Easiest for your pops s/b option 1 with the tow. If you're looking for a little more solitude, my experiance has been the North Arm of Knife is less traveled.

Crooked is totally doable in a day, but it's the most challenging of the three - quickest route is through the horse river and that's still push to get up into the bays of Crooked.

Boulder Bay/Tiger Bay LLC - 6 hours travel time...you may hear motor boats and see motor boats depending on where you go. The Canada side of LLC is open to to motors.

Knife Lake is your best option, by far, for lake trout. No lakers in Crooked Lake.