We are taking a trip in July with my Scout troop. Will be 3 adults and 4 boys. We will be dropped off at EP 30 on July 28 and need to be back at the outfitter (where Farm Lake becomes White Iron Lake) by mid afternoon on August 3rd. Most of the boys want to be fishing as much as possible. Don't care what they catch, just want to catch fish. All, except my son and me, have very limited fishing experience, some have never caught a fish.

My thought was to head east from EP30 and camp somewhere near where the S. Kawishiwi branches off. Either base camp from there a day or two with trips south, or head south with the plan to work our way back up through Clear Lake.

We have practiced on the local lakes and can do about 6 miles with a short portage and no headwinds in 3 hrs without pushing hard. Any advice on this to help set up our initial plan? Is the fishing around the area where the Kawishiwi splits worth spending time, or should we move past to a different area for a base camp. Outfitter will make suggestions on change when we get there based on fishing reports, I just want to give the boys some good advice setting up the initial plan (they will make the final decisions on where we go).

Any advice/can't miss spots for first timers appreciated.

Fall exploration of the Kawishiwi triangle entering at Farm lake. Hopefully this gives you some ideas.

It's been more than 40 years ago as a camper at Voyageur that I've been in that area, but I remember Stone, or Greenstone Lake as the prettiest lake I've seen anywhere in the Boundary Waters, and the fishing was pretty good too. Between being a dead end, taking a booger of a portage to get there, and there being only one campsite, it ought to offer some nice quiet.

TuscaroraBorealis: " Fall exploration of the Kawishiwi triangle entering at Farm lake. Hopefully this gives you some ideas. "

Thanks. I had read that one and was the basis for my plan to go south then back up through Clear Lake. I am wondering if taking a day and going into Lake One would be worthwhile, then doing the triangle.

Definitely doable.

But, for me, I would avoid heading to Lake One because (even though it's still technically the wilderness) you will kind of re-enter 'civilization's on the north end with the outfitter and cabins etc.

Sent you an email to the one listed on your profile.

JD

If travelling a lot is not a priority, why not head into Clear. Live that southern island site. Daytrrip into Gabbros even Bald Eagle.

Thanks folks. JD, just replied to your email.

From what I've gleaned so far, I am going to suggest heading down the S. Kawishiwi and then up into Clear. It will be up to the boys to make the final decision.

One bit of luck we had over the weekend while setting up for summer camp. We were assigned one of the Troops Eagle Scouts from a time before my son joined the troop as our camp host. He normally works Philmont, but due to the fire last year he is now working our camp in Michigan. Last summer when the fire moved into Philmont, he was moved to Boundary Waters and spent the summer at Northern Tier doing trips into BWCA. Pure coincidence that the stars align and put him with us at this time. He is going to be sharing his experience with our boys.

End of July can't come quick enough.

Todd Alexander

We went in Farm lake EP last September and based camped on Clear Lake. I remember getting to Clear Lake was much faster than we expected it to take. The island site was taken so we took the site on the far north east end of the lake. If memory serves me correct the 2 sites in the middle were also nice site. We took a couple of site seeing trips over to the Kawishiwi River, loved the whole area.

Great! Gkad it went well.

We did the Farm entry to a base camp on Clear several years ago and it was a very enjoyable trip. Good mixed bag fishing. There’s a sunken rock pile in the middle-north part of Clear that can be seen on the aerial photos, but doesn’t show up on the DNR depth maps that will hold fish. Basketball net anchor bag will help. The back bays along the Kawishiwi will also hold small pike if you just need to put the kids on fish, although they can be overgrown that time of year. A Johnson spoon or something similarly weed resistant will entice the pike and be easy for beginners.