This is what I have for a trip next Saturday into the Clearwater region. I do have some white curly tailed plastic worms as well. It's been 25 years since I did a serious fishing trip into the boundary waters. In fact I've only been on a couple serious fishing trips anywhere. Any suggestions from you experienced guys on what I need to add to my box before I leave Illinois Thursday? I'll be camping for 7 days and trying for all species if I can find them.

Smallmouth: Zman ShadZ in gray\pearl color, Tube bait in green pumpkin, Chartreuse double willow blade spinner bait

Trout: One ounce white curly or hair jig, chrome hammered Dr. Spoon, 4-1/2” nickel plated Dardevle Spoon

Walleye: J9 gold jointed Rapala, Gold Rapala Husky Jerk, Berkley PowerBait or Gulp! leeches.

Pike: Bullfrog Lucky 13, Red and white daredevle spoon, #5 Mepps spinner or a big bucktail spinner.

Those inline spinners are deadly on Clearwater. I had two 100 fish days on a Mepps #3 spinner. All Smallmouth bass that returned to see another day. I would also troll those Rapalas in front of the Palisades on the south side of Clearwater for Lakers.

Thanks guys. I'm headed to town tomorrow and I'll make a stop at Bass Pro. I might not be the greatest fisherman, but at least I'll have the right tools in the toolbox!

i love the beetle spins , most under rated lure ever made , i add a twister tail .

quote shock: "i love the beetle spins , most under rated lure ever made , i add a twister tail .
"

Although I only fish once in a blue moon, I've caught more with my beetle spin than all my other lures combined. Mostly bass, but walleye, crappie, and even a few northern. It's my go-to lure!

You have lots of silver type baits.........Gold is the preferred color in the north.

Yes the safety spin type lures are quite underrated. I would upsize however and use bigger offerings. Like Shock, I to, prefer trailers which wiggle or waddle such as twister tails or paddle tails. If you like the beetle spins (I like them when the water is still very cold) then you should look into the Northland jig spins which is an upgrade for you but still a reasonable price.

Northland mimic jig spin

Get the natural color combinations but instead of silver blades use gold.......much better! Try and fish them near the bottom to get walleye.

The only other thing which is glaring by its omission is you have no top water baits. Are you averse to having fun? Whats up with that? You will need 2 or 3 of them as little pike like to nip them off occasionally but don't use steel. Perhaps others will chime in as to their favorite topwater offerings.

+1 0n the top water lures.
I would add some dropshot weights and hooks. Some Gulp leaches would also be on my list.

You may cross the portage to mountain lake and troll a shad rap . There are many eater sized lakers there. Lots of fun! Good luck. There is a trail up to the first palisade. What a view! Marc

If you are going to try topwater, get a couple of super pop-r's in the foxy shad color.

You can use your middle minnow bait in the NE corner as a surface lure. Twitch it for smallmouth and enjoy the fun until a pike cuts your line.

Too early for a Lucky Heddon 13?

quote HighnDry: "Too early for a Lucky Heddon 13?"

+1 Definitely curious about this? Any insight? Will be going in on the 19th and wanted to throw this lure

I'll answer my own question by saying that if I bring this in next week, I'll also bring a couple smaller zpops in the 2inch range to throw when there is little to no wind to not spook the fish. Just another thought.

quote HighnDry: "I'll answer my own question by saying that if I bring this in next week, I'll also bring a couple smaller zpops in the 2inch range to throw when there is little to no wind to not spook the fish. Just another thought."

Great advice - I was going to bring those smaller pop-r's in perch and blue/silver

quote HighnDry: "Too early for a Lucky Heddon 13?"

It might be a little early this Saturday (when OP-Dreamer goes into the woods) to be throwing the Lucky 13 for smallmouth, but for pike it should be fine. I was just thinking it might be easier to use and find a foxy shad super pop-r than the Bullfrog Lucky 13. The smaller profile would be better for smallmouth this Saturday. I'm sure if there is a hungry pike around this weekend it would take a swipe at a big chugger like a Lucky 13.

quote QueticoMike: "

quote HighnDry: "Too early for a Lucky Heddon 13?"

It might be a little early this Saturday (when OP-Dreamer goes into the woods) to be throwing the Lucky 13 for smmallmouth, but for pike it should be fine. I was just thinking it might be easier to use and find a foxy shad super pop-r than the Bullfrog Lucky 13. The smaller profile would be better for smallmouth this Saturday. I'm sure if there is a hungry pike around this weekend it would take a swipe at big chugger like a Lucky 13."

On your retrieve with the Lucky 13 do you usually do multiple pops between pauses or single pops between pauses? I know in my own experience the strike usually comes on the pause

I agree with shock on the beetle spins. Smith wick Rogues look gold enough and may be hot up there! A few more jigheads would be nice. I like gold jigheads but plain is probably fine. 1/8 3/16 oz. Maybe an extra bobber

quote GoSpursGo: "

quote QueticoMike: "

quote HighnDry: "Too early for a Lucky Heddon 13?"

It might be a little early this Saturday (when OP-Dreamer goes into the woods) to be throwing the Lucky 13 for smmallmouth, but for pike it should be fine. I was just thinking it might be easier to use and find a foxy shad super pop-r than the Bullfrog Lucky 13. The smaller profile would be better for smallmouth this Saturday. I'm sure if there is a hungry pike around this weekend it would take a swipe at big chugger like a Lucky 13."

On your retrieve with the Lucky 13 do you usually do multiple pops between pauses or single pops between pauses? I know in my own experience the strike usually comes on the pause"

I usually start out slow, with a pop, pop, and longer than normal pause (during early spring). If they don't like it slow, then I will try speeding up the cadence to see if that attracts anything. Let the fish tell you what they want.

I think slowly twitching a Zulu sub surface will be the most productive presentation depending on water temps. right now. If really cold, a tube or grub on the deeper transition edges might be the ticket?

+1 on the smithwick rogue. I'm usually a rapala guy, but love the original rogue in shallower water.

I hope you have more jigs than are in your picture. The rocky bottoms up there really tend to eat them up. It's hard to get through 1 day of bwca fishing with just four jigs. I would recommend at least 50 for a 7 day trip. A mix of 1/8 oz and 1/4 oz should work. Everyone has their favorite color but chartreuse, pink, white and black are popular choices.

If you plan on bobber fishing I recommend gamakatsu #6 octopus hooks, split shot and leeches.

quote tarnkt: "I hope you have more jigs than are in your picture. The rocky bottoms up there really tend to eat them up."

No worries on the numbers. I only put one of everything in my original pic. And I've already gone out and bought a bunch more stuff because of this thread. Thanks everyone! I'm gonna have to experiment with some stuff as I've never fished with much of it!

quote mastertangler: "You have lots of silver type baits.........Gold is the preferred color in the north."

Just went out and bought a everything in gold. Thanks for the heads up!

+1

Sorry about that, that was supposed to be for the beetle spin style of bait.

I like a gold willow, with a black grub body and a green paddle tail best, in our boat we've nick named that combination, " The Meat Getter".

We have various blade colors and styles along with various jigs and grubs, or twisters, and some hair jigs work nice as well. We switch the colors and combinations around to match what we think they will like, (they often don't read the same books and magazine articles we do though!).

Nomad