Heading to the Q for the first time over Memorial Day weekend for 6 days - couldn't be more excited. Our goal is always fishing - and we mainly target walleyes. We are a very experienced group with probably 30+ trips to the BWCA. We will be entering via tow from Cache Bay into Saganagons where we plan to fish at least a day or two. Depending on how that goes, we are thinking possibly heading down the Falls Chain and spend some time fishing Wet, McEwan or Kawnipi. I know there are lakers present in all those systems, but does anyone have any clue if they contain fishable populations? Or would we be wasting our time trying to target lake trout and just stay focused on walleyes?

Would love to hear your take if anyone has had any success actually targeting lakers on any of the above mentioned lakes or where we should focus our efforts if we wanted to get into some trout.

Thanks in advance!

-Wily

Fishable yes, plentiful not so much. Cache Bay, Saganagons, and McEwen have produced some nice lakers for our group. We have had much better success in recent years with walleyes.

Just out front of the Poison Ivy Site, Saganagons.

Opps... this picture is on Olifaunt.

Agnes is not that far south and also has good lake trout prospects if you fancy a portage or two more during your stay.

bobbernumber3: "Fishable yes, plentiful not so much. Cache Bay, Saganagons, and McEwen have produced some nice lakers for our group. We have had much better success in recent years with walleyes.


Just out front of the Poison Ivy Site, Saganagons.
"

Where is the Poison Ivy Site? Sounds like you might have a story from that haha!

WilyMinnow: "

bobbernumber3: "Fishable yes, plentiful not so much. Cache Bay, Saganagons, and McEwen have produced some nice lakers for our group. We have had much better success in recent years with walleyes.



Opps. This picture is on Olifaunt.
"

Where is the Poison Ivy Site? Sounds like you might have a story from that haha!"

This picture is out in front of the Poison Ivy Site.


I've made 24 fishing trips to Saganagons. Our group has names for the usual places we stay... Nifty Kitchen, Sandy Beach, Mutiny Site, Bonsai Site, Poison Ivy, Desert, Deb's, Lemon Tree Site, Kirk's Leech Site. And a story for each.

WilyMinnow: "Heading to the Q for the first time over Memorial Day weekend for 6 days - couldn't be more excited. Our goal is always fishing - and we mainly target walleyes. We are a very experienced group with probably 30+ trips to the BWCA. We will be entering via tow from Cache Bay into Saganagons where we plan to fish at least a day or two. Depending on how that goes, we are thinking possibly heading down the Falls Chain and spend some time fishing Wet, McEwan or Kawnipi. I know there are lakers present in all those systems, but does anyone have any clue if they contain fishable populations? Or would we be wasting our time trying to target lake trout and just stay focused on walleyes?

Would love to hear your take if anyone has had any success actually targeting lakers on any of the above mentioned lakes or where we should focus our efforts if we wanted to get into some trout.

Thanks in advance!

-Wily"

Kawnipi has secondhand and worse rumors of Lake Trout, but very likely doesn't have any lakers present, and certainly not in fishable numbers. Saganagons has lakers, but I've done poorly on them the few times I've tried when I've passed through - perhaps due to my minimal efforts there or just not being the "right day". McEwen has a good reputation for small to medium lake trout and decent numbers I believe, but I haven't personally fished it. I'm not sure about Wet.

cburton103: "...McEwen has a good reputation for small to medium lake trout and decent numbers I believe..."

McEwen does have good numbers of lakers, all about the same size.

We caught them coming up off the bottom with trolling spoons. Let the bait drop to the bottom, let out another 10 yards of line, and then paddle away. As the bait comes up, Whamo!

Well, it worked 20 years ago...

On the beach at the Hilton (I didn't name it).

I’ve taken about 10 trips on the falls chain up to Kawnipi. McEwen does have lakers. I haven’t caught, or seen anyone else catch, lakers on Wet or Kawnipi. They are in Saganagons in decent numbers. If you’re specifically looking for lakers I’d suggest the Man chain instead.