The Joy of Adversarial Weather and a Bushwhacking Fever Dream
by asaboy
Trip Type:
Paddling Canoe
Entry Date:
09/03/2025
Entry & Exit Point:
Kawishiwi Lake (EP 37)
Number of Days:
6
Group Size:
3
Discuss Trip:
View Discussion Thread (0 messages)
Day 4 of 6
Saturday, September 06, 2025
Trout on Little Saganaga
~Makwa Lake, Elton Lake, Little Saganaga Lake
Day four dawned with less rain but with unrelenting west wind and temperatures holidng in the low 40s. We decided to head up to Little Saganaga to see if we could get some lakers. We chose the two small portages at the north end of Elton (over the ~130 rod one midlake) and it proved to be an easy trip. This was my first time on Little Sag and I see why folks love it. It's big, but complex in a way that gives you a sense of security even in the high winds we were facing that day, and seemingly infinite spots to explore. Definitely a lake to hit again on a different trip. We found a couple of trout north of the island that campsite #816 is on, trolling silver and blue 4.5 inch Doctor Spoons in 35-45 feet of water. Then we found them absolutely stacked up in the passage south of that island, where the wind seemed to be pushing baitfish into the deep choke point the smaller island to the south. We hooked a monster and sadly lost it at the boat, but ended the jaunt with a nice eater to bring back to camp.
Back at Makwa, we caught another good eating sized trout casting a smaller golden spoon into 25 feet of water between the island and shore mid-lake. This day ended right on cue as the heaviest rain of the trip blew in in the late afternoon and forced us off the lake, but the trout tasted incredible all the same.
Trout on Little Saganaga
~Makwa Lake, Elton Lake, Little Saganaga Lake
Day four dawned with less rain but with unrelenting west wind and temperatures holidng in the low 40s. We decided to head up to Little Saganaga to see if we could get some lakers. We chose the two small portages at the north end of Elton (over the ~130 rod one midlake) and it proved to be an easy trip. This was my first time on Little Sag and I see why folks love it. It's big, but complex in a way that gives you a sense of security even in the high winds we were facing that day, and seemingly infinite spots to explore. Definitely a lake to hit again on a different trip. We found a couple of trout north of the island that campsite #816 is on, trolling silver and blue 4.5 inch Doctor Spoons in 35-45 feet of water. Then we found them absolutely stacked up in the passage south of that island, where the wind seemed to be pushing baitfish into the deep choke point the smaller island to the south. We hooked a monster and sadly lost it at the boat, but ended the jaunt with a nice eater to bring back to camp.
Back at Makwa, we caught another good eating sized trout casting a smaller golden spoon into 25 feet of water between the island and shore mid-lake. This day ended right on cue as the heaviest rain of the trip blew in in the late afternoon and forced us off the lake, but the trout tasted incredible all the same.
Donate - BWCA.com