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      Trip Report - Fishing on thin ice....Spring 2010
 
  Last Visit: 03/29/2024 02:55AM

Entry Point 60 - Duncan Lake

Duncan Lake entry point allows overnight paddle only. This entry point is supported by Gunflint Ranger Station near the city of Grand Marais, MN. The distance from ranger station to entry point is 30 miles. Access is from W. Bearskin Lake with a 75-rod portage to Duncan Lake and Stairway Portage. This area was affected by blowdown in 1999.

Number of Permits per Day: 2
Elevation: 1432 feet
Latitude: 48.0709
Longitude: -90.4517
Author Message Text
Beemer01
Moderator
 
01/11/2011 07:34PM
 
New Trip Report posted by Beemer01

Trip Name: Fishing on thin ice....Spring 2010.

Entry Point: 60

Click Here to View Trip Report

"You're not serious about wearing sandals on this portage.... are you?"
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wtgmonkey
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01/11/2011 08:20PM
 
Looks like an amazing time. That set up must have cost a small fortune and taken some serious team work to put up. I give it 2 thumbs up!

"Champions are measured by the adversity they overcome"
Big Tent
distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
 
01/12/2011 09:40AM
 
Going again this year? Maybe Feburary? Good report, it sounds like a lot of fun mixed in with the hard work.


Beemer01
Moderator
 
01/12/2011 12:43PM
 
Big Tent - I doubt it. Our Guide and outfitter (Vikinfan) is in a multi year residency so this may have been his last BWCA ice fishing trip for a little while.


And yes - there was a LOT of gear!




"You're not serious about wearing sandals on this portage.... are you?"
BearBrown
distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
 
01/12/2011 01:56PM
 
Cool trip report. Enjoyed the photos and video you provided. That flag pole was pretty frickin awesome, lol. I also enjoyed the giant fishing hole you created, that would be entertaining to watch the lakers grab your bait like that. Also enjoyed the pics of your group dragging sleds across dry ground. Haha.


You told your story well. Thanks for sharing.


Ps. Where can I get a leather coozie like that? Those are awesome.

Richard "Bear" Brown
Beemer01
Moderator
 
01/12/2011 02:17PM
 
One of our talented BWCA.com members Dicecupmaker makes them - and yes they are very customized and very very cool.

"You're not serious about wearing sandals on this portage.... are you?"
inspector13
distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
 
01/12/2011 03:14PM
 

Those ice contracting and expanding noises really unnerved me the time I tented on a frozen lake. I don’t think I will ever do it again because of lack of sleep. Thanks for your report.


Beemer01
Moderator
 
01/12/2011 03:19PM
 
Yeah - 18" ice cracking directly under your bunk at 3AM is a compelling alternative to coffee in terms of waking you up!

"You're not serious about wearing sandals on this portage.... are you?"
Wetlander
distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
 
01/13/2011 08:59AM
 
Awesome trip report. I really liked the pictures too. Just curious though, it says you went in at Duncan Lake, is that also where you stayed and fished? I am heading into Duncan in March this year, probably bound for Rose...The way it looks right now, lack of snow is not going to be a problem!
Beemer01
Moderator
 
01/13/2011 09:23AM
 
Across Duncan to Bearskin via the portage. Duncan allows motors, so there are occasional sleds and 4x4 vehicles and a LOT more fishing pressure there.


One portage away and you're good.

"You're not serious about wearing sandals on this portage.... are you?"
Wetlander
distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
 
01/13/2011 11:08AM
 
I'm confused... Duncan is INSIDE the BWCA but motors are allowed? Bearskin is OUTSIDE of the BWCA but there is little fishing pressure? If you stayed on Bearskin why would you portage at all... there is a boat access! I must be misunderstanding something...
Beemer01
Moderator
 
01/13/2011 11:21AM
 
Oops - came in on Bearskin and fished on Duncan. (I may have mentioned that I'm directionally challenged - esp if someone else has done the planning)

"You're not serious about wearing sandals on this portage.... are you?"
BearBrown
distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
 
01/13/2011 01:15PM
 
I think beemer has you confused wetlander because he has his lakes mixed up. There is no access for motorized vehicles on duncan lake but there is at west bearskin lake. The only way to get to duncan, which is in the bwca (ep 60), is to come from west bearskin or from other lakes in the bwca like rose. I imagine west bearskin gets a fair amount of fishing pressure while duncan gets very little. Hope I cleared it up.

