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TiredPaddler
  
07/17/2018 11:54PM   (Thread Older Than 3 Years)
Planning our second Q trip for labor day weekend. We attempted to reach Kawnipi through the falls chain around the same time last year but due to gale force winds accompanied by harsh evening/morning temps and even snow (in August!) we were unable to obtain our goal. I'm just looking for pointers from people who have successfully made it out that way. We hit Kenny and Saganagons pretty hard. We even caught walleyes fishing for bass on super spook top waters. I've read a little about the new Kawnipi camping restrictions but was wondering what camp sites this board would recommend. I was thinking the site on the peninsula across from rose island (to the east.) Looking at it geographically it isn't even close to east but would this still be considered within the no camp zone? Our trip is 9 days in total, with a 2 day in/2 day out route. Set up base camp on Kawnipi and do day trips from there. Our group consists of 2 father/son duos.

My questions are:
1. Is Agnes too far for a day trip? I would like to catch my first bwca laker and through lurking have read pretty good things about that lake. Would anyone recommend something different given our plan?
2. How is the fishing pressure and general people population on Kawnipi? We enjoy the getting 'away from it all' aspect of the Quetico and were looking for campsites to limit other canoeist sightings. While we were weather locked on Kenny we had two groups headed that direction pass our camp site in literally tent bending wind. Kenny in wind was manageable to fish, I couldn't imagine a larger body of water like Kawnipi in that kind of weather.
3. Has anyone on this board fished at night? We were going to try is last year on saganagons but lacked the courage to stray that far away from our campsite at night. I understand the risks involved with this but can anyone speak from experience on this subject?

Thanks in advance! I never get tired of reading the information on this forum. Let's hope I don't go broke in the next two months buying all of the gear you guys recommend!

-Travis
p.s. The picture is my Dad trolling for eye's on Saganagons. We were successful!
 
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07/18/2018 07:46AM  
1) Agnes is a great LT lake and definitely doable as a day trip. LT will be deep (50-60') during your time frame. Lemay, McKenzie and McEwen would be options as well.
2)Kawnipi is a great fishing lake but you will see people. The day trip options above would probably give you solitude.
3)I fish a lot at home during the night so I'm used to it but in the Q I would only venture out during a calm night and want a good camp fire visible from the lake. Scout the area that you want to fish during the day.
mastertangler
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07/20/2018 09:11AM  
The whole night fishing thing is very attractive to me as I think the bigger a walleye gets the more likely to feed exclusively at night.

But usually going hard all day makes it easy to be a wimp at night. Plus paddling around at night is just sort of creepy in a little solo.

I compare and contrast my attitude with the feats of Verlen Kruger and friend who paddled and portaged across the Quetico going all night. Geez, whatever belief you had that perhaps you have a bit of grit just instantly evaporates lol.
07/21/2018 06:15AM  
I can answer about Kawnipi. I realize that it is one of the most popular lakes in the Q but last year we were on it 3 days in the middle of July and saw 2 other groups go by. And this is not a small lake, I wouldn't worry about the fish getting sore mouths on it.
07/21/2018 03:22PM  
mastertangler: "The whole night fishing thing is very attractive to me as I think the bigger a walleye gets the more likely to feed exclusively at night.

But usually going hard all day makes it easy to be a wimp at night. Plus paddling around at night is just sort of creepy in a little solo.

I compare and contrast my attitude with the feats of Verlen Kruger and friend who paddled and portaged across the Quetico going all night. Geez, whatever belief you had that perhaps you have a bit of grit just instantly evaporates lol. "


I agree, after dark is the best for the big girls. But solo I have yet to do it. That could get dicey in a hurry if you tie into a 10 pounder.

 
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