A 4 man group of us just returned from our first trip to the BWCA. It was amazing but unfortunately I planned a much more arduous route for our group than expected. We had a 5 day trip and 17 portages (the longest almost a mile). This left much less time for fishing (our main goal) and more time than desired for traveling/portaging.
Looking for recommendations for a base camp type trip next year with less portaging. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Same length - 5 days?
What type of fish targeted?
Preference for west or east?
Willing to travel first and last days OR just in a lake or two and that's it?
Comfort level on larger lakes?

What was your route this year for reference?

quote Michwall2: "Same length - 5 days?
What type of fish targeted?
Preference for west or east?
Willing to travel first and last days OR just in a lake or two and that's it?
Comfort level on larger lakes?


"

This year's trip was out of Sawbill EP 37. We did the "Lady Chain Loop". Next year would be about the same trip length of about 5 days. We are driving up from Minniapolis so not sure if there is an east-west preference. Fish preference basically varied (pike, walleye, smallmouth). Travel days only on first and last days. Willing to base camp with daytrips for fishing. Unsure of comfort level on large lakes. We did travel through Alton but the weather was very nice.

Go to Canada. The quectico and wcpp make the bw look like a state park. The fishing up there is fantastic,

The fishing is fantastic in the BW too. But, if like he said, you are traveling too much, it is hard to fish. Been there on a first trip too. Just guessing you had like eight billion lures that never got wet. Keep tripping and brainstorming. It takes a while to get it all together. But it's worth it.

quote markrape: "

quote Michwall2: "Same length - 5 days?
What type of fish targeted?
Preference for west or east?
Willing to travel first and last days OR just in a lake or two and that's it?
Comfort level on larger lakes?



"

This year's trip was out of Sawbill EP 37. We did the "Lady Chain Loop". Next year would be about the same trip length of about 5 days. We are driving up from Minniapolis so not sure if there is an east-west preference. Fish preference basically varied (pike, walleye, smallmouth). Travel days only on first and last days. Willing to base camp with daytrips for fishing. Unsure of comfort level on large lakes. We did travel through Alton but the weather was very nice. "

Some choices:

Smaller lakes:
Entry 39-Baker Lake to South/North Temperance. If you liked the Sawbill area, then this is a great option. About 5-6 hours of paddling on long thin lakes, brings you to the Temperance Lakes. Good variety of fish. Pretty Lake. Easy access to larger waters on Brule Lake if the wind allows.

Entry 47 - Lizz Lake. This is a busier choice, but has lots of daytrip options. About 3-4 hours will bring you to Horseshoe or Gaskin Lakes. From here you have multitudes of day trip options. This route features: good wildlife viewing, shorter although a little muddier portaging, good variety of fishing.

Entry 14 - Little Indian Sioux North to Shell/Little Shell/Lynx Lakes. Again this is a very popular route/area. About 5/6 hours will bring you through this lovely route. There are several waterfalls to view. Don't forget Devil's Cascade on your way in or out. It's a little out of your way but worth the time to visit. There is one longer portage that now has a beaver pond in the middle. Plenty of day trip possibilities for alternate fishing waters.

Larger Lakes:

Entry 14 - LIS North. Instead of turning east for Shell Lake, portage next to the Devil's Cascade as you rejoin LIS and it will soon open onto Loon Lake. Day trips to Lac la Croix or Little Loon Lake. Downside (at least for me) is that Loon Lake offers motorized access.

Entry 36 - Hog Creek to Perent Lake. While I haven't been there, plenty of folks here have touted the walleye fishing on Perent. They have also warned of the rocking wave action when it gets windy. That's why I am including it in the larger lake section.

Entry 38 - Sawbill Lake to Alton. It doesn't get any easier than Sawbill to Alton Lake for a larger lake to fish. Day trip to Kelso, Sawbill, or the "Fire Lakes" east of Sawbill.

Entry 54 - Seagull Lake
Option 1. Stay on Seagull. Plenty of fishing water here. You may share it with motorized boats though.
Option 2. Short loop. Seagull, Alpine, Red Rock, Saganaga Lakes. Plenty of fishing waters here. Easy portages. Beautiful scenery both in and out of the burn zones.
Option 3. Longer out and back. Seagull to Ogishkemuncie. Ogish is a destination lake for fishing in the BW. Day trip to the south to Gabomichigami and to the west to South Arm of Knife. For more big lake fishing with plenty of smaller lakes in between.

