So, for reference I've been the the BW and Quetico about 5 times over the years, always tandem. Done flyins, LLC, S chain, been around Ensign, Moose/PP, Knife and Quetico North East side.

This time however I am doing my first solo trip and would like to try a different area (BW side as I'm in the US). While it is my first BW solo and I like to avoid big water, I have no issues with long portages or qualms about that, I have lots experience mountaineering in remote countries solo, so that aspect doesn't bother me. Just looking for ideas on where to start. Being from Colorado I don't know the routes very well.

Fishing is important. I'm thinking 4-8 days, early September. Thoughts?

Couple ideas:

#1. Kawishiwi Lake (Entry 37). Day 1 Kawishiwi to Malberg. Day 2 Malberg to Amber (not far and with fishing in mind), Day 3 Amber to Alice (via Fishdance if you want to see the pictographs). Day 4 Alice to Thomas/Frazier (again, not far for fishing time). Day 5 Frazier to Boulder/Adams (Study this route for the Cap to Boulder portage route. Somewhat confusing.). Day 6 Boulder to Malberg, Day 7 Layover (put this in when you need it). Day 8 out to Kawishiwi.

After you leave Polly behind on the way to Malberg, you will leave about 70% of people behind. The most remote portion will be Frazier to Boulder to Malberg.

#2. Sawbill Lake (Entry 38). Day 1. Sawbill to Wine Lake. Day 2. Wine Lake to Trail Lake. (A picture of one of the biggest northerns I have ever seen came from this lake.). Day 3 - Trail Lake to Malberg Lake. Day 4 Malberg to Little Sag. Day 5. Little Sag to Mesaba Lake. Day 6 Layover. Day 7 Layover. Day 8 Out to Sawbill.

Once you leave Sawbill Lake and cross the 460 rd portage headed to Wine Lake you will leave 90% of people behind. The Louse River from Wine to Malberg is not for the faint of heart, but amazing territory and very remote. Turn north after you reach Malberg Lake and the stretch of small lakes between Malberg and Little Sag are very interesting to paddle. Many are intimate but Makwa has some of the biggest cliffs to be found anywhere. Spend some time fishing the waters of Little Sag. Heading south out of Little Sag/Mora Lake toward Mesaba brings you to another very lightly traveled portion of the BW. Beware the Fente/Hub portage. That first quarter mile will get your heart pounding. Mesaba Lake is one of my favorite spots in the BW. Often completely empty. If you have not spent your layover days fishing elsewhere, this is the place to spend a day enjoying the quiet. Yup, you have to do that 460 rd portage again, but that is the price of admission to solitude/remoteness in the BW.

For both of these routes, Sawbill Outfitters at Sawbill Lake can get you set up.

Hope this helps. Have a great trip!

Whenever someone mentions avoiding big water and remote areas, I always think of LIS, EP# 14. Idk why, but that route thru Slim, Finger, Gebe is mighty nice.

I have done the first route mentioned and it's a very nice trip. You could also do a similar loop NE out of Malberg, west to Ledge and down to Boulder, etc. Another trip we did similar to the second route was to start at Kawishiwi, go to Little Sag, then down through Mesaba and Zenith to Sawbill. Little Sag area can also be reached from the Round Lake entries Missing Link and Brant. I have also done the route mentioned out of Ep #14, LISN, through the small lakes south of LLC to Pocket and down to Oyster. It was my first solo and still one of my favorite trips along with the other two.

Michwall's recommendations are spot on. I just did a solo that entered and exited at Sawbill. I went out through the lady chain and came back through the Louse River from Malberg to Wine. By starting out early from Sawbill, I didn't really see people on the busy lakes. And after that it was pleasantly quiet. That. area has a lot of options to find some variation. The lakes south of Little Sag are not crowded compared to areas north.

I have a trip report about my Louse R. solo.

Second the area south of lac la croix

Lawnchair107: "Whenever someone mentions avoiding big water and remote areas, I always think of LIS, EP# 14. Idk why, but that route thru Slim, Finger, Gebe is mighty nice."

This is the area I plan to do on my first solo. Had it all planned out for this May but things happened so the trip did not. Hoping to do it next year.

FWIW, the plan was Pauness, Shell, Lynx, Hustler, Oyster, Rocky, Green, Gebe, Pocket, Finger, Thumb, Beartrack, Little Beartrack, Eugene, Fat, Slim, Little Loon, Loon, maybe Heritage/shell, Pauness. With possible day trips to catch some fish on LLC in the middle of the trip.

Michwall2: "The Louse River from Wine to Malberg is not for the faint of heart"

These all look intriguing, what makes the Louse River not for the faint of heart?

Well....after the 460 to get to Wine, the other portages all along the Louse are a little tough to always find and a little more tough to traverse. It ain't an easy route but you will see few if any people.

Argo1: "

Michwall2: "The Louse River from Wine to Malberg is not for the faint of heart"

These all look intriguing, what makes the Louse River not for the faint of heart?"

I strongly recommend reading the trip reports on this route before heading out.

#1 Rugged terrain - Portage from Wine to Mug has slippery, high angle rock face. Two portage ends are compete boulder fields. Zero flat places to put a foot. Portages from Louse Lake-Poe Lake and Poe to Louse River are boulder fields. Every foot placement has to be considered. Large beaver dams. Lots of beaver dams - pullovers. One portage has a ravine to cross. 10-12 feet down and up very steep sides. Many portages are goat trails. Some are submerged (see below.). Very narrow portage ends. Getting people and packs in and out is problematic. Tight turns on the water and off the water. Canoe management is difficult in both spaces.

#2 Route finding. The beavers are constantly changing water levels, portage ends, etc. Some portages are no longer needed, others are lengthened, some are shortened, some are bisected by beaver ponds. It is hard to stay found. (Which portage are we on now?) Route finding between Frond and Bose is problematic. Ask an outfitter as the maps don't match the reality. Middle portage between Bug and Trail - west portage end is not where it is portrayed on the maps. In another spot - does the portage go straight over that boulder field (like it did before) or is this barely visible game trail here to the right the portage?

Absolutely worth every minute. Some of my most treasured moments of BW travel happened on that route.

Louse portages