Boundary Waters Quetico Forum :: Quetico Forum :: Quetico - Top 5 Lakes You have been to
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Captn Tony |
Funny how you survived with jeans, tennis shoes and cotton shirts. So you don't need to spend $500 of special clothes and shoes? |
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Banksiana |
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Beaverjack |
quote TomT: "Burt Lake. The water is out of this world clear and that is one fine site on the island. East or West side of the island? |
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GeoFisher |
* Kawnipi. I love that lake. Never been in the spring only the fall. * Basswood. Man, talk about solid, solid fishing..... * Saganagons. One of the best SOLID big fish days ever on that lake. * Blackstone. Man, talk about a beautiful place. Simply Beautiful. * Saganaga. Number Bays, Canadian side, and Cache Bay are the BOMB. This list may be updated this year. I'm headed to Beaverhouse, Quetico, Jean, Jesse, Sturgeon, and a few others...... Of course I might need to take my ice auger.. Later, Geo |
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TomT |
Quetico Sept. 2011 Pt. 1 Part 2 |
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Stumpy |
2. Ditto 3. Ditto 4. Baird Lake 5. Could be any one of many bushwhack lakes...The no name West of Agnes' South end (Southern of the two), for now. sorry |
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ferris24 |
1) Middle Roland 2) Hoare 3) Camel 4) McIntyre 5) Agnes |
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HowardSprague |
quote Stumpy: "1. XXXXXXX (really sorry, but I want to let you live) Grrrr - hope to stumble across your campfire someday! |
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Stumpy |
quote HowardSprague: "quote Stumpy: "1. XXXXXXX (really sorry, but I want to let you live) just keep it zipped ;) |
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kanoes |
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HowardSprague |
quote kanoes: "i despised sturgeon...but that beach penisula campsite made it ok." Crossing Sturgeon N to S in a solo, with the others in tandems, was pretty damn tough and seemed to take forever. I would have been in favor of stopping at a nice beach peninsula site, but we were going "to Russell or bust". But the narrows part, going from Russell to Lonely, was prob my favorite of the trip. |
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MrBreeze |
5. Kawnipi, spent a lot of time on Rose Island. Like the falls chain entry but also enjoy entering from Agnes because... 4. Agnes, Louisa falls, pictos on islands in center of lake. high cliffs on north end. 3. Darky, probably because what we went through to get there. 2. March, was a day trip to this lake but all of the tree stumps from logging, the log sluices leading us to the lake and an abandoned logging camp we discovered. Was a great day trip. 1. Argo, Don't know what it was but this lake just hit me hard when we came down the portage to it and seems I have to try to get back there every time I go to the Q. |
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HansSolo |
Tough to narrow it down to five, but in no particular order; 1. Kawnipi Lake, (Seems like a popular choice, but there's something about Kawnipi Lake.) 2. Argo Lake 3. Jesse lake 4. Camel Lake 5. Sturgeon Lake Honorable Mentions: Agnes, Bart, Pickerel, Cairn and Montgomery Hans Solo |
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Wables |
quote Old Hoosier: "Lots of great lakes to chose from. I have only been to the Quetico 3 times, and all have been to Omeme in my teenage years, 20 years ago. My most vivid memory of the trips is the time spent on the Badwater portage. Talk about a death march! The guys I have been going to the BWCA with are finally intrigued about going to the Quetico, and we just started planning next years trip to Kawnipi. |
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TomT |
quote Banksiana: "Just back from a six day trip (five nights) on great lakes. Call it the clear lake tour. That's a sweet little site there on Ted. How do you do this where you enter at PP and exit Mudro? Do you leave a vehicle at Mudro and hop a ride to Moose Lake? |
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Banksiana |
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joetrain |
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ZaraSp00k |
some good choices by everyone for favorite lakes, my favorite is a small one that has a hell of a portage that goes seemingly straight up and down with no place for a good put in/take out, but the campsite and lakers make it worthwhile, to top it off, there is a small stream on the way that has trout name will not be divulged |
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kanoes |
