Dad and I are taking our second canoe trip next year and are thinking about hitting up the southern portion of Basswood. We’re wondering how the walleye population is and if there’s a good chance we could find some. We had good luck with the smallies in Knife Lake using leeches, but we never found any walleye. We are planning to use more artificial bait next time around, but will have leeches ready just in case. Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

What time of year are you going ?

Either the first or second week of june. We’re not yet dead set on the trip to Basswood, dads got like 10 different travel routes mapped out.

East or west

West. We looked at hoist and back bay on the map and have thought about those areas.

You can't go wrong fishing Basswood. It is full of big fish of all species! It is the best fishing lake our group has been to and leeches were the winning bait in June. Be sure to try slip bobbers and leeches from camp in the late evening.

I always considered hoist and back bays the East side. And the side you enter at fall lake the west side
. 2 different motor areas. The East side had bigger deeper water .
I think the west side is shallower and has more fishable water.
I think the west side would be more manageable of a wind blows.big fish every where thou....
Bailey bay is big water...

Hopefully I get some motor permits mid June same area..

Go up to US Point.

After some great canoe trips to Sawbill and Gunflint locations, my friends got old and we are now motor permit heretics. Mid June for 10 straight years to LaTourells and portaging to Basswood. Walleye fishing in areas you mention is good in size but not great numbers (SMB, LMB, and big NP are out of this world) until you have a lot of experience to draw from. If you want to fish Basswood from canoe for 'eyes, get a ride from outfitter to Washington Island and paddle up to US Point area and/or Jackfish/Pipestone Bay where there is either no motor traffic, or very little. Slip bobber rig with live leaches, jig with gulp minnows/twister tails and some Berkley flicker shads can all be used on the same rod (Canadian side another story). You do not need to hassle with live worms or minnows to catch 'eyes in June in Basswood. Great 'eye fishing in many spots once you get away from the motor zone. Check Trip Planning for info on Basswood camping spots, read MasterAngler's posts for some great walleye advice, and stop at Great Outdoors in Ely for leeches and last minute guidance.

If I was go to fish the east side of basswood in June I’d be targeting areas with green weeds and the warmest water.

So how do you score a motor permit in mid June for Basswood 10 straight years???? This is what I'm talking about... I'll be glad when they flush the lottery

I've got 5 over night permits in the last 3 years to Basswood, and have never applied in the lottery. I always check the permit system a couple days before I go on a trip. You never know what areas open up.

Eelpout, I was shut out last year mid June. East side... put in day use motor 14 straight days. Zip. 2 overnite. 1 each week. Zip...

I usually check at ranger station and pick up one that has turned back in....
I like the East side as I can't do the west side portage by myself...
I also think the west side is a better fishery..

Eelpout, I was shut out last year mid June. East side... put in day use motor 14 straight days. Zip. 2 overnite. 1 each week. Zip...

I usually check at ranger station and pick up one that has turned back in....
I like the East side as I can't do the west side portage by myself...
I also think the west side is a better fishery..

yogi59weedr: "So how do you score a motor permit in mid June for Basswood 10 straight years???? This is what I'm talking about... I'll be glad when they flush the lottery"

Is the plan to get rid of the lottery?

I have fished Basswood many times and found that Jackfish Bay is an excellent place to catch walleyes. Pipestone Bay too. Fished Back Bay many times too and have caught many large sunnies, smallies and northern pike but not many walleyes. If I were fishing the west side of Basswood for walleyes, I'd go to Jackfish Bay.

yellowhorse: "

yogi59weedr: "So how do you score a motor permit in mid June for Basswood 10 straight years???? This is what I'm talking about... I'll be glad when they flush the lottery"

Is the plan to get rid of the lottery?"

My understanding is that 2018 will be the final year of the lottery.

This year is going to be slim pickins for permits being returned.
How many peaople will turn a permit in that they paid for?

Yogi, in answer to your question, we stay at the best cabin resort in the BWCA and don't have to worry about permits. Your advice to the original poster is spot on. The shallower western side of Basswood is loaded with walleye spots, but we have found mid June (normally we start Fathers Day weekend) to be very inconsistent on ideal depth. They were deep in big numbers in the hot Spring of 2012 (15 FOW) and last year we were surprised by how many eater sized eyes were caught in shallow, emerging weed beds (5-7 FOW). Your comment about Bailey Bay being big water to avoid for infrequent canoeists is also spot on. If people want to avoid paying for a "tow" and fish Basswood, I would strongly recommend the portage through Wind Lake, Wind Bay and then up through middle area staying close to Washington Island. US Point or eastern Jackfish/Pipestone areas very accessible from that route.

It doesn’t look like we’re gpong to make it too far into Basswood this time. Thanks for the feedback. Dad and I will be going from wood through to Basswood and then down into wind lake and back to moose where the Outfitters are. We were told wood has good fishing but most people just paddle through to get to Basswood.