Has anyone been down the Deux Rivers recently? Any opinions on how difficult that route will be this Sept? I've only taken that river in the spring, but looking to go back Sept 22. Everything seems to indicate water levels have been coming down, but still above normal for this time of year. Thanks in advance for any info given.

We are looking to be there on the same day (22nd, tentatively) so I would love the answer... Where are you going on your trip? We are putting in the 16th at Nym and out the 24th, Stanton Bay...

I'll hopefully be on the river 9/2. I return home on the 14th so can update you guys.

Our plan right now is to stay in a Campquetico cabin Sept 21st with supper & b'fast meals & have him shuttle us to Stanton early the 22nd. We'll stay 4-5 nights on Antoine, base camp fishing; & 3-4 nights on Pickerel before our Stanton pick-up.

Also, I'd emailed Barry at Campquetico about the Deux Rivers & he he replied today & said the water level is still above normal. He's had a couple of groups through there recently with no major problems. Good luck on your trips & thanks for any feedback before ours... Tom, when I get out I'll check my email for a pic of the 30" walleye you're going to get at Veron!

We are planning a couple of nights on Antoine as well, but just before you. Never been there but heard the fishing is excellent!

quote jberns: " Tom, when I get out I'll check my email for a pic of the 30" walleye you're going to get at Veron!"

Right on. I'm locked and loaded.

I did the river north to south on 9/3. It sucks but I only had to pole myself along once near the sturgeon end. Very sticky mud around the beaver dams. For the big one I would recommend going over at the middle and not around it at the side. Almost lost a boot there.
I imagine water levels are similar now however I didn't havemuch rain at all since then. Best of luck.

Btw, going from camel to Eag, I decided to pass on cutty creek there. Looked like a mosquito infested hellhole.

Thanks for the updated information Tom. How was fishing?

I didn't make Veron but was on Camel 4 nights. Got a walleye dinner but mostly northern the 2 days I fished. Only 2 decent 16" smallies there. Moved to McDougal after a night on Russell. Loved McDougal but only a solid 17" SB and couldn't keep the 10 to 13 inches off my lures. But 3 real nice northerns over 30. The best at 38. These are very healthy solid fish probably gorging on all the smallies. Beautiful lake and I hope to get back there sometime. Lots of good bottom structure. I've heard big smallies are there.

Will be on the Deux sometime next week...will look for the big beaver dam and head for the middle!

quote TomT: " Moved to McDougal after a night on Russell. Loved McDougal but only a solid 17" SB and couldn't keep the 10 to 13 inches off my lures. But 3 real nice northerns over 30. The best at 38. These are very healthy solid fish probably gorging on all the smallies. Beautiful lake and I hope to get back there sometime. Lots of good bottom structure. I've heard big smallies are there. "

Just an FYI. I've pulled Lakers out of McDougall also. The first time, it was in the narrows between the two larger lake sections, in the Spring.

dd

With the weather forecast showing heavy rain for nearly our entire trip, we chose to stay on Pickerel. Fishing was good for trout & smallmouth; spotty for decent walleye & pike.

quote jberns: "With the weather forecast showing heavy rain for nearly our entire trip, we chose to stay on Pickerel. Fishing was good for trout & smallmouth; spotty for decent walleye & pike."

I returned from 10 days on the northwest side of Quetico. Went through Quetico Lake to Jean and Little Jean, then returned after a detour over to Orianna. Saw only 3 canoes the entire time. Had sun the first day, last day, and for a few hours on two other days. Lots of rain during the nights (two really nasty thunderstorms) and lots of clouds and some rain the rest of the time. Like you noted, I had great success for lakers (particularly on Jean) and big smallies and largemouth on Little Jean. Very few pike or walleye of any decent size anywhere else.....shortened my trip by a few days as the weather forecast was clouds and 40-90% rain for the next several days....solo tripping in clouds and rain for days on end is not my cup of tea...

We paddled north on Deux Rivieres 10/5 and had no problems. It's been a wet summer and fall, so there was ample water for paddling. We just had to deal with the 3 beaver dams. (Speaking of "wet", during the first 12 days of our 18 day fall trip in QPP, we only had one 24-hr period without rain. There was ample mud on most portages.)

On my 20 day, ending on the 6th, I didn't have many dry days either... Did you get that wind on the 4th? Came up when I was on Pickerel and was as challenging a 300 yard paddle as I think I have experienced...

Yes, we were out in that West wind on the 4th too. I can't imagine that wind was much fun for you on Pickerel. We were base camped on Sturgeon that day and took one canoe to explore the area. We typically each paddle our own canoe, but opted to paddle tandem that day and are glad we did. Besides the strong, steady wind, Mother Nature added some wave refraction to the mix. It calmed down almost as soon as we returned to camp.

I had about an hour of 35-40 mph winds.. Waves way higher than my canoe. Before and after was a steady wind and light rain, but nothing like that one hour. EVERY wave was white capped... FOCUS!!!