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11/17/2018 10:40PM   (Thread Older Than 3 Years)
If I decided to come up to the BWCA with a boat, where would I begin? The motor would be a 40HP. We like camping, preferably at sites like in the BWCA, and like fishing for walleye and northerns. Smallies - take them or leave them. Enjoy large perch and/or crappies. I have only ever canoed up there.
 
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11/18/2018 04:56AM  
Voyageurs National Park. Not the BWCA, but as close as you are going to get with a 40 hp motor.
The Great Outdoors
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11/18/2018 08:18AM  
The motor size limit in the BWCA is 25 h.p. max, and I believe 15 h.p. max on a lake or two on the east side.
11/18/2018 09:41AM  
I am familiar with Crane and somewhat familiar with the south end of Sand Point. All that experience is 25 years old and limited.
1. Has the fishing gotten better or worse in that time?
2. What lakes ome recommended for camping?
3. What lakes come recommended for fishing?

Thanks a lot.
11/18/2018 01:53PM  
There are some nice boat in campsites on Vermilion, Burntside, and a few others that would work also. Don’t necessarily have the BWCA feel, simply because of boat traffic and more people. It can be fun, and pretty good fishing can be had.
11/18/2018 05:19PM  
You could check out Northern Lights Lake. There are resorts and outfitters there worth investigating.
11/18/2018 07:38PM  
Go in crane lake and up the little vermilion river... once on lac la Croix stay on the canadian side. Probably get some camping permits and fishing license online. Camping on crown land cost about the same as canoeing in quetico...
11/18/2018 07:38PM  
Go in crane lake and up the little vermilion river... once on lac la Croix stay on the canadian side. Probably get some camping permits and fishing license online. Camping on crown land cost about the same as canoeing in quetico...
11/18/2018 07:38PM  
Like walllee suggests, also out of crane up through standpoint to namakan. Can be a lot of boats. Kegatogama has the better boat camping I understand. I think that might be a reservation dot gov thing.
11/18/2018 08:59PM  
My paddle experience on LLC always leaves me wanting to boat it at some point. Other than price I know it has all other things we desire.
11/18/2018 10:31PM  
How long does it take to boat to LLC from Crane? I am nothing like an outfitter that can make good time if you know what I mean.
11/19/2018 07:43AM  
I am guessing it would take 6 to 8 hours if you went at a nice leisurely pace. The water level on the Loon River could be a factor, as could your wait time at Sand Point customs.
HowardSprague
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11/19/2018 12:01PM  
The 40hp would be the issue if you want a BW-type site within the BWCA. There's a 25hp limit.

HOWEVER,.. it appears there are a few campsites on Snowbank Lake which are not within the BWCA boundary. And on that part of the lake - the non-BW side - I think you can use your 40. Maybe ask Snowbank Lodge & Outfitters (formerly Smitty's) about that.

Otherwise, there are campgrounds such as at Silver Rapids on White Iron Lake. Not the same type of camping, but maybe an option.
11/19/2018 03:02PM  
Hi
I have never stayed here but have always thought it looked interesting...BWCA like conditions, remote campsites and motorboats. I think its a pretty good walleye lake too.

Birch Lake remote backcountry sites

Bigjoet
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11/21/2018 12:34AM  
This is my favorite trip and I do it twice a year. We enter at Crane and travel down through loon river over the portage and camp on loon lake. Fishing is great come early June, and we do it with the 75 horse, there is no motor restrictions on this route
blutofish1
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11/23/2018 07:15PM  
I think Big Lake off the Echo trail allows motors of 40 HP . I've done well fishing there in the fall and in May
 
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