Another option to consider - go in Mudro to the Fourtown/Horse area.

Greatly appreciate all the information everyone has posted. I will definitely check out these recommendations. Are there any areas that have panfish in addition to the walleye, pike and bass? Two of our group are big into crappie and bluegill fishing.

You can do your own research on fish in different lakes at the Minnesota DNR Lake Finder

Lake Finder

Lakes with popular names require that you know which county they are in.

Go Sawbill to the Lady Chain again but stop on either Phoebe or Grace to base camp. Should take about a half day each way in and out. Concentrate on fishing those 2 lakes plus maybe Beth and Alton on the way out.

mark, heres an idea at the other end of the spectrum from this years trip. Enter at Little Gabbro Lake out of Ely. A 200 plus rod portage with a few challenges but not bad overall, right from the car. Canoe across Little Gabbro and through a narrows that is not quite a rapids but will require you to paddle a little harder for a couple minutes. That puts you on Gabbro Lake which is a beautiful lake with lots of classic rock cliffs and outcroppings and 8 or 9 very nice campsites including a couple right in that narrows. It offers a good variety of fish including pike, walleyes, smallmouth as well as good sized crappies and some panfish. It has a reputation as being one of the better fishing lakes in the BWCA and is a good base camp location. From there several day trip opportunities present themselves for exploring and different fishing opportunities including several lakes and the Isabella River. It is a very easy trip with you in camp a couple hours from the car easily. Maybe too easy??? We loved it. Good shorefishing chances at several of the campsites too.

In Stuart River up to Iron lake. - Beautiful area, good fishing and one long day in.

Grandma, I like Stuart too & even though the first portage is quite long, it is one of the nicest long portages I have ever done. :-)

Another idea is to start at Lake One (I know, lots of people still) but push to get to Insula. Takes about 6-7 hours in.

Set up a basecamp and go over to Alice for walleye & then travel down to Fishdance Lake below Alice to see some nice pictographs.

Fish and explore all the lakes that are around that area like; Hudson, Alice, the many bays of Insula, Ima, Carol, and if you made good time to Insula, go back on the last day. Or take 2 days to get back & camp at Lake Four and go fish up at Bridge, Fire and the lakes up there.

The lower quarter/third of Insula is still showing some fire damage but lots of popple/aspen & birch are growing up fast in the area.

quote VoyageurNorth: "Grandma, I like Stuart too & even though the first portage is quite long, it is one of the nicest long portages I have ever done. :-)
Another idea is to start at Lake One (I know, lots of people still) but push to get to Insula. Takes about 6-7 hours in.
Set up a basecamp and go over to Alice for walleye & then travel down to Fishdance Lake below Alice to see some nice pictographs.
Fish and explore all the lakes that are around that area like; Hudson, Alice, the many bays of Insula, Ima, Carol, and if you made good time to Insula, go back on the last day. Or take 2 days to get back & camp at Lake Four and go fish up at Bridge, Fire and the lakes up there.
The lower quarter/third of Insula is still showing some fire damage but lots of popple/aspen & birch are growing up fast in the area."

I totally agree - fall is the best time to do the areas that are too busy in the summer. Lake Three and Four are pretty good fishing on the way in .

if fishing is the priority , timing is always a factor. opener to late may has always been good for our group, all 4 species are shallow and when 1 isnt on the bite usually 1 of the other 3 are. a couple of base camp fishing trips- knife lake-seagull to ogish has good fishing too. if you like lakers plan a opener trip to knife-low crowds at that point. many enter through the moose chain, we like the seagull to SAK better(thats where we fish). double portage 8.5 hours ,,give or take the wind ;)

A base camp trip on Gabbro or Bald Eagle lakes could work for our group. Especially since there are good reports of panfish to go with the other species. I saw that they are both around 1,000 acres. We don't really have experience on large lakes in bad weather. Have you been on them when it is windy?

I have been on both in windy, rainy weather. Was not fun. :-(

If coming up from the Snake River/Isabella River area, Bald Eagle is shaped like a funnel & if wind channels south east, it can be 3 paddle strokes forward & 2 back.

Gabbro would be better but is still a good sized lake. It does have more inlets/peninsulas which help block some of the wind.