First trip to VNP

I’d been on 30-40 boundary waters canoe trips but never had been to Voyageurs National Park. So my best fishing buddy and I decided to changing things up this year and try Voyageurs out of a fishing boat. With the help of Dutchboy we put together a successful game plan. We only had 3 nights but got a great taste of what the park has to offer. Beautiful lakes, excellent (and clean!) campsites and good fishing-what more can you ask for?! If you like the BWCA but have gotten lazy, older or wiser;) you need to check out VNP! That’s not to say that I won’t be back in the BWCA but this won’t be our last Voyageurs trip.

Special thanks to Brian (aka Dutchboy) for all of the advice before the trip, and for looking out for us! Even after selling his boat it seems Brian commandeered a buddy’s boat and came to check on us. I can’t fathom any other excuse for him to be in “that” bay, MILES from civilization, at that moment especially given all of the other options within the park. Did I mention he was yelling my name as he approached random boats?;) Really can’t say enough about his generosity-he loaned me (a total stranger) a map chip last year and now this.

In terms of fishing we managed 7 eyes over 20″ with a 25.5″ big fish (I’m pictured with my best 22.5”) and scratched out a meal of nice eaters along with a ton of small fish and dither fish to keep things interesting.

Thanks again Dutchboy!
-Rich aka TG

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That’s awesome!! I absolutely love it up there. Leave the 14th for a week long journey into God’s Country on Namakan. Can’t wait!!

Glad you guys had fun.

To many people come here thinking this place is all about the fishing. While the fishing is good at times it’s not the main reason to come here. We find the beauty of the park with all it’s animals and backwater bays a must see for those who like that stuff. And……….if you come here during off peak times it’s actually pretty quiet.

If you want fish, fish, fish then Mille Lacs is your spot. If you want absolute solitude then the Boundry Waters is your spot. If you wanna be able to motor around, see nature, catch a fish, experience some history the VNP is tough to beat.

Hope you guys got the camp broke down before our all day rain started yesterday.

See you next time.

Mind if I ask which part of VNP you guys were in? Just spent 4 days in rainy.

TG Sounds awesome!
Me and the Mrs and Junior are heading to Namakan Saturday AM for 5 days, first trip of our 22nd year of heading up to VNP!! There are very few places on earth I’d rather spend time in (especially in July/August).
Even after all these years we still take plenty of time to just drive around and sightsee the park. Always make a run up to Kettle Falls, and run the lake to check out other campsites or find a beach to swim at. Never know what you might see around the next corner, deer, wolves, bear, otters, eagles…. the only thing we have never seen is a moose (did find the remains of one along the shoreline of Lost bay many years ago)

Dutchboy, if you are out and about we ride a black 1850 Tyee/175 Verado and a #85 yellow lab as a hood ornament. Staying at Peterson Point but will be in West Nam for most all our fishing.
This is usually transition time for eyes on Nam, curious if you found fish moving on the reefs at all?
Plan to spend a good amount of time casting for smallies and pike, as that’s the FW and son’s favorite. But I’ll be getting up mornings solo to put together our Tuesday night fish fry. I can almost smell the fish already

Red Eye wrote:

Mind if I ask which part of VNP you guys were in? Just spent 4 days in rainy.

I’ll let Rich decide how specific he wants to be. I’ll say they were in Namakin.

xplorer wrote:

TG Sounds awesome!
Even after all these years we still take plenty of time to just drive around and sightsee the park. Always make a run up to Kettle Falls, and run the lake to check out other campsites or find a beach to swim at. Never know what you might see around the next corner, deer, wolves, bear, otters, eagles…. the only thing we have never seen is a moose (did find the remains of one along the shoreline of Lost bay many years ago)

This right here says it all! I am fortunate enough to have a friend, @Grubson, who’s family owns one of the few cabins left up there. On our way to Ash River Visitor Center Landing, down the Ash River Trail in the summer of 2016, we come around a corner to find this guy (pic below) trotting along the road. Not the best picture but they are fast and we didn’t want to get too close. Majestic area filled with majestic creatures.

Also, one day fishing around Cemetery Island, looked up and a GIANT wolf was standing on one of the cliff edges. Looked at us and calmly walked into the woods. Nothing short of God’s Country!!

We’ve also had an eagle follow us around the bays while trolling. Hook up with a cigar and start reeling it in. Naturally, the little walter comes right to the surface and we kinda skip him in. The Eagle saw this and started his dive toward the water out of a big Pine. My buddy opened his bail to hopefully get the fish to sink. The Eagle went for a grab in the water but thankfully missed. But, also one of the coolest thing I’ve ever seen. Literally swooped down right behind the boat and went for the grab!

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I have yet to see a Moose or Wolf. Lots of Bear & Eagles.

Truly a interesting area.

A few years ago we were just cruising up to Kettle, and were following the west shoreline near where the disabled camping site is across from Mica island. We looked up and here was a wolf just running along the top of the rocks along shore. Watched it for over 150 yards before it cut into the woods.

Our closest encounter came about 7 years ago. We were camped on Johnson island, getting ready to head out fishing. All of a sudden our mix-breed husky Winnie (RIP) took off down the shoreline barking. She came back a couple minutes later and we shoved off. I turned the boat around and noticed something in the water swimming away from the island, figured the dog had spooked a couple deer. So we putted over and realized they were not deer, but two adult wolves. We watched from about 20 yards as they swam over to the mainland, climbed the bank, and shook off before running into the woods. That crazy dog had chased them off the island.
Many years ago we were camped at Sexton island, on the tent pad that is right down on the point at waters edge. We had fish that night and I had thrown the remains off the rocks on the point. We were in our bags and heard splashing very close, and ended up having a whole family of otters pull up all of those fish guts and eat them on the rocks not 15 feet from our tent.
So many cool places up there!!

Never seen a bear or moose but a wolf and lots of deer. Its an awesome area.

We were in western Namakan and fished the areas around the wolf Pack Islands, Junction, Hoist and Moose Bays. Most of our fish came around islands and we were fishing shallower than most ~10-14 FOW. That worked for a couple days but big storms Friday into Saturday really slowed things down for us.

We didn’t see any big critters but got a visit from a family of otters-which is always fun!

Good luck to those with upcoming trips!

Ely