Hey everyone,
I'm starting this kind of late, but I'm wanting to take my dad up north the end of May for his 70th birthday for a few days of fishing and relaxing. He's got too many aches and pains to do a canoe trip or any tent camping, so I was thinking we could find a resort/cabin to stay at, and venture out with a boat instead. I don't want to stay in town too bad, he's been going up on Ontario fly-in outpost fishing trips for 50 years, and is used to the solitude. His group trip isn't happening this year, and that's why I was hoping to do something similar in the BDub/Voyageur's NP area.

My first thoughts were one of the resorts on Kabetogama-they all seem to be pretty nice, and would hopefully offer some good fishing....yes, Kab is a big lake, so that is the one downside to it. But it also means we shouldn't be seeing a ton of people besides at our cabin at night after coming in from fishing during the day.

The next idea I've had is staying in the Ely area, maybe on Shagawa, Fall, or Farm-there looks to be a few different options there for resorts/cabin rentals, but I really don't know anything about any of these lakes or the resorts. I've only ever picked up my canoe in town, and headed out on backwoods trips. I would assume none of these lakes would be overly crowded...yes, there will be boat traffic unlike the interior of the BWCA, but not a busy lake like a few hours further south.

I'd appreciate any input or ideas any of you have. I'm pretty open to suggestions right now, just looking to get out and enjoy nature with my dad.
Thanks

I love Kabby, go every year, but that lake can humble you. You can pull up to a spot nail walleyes all day long and then never get another fish the rest of the trip. “Spots” don’t often produce patterns do. The lake also has a great forage base, walleyes are very chunky but a well fed walleye doesn’t bite as easily.

Don’t get me wrong I love the lake. But if you are a fish one to two secret spots person, it might now be the right lake, you gotta move and search and whatever pattern you find today, might be different the next. I still don’t have the lake figured out…but that’s what I like it too.

Just being honest. If you aren’t familiar, look over some of Jason Mitchell and Fishing the Midwest shows. They usually get to Kabby yearly and have great tips.

T

My vote would be for Kab. We spend a long weekend every May camping on the islands and usually do well for bigger walleyes. Later in the year, I typically struggle to find them but we probably spend more time camping and swimming than fishing.
I have heard that evening slip bobber fishing from resort docks can be great.
If you decide on Kab, I have a few areas that you can use to get started.

I would lean towards the Ely area. I stayed at a resort on Kab, had a guide for two days, in late May...and was underwhelmed with the fishing.

I took my family to Crane Lake last year, staying at Pine Point Resort. We had a nice time. Good fishing and a beautiful lake and area. Not the solitude of the true wilderness, but not far from it.

One year I stayed just off of Saganaga on the Sea Gull River with my dad and brother. We stayed with Voyageur Canoe Outfitters and that was a lot of fun. Ely area can get a little crowded for my taste. We brought a small duck hunting boat to bring into Saganaga and used the included rental canoe to explore Sea Gull and drove over to Round Lake to explore Tuscarora as well.

Voyageur happened to work best for us on this trip, but Tuscarora and Clearwater are outfitters I would at least consider as well. The nice thing about being on the Gunflint is the ability to hop over to a different EP for a daytrip.

We caught walleye on Sag and lake trout on Tuscarora. The trout we biting a lot better than the walleye.

Vosburgh's on Moose Lake is on the edge of the BWCA with cabins that have million dollar views. It is also run by great people who will treat you well. You can motor up to Basswood for fishing that is usually really good. Of course you need a permit to do that but the Vosburgh's can help with that or even supply a guide.

In Ely on the south end of Fall Lake there is a place called Veterans on the Lake. It's a decent place and is under fantastic new management. Last I checked, it was for disabled people as well so it isn't restricted to Veterans, although selfishly I wish it was.