BWCA Entry Point, Route, and Trip Report Blog
December 11 2024
Entry Point 20 - Angleworm Lake
Number of Permits per Day: 2
Elevation: 1260 feet
Latitude: 48.0659
Longitude: -91.9303
Angleworm Lake - 20
Mudro-Crooked Lk with some first timers !
Entry Date:
June 16, 2019
Entry Point:
Mudro Lake
Number of Days:
6
Group Size:
6
I don't think any of us could sleep, I woke up several times throughout the night, the plan was to get up at 4:00 but by 4:15 we were up and loaded. We went to the gas station and grabbed some coffee and snacks for breakfast, and then off to the Mudro Entry Point. We were on the creek and paddling by 5:30, water levels were surprisingly low so we had to pull the canoes along for the first hundred yards or so. Once we made it to Mudro we were in good shape, light winds, cool temps and clouds. We ran into a couple groups on their way out. The first timers were getting used to paddling the canoes and after the first couple portages they had that part down too. We managed the Horse River with only the three marked portages, but we did have to get out and pull through a couple of the rock piles. We made it to Lower Basswood Falls by 11:15 and much to our surprise their was no one camped at any of the sites, any time I have been there they all looked full ..!!! We paddled past the pictos and stopped at a campsite for a little rest and lunch. We had the long paddle to Thursday Bay ahead so we didn't stay long. We paddled steadily to Table Rock to show Brain and Marc the big flat rock and stretch our legs and backs. We were then off in hopes of securing the Island campsite in the southern end of Thursday Bay. I think we all were tired and were relived to find the site open when we came around the corner of the island. We set up tents, tarps, gathered firewood, put together our fishing gear and got into some dry shoes. I caught a walleye on the first cast with a deep-diving firetiger Rapala right off camp. I had laid out steaks for dinner along with some instant mashed potatoes. We built a fire and Clay cooked the steaks while I got the stove set up and made the potatoes.
While we were eating dinner an interesting thing happened. About 7:30 a solo paddler camp up to the west side of the island, We hadn't seen anyone camped on the bay but I assumed it was someone out for an evening paddle as it was a beautiful evening. Then a tandem canoe pulled around the east side of the Island. When they came together they started talking. The called up to our camp so I went down to see what they wanted. One of the guys in the tandem asked if there was room on the site for then to camp for the night. At first I felt bad for telling them we didn't really have extra room and suggested they paddle to the island site just to the north and stay there. He then said this was his favorite site and he had been coming there since 1979. He also said they had came from Fall Lake that day. I have no idea how far that is but I know it is a long day. They wished us luck and paddled to the Island. The more I thought about it the more it irritated me. Am I being over sensitive or did I have legitimate reason to be irritated ? If we had been on a dead end lake, bad weather, injured paddler or near dark I think I would have felt different.
After dinner we paddled out and fished for little while then came back and did dished and went to bed
Wildlife: Deer Eagles Beaver lots of Ducks and Geese
Fish Total: 7
Lakes Traveled: Mudro Sandpit Tin Can Mike Horse Lake Horse River Basswood Crooked
I was up early, just before 5:00, I just don't sleep well on a sleeping pad. Maybe its time to try a hammock( I brought along a cheap dept store model to nap in around camp) . Bacon and eggs for breakfast and then out to fish. The smallmouth bite was a little slower than we hoped but we managed some good fish. We came back to camp for a big fish fry for lunch, we had a combination of pike, walleye and a couple smallmouth. We spent the rest of the afternoon slip bobber fishing for walleye. That evening we paddled out and fished some of little bays close to camp and piked up a few more fish. Back to camp for hamburgers and time for bed.
Wildlife: Eagles Otter( Swam right past camp between our slip bobbers)
Fish Total:56
Up early again after another restless night. Today looked like rain but we all got up and ate and went out to fish in our rain gear. Slow day so we came back for lunch and slip bobber fishing. We did well on the Walleye this trip, Clay caught a limit today himself. Everybody loves the fish so we planned another fish fry for tonight. A few of us decided it was time for a swim between the rain showers, man is that water cold. We went to the west side of the bay that evening and found a few bigger fish, the rain drove us back to camp. Troy and I filleted fish in the rain as the other guys cooked some rice. The rain let up after dinner and Clay and Dominic paddled out a caught a 32" pike,...Dishes, campfire then bed.
Fish Total:46
The rain had cleared and today was going to be beautiful. Breakfast and then out to fish. We all fished the rock faces west of camp. The warm sun seemed to be getting the fish fired up. A funny thing happened, Clay had his Zara Spook bit off by a pike, about 15 minutes later Brian and Marc fished over the same spot and caught the pike with the Spook still in his mouth. Afternoon was swining and bobber fishing. We had Campfire Pizzas for dinner and they were a trip favorite !
Today I asked everyone to sum up the BWCA in one word:
Me: Indescribable Troy: Creator Clay: Unpredictable Dominic: Majestic Marc: Unforgettable Brian:Immense Fish Total:48
Today was another beautiful day. Today Troy and Clay fished the main bay, Marc, Brian, Dominic and I went to check out the little lake on the south end of the bay. I am not sure if it is an unnamed lake or just part of Thursday Bay. We caught a few pike. Our original plan was to get all the way to Jackfish Lake, but with the low water levels we figured the little creek would be a major pain to get down. We did go all the way to the portage and walked to the other side and saw some moose tracks. We spent the rest of the day fishing and packing up gear for the paddle out tomorrow.
I think Brian and Marc enjoyed their first trip and learned a few things, The both agreed they would portage in different shoes. Marc wore trail running shoes, but decided the extra support of a boot would be better. Brain wore vintage Jungle Boots, the soles fell off and he had to duct tape and para cord them together for the trip out.!
I was the last one out by the fire at the end of the night reflecting on our trip and just what a special place this is !
We were up early and packed and ready to go after a quick breakfast and coffee. We were going out through Friday Bay. The morning was sunny and calm and made for good traveling. By the time we go to the mile portage out of Wagosh Brain and Marc were tired and realized they were not fans of carrying the canoe. Dominic offered to Portage their canoe across for the affordable price of 2 beers at the Ely Steakhouse, they agreed to his terms! The last half of the trip was into a stiff headwind. By the time we got to the portages out of Fourtown we were all spent. The was lots of traffic on the portages which made it more challenging and slow. We made it out around 4:00 and were shortly in town for a shower at VNO and then to Ely Steakhouse. We then hopped in the truck for the long ride back to Michigan
We will be back again soon
Lakes Traveled: Crooked Papoose Chippewa Niki Wagosh Gun Fairy Boot Fourtown Mudro