Planing a trip starting June 9-15 starting at Bower Trout lake to Brule, South Temperance,Cherokee, Frost, Long Island,Banadad,ending at Popular. Using Rockwood outfitters. For the first time I get to take both of my boys at the same time and my wife.I have many trip with my wife or oldest son(23) but have never been able to get schedules to work with youngest(21). I’m not much of a fisherman been to a Canadian outfitter a couple of times but up there a shiny hook will catch fish . I have struggled to catch fish in the BWCA. Any advice will be appreciated.

Hello burrow1,

In 2016 my crew put in at Bower Trout and did a long loop and pulled out at Ram Lake so we covered about 1/2 or 2/3 of the route you are planning. It was in late July/early August. We normally spend a good deal of time fishing on our trips but not this trip. This trip was a ball buster. We did not have much time so we did not do a lot of fishing.
However, when we did fish we had success. We used live bait, leaches. I recommend you do the same. In early June the Smallmouth Bass will be shallow and should be easy to find and easy to catch with leaches on a slip bobber . Normally, the deeper you go the bigger the fish. Plus find moving water and you will find fish.
Do some searches on the Board on how to care for your leaches and they will last a long time if you treat them to a dip once in a while when you are portaging and keep them in a a good leach locker when at camp they can last a week easy.

Good luck,

UP Boy

One of the sites to the left when leaving the portage from the parking area on BT had a lot of mice, when I stayed there a couple of years ago. Definitely a zero star site.

Entering on Bower Trout. Bower Trout has lots of small to eating size bass, northern and walleyes. Marshall lake wallies were what we took one was 8+ lbs, Vernon a friend landed a 29lb Northern. Brule can be tough to fish with the Wind. Cliff and wannigan we landed Northerns. Never had much luck on Winchell. Larger Northerns and trout is what I have heard. Gaskin, Horshoe, Caribou; Northerns and Wallies and Small mouth.

Late July Early August I find tougher to fish than early June- But a lot less buggy. I like gold colored floating rapalas "trolling" along the edges, or White Power/ tube baits cast towards shore and pulling to the canoe. A diving rapala for walleye in holes .

Have fun it is a great route!

I’m headed that way late May. Just planning on going to Swan and base camping there.
I’ll give you all the fishing tips I can for those first few lakes when we get back.

And if anybody has a rough estimate how long it would take to get to Swan from the entry point let me know.

Thanks Guys I appreciate the help!