Planning my first solo trip. I am looking at entering off round and heading to either Tuscarora, Gillis, or Little Sag for 3-4 nights of base-camping and fishing. I haven't been to any of these lakes before. What would be your recommendations on a target lake and why? Fishing potential is most important, but accessibility, campsite availability, areas to stay out of the wind, and general fun-ness all are valuable considerations. Thanks.

Having been to this area a few times myself, I would suggest Little Sag for your destination. You will have more options for both camp site, and fishing locations. The bays and islands around Little Sag have some great bass spots and it is easier to lose sight of the burn areas.

The Seagull Lake fires hit both Lil Sag (north east) and Gillis (north and north west) a decade ago but most of that has been covered by new growth. Taking the Tuscarora route will bypass most of the burn on your way to Lil Sag and Gillis.

The portage from Missing Link to Tuscarora is 360-rods (according to the maps here on BWCA.com) and, while long, is not all that difficult. It is pretty flat actually. And in my opinion is actually an easier than taking the Round, Brant, Bat route into Gillis.

If you go the Tuscarora route, and you got on the water around 7am, you could push and make it to Lil Sag in a long day' It's about 10-miles and 7 portages. If you take the Brant, Gillis, Powell lakes route, it is about 9-miles, but 13 portages.

Hope this helps.

Gillis is beautiful but, Lil' Sag is one of the crowning jewels of the BWCA.

I’ve only been to Gillis among the three. It’s okay. I recall one really nasty portage on the way in but other than that not a bad route.

I've been to all of them and been through Brant and Missing Link both. I like Tuscarora, but I like Little Sag best. Tuscarora is the shorter travel, followed by Gillis. Either way you go is the hardest part of getting to Little Sag. I'd go by way of Tuscarora if I were you, maybe exit the other way.

I always make a point of staying on Little Sag whenever I can. Campsites are readily available and the islands provide lots of shelter if the wind continues this summer. The portage from Mora to Little Sag is one of the prettiest around. Portage to Tuscarora was very, very slimy and slippery this week with all the rain, but no deep mud.