We are planning a trip in late June. Putting in on a Sunday for 6 days. Looking to do a little more relaxing this time out and focus more on day trips with good walleye fishing and good scenery. Wanting to base camp either at 1 site the whole time (if there are enough good day trip options) or break it up into 2 base camp sites. Don't want a super big or busy lake, but realize that seclusion comes with traveling and portaging quite a bit. We don't mind putting in some miles and portaging the first day to get to a great site. We are open to either Ely or Grand Marais. And walleye and smallmouth bass fishing is of big interest. Does anyone have any good suggestions?
The route we are looking at is taking a tow from Moose Lake and either base camping at Ensign or Knife. But we are hoping to hear other ideas to consider.
Thanks!

I have found some solitude on Knife, and not on Ensign. Ensign is always crowded in my experience. Plus you pass through some nice areas.

Ensign is an expressway.

Vera is a very nice, quiet lake with, supposedly, good walleye-and other interesting fishing options not far away. And Knife is doable from there.

Yea, especially if getting a tow....Ensign would not be "putting in some work" to get to. Which is why it's busy typically. So I guess of your options Knife. But there are many options. It sounds like you've been before, where did you go and what did you think of that travel?

3 years ago we put in at Cross Bay EP. Traveled through Ham, Long Island Lake, Muskeg, up and over the Stairway to Heaven portage to Kiskadinna, on to Omega, Gaskin, then out at Poplar.

We loved that trip! The Stairway portage kicked our butts but it was a gorgeous trip. We stayed at a site on Gaskin for 2 nights and it was our main time to fish and relax. We were traveling every other day so even though we were enjoying the scenery and all the different lakes, we'd like to spend more time fishing and relaxing on this trip.

We've taken 4 trips to this area and I would head for Knife every time over Ensign. As the others have said if you take the tow you are essentially dropped off on Ensign and solitude is something I doubt you'll find. To be fair I have buddies who have done well fishing Ensign and some lakes near it but is is busy. Knife will also be busy and there's a good chance you'll pass a few campsites before finding an open one but there's opportunities galore for fishing, scenery, and day trips.

Definitely Knife over Ensign. However, one caveat. If the border is still closed, you might be hard-pressed to find a decent campsite on either lake later in the day. I entered South Arm Knife last year around June 8, coming down from Amoeber. Only found one campsite open west of portage into Eddy late-morning. Saw lots of groups late-afternoon looking for a campsite.

Not sure if traffic was better or worse later in June, but my guess it was busy....so, grab an open campsite....earlier in the day the better....

Ensign is busy, Knife is a bit less so, most of the time. Some awesome day trips on Knife if you can get close to the South Arm. I've been through Knife many times and I'll continue to go back... just a stunning area.

Knife, but even it will be pretty busy in late June.

Be sure you are looking for a campsite by early-to-mid afternoon and you will likely be OK. If you get a tow to the Birch portage first thing, all should be well...don't leave Moose at noon and think this will turn out well. Ask me how I know this. :-(

If you go into Ensign from Moose, then hold to the left, you can be off the expressway referred to here before. A couple of camp sites one of which is real good are possibly available and you could travel the expressway to other locations daily as you base camp. Good luck on getting the better of the 2 camp locations.

Well I read you wants and needs of the trip and I will suggest Ensign. Take the first tow in the morning from LaTourells at 6:00. You will need to pre-arrange this. This will get you into any camp on Ensign by 9:00 am. Then you have the whole day, instead of part a day. Then you can do day trips up to knife, trident or triangle, Ashagon. Fishing is good on Ensign. You won’t be disappointed. I’ve base camped on Ensign for 5 trips, or 25 days and never felt it was busy. The time of the year you are taking about is a week after we go so you will be fine with traffic. Go to the east side of Ensign and stay for a few days then go up to knife for a few then paddle back to the portage of Splash and wait for a pre-arranged tow back.

Knife Lake - North Arm is less busy.

Go to ensign. Leave knife for the rest of us.

PineKnot: "Definitely Knife over Ensign. However, one caveat. If the border is still closed, you might be hard-pressed to find a decent campsite on either lake later in the day. I entered South Arm Knife last year around June 8, coming down from Amoeber. Only found one campsite open west of portage into Eddy late-morning. Saw lots of groups late-afternoon looking for a campsite.


Not sure if traffic was better or worse later in June, but my guess it was busy....so, grab an open campsite....earlier in the day the better...."

I was leaving SAK the same day that PineKnot was paddling in and had the same experience finding a site. We ended up getting the last site before entering the main lake at dusk.

Knife for sure. Make a push up into the north arm and you'll have solitude.

Just check with outfitter or rangers - I believe north arm has had bear activity past couple of years.