BWCA tips

Does anyone have some tips for fishing in the boundary waters I’ll be in the sawbill area and is my 1st trip up there.

I’ve caught several Northerns 35″+ and 1 over 40″ in September early in the mornings on a 1oz Silver Minnow spoon.

Just general tips….take lots of bug spray and don’t get lost.

Keep it simple trolling in a canoe sucks setup with bobbers and a plain hook or jig and live bait fish drop offs,shores, or reefs if you have locator. If fishing clear lakes don’t bother fishing too early get setup before prime time. Have fun ! I’ll be doing some day trip bwca fishing after the fourth

Trolling in a canoe isn’t all that bad. I bring a reversible micro board from Offshore and a couple of cranks. One crank I make sure I have two of is a Flickershad in chrome clown #5 and #7. Have a couple of search baits like lipless cranks and/or jigs and plastics and use a leader or 15# flouro for when those pike slam it. I always toss a bait below falls keying on current seams. Toss into weed lines when you find them and hit the points for smallies, bays for ‘eyes, and reed beds for pike.
One last bit of advice, don’t leave your stringer tied to you boat if there are snapping turtles. One bang on the side of the boat will call them in and they will clean your stringer bare.

+1 on don’t get lost-portages are not marked very well-have more than one gps or batteries. Be aware of your route like you did not have a GPS.Group recently got lost for days because they accidentally got off route and when they figured out that they were off route they did not want to backtrack (I hate to bactrack too!!) So they improvised, made some bad assumptions and ended up lost, got pulled out by a search helicopter.
Fishing: look for soft bottom near rock. Pike everywhere like neckdowns and flowing water-Good Luck

If you are not comfortable reading a map DO NOT go. GPS will help if all goes well but if the batteries die they are of no use. Get a compass and USE it.

Do NOT rely on an electronic device to keep you safe, they fail.

Keep your first trip short and easier until you are more experienced.

Most IMPORTANTLY file a float plan with someone who is not going. Leave a map with them with all areas you may be and ETA’s. Let someone know exactly when you will be out and contact them as soon as possible after exiting the BWCA.

If taking a cell phone in, do not expect any service. Messages may get sent out, but when they get out is a whole nother matter.

Sorry this is so long but the group that Tim mention above was my neighbor. All the above info would have helped when I was dealing with search and rescue to get them help

A bladder of wine out of a boxed wine will float/tow nicely tied to a canoe and stay cool.

Have the other guys been in the Boundary Waters before? There’s lots of stuff to know, like double packin a portage and bear proofin your food at night.

You can get away with simple tackle. Senkos for Bass and #10 XRaps (usually silver for Shad) depending on forage will catch you a Grand Slam if you’re trying.

Leave everything at home but the absolute necessities. A good gravity water filter and a nice sleeping pad are a necessity. Before you leave your car make sure you can pick up your canoe with your pack on. If you can’t leave more gear at the car. Bring straps and bungees.

Returned Friday after a 4 day trip. We usually carry in leeches as well as a few lures.

Always a good time.

Pete

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If you end up traveling in the rain your canoe will become a bath tub. Keep this in mind when packing anything you don’t want to get wet.

Another thing I got into a habit of doing when selecting a site for the tent was to look up. Are there any snags or leaning trees that look like they may come down in a wind.

And yes… a compass and map are essential. I’ve been turned around twice in the BWCA. Once in a heavy fog and the other time we entered the wrong bay.

From a fishing perspective just bite the bullet and have one person handle the positioning of the canoe so the other can fish. Take turns.

I have over 30 trips into the BWCA under my belt and all the above tips are great. YEP – learn to read the map is important. GOOD Rain gear is essential, not the cheapo stuff. GOOD gear for everything. I normally pack everything tight for the two day paddle in and then set up camp, get the poles out and fish. Normal tackle works. Jigs, cranks, spinners etc. Rapids always produce, but so does trolling. I just lay the rod sideways and hook it under under a knee. Not my favorite way to fish, but it does work. Release the small mouth please and keep a few walleye for suppers. BIG northern pike are so much fun UNTIL you get them to the canoe and then panic sets in — how do I land this sucker. Have a great trip

I just got back from a 3 day trip on Saturday. Bring leeches and lots of them! We usually bring 2 lbs of leeches for a 3-4 day trip with 4 people. They are easy to keep alive and the walleyes can’t get enough of them. Slip bobbers have always been my presentation of preference in the BWCA.

Good rain gear,rubber knee boots. Double line all clothes and sleep bag.

go to the MN DNR Lakefinder. Look up the lakes you’ll be on for a contour map. While these aren’t super accurate they at least give you a good way to formulate a plan of attach.

no mention of bear proofing supplies? Its been over 20 years since I did an 18 day and 21 day canoe trip into the BWCA but we always made sure to tie our food up high in the trees and as far away from our camp as we could manage. We never had trouble but another group of campers in our outfit had a bear come into their camp at night and get into their food. I second what others have said about learning to read a map and a compass. You don’t want to rely on technology to get you out of a jam.

any suggestions on which lakes to fish…how does one pick a lake when there is soooo many ahhhhh?

Walleye Hungry wrote:

any suggestions on which lakes to fish…how does one pick a lake when there is soooo many ahhhhh?

Good question:
There’s plenty to explore. I started with Michael Furtman’s BWCA book. It had a table section in the back that listed many of the notable lakes with a fish species code. One idea is to start on the west side of the BWCA and look into the border lakes of Lac La Croix, Crooked & Basswood Lake. Those lakes offer plenty of walleye, pike & SMB and have a multitude of bays, points, islands, etc. to keep you occupied. The central section of the BWCA out of Ely to the end of the Gunflint offers more opportunities for lake trout fishing than the west side if that’s an interest.

When I travel from one camping spot to the next, I’ll troll a bit and pause once in a while to cast a bit. But, I don’t go too much out of the way to explore the shoreline and such. I like to get where I’m going, get camp setup well before dark and then go fish some structure. Some of those portages can be very challenging, be sure and plan plenty of time to hike each one twice. Safe travel is more important than fishing. The vast majority of accidents, falls, sprains etc that I’ve seen happened at the portages.

Planning your entry/pickup points, travel route, camp sites and portages is just as important as planning fishing, probably more important on your first trip or two.

When you’re living out of a canoe for a week, you better keep your priorities straight at all times.

Just got back from sawbill canoe outfitters and it was a successful trip caught a few walleye for dinner no rain 70’s all 3 days but the mosquitos got the best of me all walleyes came on a blue,chrome,orange husky jerk and if anyone is thinking about heading up to the BWCA I’d highly recommend giving sawbill a look amazing outfitter and the drive up was beautiful as well driving along lake superior.

I’ve used http://www.vnorth.com to outfit trips. They are right in Ely. You can stay there the night before, leave your vehicles there and they will drop off and pick up at your entry/exit points. They have always been easy to get along with for us.