I created a post on this message board a while back entitled 'July in Basswood'. I'd like to thank the responders to that post: johntaylor, yellowbird, bkebs, jackfisher, beemer01, howardspraque, and freedom.

A week from this coming Monday (July 17) I will be on the road from Northern Kentucky to the BWCA. On Tuesday we (my son and I) should be on the water. We will be towed to Washington Island and I will canoe to the north western part of Basswood Lake to set up camp. Can't wait.

I've read through the post concerning how much tackle to take along and I thought I'd mention what I intend to do and see what others think. I know people advise against this, but I already have quite a few lures to take with us. I just can't see getting out there and being limited on lure options. We will set up a base camp, and I intend to do no or little portaging, so weight should not be an issue. I don't intend to take all the lures out every time we go out to fish, but for times when we may have no luck, we will have other things to try for the next outing.

Besides, when I go lure shopping I'm like a kid in a candy store!

Another question concerns the soft sided tackle boxes everyone talks about. Are those the types that are actually made of canvas or nylon and sewn together?

Does anyone have suggestions regarding digital cameras? I need to buy one, and want to keep the cost around $150.

you SHOULD be able to find a 5 megapixel (brand name) for about that price. id also choose one that runs on AA batts (whether alk. or NiMH rechargeables. i used the later and got well over 150 pics on one set of those (2) with camera rez. set at second to highest. Jan

Dear Gerry,

Have a great trip! Take lots of pictures!!! I took extra batteries and extra memory chips.... You might want a Rapala Deep Tail Dancer!
I took one last July and caught 4 kinds of fish with it....Northerns Walleye, Smallmouth and Trout,,,,,purplesent was the color.
Good luck!

You won't have any trouble finding a decent digital camera in the $150 price range. Everyone will have their favorite brand. I like the Canon PowerShot series. I've been using an A75 for a few years and have been very happy with it.

Good luck!

Snakecharmer

Thanks for everyone's advice.

If you take a fair amount of pictures, forget about any cameras that use regular "throw away" batteries. They will cost you way more than rechargeables or the better cameras with rechargeable batteries.

Get a camera that uses rechargables. Better for the environment and your wallet. Also you will want to buy a spare battery of whatever kind your camera takes. Charge and put in camera bag.

Also invest in a good around the neck strap. And use it every time. You will be happy the first time the camera slips!!!!!

Being a serious fisherman fishing tackle is the last thing that I look at for watching my weight or pack. I pack two decent sized low pro boxes one for a variety of lures, raps, spinners, spoons, and the other to hold the variety of jigs, hooks, weights, lindy, accessories. (worm blower, nail clipper, spare pole tips, glue, gear oil) Surprisingly all have proven useful. Several times I have been saved by overpacking my tackle. I place all in my Camelback with extra spools, line and stringer. I figure I over pack 5-6 lbs. of fishing equip., But better then sitting on shore wishing you had brought it. It may make the difference of eating well and eating an MRE. Bringing up 20+ panfish jigs with tails, and bringing 4 doz. leeches saved my last trip. Leeches were gone by day 3 and had only a few jig heads left over. I tried all my tackle and it was the last thing that I thought I would need that made all the difference. But I am pretty hard core about my fishing.