-that’s 8 decades ago!

There have been a lot of projects on the go like building new docks at Caribou Falls Landing, Dufaults Island Outpost and One Man Lake Lodge.

Our deck at Dufault’s was started in the fall with all composite decking an is now complete at the end of March with a railing. Gene and crew worked on installing the new railing and happy that is now crossed off the list.

We have put a new couch at Trapline and changed some furniture around at Rex Lake and Moosehorn Lake Outposts as well-updates are always a bonus! Also hauled in some other summer supplies as well!

We have freshened up our online availabilities. If you would like to come fishing this summer or know somebody who would like to come fish with us, please checkout our online rates & dates page.

For the guests who are arriving in May at our all-inclusive lodges and our outposts, you should have received your invoices along with other pertinent information about your trip. If you have not received any information, please contact us.

We are over a month and a bit away from our walleye season opener!! Stay tuned!!

Hello fishermen, friends and family,

Chris and I would like to thank all of you for supporting our family through this difficult time after we unexpectedly lost our son, Jonny Halley, on January 22, 2026. The emails, calls, cards, flowers, and prayers from many of you flooded in when Chris, our family, and I needed the mental and spiritual support more than ever. And for those who came to his prayer service and/or funeral, we thank you-the travel and time to be there for all of us was very meaningful to our family.

A few pictures of Jonny are below…he was so loving, caring, brilliant, full of life, & humorous. Jonny was an amazing son, brother, grandson, great-grandson, nephew and friend. Jonny would light up the room when he walked in and have some true crazy story to tell with his belly laugh. If anyone just met him; they would like him instantly-Jonny was very social and was a ‘people’ person.

Jonny was a healthy and extraordinary young man that was taken way too soon from us, and we still see everything Jonny built, planned and organized, worked on, hauled, and so much more at every camp of ours-from outposts to all 4 of our lodges, Jonny’s hands touched them all. This goes for all the camp machinery as well as he’s been operating and fixing machinery for so long. He is deeply missed and we want to thank you all for being there for us. Camp will not be the same, but we are looking for ways to be able to honor him at each location as he was such a huge part of our lives. Chris and I not only work and own Halley’s Camps, but this is our life, a life we raised our 3 children in, and camp has been a big part of our children’s lives from the start. Jonny was loved by all, and life just isn’t the same without him. We ask, that if you have any pictures of Jonny, if you could please email them to [email protected]

Chris, Amber, Louis, and Reagan

OBITUARY

Jonathan Joseph Halley

September 12, 2005 – January 25, 2026

Jonathan Joseph (Jonny) Halley passed away suddenly on January 22, 2026 with his dad and grandfather near him. Jonny was 20 years old and was way too young to go this early as he never lived his full life.

Jonny is survived by his father and mother, Chris and Amber Halley, his brother and best friend, Louis Halley (Elizabeth Gittins), his sister and sidekick, Reagan, and Lacy Livingstone, the love of his life. Jonny has both sets of grandparents, Gene and Wanda Halley of Kenora and Tom and Deb Dvorak of Minnesota/Wisconsin. Many aunts and uncles, Auntie Andi Koenen (Jeremy), and kids Blake and Haley, Uncle Jesse Dvorak (Dana), Cody and Ethan, Auntie Kate Poncelet (Shane), Lily and Violette, Uncle Rob Halley (Bev), Sarah and Seth, and many more cousins within the states and Canada.

Jonny was born in Kenora and right from the start, he made a quick entrance without the doctor even being present and was so ambitious and accomplished. Jonny had spent most of his life in Kenora and at our family lodge; Halley’s Camps, north of Minaki, Ontario. Jonny, from the young age of two was on the ice and learnt the game of hockey quickly but his love of outdoors sports was snowmobiling, dirt biking, duck hunting, deer hunting, bass fishing, mountain sledding, extreme down hill biking in the mountains, indoor skate parks and more. Jonny started his education at St. Louis catholic elementary school then went onto Saint Thomas Aquinas High school until grade 11. During Jonny’s grade 12 year he was training to be with the Minnesota State Loon Hockey team but then got sick and ended up back in Kenora. Once healed enough, he played Junior Hockey down east of Toronto for Campbellford Rebels. When he returned in the spring of his senior year, he decided to finish his education at Beaver Brae secondary high school. After working and guiding at the family camp over the summer he headed to Edmonton, AB with his cousin Seth and spent time with his brother Louis who was already in the area. Jonny moved back after Christmas and worked with his dad with the family company. Jonny loved working outdoors. He had his favorite chainsaw, excavator, and loved the new skid steer. At the age of two, Jonny could name all the big pieces of machinery and Chris could not work in the yard on a machine without Jonny and/or Louis.

Jonny’s mind worked like no other, he was so inquisitive to find the ways to understand, build and operate within his ideas. He would research certain parts, study how to repair or fix a problem within a machine. You could tell him what had to be done or what project needed work and Jonny would have it already designed with lists of everything required to finish the job. Jonny was excellent at working with his hands. Building one of the nicest barges in Canada. Independently, he followed a vision he wanted to bring to life by creating multiple sketches/blueprints that were hand drawn. When he was working on the barge no one could see his vision or how it was going to turn out, but he knew. Louis got to experience Jonny’s creativity firsthand when they replaced a line at camp that should have taken four to five days but instead was completed within a day and a half, all thanks to Jonny and his elaborate dreams.

Jonny had to have things organized and planned just so. If one could only see the toolboxes they were all so organized with each tool having its own designated spot and facing one direction. Jonny continuously tried reminding his brother when home for the holidays to put the tools back in the correct places, but ultimately it was never just right for his liking.

