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Best lures and lakes ?? BWCA #7195561
02/25/21 12:56 PM
02/25/21 12:56 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 62,661
Minnesota
330-Trapper Offline OP

trapper
330-Trapper  Offline OP

trapper

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 62,661
Minnesota
My Daughter is Taking me to the BWCA on another Canoe trip.

This trip we are looking for better fishing lakes

What are some favorite casting lures and Good lakes?


NRA and NTA Life Member
www.BackroadsRevised@etsy.com




Re: Best lures and lakes ?? BWCA [Re: 330-Trapper] #7195568
02/25/21 01:02 PM
02/25/21 01:02 PM
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 4,023
ND
grumley701 Online content
trapper
grumley701  Online Content
trapper

Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 4,023
ND
Dad, uncle, brother and I canoed into Crooked Lake (Friday Bay) back in the mid 90's, fished walleye and small mouth. Pretty much all we took were hooks and sinkers....and 5lbs. of leaches. The Fishing was outstanding but we lost lots of hooks to northerns.


Pure Blood
Re: Best lures and lakes ?? BWCA [Re: 330-Trapper] #7195582
02/25/21 01:18 PM
02/25/21 01:18 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 662
Illinois
B
Big Possum Offline
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Big Possum  Offline
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B

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 662
Illinois
Been a long time but went up there about 10 years in a row with students in late 70’s early 80’s. Had to finally stop going when school said too much liability for that trip. My students and I had the time of our life. Best fishing was with leaches on slip bobbers. Top water lures for bass, spoons for northern. I think we were boated across moose lake ( bad lake to canoe since it is huge) and portages into Ensign lake ( I think) and set up a base camp ( points are best camping spots in my opinion. Breezes help keep mosquitos down and bears only have one direction to come in.


If it ain't grinnin I ain't skinnin
Re: Best lures and lakes ?? BWCA [Re: 330-Trapper] #7195602
02/25/21 01:31 PM
02/25/21 01:31 PM
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 6,955
Northern Mn
rick olson Online content
trapper
rick olson  Online Content
trapper

Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 6,955
Northern Mn
Spinner baits,top water walk the dog,spoon's #5&7 crank baits and dont forget jig's for still fishing pink,white and yellow you and your daughter should have a great time.It's been about 15 years since I did my 3 day trip over there.

Re: Best lures and lakes ?? BWCA [Re: 330-Trapper] #7195604
02/25/21 01:33 PM
02/25/21 01:33 PM
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 4,023
ND
grumley701 Online content
trapper
grumley701  Online Content
trapper

Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 4,023
ND
330, as for lures I would bring a swallow running plastic body bait (whatever brand you're a fan of) a count down style plastic body bait, a shad rap style of plastic body bait and STEEL LEADERS..


Pure Blood
Re: Best lures and lakes ?? BWCA [Re: 330-Trapper] #7195612
02/25/21 01:37 PM
02/25/21 01:37 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 62,661
Minnesota
330-Trapper Offline OP

trapper
330-Trapper  Offline OP

trapper

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 62,661
Minnesota
I'm planning on DT 4 fat raps for sure


NRA and NTA Life Member
www.BackroadsRevised@etsy.com




Re: Best lures and lakes ?? BWCA [Re: 330-Trapper] #7195634
02/25/21 02:07 PM
02/25/21 02:07 PM
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 175
Northern Illinois
J
JackD Offline
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JackD  Offline
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Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 175
Northern Illinois
I guided fishing trips on the BWCA back in 1983 out of Grand Marais and I can recommend some great lakes if you're going to that part of the boundary waters. Only went to the BWCA out of Ely once so I couldn't give you much on that area of the boundary waters.

Depends on species you want to target and time of year you're planning on making your trip as to which lakes and/or lures you'd want to use.


Mr. CBD
Re: Best lures and lakes ?? BWCA [Re: 330-Trapper] #7195655
02/25/21 02:26 PM
02/25/21 02:26 PM
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 2,801
Mn
W
Whopper Stopper Online content
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Whopper Stopper  Online Content
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Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 2,801
Mn
Spro Rat swimbait. Bass love them as do big pike.

