Looking for some suggestions on relatively easy winter camp sites with decent fishing options. 2-3 nights. Seeing people is not a concern, it's more about the experience of camping out. We have a hot tent set up and sleds to pull everything. Prefer some place up the Fernberg, but open to other options. Thinking of Snowbank or Moose, finding a nice tucked away camp site. Wind Lake might be a little too far, but possible. Flash? Where am I missing?

Wood Lake, Fall lake, the lakes along four mile portage, the numbered lakes... Flash has always had me curious because of the DNR survey numbers...

Off the Gunflint Trail - Clearwater is a great option.

I have seen winter campers on Flash in the past. When I saw them, I didn't see any sign that they were fishing. We fished it a couple times during the summer but didn't have much luck. I want to try winter camping on Disappointment. Dog sledders run that route so I would assume the trail should be good. I think that would be a good option.

I am also mulling a first time winter attempt....watching this thread.

quote pastorjsackett: "I am also mulling a first time winter attempt....watching this thread."

Be forewarned; You know the time and thought you put into canoeing/camping....... well, double it if you get into winter camping. Well worth it though :-)

Warning received. But that's not helping!!

quote jake68: "Off the Gunflint Trail - Clearwater is a great option."

+ ONE

If I had to suggest a good place for a first time winter camping trip I would suggest Sawbill. You don't have to worry about the road being plowed and there is plenty of parking. There are a couple of portages to lakes such as Smoke that are easily reachable in one day and it will give you a good taste of how difficult portages can be in the winter. The portage to smoke is probably one of the easier ones by the way because it is fairly flat compared to others. The fishing is decent and the few times I have been there we had the lake to ourselves. If your goal is to catch trout I would second TB's suggestion as well. Plan for a reasonable amount of travel, chances are you will pack too heavy on your first trip so try and have a backup plan in case you don't make it. My first trip we planned to go 4 miles and the 6 inches of wet snow that day along with our over packed sleds we made it about a mile and a half. The first time might be a little rough but once you go and learn some of the tricks I think you will absolutely love it, I know I do but maybe that's just the Finlander in me.

From what I learned last year, I would suspect Moose and Snowbank entry points would always be plowed. Very easy to get to. There is a big dogsled loop that runs up Moose, down Ensign, and through dissapointment and Snowbank. There's a wide trail that goes from Snowbank back to Moose past the boy scout camp outside the BWCA to make that a complete loop - albeit a bit hilly. There are flat winter portages between the lakes for dogsleds that are relatively flat. You can see these on the McKenzie maps. The non-bwca half of snowbank has ice roads. You can fish for lake trout after Jan 20 or so. The problem with this route would probably be wind. Not only are the lakes big and wide, but there aren't many sheltered nooks for a campsite. Boot Lake is sheltered off the north end of snowbank, but it might be impossible to get to due to moving water. Going to Disappointment through Snowbank might be interesting and have more wind shelter.

I am hoping to find time to go to Sawbill this year, and go through Burnt and Smoke as mentioned above. This route has narrower lakes, and lots of little wind sheltered inlets. I've never been there in winter, so I don't know how well plowed it is, how good the ice is, etc.

quote NotLight:


I am hoping to find time to go to Sawbill this year, and go through Burnt and Smoke as mentioned above. This route has narrower lakes, and lots of little wind sheltered inlets. I've never been there in winter, so I don't know how well plowed it is, how good the ice is, etc.



"

I have never had in issue with the sawbill trail not being plowed. People live at the outfitter in the winter so it's kept up pretty well. If you pop on the Sawbill website Bill does a pretty good job of posting once the lake is frozen over. The portage to smoke lake isn't too bad, its fairly short and best of all its not too hilly.

quote Gadfly: "

quote NotLight:



I am hoping to find time to go to Sawbill this year, and go through Burnt and Smoke as mentioned above. This route has narrower lakes, and lots of little wind sheltered inlets. I've never been there in winter, so I don't know how well plowed it is, how good the ice is, etc.



"

I have never had in issue with the sawbill trail not being plowed. People live at the outfitter in the winter so it's kept up pretty well. If you pop on the Sawbill website Bill does a pretty good job of posting once the lake is frozen over. The portage to smoke lake isn't too bad, its fairly short and best of all its not too hilly. "

Thanks. That's great information. I'll watch Sawbill's web page this winter. I'll probably post something in the fishing forum this winter to figure out how to fish those lakes in winter.

I've only fished Sawbill and Smoke and one of the trout lakes a few miles north of there. We didn't slay them but we caught enough for a decent meal and to keep us entertained. I haven't fished either one enough to give you any advice other than it was very slow during daylight ours but picked up nicely shortly before dark.

I have done all of the following with students:

Ely Side:

Wood Lake. Nice lake, decent northern and walleye fishing. A few options to portage. Parking lot right off of road. Been there three times....parking lot always plowed. Trail starts off by doing about .75 miles in the woods. Be prepared for slight elevation change when pulling your sled. This lake is well traveled.

Newfound Lake: Another nice lake with jump off options. This one seemed to be a rather busy dog sled lake. Meaning, it allowed for a nice packed trail all the way up. There were two small trout lakes off to each side (Skull? Found? I can't remember the names). We went later in the year so northern/walleye fishing was closed. Had to fish the small trout lakes (with no real success). The parking lot was large and was plowed.

Gunflint Side:

Clearwater Lake: Great lake with at least two jump off points go to other lakes. Potential to catch big lake trout. About a 3 mile hike up to the other side. Well traveled. Not too far up the Gunflint. Small parking lot/landing but is plowed.

Seagull Lake: Big lake with a ton of spots to get out of the wind and get away from other people. Trout lake. End of the line on the Gunflint. Interesting to see the effects of two different forest fires. Parking was decent.

One advantage of going to a trout lake is that the season goes well into March (as opposed to walleye/northern that closes in Feb). Meaning, you can take better advantage of warmer days, shorter nights by going in March and still fishing.

All of the above have about a 2-4 mile hike in.

As far as the comment about planning for winter compared to summer. Not too experienced with summer tripping but what I have found winter planning isn't that complicated....less is more!

Hope that helps.