Last week on Beth & Alton lakes I trolled, casted and caught nothing. I used red/white daredevil, diving shad, silver/blue striped spoon, pink/white mister twister & black mister twister. To name a few. I fished from the canoe in deep and shallow water, plus off the shore.
These have all worked in the past with some success on say Horse Lake.
So my question is when planning for next years trip what regions and dates are best for foolproof fishing success? No need to disclose any honey holes just BWCA areas where the fishing is better. I don't need to catch a bunch but one fish meal in a week would be so rewarding.
Thanks

In my experience, the best fishing happens the first week of June. During this time frame I think all locations are great!

dont beat yourself up ,
early sept.- late oct. can have it's highs and lows ,

walllee: "In my experience, the best fishing happens the first week of June. During this time frame I think all locations are great!"

+1

shock: "dont beat yourself up ,
early sept.- late oct. can have it's highs and lows , "

+1

I’ve fished both those lakes and got skunked too. It’s not you, it’s the lake.

This can be an extremely difficult time of year to catch fish. Ive heard reports from the last week that around the Ely area walleye are deep, in 20-35' of water, Big pike are shallow, focusing around river mouths and who knows what bass are doing, also likely deep and tough to catch without live bait.

If you're looking for good fishing, I would focus on the week before memorial day through 4th of July. Pretty much anywhere you go, the water will be warm enough that the fish will be feeding, making up for lost time during the cold winter. Again, live bait is usually key, minnows early season and crawlers and leeches when the water warms.

You'll also have better luck on lakes with good flow and rich forage. Crooked, Knife and LLC come to mind but so do a lot of the border lakes from Sag over to the Fowls. There are interior lakes as well with solid reputations such as Thomas. The BWJ has a list of a host of BWCA lakes, rated for walleye, SM, lakers and NPs. You might check those out. I've had up and down luck in the fall as well --- it doesn't stop me from going though :)

Awesome information! I appreciate the encouragement. The planning ball is rolling for a June entry. Cross my fingers for a good quota permit draw on permit day 2021.
Thanks
martian

Beth is not a great fishing lake. Full of undersized Smallmouth Bass and not much else. And Alton can be tough too.

The lakes "turn over" in the Fall which can really change things up because of the water temps changing so much. I've seen lakes turn off over night due to this "turn over". So don't beat yourself up.

I would agree that the end of May to middle of July is the best time to capitalize on the key dates for good fishing. Come on 2021!

I too always look forward to having at least one nice fish meal on my BWCA trips. I have the best luck north of the Duluth and all the way to about the middle of the Gunflint Trail, at a restaurant. I lost my mojo somewhere around 1994 when I moved from MN to TX. I don't have to portage fishing gear, by a license, or clean the fish. It does take all the fun out of the process however, but I've never been skunked.

I only go to the BWCA in the fall and never catch many fish. Just got back a few days ago and only caught about 12 small pike in 9 days. I take a mini fish finder and it lit up when I would go over 40-50 feet water holes. It was unreal but couldn't catch anything fishing over them.

All good stuff. I plan to return, catch or not catch fish & get abused some more until I can't do it any longer. I felt very fortunate to make it up twice this summer. Once with my daughter and once solo. Next summer will be my son's turn and it should be special. We will catch fish, that's the hope.
Thanks

martian: "Last week on Beth & Alton lakes I trolled, casted and caught nothing. I used red/white daredevil, diving shad, silver/blue striped spoon, pink/white mister twister & black mister twister. To name a few. I fished from the canoe in deep and shallow water, plus off the shore.
These have all worked in the past with some success on say Horse Lake.
So my question is when planning for next years trip what regions and dates are best for foolproof fishing success? No need to disclose any honey holes just BWCA areas where the fishing is better. I don't need to catch a bunch but one fish meal in a week would be so rewarding.
Thanks
"

Go the exact same places you went but do it in early June, you were fishing during turnover and you might as well been fishing in a parking lot !

October can be the best month to fish or the worst month. We were having a tough time for walleye one year and we lucked into a pattern. They were all 20-25’ deep but suspended in 30-40’ of water. Had to troll or fish them like suspended crappies or lakers. How do you find fish like that? Like I said we lucked into it.

T

FWIW - there are much better fisher folks than me on this forum. A few years ago we were on Lac des Mille Lacs (Ontario) on an October fishing trip. Fishing was dead slow. I remembered an outfitter up near Lac Suel told me one time when the walleye bite shuts down -- fish a jig/minnow dead on the bottom -- just let it sit a few minutes and then gently lift off the bottom. You'll feel the strike as a heaviness on your line. That was how we found our Fishing Mojo and it did put fish in the boat!