I am taking a first-ever solo trip this spring in late May, and will be targeting the North Bay area. This will be a basecamp, smallmouth fishing trip. Am looking for campsite advice. Since I am solo, size is not a factor. My primary requirement is that it be adjacent to a smallmouth spawning flat (3'-12' depth) that I could fish from shore. Any suggestions for sites I should check out?

We went here first week of June last year. The best bass fishing was right around the area where the portage comes out from Burke. There was moving water and they were in there thick. We took the first site to the north west and it was real close to this area. The site sucked though, and we moved to the north shore after one night. The sites in this area were better and the fishing for smallies was solid there too. IMO I think you'll be fine East/North shoreline. It was nice being on the north shore too for windy days. We would jump over to the long skinny lake to the north (West???) for good bass fishing too.

There are some very nice sites and some nice shallow water in the north and east part of the lake, near the "river" section that goes north to South Lake.

There is a small island east and a bit south of white island that has a nice small campsite and the SM fishing is great just south of that island, several shallow rock piles. its actually in between basswood and north bay. I camped there late May of 2015 and the SM bite was unreal.

fcrugbyhooker: "We went here first week of June last year. The best bass fishing was right around the area where the portage comes out from Burke. There was moving water and they were in there thick. We took the first site to the north west and it was real close to this area. The site sucked though, and we moved to the north shore after one night. The sites in this area were better and the fishing for smallies was solid there too. IMO I think you'll be fine East/North shoreline. It was nice being on the north shore too for windy days. We would jump over to the long skinny lake to the north (West???) for good bass fishing too. "

Thanks ! Was this campsite on the mainline or the one marked on the island just north of the portage?

Thanks for the replies. Anybody know if there are any sites on the west side of North Bay, near the passages on either side of the Neil Island? That area would offer some protection if there is lots of west wind.

Spookmeister: "

fcrugbyhooker: "We went here first week of June last year. The best bass fishing was right around the area where the portage comes out from Burke. There was moving water and they were in there thick. We took the first site to the north west and it was real close to this area. The site sucked though, and we moved to the north shore after one night. The sites in this area were better and the fishing for smallies was solid there too. IMO I think you'll be fine East/North shoreline. It was nice being on the north shore too for windy days. We would jump over to the long skinny lake to the north (West???) for good bass fishing too. "

Thanks ! Was this campsite on the mainline or the one marked on the island just north of the portage?"

It was the one on the island just north of portage. Great bass fishing all around but REAL buggy with the shallow swampy area behind it.

Spookmeister: "Thanks for the replies. Anybody know if there are any sites on the west side of North Bay, near the passages on either side of the Neil Island? That area would offer some protection if there is lots of west wind."

There's a decent site in the bay west of Neil Is. and straight south of the portage into Next. There's also a nice island site in the channel west of White Is. Both would give you good protection from wind.