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MNswede
member (5)member
  
07/23/2018 11:19PM   (Thread Older Than 3 Years)
Hello all,

My lady friend is coming up from Florida for a week and we are planning a trip for 3 days/nights. I want to awe her with this experience, I haven't been up to the BW since I was younger and other of our birthdays will be during our excursion so I want to make it special. I'd love for her to catch some big pike and smallies but walleye would be great as well. We will be there from august 25-27. I know late august can be great for these fish, I just dont know where to find them up there. We'd also love great places to site see, swim and have fun. Any and all help as far as the fishing but also where to set in, camp and paddle out to. I have a 17' flat back canoe and considering bringing my small motor to help with trolling and longer adventures. Thank you in advance for helping this guy plan the perfect trip!!
Jake
 
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Thwarted
distinguished member(1403)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
07/24/2018 04:43AM  
Have you considered getting a cabin or bunk off the Gunflint and taking day trips? That may be your best way to guarantee a positive introduction to the area and be fun for both of you. If the cost is daunting then perhaps car camping at one of the many area parks and visiting multiple lakes with day trips?
07/24/2018 06:03AM  
There are only a few lakes where you can use a motor and some of them that is restricted to certain parts. I believe it requires a different permit too from the overnight paddle permit.
MNswede
member (5)member
  
07/24/2018 06:34AM  
We are both outdoors kind of people and love the adventure so camping it is for us. Just needing help with the best camping areas and lakes or rivers and scenic views to check out.
MNswede
member (5)member
  
07/24/2018 06:37AM  
boonie: "There are only a few lakes where you can use a motor and some of them that is restricted to certain parts. I believe it requires a different permit too from the overnight paddle permit. "


I originally planned on leaving the motor at home it is a last resort we will be doing paddling mostly and probably all
07/24/2018 07:04AM  
Reservations for that date are limited, see the reservation site at this link. BWCA reservations
I am not a fishing person so cannot comment there, but have you considered a drive up the north shore to one of those entry points? That drive alone could impress and plenty of hikes and camping options exist. Sawbill is a popular and very nice area with smaller lakes and plenty of options.
I would recommend checking availability and read a few trip reports about areas that seem interesting. You can easily find a trip report for an area using the search feature and entering your destination lake or entry point. Many have photos. Plan your trip together.
heavylunch
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07/24/2018 07:19AM  
Maybe look into Basswood, Trout, Seagull, or Saganaga? I assume you don't want to portage if you are bringing a motor. I don't know the hours or details around the motorized portages to Trout or Basswood.

Also, fishing is by no means a sure thing that time of year but I would expect you will find something.

What sorts of "backcountry" activities do you do today? Backpacking? Would you go through an outfitter or do you have all your own gear?
07/24/2018 08:40AM  
Paddling opens up a lot more possibilities, especially if you plan to camp overnight in the BW, for which you'll need an overnight paddle permit, of which there is a limited quota and some EP's are not available 8/25.

Another option would be to camp just outside the BW on the edge and take day trips in, needing only a self-issued day permit (unlimited number). Sawbill would be one example, Kawishiwi another, etc.

Overnight options would depend on how much, if any, you are willing to portage. There are some EP's on entry lakes that do not require a portage, such as Brule, Sawbill, Saganaga, Seagull, etc. and there are some that only require minimal portaging.

I do agree with the suggestion to drive up the North Shore to Tofte or Grand Marais.
MNswede
member (5)member
  
07/24/2018 07:58PM  
heavylunch: "Maybe look into Basswood, Trout, Seagull, or Saganaga? I assume you don't want to portage if you are bringing a motor. I don't know the hours or details around the motorized portages to Trout or Basswood.


Also, fishing is by no means a sure thing that time of year but I would expect you will find something.


What sorts of "backcountry" activities do you do today? Backpacking? Would you go through an outfitter or do you have all your own gear?"


I'm gonna leave the motor at home not worth the hassle. I'm a hunter, fisher, camper so i have most everything i need for the trip. I do some hiking also, i dont really know much at all about the BWCA, what do the outfitters offer? We kinda just want to go out and get "lost" for a couple days and make the best of it all. Just the time spent together and seeing the beauty our great state has to offer.
treehorn
distinguished member(715)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
07/27/2018 03:39PM  
MNswede: "
heavylunch: "Maybe look into Basswood, Trout, Seagull, or Saganaga? I assume you don't want to portage if you are bringing a motor. I don't know the hours or details around the motorized portages to Trout or Basswood.



Also, fishing is by no means a sure thing that time of year but I would expect you will find something.



What sorts of "backcountry" activities do you do today? Backpacking? Would you go through an outfitter or do you have all your own gear?"



I'm gonna leave the motor at home not worth the hassle. I'm a hunter, fisher, camper so i have most everything i need for the trip. I do some hiking also, i dont really know much at all about the BWCA, what do the outfitters offer? We kinda just want to go out and get "lost" for a couple days and make the best of it all. Just the time spent together and seeing the beauty our great state has to offer. "


If you have most of your stuff, what an outfitter will offer is excellent advice on fishing, routes, campsites & sightseeing in the area you're going into.

Step 1 might be to decide if you'd like to go through the Ely side or the Gunflint/Grand Marais side.

Step 2 might be to visit the reservations site that Bhouse posted above and see what entry points are still available the date you are going in. You need a permit, and they are limited at all EP's and probably sold out of some of them.

Those 2 things might narrow it down quite a bit, then you could check back in here with a couple options you are considering and get more specific advice/recommendations?
07/27/2018 08:08PM  
these are GUnflint Trail ideas:

i'm thinking a john entry off the arrowhead trail, if it's still available, or missing link.
why? well, from john you can day trip to east pike which is a gorgeous portage as well as lake, you can day trip the royal river to south fowl and the start of the pigeon river. i heard there is an awesome and very steep hiking trail that offers some of the best panoramic views.
from round lake you have only one 1/2 mile portage to missing link. there is a decent site on the lake as well as two others. you can explore adjoining snipe lake and cross bay lake, hike the "Tusc Portage".
fishing opportunities for both areas. you'd want to add a trout stamp if you head to missing link as that is a trout lake with brook trouts, as is Tusc which is known as a lake trout lake, but you can also get some northerns, smallies and wallies.

if you want to just get a campground site and do different day trips there are some nice private campgrounds (golden eagle, gunflint pines) or the federal grounds (iron lake, trails end and others).

lots of day trips for hiking to be followed up with malt at trail center or other restaurants on the Gunflint Trail. there is also a canopy tour/zip line up the Trail that's pretty cool.

wish you had more days!
heavycanoe
distinguished member (462)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
07/30/2018 11:37AM  
My favorite trip was gunflint - north - south - rose to hungryjack outfitters dock. South is a beautiful lake - Rose falls is my favorite falls in the BWCA and the hike along the bluffs on rose are impressive. Just one opinion.
07/30/2018 07:33PM  
Is this a romantic lady friend?

If so, maybe Staircase portage out of Duncan? I heard there was a fellow bwca.com member (520 EEK) who proposed to his wife there. :-)

 
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