Hello and thank you in advance.

Starting to plan my 1st trip. I am a fairly big guy, about 270, and got an awesome deal on a Bell Morningstar. Is this pushing it for two guys and gear? Second person is probably about 200 lbs. Planning four to five days.

Since it's my 1st trip. Looking at the Little Isabella Snake route. We want remote with small, easy portages. Mix of good scenery and walleye.

Any other suggestions?

For me, the Morningstar would be a little too small for two big guys and a weeks worth of gear. Just my feeling when I look at specs for it.

My mantra for gear as expensive as a canoe is to rent first.

Find an outfitter and rent a canoe for your first trip. Decide if you like it. Try another brand/model for your next trip.

I have owned a Morningstar and, while it is a great boat, I don't think it's best suited to BWCA trips or big people. I loved paddling rivers in mine, and it would be a good solo boat for a big guy, but...See about renting a canoe 17 feet or longer.

Definitely not ideal for two large guys and gear, but on a short 4-5 day trip you could make it work if you can keep gear and food weight down. Optimum load for that boat is 250-550 lbs. with a max of 950, but at a 6" freeboard. Even 580lbs gets you up to 5"of freeboard. I'm a big believer in renting a canoe and paying for outfitting from a good outfitter for first trips if you have little or no experience. I don't know what your experience level is, but what you learn from paying for outfitting can drastically shorten the learning curve. Also, paddling a proper boat for a first trip at least gives you a good base line. Remote, good walleye fishing, and short easy portages do not usually go together, especially on a short 4-5 day trip. That being said, I am a Quetico guy, and all my early BWCA trips were in the western half, so I don't know a lot about where you are headed. Hope it all works out for you!

2nd guy is much smaller than me. I am guessing maybe 170 to 180. So
450. We will hammock camp and bring water
filters etc. I just don't see us with over 100 lbs of
Gear.

NewbieBigGut: "2nd guy is much smaller than me. I am guessing maybe 170 to 180. So
450. We will hammock camp and bring water
filters etc. I just don't see us with over 100 lbs of
Gear. "

Ok. So I went looking for your route and found what I think is the route you are planning. It is all river? So a couple of observations.

1. Can you try your canoe with your partner or a similar weight substitute? Then put at least 100# of gear in it. Food storage containers are adding weight to the food packs. It doesn't take much to put together 100# of gear especially when you add fishing gear to the usually packs.

2. Trimming a canoe with such a large mismatch of weight will be tricky at best. If you get a chance to test your new canoe with people, try trimming to see where the weight will have to go to make it happen.

3. A river route with short portages is not necessarily "easier". Most river routes I have paddled have very rocky portages and those short portages tend to go up and down steeply and sometimes a lot.

4. Some river routes are more water level dependent than others. Have you discussed your route with an outfitter to see whether these rivers are navigable at the time of year you hope to go?

5. There are limited campsites along the route you are hoping to use. (One is rated a 1 star(very poor) and the other a 3 (only average). River campsites tend to be buggier. If you are traveling at a busy time of year, you may be forced out of your route onto a lake to find a campsite. Be prepared.

6. You mention walleyes. Does the river offer deep enough water to hold walleye? Or will you have to venture out on the nearby lakes to find them? You may run into far more SMB and pike than walleye on a river route. Again, this is where a good outfitter is needed to help put you on fish.

I wish you a successful first trip.