Experienced group of young people. Like to fish but not a must, scenery is a most, going in May.

Cross Bay to Baker
Cross Bay to Poplar
Cross Bay to Morgan
LIS to Nina Moose

Which would you choose? Or is there another small lakes river route. (I avoid medium to large lake this time of year with the young people)

Thanks in advance

Just a couple thoughts about your choices.

Cross Bay to Poplar would be the easiest from a shuttle perspective depending on how many vehicles you have or if you're needing a shuttle from an outfitter.

Cross Bay to Morgan would end your trip on a 340-rod portage if that's an issue.

Another alternative with a similar travel distance could be put in on Kawishiwi Lake, head up to Polly to catch the Phoebe River, follow it back to Sawbill and get a shuttle from them back to Kawishiwi. The one larger stretch of lake you'd be crossing would be Alton.

portagerunner: "Just a couple thoughts about your choices.


Cross Bay to Poplar would be the easiest from a shuttle perspective depending on how many vehicles you have or if you're needing a shuttle from an outfitter.


Cross Bay to Morgan would end your trip on a 340-rod portage if that's an issue.


Another alternative with a similar travel distance could be put in on Kawishiwi Lake, head up to Polly to catch the Phoebe River, follow it back to Sawbill and get a shuttle from them back to Kawishiwi. The one larger stretch of lake you'd be crossing would be Alton."

Is the 340 rod portage difficult or just long?

Cross Bay to Baker
This will leave you with a very long shuttle to hook up with cars. Google says about 2:10 travel between those entries. Not exactly convenient. This also includes Long Island and Cherokee Lakes which can both act as larger lakes in the sections you would need to cross. Detour to Frost Lake to find the golden sand beaches.

Cross Bay to Poplar
Very popular end to end route. Easy shuttle from either end. Good outfitters at either end. Still will have to venture out onto Long Island Lake, but will not have to cross the most open end. Some of the long narrow lakes (Kiskadinna, Ogema, Henson, Winchell) can get rocking and rolling with the wind out of the right direction. Winchell & Gaskin to Poplar can be very busy at times. Walk the paths to the top of the cliffs on Winchell Lake

Cross Bay to Morgan Lake - Shuttle will be about the same as CB to Poplar. The long portage at the end has been noted already. Again you have to venture out onto Long Island Lake. Some of the long narrow lakes (Kiskadinna, Ogema, Henson, Winchell) can get rocking and rolling with the wind out of the right direction. Winchell and Gaskin through Vista can be very busy at times.

LIS to Nina Moose. I think others have said that they stash a bicycle at one end and ride back to get the car at the end of the trip. Outfitters are not nearby to help with shuttles. We have been from LIS North to Oyster Lake. There are several longer portages in there. One (or two) has an unmarked beaver dam float in the middle. It is a lovely area, but finding "scenic" specialties is harder. Stop by Devil's Cascade at the end of Lower Pauness Lake. There are some waterfalls on the way in to Upper Pauness Lake. Those are the two that I can think of.

Other routes to consider:

Kawishiwi Lake entry - Take the Lady Lakes back to Sawbill. The Phoebe River has some great paddling scenery and chances to see wildlife. Moose, otter, eagles, etc. Some world class fisheries along the way as well. One large lake to navigate - Alton.

Kawishiwi Lake Entry - Travel north to Malberg Lake. Basecamp and day trip. Southwest to pictographs on Fishdance Lake. Northeast to Makwa Lake for the cliffs. Go east on the Louse River to Boze and Frond Lake for the ancient feel and wonderful solitude. Go northwest to Boulder/Adams loop.

I cannot comment on the LIS - Nina Moose route.

From the posted comments, it seems that the Morgan portage is difficult because it is long (I ignore the 2023 comment because it is based on single-portaging a 100 lb canoe and a pack). I wouldn't let its length deter me, especially at the end of a trip.

My paddling partner Jim and I traveled from Cross-Bay to Poplar in August 2025, passing through Muskeg, Kiskadinna, Omega, Henson, Gaskin, Horseshoe, Caribou, and Lizz. The only tough portages were the 2 from Long Island Lake into Kiskadinna, especially in combination and because you are going uphill. On the other hand, seeing the beaver dam and the beaver lodge on the way into Muskeg was fantastic. Fishing along the route was ok except for Kiskadinna. The camp sites on Kiskadinna are probably too small for a large group, but we loved the western camp. If I camp on Gaskin again, I will opt for one of the western sites because the eastern end of the lake was crowded (Rockwood says that lots of folks travel to Gaskin from Poplar and occupy the eastern end). We camped on Long Island, Kiskadinna, and Gaskin. Omega looked pretty and tempting.

The Cross-Bay to Baker route is shorter than either of those to Poplar or Morgan (both roughly 30 miles going the way we chose in 2025), but the shuttle route is really long, as I am sure you are aware.

I might be tempted to enter in through Morgan or Meeds sometime and take a slightly different route over to Cross-Bay, but even if I did go through Kiskadinna again, it would be downhill on that long portage!

LIS to Nina Moose would provide you the best fishing options.

It is not a difficult portage and is actually quite lovely. There are some rather large trees in areas, a small pond off to one side in another area, some uphill, lots of flat. And if it’s your last portage that means your food pack is almost empty and your canoe doesn’t feel as heav6 as on day 1!

Obonga Lake to Scalp Creek Puddy Lake,Chrome Lake about 13 miles west of the Obonga Lake Public Access or Ottertooth Creek about the same distance West Bay of Obonga Lake 13 miles you can probably piggyback canoe to either and save some time. Otherwise shuttle from one of the outfitters to Obonga Lake.See what is available and price check options.

Tamarack Lake Collin’s Road to the parking lot 50 15 14 N 89 23 33 W EL 380m 0.2 miles to the boat landing on Collin’s Lake 50 15 19 N 89 23 48 W EL 377 . Check with Clem Quenville in Armstrong Station @(807)-372-1346 . He should be able to help you out in the location of parking, portages and campsites from start to finish. If you are thinking of Tamarack,Smooth Rock,Caribou/ Little Caribou Lake Pick up in Armstrong Station or Lake Nipigon via the White Sands River Mountain Saint John on Lake Nipigon Wendigo Bay. Price check out your options shuttle to and from w/sat phone as you will not find cell service easy.