By the time I was done pulling my permits at 920, all of the Moose/PP and Fall-beyond day motor permits from fishing opener through the end of permit season were GONE. But if you were working at it, anytime before 920, you hopefully were able to get a few basswood permits.

I did exceptionally well on day motor permits this year. I wanted to get permits pulled for family trips first, even though they weren't the highest demand. That wasted some precious time and I was unable to pull Basswood for the week of fishing opener. Bummer. But I did get a prairie portage permit for a day trip some time between May 22-28. And I got a pair of Fall-beyond permits for both the last week of July and the middle of August.

Family Gunflint trail trips for June 5-10 and last week of September. Pulled permits a plenty for a variety of DM lakes, no issues whatsoever.

I secured a overnight motor for Basswood via Prarie for week of June 26 thru July 2nd.
This is the 1st time I've noticed but they charge you a integrated pass fee of 8 bucks to use your pass...another way to get your cash....

Gopher yogi here...
I received a day use motor for moose Newfound and sucker. Will be up there for 4 days starting on May 22.
If you got room maybe I could join ya for that day on Basswood. I've got my own boat.

yogi59weedr: "Gopher yogi here...
I received a day use motor for moose Newfound and sucker. Will be up there for 4 days starting on May 22.
If you got room maybe I could join ya for that day on Basswood. I've got my own boat."

That would be fun to meet up Yogi. Let's stay in touch. Mine is for just one day use between 22 and 28. It might end up being the end of that stretch though. I'm not sure how far into Basswood I plan to trek-- this will be my first time!

10-4. Been up into Basswood maybe 16 times.Fall lake side only once.

The site worked great for me this morning! In and out in less than 10 min (only delay came from not have my CC handy)!! Got a permit for June 6th Moose/Portage River (EP-16), first solo! Exited for a week of fishing on my own terms. After booking I went back to check available permits, all were taken for the first two weekends in June for EP-16 and all of June (except one Saturday) for EP-23 (Mudro).

I was able to get a permit for the Mudro access point with no problem but now all the permits are gone for the day we are heading in. Glad I was on right at 9 this morning.

When are you heading to mudro? My group and I got a ep 22 permit for mudro on June 1st. Crazy how fast all the permits were gone!

We are headed in on the 22nd through the 28th. Now the fear of the Mayfly hatch begins. Where do you guys usually camp when you enter through Mudro?

No problem acquiring my date in May. Going in for 14 days ( really 12 if you don't count the first half day going in and then leaving early on day 14. But 12 full fishing days! ). Going at least one more time towards the end of the season. Maybe I can get a third one in this year?

yogi59weedr: "10-4. Been up into Basswood maybe 16 times.Fall lake side only once.
"

I am sooo jealous. Hope to get up there in October.

3 of us tried for Basswood motor permits Memorial weekend, being flexible on the entry dates. Didn't get 0ne for the first time ever. Maybe we shouldn't have spent all our time trying for such a popular weekend. By the time we moved to other dates every motor permit for Basswood was gone. Internet service went down in Ely for many. Also I wonder if service isn't slower for those of us in Greater Minnesota.
We did get a permit for a different area for Memorial weekend.

Tony,how ya been?
I've always gone up in the early season.
Last year I tried a 3 day trip 3rd week in August.
We caught fish but not like june.
I tried deep and shallow.
We got our limit of eyes.But in 2 days i bet I caught 100 smallmouth. All in the 10 inch range.
Fustrating. No August trips for me.
You throw a lot of cranks that time of year?

I tell ya what, if I am in the Minnesota DNR I would have extra enforcement up on Basswood over the first 2 weeks in May. What's the allure of day motor permits outside of fishing season? Some folks might be expecting the opener to be in line with Mother's Day again this year, but it is a week later. Even last year when they cancelled the big opener event, they said it would be rescheduled for May 8th, 2021. But the actual fishing opener date for this year appears to be May 15th.

75 reserved basswood DM permits for May 1-14 tell me either:

A) People aren't aware of the later opener
B) People feel entitled to fish when they want
C) The permits were taken by people with no intention of using them.

I was able to get the permit I needed. It’s been 5 years since I’ve been to this lake and the walleyes will be huge.

I use to fire a lot of crank baits but, the older I get the less I use them. In fact I donated a bunch at a spring wing weekend in Rockford a couple years ago. Mostly do the jigging thing or live bait and hook. Check out Bonvickens post for a Sugar River get together in the spring.

Not as high demand, but we are headed to Basswood over the Prairie Portage OM permit from #25 the third week of July. For those of you who enter Basswood over Prairie Portage, do you head straight for Pipestone/Jackfish via Back Bay portage, or do you stay on the east side of Basswood? Better fishing end of July east side or Pipestone/Jackfish?

thegildedgopher: "I tell ya what, if I am in the Minnesota DNR I would have extra enforcement up on Basswood over the first 2 weeks in May. What's the allure of day motor permits outside of fishing season? Some folks might be expecting the opener to be in line with Mother's Day again this year, but it is a week later. Even last year when they cancelled the big opener event, they said it would be rescheduled for May 8th, 2021. But the actual fishing opener date for this year appears to be May 15th.

