That is the question. Headed in to Wood Lake May 4th for a short 3 night solo, probably headed through hula, good, into hoist bay, maybe check out Indiana on the way back. I know it's before opener, so is it worth taking a pole to do some pan fishing? Maybe throw out a bobber and worm in the evenings from camp. Thoughts? Suggestions?

By all means fish!

There is no question here, fish.

Awwwww...... take a pole; if just for camp. You may miss it if you Don't!

Go to back bay and catch big blue gills in the pencil reeds!

quote murphylakejim: "Go to back bay and catch big blue gills in the pencil reeds!"

Where exactly in back bay? If you don't mind telling me.

There are areas that the DNR targets before opener. Just make sure you're not "targeting" any game fish.

I say just go for a nice paddle and a little less gear.

quote Pinetree: "I say just go for a nice paddle and a little less gear."

That's what I was thinking, but then I start thinking what's a few small jigs and bobbers weigh? And will I kick myself for not bringing anything. Oh well I still have a couple weeks to decide.

quote BearBurrito: "

quote Pinetree: "I say just go for a nice paddle and a little less gear."

That's what I was thinking, but then I start thinking what's a few small jigs and bobbers weigh? And will I kick myself for not bringing anything. Oh well I still have a couple weeks to decide."

Go fishing.

Pike are "continuous" season on MN Canada border. Could target them if you made it to specific border water. Hoist and Back bays do not qualify.

Of course you bring the gear. Indeed bring a light action rod for the panfish with the correct terminal tackle (hooks, bobbers AND light line) and bring a Medium hard action rod to pike fish with. Bring one quality reel with 2 spools for both kinds of fishing. One spool with 6lb mono and one spool with 20lb braid. This gives you flexibility without adding much weight. Add a few leaders and some larger original Rapalas (in perch pattern of course) and a few spoons and you are good to go. Don't lose the handle on the reel on a portage (I store my rods in the boat on portages but never the reels).

Who knows whats going to be "on". If you don't bring the stuff I can assure you will be kicking yourself. If you do bring it and decide not to fish thats fine, no pressure, but you get to decide. The risk vs reward factor leans heavily towards the equipment. Even if you don't fish the gear is just not that heavy.

How about this........stop eating that bowl of ice cream before bed and the couple lbs you lose will even things out rather well ;-)

Trout fishing in streams is open. No trout streams right where your going tho.

quote BearBurrito: "

quote murphylakejim: "Go to back bay and catch big blue gills in the pencil reeds!"

Where exactly in back bay? If you don't mind telling me."

Well last year around the end of may i had success near the island site. To the south east of the island there were productive pencil reeds. That should be all you need to know.

quote Canoe Dude: "Pike are "continuous" season on MN Canada border. Could target them if you made it to specific border water. Hoist and Back bays do not qualify."

Pike are not continuous on Basswood Lake anymore.
They changed it to a "Trophy Lake" several years ago, so the season for pike is the same as inland lakes.
Put several sled dog guides out of business with that move. :(

quote The Great Outdoors: "

quote Canoe Dude: "Pike are "continuous" season on MN Canada border. Could target them if you made it to specific border water. Hoist and Back bays do not qualify."

Pike are not continuous on Basswood Lake anymore.
They changed it to a "Trophy Lake" several years ago, so the season for pike is the same as inland lakes.
Put several sled dog guides out of business with that move. :("

It was a great fishery in the spring to fish Nop and mostly catch and release. Wind bay was very popular. I wish they would of left it alone.
I do know their was a group of anglers(summer anglers) complaining to the DNR about people fishing than and the DNR went along with the group complaining.

The DNR decided that every district needed to name two lakes to be designated as "Trophy Lakes", and Basswood was one of the two they tossed into the mix. I don't remember or care what the other one was, but it sure hurt the guiding business in the spring when they needed it the most!
Now all the complaining or whatever caused this, has morphed into new regulations and split the state into three northern pike zones with different slots for each.
Another mess, courtesy of the experts in the DNR!!!!

Give us a report when you get back. Good luck!

quote murphylakejim: "

quote BearBurrito: "

quote murphylakejim: "Go to back bay and catch big blue gills in the pencil reeds!"

Where exactly in back bay? If you don't mind telling me."

Well last year around the end of may i had success near the island site. To the south east of the island there were productive pencil reeds. That should be all you need to know. "

Thank you, I will see what I can find.

I know people find where suckers concentrate in the spring and catch them on worms etc,

quote The Great Outdoors: "The DNR decided that every district needed to name two lakes to be designated as "Trophy Lakes", and Basswood was one of the two they tossed into the mix. I don't remember or care what the other one was, but it sure hurt the guiding business in the spring when they needed it the most!
Now all the complaining or whatever caused this, has morphed into new regulations and split the state into three northern pike zones with different slots for each.
Another mess, courtesy of the experts in the DNR!!!!"

Geez, don't get me started on the DNR here in Florida.........From miles and miles of no wake zones because of Manatees (more get hit because there are more manatees than ever) to ruining the charter boat business in the Panhandle by closing Red Snapper season after leaving it open for only a week with a 1 fish limit every year and yet the commercial catch is in the thousands of tons and yet Red Snapper are everywhere and you can hardly let down a line without reeling them in.........to DNR "science" closing grouper season because the allotment of fish was met in a year that was plagued by Hurricanes, high winds and high gas prices (nobody was getting offshore). And closing off huge areas to fishing and diving calling them "conservation zones" (recreational guys have little impact on ocean populations rather commercial catches and gear is the problem). And on and on.........unelected people accountable to hardly no one deciding for the rest of us how it is to be with ever increasing regulations and micro management. Again I point to the cost/ benefit analysis..........What benefit is there in making Basswood a "trophy" lake? Probably has virtually zero measurable impact on the fishery but impacts the users, including business, greatly.

Looked at the Basswood crappie catch and numbers are a all time high now with very good numbers and compared to the past where crappies were present but very few,
Like many lakes in the BWCA area I keep seeing more crappies than will just say in the last 50 years. I could name a number of lakes with good abundance now. Something is changing more panfish and bass than the past.

I see the northern size regulation has been in effect since 2003.The change on wind bay I think maybe 5 years(time flies). The northern pike size has increased with the reg 24-36 inch slot. I think about 2003 was when they put regulations on so many lakes in most areas to try to see if they could change the declining size of northern pike statewide.

quote mr.barley: "By all means fish!"

+1

quote murphylakejim: "Go to back bay and catch big blue gills in the pencil reeds!"

+1.....love bluegills

quote mr.barley: "

quote murphylakejim: "Go to back bay and catch big blue gills in the pencil reeds!"

+1.....love bluegills"

Bluegills are a blast......maybe that has the right ring to it. Bring an ultra light and a small selection of tiny lures including the famed pinky jig (crappies), some tiny beetle spins and maybe a few small tiny crank baits........bluegills, crappie and perch. Super fun on light tackle if you get into some nice ones and great eating.