Jonny spent a week with three of his good friends in the mountains snowmobiling in and around Revelstoke just after Christmas. They had stories every day of their adventures and broken sleds. Jonny was fearless and had such a love and passion for sledding, he was a natural at it and never failed to show it.

Jonny was an amazing welder. He had dreams of starting his own business and already took on projects on the side. He was meticulous in everything he did. Even when it came to deer and duck hunting, he had certain plans and equipment that had to be just right. He spent hours in preparation looking at maps and making sure he had everything ready to go. Over time, he wanted to be an engineer, he was taking some advanced courses at Seven Gens with a mid 90’s average. Jonny was supposed to be signing up two days after his death for Lakehead University for mechanical engineering and mechatronics where Lacy was also to attend. He knew what he wanted for a few years, to gain the knowledge and experience of engineering and then he would talk about coming back and working at the camp, using what he had learnt for necessary projects.

Jonny loved spending time with Lacy and Reagan in the evenings after his schooling playing Fornite or watching movies. All the kids would connect and play Xbox with Louis in Edmonton by communicating through phone calls, texts, or Xbox mics. The three Halley kids were so extremely tightly woven, Louis and Reagan will forever be able to feel the presence of Jonny.

For those who knew Jonny, he didn’t follow in the path of anyone, he always went his own way and made his own trail. Jonny was very charming and could light up a room with his stories and his smile. He was very quick witted and able to strike up a conversation with anyone. He loved a good debate and learning about innovations, topics and ideas. Jonny was adventurous, loving, brave, incredibly strong, patient, smart, ambitious and detail oriented. He would often say he was not cut out to be a leader but he was a natural; knowing the right communication to use to make everyone work together to get a project done. He was very independent, helpful to others, and was such a likable, funny, amazing kid, young man, brother, son, and friend. Jonny will be truly missed by so many people in all the different communities he has been involved in. Jonny will NOT be forgotten: his smile, his blue eyes, his jokes, and his love for others, he will forever be one of a kind.

Visitation and Prayer Service for Jonny will be held on Thursday, February 5th, 2026 from 7:00 – 9:00pm at Brown Funeral Home & Cremation Centre. Jonny’s funeral will be held on Friday, February 6th, 2026 2:00pm at Notre Dame Roman Catholic Church.

Following the church service there will be a Celebration of life at Pellatt Community Fire Hall followed by supper 3:30pm to 7:00pm and no outside alcohol this is a dry event.

Jonny will be cremated and have some of his ashes buried on his birthday in September.

It looks like Christmas here in Northwestern Ontario. Our main office is in Kenora and us elves have been busy with decorating and keeping up with our downtown store and reservations. Ever wonder who answers the phone when you call to check availability, book a trip or answer any questions you might have?

Staff Christmas party

Lots of our summer staff from the Kenora and surrounding area enjoyed our bowling party-lots of food and laughs. This by far was one of our most fun Christmas events!! Here are a couple quick pictures! We had Chris, Amber, Jonny, Reagan, Shawn, Lisa, Mike, Jaylynn, Gene, Wanda, Junior, Gunner, Stan, Todd, Ben, Kerry and their plus ones/significant others.

Louis and Lizzie missed our Christmas party as they were trying to get here driving from Edmonton, Alberta but the snowstorms added another 5-6 hours on their trip. Louis has passed his commercial pilot written test, and he is working on completing flying hours before he can take his commercial pilot flight test. We hope the weather holds out for him in January!

Brrrrr

If this picture below could talk it would tell you it was frigid out! -30C which is about -22F which either way is cold! Jonny and Louis were headed up north to lay a track on the lakes before hauling firewood with sleighs as with all the snow we’ve had it has made slush on top of the lakes. The slush can really get people on snowmobiles stuck especially with sleighs that are heavy that can get bogged down. The sleigh can start digging into the slush and eventually the snowmobile can pull the sleigh although it can barely move and then becomes stuck in the slush (there is a lot of ice below it but the weight of the snow forms cracks and water comes up through the cracks in the ice creating slush).

If you don’t know what to get your fisherman for Christmas, call us and you can purchase a gift certificate that they can use on towards their fishing/hunting trip, souvenirs or more! Halley’s Camps gift certificates will be available only until Dec 23, 2025 at 3pm!

We wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Chris, Amber, Louis, Jonny, Reagan, Lisa and Shawn

The weather is changing and it is getting cold! We have had workers up and down the river using the barge hauling equipment. We are in preparation mode before the ice comes so winter projects can be started once we have lots of ice in January.

One of the workers who was staying at One Man Lake Lodge took this photo of the northern lights. November is a great month to see the lights change every color that dance across the night skies.

We are updating our website a lot and if you have any more photos that you would like to share of your 2025 trip, please email them to [email protected] and remember to put your name and location that you stayed at!

DID YOU KNOW???

Halley’s Camps is turning 80 in 2026!! 80 years=8 decades=13 Canadian Prime Ministers=14 U.S. Presidents, countless numbers of fish caught, and billions of stars seen!

Chris’s grandparents, Louie and Yvonne started Halley’s Camps in 1946 (some information stated 1945). Chris’s parents, Gene and Wanda, were 2nd generation with Uncle George and Auntie Sharon, and now Chris and Amber are 3rd generation owners. The 4th generation is coming about and we hope to keep continuing on Halley’s Camps for generations to come.

If anyone has any old photos of any of your trips that could contribute to a memoir book of Halley’s Camps-this could be of the old buildings/boats, fishing groups, stories, anything that truly pertains to Halley’s Camps history, please EMAIL us your stories, information and PHOTOS!! We would love to have some of these books on display for our upcoming fishing season!

You can always check out our Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/fishincamps/