Planning my first solo trip to the Argo area June 2020....yeah, 1+ years away. Have been on the BWCA side many times, but wanna do Quetico solo.

Any advice? I'm planning on spending 8-10 days. I don't mind spending a few days in and out. Lakers for the excitement, walleyes for food.

I am willing to trade for great CO elk hunting public areas. I go every year and have a ton of success.

Thanks.

Argo has no waldos. Lakers are good eats too.

Walleyes in Crooked and Darky, Argo for trout and smallmouth. Photo--Cajun spice and teriyaki trout over cedar, Argo Lake, early June, 2018.

Springer2: " "

That is a perfect fish-over-coals grate! What is it?

Troutbum77: "

Springer2: " "

That is a perfect fish-over-coals grate! What is it?"

Been using one for 20 years--fits down the front of the food pack. Sometimes you can find them at hardware stores or Walmart.
fish grill

Thanks!

that looks delicious. could you please include detailed recipe? thanks for sharing

egrabi1: "that looks delicious. could you please include detailed recipe? thanks for sharing"

I posted my simple techniques (I'm no chef) on the "Camping Recipes" board under "Fish Grill".

If you want to maximize your time in the Argo area, I would get a tow to Bottle Portage from Crane Lake. This would save lots of time and effort. I would recommend that you contact Mark Zup at zupsresort.com to coordinate your trip. Stay at the resort the night before you go in and he will go over maps to help plan your trip and provide you with overnight accommodations ($100) which includes a great dinner & breakfast to get your trip started. He knows the Crooked/Argo/Darky area better than anyone. Zups will take you to pick-up your Quetico Permits and be at Bottle Portage within an hour from the resort.

The west end of Crooked (both US & Canadian side) is very good walleye & SM fishing in June. The easiest route to Argo is the 160 rod portage into the southwestern corner of Argo directly from Crooked. Several good campsites on Crooked near the entrance into Argo Bay (4 hours from Bottle Portage to Argo Bay on Crooked). No lakers in Crooked.

In my opinion, Argo is the prettiest lake in the Quetico / BWCA. Spring fed, deep and clear. Great lake trout fishing and SM are good in the northwest portion (Siobhan River & Siobhan Bay). Great campsite in the middle part of Argo (2 hours from Argo Bay on Crooked to the middle of Argo). No walleye in Argo.

Darky is good for lakers, walleye & SM. Ballard is also a very good walleye lake. Best campsites are on the N/NW part of the lake (3 - 4 hours from the middle part of Argo).

Then reverse your route back out to Bottle to get a tow back to Crane Lake.

Was up in Darky two years ago. Tow from Crane Lake to Bottle is the way to go. Have used Anderson's every time to good experience. We went in Bottle and made a loop to come out at Black Robe portage (Darky > Wicksteed > Gratton > McAree Lake). If I did it again I would come and go out of Bottle. The portage from Gratton to McAree is only acceptable for billy goats.

Getting to Darky from Bottle is tough in one day mostly because of the distance and number of portages. The portages themselves are all fairly easy.

Only went for SMB on the Siobahn (Argo), which was just ok. Not a laker kind of guy so no comment on Argo other than the scenery is incredible. Incredible largemouth fishing in Ball Lake just off of Darky. Those are hard to find up there. Darky has everything, did some good walleye fishing there. Camps in the Northeast corner are some of the best I've stayed on.

Or you could go out the dark river. Second the comment on billygoat portage. Ballard was good for us the one time we were on it awhile back.

The loop I did a fews years ago started with a tow from Anderson Outfitters to Bottle portage, then Iron/Crooked/Argo/Darky/Darky River/Minn/McAree, then we had a pickup at the Brewer portage. A most excellent route which I hope to do again in the next couple of years.

If you take the SE portage out of Argo, make sure you paddle around the east side of the beaver pond. Argo is beautiful!

If you go up the Roland chain, it’s a beautiful route. There’s a decent camp on Middle Roland and you’ll find some good waldos. Pretty little falls by one of the portages. Don’t overlook Roland for Trout.

old_salt: "If you go up the Roland chain, it’s a beautiful route. There’s a decent camp on Middle Roland and you’ll find some good waldos. Pretty little falls by one of the portages. Don’t overlook Roland for Trout."

Eyes in Middle Roland? Any in Roland?

Not sure, but I’ve never seen or heard of any waldos in Roland. Lots of lakers and bass.

I'd go to Argo and fish lakers. You can find easy walleyes on Crooked or even scoot up to Brent for all species.