I am planning a trip in August with my wife and our four sons. The youngest is 10 and the oldest is 20. My wife and I are experienced paddlers with the rest of the boys not new to it either. I have a Mudro entry point and am considering going from Mudro up to the southern part of Crooked and back out the way we came in. My wife is holding a Morgan Lake Entry and would explore those surrounding lakes with an exit out Poplar. Looking for opinions and thoughts about the differences in these two routes and what to expect. I have done some research and have a pretty good idea of what each route is like but would love to hear from folks who have done it. We love to fish and explore and am trying to determine which route offers the best of both worlds. Thanks in advance.

Jack

Not to pass judgment, but it sounds like you’ve reserved two permits for the same day! (I guess I did). This is called permit hoarding. Cancel one permit and commit to the other right now. I’ve only been through Mudro and you’ve got plenty of options for fishing and campsites. You can’t go wrong with Mudro.

Morgan entry information Captain Morgan .


Mudro entry information. Paddling with Padres, a spiritual Exodus adventure

egknuti: "Not to pass judgment, but it sounds like you’ve reserved two permits for the same day! (I guess I did). This is called permit hoarding. Cancel one permit and commit to the other right now. I’ve only been through Mudro and you’ve got plenty of options for fishing and campsites. You can’t go wrong with Mudro. "

+1

New to this, so didn't realize holding two entry point permits would elicit such a visceral response from folks. Gave up the Mudro permit, so only holding Morgan now. Thanks for the education guys.

Jack

jackcurry22: "New to this, so didn't realize holding two entry point permits would elicit such a visceral response from folks. Gave up the Mudro permit, so only holding Morgan now. Thanks for the education guys.


Jack "

The USFS would have an even more visceral response to this abuse of the permit system. You’re smart to have cancelled one before the feds (rightfully) eviscerated you.

Well, there are thirty one days in August. And maybe the wife was planning a second or separate trip so from the OP we don’t know for sure there was any overlap or hoarding or abuse of the system. I knew you were stepping in something with your query, jackcurry22, as you now know this is a hot and sensitive issue regarding the current reservation system and how it allows for too many last minute cancellations or worse, no shows, which means more and more folks who want to go up there are being blocked out.

I haven’t been through Morgan yet but I love that area around Poplar. I’d try to get to Gaskin or even Winchell and the smaller lakes near there if you have the time. Enjoy your trip!!

You're routes are somewhat limited in a Morgan to Poplar. You didn't say how many days. I'm a pretty bad fisherman, and you'll be in August which makes it even tougher. If it were me, I would only bother throwing in a line at sunup or sundown, and only then, targeting bass and pike. But like I said, I'm terrible.

Route tips:

1. Shouldn't be on your route, but stay away from the Misquah to Little Trout Lake portage. I'd rather do the Tuscarora portage twice than that portage once. It's terrible!

2. If there is a strong wind out of the west, avoid Winchell. Ask me how I know ;)

3. I like Long Island Lake, Cherokee and Temperance Lakes. If you are doing a longer trip, I would go ahead and do the loop through Brule to those lakes and back east again. I cannot comment on the Banadad/Rush route back to the east, but the Kiskadinna/Henson route I've been down and it's fine.

4. The portage from Meeds to Poplar is not particularly tough. But the one time I was on it, it got muddy in parts (four year old lost his Thomas the Engine sandal to the mud monster). In August it might be fine.

5. To get to Poplar I'd rather go through Caribou/Lizz. Been at the peninsula campsite on the western shore of Caribou and it was a nice site.

If you can get the southern site on Vista Lake you will have a slice of heaven. Good campsite on a beautiful lake with very good fishing for walleye and smallies. The western site is up a steep rocky hill and is nice once you get up there but no good place for canoe storage or lounging or shorefishing. But the view is great. Go for the southern site, worth it if you get it.

Ive gone in through Morgan Lake 4-5 times and Vista Lake is the reason I took that long and challenging portage.