~Temperatures dropped to the mid-30s overnights which made for some chilly but nice sleeping. During the day, the temperature was sunny and in the mid to upper 60s with clear skies and was calm to start the day with some mild wind kicking up in the afternoon in the 5-10mph range.

Everyone awoke at various times and breakfasts were on your own for this trip. Some guys slept in until 8 or 9 and other guys got up and started fishing. I got some breakfast and went out fishing with one of the Zac’s. We figured we would cast shoreline structure and get a lay of the land a little bit. It was a little misty to start the morning but nice and calm for topwater. I threw a variety of baits including a wake bait, wacky worm, jig and plastic for the morning session. Zac threw a crankbait and some other various lures including some topwater as well. In around 3 hours we combined for around 30 Smallmouth bass and a few pike. A lot of 15-18” fish but only a couple over 18” and no trophies over 20” for us this morning. Brad and Zack fished near or around us a lot of the morning and did similar to us but were able to pick up 6 or 7 walleyes on keitech swimbaits as they related to shoreline structure (timber).

I have always read that Walleye can relate to timber but have never caught walleye off wood personally. Brandon and Tyler focused strictly on Walleye and went North from camp up towards Canada. They were able to catch around a dozen walleye and they of course caught random smallies and pike as well. Jud and Matt elected to sleep in this morning. I think they both did some fishing off camp and caught a couple small pike and bass.

We had a lunch of rice a roni cheddar and broccoli rice with chicken. We relaxed around camp a little bit for a couple hours before heading back out fishing. Some people read, others swam, and some guys got some naps. Unfortunately, with the fire and storms that wrecked this camp a while back there was not much for options for hammock spots due to lack of mature trees. We were able to string up a big tarp for a little extra shade for us to have in camp. Back in the trees there were some bugs, but this site was really nice and exposed so they were not much of an issue for us.

The wind picked up a little bit in the mid-afternoon which made fishing a little bit difficult. We all ventured out in the evening to fish and all of us targeted Walleye. It was a slow evening overall for the group only catching about 20 walleyes between the 8 of us with a few pike and smallies. It was a glorious evening in the BWCA and was amazing to spend it with friends and family in such a beautiful place! A giant Luna moth joined us for the campfire festivities as well.

~Low 40s overnight. Calm and sunny to start the day with temperatures in the upper 70s during the day. The wind kicked up quicker today and was in the 10-15 mph range for a good portion of the day, calming down in the evening like normal during the summer.

It was a beautiful day in the BWCA. We got some breakfast and got out fishing for the day. I took Jud in my canoe, and we went out fishing for some topwater Smallmouth action. We went and explored the expansive bays to the East with our whopper ploppers. We had a few hours of incredibly fun action catching around 50 Smallmouth between the 2 of us and a few decent pike, with one in the upper 30s. There was so much water to cover, and we explored as much as we could in our tour around. On the way as we circled back to camp, we found an underwater shelf and picked up 5 walleyes in short order. We filed this away to potentially return to for an evening fishing as we had struggled so far in finding quality walleye fishing in the evenings.

We made our way back to camp and had our fish fry shore lunch with wild rice and veggies as sides. The group enjoyed our fine fresh dining on walleye. We relaxed around camp for a while taking care of some camp chores, swimming, and resting.

We went out fishing again in the evening around the various islands and points near camp. A few of our party made a token effort after the lake trout as well and marked a lot of fish that they thought were probably trout but were not able to entice any to bite. 3 out of the 4 canoes had depth finders. We brought 4 units but one of them stopped working the first day so that was unfortunately the unit for my canoe. This hampered my ability to find structure throughout the trip and caused me to have more difficulty finding those sweet spots. 3 of the canoes stayed around camp while Jud and I traveled South to explore Lady Boot Bay area. We tried for trout in the deep area towards the top of the boot vertically jigging lipless crank baits and spoons. We did not have a depth finder, so this inhibited our ability to find those “correct” depths for trout as well as walleye too throughout the trip. The evening was decent for the 2 of us minus us striking out on the trout. We picked up some really nice bass (2 over 20”) and a few walleyes but did not find any of those sweet spots. We even tried trolling all the way back to camp and did not pick up any fish doing that which was shocking. It sounded like it was a slower night for the rest of the group again as well.

