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brownman66
member (21)member
  
05/06/2020 10:11AM  
Hello -

I am planning a BWCA trip with my two boys for Fathers Day weekend (June 19-21). They are 12 and 14 and this will be their first trip to the BWCA. I have done three trips with my college buddies, but it's been several years.

As this is my boys' first trip, I'm looking for recommendations on an "easy" BWCA experience. Probably 2-3 nights max. My plan is to set up a base camp somewhere and our primary goal is fishing. In the past I have taken a Moose Lake tow and done a base camp out of Ensign. We had decent fishing, but we also went later in the year (August).

I'd love to hear about comments about:
- Trip ideas (where to base camp)
- Outfitters to use
- Timing (is mid/late June good for smallies and walleye?)

Any other tips/ideas would be greatly appreciated! I can't wait for my boys to experience the BWCA!!

Thanks in advance!!
 
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05/06/2020 10:27AM  
Hi there. I recently did my first trip out of Baker Lake. I also strongly considered Homer Lake as well as Sawbill.

My understanding is that late June is good for Smallies and Walleye. I would recommend taking some leeches in a bait keepr. I would rig them with a slip bobber or search this site for TGO method.

Here is one thread about first time trips.
straighthairedcurly
distinguished member(1923)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
05/06/2020 12:16PM  
Welcome! Lots of wonderful information here. Before I make any suggestions...do you have a strong preference for going out of the Ely area or are you open to driving farther up the North Shore to the Sawbill Trail or Gunflint Trail?
brownman66
member (21)member
  
05/06/2020 02:50PM  
Thanks for the initial feedback!

Regarding Ely vs Gunflint...I’m open to either option. I’ve only gone on trips out of Ely, so that was my initial thought (and it’s a bit closer)...but if there are equal or better options out of the Gunflint area, I’m up for suggestions!

Thank you!!
scramble4a5
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05/06/2020 06:47PM  
Horseshoe Lake out of the Poplar Lake EP is a easy trip. You can stretch it a bit and head to Gaskin.
Jackfish
Moderator
  
05/06/2020 09:09PM  
You know your boys the best so you know their physical capabilities and their mental toughness, but they are 12 and 14 years old. In most cases, boys that age should be able to hold their own on a trip of just about any length, but you're the one and only adult so you have to take that into consideration, too.

I wouldn't look for a route that's TOO easy, but just enough of a challenge to give them a taste of portaging, loading and unloading the canoes at the landings, and paddling on different lakes. Make sure they have plenty of time to fish, swim, throw rocks in the lake, sit around the campfire... basically do kid stuff. Make sure they eat great and have a great time regardless of the weather. It's my hope that you'll have paddling partners for life.
cyclones30
distinguished member(4163)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberpower member
  
05/06/2020 10:23PM  
Search down this page for some similar questions answered. Mudro to Horse or Fourtown is nice. Kawishiwi Lake to Polly. Sawbill to anywhere a few lakes away.

Leeches and slip Bonner for walleye, smallies shouldn't be hard to find.

Pick your entry first, then find outfitter nearby. Ely has a bunch, if you go out of Tofte area either Sawbill or Sawtooth are good. Still not quite the travel time it takes to get up th Gunflint
twistertail
senior member (86)senior membersenior member
  
05/07/2020 12:43PM  
Don't underestimate the kids! lol I took my daughter last summer, she was 14, we traveled about 12 miles and I think seven portages on day one. Longest portage was 140 rods. Most were around 40 or so. We had a plan in mind, but I was thinking that after our first portage, which was the longest one, she would be done for the day, but as we were pushing off, she already had the map and compass seeing where our next portage was.

Get the boys involved in the planning as much as possible. For us, that was a lot fun.
05/07/2020 12:52PM  
Your options might be limited by permit availability. Once you have identified a few likely entry points check Recreation.gov to see what's available for the dates you can enter.

I heartily agree with both the Baker Lake and Homer Lake options. Both very easy entries with good fishing and daytrip options. You can be in camp within a few hours. The Baker Lake area is known for frequent moose sightings and has an old abandoned gold mine to check out. The Homer area offers several route options but also the Vern River for exploration.

Sawbill and Sawtooth are both great outfitters who can help get you setup.
Wherever you go I am sure it will be a great trip.
brownman66
member (21)member
  
05/07/2020 01:13PM  
Full disclosure...I've had 2 back surgeries so the "easy" trip is also on me! LOL! I'm definitely confident we all can handle some portages and paddling, but I don't want to push the limits with my back. I'm finally feeling good enough to take this trip which I told the boys about 2 years ago...before the surgeries!