WS

Re: Best lures and lakes ?? BWCA [Re: 330-Trapper] #7195673
02/25/21 02:37 PM
02/25/21 02:37 PM
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 524
Northern MN
A
atrapper Offline
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atrapper  Offline
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 524
Northern MN
Small topwater baits and spinnerbaits for smallmouth. Crankbaits (Shad Raps are great) and jigs with leeches for walleyes. Anything you have too much of in your tackle box for pike. As mentioned above, different lakes are great for different species. In my experience, the farther in you're willing to paddle and portage, the better the fishing will be.

Re: Best lures and lakes ?? BWCA [Re: 330-Trapper] #7195683
02/25/21 02:47 PM
02/25/21 02:47 PM
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 2,042
SE Kansas
K
K52 Offline
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K52  Offline
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K

Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 2,042
SE Kansas
Originally Posted by 330-Trapper
My Daughter is Taking me to the BWCA on another Canoe trip.

This trip we are looking for better fishing lakes

What are some favorite casting lures and Good lakes?


First thing you need to do is check out all the info at:www.bwca.com

Everything you need to know is there, unless you already have your entry permit where you go fishing could be affected by what permits are available for when you go. Each entry point has a daily limit and some are already gone for year. I would advise against Ensign lake as it is heavily used anymore and some sites have bear problems.

I've taken a tow across Moose to the portage ( more like a hump ) to Birch and paddled to the portages on Carp-Melon-Seed then the longer portage to Knife. This is the border route the Voyagers used in the fur trade days. Paddle to the South Arm of Knife and make a base camp. You can do this in a day easy if you get the first tow of the morning. South arm of Knife has some really good fishing.

Going the other way out of Moose can get you to Basswood which is a huge lake but the smallmouth fishing was incredible and caught walleye over 7 pounds. We weren't that far into Basswood from the portage either.

Re: Best lures and lakes ?? BWCA [Re: 330-Trapper] #7195759
02/25/21 03:51 PM
02/25/21 03:51 PM
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 5,947
South metro, MN
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Calvin Offline
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Calvin  Offline
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Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 5,947
South metro, MN
Seems the fishing has changed quite abit from years ago. The last 4 times I've been there (different lakes) in the last 3 years I've had terrible fishing luck. There are 4 lakes about 2 miles along the 4 mile portage out of Fall lake that are full of northerns. I had to resort to those lakes the last time I was up there just over a year ago. Good luck.

Re: Best lures and lakes ?? BWCA [Re: JackD] #7195948
02/25/21 07:35 PM
02/25/21 07:35 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 62,661
Minnesota
330-Trapper Offline OP

trapper
330-Trapper  Offline OP

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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 62,661
Minnesota
Originally Posted by JackD
I guided fishing trips on the BWCA back in 1983 out of Grand Marais and I can recommend some great lakes if you're going to that part of the boundary waters. Only went to the BWCA out of Ely once so I couldn't give you much on that area of the boundary waters.

Depends on species you want to target and time of year you're planning on making your trip as to which lakes and/or lures you'd want to use.

We might be leaving out of Grand Marias...my daughter & Son in law are planning our Route. With my assistance cool


NRA and NTA Life Member
www.BackroadsRevised@etsy.com




Re: Best lures and lakes ?? BWCA [Re: 330-Trapper] #7195985
02/25/21 08:05 PM
02/25/21 08:05 PM
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,664
Wisconsin
G
Green Bay Offline
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Green Bay  Offline
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Posts: 1,664
Wisconsin
Jigs, spoons, and crankbaits for throwing out behind the canoe. You can catch just about everything with those essentials.


Author of The Lure Hunter: A Guide to Finding Fishing Lures
Re: Best lures and lakes ?? BWCA [Re: 330-Trapper] #7196146
02/25/21 09:40 PM
02/25/21 09:40 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,883
Alabama/ SE Wisconsin
S
shanemoss Offline
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shanemoss  Offline
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,883
Alabama/ SE Wisconsin
When are you going? My favorite changes every time I go. Was on Stuart and iron last spring and walleye hit anything you cast. I caught some on flies in 8 fow. Caught some nice pike as well. In the summer, I went to big moose and stayed a week hammering smallmouth with some giants. Best they hit that week was rattle traps in dull colors. I remove the hooks, run the line through the eye and thru the rear hook eye and tie on the hook. It lets the bait slide up the line when they jump. Helps with hook throws, don’t tear up their face or mouth, and much easier and safer to release.