75 reserved basswood DM permits for May 1-14 tell me either:

A) People aren't aware of the later opener
B) People feel entitled to fish when they want
C) The permits were taken by people with no intention of using them."

Agree. Let's hope for Ice out on Basswood on May 15th.

This will be our first time going into Mudro, we plan on going up to Crooked lake and base camping. Hoping to catch lots of walleye.

Cb385: "This will be our first time going into Mudro, we plan on going up to Crooked lake and base camping. Hoping to catch lots of walleye."

Nice! We’ve never went that direction. We always go up through boot and base camp on fairy or gun lake. Good luck!

Mcmuffin007: "We are headed in on the 22nd through the 28th. Now the fear of the Mayfly hatch begins. Where do you guys usually camp when you enter through Mudro?"

25th-29th here. We'll be somewhere on Crooked

Got an OM Basswood permit for May, let my group know, then went back on to see what was still available, nothing until late July, next date available for OM was my birthday at end of July so nabbed one for that date. Psyched to get 2 permits!

No motor permits for me but scored my permit out of #16 May 30 to head to Iron for a week. Then a second trip on September 12 out of Little Gabbro with a couple of newbies.

Really excited for one trip........

Tony. Where is sugar river?

I got a Mudro permit for June 12th...9 day loop thru Crooked. I went back today and all the Mudro permits were taken 10 days before and after. Crazy!

yogi59weedr: "Tony. Where is sugar river?"

thegildedgopher: "I tell ya what, if I am in the Minnesota DNR I would have extra enforcement up on Basswood over the first 2 weeks in May. What's the allure of day motor permits outside of fishing season? Some folks might be expecting the opener to be in line with Mother's Day again this year, but it is a week later. Even last year when they cancelled the big opener event, they said it would be rescheduled for May 8th, 2021. But the actual fishing opener date for this year appears to be May 15th.

75 reserved basswood DM permits for May 1-14 tell me either:

A) People aren't aware of the later opener
B) People feel entitled to fish when they want
C) The permits were taken by people with no intention of using them."

Could they be Crappie fishermen?

CityFisher74: "

thegildedgopher: "I tell ya what, if I am in the Minnesota DNR I would have extra enforcement up on Basswood over the first 2 weeks in May. What's the allure of day motor permits outside of fishing season? Some folks might be expecting the opener to be in line with Mother's Day again this year, but it is a week later. Even last year when they cancelled the big opener event, they said it would be rescheduled for May 8th, 2021. But the actual fishing opener date for this year appears to be May 15th.


75 reserved basswood DM permits for May 1-14 tell me either:


A) People aren't aware of the later opener
B) People feel entitled to fish when they want
C) The permits were taken by people with no intention of using them."

Could they be Crappie fishermen?"

They certainly could. Seems like a LOT of crappie fishermen but what do I know?

WhiteWolf: "

thegildedgopher: "I tell ya what, if I am in the Minnesota DNR I would have extra enforcement up on Basswood over the first 2 weeks in May. What's the allure of day motor permits outside of fishing season? Some folks might be expecting the opener to be in line with Mother's Day again this year, but it is a week later. Even last year when they cancelled the big opener event, they said it would be rescheduled for May 8th, 2021. But the actual fishing opener date for this year appears to be May 15th.


75 reserved basswood DM permits for May 1-14 tell me either:


A) People aren't aware of the later opener
B) People feel entitled to fish when they want
C) The permits were taken by people with no intention of using them."

Agree. Let's hope for Ice out on Basswood on May 15th.
"

White Wolf, I don't want to throw this thread off track, but since you mentioned ice out and are our weather genius, what's your take on drought in the Arrowhead and will it affect fishing in Moose Chain/Basswood? Or is it too early to analyze?

Tony.
I could be in for that.
I've heard the Pecotonica has large walleye in it.
I will look for that post and get more info on it.

bretthexum: "

Mcmuffin007: "We are headed in on the 22nd through the 28th. Now the fear of the Mayfly hatch begins. Where do you guys usually camp when you enter through Mudro?"

25th-29th here. We'll be somewhere on Crooked"

Crooked is way up there. Do you make that in one day or do you break it up?

Mcmuffin007: "

bretthexum: "

Mcmuffin007: "We are headed in on the 22nd through the 28th. Now the fear of the Mayfly hatch begins. Where do you guys usually camp when you enter through Mudro?"

25th-29th here. We'll be somewhere on Crooked"

Crooked is way up there. Do you make that in one day or do you break it up?"

We are probably going to do the eastern route thru Horse River. Depending on how it goes, we may stop around Basswood Falls area. Other than the Mudro-Sandpit portage the rest are pretty easy. It just depends on the wind as I've been on Horse many times getting blown around.

I'll let you know when I get a date and time.