When we got back to camp, we had our salami and cheese bagel sandwiches, fruit, and some snacks and hung out with our friends and talked around the fire. An owl decided to join us from the trees above for our late-night conversations.

Having spent the previous afternoon in Ely, (besides enjoying a leisurely day), we took the necessary steps to ensure an early departure today. Spirit of the Wilderness outfitters would be towing us across beautiful Burntside Lake this morning and they already had our canoe loaded and ready to travel, so it was just a matter of eating a quick breakfast before departure.

Only a modest ripple broke across the watery surface of Burntside Lake on this sunny, though cool, morning. Of course, when planning a trip, a person never knows what Mother Nature will dish up; and since we were hopeful of reaching Cummings Lake today, the tow had seemed a prudent option regardless of paddling conditions.

A spacious landing greeted us as we pulled ashore ready to embark on our 8 day adventure. We would soon discover that this mile long portage could be broken down into 3 stages. The first section was the most technically challenging leg of the trail, being rocky and occasionally undulating until it reached the swampy mid-section where a couple of diminutive bridges aided in the traverse. Finally the trail opened up (minus the mud & rocks of the previous sections) and straightened out over an elongated gradual climb before concluding at a luxurious sandy beach.

Crab Lake proved to be slightly confusing but, in spite of the ever escalating waves washing ashore, we eventually navigated our way to the Little Crab portage. Fortunately Little Crab Lake offered tamer paddling conditions, and we would soon enter the relative sanctuary of the Korb River.

Initially we had planned on taking the 70 rod portage (on the west end of Korb Lake) to Cummings Lake. But, with the way the wind had been wreaking havoc out on Crab Lake, we decided to take the Korb River to the 35 rod portage and trace the eastern shoreline of Cummings up to one of the 5 star sites near the elbow of that sizable lake. Voyager maps indicate a very short portage prior to reaching Korb Lake. But, we were able to paddle without interruption (including no beaver dams) through the entire course of the weedy Korb River.

Of course once we reached Korb Lake the wind had receded. Unconvinced, we stuck to our revised plan. Upon arrival at the 35 rod portage, we find a long standing beaver dam acting as part of the landing. Large troublesome boulders constitute the more permanent portion of this landing. Thankfully the lion's share of the trail is along a reasonably decent path that shoulders the creek to where it washes out into Cummings Lake.

As we push off, conditions are invitingly placid. Working our way northward, a steady escalation of both the wind and waves creates some tenuous paddling circumstances as we approach our hopeful destination. Per usual, our Souris River 18.5 canoe is rock steady and we pull up to a vacant 5 star island abode dry as a bone but, none the less, still appreciative to be off the tumultuous waters.

We had previously visited this site 4 years ago with Aurora when she was just a few months old. So, even though there is also a 5 star site directly east of this island site; for sentimental reasons, we chose this island site as our primary target and we’re grateful it was available. The site was pretty much as we remembered it. An immense kitchen area complete with its own large rock table highlighted this open and expansive site. A bountiful canopy of large red pines offered all the usual trappings associated with such an envious allotment of these campsite sentinels, and there were even a couple of unique trees just outside of camp that provided some diversity.

The incessant howling of the intensifying wind served as a raucous backdrop while we got camp setup. Supper was our traditional rib eyes with potatoes. Although, we delectably complimented our usual fare with some green beans from our own garden and some freshly grated asiago cheese melted over both the beans & potatoes.

In her explorations of camp, Aurora found and marveled at various large fungi that were peppered in & around the perimeter of camp. Of course the resident squirrels also provided free entertainment as they busily made their winter preparations. So, even though she brought some toys from home, there were still plenty of natural wonders that kept her mind occupied as well.

The wind persisted well into the evening as we sat ensconced in our red pine sheltered sanctuary enjoying the fruits of our labors and a frosty growler of blueberry blonde from The Boathouse.

Daily travels – 3 portages totaling 395 rods.

Burntside Lake, Crab Lake, Little Crab Lake, Korb Lake, Cummings Lake

A beautiful, quiet, crisp morning greeted us as we emerged from the cozy confines of our Hilleberg tent. Ova-easy eggs, supplemented by rehydrated onions & peppers, provide our breakfast fare. We are in no hurry but, eventually we load up and head out for some relaxing exploration.

