Hello everyone, I am planning my first solo trip for late August, I am looking at a 7 day/6 night trip from EP 14, with the following route. I will have one layover day at any point of this journey as well, or could split any one of the days below into 2 days. I am normally part of a group that does a 2-3 camp per week type of trip, so this will be a departure (on purpose) from my "normal" BW trip.

Day 1- LISN to Little Shell or Lynx
Day 2- Little Shell/Lynx to Oyster
Day 3- Oyster to Pocket
Day 4- Pocket to Fat
Day 5- Fat to Loon (via the unmarked Fat-Slim portage)
Day 6- Loon to Exit

I have recently read a couple great trip reports from HighPlainsDrifter and ArkansasMan about this route (although in reverse) and am loving all their helpful information, but still have a few questions:

-Are water levels on some of the creeks (Gebe and Pocket mostly) going to be an issue at that time of year?
-Is there a lake on this route that you would recommend as my layover lake? I have been on the Pauness Lakes, Shell, Little Shell, Lynx, and Loon before on previous trips, so these would not be my choices for a layover day. Of course, weather may be a factor that changes this, but in a perfect scenario, would you choose a certain lake, and why.
-Am I missing anything you wouldn't personally want to miss by skipping Steep/North/Section 3 Pond area?
-Is there any areas on any of these lakes (or nearby lakes) I just shouldn't miss that are not on the "normal" travel paths? I love exploring both on and off the water. My "layover" day could be spent bushwacking into a lake on this route, if there is such an opportunity.
-I do plan on fishing as a large part of trip during my non-travel/non-camp hours, so any tips you would like to send my way in that regard would be welcomed, although I have read quite a bit on that topic already as well. More info never hurts though!

Thank you for any input you are able to give. I'm looking forward to the opportunity to try something different later this summer.

I've only done portions at the beginning and end of your route. We did a trip from LIS to Snow Bay on LLC (day 1 all the way there) then stayed at Loon for a night or two on the way out. I'll never stay on Loon again if I can help it since it has boats.

There isn't anything super special about North and Sec. 3 pond so if you can handle the unmarked portage I'd do it. We took that route from Snow Bay to Loon and it was just your usual small lakes and a narrow stream. Slim was a cool lake when we passed through, almost a mysterious feel. Next time if I was doing that route, I'd stop on Slim if a site was open instead of pushing to Loon and maybe dealing w/ boats and lots of taken sites.

Last year in first few days of September, we went in here from the entry to Oyster and back. We fished Oyster but didn't stay there, because we really enjoyed our steep campsite on the north shore (on the eastern arm) of Hustler (#70?) and didn't see a reason to break down camp again. Oyster was empty during our trip, and we paddled up and down the almost-island in the middle with Taildancers (the ones that go to 40-50'?) and picked up a 36" laker. I also liked the site (#66?) at the southeast side of Lynx whose cooking grate overlooks the lake from a 20' cliff. Sadly the previous users had left dozens of dead fish, most not even filleted, and cut down green saplings including two from in camp itself -- a very sad finding.

Reminder that the paddle down the river can take quite some time, so be careful about making sure you have time to find a camp site for Day 1. We pitched tents in the dark after driving from the cities in the morning.

I thought I've done long portages but for some reason the portage from Hustler to Oyster, I thought it was a trick -- it just kept going!

I'd save the layover lake for bad weather, an especially good campsite or special lake that you stumble upon, or whenever you need a break. That looks like a lot of travel to me.

Since you'll be paddling anyway for such a long route, possibly fish the lakes as you travel?

I have done this route, for the most part, but the opposite way as well. I am going back to do this route plus go into Iron, Crooked, LBW Falls, up the Horse River and make my way back to Iron through Beartrap and Beartrap River, in May.

There is a neat island on Finger, I think, right after you leave Pocket.

I've heard that the portage from Fat to Slim if a MOTHER. There is a cool little site on Steep, just before you make the portage down to South Lake also.

Maybe I can snap a few pics, when I'm there, if you want some references.

I went the other way also, but it's probably six of one, half dozen of the other no matter which way you go. That was my first solo way back in 2006, so it's a little hazy. It's a real nice trip. I have stayed on Oyster (2X), Gebe, Pocket, Finger, Steep, Loon. I liked Finger and Gebe, but that may be colored by experiences I had there. Steep was a cool little lake and I also liked Slim. I didn't know anything about Fat at the time. My trip was in mid-Sept. and I had no big problems with creek levels - a couple had a lot of grass which made paddling slower - and a couple beaver dams. Will you single portage or double?

newguy: "Oyster was empty during our trip, and we paddled up and down the almost-island in the middle with Taildancers (the ones that go to 40-50'?) and picked up a 36" laker."

