I've begun my research for my June 2020 Quetico trip. The Cheatan Bay area of This Man has my attention for solitude and fishing. I don't see any campsites in the popular campsite databases in Cheatan Bay, but I happened across a map online that has a couple campsites marked in Cheatan Bay.

Can anyone confirm if campsites exist in the Bay? We plan on making it to that area from Prairie Portage, so it would be pretty disappointing to get there and have to turn back around that late in the day!

Also, any fishing tips for This Man? We fish for walleye in the low light hours, lake trout during the day, and smallmouth all in between.

I read HoHo's report from the area, and he teased that he's heard of a campsite in Cheatan Bay. He explored the bay, but didn't leave any clue about any campsites in Cheatan Bay. If needed, we can always stay at one of the few campsites that aren't too far from Cheatan Bay. Just figured I would check to see if anyone knows!

We paddled by Cheatan Bay many years ago and did not explore due to lack of campsites. Makes me wonder... no campsites, no fish?

bobbernumber3: "We paddled by Cheatan Bay many years ago and did not explore due to lack of campsites. Makes me wonder... no campsites, no fish?"

Interesting. The no marked campsites gives me the opposite impulse - MORE, or dumber fish. As if that were a problem in Quetico.

Cheatan Bay draws my attention because it’s a fairly good sized body of water with several inflows, varied shoreline, islands, weedbeds, etc and is connected via a narrows to a much larger and deeper body of water. Gets my fishing spidey senses tingling. And then there’s even a separate lake that appears easy enough to bushwhack to just south of there. It may turn out that I may just need to scout the area myself for a future trip potentially, but time will tell.

For what it’s worth, there will probably just be two of us, so we won’t need a big campsite. Just a comfortable smaller site to call home for a few days while we see what the fish are doing.

I'd just go explore for yourself. If you only need a small camp I'm sure you can find a place for a few nights. It's more adventurous to not know everything.

cburton103: "

bobbernumber3: "We paddled by Cheatan Bay many years ago and did not explore due to lack of campsites. Makes me wonder... no campsites, no fish?"

Interesting. The no marked campsites gives me the opposite impulse - MORE, or dumber fish. "

Depth and temperatures. Two other factors to consider.

TomT: "I'd just go explore for yourself. If you only need a small camp I'm sure you can find a place for a few nights. It's more adventurous to not know everything.
"

I agree with you there, and that's one of the things I love about Quetico. But I find I like adventure a bit less at the end of a long travel day on day 1 of a trip when we're inevitably short on sleep and adjusting to the rigors and pace of a Quetico trip in lieu of being desk jockeys :) We'll likely stay at one of the campsites in the main bay and scout out and fish the bay on a day trip. Thanks for everyone's input!

I am pretty sure if you seek what your are looking for in that Bay, you will find it. :)

Kiporby: "I am pretty sure if you seek what your are looking for in that Bay, you will find it. :)"

Well dang, that may be just the motivation I need to push on to Cheatan Bay day 1. My tripping buddy sure hopes you’re right :)