Hi all, I’m planning a trip for 3rd week in May. I would like to find a good smallmouth lake to base camp on. Ive been into Crab/Cummings 3 times and was thinking I would like to see something new.I’m planning on bringing my 24 your old nephew who loves to fish but has never tent camped or paddled a canoe, but it might end up being my first solo. Im not afraid of travel and portaging to get to a good lake but not sure how my nephew will do. He is not in the best shape (body by video games!).I would prefer to leave out of Ely. I was considering Ensign area but it seems to be very busy at all times of the year. Any and all help/suggestions are much appreciated! Thanks!

During my trips the last three years, we've had great smallmouth success on the following lakes:

Birch
Knife
Ottertrack
Esther
Hanson
Crooked
Horse
Cherry
Sucker
Portage

There are many others.....

You can Catch those Quetico Carp on just about any lake ...

Just kidding ... couldn't re-sist!!

Cret

Basswood

Not Ely, but not Gunflint either. Not sue if you would consider a Sawbill trail entry but Homer Lake over a couple portages to Vern would be a good option. Easy access for the vid game body guy(haha), pretty quiet and scenic, great fishing in the lake and up the Vern River. We caught a lot right from camp. You might have to deal with some of those darn walleyes though.

Trip report:

Homer to Vern

It would be a good solo route too

Just one portage off SE Ensign may get you away from the crowd then, and used to have plenty of sm. Ashigan.

Thank you everyone for the suggestions! It gives me a some areas to research and seeing as I can’t book an entry yet I can keep my options open.

Go through Fall lake to Basswood and head towards the river. Just two portages to get there and they are about as easy as they get in the BW. You can take portage wheels for those two portages and your nephew wouldn't have to work too hard to get to Basswood. Once there head up towards the river and get out of the motor areas. Good fishing up that way or keep paddling north and camp up by U.S. point. If you want a really easy trip, get a tow to Washington Island on Basswood and paddle up to U.S. point, no portages.

If you want to read any of my articles on fishing in BWCA send me an email - queticomike@yahoo.com

Here is what I have available to send:

Zulu Magic - ( fishing soft plastic jerk baits for SM )
Bronze Trophy ( early season tactics for SM )
Summer Topwater ( for SM )
Tube fishing ( smallmouth in currents )
Grand Slam Lures ( covers lures for 4 species )

Shell lake and Hustler Lake both hold decent size small mouth. There's also some nice ones in Oyster. I usually don't see too many people on Hustler. In fact, I've spent several nights in a row with the lake all to myself.

Qmike, looking at lake map I’m guessing the 2 portages you talked about are Fall into Newton and Newton to pipestone bay. No wheels for us,I don’t want to kill him with portages on his first trip but he’s not getting off that easy! Lol What areas allow the use of motors and how much time does it take from Fall to river/US point area? Thanks for your help!

moray: "Qmike, looking at lake map I’m guessing the 2 portages you talked about are Fall into Newton and Newton to pipestone bay. No wheels for us,I don’t want to kill him with portages on his first trip but he’s not getting off that easy! Lol What areas allow the use of motors and how much time does it take from Fall to river/US point area? Thanks for your help!"

Motors are allowed on Fall, Newton, and lower part of Basswood. Once you get to the top of Pipestone\Jackfish bays it necks down and no motors north of there. Not positive how long it would take you. Not sure how fast you paddle and portage. Probably if you leave at first thing in the morning you could make it to U.S. Point. Maybe others on here can chime in how long it would take? Looks like about 15 miles at the most to get there.

I think it's a shorter trip from Mudro if you're hoping for getting to north Jackfish Bay. We did a big loop, first day of the trip we were camped just above Upper Basswood Falls early afternoon. That's with a lunch break in the motor section of Jackfish because of rare NE headwind. Without a stop or headwind I think you could be past the motor line by lunch. All short fairly easy portages and not a lot of traffic.

I have been on VERY FEW lakes that were not FILLED with the varmints.

Thanks everyone!

egknuti: "Shell lake and Hustler Lake both hold decent size small mouth. There's also some nice ones in Oyster. I usually don't see too many people on Hustler. In fact, I've spent several nights in a row with the lake all to myself."

+1 on Shell and Hustler. Another decent lake in area is Lynx.

cyclones30: "I think it's a shorter trip from Mudro if you're hoping for getting to north Jackfish Bay. We did a big loop, first day of the trip we were camped just above Upper Basswood Falls early afternoon. That's with a lunch break in the motor section of Jackfish because of rare NE headwind. Without a stop or headwind I think you could be past the motor line by lunch. All short fairly easy portages and not a lot of traffic.



"

+1

Snowbank to Parent and/or Disappointment. I’ve caught nice smallies and largemouths out of Snowbank. That time of year you have a good chance at a lake trout in the shallows also.