This year marks my 6th consecutive BWCA trip.

I am taking a newbie with me as far as canoe camping but he is an avid fisherman and boating enthusiast so there is that.

I was able to snag a #22 Mudro restricted. I was late to the permit day fun and this was all I could get.

My trips are as follows.

#1. Entry #23 Mudro, Horse River, Crooked Lake to Friday Bay and out through Moosecamp River to Fourtown.

#2. Entry # 16 North to Boulder Bay and base camped on LLC. Return the same way

#3. #23 Mudro out to Jackfish Bay and down the Basswood River around Crooked and back out Friday Bay to Gun for a few nights and out through Fairy, Boot, Fourtown.

#4. #14 LIS Loop around through the Beartracks, Pocket, Finger, Gebe, and back around through Shell to LIS River and out.

#5. # 23 Mudro up to Moosecamp Lake for a base camp and back out the same way.

This year, with another Mudro entry I was thinking of Gull, Thunder and Beartrap with maybe a first night stop on Boot or Fairy. We have 4 nights and 5 days this year. A little shorter than normal.
I keep wanting to get back up to Crooked. I love the loop out to Jackfish like we did year 3 but I just don't know if it's a good idea with a newbie. It would be moving almost every day and this time of year 7/26 thru 7/30 it's gonna be busy. I don't want campsite frustration. Taking the Horse River in July and trying to get a site near the falls is probably impractical thinking.

If you had a newbie and it was just the 2 of you with this time frame what game plan would you choose from this entry point?

If it were me I would head for Moosecamp. But that is because I have heard it is good fishing so that would be what would interest me. Push hard the first day, enjoy 3 days of basecamping and fishing, then out the last day. Hope like heck for no wind on Fourtown so travel is easy.

Thunder and Beartrap is also worth the effort. Both are quiet, offer solitude, and excellent walleye action.

I would go to gun and head west. There’s an awesome site on Gull, if it’s open and your buddy is tired it’s a perfect place to stop.

With that said the beartrap site is one of if not my favorite site in the entire park so if you’re feeling good go for it. Thunder also has some nice sites.

All good walleye lakes, good luck!!!!

An update for those heading to Mudro - the entry is the lowest I've seen in a long time. An extra 3 carryovers with a few beaver dams and over the rocks prior to entering the lake.



We stayed on Horse Lake over the weekend and the mosquitoes were biblical. Portages and in the woods were absolutely horrible with bugs, campsite itself not too bad during the day.

We attempted to day trip the Horse River but said screw it with the low water and extra portages.

Thanks for the update.

Mudro/Pickett Creek has been very low the last two times I have been there.
We portaged out, seems like halfway, before the water was deep enough to float.
Which doesn't really bother me too much as I think it's faster to portage that section than to paddle it. LOL

Plan now is to head out to Jackfish Bay and down the Basswood River with the back-up of taking the horse River if the day had bad winds for Jackfish Bay.

Third plan would be to head through Fourtown and into Gull as described above.

I think it kind of makes it fun when you don't really know what's gonna happen until the morning you set off.

Fortunately an entry like Mudro gives you quite a few options!