I really dont have any question's yet I am just so excited. I got to talking to a friend about taking my pop to Canada fishing, and he suggested going canoeing. After looking for two days on the internet I have decided that it is a great idea. Pop raised us in KS on a payroll kids would laugh at today, and he always dreamed of going up north fishing. The man is going to be 70 but hes strong as a bull and I'm just glad I am in position to give back to him.

Since this is my first time to the board I would like to know if questions about outfitters and areas are acceptable or if this is more of a loacals board?

Happy New Year, Hunter

Congratulations, it is wonderful that you can now give back to your dad. Things like that are so cool... Anyway, where are you wanting to go, and what are you wanting to do? Just canoe, catch fish, do you want to go to Canada, or stay in the Boundary Waters. I started two years ago on a church trip, and loved it so much I have tried to learn all I can, and I have acquired the canoe, tents, cookware, and packs and other items needed to do it on my own. but, there are some real good outfitters out there that will do you right. I generaly go in through Ely... But that is just me and my likes and interest. Give some specifics and I will help you out as I can... Oh, by the way, once you go... you will be hooked. It is one of the most beatuiful places God has created and peaceful...

Bruce

What Bruce said. If you go, you will go again.

Aug

If you want to go into Quetico there is lots to learn and do with all of the customs regs, RABC, permit process etc. A good outfitter can help with all of that.

The BWCAW is a little less complicated seeing you are staying in the US, but you still need permits and again a good outfitter is key.
The first question you need to answer is where you are going and where you want to go in that area.

If you are going in Canada and Quetico will you enter the park through a US border entry or will you enter the park from Canada?

My 2 cents is stick to a BWCAW trip for your first adventure and go in from the Ely side. I am sure your dad is in good physical shape, but why go to hard on either of your first trip. I am not saying Ely entries are all easier but many of them have flatter, easier portages then alot of the portages off Gunflint or Sawbill. Contact any of a number of very good Ely outfitters. They will make your trip fun, safe and keep you wanting for more trips in the future.

We(about 6) are looking to go in from the Ely or Sawbill area and stay in bwca. I have tried to get brochures from as many outfitters as I can, and when they get here we'll try to weed through them. I don't want to push to hard because of my father, but hopefully we will have a good six day trip with lots of fish. I am going to check out a pack called knu-pack so I can hopefully portage the canoe myself, anyone know about this pack? I had mistaken the rod to yard multiplier thought it was .18 * rod=yds. I now believe it to be 5.5 * rod=yds. If that is correct I guess I bettor keep portages short as I will be humping the majority of the weight as well as easy on the older guys. Late June seems to be the time frame that fits us, so any input would be appreciated on outfitters,lakes routes, or books.

happy New Year, Hunter

You might look at going in at entry point 30 Lake One and heading toward Hudson or Insula. All of the portages are short except for the one going into Insula, but it is only 105 rods, and not too bad. The numbered lakes have quite a bit of traffic at that time but Insula is a big lake and plenty of room. Hudson has some good Walleye fishing, and some smallmouth and northern. All of the little portage lakes are pretty good fishing too. There is also good fishing in the numbered Lakes One, Two, Three, and four, but I have not fished them. Insula would be a good six day fishing trip and you could day trip over into Alice which is good fishing also, possibly even go to fishdance and see the pictographs. If you go through an outfitter look at getting a lightweight kevlar canoe very light and easy to portage. Several good outfitters in the Ely area. I bought a Souris River canoe last year from Joe at Redrock he is a great guy to deal with, and Lynn at Voyager North is on this board. She is great to deal with also. There is another outfitter on this board but I can't remember their name. They are all good people. If you go to the Hudson are let me know I can tell a good spot for some nice Walleye... Caught some 4 - 5 pounders there easy to fish for too... Good luck in your search for information. Any specific questions e-mail me at bruce_conley@yahoo.com.

Bruce

Rod to miles conversion is:

1 mile=320 rods

so the 105 rod portage into Insula is 105/320=.33 miles 1/3 of a mile.

Most people can portage at about 20 minutes to a mile so if you can single portage it wil take you less than 10 minutes to walk the portage. Add another 5 minutes for loading and unloading and you can single portage into Insula in about 15 minutes.

Now if you need to double portage, which I suspect you will with your father, triple the time and amount of walking. You will be walking the portage three times-twice with gear, once going back for gear-so it is then 315 rods or almost one mile. This will take you a full 20 minutes to walk plus 5 minutes to load-unload for about 1/2 an hour of portaging.

