In 4 months, we will be in this area... FINALLY... This area has been on my bucket list for many years, almost got there last year when we entered Sea Gull, but the fire crew kept us out :(

Looking for information, suggested day trips, we like to fish, love to hike to the high places. Have never trout fished, but will try this trip. It will be the same group we had last year, great trip dynamics.

Campsites, fishing, sights, falls, hikes, overlooks, things to avoid..etc.

I know in past posts on Knife Lake they have mentioned it's a good are for seeing bears especially in your campsite.

quote OldFingers57: "I know in past posts on Knife Lake they have mentioned it's a good are for seeing bears especially in your campsite. "

I have read that too, have never had one in camp before... at least not that I have seen.

I've done that loop a couple of times and have never had bear problems. Had good fishing on Seagull & Knife but not so much on Big Sag. I would get on Seagull & Big Sag. early in the morning because if the wind comes up you might not get very far.

Between Knife, South Arm of Knife, and Kekekabic, lots of stuff to explore. Gone into the area from Moose and Seagull, I'm fairly indifferent to campsites, but this one on Kek bring back fond memories.



butthead

We were on Kekekabic from Sea Gull last year.

This year we are entering though Moose & staying on Knife & North of Knife. We enjoyed Kekekabic for a couple days lat year & did the portage from Eddy Lake to the South Arm, before the Forest Service turned us away.... really liked the look of the area & can't wait to get back there.

Most interested in things to see & explore.... info on how to catch a Lake trout & the best way to cook one up there, would be great too

There's a big waterfall on the Hanson/S Knife portage

The Gijikiki to Cherry route will kick your butts. Should have some solitude in there though. I remember Amoeber being a nice looking lake. Topaz has a poorly rated campsite but it looked fine from the water?

It's a great area.

Never had bear trouble. In so. Arm . Nice sandy beach back inbay. Of so. Arm. Definitely fish little falls. From eddy lake good smally. Just no. Of there is a spot I caugh the nicest stringer of 3-5lb walleye ive ever caught in bdub.b email and I will point it out to u. Before panic sets in it was before length limits and was for pic. Purpose...seriously. I was in back of canoe buddy in front. Jigging a leech in 15-20fow. The guy couldnt hook one and I just waylaided them. Never heard u M.Fer. so many times in one setting.. priceless.

quote Exo: " Topaz has a poorly rated campsite but it looked fine from the water?


It's a great area."

That Topaz camp isn't as bad as people say it is. You won't have a tarp near the fire unless you have a lot of rigging, and you're clearly visible from the latrine if anyone comes through, which is rare. We were windbound and didn't get to check out the lake very well but there are a bunch of little Largemouth in there. I found that to be ironic, since it was my first ever BW camp, I had driven 1200 miles, paddled all day, and caught a Largemouth. I could have walked a block in the subdivision and done that. But it all turned out great.

Took some high school kids through Knife last June on a Seagull to Sag trip.

Great route. Loved the landscape from Seagull to Ogish, feels very different after the fire went through.

The falls at Mueller are worth the hike.

The falls at Eddy, going into Knife are nice as well but very popular.

Hike Thunder point (where you come out of the South Arm of Knife)

Visit the Isle of Pines.

We camped at a campsite just south of Thunder Point, next to a small bay and the fishing was great!

Ottertrack is a lake I would like to spend more time on, it felt medieval when we went through. I can see why Benny Ambrose lived there.

So where exactly is Thunder Point?

quote Woods Walker: "So where exactly is Thunder Point?"

Never mind I found it

There's a camp near Thunder Point that has the border marker right by the fire grate, if you're into that sort of thing. I never stayed there but they say it's a good camp.

Myself and two others will be paddling a similar route in June, EP 55. We'll be out for 5 nights. I was thinking of catching a tow from the outfitter to American Point and then heading down through Cherry Lake to Knife.

I can't decide if we should do a loop similar to OP and come back up to Ottertrack in a similar manner (probably through South Arm > Hanson > Ester), or extend it a little further to the southeast and head through Ogish > Seagull and back to the outfitter.

Any suggestions? Is Ogish, Alpine, Seagull worth it or would it be ideal to head back up similar to the way we came? I am not overly excited to paddle Saganaga (hence the tow) and the more we see the better, I suppose.

Suggestions and insights from those who know the area would be much appreciated!

Here is a little more detail. Route 1 goes through Seagull, route 2 goes back up to Saganaga.

Not everyone will like alpine and seagull after the fire, but it gave me a chance to see the landscape without its clothes on so to speak and enjoyed the opportunity to see the bwca differently

quote patthered: "Here is a little more detail. Route 1 goes through Seagull, route 2 goes back up to Saganaga.




"

I went through Sea Gull last year & it is different seeing the burn areas, I went through Lake One to Insula the year after that big fire... I prefer to go through areas that are not burned over. Although we were able to pick blueberries almost everywhere.

If it were me knowing what I do now, I would go route 2

Check out Bill Bryson's last video on BWCACAST. He does a nice job of hitting the ottertrack highlights on your route.

Great advice, thanks guys.

I am thinking some variation of the second route that I posted, so that we can head up the length of Ottertrack.

Any other advice is appreciated!