That's the kind of info I love. Thanks for that!

"Reminder that the paddle down the river can take quite some time, so be careful about making sure you have time to find a camp site for Day 1. We pitched tents in the dark after driving from the cities in the morning"

I have always slept in the EP area the night before and get on the water at dawn, to avoid having that issue. I'll be doing that again almost every day of the trip to give me options.

"Since you'll be paddling anyway for such a long route, possibly fish the lakes as you travel?
"

When feasible, this is definitely in the plan.

bombinbrian: "I have done this route, for the most part, but the opposite way as well. I am going back to do this route plus go into Iron, Crooked, LBW Falls, up the Horse River and make my way back to Iron through Beartrap and Beartrap River, in May.

There is a neat island on Finger, I think, right after you leave Pocket.

I've heard that the portage from Fat to Slim if a MOTHER. There is a cool little site on Steep, just before you make the portage down to South Lake also.

Maybe I can snap a few pics, when I'm there, if you want some references."

Thanks, I'll add the island on Finger to my list for sure. I'm hoping that by taking the Fat-Slim portage in the direction I'm going that it will be a bit easier, but yes, I'll be plenty prepared for it either way- i'm expecting a couple tough ones (or at least long ones) on this trip.

boonie: "I liked Finger and Gebe, but that may be colored by experiences I had there. Steep was a cool little lake and I also liked Slim. I didn't know anything about Fat at the time. My trip was in mid-Sept. and I had no big problems with creek levels - a couple had a lot of grass which made paddling slower - and a couple beaver dams. Will you single portage or double?

"

Good info, thank you. I think mostly I will be double portaging. I will say that some of my favorite memories from the BW come from walking the portage back to where I started empty handed, and just taking in the landscape and scenery. It slows me down, but that's ok, I'm not there to hurry things along any more than they need to be.

The Slim-Fat portage isn’t bad at all. It’s actually much easier to find going the direction you’ll be traveling, Fat to Slim. There was a cairn marking the portage on the Fat end. I did your route the other direction 2 years ago, lots of fun. I have a video of that trip out there along with my trip report under my username. That might be helpful to you. I loved that route so much that I can’t wait to get back there. I was hoping to do that route again some day for my group trip.

Tony

anthonyp007: "The Slim-Fat portage isn’t bad at all. It’s actually much easier to find going the direction you’ll be traveling, Fat to Slim. There was a cairn marking the portage on the Fat end. I did your route the other direction 2 years ago, lots of fun. I have a video of that trip out there along with my trip report under my username. That might be helpful to you. I loved that route so much that I can’t wait to get back there. I was hoping to do that route again some day for my group trip.


Tony"

Thanks, I thought I had read that somewhere, it probably was in your trip report. I didn’t watch the video, so I’ll have to do that at some point.

just did it last June in reverse and did not take the Slim-Fat portage. Stayed on Slim one night, and Finger and Hustler 2 nights each. Had Hustler mostly to ourselves thought it was a great lake. I think your creek water levels will be fine. Maybe a little tougher at the portages if low water and pull across beaver dams, but they are deep creeks and the paddling should be fine. The other portage to consider is Thumb to Beartrack, kinda long but not bad.
Hustler and Finger were good to us for fishing. The lakes you chose to stay on are nice, but they can be the busier ones. Best site on Pocket IMO is the one on the north point before you head into the Finger Creek bay.
You should have decent time for fishing.....but travel times get more unpredictable when soloing.

For your Day 3 travel, I would shoot for Finger Lake rather than Pocket. I think it's a much nicer lake with nicer campsites. Would also be a nice lake for your layover day if it hasn't been used by then.

Lightfoot: "For your Day 3 travel, I would shoot for Finger Lake rather than Pocket. I think it's a much nicer lake with nicer campsites. Would also be a nice lake for your layover day if it hasn't been used by then."

Agreed,
I was planning on staying on Pocket to lay over, wasn't all that impressed with the cmpsites, I went on to Finger and got that sweet site on the south end of the Island.
SMB fishing was good there as well.

We enjoyed Gun and Eugene lakes area on our trip to that region. trip report

Even ran across a bwca.com guru on Finger Lake.

LindenTree: "

Lightfoot: "For your Day 3 travel, I would shoot for Finger Lake rather than Pocket. I think it's a much nicer lake with nicer campsites. Would also be a nice lake for your layover day if it hasn't been used by then."

Agreed,
I was planning on staying on Pocket to lay over, wasn't all that impressed with the cmpsites, I went on to Finger and got that sweet site on the south end of the Island.
SMB fishing was good there as well."

The site facing south, where you can cast over to the rock wall? Caught a bunch of smallies there. That's the campsite I recommend staying at. We saw a snapper there that was 24" on the shell.