Richard "Bear" Brown
Wetlander
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01/13/2011 02:23PM
 
quote Beemer01: "Oops - came in on Bearskin and fished on Duncan. (I may have mentioned that I'm directionally challenged - esp if someone else has done the planning)"


...That's what I thought you meant. Glad to see that there are fish to be had! Did you venture into Partridge or Rose at all?
Beemer01
Moderator
 
01/13/2011 02:28PM
 
If there was a Walleye caught, it was on Duncan!

"You're not serious about wearing sandals on this portage.... are you?"
Wetlander
distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
 
01/13/2011 02:44PM
 
You saw that huh? I was trying to edit my mistake before anyone notice. I mixed up a picture of a walleye I saw on a different trip report with yours... guess mix-ups happen to us all.


Did you make it into Rose or Partridge? I was thinking that Walleyes and LT on Rose would be cool or Sunnies and LT on Partridge!


Beemer01
Moderator
 
01/13/2011 02:54PM
 
Wetlander - We day tripped over to Rose and walked along side the rapids and open water that way, hiking up on the bluffs to get a view of Canada.... but we didn't auger any holes on Rose.




"You're not serious about wearing sandals on this portage.... are you?"
Harv
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01/13/2011 03:03PM
 
That was a great report!
TomT
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01/13/2011 07:55PM
 
Really enjoyed this one Beemer. Nice job. I'm sure it's a trip you will never forget.

"Life is not about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself." --- George Bernard Shaw
Ho Ho
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01/13/2011 09:18PM
 
That was really interesting. Any other year, you would have had plenty of ice in March, but last year was pretty extreme. Anyway, that's an interesting way to winter (spring) camp. Looks like a fun group, too.



gbusk
distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
 
01/13/2011 09:52PM
 
Thanks for the report Beemer.


The amount of gear was immense, thankfully we only had one portage, as 18 trips were req'd to haul everything across. Three to four trips by each person.
Beemer01
Moderator
 
01/14/2011 08:05AM
 
Greg - I totally forgot about the number of trips over the portage. MUSH you Huskies!

"You're not serious about wearing sandals on this portage.... are you?"
gbusk
distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
 
01/14/2011 12:14PM
 
18 trips on the way in for the group, then I, one with skis, went back to retrieve a few misc. items several times, as well a another 18 trips on the way out.


Needless to say, I have never been so well acquainted with a canoe portage and a lovely portage it is.
Beemer01
Moderator
 
01/15/2011 08:17AM
 
quote Ho Ho: "That was really interesting. Any other year, you would have had plenty of ice in March, but last year was pretty extreme. Anyway, that's an interesting way to winter (spring) camp. Looks like a fun group, too.




"



Ho Ho - As you know group chemistry is vital - Vikinfan handpicked the crew and it all worked well. In close confines like that tent poor personality fits would have been obvious quickly.


I've been involved with a number of trips organized from BWCA.com board members and without exception they have gone well.




"You're not serious about wearing sandals on this portage.... are you?"
drnatus
distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
 
01/15/2011 12:06PM
 
Great report! I think that if I had a big crack under my bunk, the puddle on the floor would be more than just water!!!

Never criticize someone until you walk a mile in their shoes....by then you'll be a mile away and they will be shoeless!
gbuskk
Guest Paddler
 
01/15/2011 04:34PM
 
quote Beemer01: "quote Ho Ho: "That was really interesting. Any other year, you would have had plenty of ice in March, but last year was pretty extreme. Anyway, that's an interesting way to winter (spring) camp. Looks like a fun group, too.





"




Ho Ho - As you know group chemistry is vital - Vikinfan handpicked the crew and it all worked well. In close confines like that tent poor personality fits would have been obvious quickly.



I've been involved with a number of trips organized from BWCA.com board members and without exception they have gone well.



"



After watching Vikinfan haul a tree from the forest and erect a flag pole with it, we knew we had better behave, else he may have zapped our eyes out with his laser pointer. :)
Beemer01
Moderator
 
01/15/2011 08:02PM
 
Another trip element I forgot. Vikinfan brought a near industrial strength green laser - he powered it up one snowy evening and the effect was completely magicical - the laser beam arced into the sky, diffused and refracted by the falling snow flakes.


Cameras could not capture those moments.

"You're not serious about wearing sandals on this portage.... are you?"
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