Over the years I’d repeatedly heard/read about the splendid attributes of the camp just across the way from our island home. So the first order of business was to paddle over and check and see what all the fuss was about.

There’s a decent landing that leads up to a sprawling expansive site that also offers a top notch kitchen area. Literally, there would be room for 20 people! (If that were legal) It was an absolutely gorgeous site; yet we remained thankful for having claimed ours yesterday, as this one was slightly exposed and wouldn’t have offered the degree of protection we received from yesterday’s strong winds. After our cursory evaluation, we proceeded northwards up the bay to hike the portage trail to Big Moose Lake.

This trail was perhaps the dominate reason why we chose this area for our fall trip. Our last foray across this path led to the creation of many indelible memories that served to draw us back for another look see. Not the least of which was the iconic (at least for us) photo Vickie took of Aurora & I while taking a break along the way.

This time Aurora would be getting herself across the trail. In fact, she insisted on leading the way much of the time. I was also able to better appreciate the surrounding beauty, since this time I was able to leave my canoe helmet behind. Once again there was several rock cairns & unique fungi garnishing the path, and the deciduous trees were beginning to sport their colorful seasonal plumage as we hiked our way across this mammoth portage. I even noted a nice stand of impressive red pines at about the half way point.

In due course, we did make it all the way to Big Moose Lake. While enjoying a snack, we sat on the shores fondly reminiscing and telling Aurora stories of our visit here 4 years ago.

Alas, all good things must end. So, after kicking back and restfully lounging awhile here at the landing, we retraced our route back, once again taking time to fully enjoy and appreciate the wondrous wilderness environment we were passing through. Vickie hoped to capture another unforgettable photo of Aurora & me. I don’t know if it measures up to the picture from 4 years ago? But, I thought it was still a nice picture and certainly provokes warmhearted memories of yet another great day in canoe country.

Paddling back to camp, we noticed a bald eagle was perched atop a tree just north across the narrow channel from our site. That must have been its’ favorite spot, since we would see it there again on a few other occasions. It was reassuring to know we had someone watching over us during our stay here.

While Vickie baked some banana nut (Aurora’s favorite) muffins, Aurora kept herself occupied playing near the tarp; so, since the winds were considerably calmer tonight, I retreated to the hammock for a short siesta. Afterwards, we enjoyed the warmth of a quaint crackling campfire and the indulgence of fresh muffins before retiring for the evening.

Daily travels – 1 portage totaling 620 rods.

Cummings Lake, Big Moose Lake

As forecasted - a gray gloomy morning; that threatened rain, greeted us as we crawled out of the tent. Fortunately, the rain held off during breakfast and while we packed up. We donned our rain gear as we pushed off, heading west towards the Buck Lake portage.

The wind wasn’t a problem this morning but, none the less, we decided to stick close to the northern shoreline of Cummings Lake. Along the way there was an interesting large pointed rock out in the middle of the lake that drew our attention. Things went pretty well and as we approached our portage, I let Aurora take the helm for a short while. Of course she was just lily dipping but, she was very proud of her contribution and Vickie & I were equally proud of her as she begins to acquire the necessary skills to (one day) make a more significant contribution.

We had no trouble locating our portage, and there was an adequate landing from which to embark upon this lengthy 470 rod portage. As we trudged our way across, a large swamp was always in close proximity. The trail even crosses a few wet swampy areas along the way; which will likely create an additional challenge in wetter conditions. There were a few very minor ups and downs but, after factoring in the considerable length, quite honestly this trail couldn’t have realistically been much more level & free of troublesome rocks & roots. Although I will say there were an inordinately high number of downed trees across the path near the (very tall) grassy Buck Lake end, which could pose a more serious problem earlier in the year if the grass doesn’t get sufficiently trampled down.

