So lets start this off by saying i'm a 20 year old complete noob at fishing. I've never had anyone in my family that fishes only ever fished a couple times a year bobber leech fishing off docks, until recently when i discovered the bw. Love it up here been 5 times so far but really struggle to catch anything. I think i'm at about 8 fish in total ( i know sad) each trip last about 6 nights usually in late July. This year i'm determined to do better, going early June which I've read is a lot better time of year. My 1st trips i exclusively only used crankbait and top lures because that was about the extent of tackle box and skill level. So i went on out and purchased a few different spinners, spoons, power bait, different types and sizes colors of jig (although never done any jig fishing before) and some crank bait. Going for pike and walleye maybe a few smallies. We will be going to tempreance lakes and brule. Any tips on how to jig fish which based off the fishing forum is the best way to catch walleye and trolling possibly (Which lures to use for deepwater trolling) would be greatly appreciated You would be greatly improving my already wonderful experience in the BW Thanks!

http://imgur.com/a/ZexkG

Heres currently what i have i know its not a lot if any of you have any suggestions on other tackle i should purchase please share

Welcome to the Forum. I have little doubt that you'll develop the necessary skills to have great success in the fishing aspect of the BWCA, and beyond. You are an 'information-seeker', which is one of the key elements to becoming a skilled fisherman, skilled outdoorsman, and well-rounded person in life.
I would add some curly-tailed grubs (soft plastic trailers) to those jigheads. The jig/curly-tailed grub trailer combination can be very productive, in many, if not MOST situations. Because of its versatility, it's the ONE artificial bait I would bring , if I could bring only one artificial bait. They can be fished at various depths, from 3 feet to 100 feet, in various sizes, from tiny 1/16th oz to over an ounce, AND at various speeds, from a super-slow drop that seduces predators, to 'bottom-bouncing' lift-and-drop retrieves, to fast retrieves that can simply 'trigger' a bite when you've already worked an area with several casts. Ya just gotta work 'em. This versatility allows a fisherman to 'work' the curly-tailed jig through an area strategically. It's pretty easy to see how a curly-tailed grub imitates a small fish as it wiggles through the water.
On top of all that, curly-tailed grubs are cheap, and very easy to use without experience.
-Yes, they are VERY easy to fish. It ain't like picking up a golf club and trying to hit a ball with it. It's like picking up a golf club, and lowering it, and then lifting it, and lowering it. -Was that a bite? -no, a weed. ...Lift/lower...
An effective fisherman isn't the person who can make the most accurate casts. It's not the person with the super-fast reflexes, or the stamina to go out and make cast after cast, in the hope of coming across an active fish.
An effective fisherman is the person who makes the best choices, thereby maximizing their chances of getting the most bites that the conditions permit.
A good fisherman quickly recognizes the environmental conditions, and knows what these conditions mean to the fish they want to catch. -THEN the fisheran makes up their mind about how they're going to try and catch fish. The conditions dictate the behavior of the fish, therefore, they should dictate the lure type, location, and cadence of a lure, if one wants to get the most bites.
One should never select a lure unless they have first determined that it is THE lure for the conditions they're facing. (Unless that lure is a curly-tailed grub, which... ..well, I think I have made my point on this ;)
The simplest form of this plan consists of 2 simple questions:
Where are the fish I seek?
What can I present to them, to get the most bites?
***Location*** and ***presentation***
Location and presentation are vital to getting a fish to bite.
Obviously, you'll want to be fishing where the fish are, and you'll want to present a bait that will get a bite. Presentation is getting a bait TO that fish, and triggering, coaxing, begging, or even aggravating that fish to bite. That trigger is part of the
Element 1:
_______Location:______
The fish aren't just randomly scattered throughout the body of water, swimming around until something piques their interest. They hold in specific, and fairly predictable areas in order to minimize wasted energy, and to maximize their chances to consume energy (other fish, invertebrates, ducklings, or hopefully, whatever's tied to the end of your line ;)
Many conditions will affect predatory fish, and most are easily predictable. In low-light conditions fish will often be shallower with some species have a stronger aversion to bright, sunny conditions. In very hot water, they'll often seek cooler water. Again, each species has its own tolerance, and preferred temperature conditions. Bass are fairly tolerant of warm water, whereas walleye and pike (ESPECIALLY, big pike) have stronger preference toward cool water. In VERY cold water, fish can become inactive, and in very hot water, they can become stressed, and can be lethargic. These are conditions that you can't control... Fortunately, June is a pretty 'sweet spot' in the preferred temperature ranges of most gamefish, so fish activity levels should be fairly high, regardless of species.
During late spring, on most bodies of water in BWCAW, the bass, walleyes, and pike can be found in similar locations... They will usually be in fairly shallow water. I'm talking 25' or less, possibly as shallow as 2' in very low light conditions, especially if there's overhead cover in the form of overhanging brush or lilypads. I would fish closer to 20-25' during midday, and around 10' toward low-light conditions. Stained or muddy water will tend to bring the fish shallower, too.
Again, walleye are typically a deeper-water species that likes to avoid bright sunlight, whereas bass are less sensitive to it. Pike seem to be somewhere in between, but they're still quite active feeders during the day.
If you're trolling, try to stay VERY close to the bottom, especially if you're targeting walleye. There will be times they are all over, but they spend a significant part of their time near the bottom..
-Speaking of being near the bottom, I'm tired.
I'll write ya some more tomorrow. Welcome aboard.