every other lake ive seen there has morphed into one for me. all similar. |
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msray53 |
quote Texas Mike: "This is my first post to the BWCA messageboard. I've been lurking in the background for several years but recently joined up. I've only made 6 trips to Quetico, all since 2004, and have not covered much of the park but here goes in no particular order: Guess it would have helped if I'd logged in first! Mike |
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bojibob |
quote TomP: "Bojibob, Tom I grew up in Sioux Falls, but had a 24 year career as an Army Officer that took me a few places. My final active duty assignment was in Atlanta and I have resided there since 95. I will be in Sioux Falls tomorrow morning... a friend and I are paddling the Sioux River down to Newton Hills State Park. My Route into Hoare was either up through Agnes, Poets chain into Camel or Kahs up to Camel. I was young then. Now I'll just read about other folks trying :-) |
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whitecedar |
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dentondoc |
Kawnipi Burntside McDougal Brent Suzanette Honorable mention: Baird Olifaunt McEwen Agnes Robinson dd |
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Longpaddler |
Carp - fishing and accessability Sarah - great memories Knife - paddle... paddle... paddle Isabella - just "felt good |
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walllee |
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billconner |
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Longpaddler |
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MrBreeze |
quote Texas Mike: "This is my first post to the BWCA messageboard. I've been lurking in the background for several years but recently joined up. I've only made 6 trips to Quetico, all since 2004, and have not covered much of the park but here goes in no particular order:Did I did the S chain going into Agnes many years ago. I did enjoy it very much as well. |
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Beaverjack |
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Canoodler |
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DancesWithTrees |
MacKenzie... via the Death March portages, which nearly lived up to their name. Pictographs, all kinds of islands, tons of wildlife. And there was just something about the feel of it, like it was haunted or something. Plus, it is just so difficult to get to, you feel like you really accomplished something getting there. Jean... there is a fantastic campsite along the south shore, where a small penninsula sticks out. Has shallow sand beach all around it, ideal for swimming and playing around. The bay just east of there, I had the best fishing experience I've ever had anywhere - HUGE smallmouth bass, I'm talking 8 to 10 pounds, which is ridiculous. And this happened on two trips seperated by many years. Unnamed lakes east from southern end of Kashahpiwi (we dubbed then James and Matt Lakes)... From the southern end, near the fire tower, go west into a bay, follow portage to a narrow, deep lake with big, beautiful cliffs (James). Then one more portage west to a wider but smallish lake with a wonderful campsite, and it is waaaaay off the beaten path (Matt). Could spend weeks there and probably not see anyone. Conk... it is really like two lakes connected by a marsh. Lots of people hit the eastern side, on the way between Quetico and Jean. But, I recommend you take a slight detour through the marsh, and into the western half of the lake. It was like a zoo in there. Saw tons of fish, saw an osprey with young ones, and the island we stopped on was just covered in droppings from moose, deer and bear. Great, hidden little area. River between Munro and Falls Chain... very, very few people use this route. Thin blue lines on the map tend to scare most off, because many of those streams are impassible. This one is not, and it was like finding a hidden jungle. Just wide enough to make for pretty easy paddling, one short portage, good fishing. |
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crutch5 |
McIntyre; Seclusion! McIntyre; Big Pike! McIntyre; Big Lakers! McIntyre; Big smallies! Secondary lakes; Agnes, North Bay, and Suzzanette. All for the same reasons stated above. |
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Beaverjack |
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TomT |
