I'm planning a trip with my brothers - they've never been to the BW (I've taken 8-9 trips). We are all around 49-57 years old and in pretty decent shape.
I'm looking for suggestions in light of these facts:
1) we enter the Saturday morning of Memorial Day weekend.
2) We have to be at the airport in Duluth the following Thursday no later than 1:30PM for their 3:15 flight
3) We'd like to have quality fishing - but it doesn't have to be amazing. And it doesn't matter what we catch (of the Big Four).
4) We'd rather not have to push super super hard
I think we'd rather do a small loop which allows for a day of rest or weather-holding if desired.
I thought about Clearwater Lake. It's beautiful, has good fishing in the area, and Johnson Falls. The biggest problem there is the campsites seem to get booked real bad, and I'd hate to have to paddle an extra 6-8 miles just to get to a campsite.
I'm thinking about going into Quetico, through Prairie Portage, and the Burke Lake/Sunday Lake area. The biggest problems there are the logistics of getting out of Canada, and the long trip through Moose Lake and Newfound Lake
I thought of Wood Lake... it looks like good fishing, and there could be some nice options. But I don't really know much about it
Or Little Indian Sioux North... but I'm afraid that might be so crowded that I might have trouble finding a campsite.

Any thoughts?

I've been on and passed through Clearwater on numerous occasions. I've yet to see all sites claimed. And even if they were, it's not necessarily 6-8 miles to the next site. Caribou, West Pike, Gogebic and Mountain Lake are all just one Portage away and all offer multiple campsites.

In my experience, Caribou (and the site on Little Caribou) are the ones that seem to frequently fill up. So, I'd recommend not pushing on in that direction if looking for a campsite.

If you can get a Clearwater permit??? I say grab it! It's an awesome lake/area and we've had great fishing.

Brule over to the Temperance lakes is a pretty easy/worthwhile trip. Some good smallie action in that area and not a ton of travel. Harder to do a loop maybe...

Thank you...that's very helpful information!

Thanks both of you... I ended up getting a permit for Clearwater... can't wait!

We will be on our way out from Clearwater on your way in. We are entering Clearwater on May 20 and probably just base camping on West Pike. We are planning to leave Saturday, but might stay an extra day. If you see an olive Nova Craft Haida with a small dog, that's us.