I am trying to plan my yearly Q trip with my wife.

I have always entered Quetico through Lac La Croix. The plus side you see few people, great fishing, usually get at least a couple of nights and a couple of lakes all to your self. Neagative--the long expensive tow in and out.

Anyway we want to try some different areas. Thinking of going in at Cache Bay for a 7 day trip. I know nothing about the area. The Falls chain looks interesting. Maybe head up to Kawnipi. Is there a way I can make a loop out of it in the amount of time I have to explore and still have 1-2 layover days? How is the fishing on that side of the Q? ALternative routes that may have more seclusion?

As you can tell I am clueless about the area (that's what makes so interesting) so any info/advice would be helpfull.

Tim

Shoot up into Kawnipi and spend a couple days exploring and fishing the area, then make your way back through the Falls Chain. That would probably be the best fishing trip, and all the bays in Kawnipi are very quiet and isolated.

The Falls Chain and Kawnipi are great fishing areas.

Remember to RABC.

You will still want to take the tow roundtrip to Hook Island. Cheaper than LLC, but still an expense to factor. Just use lots of care in the falls chain, it has some portages that leave no margin for error, particularly in high water.

Okay, here goes.

The Fallschain water levels are great! The water is not so high that it makes the falls dangerous, but it's high enough to make all the landings easy.

All the Canoe Landings are very close to the lip of the falls, but none are really that dangerous, if you're not an idiot. Janice will try to scare you, but she does know the eastern Quetico better than any living soul.

The Koko falls portage is mismarked, it's about 100 rods, not 50, or whatever it says on your maps. Make sure you keep left! Left left left left, until you reach water.

Canyon falls, Koko Falls, Bald Rock, and the First and Second Falls are the prettiest.

The only decent sites in the entire Fallschain are on Kenny Lake, the Island and Point sites are great. I would not plan on camping anywhere else between there and Saganagons. The sites are pure rubbish.

Many of the sites marked on Maps are no longer there because of the Bird Lake Fire in 95. 60,000 acres.

You will paddle through burn from the North side of Saganagons till Kawa bay in Kawnipi.

Feel free to ask something, I'm just rambling.

ell, the whole Chain is great for big bass, we're talking 6 to 7 pounds sometimes.

The big river parts between Bald rock and Little falls, and Kenny Lake are all good for walleye and bass and smaller pike.

I would always throw a jig and a twister tail, or a shad rap into all the falls, and dark current. Just for the hell of it, you never know if there is a lunker picking up dead bugs and minnows floating down the rapids.

Kawnipi is amazing, if you hit it right. The first half of Kawnipi, up to Kawa bay is fairly shallow, good for walleye on windy days over points and reefs. The last half of the lake is deeper, and better all around walleye fishing. There is an Island site that is kinda in mouth of Kawa bay, but not quite. It's great.

The first set of pictographs on Kawa are of two men in a canoe, the next set are of some kind of antlered animal. They're both hard to find.

Watch for moose on the Eastern shore of the first half of Kawnipi up to Kawa bay as you go up, there are almost always moose in there. There are several great sand beaches to the east as you hit the first really big part of Kawnipi, once again, before Kawa bay.

Watch for Swans, people have been seeing them up there. In Cache River Bay, Mckenzie Bay, and on the Waiwag.

Watch for poison ivy in kawa bay.

Kawnipi is full of pike too, steel leaders are a must for crank baits, spinners and spoons.

You can also pick up a Trout on the northern part, if you're lucky.

Tim, I sent you an email.

I have a permit for June 20 - Falls Chain. Heading straight up to Kawnipi. Trygve, you said no good sites until Kenny. My question for you, is do you make Kenny on day 1 or stop at Saganagons. Any site recommendations for Saganagons? I am assuming you want to cross the deadman's portage and then camp.

How about on Kawnipi? We were thinking a couple days in Mckenzie Bay, a day in Lemay - if we can get there, and a day or two in the upper part of Kawnipi.

Who do you guys use for a tow?

Your thinking is similar to mine Maverick. Going up through Agnes is still on my mind, but my wife is pretty excited about going to an entirely different area and driving up the North Shore.

I was thinking Saganagons 1st day although I think we could get to Kawnipi in a day it would be one long day with a tow and an early start but I don't want to rush through the Falls Chain. Day 2 leasurely paddle/fish through the Falls--although I will be going in Late July/August I haven't had good luck fishing below rapids that time of year--maybe some of the deeper pools will look good. We looked at Lemay/Montgomery as well, but I don't think I am giving myself enough days to get there and enjoy it (we will see what water levels are like and how fast we are moving)---so now thinking of finding a tucked away camp on Kawnipi--explore for a couple of days and head back out. I don't know we always change our mind as we are on the trip anyway :)

Any good camps on Wet or McEwen? We might go there the first day or loop out around on the way out as well. Just to see different territory.

Any remnants of the old Indian Village in Kawa Bay to explore?

Thanks Trygve for the ramblings and to everyone else for the advice.

Tim

Need a tow? Call Debbie at Seagull Outfitters. They run a very tight ship and you can count on departing and being picked up right on schedule.

Getting past Dead Man's portage into the northern part of Saganagons is very reasonable for the first day. They are several good campsites on the islands between the portage and the start of the falls. I disagree a little with Trygve's opinion of the campsites within the fall's chain itself. We typically get past the first three falls and portages into the unnamed lake east of Wet on the first day. There is a very nice campsite high on the point on the south side of the lake halfway across the lake. There is a deep channel here providing a nice cliff diving spot.

Once into Kawnipi the camp sites opportunities are almost endless. We've found good unmarked campsites in McKenzie, Kawa, and the bay south of Kawa.

When you first enter Kawnipi try first unnamed bay to the west. We've found huge schools of walleyes on the southeastern shore of this bay when the wind is right. Trygve is not kidding about Kawnipi being amazing!!

Make sure you troll Cache Bay after leaving the ranger station. You might just find a nice laker on the way to silver falls.