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gymcoachdon
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02/15/2017 03:01PM   (Thread Older Than 3 Years)
As many of you may know, I am taking my first Quetico trip this year. I have Mcdougall Lake as my primary destination, hoping for good Smallmouth fishing and a chance for a laker.
Another place I want to visit is Montgomery Lake, and creek, to see the pictographs. I am trying to decide if it should be a destination, or if I do a day trip from McDougall.

So, tell me about Montgomery Lake. Campsites, fishing, scenery, old pines, recently burned, etc. I'm sure someone has been there!
 
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02/15/2017 03:15PM  
My crew visited Montgomery in late May, 2007 (entered at Stanton Bay). It's a very picturesque lake. There is a small "crow's nest" campsite on an island mid-lake as well as an interesting pictograph at water level (see photo). A larger campsite is also on the same island which is just west of the largest island. I don't think we found any other campsites on the lake. Unfortunately it was so hot and buggy when we were there that I couldn't convince my buddies to take the hike into the pictographs north of the lake. According to the reports I found, it is a relatively challenging bushwack. We did some fishing--the lake is very shallow, not much deeper than 6' in most places--but picked up some walleyes trolling crankbaits. Day-tripping from McDougall to the pictos up Montgomery Creek would make for a very long day.

old_salt
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02/15/2017 05:38PM  
You could have a nice camp on either lake. Montgomery, in addition to the pictographs is a good waldo lake. It sees fewer people. Springer is correct that a day trip from McDougall is a long haul. McD is a great bass lake, also eater trout. If you go to Montgomery, there is a nice 'Japanese garden' on the portage from the west. Nice walk both ways. The sites Springer mentioned are the only ones I know of.
02/15/2017 05:59PM  
otherwise camp on kawnipi
02/15/2017 06:55PM  
McDougall is nice, bass of course, and we found some chunky lakers in early June on the SW side where there is deep water. We also day-tripped into Cushing Lake hoping for some largemouth action but struck out there. Biggest red pines were on the portages in and out of McDougall--I think this one was on the Keats portage.



gymcoachdon
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02/15/2017 07:36PM  
I figured a round trip to Montgomery would be 8 hours or so. According to gps coordinates, the creek pictos are about a mile as the raven flies, a pretty healthy bushwack. The upside is the 16 hour days in mid to late June. I could plan the trip on the summer solstice!
gymcoachdon
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02/15/2017 09:30PM  
Springer, beautiful pictures! That first one has me picturing my hammock hung between those two pines! I am leaning toward spending a night there...good thing about going solo, I don't need to talk it over with anyone, and plans can change on the fly.

By the way, the trip is from June 17th through the 24th.
02/16/2017 07:05PM  
In addition to the bird's nest campsite which I find difficult when you're solo -being so far from the water, there is a campsite on the small island furthest east in the lake. If it is hot don't take it because of lack of tree protection. The other campsite is near the bird's nest campsite and is ok for a solo.

The lake definitely has walleye, bass and northern's but not as many as 10 years ago.

It is a picturesque lake and the pitou's are interesting.
02/28/2017 12:50PM  
The pictographs up the creek are difficult to get to but worth it. The first stretch is easy as there is a moose path along the creek. The creek turns to the right (east) and the moose path continues north. Don't follow the moose path after the creek turns… it doesn’t lead to where you want it to. The area opens up and the creek meanders throw a meadow. We stayed to the south of the creek just in the woods because the ground was a little more terra firmish but still hard walking. At the end of the meadow there is a boulder field and cliff on the north side of the stream. This is not the site location. Continue following the stream up into the woods till you come out to another meadow where the land levels out. This is where you will find them.

Bring more water than you think you will need. It was hot, sunny, and buggy when we took the hike. When we got back to the canoes we were a hurting unit.

We came up from Kawnipi the first time, made the hike, then through Shelly onto Keats. It was a long day.

Hex
 
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