I'm looking at McEntyre, planning my trip for this spring.

I'm wondering if anyone has fished the lakes between McEntyre and Ted either the southern route or the northern route through the no name lakes.

I'm not probably going to make it to Ted from middle of McEntyre on a daytrip fishing, but I'm wondering if those lakes are even worth exploring.

Looking mostly for smallie or largemouth action. Actually, anything that bites, but smallies are the target :).

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Also, Northern end of McEntyre looks to be "DEEP". Not very many shallow prespawn areas, from what I'm seeing.

I've never been to that area of the park so any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Geo

Hey, I learned something on here about searching.....

I type "earl lake" :site bwca.com and came up with Ho Ho's trip report from a few years ago.

Man, I LOVE this site.......Now Ho Ho, how's the fishin through there. If you didn't fish, does it look fishy :)

Thanks,

Geo

We fished our way thru Earl in 2011, in one hour 4 guys caught 14 trout. Rapala Tail Dancers.....we released them all. Here is a picture

I've done both northern and southern routes frequently, though not often fishing.
Earl has beautiful lake trout that tend towards short but wide and healthy. Bright orange flesh and often an orange hue to the fish itself. The large lake on the southern route looks like it would hold some decent fish (especially bass)- HoHo, David and I camped there a year ago and it was a great place to spend a day and night. The portage from there into Earl is long and very beautiful.

I'd be willing to bet that the last lake before Earl on the northern route would hold lake trout, a beautiful narrow and deep lake- I think of it as "Little Earl". The first portage out of McIntyre on the northern route is quite strenuous.

My brother and I spent two nights on McIntyre and found loads of small mouth (unfortunately we were looking for lakers). I am ashamed of the lack of lakers as previous ventures the trout fishing was quite easy.

I did the southern route from McIntyre to Ted 2 years ago. Didn't fish much between the two, although the noname prior to Earl looked good. Ted had some decent smallie action. But the best smallie fishing is Hurn to Elk, the latter being one of the best lakes in Q for smallmouth. From there, I headed to Gardner Bay and Crooked for more exceptional smallie action (and some largemouth as well)....

So which is the better route from Ted to McEntyre,the northern or the southern?

I would say that the southern route is a little easier (mainly due to the first portage from McIntyre on the northern route) both are quite rugged in parts and little traveled. Beautiful country.

I like (okay - love) both routes, north and south. Unlike Banksiana, I didn't think the northern route was harder than the southern route when we did it, but I've now done the southern route more times, so maybe I need to do the northern one again to compare.

Geo, which trip report did you find? I have different reports that include both sets of portages.

On both routes, the last portages into Earl can be a little tricky to find or follow. On the southern route, the portage begins from the most southwesterly "finger," not the next bay over as shown on some maps, and it starts on the shore part way down the finger, not at the very end as shown on some maps. The landing can be obscure if there are downed trees in front of it, but if you get out and scout you will see the clear trail, and it's easy to follow (and very scenic) from there.

On the northern route, the portage into Earl can get lost as it goes through a grassy boulder field. It's helpful to keep in mind that it turns left into the woods from somewhere in that boulder field. The trail through the woods to Earl is clear once your find it.

Can't help with fishing.

The "grassy boulder field" that Ho Ho talks about runs along the flow from the lake into Earl, eventually you cross the flow which is submerged beneath boulders and grass and then find the trail on the other side. Random, minimal cairns sort of mark the way.

The outflow from the lake is down a steep slab of rock that beavers have half-heartedly piled with sticks. It's pretty cool.

I claim the northern as more difficult after doing each route twice within a year.

We have caught a few trout trolling through the two lakes between Earl and McIntyre. Pretty and remote area.

quote Banksiana: "The "grassy boulder field" that Ho Ho talks about runs along the flow from the lake into Earl, eventually you cross the flow which is submerged beneath boulders and grass and then find the trail on the other side. Random, minimal cairns sort of mark the way.

The outflow from the lake is down a steep slab of rock that beavers have half-heartedly piled with sticks. It's pretty cool.

I claim the northern as more difficult after doing each route twice within a year."

this is one of my favorite portages in the fall.

Hey, thanks for the replies.

I'm probably not making it all the way to Earl on a daytrip from McEntyre. We might, but I doubt it.

We will be base camping up around the north end of McEntyre, so that northern route looks like we will do that on a day. Then fish the southern bowl on a day, then Paulene, then Brent , then Maybe Susanette.

Man, I'm pumped.........PUMPED I tell ya.

I hope the Ice cooperates :)

Later,

Geo

If it's bass that you're after, paddle a little further to Brent, Suzanete or even Conmee. McIntyre certainly has smallmouth, but is a clear lake like Sarah would not be my first choice if I was targeting bass walleye. I'll be on Brent and Conmee from 5/24-5/30. The ice should be normal this year. The snow pack insulated it and should break up quick with wind and rain.