So last year, I took my fly rod to the BWCA.
We base camped on Fourtown Lake.
I was able to catch some Small Mouth and a few Blue Gill right from the shore at camp. One night, during a mayfly hatch, there was a fish feeding frenzy. I was able to catch a few then too!

I don't think I will take the fly rod this year, but it was fun!

Curious to hear any of your fly rod BWCA stories.

I've done it once. 2002 I noticed some bluegills at the portage to Nan Lake in the Quetico. Thought that was odd as I've never seen them up there before. Fishing that lake for walleyes we started catching monster gills on our jig and twister tails. We went back the next year with fly rods and had a blast. I'll have to look for the pictures. We didn't take their picture unless they were over 10". Pretty cool experience given the size structure and number of fish on the ole buggy whip.

Learn to fly cast from the canoe!! Fourtown is full of fish!! A 20 inch SMB or a 30 inch pike on a flyrod is a RIOT!!! Try around the "islands"....a popper or a sinking Clouser. Done deal!! It's going with you!

We take only fly rods to BWCA/Quetico. We use 4 piece fast action 8-wt rods. You could use a 6-wt but can cast much farther from a seated position in a canoe with an 8-wt, especially with larger flies. The fly rod is great for smallmouth and pike fishing. We catch walleyes too, but they are fairly boring to catch. Topwater action for smallmouth and pike is hard to beat. As for casting, accuracy is much less important than distance in BWCA. Also need to learn to manage wind!

I've taken a flyrod on the last 5--6 trips. A #6 white popper heavily hackled at the tail has worked well for me. Largest smallie to date was five ounces short of being 5lbs and that was a hoot. I've not caught any large Pike yet on the fly but have caught plenty of smaller ones. I also use a pretty effective black leech pattern which has worked for smallies and Pike. I've yet to catch a walleye on the fly. Flyfshing from a canoe is a little more work than spinfishing; I use an 8wt 9ft rod with a DT floating line. A flyrod will be part of the gear I take from now on; can't imagine making the trip without it. The thought has crossed my mind to take a 5wt with some slimmer streamer patterns to target smallies.

I bring my 5wt and 8 wt and use them as much as possible. Getting out and walking the shore is the easiest, but fishing out of the canoe is your best bet...though it's not the easiest. Line management is big, especially if you aren't the only one in the boat. It definitely takes some practice, and some teamwork with your canoe-mate.

I couldn't imagine going up there without them. I've caught walleye, crappie, smallies, and pike on a variety of flies, but the mainstays are poppers and various streamers/deceivers. Caught a 43" northern fishing out of the canoe on Knife last year...something I will happily gloat about for ages. :)

Self taught so how many mistakes I make are up to the observer. I sol because it's hard to find a partner. Flyfishing from a canoe seems even more rare, but I have caught many smallmouth and pike. Plus tons of bluegills.

Have an oddball 3 piece StCroix 8wt 9ft Avid for most BWCA/Sylvania. Here I'm using it in Sylvania, someday I may have the camera on while catching instead of just fishing. Flycast Sylvania

butthead

Someone mentioned double taper fly line. I would say that is begging to do much more work than necessary. I would spend the $80 and get some top quality, heavily tapered bass/pike/muskie line. I prefer Scientific Anglers Textured Titan - there is a newer model out this year still called Titan-something. Any Rio, SA or Orvis line of that type will do. I would caution against Airflow line though - I bought the pike line but the coating was brittle and "broke" at a spot causing a hinge in the line that was not fixable.

Having a fat taper greatly reduced the need for false casting which can wear out one's arm and can be very annoying for the other guy who is weighting 15 seconds for the endless cast to finish. One of my friends could sink a canoe false casting. Spending some time learning to double haul (or even a good single haul) is a huge benefit as well.