Our strategy for this portage was to leap frog it. And, as with all portages on the trip, I would triple this one; so I had my work cut out for me. As I was wearily bringing our blue barrel (in a CCS barrel pack) ahead through the largest swampy section just past the mid-point on the trail, I heard what sounded like a tank moving through the woods in very close proximity to my present location . Instantly, I froze! While I have always considered gazing upon a moose in canoe country as a rarified blessing; encountering one (especially a rutting bull) here, up close and personal, in a swamp with nothing but glorified saplings for cover and our heaviest pack strapped to my back wasn’t an enviable situation. A thousand fuel injected scenarios raced through my mind as, mercifully, the sounds of snapping twigs & branches slowly faded. This was one time that I was thankful for NOT seeing a moose that I knew was there.

Needless to say, fueled by 100% pure adrenaline, I was able to catch up with Vickie & Aurora at the sandy beach landing on Buck Lake where Aurora was having a blast playing in the sand. I regaled them with the story of my recent escapades, telling Vickie I would go back and get her second pack on the other side of that swamp. So I actually wound up nearly quadrupling this portage! Later, as I jadedly sauntered back to the beach landing with the last load, I was told, in no uncertain terms, that it was time for my spanking. Some reward!!!

Actually, it was my birthday; and apparently, she was giving me my just deserves. Afterwards, as we loaded up, a light rain started up but, quit for good a short time later. We’d heard good things about the campsite down towards the SW end of the lake, so we paddled off in that direction with hopes of claiming it as our new home.

If there was going to be one lake along our route that I felt we’d most likely have completely to ourselves, I would’ve bet the farm that it was going to be Buck Lake. So, ironically, it was here where we would encounter the first other people we’d see on this trip - at our desired campsite. Having just paddled past the other vacant site on the lake, it wasn’t a totally disheartening discovery; so, I took the opportunity to throw a line out and let Aurora fish a little while we paddled back.

In short order she pulled in a smallish northern, then a decent eater sized walleye. While not quite the same as catching them all in one trip; these fish completed the canoe country grand slam (for this season) for our little fisher woman. Not bad for a 4 year old!

Of course Aurora now wanted to stay out and fish but, as it had all day, it looked like it could rain at any time and Vickie & I wanted to get camp setup before it did; so we pulled into the nearby mid lake site on the northern shore to do just that.

This campsite isn’t marked on many maps but, thanks to pre-trip research, we had known that it was there. There was a decent landing with a nice spot to stash the canoe. A short climb leads to a totally exposed fire grate that was out on an elevated rock knob. There was decent seating and good views in both directions down the lake. Of concern, the lone discernible tent pad was rather lumpy and (if used) left nowhere nearby for a respectable tarp setup. Although, after some further exploration, I found an exquisite tent pad; the problem was that it required a very steep climb up a fairly lengthy path. Subsequently after some short deliberation, we did use it; setting our tarp up over the other tent pad. Later, we discovered the trail to the latrine also entailed climbing a steep trail too. Still, this quaint site would ably serve us as our humble home for the next couple of nights.

Daily travels – 1 portage totaling 470 rods.

Cummings Lake, Buck Lake

Gray gloomy clouds once again dominated the morning skies, and did little to motivate us as we lazily ate our blueberry pancake breakfast. (We’d dehydrated some blueberries that we had picked on our July trip to Saganaga Lake). For the second day in a row it looked like it wanted to rain throughout the afternoon. Fortunately no discernible precipitation ever materialized, although everything was saturated from the heavy morning dew. Eventually we would get our act together and got loaded up for our daytrip to Pine Lake.

The portage to Chad Lake was located on the north shore running along the SW side of a large rock outcropping. This trail wasn’t nearly as long as yesterdays trek but, was certainly more technically difficult. While there were no big hills, troublesome rocks & roots plagued this twisting path for the duration of its length. However – they paled in comparison to the boulders located in the charming dried out creek bed that paralleled the mid section.

Chad Lake offered a more expansive feel than Buck Lake and the islands on the western end splendidly enhanced an already eye-catching body of water. As we approached the portage to Pine Creek, a lone snow goose patrolling the shoreline waters provided an unusual (though up close) wildlife sighting. No sooner did we get started portaging, when we ran into a beaver pond that we needed to paddle across. It was quite muddy on the other side but, the trail soon climbs up to firmer footholds. This trail was much the same as our previous portage, with the addition of several muddy sections. Near the Pine creek end there is a nice overlook before the trail drops down to a mushy landing.