Thanks for the great tips and suggestions!!
Ohiopikeman
distinguished member (155)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
05/07/2020 06:51PM  
Entry point #33 Little Gabbro, then head through Gabbro into Bald Eagle. West Side of Bald Eagle has some really nice campgrounds, beaches. The entry portage is long, but is flat and easy. There is only one other very small carry-over where Gabbro and Bald Eagle meet.

The fishing in Bald Eagle and Gabbro is excellent for SM Bass, Walleye, and Pike.

Once you are base camped in Bald Eagle, you can day-trip and do as much portaging as your heart desires into Gull Lake, Pietro, Clearwater, and Turtle Lakes.

I've been on this trip numerous times with 1st timers in the 8-12 year old range and they each had a blast.

Dave
cyclones30
distinguished member(4163)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberpower member
  
05/07/2020 06:51PM  
If your back is bad enough, there are plenty of no-portage or very easy/short portage routes and entries if you use the search function.

Some of them are on very large lakes (Brule, Saganaga, etc) and that can be good and bad. Others like Lake One can be busy but super easy to get between a bunch of areas all linked together. Or you could put in at Hog Creek and only have the short portage from the car to the creek. Couple hours of winding around a small creek and you hit Perent lake which is pretty much a dead end lake. But plenty of size and islands and such not not feel like you've seen it all in a day or two.
05/07/2020 08:00PM  
Big Moose on Ely side, Crocodile Lake Gunflint side...
bombinbrian
distinguished member (407)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
05/08/2020 03:33PM  
I'd probably look at the permit situation and see what's available before I got too far into it.
brownman66
member (21)member
  
05/08/2020 03:38PM  
Yes...the permit situation is definitely driving the decision making. A couple of suggestions and thought I had aren't going to work because of permit availability for Fathers Day weekend. Still looking at all options.
WHendrix
distinguished member(623)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
05/08/2020 04:09PM  
If you liked the trip with the tow from Moose, another good option there is to take the tow again and this time go in to Knife through Birch etc. There are a lot of camping options there and the fishing is also pretty good. It's hard to beat a night before you launch in one of the bunk houses at LaTourell's and then a tow in the morning.
05/09/2020 08:36AM  
A couple of options to consider:
Take a tow to American Point on Big Saganaga Go down through Red Rock, Alpine, Seagull and have the tow pick you up on Seagull. Good fishing, a chance for a grand slam.
Another fun option is to take the Granite River the fishing isn't as good as the above but a lot of fast water, small lakes, waterfalls, and more senic.
The portages on either trip are relatively easy with the 1st option having the easiest ones.
Plus you get to take the scenic North Shore drive on the way up.
brownman66
member (21)member
  
05/09/2020 08:56AM  
Red Rock/Alpine is one of the trips I am considering. How bad is the burn area on these lakes?

The other trip I’m considering is taking the tow up Moose and going in to Ensign. It’s the trip I have done in the past, it’s easy and good fishing! But I know it can be “crowded”. That doesn’t totally bother me actually as busy is relative in the BWCA. More interested in the best fishing options.

Anyone have fishing/trip experience for both Ensign and Red Rock/Alpine? How would you compare?

GetNorth
member (22)member
  
05/10/2020 07:32PM  
This sorta echos some things already posted but I'd give my thoughts from my experience. My dad took each of us boys (3 in total) for our first trip at 10 years old. The first one he did my older brother got 3 nights, 4 days. Two years later, I got a 4 night, 5 day trip deeper into the BWCA. Two years later, my younger brother got a 6 night, 7 day trip into the heart of the Quetico. Other than clear evidence of how good younger siblings have it (no I'm not jealous), it turned out kids are resilient and all kinda rose to the occasion. Having had a spinal fusion myself though I do relish anything that protects the back. Anyways, hope you guys have an awesome time wherever you end up.

PS - the older brother flies F-18 super hornets, so don't feel bad for him.
OCDave
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05/10/2020 10:34PM  
My BWCA experience isn't varied enough to suggest one route over another, especially factoring in a bad back. Just weighing in that one of my own first visits to the BWCA started at Sawbill. Because of the progressively less improved roads leading to Sawbill, my excitement grew with every mile closer we traveled. I can imagine your sons having a similar anticipation if they started their first BWCA trip there.

Good Luck
05/12/2020 07:37PM  
It's been a quite a few years since I was there, but we stayed on an island on Red Lake and if I remember right there were plenty of trees. The fire was pretty hard on Seagull but the campsites seemed to have plenty of trees. It looked like the forest service tried to save the trees on the campsites.
Maybe someone who has been there more recently can give you better information.
Abbey
distinguished member (278)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
05/13/2020 07:54PM  
Took my boys on their first trip last year to Daniels. They were 5&7yo at that time, so younger, but we also had both parents to help. Limited portaging. Tons of little SMB, which is great if they just want kids to enjoy catching and are not concerned with eating fish. Daytrip and hiking options too.
 
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