I’m looking for recommendations for smallmouth fishing, but am having a tough time planning a trip. It’s quite overwhelming with all the maps and resources out there, and figured this is easily the best source!

A couple things to note:
1. I’ve been one time, but did not plan it nor lead it. I just followed the leader and had an absolute blast!
2. I’m far from new to camping/outdoors. I’ve grown up on the camping/fishing aspects needed for going.
3. Navigating isn’t a problem either.
4. I want to be away from people and will be happy to travel to get that way.
5. I want a base camp set up day 1. I don’t want to pack up and move a lot.

I’ll be going out of Prairie Portage. That’s essentially my starting point. Priority one is smallmouth fishing. Early June is the ideal time to go for spawning, I know, but obviously can’t swing that this year. I’m hoping to go in September timeframe to catch a late season spawn, but we’ll see.

Best lakes? Recommendations? Tips/tricks? I’ll take any and all advice!

So you're going out of PP and into Quetico? Or you're going through there to get somewhere back in the BW? I'm confused how you know that's your starting point unless you're headed to the Q.

My one tip is to take wherever you are starting. Go at least a few lakes in from there... dead ends even better. Then pull up the MN dnr lake finder and check to see surveys of the lakes in that area and look for the species I want. Then if a couple kind of stick out to me I head to this site and the search function in the message board I look for the lake names. Then I read everything about them and either pick that as my destination or try again on others.

Headed to the Q. Should’ve clarified more.

I’ll be staying at Williams and Hall outfitters the night before we go in, take the ferry to PP, and head into the Q from there.

That will depend on whether the U.S./Canada border is open by then. I'm hoping to go into Canada in August, but that's not certain at the current time. You should have a plan B just in case.

Yes I know. I’m in the planning phase right now and have plenty of time. Trying to get a trip in to wet my feet again before I deploy. Maybe one when I get back next summer, we’ll see. Might be better prepared the next go-around!

It may take a bit of research but p.28 of the BWJ (Boundary Waters Journal) Spring 2013 issue has a Grand Slam Fishing article all about smallmouth and recommended lakes. You can buy just the article for download. It's a great resource and it will help you locate a lake or two or three that will meet your criteria.

BWJ

Welcome to the board, by the way! :)