Brent Lake has intrigued me for some time now. I've heard stories of good fishing, but I think the route there and back, as well as the remoteness of the lake, has me seriously considering going there in 2012.

Anyone have any stories to tell or information to share about the best routes in and out, campsites, etc. and what to expect from a week up there?

Hey, Jackfish, Brent would definitely make a nice destination. In terms of the "best" routes, it depends on what you mean by "best." I think the most direct is via a Prairie Portage/Sarah entry, spend the first night on Sarah (or maybe Side), get to Brent the second day - assuming decent weather. This takes you to the east end of Brent, where there is a great campsite on an island.

I tend to like the less direct, lesser used routes, and there my favorite would be going via Earl Lake, which you can get to via several portages from McIntyre of via Ted Lake, which is itself out of the way. It's three portages (maybe plus a fourth liftover? I can't remember for sure) between Earl and Brent. You could also go down to Earl for a daytrip adventure. There is at least one secluded campsite in the bay that leads to the Earl portages, and a very popular site on the main part of Brent a little north and east by the bay that leads to the portages to the west end of Conmee.

A lot of people also go in from the western park entries (McAree or Bottle Rapids) via Argo and Darkwater, but that requires a much longer and more expensive tow over Lac la Croix, so my preference is via Prairie Portage even when I want to get to the lakes in the southwest part of the park.

Can't help with fishing . . .

We entered at Black Robe Portage (western entry via LLC). Spent the first night on Darkwater Lake (Darky), and up to William, Conmee, Suzanette, McIntyre, Brent, Cone, Argo, Crooked, and out via Bottle Portage. We didn't spend as much time as I would have lliked on Brent, but the walleyes were very cooperative. I want to go back someday and spend about 3 days fishing. Nice area.

I double HoHo's suggestion of getting to Brent and seeing Ted and Earl to McIntyre too.

I went through Brent on our way east from Argo. It is a wonderful area. You may also want to try to get to Hurn Lake and see the terraced cliffs. Beautiful.

there are pictographs on Ted, too!

You can expect to tangle with a lot of these guys on Brent...

I loved Brent the two times I went through. It would be a nice lake to base out of and take day trips. You could fish William and Conmee one day then go south to Earl and Ted another.

I also would train yourself and trip partners physically for this trip. The portages can be tough going up through Sarah. Would be a good one though.

Brent is in the heart of my favorite area, last trip we just passed through on our way from Ted to Suzanette. check out our... trip report.....

Nice lake.

Can catch all 5 species there.

Route there just depends on how you want to get there. If you want to get there in a day, I'd take a tow to Bottle--up through Rolands, Argo, Darky, over to Brent. Problem is any of the lakes along the way will beckon to ya too. That would be a long day though.

Other suggestions on routes are great too.

T

If going from PP to Basswood Falls, and considering the above suggestions for hitting the smaller lakes along the way, what route do you suggest to the west end of Brent?

Also, we might consider a tow to Washington Island. How long would it take to paddle from PP to Washington Island (instead of the tow) and how long from Washington Island to Basswood Falls (assuming average paddling weather & wind).

Thanks.

3 yrs ago, my then 17-yr old son and I did the following route:

Tow to Washington Island, Basswood Falls, Crooked (2 campsites), Argo (campsite), Brent (2 campsites), McIntyre (campsite), Sarah (campsite), North Bay (campsite) and tow from Prairie Portage. Had some great fishing on Crooked, Argo and North Bay.

Good but not great fishing on Brent, McIntyre and Sarah. Since then, I've found some really good fishing on/around this route. You're welcome to email if you'd like info on specific campsites and fishing spots.

Jackfish - not sure you asked this but if we check in at ranger station at PP, we paddle to and camp at Basswood Falls that evening.

I don't know best route to Brent from Basswood/Washington Island.

quote BillConner01: "Jackfish - not sure you asked this but if we check in at ranger station at PP, we paddle to and camp at Basswood Falls that evening.

That was my question - how many hours paddling from PP to Basswood Falls?

Depends on the wind. It's about 8 miles from PP to Washington Island and then about another 8 miles to Basswood Falls. With a tow to Wash Island, my son and I arrived about 10:00 am on the island, then made it to a Crooked campsite a few miles north of the last set of falls about 4:00 pm. We double portaged and winds were modest out of the NW.

Only been to Brent once. It was a early September trip about 10 years ago. Took a tow to prarie portage, camped on an island in the north bay of Basswood. next day moved to the eastern end of Brent. Fishing was only so so, next day we moved to the west end of Brent near the portage to Darky lake. Fishing was only so so during the daylight hours but became spectacular after dark, we caught many large smallies on surface baits, where during the daylight hours we only caught small fish. Just my experience your results may vary. Anthony

Jackfish, We spent one full day on Brent and I wish we could have stayed longer and I definitely would like to return. In the west end, we camped at what I later found out was one of Stu of BWJ's favorite sites and my partner caught a 27" walleye in the morning and I lost what he said was the biggest SMB he had ever seen in the evening. (If you go I will give you the locations.) See trip report here --Goose

Thanks for the trip report, Goose. If the trip comes to fruition (and I believe it will), I'll let you know.

Right now, we have late July set for our trip pending permit availability. We're still figuring the route, but we'll enter and exit Q at PP, going to Brent one direction and coming out another.

We usually take a tow to PP, then tow to Back Bay. We paddle and portage the Basswood River instead of portaging the whole mile of the Horse Portage (see my portage notes on the Quiet Journey Boundary Waters portage database if you haven't done it that way). If we get through PP early (ie when they open at 7:45) then we are either on Wednesday Bay/Crooked Lake (headed for Elk) or Robinson by dinner time (weather depending). This is a long day, but it puts you in primo territory on day 2. The west end of Brent has the best rep for fishing. For some reason we are always there in late May on the east end or on the 5* island in the middle and haven't had much luck finding the walleyes, but we always get our share of lakers and smallmouth, and there are unnamed largemouth lakes nearby we like to hit early in the day for topwater action. You could also go in via the two long portages into Kett Lake and up through Sarah and McIntyre and make the east end of Brent on day 2. It's a great daytrip from there to Suzanette.

Well, it's official. We have a Sarah Lake entry permit with a destination of Brent Lake. Headed in on July 22nd. Really looking forward to seeing that part of the park and eradicating a few walleyes, northerns and anything else we can find.