Hello. Not new to Quetico but never been in May. Will be setting up basecamp on Sarah or Tuck or McIntyre. Plan on fishing, fishing and fishing. I understand Sarah to be less than great. I have heard McIntyre has great trout and have heard a few folks mention a Lake that I have seen labeled as Matt. I was wondering if anyone has been to this area of the park in May and may suggest a lake or two for some fish--species doesn't matter, just looking for great fishing. Thank you in advance!!

quote wmduensing: "Hello. Not new to Quetico but never been in May. Will be setting up basecamp on Sarah or Tuck or McIntyre. Plan on fishing, fishing and fishing. I understand Sarah to be less than great. I have heard McIntyre has great trout and have heard a few folks mention a Lake that I have seen labeled as Matt. I was wondering if anyone has been to this area of the park in May and may suggest a lake or two for some fish--species doesn't matter, just looking for great fishing. Thank you in advance!!"

Sarah in May? Not great walleye fishing because you can't keep the lakers off your line. (I even caught one standing at a campsite and just bobbing my line up and down in a hole immediately adjacent to the shoreline ... close? I could have STEPPED off the shoreline into it). You interested in smallies on Sarah ... try the bay where the portages into McIntyre start.

dd

Fished that area last May (about 10 days after ice out) Caught some nice lakers on Mac, Fishhook (Earl) and Hurn. Water was COLD. Walleye and SMB bites was really slow. Had to find current and pools with just a tad warmer water. Lakers were shallow and everywhere.
Don't overlook the lake just below Mac (between there and Cecil) Unlabled on some maps, but I think it's called Deer Lake.

WMD, my brother and I will be heading up there in May as well. Thanks for starting this forum!

Are lakers on Sarah truly as plentiful as I hear? Sarah and the lakes surrounding sound incredible, we are excited to visit!

quote kpdoyle: "Are lakers on Sarah truly as plentiful as I hear?"

Lakers were jumping on the surface in August couple years ago. We could see them from our campsite out about drop-off range. We paddled out and started catching them right away trolling flat lines.

Now you are making me regret not booking an August trip! We are all set up for late May this year so any advice (lures in particular) would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Lakers were jumping on the surface in August couple years ago. We could see them from our campsite out about drop-off range. We paddled out and started catching them right away trolling flat lines."

I've seen them surfacing in late summer, too, but it was always *right* before dark and we had everything packed away. Looked like they were slurping bugs or something else right off the top of the water.

I stayed on Sarah late May 2013, great smallmouth and great laker fishing. The narrows campsite was great.

What strategy do you guys who've been to Sarah and Mac use to locate lakers? Or are they pretty well spread out?

If you are paddling in Quetico in May, lake trout will be scattered just about everywhere--unless they don't occur in the lake you are on.

In May....throw a big, blue Shad Rap out behind and start paddling parallel to shore anywhere from 25-40 yards out.....pay attention when nearing points and saddles.

Sarah is great for lakers and a good smallmouth lake. It does warm slower due to the clear water, but if it isn't a real late spring you should do fine. Tuck is a good smallmouth lake as well and we have gotten a few walleye there. Out of the lakes you mention, McIntyre would be my favorite however. If you are going, you may try a different route in than people tend to recommend. From Washington Island head to the Kett Lake portage. Go up Kett and through a couple of small lakes to Tuck. I did this last year and we made made it up to the Sarah Lake narrows campsite (lotta bugs) by mid-afternoon and fished the rest of the day. The trail from Basswood to Kett was cleared last year by two young ladies with chainsaws and they did a great job. I'll be heading through that area May 27th on the way to Brent.