Mesaba to Wine

I woke up again to another gorgeous but hot morning. I singled portaged again coming out of Mesaba lake and after tweaking my neck and shoulders I would be done with single portaging for the trip.

Around the corner in Duck Lake I finally saw my moose. He was about 30 feet from me chopping on grass by the shore. His antlers were already outside his ears so he may be a big one. Every now and again he would raise up his nose to smell me. He wasn't startled, probably just thought something dead was floating down the river. I'm guessing I don't smell the greatest at this point. I watched for him for about 20 minutes before he finally walked up the hill.

I reached Wine Lake with about a four hour travel day. The only real challenge being the portage into Wine. Think up, down, up, down. Good footing but no level ground.

I took the campsite closet to the portage and chilled out for a bit while weather passed by. It turned out to be only light drizzle. I then went after the lake trout. I drifted across with a red and white little cleo and caught one almost immediately. My first lake trout!! I caught several more drifting across the same 40 foot hole.

This turned out to be one of my better days in the BWCA with moose and trout. I would really like to return to Wine and spend more time here.

5 miles 273 rods