If I had a larger group, with some going into the BWCA on a canoe trip and some staying at a cabin, would the cabin guys have decent fishing on Poplar Lake? I know they could do day trips, try some other lakes in the area, etc,. but do any of you have experience fishing on Poplar itself?

I’ve never tried poplar itself but have fished Meeds a lot. I would assume they fish similarly.

If that is true drop a leech under a slip bobber or on a jig at the rock to mud transitions in about 10 feet of water and hold on!!!!

Poplar isn't as good for walleyes as lakes like Meeds, but there is good bass fishing to be had.

the Cabin guys , Can have other enter point lakes to choose from besides poplar , exp. clearwater/seagull

Are they fishing from boats or canoes?

There are some lakes nearby if they are going in a canoe, not that the lake is canoe only just not sure on boat access.

Leo lake, access down hungry jack road.
Little iron and iron lakes, just up the trail a few miles. Little iron has some bluegill and crappie, walleye, bass, northern.
Round lake, smallmouth abundant.
Swamped lake, further down trail.
Aspen lake, down Clearwater road.

I’ve only fished poplar lake once by motorboat. There is a prop at the bottom of the lake near a rock. :). And probably a fish right there, too.

If they have a boat or canoe, and are able to do day trips….do it! Poplar is just not a good fishing lake! Hungry Jack and West Bearskin would be the best nearby lakes. Aspen is pretty good also.

Good walleye fishing on Swamp lake just WSW of Poplar. You can drive around and portage into the NE corner of Swamp. Fish the drop offs by the 2 little islands.

Maybe they should drive to other non-entry point lakes outside of the boundary waters, preferably those without busy resorts or campgrounds. Sometimes I think the BWCA lakes get hit harder than the non-BWCA lakes off the gunflint, just due to the mentality of "why not". People come all that way and it's free to fill out a day pass, I don't see why many people wouldn't enter the BWCA at that point.