Heading into Crooked from Mudro into Friday Bay on May 24th. Wondering if we should plan to camp in Friday Bay if there is an open site or push into Saturday Bay. Excited to get on the lake and catch some big smallies!

By the time you get into Friday bay, y9u might he ready to find a site for the night. That's a long push for one day

I'm heading to this area 6-6-17. This will be my third trip. EP to Friday Bay usually takes 6 hours if you single portage.....

I'm getting excited, let me know how the fishing is!

First of all - Welcomne to the Board!

As for your route - looks like Mudro to Friday Bay is about 13+ miles with about 800+ rods of portage - long day and very cold water. ( In Mudro - north through Fairy, Gun, Wagosh, Papoose, be careful!) Be prepared for the short days and get an early start.

Personally - I would stay on Gun on the site back north east around the corner from the penninsula - at the start of the narrows (south side) on the way to the portage. Then do the 327 portage first thing in the morning and head into Saturday. The fishing on Gun has been pretty good for us but, as you probably know, this time of year the water is so cold - sometimes they are only biting in "moving water".

Thanks for the tips! We are hoping to make Crooked on the first day. We are planning to be a little wore out but hoping the fishing will make it worth it.

Ynneb9 - This will be my first time to this lake, what site do you recommend? There will be six of us. Hopefully I can give you a good fish report. My bags have been packed since last week haha.

The island site in the middle is great with some good bays close by for fishing. We couldn't keep northern off our spoons in mid June.

What Vaderstrom said. I've only stayed at two campsites on Friday Bay but the ones near the border are the best in my opinion.

Headed in to this area tomorrow. Will post a report when I return.

quote WhiteWolf: "Headed in to this area tomorrow. Will post a report when I return."

Hope you're staying dry! Weather looks a bit dicey up there the next few days!

Id push into friday bay in one day if it were me. The campsite on the island on the north side is beautiful. Great walleye, smb, northern fishing all over. Crooked is my favorite lake in the BWCA. Ive been there in July and not seen a soul for 2 or 3 days.

There is a lot to see if you go to Crooked via the Horse River. With it being spring the water should be up so you will make good time. I don't know you will single portage or double. I know the single is good intention ed but sometimes guys end up doubling. Down into Crooked bay via the Horse River is a long long haul unless LBF in no way appeals to your group. If that is the case then go Gun, Boot, Fairy.

We are headed to sunday bay on sunday, until the next sunday from angleworm (ep20,)
woot, early starts!

wife will post report upon return

Agreed, we did this trip last memorial day. Camped on Horse Lake, and daytripped up to Crooked. The Horse River was very neat!

Just got back from this area. Went in Tuesday the 16th in a break in the rain (being a weatherman helped) around 2Pm. Still got soaked on Boot and the portages from Mudro to 4-town were very slippery. Got to Gun around 5:45 pm and decided to camp on the grassy southern facing site rather then push to Friday Bay-- smart call. Light Drizzle all night with standing water/thick mud on the Wagosh portage made it feel like a smart call with strong E east winds and temps in the mid 40's. Still snow in the woods on the Billy Goat and Niki Lake had snow in the rock wall coming in from Wagosh. On the way out we left Thursday / Friday bay area around 11am Sat and hit the truck at Mudro around 5pm-- we were flying mainly due to the dry rocks/ ports- wanting to beat the impending rain and cold and desired a cold beer in front of a fire at the hunting shack. It paid off.

* Note* I would advise anyone to be very careful on the first 3 portages out of Mudro to 4 town if it's raining or the rocks are still wet especially if you are single portaging especially early in the year with high water. Being entry portages-- they are rough. Remember to take the creek into/ out of 4town from Mudro and not the deceiving cliff face entry/out in 4 town-- it's very dangerous in wet conditions and finding the actually portage is difficult in high water. Coming from 4-town it's marked with pink trail tape once into the creek far enough.

Single portaging in good conditions --- Friday Bay can be had in 6 hours from/going to Mudro easily with a strong "bunch". But that never happens so plan on 7+ especially with a full load on the way in to Crooked.

Caught lots of fish-- many eyes very shallow middle of day with a strong/bright sun. Will post on this in the fishing forum later on. No skitters but the Gnats were annoying to me and downright abysmal to my buddies allergic to them. Ticks were out but manageable with Permethin (spelling). Email if you have any other questions.