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thinblueline
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01/12/2016 05:12PM   (Thread Older Than 3 Years)
Howdy everyone. After ten tandem/group trips to Quetico, I've decided to take the plunge and go it alone for the first time at the age of 45. Most of the time I've driven up to Atikokan, but I'd like to shave some drive time off by going in from the south at Prairie Portage, and touring an area I've never been to.

I'll be going in around the third weekend in May, and traveling a circuit route for nine nights. My planned route is through Burke, North Bay, Isabella, Sarah, McIntyre, Paulene, Burt, Joyce, Kashapiwi, Grey, Shade, and back out through North Bay and Burke.

I have never before been in May, having always gone in June for the Smallmouth and Walleyes, or September for the fall colors, cooler temps, and lack of bugs and people. I chose May because I haven't caught or even tried to catch a Lake Trout since I was a kid, so I thought I'd go when Lakers were a little shallower than when I am usually up there.

Could anyone offer any tips on the route I have planned, such as tough to find portages, problem navigation points, and good campsites?

I'm not sure what to expect for fishing that time of year. I realize Lake Trout should be shallower and spread out so trolling is the game plan, but I don't know if my trip is too early for good walleye fishing, or where to find them along my route. I'll bring a decent assortment of good lures and I'm an average fisherman with decent rods and reels, but I'll have no fish finder to really dial in. I'd like to eat fish maybe three or four of my nine nights, but that shouldn't amount to more than a couple small Lake Trout and three or four walleyes for my trip, so I'm no threat to the fishery. If anyone would like to share their thoughts of what I can expect for walleyes that time of year, and generally what kinds of locations or features to look for to be successful, that would be great. Thanks in advance for anyone willing to provide a little commentary to help my trip be all that it can be!
 
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Minnesotian
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01/12/2016 08:33PM  
Great route. That is basically the same one I did last August except I went in the opposite direction. I'll just rattle off some things I remember from that route.

1. Isabella to Sarah: There are many options through here, but I took the route Cowdoc mapped out and I recommend it. Some mud but avoids Heart-Attack Hill. Link to Map

2. Good sites on Sarah. I stayed at RC on Sarah from Paddle Planner. Paddle Planner

3. There are two portages to McIntyre from Sarah. The shortest one, and the one you will probably find first, is hard. Straight up, rocky, and tough. I don't recommend it.
The second portage, longer but flatter, is down the shoreline to the left of the Goat Portage. Longer, yes, but easier.

4. Campsite MM from Paddle Planner on McIntyre is one of my favorite sites I have encountered in either the BWCA or Quetico. Big and open and on an island. I highly recommend it. If it is full, site ML is neat and L2 is never used and off the beaten path. Plus, L2 is next to McIntyre Falls which is beautiful and in the early spring should be flowing wonderfully. I recommend checking it out if you have the chance.

5. There is a campsite on Paulene on an island that I checked out, #661. Decent. Worth staying at.

6. The best site on Burt is UE. Second best is SA. UE is great but a tad rocky. If you stay, there is one obvious spot for a tent. Be careful. Water likes to pool...a lot. I found that out. Also, Burt is supposed to have a pictograph. Location is just south of site 658. I couldn't find it.

7. Kahshahpiwi is a great lake. Burned in some spots. Site 12S is nice. Trees are still there but burned all around. Also, you can climb to the cliffs behind 12S pretty easily and have a great, panoramic view of Kahshahpiwi from here.
I stayed at site 121 and it was a nice sheltered site that you could see up and down the lake.

8. The portage from Kahshahpiwi to Yum Yum has a reputation for being tough. And on a hot day it can be. Mostly though it is long, and in the direction you will be going, mostly down. Make sure to stop half way and enjoy the views from the portage of a filled in wet area.

9. The portage from Gray to Unnammed also has a reputation. Also known as Boggy Portage. Many people have gotten turned around when going to Gray, but in the direction you are going, you should be fine. Just cross over the marshy area and keep going straight. There are a couple threads about it on the site.

10. Shade has pictos on the northern arm. I found them. Not exciting, but still neat to see. 2 really nice campsites on Shade.

11. Back on Basswood, I enjoyed staying at site YP. Wide open views of the west. Recommend it.

That's all I can think of. I am crap for fishing, but I did end up eating a couple fish dinners on my trip, so if I can catch fish, you will be fine.

Enjoy.
01/12/2016 09:10PM  
all great points....I'll expound on a couple.
3. Most people think the "southern" portage is easier
6. The start of the portage out of Burt is up a big rock face and can be a buggar to land your canoe and get started
8. Another option is Kash to McNiece..Armin...tip Of Yum Yum..Grey.
Kash to McNiece is not an easy trail either, but is a very interesting portage. Pretty easy through the others.
9. After crossing the swamp, hang a left at the woodline and follow the trail along the edge between woods and swamp as it bends around to the right.
10-11. After Shade, we went through West and South....seemed like a decent route. A SW wind can really get North Bay rocking up there.....play it safe.
thinblueline
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01/12/2016 09:21PM  
Outstanding Minnesotian! I am very appreciative for the detailed response and will mark down all of your tips. Hopefully someone with a hot hand for fishing can provide a few details about what to expect with the fishing and what kind of water walleyes might be hanging out in that time of year.
thinblueline
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01/13/2016 08:53AM  
Thanks for the additional info cow doc!
 
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