I've been toying with several routes out of Mudro for my July 25th entry date.
I extended my trip to 7 days which gives me some more options.

Original intent was to head up towards Beartrap, Gull and Thunder and hang out for the week, perhaps moving the camp once or twice.

I just felt like I might get bored sticking tight. I love to travel but I also don't love packing up camp super early and trying to find a site by a certain time of day.

So this year plan A is head out of Mudro as soon as it's light enough to see.
Head up towards Sandpit and take the creek over to Jackfish Bay.
Paddle Jackfish Bay towards the Basswood River and make camp somewhere near the start of the river.

Day 2 would be the Basswood River downstream toward Crooked and viewing Upper Basswood Falls, Wheelbarrow Falls, Lower Basswood Falls and the pictographs. Making camp near Wednesday Bay. Checking out Table Rock at some point. Also trying to find that weed bed where I lost a giant fish 5 years ago and see if he is still there for another go round. LOL

Day 3 would have us camped out somewhere at the top of Wed/Thurs bay of Crooked Lake depending on where we stopped for night 2.

Day 4 and 5 would be spent on Crooked exploring and fishing and if the weather and wind is good a day trip over to Curtain Falls. Perhaps even a camp relocation over near Sunday Bay depending on what traffic looks like.

Day 6 would have us headed south out of Friday bay and posting up somewhere north of Fairy Lake depending on site availability.

Day 7 would be an exit through Fourtown but taking the creek from Fourtown to Horse lake and out Tin Can Mike, Sandpit and Mudro.

I haven't taken that creek and this would allow me to bypass the Fourtown/Mudro portages which aren't crazy hard but the traffic can make them a PITA.

Should the weather not be conducive for a day one paddle across the expanse of Jackfish bay we can switch gears and head down the Horse River instead.

I have not been west of Friday Bay so I really want to see that area. I will be bringing a friend that has not been canoe camping before so I'm really looking forward to showing him how awesome this area is.
Plan is to 1.5x portage because we both like to eat real food.

Anything I might be missing? Special campsites? Fishing holes? Lake traffic suggestions?

Sounds like an amazing trip! We did a very similar route this time last year, except that we went up through the horse river and spent one night on Iron.

Regarding staying somewhere around Fairy: We stayed on Boot lake for our last night and while the campsite was very nice the fishing was less than great. I’d love to hear other people’s experiences but Fairy and Boot seemed to be much more muddy and less deep than Gun or Fourtown. We enjoyed the fishing on Gun and Fourtown a lot more and kinda wished we had spent our last night on Fourtown. It’s a very cool lake with impressive rock features, though there seemed to be more people on Fourtown (and sites seem to be closer).

Hope you have a great trip!!

Sounds like a great route! I love that area and have been through all of it a number of times. You will have plenty of company, but if that doesn't bother you, I think you will have a great time. Great fishing the whole way. You will have a lot of current areas all the way from upper Basswood to Thursday bay, and anywhere on Basswood and Crooked can be great fishing. Don't underestimate the fishing on Jackfish or Pipestone bays, Basswood is a heck of a fishery, as is Crooked. Get your campsites EARLY. Have a great trip!

I loved Fairy Lake, didn't get to stay there but the campsites are great and it has a mystical feel to it...definitely quiet. As far as Boot, we stayed at a campsite with a path to the back side of the peninsula on a bay and I did pretty well there for sunnies and eyes. Caught my personal biggest from shore at that spot on Boot. I think it is a sleeper walleye lake myself - just a feeling. But..Fourtown is a great lake, absolutely gorgeous so nothing wrong with staying there either.

noahj: "Sounds like an amazing trip! We did a very similar route this time last year, except that we went up through the horse river and spent one night on Iron.


Regarding staying somewhere around Fairy: We stayed on Boot lake for our last night and while the campsite was very nice the fishing was less than great. I’d love to hear other people’s experiences but Fairy and Boot seemed to be much more muddy and less deep than Gun or Fourtown. We enjoyed the fishing on Gun and Fourtown a lot more and kinda wished we had spent our last night on Fourtown. It’s a very cool lake with impressive rock features, though there seemed to be more people on Fourtown (and sites seem to be closer).


Hope you have a great trip!!"

Thank You,

I stayed on Gun a few years back and it was nice except it was full and kinda noisy.
Fishing was tough though.

Boot just looks so fishy to me. Last year we stayed on Moosecamp and the fishing was good but we had the lake to ourselves for 4 days. That was awesome!

mgraber: "Sounds like a great route! I love that area and have been through all of it a number of times. You will have plenty of company, but if that doesn't bother you, I think you will have a great time. Great fishing the whole way. You will have a lot of current areas all the way from upper Basswood to Thursday bay, and anywhere on Basswood and Crooked can be great fishing. Don't underestimate the fishing on Jackfish or Pipestone bays, Basswood is a heck of a fishery, as is Crooked. Get your campsites EARLY. Have a great trip!"

Thank you,
Almost had my PB Smallmouth on Jackfish Bay but he jumped and spit the hook right at the boat. We had dead calm waters almost the entire way across jackfish.
Almost wishing for a breeze as it was getting hot That's a lengthy paddle. We stopped halfway across and went for a swim.

The campsite thing has me worried the most. I don't mind seeing people but don't want to hear them in their camp. Trying to plan the route so we get tot he top of Crooked before noon to look for a site. Once set up probably hang in that area for a spell.