Shortly after beginning our paddle to Pine Lake, I decided to take a picture. While verifying the image was acceptable, I also took note of the time. Coupling that information with how long it took us to get here & how far we had yet to go (then multiplying it by 2 for the trip back), I conservatively deduced that we wouldn’t make it back to camp on Buck Lake until nearly sunset tonight. Knowing tomorrow would likely be a long day of portaging, we made the on the fly decision to cut our day trip short and return to Chad Lake to try some fishing and eat our trail dinner there. A reasonably early return to camp; as well as affording us the opportunity to further enjoy the picturesque amenities that Chad Lake offered, was thus insured.

As we paddled through the islands (in route to the campsite near the portage to Buck Lake), I got Aurora setup to fish. Soon she gleefully informed me that she had one! It was a decent sized bass that treated her to a classic battle that they are famous for. To date, it was the largest bass she’d ever caught. The reason I mention it is because, in the future, I don’t know how often she will be able to honestly claim to have caught her personal bests of 3 separate species of fish on the same trip. Beyond the self serving facet of catching these fish, in my opinion, the most important aspect was that she was totally enjoying herself while doing so. I think it’s safe to say she’s now ‘hooked’ on this outdoor activity. The seeds we planted this spring had taken root and really began to sprout here on this trip.

She merrily continued fishing until we pulled up to the campsite. This was a slightly exposed site with a couple decent tent pads and a great view of the lake. There was even a nice point that looked like a promising pier from which to do some shore fishing. Vickie got dinner going while I brought Aurora back to the potty train.

After finishing our chicken alfredo dinner, we loaded up and proceeded back to Buck Lake. Once there, much to Auroras delight, we resumed fishing. As we paddled back to camp, she caught & released a few eater sized walleyes. With a hint of arrogance, she informed Vickie & me that she had caught more fish than either of us. This, of course, signaled her completion of the final prerequisite; having now graduated into a truly savvy angler. Once back at camp we dried out a bit & enjoyed the quiet peacefulness this evening provided. We also tried out the dehydrated rice pudding (Camp Chow from Trail Center) dessert we’d brought along. Aurora didn’t care for it and Vickie & I thought it was just OK. Never the less, we all enjoyed the glowing ambiance and warmth of a nice fire before calling it a night.

Dailey travels – 2 portages totaling 510 rods.

Buck Lake, Chad Lake

~ Overnight temps dipped into the upper 40s and during the day they soared to above 80 but we were up and traveling early and beat the heat for the most part getting out to the entry point by 9/10 am ish. The wind and conditions were a non-factor as we were on the river for the couple of hours of travel that we had out to the entry point.

We passed several groups who were in their way in. The bugs were pretty awful on this stretch again. I liked the trip and some of the area well enough to return but I really did not like the entry point very much with the narrow river, shallow pullovers, etc. I am kind of surprised that is such a popular EP that people covet. Anyways, we made it back to our vehicles and got loaded up and on our way back into Ely to the outfitter to return the canoes. They offered complimentary Hamm’s. I am not much of a beer guy but figured why not and it actually hit the spot pretty well. We grabbed brunch at a local establishment to have a celebratory final meal and time to chat before we all went our separate ways. Everyone seemed to have a blast on the trip and want to do it in the future. 

It was a great trip overall with some really great friends. My brother and I are blessed to have met some great people in college who shared our Faith in God and our love for the outdoors. It was one of my favorite trips I have taken to date, and we will be hoping to get this group together for trips every 2 or 3 years moving forward. The difficulty will be once our kids all start getting older our group size will get too big, but I guess that is a good problem to have. We are planning an epic trip in Late May/ early June 2025 with this group to our best Walleye Lake to chase some trophies.

Total Fish Count for the Entire Trip (approx. but conservative estimates) • Walleye: 350 Walleye (biggest 26”) • Smallmouth Bass: 475 (biggest 21”) was very surprised we didn’t catch more big bass (less than 15 over 20”) • Crappie: 50 or so (biggest 15”) • Bluegill: Only 10 or so but all were 8-11”!!! • Northern Pike: 80 or so. Don’t think anyone targeted pike on this tip (a few in the upper 30” range but none over 40”)