I was on Brule in June and September last year. It can be a tough lake to pattern given the size. I use a texas rigged power worm as my search bait with a 1/8 oz sinker. You shouldn't have any problems finding bass with the baits you mentioned.



For walleyes

Campsite 952 has great shore fishing for walleyes. The camp itself is just okay but I stay there specifically for the walleye fishing. Any west winds will have walleyes stacked off the points on the west side of that island. The point just NW of the camp is a quick paddle and in heavy blows I would just walk through the woods to shore fish it. If you get a strong west wind, you can catch walleyes from shore all day here.

For a Newb I would suggest a leech locker, 1 lb medium leeches, slip bobber, and a small red hook. Slip bobber set 6-10' off any point or reef that time of year with a leech you won't have any problems catching fish. Basketball net for an anchor would also come in handy.

I bring a GPS and target reefs/humps that top out in 8-10'. Some of the reef GPS cords are provided on the map section here as orange dots. Others you can make out on google earth and get the cords yourself. If the weather allows I would anchor on the reefs with the baits mentioned above and have good luck with the species you mentioned.

Wow tough to add much to that........good job guys.

Fishing a jig with curly tail is good advice and is hard to beat. It can be cast and retrieved or fished straight down. But I would think about adding a jig spinner to it in gold to be used on occasion.

Another thought is are you using to heavy of line? What type of line? Straight braid can turn some fish off as can florescent mono. This can make a distinct difference with your offerings. As you can see many here use 8lb trilene xl in clear (always check your knots and get fresh line > very important).

I would also advise you to get the book on Boundary waters fishing. This will be an invaluable aid to you and get you started in the right direction.

I like these grubs. You will need a little bigger jighead to fish these........say a 3/8 or 1/2 oz. If you go this route you will need to up the strength of your line to either 10lb trilene xl or green 8lb XT. The reason being is the diameter of the hook wire is thicker than say a 1/4 oz. jig head. Always remember that mono wants to join itself to like diameters. Trying to join thin 8lb XL to a thick wire hook is a no-no. Always test your knots........you will be surprised at how often the line goes "pop".

Mogambo grub

You could fish this lure that time of year and I feel confident in saying you will catch more fish on this trip than all your other trips combined ;-) and yes that is a top color combination. Throw it out, let it get near bottom and ease it in. Occasionally vary the retrieve speed or even pause it and let it fall........but you will catch plenty by just throwing it out and reeling it in nice and easy, preferably near bottom.

Northland mimic minnow jig spinner

FWIW.......I do not like tying my line directly to the double wire of the typical jig spin with 8lb XL. The double wire creates an oval shaped tie off. Not so good........what I use is a product called a fas snap. I use this clip on almost all offerings as it insures a 100% knot connection. From crankbaits to jigs it allows you to fish light tackle and yet have a very solid knot connection. Plus it allows for a free swinging presentation and yet is extremely unobtrusive........much more so than a typical snap. Once you attach a fas snap do not take it on and off as per a usual snap. Rather it remains with the lure always. Get the medium sizes in black carbon for typical walleye fishing. Ditch any split rings and replace them with fas snaps. That are a bit pricey but make a world of difference IMO for being able to fish light tackle confidently as it bridges the diameter gap. Add them to your Mimic minnow, crank baits and heavier jigs (3/8 - 1/2 oz) and you are good to go.