quote Beaverjack: "Great story TomT. Football sized bass? Think I'll take a few plastic worms after all." Have you ever noticed the difference in smallies where some look "normal" and they fight normally maybe jumping a few times. Then, there are those that just seem wilder. They have big muscular shoulders and even LOOK mean. These are the bass that I love to catch. I found normal ones in Milt Lake but the bass in Burt Lake are the real deal. Beaverjack, if you will be doing any of that route I did make sure to mark your maps at a few locations where the portages were marked wrong on the McKenzie and Fisher maps. I printed out the correct locations. Unless you are up for adventure of course, then have at it! I put in a few extra hours on that trip of looking for and finding the wrong portages and doing a lot of doubling back and bullshit like that. Sheesh! I wish those mapmakers knew what the F they were doing sometimes. |
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TomT |
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tumblehome |
quote Banksiana: "Just back from a six day trip (five nights) on great lakes. Call it the clear lake tour. Ha, I know what campsite you were on. I was there a few days earlier. I put pine needles over the fire pit so it looks like nobody was there. Did I fool you? I'll say Ted is a top 5 lake too. Tom |
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Banksiana |
Camped on Louisa, Kahshahpiwi, Marj, Ted and Argo- out via Mudro. Close to a top five. Ted always has to show off. |
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HighnDry |
quote HowardSprague: "Not nearly as difficult when you've only been to the Q side once :) That's a nice route though! Especially early season...with few around! |
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Hawbakers |
quote kanoes: "i despised sturgeon...but that beach penisula campsite made it ok." Jan, you just needed a sail! :) We tried that years ago but the wind died on us! Some of My fav's are: 1) Agnes 2) Other Man (The whole Man Chain) 3) Saganagons 4) Kawnipi 5) Carp The five I wish to get to: Blackstone Poohbah Wicksteed MacKenzie Quetico |
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OldGreyGoose |
1. Quetico – Huge variety: nice campsites, sandy beaches, pictographs, fishing holes and humbling winds. 2. Omeme – Logging days relics, walleye, seclusion, and the challenge of getting there. 3. Fred – Literally up the creek (Cutty), yummy walleye supper, island campsite, and seclusion. 4. Jean – She is beautiful, has big smallies and I have fond solo memories of there. 5. Darky – Nice campsites, great pictographs, and smallies on topwater. (Let's do favorite streams next, okay?) --Goose |
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HowardSprague |
Sturgeon (- particularly the Sturgeon Narrows area) Russell Lonely Jesse Maria |
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OldGreyGoose |
quote HowardSprague: "Not nearly as difficult when you've only been to the Q side once :) Howard: Well, you picked a good one. I've been from Jesse to Sturgeon through Lonely (Walter/Elizabeth) a few times and it is a great area! --Goose |
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Maverick |
Mckenzie - mysterious and pretty remote, another large lake. Camel - remote feel and fond memories, I need to go back. Ted - nice camps and sheer beauty. Bentpine- remote feel and good fishing and memories with my kids. This was tough, I could have added a number of others. |
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mooseplums |
McIntyre Burntside Quetico Jean |
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AdamXChicago |
AdamX |
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Old Hoosier |
1) Omeme - always produces numbers like no place else 2) Cub - numbers and size 3) Badwater - steady producer, but real monsters live there! 4) Bee - exciting topwater pike in the weeds and shallows 5) Un-named lake off Bee - remoteness from another era (and fish!) Old Hoosier |
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AdamXChicago |
quote HowardSprague: "quote kanoes: "i despised sturgeon...but that beach penisula campsite made it ok." Yep - great stretch of scenery |
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bojibob |
So to kick it off. Favorite Lakes: I'm sure everyone has different reasons and some may wonder why you picked... so explain why it's in your top 5 1. Hoare Lake - Remote.. seldom seen 2. McIntyre - Everytime I have been through it or stayed there it was beautiful. 3. Agnes - The cliffs, Louisa Falls, so much space to explore. 4. McKenzie Bay (Kawnipi) - All the little islands make for a nice little bay. 5. Sark - Pretty Lake with islands and nice Cliffs Honorable mention: Argo - might be higher if I didn't have a crappy time there. |
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timatkn |
For years my number one was Ted lake, then Argo. Switched to Suzannete. We really liked Sarah last year. Burt was great too. North Bay has been wonderfull to me. I think the more I visit the more it is harder to decide. Hoare Lake? Boji----has anyone been on that lake recently. What made it so great? The remoteness? The excitement of going where few go? Did you find the message cache? that lake is on my list to do. T |
