Hello everyone! Looking at a couple options for next year and I am looking at heading a little farther east of where I usually go. Thinking about heading in at EP38 Sawbill and heading up to the Zenith, Frederick, Pie, Mesaba, Dent and Wine lake area. Has anyone been up through here in the last year or two? I see TuscaroraBorealis (Paul where are you?) has been through there and rated some of the campsites. Just wondering if there is any knowledge of fishing in the area there or sites to see. There is a longish portage from Lujenida to Zenith that looks wet and boggy. Does that keep the population down from entering back into this chain? I am taking my son (adult) and he is all about fishing so I want to hit a couple lakes that might satisfy that itch. I appreciate any input or thoughts from anyone that has been through there.

Thank you!

This is a great route for solitude. The 480 rd portage from Lujenida to Zenith does indeed keep many people out of the area. That portage has some ups and downs in it but nothing horrible. It is mostly dry except for a 100 yard portion that the beavers have made wet. It is about half way through. The last time I was through there it was knee deep when we headed out and only ankle deep coming back. There is a boardwalk that used to bridge the wettest portion and the creek that is also underwater most of the time. Just make sure to stock up on water before heading out because there is no good place to restock along the way.

We have usually had to do at least one pull over on the river from Zenith to Frederich.

Wine is a great lake trout lake. The island site in the west bay is the best on the lake. The far east site is also very nice.

There is a small, but very pretty, intermittent waterfall on Mug Lake.

The route from Poe through Louse and Bug is very pretty and little travelled. The portages are boulder fields. Just take your time and watch the foot placement.

I have not been from Bug through to Dent. (We continued west on the Louse River.)

Mesaba is one of my favorite lakes in the entire BW. The site on the northern narrows is the best on the lake. The point has become rather open over the years, but there are some shaded tent pads back in the campsite. I am not an avid fisherman and consequently have never had much luck fishing the lake. Let me know if you do. You are headed uphill from Mesaba back to Zenith. Duck Lake is another favorite for the lily pad garden. If you start early (dusk early) from Mesaba, you can be back to the Sawbill landing by about 1-2pm.

This is some great information! Thank you for sharing. I need to check MN DNR results for fish on this chain of lakes still. My son is an avid fisherman so hopefully I get lucky and one of the lakes is a walleye lake or something close enough to day trip too. We will probably move camp a couple two or three times and just explore that area. I really appreciate your input.

Selfsuffi: "Has anyone been up through here in the last year or two? I see TuscaroraBorealis (Paul where are you?) has been through there and rated some of the campsites. Just wondering if there is any knowledge of fishing in the area"

It's been about a decade since I've been through the area so, most of what I could contribute would be what's included in my trip report . There's also some commentary about a few spots in that area in the "Cool spots in canoe country" forum.

Selfsuffi: "Has anyone been up through here in the last year or two? I see TuscaroraBorealis (Paul where are you?) has been through there and rated some of the campsites. Just wondering if there is any knowledge of fishing in the area"

It's been about a decade since I've been through the area so, most of what I could contribute would be what's included in my trip report . There's also some commentary about a few spots in that area in the "Cool spots in canoe country" forum.

On Wine, I'd focus fishing in the lobe of the lake nearest the Portage in/out of Frederick.

TuscaroraBorealis: "

Selfsuffi: "Has anyone been up through here in the last year or two? I see TuscaroraBorealis (Paul where are you?) has been through there and rated some of the campsites. Just wondering if there is any knowledge of fishing in the area"

It's been about a decade since I've been through the area so, most of what I could contribute would be what's included in my trip report . There's also some commentary about a few spots in that area in the "Cool spots in canoe country" forum.


On Wine, I'd focus fishing in the lobe of the lake nearest the Portage in/out of Frederick. "

Thank you! I hadn't looked for the trip report yet. I will take a look at it :)

Cool spots in canoe country forum.

In August of this year, 2019, I made a loop beginning at Sawbill, heading up the Lady Chain, continuing through Malberg and up to Little Sag. Returning through Mesaba, Dent, Bug, Louse, Poe, Mug, Wine, Frederick, Zenith, and back through Sawbill.

Mesaba to Dent is quite a lot of work. Chaser to Dent extremely steep at times and under 2 feet of water at others.

The west site on Dent is a trip! It has the best landing of all the camps I've been to. Check it out. There are no trees! Quite the anomaly.

Bug to Louse is by far the worst portage I've run into. I've done 4 or 5 other portages some folks claim is the "worst in the BW". None of them hold a candle to Bug to Louse. A substantial portion the trail is under water too shallow to paddle. The beaver dams are too close together and to thick with underbrush to launch a canoe from.

It's a beautiful area, full of solitude. Have a great trip.

canoe212: "In August of this year, 2019, I made a loop beginning at Sawbill, heading up the Lady Chain, continuing through Malberg and up to Little Sag. Returning through Mesaba, Dent, Bug, Louse, Poe, Mug, Wine, Frederick, Zenith, and back through Sawbill.


Mesaba to Dent is quite a lot of work. Chaser to Dent extremely steep at times and under 2 feet of water at others.


The west site on Dent is a trip! It has the best landing of all the camps I've been to. Check it out. There are no trees! Quite the anomaly.


Bug to Louse is by far the worst portage I've run into. I've done 4 or 5 other portages some folks claim is the "worst in the BW". None of them hold a candle to Bug to Louse. A substantial portion the trail is under water too shallow to paddle. The beaver dams are too close together and to thick with underbrush to launch a canoe from.

Thank you!! this definitely will help in the trip planning :)


It's a beautiful area, full of solitude. Have a great trip."