Fas snap

I would add a couple shadowraps, zulus, and jig/twister tail plastics. Maybe add some black and gold color jigs too.

Study up on what makes for prime walleye habitat in early june to narrow your search when fishing.

Welcome to the forum! I think the jigging part has been pretty much answered already. I like to use big 4.5 inch green pumpkin or green watermelon flipping tube baits when fishing for smallmouth bass. The hop and reel technique is the best presentation for a curly tail jig or tube bait. Sometimes you will just feel a tick at the end of the line, pause for a second and then set the hook. Other times your line might just feel heavy without feeling the tell tale tick, set the hook. There are times when your line might be seen running off in a different direction, set the hook.

Always fish current when you see it, there will be fish there.
Find the reefs and humps and jig them.
Fish points.
Fish downed timber.
Fish slowly sloping shores.
Fish between islands ( saddles ) or water between mainland and islands.
Fish any unusual looking structures.
Fish pinch points.
Look for bait fish. Look for them skipping on the surface.
Look for birds on the lakes feeding on bait fish.

As far as trolling goes for walleye, I like to use a gold colored J9 jointed Rapala or a big gold Husky Jerk Rapala. If you want to troll deeper, go with a perch or even a purple deep diving Shad Rap.

If you would like to read my article - Grand Slam Lures - just send my an email at queticomike@yahoo.com - and request this article.

If you like to catch smallmouth bass, you should try using a Zulu ( aka ZMAN ShadZ ). If you would like to read my article on Zulu fishing, send me an email.

Good luck on your next trip!

Howdy, Newb! Two things I've learned:

As my dad grew older, he could no longer portage into wild lakes, so I paid to fly him to fishing resorts and fly-in cabins. Everywhere we flew, the other fishers there thought it was world-class fishing. It wasn't. It was pretty good fishing, but great fishing happens at the ends of trails. You're 20, so you're the perfect age to portage those trails. As the good book should say, "Suffer and ye shall be rewarded." Consider Quetico. Consider beyond Quetico, like Woodland or Caribou Provincial Parks. Consider the Crown Land between the parks. The fewer the fishers, the more numerous the fish.

Secondly, I observed bass on a couple spring-fed farm ponds. In one pond, a pair of cruising bass wouldn't take anything I threw, until I went to a single hook and a worm and it was on. In another, a bass darted out from an indentation in the bank, inhaled my lure, and spat it out. Less is often more. Consider a split shot, a hook, and a leech or worm and nothing more. I wanted to give an outdoor writer a good time on a lake, so I put in the bow and concentrated on giving him the best casting angles. He caught a lot of fish because he was the only one casting at choice cover! However, I caught more simply by having a split shot, a hook, and a leech over the side.

Miss Molly states the easiest way to catch fish in the BWCA, a red hook, a leech, and a split shot about 18 inches up the line. Just keep it out of the rocks by slowly moving it, you should find walleyes if they are in the proximity.

The best way to learn to fish is to fish.

Not meaning to be flip about it, but you have a lot of years ahead of you to perfect your craft. Enjoy!

quote QueticoMike: "Miss Molly state the easiest way to catch fish in the BWCA, a red hook, a leech, and a split shot about 18 inches up the line. Just keep it out of the rocks by slowly moving it, you should find walleyes if they are in the proximity. "

Don't be taken in by this bunch of cheaters. If you do you will think fishing is easy and you will have neglected spending inordinate amounts of cash on ever increasingly expensive lures which need even more sophisticated amounts of tackle to perform at optimum efficiency.

Things like moon phases and low and high pressure and water temps and negative or neutral fish all become a moot point when a live leech is dropped on their nose via a silly single hook. Try and resist this tack espoused by these "wanna be's" or you will find it all to easy and uninteresting and thus feel compelled to take up something more challenging.........like, dare I say it, golf.......... or perhaps even curling ;-)

Early June should be easier than July (at least for me) . I look for a stream or trickle of water coming into or even out of the lake. Like Mike said: current. Just a little is enough. Or a narrow choke point. Or a windblown shoreline.
I like night crawlers and leaches. My favorite hooks are a red owner brand mosquito lite wire hook for leech or a tru-turn #2 aberdeen or kahle #6 for crawlers.
A BB split shot about 16" up from the hook and sometimes just the hook on a big crawler in a still spot.
Like said above a sunken hump or reef near deeper water will get wallies. Pinch point funnel narrows. Around islands. Below falls and just post dawn and evenings help. Get in stealth mode too. Especially in aluminum canoe. Sneak up on 'em! Be patient... let it sink Slowly.
If no results try another spot after a half hour or so. June should be easy. Good luck

Start here these lists will help you

Top smallie lures all around lures

All around lures

If you tie on a 1/4ounce to 1/8 ounce jighead with a 3 inch powerbait twister tail and dont catch a fish, then you are just on the wrong lake :-) p.s. Start shallow and keep moving.