The portage from fat to slim is tough, but you'll be going the right direction, it's much worse going slim to fat. Be careful it's really steep down to slim . Laker fishing in fat is good just troll in front of the campsite. Lakers aren't big but good eaters.

I got a few videos from my trip its got that portage from fat to slim not the greatest quality but you'll get the ideas Fat Lake

Some greatly helpful comments here, which I really appreciate. Thanks for the links to check out more trip reports and videos as well.

I’m working through calendars to see when this can happen, and seeing if I could add another day just to slow the pace a bit more and stay at another lake along the route. I might push this to the 2nd week of September to make that happen. That should also cut down on campsite competition as well.

More to come I’m sure. I love the planning process so feel free to add anything else that comes to mind. Thanks again!

I'll be doing pretty much the reverse of this route in mid June and coming out around July 3rd. I hope to really explore and fish this route. I'll try and post a trip report as soon as possible. Does anyone else have any information on fishing the small lakes (Slim to Ge-be) on that route?

I have stayed on a few of the lakes you are headed thru (Oyster, Gebe) & hope to plan a loop such as yours in the future. Much of the area is old growth forest, which I really enjoy. I didn't have any problems with water levels the beginning of July or end of May when I went thru there. I also recommend heading up to Finger lake to #107 Island campsite. One of my favorites, fishing that cut (the wall) was a lot of fun, got hit left & right-fish on non-stop. Haha..Watch out for the cruising snapping turtle that makes the rounds, I saw it 5 years ago & it was the size of a large hubcap+. I have never seen a snapper with a neck that long, it looked like a giant frying pan. In the site is a huge erratic boulder, low on the white stripe-side facing the water there are Indian pictos of hand prints.

If you're cruising thru Gebe you might want to stop & see the rock chairs just to the north of campsite 117...man made stuff, but it's unusual & when I stayed on Gebe I took a trip over to check them out (site is better for a visit than to stay).

Enjoy your planning...LIS, Shell, Hustler are on my list of things to explore too.

It would be good if you can get an extra day, solo travel in the wind is a little more problematic sometimes and you'll also have to do all camp chores, set up and take down. It would give you a little more flexibility and make for a more enjoyable trip.

Naturboy,
The area you are going is great for some smaller bodies of water which can protect you from the wind. And there are some great things to see, if you go through Gebe-on-a-quat check out the stone recliners if they are still there Campsite 117 on the West side. Now to answer your questions:
1. Water in Gebe-on-a-quat creek can be low, it was low when we went through in June that year, depends if the beaver dam is still up and strong. Someone, tore part of it out on the Pocket side. And watch for the mud on the Pocket side if you have to carry over the dam.
2. We used Gebe, as a lay over lake, but Pocket and Thumb both appealed, no sites on Pocket were open. Favorite little lake is Little Loon.
3. The only thing that was really of interest in that area, are in my opinion... Steep is a cool little lake. There used to be a huge Beaver Dam going from North/South to Snow Bay. Snow Bay has a great Island campsite if your not allergic to poison ivy, and some great fishing. Last time I was there the water was very high in Lac La Croix over the top of the beaver dam which was breached several years ago.
4. Fishing is good in most of all the lakes you are going to, I would like to fish the Shell and Lynx area more. But, Little Loon is also good! Leeches under a slip cork, or on a lindy rig drifted slowly work very well everywhere I went.

I am going back this year, and entering at #14 LIS and definitely going to Little Loon for a day or two and then see what happens. Depends if anyone comes with me.

Good luck and have fun!
Bruce

I was limited on time I could take away from work last summer and did this route on a solo over four days, so your timeframe will give you some flexibility. Did it the same way you're planning to. My plan was actually to do it the opposite direction but it was really windy from the north the day I entered and I didn't want to try crossing Loon so I reversed course. Camped on Hustler-Finger-Loon.

I second the recommendation for camping on Finger (maybe in place of Pocket). There is a great island site that has eluded me on both my trips to Finger. I'd even consider Gebe over Pocket from a scenery standpoint.

Be sure to check out pictos on Rocky and rock chairs on Gebe.

North and Section 9 weren't remarkable so going through Fat wouldn't cause you to miss much.

Enjoy!

egknuti: "I'll be doing pretty much the reverse of this route in mid June and coming out around July 3rd. I hope to really explore and fish this route. I'll try and post a trip report as soon as possible. Does anyone else have any information on fishing the small lakes (Slim to Ge-be) on that route?"

On Finger, we had decent luck up in the NW bay (wind was blowing in). Also, fish the saddle off the SW end of the big island with the 2 campsites....and all around the tiny island there.