BWCA Best fishing base camp Boundary Waters Fishing Forum
Chat Rooms (0 Chatting)  |  Search  |   Login/Join
* For the benefit of the community, commercial posting is not allowed.
Boundary Waters Quetico Forum
   Fishing Forum
      Best fishing base camp     
 Forum Sponsor

Author

Text

seekadventure
member (12)member
  
01/04/2020 02:19PM   (Thread Older Than 3 Years)
Hello everyone! A group my friends and I have talked about making a trip to the BWCA and alas we are in the early stages of planning. This will be all of our first time to the BWCA and we are mix of experienced and somewhat experienced paddlers, outdoorsmen, and fishermen. Because of the experience discrepancy we think it would be best to limit miles (maybe 12-18), and portages (at least the length of the portage). Our plan is to base camp at two locations and explore/fish from there.

All that said it appears our main focus is to find good fishing. Our main target species are SMB (for CR) and Walleye/Pike (for eating). I have spent countless hours researching maps, reading trip reports, and reading this message forum and have a few ideas. My Ideas are below.

1) EP 23. Base camp at Horse and Fourtown
2) EP 30. Base camp at Lake Three/Hudson and Lake One
3) EP 54. Base camp at Alpine/Red Rock and See Gull

I'm interested to hear opinions and or other routs that have great fishing. I'm not looking to key in on any fisherman's "Honey hole", I have the experience to find our own, I'm just asking for lakes that offer quality fishing.

Thank you all and happy adventuring!
 
      Print Top Bottom Previous Next
old_salt
distinguished member(2547)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
01/04/2020 04:55PM  
Basswood.
 
01/04/2020 05:24PM  
old_salt: "Basswood."
Yes
 
01/04/2020 05:24PM  
old_salt: "Basswood."
Yes
 
01/04/2020 07:56PM  
Welcome, time to join the site.

Lac La Croix.
 
headwind
member (5)member
  
01/05/2020 02:40AM  
basswood to pipestone :)

 
Dodger
distinguished member (240)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
01/05/2020 06:38AM  
I like EP 23. One pretty tough portage. Camp at Horse Lake. Or go down the Horse River.
Couple really nice camp sites right by the mouth of the Horse River. Caught eyes right from our campsite.

Dodger.
 
K52
senior member (60)senior membersenior member
  
01/05/2020 01:57PM  
Basswood X 4.
 
BWfishingfanatic12
distinguished member (359)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
01/05/2020 02:43PM  
What time of the year are you planning on going?

EP30: The number chain is decent fishing but you will see lots of people. I'm also not sure where the regrowth is. That area was scorched a few years ago by a big fire. That is a good area for first times for convenience of portaging and smaller lakes to paddle. Lots of nice campsites and fishing options for many species. I'm not sure how scenic that area is. Id you are willing to push a little further Insula is one of my favorite lakes.

EP23: We have been through Mudro several times but have always went North through Fourtown. (You would not want to go this way with first timers. Some nasty portages) However, you could go East towards Horse and Basswood which from what I've read is great for Smallmouth bass. (Have not fished Horse or Basswood) Basswood is big water but lots of options for campsites and fishing.

EP 54: I am a big fan of the Seagull lake area but again big water for first timers. You can get in trouble in a hurry with any wind on that lake. I have not fished Seagull much and not Red Rock at all. Have stayed on Alpine on the way in and out a couple times and like that lake a lot. Have caught many SMB, Walleye, and Pike on that lake,

 
seekadventure
member (12)member
  
01/05/2020 07:35PM  
Thank you everyone for your input! It has been greatly appreciated and I'm so grateful how helpful this community is. From what I gather I have narrowed it down to two options.

1) Basswood from Fall lake. I'd like to get up to the non-motorized section of the lake for a first base camp and fish around up there for a couple days and then camp in Pipestone (closer to our exit).

2) Base camp on Alpine from Seagull for base camp 1 and then base camp on Seagull for camp 2 (again, closer to the exit)

There are pros and cons to each to weigh out. Basswood may offer better fishing but Seagull may have the better scenery. I feel like I would run in to more people on Basswood. My only concern is that both of these lakes are larger and as mentioned wind could be a factor. Seagull is setup primarily east/west so where basswood is north/south. I'd assume the prevailing winds would be worse on Seagull. Can anyone offer insight on this dilemma?

Thank you again everyone!
 
01/05/2020 09:05PM  
Easy trip, quiet, scenic, good fishing, options to move camp once or twice, smaller lakes


Homer Lake July 2018
 
seekadventure
member (12)member
  
01/06/2020 09:40AM  
I forgot to divulge when we are planning on heading going. I think we are planning for early June week of the 8th or 15th.
I'm guessing the walleye will be finished spawning and moving to secondary structure in deeper water and the SMB will be taking over the shallows at this time
 
BWfishingfanatic12
distinguished member (359)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
01/06/2020 10:21PM  
That will be a great time of year to be going. Should be pretty dynamite fishing either of those weeks.
 
cyclones30
distinguished member(4163)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberpower member
  
01/07/2020 10:53AM  
If you want a quicker, easy way to Basswood (other than a tow out of Moose Lake and Prairie Portage ($$)) you can still do a Mudro entry (22/23) and paddle up Jackfish Bay. Only a couple portages and they're not hard. It's oriented SW/NE so it's not quite the wind issue as some other parts depending on the day. You can be north of the no-motor line by lunch and find camp somewhere near the border. The whale shaped island has good campsite as well as others in that area.

Day trip to Upper Basswood Falls at least once, leave the boats in the trees near the landing (not at the landing as others will be using it) and then hike the trail and fish from shore at the 5000 good looking riffles and holes on the US side. (which is where the portage is)

If you really wanted to move camp again for a few days, pick your direction.
 
01/07/2020 03:10PM  
seekadventure: "I forgot to divulge when we are planning on heading going. I think we are planning for early June week of the 8th or 15th.
I'm guessing the walleye will be finished spawning and moving to secondary structure in deeper water and the SMB will be taking over the shallows at this time"


I read water surface temp of 53 degrees last year on Burt June 3. I would go the second week if you are after SMB or eyes. The eyes, the majority, should still be shallow less than 10'.
 
      Print Top Bottom Previous Next