Fish early in the morning, about 30 minutes before the sun comes up. Fish in the evening about an hour before sunset.

Paddle, nap, hike, make camp, explore, read, and improve your other camping//fishing skills in the middle of the day.

quote johndku: "Fish early in the morning, about 30 minutes before the sun comes up. Fish in the evening about an hour before sunset.


Paddle, nap, hike, make camp, explore, read, and improve your other camping//fishing skills in the middle of the day."

Heck, start fishing at four in the morning. Fishing is amazing then. On a lake I've fished many times, I'd cast to a saddle while my partner was inserting his contact lenses. Most mornings I'd catch seven smallmouths before he was out of the tent. One morning, I caught seven. The sweet time is the gray time.

Hard to get up at 4 when you are up until 1 AM :)

quote QueticoMike: "Hard to get up at 4 when you are up until 1 AM :)"

Is that a drinking thing or a night bite for walleye deal?

quote missmolly: "

quote QueticoMike: "Hard to get up at 4 when you are up until 1 AM :)"

Is that a drinking thing or a night bite for walleye deal?"

I can't speak for Mike but I can relate to his issues with 4 AM wakeup calls. For me the answer to your question is yes : )

P.S. - To the OP leeches will help a ton as others have mentioned

quote tarnkt: "

quote missmolly: "

quote QueticoMike: "Hard to get up at 4 when you are up until 1 AM :)"

Is that a drinking thing or a night bite for walleye deal?"

I can't speak for Mike but I can relate to his issues with 4 AM wakeup calls. For me the answer to your question is yes : )

P.S. - To the OP leeches will help a ton as others have mentioned"

Boozy night bite, eh?

You fish til 10 PM, get something to eat, start a fire it is 11 PM, then you have a couple of what I call tasty drinks, it is 12:15 to 12:30. By the time I fall asleep listening to my trip partner snore, it is probably close to 1 AM.

I tend to catch fish everyday, and for the most part all during the day. I'm sure we get in a good 14 hours of fishing each day, unless we stop for a walleye shore lunch, which really cuts into my fishing time, but the guy I go with really enjoys them. I can always eat when I get home, I can't always fish Quetico :)

quote missmolly: "Howdy, Newb! Two things I've learned:


As my dad grew older, he could no longer portage into wild lakes, so I paid to fly him to fishing resorts and fly-in cabins. Everywhere we flew, the other fishers there thought it was world-class fishing. It wasn't. It was pretty good fishing, but great fishing happens at the ends of trails. You're 20, so you're the perfect age to portage those trails. As the good book should say, "Suffer and ye shall be rewarded." Consider Quetico. Consider beyond Quetico, like Woodland or Caribou Provincial Parks. Consider the Crown Land between the parks. The fewer the fishers, the more numerous the fish.


Secondly, I observed bass on a couple spring-fed farm ponds. In one pond, a pair of cruising bass wouldn't take anything I threw, until I went to a single hook and a worm and it was on. In another, a bass darted out from an indentation in the bank, inhaled my lure, and spat it out. Less is often more. Consider a split shot, a hook, and a leech or worm and nothing more. I wanted to give an outdoor writer a good time on a lake, so I put in the bow and concentrated on giving him the best casting angles. He caught a lot of fish because he was the only one casting at choice cover! However, I caught more simply by having a split shot, a hook, and a leech over the side."

I plan on taking trips to areas like that once i get a few more trips and fishing experience under my belt!

quote mastertangler: "You could fish this lure that time of year and I feel confident in saying you will catch more fish on this trip than all your other trips combined ;-) and yes that is a top color combination. Throw it out, let it get near bottom and ease it in. Occasionally vary the retrieve speed or even pause it and let it fall........but you will catch plenty by just throwing it out and reeling it in nice and easy, preferably near bottom.


