I'm new to the site and I'm beginning to plan a trip to BWCA. I want to begin gathering lures for our family trip. Can I get some suggested lures, sizes, and possibly colors for walleye, bass, pike, and lakers?

Also, how many lures do you typically lose during a trip to the BWCA? I visited the BWCA a couple of times in the past but it's been more than 8 years ago.

Thanks in advance for any advice about a collection of lures!!!!

Send an email to - queticomike@yahoo.com - title the email "Grand Slam" and in the email request a copy of the Grand Slam article. I cover the basics for all 4 species and what lures that have produced for me over the years up there in the north woods.

Welcome to the message board!

My go to lures.
Walleye: slip-bobber, plain hook, and a leech.

Bass: YUM brand crawdad with a gamakatsu worm hook

Pike: big spoons, spinnerbaits. Trolling a dead Cisco very slowly down about 5-10 feet works good to.

Lakers: jig a 1oz Swedish pimple, or troll a 4" chrome/gold spoon with a keel sinker attached to get down 20-30 feet.

I use a depth finder so I know how deep I am and if I start coming up on a reef I can crank up. Without one I probably would lose a lot of lures trolling for lake trout.

I usually bring more lures then I need. It's really not that much more weight to bring a dozen or so extra lures.

Welcome aboard Cuda. For Lakers a Rapala Purpledescent deep tail dancer, for Smallmouth Bass an original Rapala floating in gold or silver #13-15, for walleye a hook leech under a slip bobber.

QueticoMike made me a believer of the Z2 and sassy shad by in a peril color - absolute fantastic and versatile lure. Also am a fan of the Senko: bite 1/4 inch of tail off and and spike head with nail - best color for us was baby bass. Also did real well on Zara Spooks and other top water. These baits were all we needed for bass and Northern- even caught some walleye on them - we did best for eyes with slip bobber and leech or jig and leech. 1/8 ounce jig was the trick for us in either pink or orange. Basically all we used - had luck on jointed rappala but did better with plastics on last trip.

I think you will get better advice if you name where and when you are going. Then members will all tell you the good spots and what worked for them in the past. I think finding the spot is the trick. I'm sure someone will throw you a few bones.

Thanks for the quick response and feedback.....very good information. I apologize for starting a similar thread that has been discussed in the past. I found similar discussions below that have a lot of information. Please don't feel that you have to repeat yourself if you recently responded to someone else. There is so much good information on this site.....just takes some time to work through the discussions. Thanks......

Just a follow up question - from what I've read, it seems like spoons are a good lure to have in the BW. What size (ounces) would you recommend and are there any specific or "best" colors?

I see blue and silver listed for Lakers a lot. Little Cleo's are a popular choice.

A red and white daredevil definitely attracts pike and smallies as well. I think spoons are effective in the bwca because fish up there see a lot less lures in general and are more willing to attack a flashy presentation. A single treble is a plus too when releasing fish from the canoe as well.

I like a 1 ounce Red Eye spoon in either gold or silver. ~JOE~

Wanted to add to joetrains reply... if you use a Redeye make sure you have a very good ballbearing swivel attached to it or it will twist your line up really badly and pretty quickly. I have had good luck using a Firetiger Flickershad the last couple of years for northerns, walleyes and an occasional smallie. FRED

A pearl or white color is always a safe bet. Match what they are feeding on. With that said, perch and black are good colors as well.

Last year we had our best luck for Lakers on big silver spoons. The smallies grabbed almost anything we threw at them. We always bring a leech locker with 1-2 pounds of leeches just to play around in camp.

Thanks to everyone for your advice and for sharing your specific lures/colors.