Has anyone flown into Mack Lake and paddled out? Looks like some interesting potential routes out.

I have been through Mack several times. Always went down the Wawiag to get out. There is no camping on the Wawiag or the east end of Kawa Bay. It is a little longer day than I usually do. Kawa bay is good fishing.

MagicPaddler: "I have been through Mack several times..... "

Fly-in or paddle-in??

bobbernumber3: "

MagicPaddler: "I have been through Mack several times..... "

Fly-in or paddle-in??"

Paddle in from the south. Have been down the Wawiag from east side of the park. No fish in the Wawiag even below the rapids just out side the park.

Anyone ever been through the portages out the east side of Mack?

We have been up the Waiwag and Mack Creek and down the string of portages to Kenny Lake. Fished Mack Lake a bit, but little success and had to move on with a storm coming. Remote area.

If you fly into Mack Lake, where would you go out? Photo is mouth of Waiwag River. You cannot camp there now due to historical significance.

We paddled into Mack Lake from the south in June 2019. We really liked Mack. Very scenic, some good campsites (we stayed at a 4 star on the peninsula that separates off the far northwestern bay that was quite nice), and good fishing for average to small walleye. We caught better size than average smallies as well. There were three or four other groups there at the same time as us, which we thought was unusual for such a remote lake in Quetico. We paddled down the Wawiag out to Kawa Bay as well. Not sure if it was the slightly cool, light drizzle all day or the slow fishing on the wawiag (with the exception of below the rapids that a portage goes around), but I wasn’t a fan of that monotonous of river paddling personally.

I’m happy to have seen Mack Lake, but I’ll personally save my fly in trips for places besides Quetico.

Oh and one addition - pretty sure I remember reading a trip report from GeoFisher flying in over by Mack Lake and paddling out. As always, he did fantastically well with the fish.

cburton103: ".... but I’ll personally save my fly in trips for places besides Quetico."

I agree. Q is not THAT remote that a plane is required. Mack is off the beaten path and the couple day paddle to get there is part of the adventure.

It's been about 25 years, so I'd have to dig out my wife's journal of the trip to have all the details, but we entered the Q via Cache Bay EP, then paddled through Saganagons, Bitchu, Ross, Cullen, and Munro to Mack. From Mack we went down Mack Creek, then down the Wawiag River to Kawa Bay, where we camped on a nice island (then legal). Nice moose sightings along the Wawiag, and awoke to a young moose checking our campsite in Kawa. From Kawa we paddled to the west arm of Agnes (via Keewatin). It was our daughter's first Q trip--think she was 10. Fantastic trip (ain't they all??) and your thread has revived some great memories as I sit here with my Quetico map... The photo below was copied from a slide from that trip--poor quality, but another good memory.
TZ

But wait, there's more!! Found a couple more photos (converted slides) from the trip:

On the Wawiag, bug nets in place. Heck, we ate lunch with bug nets on.

Moose rack that would shade a grand piano! (with apologies to Patrick McManus)

it is nice having TrailZen entering photos from past trips. Please, keep it up!

Thanks, Ron! Sorry, but I can only find a couple more shots from that era--we down-sized last year and because I had no easy (and affordable!) way to copy slides, I threw away a lot of paddling photos. These two otter shots, I think, were also from the Mack Lake route. I still haven't pulled out Tia's journal from the trip, but I now recall it being July of 1988, so 32 years ago.
TZ

Otters along the Wawiag (I think)

Otters in Agnes (I think)

I sure wish this private forum stayed active. I can’t tell any secrets on the public quetico forum.
I love those old pix.

Tom

cburton103: "Oh and one addition - pretty sure I remember reading a trip report from GeoFisher flying in over by Mack Lake and paddling out. As always, he did fantastically well with the fish."

Thanks man......I'm not here too often any more.....

That was my last trip into Quetico. . I sure hope it is not my last. My wife and I are doing a whole lot more of the things I promised we'd do, which means a whole lot less of spending 10-12 days a year in Quetico :( .

I still do a Cabin Trip to Camp Quetico, as I could not give it up completely :) . But that is a whole different type of trip.

I'm glad you liked my trip report. There is also a pretty good video of that trip.....

Here is a link to the full video.......it is long.

Flyin to Clay....

Thanks,

Geo

I have flown in using Canoe Canada Outfitters/Atikokan Aero, years ago. Took 6 hours to paddle/portage the Wawiag. We camped where you can't now, in Wawa Bay, then went from Kawnipi thru the Poets Chain and out at Stanton Bay, Pickerel. Great trip with lots of waterfalls and memories.
--Goose