Northland mimic minnow jig spinner

FWIW.......I do not like tying my line directly to the double wire of the typical jig spin with 8lb XL. The double wire creates an oval shaped tie off. Not so good........what I use is a product called a fas snap. I use this clip on almost all offerings as it insures a 100% knot connection. From crankbaits to jigs it allows you to fish light tackle and yet have a very solid knot connection. Plus it allows for a free swinging presentation and yet is extremely unobtrusive........much more so than a typical snap. Once you attach a fas snap do not take it on and off as per a usual snap. Rather it remains with the lure always. Get the medium sizes in black carbon for typical walleye fishing. Ditch any split rings and replace them with fas snaps. That are a bit pricey but make a world of difference IMO for being able to fish light tackle confidently as it bridges the diameter gap. Add them to your Mimic minnow, crank baits and heavier jigs (3/8 - 1/2 oz) and you are good to go.

Fas snap "

Thank you for taking the time to respond! i purchased both items you recommended ill come back and let you know how the lure did for me! Cheers!

quote missmolly: "

quote johndku: "Fish early in the morning, about 30 minutes before the sun comes up. Fish in the evening about an hour before sunset.



Paddle, nap, hike, make camp, explore, read, and improve your other camping//fishing skills in the middle of the day."

Heck, start fishing at four in the morning. Fishing is amazing then. On a lake I've fished many times, I'd cast to a saddle while my partner was inserting his contact lenses. Most mornings I'd catch seven smallmouths before he was out of the tent. One morning, I caught seven. The sweet time is the gray time. "

I plan on doing this ! ive often stay up to this time anyways see some of the best sun rises in world might as well do it on a canoe fishing

quote QueticoMike: "You fish til 10 PM, get something to eat, start a fire it is 11 PM, then you have a couple of what I call tasty drinks, it is 12:15 to 12:30. By the time I fall asleep listening to my trip partner snore, it is probably close to 1 AM.


I tend to catch fish everyday, and for the most part all during the day. I'm sure we get in a good 14 hours of fishing each day, unless we stop for a walleye shore lunch, which really cuts into my fishing time, but the guy I go with really enjoys them. I can always eat when I get home, I can't always fish Quetico :)"

Man, I have not fished until 10 in a long, long time. Those days of sun up to sun down are past for me.

I do LOVE that early, early and late late bite though......I don't have much more to add to this thread, except cover water if you need to cover water, and don't be afraid as MissMolly stated........TRAVEL Deep into the parks........Get away from the folks.

Man, I think these guys have it covered. The only thing I'd add is to go at least 1 1/2 months earlier. The fishing is a lot easier (fish are shallow and active). Otherwise,follow what these guys said and if the fish are sluggish, slow down and fish deeper.

There is YEARS of knowledge in this thread.

quote GeoFisher: "

quote QueticoMike: "You fish til 10 PM, get something to eat, start a fire it is 11 PM, then you have a couple of what I call tasty drinks, it is 12:15 to 12:30. By the time I fall asleep listening to my trip partner snore, it is probably close to 1 AM.



I tend to catch fish everyday, and for the most part all during the day. I'm sure we get in a good 14 hours of fishing each day, unless we stop for a walleye shore lunch, which really cuts into my fishing time, but the guy I go with really enjoys them. I can always eat when I get home, I can't always fish Quetico :)"

Man, I have not fished until 10 in a long, long time. Those days of sun up to sun down are past for me.


I do LOVE that early, early and late late bite though......I don't have much more to add to this thread, except cover water if you need to cover water, and don't be afraid as MissMolly stated........TRAVEL Deep into the parks........Get away from the folks."

"TRAVEL Deep into the parks"..........we sort of think alike in this respect Geo. I like getting away from it all and believe the less pressure a lake gets the better it will be. Besides I like hard work and I like "seeing the sights". But I will never forget what some old codger said to me the first time I dropped my canoe into Moose lake for a 10 day trip. He inquired about our fishing prospects and I told him we were heading deep into the center of the Quetico. He sort of chuckled and commented in so many words that's what most folks do and the best fishing is right in front of them (Basswood) and they just paddle thru.

Truth has a certain ring to it and I never forgot that comment. Years later when I wanted to give a new decked canoe a trial run I choose Basswood and spent 9 days on the Canadian side fishing Basswood and the old geezer was probably right.