I have never used the Knupac and I am also concerned on how to get the canoe up on top of that so high, plus the fact if you encounter trees and low limbs getting under them. I am a firm believer in a good set of portage pads on a canoe and a good canoe pack. Both a pack and canoe on tough portages is too much for many people-remember you are out there to have fun-not kill yourself. A Duluth Pack, Camp Trails, Granite Gear or Cooke Custom Sewing Canoe pack and a good set of portage yolk pads seem to be a better choice to me. Also check out Chosen Valley Canoe Accessories or CVCA. They make high quality comfortable portage pads that are constructed out of aluminum so they are also very light weight but strong.

If I can help at all, just send me an email. (I think you can do that through this site?)

We have never been too fond of the KnuPack ourselves. I rented one out for a few years but usually it sat in our packroom collecting dust because few people wanted it. I found the canoe sits too high and canoes, especially the lighter ones, have a tendency to catch the wind. You can put a line on the front of the canoe, but that is just one more thing to hold on to.

If you try the easier entries like Lake One, then you wouldn't need to worry about the portaging and if you carry a Kevlar canoe, you will be just fine.

You might want to try the Souris River Quetico 17 canoes for your first trip. Nice and stable, turn well. My favorite canoe is actually the MN2 by Wenonah, but for "newbies" it doesn't feel as stable and can be more challenging to turn. It sure travels fast though! :-)

Lynn

Thanks for the input! I went to the sports show here in KC, and after talking to who was down from Ely I am begining to zero in on the fourtown area. Is there any opinion on this area.
I have the biggest problem choosing an outfitter,price play's a big part but so many of them are pretty close to matching. I guess I'll make another trip to the sports show, and open my ears some more.

Hunter

Hunter, good choice going into the Fourtown area, there's lots to see and do and the fishings good. I can recommend "Spirit of the Wilderness" as an outfitter, they're a family-run business out of Ely. I use Mudro Lake as the entry point because there is a crazy tavern there called Chainsaw Sisters Saloon. After 6 days or so, a can of Pepsi and a bag of cheese doodles will seem like a miracle on your way out. Have fun and be ready for mosquitos like you've never seen in Kansas...

Okay, we picked an outfitter. I talked on the phone and emailed alot of places I really dont think a person could go wrong with any of them, so it came down to three reasons really. Number one I picked from the guys I got to visit with at the sports show Tuesday. Most of the prices(75%} were pretty close, and I narrowed it down to Spirit of the Wilderness and Wilderness outfitter's. Number two, Gary Gotchnik with Wilderness outfitters pulled out a topo map of Fourtown/Horse lake pointing out camping and good fishing spots and then gave me the waterproof map even though I told him I was still going to look around. Lastly when I stressed concern about the half mile portage at Mudro for my dad(70yrs) and Steves dad(63yrs) he offered to send two guys to help portage free of charge. So it looks like were going to Fourtown via Wilderness outfitters.

I have read pretty much every post on this site on fishing with leeches, and at the sports show I ran across a booth for pork rind baits. I bought some litlle craw dads and ebony leeches anyone use something like that? A Rep from Stren line told me that no steel leader is needed If I used a braided line they manufacture.

I have no experience with finesse fishing guess we just always tied on a crank or spinner and threw and threw . Arkansas I havent ever even caught a smallie, any books or videos recommended would be read or watched.

Lastly what kind of tackle do I need to catch one of them mosskeytoes and would it look good stuffed on the wall in the den. My wife said I could show pictures of it down at Walgreens on our anniversary when I get her headache pills

Hunter, If there are smallmouth around they will not be too hard to catch. There are several ways to do it. One is fish leeches about 3 feet under a slip bobber. Drift it down a rapids area, or over a reef or ledge, or simply throw it up into the shallows and reel it back slowly. You will also catch the walleye fishing on Lindy rigs off the bottom. My personal favorite that works well here at home and in the BWCA is to throw a gitzit, which is a 3.5 inch tube bait smoke/red flake is my favorite color. I throw it on either a 3/8 jig head with the head of the jig inserted into the tube and the hook point inserted slightly into the side of the tube to make it weedless, or I fish it on a ShaW Grigsby High Performance Hook that has a little clasp at the top to hold the gitzit on the hook securely, with it I use a 3/8 slip sinker... this set up protects the knot more and by inserting the hook point into the side of the tube you can make it vertually weedless. Fish the gitzit around structure, rocks, trees, reefs, ledges anything different in the water. If you largemouth fish, it is done basically the same way. I have a few pictures on this website that show a couple of fish we have caught... Anything else I can help you with let me know either here or at my e-mail, bruce_conley@yahoo.com.

Bruce
Good Paddling, Great Fishing and God Bless All...