BWCA Entry Point, Route, and Trip Report Blog
July 15 2025
Entry Point 24 - Fall Lake
Number of Permits per Day: 14
Elevation: 1324 feet
Latitude: 47.9527
Longitude: -91.7213
"This trip will be taking off from Fall Lake up through Newton Falls portage onto Pipestone Bay campsites. 3 day, 2 night trip into the wilderness.
South Arm Knife June 2013
Entry Date:
June 11, 2013
Entry Point:
Moose Lake
Exit Point:
Moose Lake (25)
Number of Days:
6
Group Size:
6
Conmee Lake, Suzanette Lake, Brent Lake, ? Lake, McIntyre Lake
Day trip McIntyre Lake, Paulene Lake, Burt Lake, Paulene Lake, McIntyre
Day 5 started out with the drumming of a grouse very close to camp but never seen. I woke up several times in the morning to hear it’s drumming and even as we were leaving camp it continued. It was decided that this day was to be the “Easy Day” since we had pushed hard for the past 4 days and were right on track. To the best of my knowledge we stayed in the ballpark of 12-16 miles per day. Day 5 was not really an exception due to a side trip but at least we didn’t have much gear with us when we did that. So, we woke up, had breakfast and casually broke down camp.
Once we were on the lake the wind picked up a little but once again, it was at our backs and the sun was shining. We only had about 300 yards on the lake before we hit the portage. About midway across the portage to Suzanette lake we saw a geographic marker with the longitude and latitude marked on it. … right in the middle of the path. I didn’t stop to look at it mainly because I was wearing the Kevlar helmet and wasn’t about to stop. I’m sure someone in the group took a picture of it.
At Suzanette Lake we headed toward the portage to Brent Lake, down through a noname Lake and onto McIntyre. As soon as we were out of a little bay and McIntyre opened up we saw one campsite that was occupied to the north so we headed south to an island campsite. We were just starting to unload our stuff when the people from the occupied camp appeared from out of nowhere and pleaded with us to head farther south to the next set of sites. The reasoning was good enough, “So we don’t see another fire at night, and you don’t either.” So we decided to oblige their request. Had we not found a site close buy I think we were all prepared to head back to that site but we were rewarded with one of the nicest sites I’ve camped in. It was another island site with open woods and lot’s of big rocks. The only downfall I can recall is that the skeeters were out in force but I am sure that would have been the same anywhere. As soon as we landed my paddling partner, Cookie, pointed at a giant rock and said “Let’s throw the tent up, there” as I joke, I think, but I did and It was the flattest softest surface around. It was probably the nicest tent spot we had the entire trip.
Once camp was set up, water made, and lunch was eaten we decided to do our side trip. We traveled northeast, less the two rookies, through Paulene Lake and over to Burt Lake to check out the pictograph site. Once we reached the cliff we spotted the pictographs. This site isn’t much more than a couple of handprints and some other unidentifiable markings that have seen years of weather.
The three canoes had previously agreed to push to the pictographs and then fish on the way back to catch some dinner so that’s what we did. Working for fish back through Burt Lake, for my canoe, was unsuccessful so we portaged into Paulene behind one of the other two boats. About midway across Paulene neither of the two other canoes were in sight. As we sat there and watched the portage from Burt lake, waiting for the third canoe, an osprey skirted around the shore and up over the hill into Burt. Later we heard from the guys on Burt Lake, they got to witness the osprey perform a couple of dives into the water…. I’m Sorry I missed that. The fishing on Paulene made up for it though. Soon, the Cookie began to pick up some largemouth’s. So I rerigged my gear and started to catch them too. By the time we reached the portage into McIntyre we had dinner covered. We were using floating rapalas and picking them up on top water occasionally which was a lot of fun. We waited there for the third canoe and when they arrived they added to the dinner menu a pike from Burt Lake.
Back at camp we cleaned the fish and swatted the bugs. By far my favorite dinner of the whole trip was had this night…. FISH TACOS! With rice, refried beans and hot sauce… I wish I was eating one right now! Way to go Cookie!
The rest of the night was shared around the fire passing platys. The lake was calm, the moon was still shining bright. Off in the distance, almost to far to distinguish the sound, was a whip-poor-will crying it’s monotonous song… for hours. The loons also gave a quite a choir off and on the whole night. The rock was we slept on was very comfortable.