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bojibob |
quote timatkn: "Way to hard....For the Q it changes form year to year. T, I have been in contact with a member from another board. He and his friend made it into Hoare a couple of years ago and found the message cache and only 7 or 8 groups have been there since the mid 60's. Myself or my friends are four of those groups. Another member from this board is going in Solo this summer. I think he wishes to remain anonymous. He has promised to photo the messages we wrote in 1976 1978,1979 & 1980. The messages in are important to me since it was my first trips to the Q. But the true beauty of Hoare is the remoteness, one of the oldest stands of old growth pine in all of Quetico lines the southern shore. The Lake is deep and cold and many monster Lakers lurk. The tough part is getting there. 4 good days to approach then a full day of tough bushwhacking to get it and of course then you have to get back out. Not many people can do a 10+ day minimum trip and its not a trip for those without excellent outdoor skills. Several have attempted over the past couple of years with no luck. I kind of like that :-) Hoare Lake 1979 |
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Kiporby |
2. Kawnipi. Awesome fishing. Great camps. Tons to explore. 3. Sturgeon. Just awesome. Massive! 4. Other Man. Small and intimate. Fish trip of my life we base camped there. Great camp site. 5. Saganagons. Good fishing. Lots of bays and islands to explore. |
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fishguts |
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TomT |
Joyce Lake. I only spent one night on an island but it has a wildness to it and beautiful portages in and out. Ted Lake. Message cache and just a jewel of a lake with beautiful islands and clear water. Joyce Lake 2011 Burt Lake 2011 island site. Ted Lake 2011 Picto cliff. |
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Jackfish |
1. Montgomery 2. Lonely 3. Chatterton 4. Sultry 5. Side (and the Unnamed just north of it) You'll notice that all are smaller lakes with 'character'. If I was going to throw some bigger lakes into the mix, I'd add Quetico Lake and Saganagons. |
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billconner |
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PineKnot |
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timatkn |
Boji--pretty cool pic. Should feel proud to be one of the few to visit the lake (that's a great reason in itself to put it on top of the list) I know a few people who have mentioned it or tried but I can't think of anyone who has actually been there. Congrats! Hope ya get to see the messages again. T |
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tumblehome |
I love the whole place. Tom |
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Texas Mike |
North Bay - big fish, great camping, diverse fish habitats Agnes - beautiful lake, nice falls, pretty cliffs, clear water Kawnipi - big, beautiful, great fishing, great camping Silence - ruggedly beautiful, nice paddle, good camping Sultry - scenic, small and protected, good fishing Mike |
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bojibob |
quote TomP: "Boji, Yes HE did... and major kudos to him for doing it solo |
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arctic |
Hurn Poohbah Agnes Burt McDougall |
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TomP |
Did your friends make it Hoare this past summer? |
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OldGreyGoose |
#3 should have been "Camel" (not Fred). --Goose |
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TomP |
Sounds like a great trip. What EP did you use for that trip to Hoare Lake? I read your entry on QJ. You mention that you lived in Sioux Falls. That's where I am from. Thanks. Tom |
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arctic |
I still travel nearly as well as I did when I was in my twenties, but my old traveling buddies have let their bodies go to s**t and have given up on canoe tripping, so I now do my tripping with my teen-aged sons. A couple of years ago I saw four people, two men and two women, none younger than 65 or 70, on Agnes Lake. They were great trippers and having a wonderful time. That was a tremendous inspiration for me. |
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AdamXChicago |
quote BillConner01: "This is too hard. I revisited Kahsapiwi and visited Trant for first time this last September and both were wonderful. I can't name 5 lakes in the Q I don't like." LOL. That's a good one! How true... |
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Diego |
quote bojibob: " " That is a very cool photo. Magazines pay a lot of money for a shot like that. |
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LaVirginienne |
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