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March 19 2024

Entry Point 47 - Lizz & Swamp Lakes

Lizz and Swamp Lakes entry point allows overnight paddle only. This entry point is supported by Gunflint Ranger Station near the city of Grand Marais, MN. The distance from ranger station to entry point is 34 miles. Access from Poplar Lake by 51-rod portage to Lizz Lake and 100-rod portage into Swamp Lake only. This area was affected by blowdown in 1999.

Number of Permits per Day: 3
Elevation: 1864 feet
Latitude: 48.0420
Longitude: -90.4998
Lizz & Swamp Lakes - 47

Jswamp

by jswamp
Trip Report

Entry Date: June 06, 2015
Entry Point: Lizz and Swamp Lakes
Number of Days: 7
Group Size: 4

Trip Introduction:
EP47 Fishing

Report


We were very pleased with the gear and service provided us by Bearskin Wilderness Outfitters. The smallest outfitter on the gunflint trail but provided, excellent equipment, fantastic service, and good pre trip lodging. We ate a huge breakfast in the lodge and then were dropped of at entry point. Paddled to Meads and found all sites taken – weather was moving in so we opted to go back to caribou and took the only reaming site. Set up tents, ate a quick dinner, and hit the lake in a rain storm. Caught lots of walleye jigging pink jigs tipped with leeches, and floating bobbers set at 3.5’. Kept 12 and put the rest back. Returned to camp in down pour and sunk fish and turned in for night. Rain hard all night, but slept well. Woke to windy rainy morning- decided to stay put and fish lake – no one seemed to be fishing except us. Did ok on smallmouth - not huge numbers - but decent sized fish. Caught most fish on wind protected side of islands, and east arm next to meads portage. Fish were caught using with w/red flake tubes, and J9 black and gold jointed Rapala. Ate a good lunch and dinner (pan fired walleye), waited out wind, fished in rain that evening and did about the same using same tech. Did pick up a few eyes in the evening and tossed back. Next morning was not bad so we broke camp and headed to Horseshoe. Set up camp and fished. Did much better with the walleye than bass – All of the walleye came out of ten feet of water by jigging a leech or floating one 3.5 feet down. Caught and released many eyes. Enjoyed lake – a little crowded for my taste but very nice lake and decent fishing. Kept an eye out for moose, but none were spotted; we also went for a cold swim on the best day of the trip – up to this point.

Next morning we broke camp and headed back to meads and took the first island camp site. Set up a nice camp, and deep fried some walleye. Had a hour long down poor and then it quickly quite. We hit up the East side of lake and this is when I decided to try the Z2’s – have to admit great choice – bass hit them hard – used the pearl with silver flake and light grey top (forgot the real color name) Northern would not leave them alone. Canoe partner rigged up a 6” sinko in baby bass with a nil in the tail and tore them up. Went back to camp ate dinner and hit the only wind protected bay on the east side – next to Small Island and large rock to the north of bay. Same success – lots of smallies and pike. Wind dissipated and we hit top water. I tried the lucky 13 in frog color with no luck – presentation was lacking – canoe mate was hammering them on bone colored spook. I put on a red and white jitter bug and game on. Landed many smallmouths and could not keep small pike away. Had a blast! Best top water action in long long time. For the rest of the trip I only used Z2’s, sinko,s and jitterbug. We found most of our smallmouth in 10’ of water. Casted up shallow and fished baits back slowly. Best success was with a slow presentation. We picked up a few walleye on the sinko’s and Z2’s caught way to many little northern. I would like to think that some of my bite offs were from bigger northern. Biggest one boated was 24-26” other canoe did real well drifting west side of lake for walleye. Bounced a jig and leech or tub off bottom and caught many eyes. The kept 6 more for meals and released rest. This method also caught many smallmouth but they were sporadic. They also caught lots of small northern. Every late evening and early morning we hammered the smallmouth and pike on top water. Other canoe opted not to fish top water their loss. We enjoy all of the lakes we were on. Horseshoe was the most unique, caribou was pretty, and meads the best fishing.

    

 


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