The whole group slept in a little later than we wanted but that’s what vacations are for. We got things going with a breakfast of blueberry muffins in the reflector oven and cappuccino. Then it was off to show the new trippers some of the beauties of the BW. We first went to Eddy falls, carried the canoes across and then came back down the portage to see the falls up close. Then it was off to fish Eddy for a few hours where we have caught some pike in the past but this year turned up only 2 smaller fish in about 2 hours. Scott, Greg and Laura did see a cow moose in the bay on the sw corner of the lake so all was not lost. We left Eddy, stopped back by camp for a quick lunch and then headed for the north shore of the lake for some top water smallie action. One canoe went west and I went east, planning to meet somewhere in the middle. The lake was still pretty calm and the action was incredible! We caught fish after fish for hours, all on top water. We had a hearty supper of Bear Creek chili and grilled cheese with a chocolate chip cookie in the reflector oven for dessert. After supper we fished around camp till dark with limited action before turning in for the night. 
As a group we were undecided if we should spend another day on Knife or move back toward our exit at Ensign. We decided to move back toward Ensign so it was up at 5:00 and on the water by 7:00 after an oatmeal breakfast and packing up camp. It wasn’t until we were halfway to Thunder Point when I noticed the weather was once again cooperating as it was pushing us back west across Knife, not to mention once again sunny and 65. The portage to Vera went pretty good, Scott and I double tripped while the rest of the group caught their breath and had a snack at the Vera end of the portage. Once everyone was across we paddled to site 1243 and set up camp at 11:00 for the next 3 nights. Everyone took a nap and relaxed for a few hours. Supper was biscuits in the reflector oven topped with gravy and pork sausage and chocolate pudding for dessert. We tried fishing from camp at dark as we had good success the previous year but we only caught a few 18” walleyes. Still no bugs or wood ticks as we watched the stars before moving to the tent for the night. 
Our 4th day was again a lazy morning as the days agenda was day tripping to Neglige and Explorer and then back to Vera for some walleye fishing. After getting a lunch and some gear packed we headed off for Neglige. The portage into Neglige was quite a different since just last year as there were 3 fallen down trees to go over / through. Once on Neglige we pulled over and fished from shore on the peninsula where it opens into the main lake. Scott and I trolled the lake a few times while the others fished from shore. After 2 hours we were going to have lunch before checking out Explorer. NOTE, if your planning mac and cheese for lunch and you need a stove, somebody in the group must have a source of fire. We settled for some granola bars and trail mix for lunch. The only action for fish on Neglige was one broken line on a fish that we never saw and 1 bite. The portage to Explorer was about the same as last year, maybe grown it just a little more. We were very disappointed that in a PMA someone had made a camp literally on the Explorer end of the portage complete with a rock fire pit and camp furniture. We made one trip around the lake trolling for trout with no luck before returning to Vera for the evening. Greg, Laura and Scott caught 2 walleyes on the way back to camp that we had for supper with cheese biscuits in the reflector oven. After supper we went to fishing and had pretty good success for an hour catching 16” – 18” walleyes for about an hour before turning in for the night. 
Day 5 we awoke to a dead calm lake that was covered with fog that made for pretty relaxing morning watching the sunrise. After breakfast we headed back across the portage to Knife to fish for smallies again as the action had been so good just a few days ago. We caught a bunch of smallies, some pike and another laker. The wind was not blowing at all so made a slow trip up to Dorothy’s Island and this time it was unoccupied so we checked it out. What a life it must have been there on that island in the middle of such a beautiful place! After our little tour we headed back to Vera for a late lunch and one last chance to relax before heading out the next day. Scott and I headed out fishing before supper and stumbled onto a productive pattern and caught a few walleyes which we released before heading back for a spaghetti supper. After getting supper and a few thing around camp cleaned up we headed out for one last round of fishing. We returned to where we were before supper and the fish were still there and still biting. We caught and released a bunch of walleyes as we watched the sunset and the stars come out and then headed to camp for the night. 
Our last day everyone except Dalen was up at 5 and starting to pack and getting canoes loaded for our trip back to civilization. We had a quick breakfast of toast and coffee and we were moving a little before 7:00. The weather was once again beautiful and even a little hot as the portage to Ensign will get the blood moving a little bit. Once on Ensign we encountered for the first time during our trip a wind in our face but it wasn’t too bad and we made pretty good time crossing the lake. Our tow pickup was set up for the Birch portage so we left Ensign and made a leisurely paddle up to Birch and arrived at 10:15 for our 11:00 tow. After a half hour wait while we looked at some of our pictures and talked about the trip our tow showed up and we were on our way back to Ely. A quick shower and burgers at the Ely Steakhouse and we were on our way home. This trip was my 13th to the BW, by far the best yet.
We had clear skies and 65 degrees with no wind every day of the trip. The only time the wind blew over 10 mph it was pushing us in / out of Knife and the morning and evenings were dead calm. The bugs were basically nonexistent, no flies and very few mosquitoes in the evenings. We are by no means die hard anglers, but spent a fair amount of time fishing and we caught fish every time we went out. To top it off I got to trip with my closest family members which made for an awesome trip! 
