Option 1. Cache bay up through Saganagons and onto the falls chain. After paddling halfway through Kawnipi head east towards Kawa Bay. Follow the Waiwag River up to Mack Creek and into Mack Lake itself. Head south through Munro, Cullen, Ross, and Bitchu Lakes back to Saganagons and back out at Cache bay.

Option 2. Cache bay up through Saganagons and onto the falls chain. Hang out and explore Kawnipi and then follow same route back.

Can't comment on 1. but under impression some tough portages - which has the benefit of greater solitude.

Reason not to consider either Agnes from Kaenipi and back up through Man Chain or McEwen to Lousia and Agnes - one of my favorite routes - back up through Man chain (or border)?

#1 sounds like more exploring, different scenery, changing landscape along route and just plain more fun!

We did the reverse of Option 1 last August (see trip report "Mack Lake to Falls Chain in Two Weeks"). The portages into Mack from Saganagons are grueling; it took us two days from Cache to Mack, but we packed heavy. The longer portages are not in great shape and would be ugly in wet weather. Mack is very secluded, but still recovering from a fire 20 years ago which has limited some of the campsites. Fishing on Mack was not as great as it had been in the past, but still fun.

Mack Creek is easy when the water is high, but you will be going against the current if you come from Kawa Bay. The Wawiag was a great paddle and not terribly taxing. It took us about 5 hours from Mack Lake to the western end of Kawa Bay, but we had great weather and went with the current all the way. It will likely take you six hours or so, but because it is small water, the wind won't be a factor making this a fairly leisurely paddle.

Kawa Bay was nice, but windy every day we were there. We did not explore much else in Kawnipi, but it is a great fishing lake. It took us about three hours to paddle from the west end of Kawa to Kenabas falls.

The Falls Chain is absolutely gorgeous--perhaps the most beautiful scenery in all of Quetico. It also happens to be some of the best fishing in Quetico. The Falls Chain alone is worth the trip. While you can make it from Cache Bay to Kenabas in one day, why would you want to? Take a few days to go through the Falls Chain and enjoy its beauty and its fishing.

My two cents? If you are going for the adventure, by all means do the Falls Chain to Mack route--you won't regret it and you will never forget it. The down sides are a lot of miles and a lot of travel days.

If you are planning on doing a lot of fishing, you may want to consider skipping Mack and staying on the Falls Chain and Kawnipi, which will leave a lot more time for some great fishing and great scenery.

Did the Option 1 route solo in 2013 but went from Sag to Mack to Kawa to McEwen and up the Falls Chain. I had about 12 days maybe one or two more. Had several layover days on Mack, Kawa Bay and McEwen. Focus was on fishing.

Agree with Capsize on a couple of things. I would not want to paddle from Kawa to Mack. Portages from Sag to Mack are challenging, especially the one between Ross to Cullen which had several large blowdowns that year. Fishing for trophy smallies and nice walleye on Mack was in a word fantastic, but campsites were mediocre at best. Kawa smallies were everywhere and some were very nice; the walleye were everywhere as well but smallish. If you only have a week or so, explore Saganagons and Kawnipi and enjoy the fishing. Add a few more days and the big smallies and walleye on Mack will inhale your lures...

if you want to see those lakes in the SE corner (Bitchu, Cullen, Mack) another possibility to consider is a route we took once. We went Saganagons, Bitchu, Ross, Cullen, Munro - side trip to Mack and back - then down the creek from Munro east to Kenny Lake, then down the Chain and out. Much of the route aside from the chain is very little used, you get to see some old growth, and the creek to Kenny is a neat little river that worked really well. Also you get to hit it downstream.

Or, do the Wawiag route you mentioned, but in reverse order so you are downstream on Mack Creek and Wawiag, which should be much easier.