A group of six of us are going in this Sunday for 5 days based out of Ensign Lake.

It has been about 10 years since my sons & I first made our trip to the Boundary waters.

We are mainly going for the fishing (targeting smallmouth we hope).

We see where it will be cool during the nights and highs in the 60's during the day.

We are using an outfitter for the trip (getting a tow in as well).

Can hardly wait for this trip!!!!

Have fun...should be good fishing!

Ensign is a great lake. We have always done well for walleye and haven't really targeted smallmouth. You may want to think about taking the short/uphill portage into Ashigan for some fantastic smallmouth fishing. Would be an easy day trip and potentially well worth it.

Kind of midway along the south side (from memory) of Ensign there is sort of a bay/inlet that turns into a creek. Should be bassy as heck, I would think. There are largemouth in there as well.

I love Ensign! I've done 2 trips where we base camped on Ensign and were there for fishing. One great small mouth places that I've had luck with is on the west side of the lake, not far from the entrance into Splash. From that entrance, there are some small rock outcroppings to the north/east (visible on Google Maps). I've anchored on the east side and casted in jigs with leaches and had awesome SM bass luck on both trips...and BIG bass! I always look for this kind of structure as they always seem to hold fish year round. Do you have your eye on a campsite? Good luck and have fun!

Ensign is a good fishery for Smallmouth bass. Be sure you have some Pop-Rs, Zara Super Spooks, Senko worms, and Whopper Ploppers. I’ve caught many fish on top water lures at this time of year.