Fall, I went in on baker #39 and went all the way up to north temperance. Couldnt buy a bite till south temperance. It was still slow but I caught one good walleye, and the rest were small. I tried trolling, jigging, drifting, bottom fishing, you name it. Very tough. Seen four moose starting at Peterson and on north.

It was cold and rainy that week in October so probably slower everywhere. I couldn’t go till June first this year but I’m going back to Stuart for a couple days. I have a pma permit starting the third so I’m gonna camp on sterling for 3 days and then who knows. I may go east toward bear trap or backtrack to Stuart and go Northrop iron. I have 10 days. Seriously, I’ve caught fish on literally everytng. Just a matter of finding them. A lot of those lakes are featureless. Like a big bathtub. I like to troll crank baits to find fish and then I just keep drifting over that spot jigging. You may have to add weight to get trolled baits deep enough.

The later in he year, the deeper they are. I want to take some live bait but that trip to the Stuart river is a bear. Not to mention how tough it could be in the pma. Every time I go in summer, the flies have been brutal. I try to camp on a point where there’s wind in my face and it seemed to help. I also carry a screen house to sleep in. Last summer I had it draped over my boat while I drifted. Well worth 15 bucks and weighs almost nothing. I want to target Lakers and go soon after ice out. I been told they can be found in shallow till it starts warming up.


When you earnestly believe you can compensate for a lack of skill by doubling your efforts, there's no end to what you can't do.
Re: Best lures and lakes ?? BWCA [Re: Green Bay] #7196152
02/25/21 09:44 PM
02/25/21 09:44 PM
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 10,468
Iowa
T
trapdog1 Offline
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Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 10,468
Iowa
Originally Posted by Green Bay
Jigs, spoons, and crankbaits for throwing out behind the canoe. You can catch just about everything with those essentials.


This is solid advice. If I could take only one lure it would be a spoon.

Re: Best lures and lakes ?? BWCA [Re: 330-Trapper] #7196361
02/25/21 11:48 PM
02/25/21 11:48 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 62,661
Minnesota
330-Trapper Offline OP

trapper
330-Trapper  Offline OP

trapper

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 62,661
Minnesota
Thanks for all the Great advice so far!


NRA and NTA Life Member
www.BackroadsRevised@etsy.com




Re: Best lures and lakes ?? BWCA [Re: 330-Trapper] #7196400
02/26/21 12:11 AM
02/26/21 12:11 AM
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 175
Northern Illinois
J
JackD Offline
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JackD  Offline
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J

Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 175
Northern Illinois
Originally Posted by 330-Trapper
Originally Posted by JackD
I guided fishing trips on the BWCA back in 1983 out of Grand Marais and I can recommend some great lakes if you're going to that part of the boundary waters. Only went to the BWCA out of Ely once so I couldn't give you much on that area of the boundary waters.

Depends on species you want to target and time of year you're planning on making your trip as to which lakes and/or lures you'd want to use.

We might be leaving out of Grand Marias...my daughter & Son in law are planning our Route. With my assistance cool


With regulations constantly changing you'll want to look up site specific regs. Last I heard Lake Saganaga(AKA Big Sag), the lake I did most of my guiding on, has reduced the limit of walleyes to 2 per day. Not sure of size or slot though. Many of the smaller lakes, in that part of the BWCA, seem to have one or two dominant species. So you may want to make a circle route and hit several different lakes for several different species. Let me know if you're headed up to that part of the BWCA and I'll be happy to help you with what I can.


Mr. CBD
Re: Best lures and lakes ?? BWCA [Re: 330-Trapper] #7196415
02/26/21 12:26 AM
02/26/21 12:26 AM
Joined: Jan 2021
Posts: 790
NW Oregon
3
330 Belisle Offline
trapper
330 Belisle  Offline
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3

Joined: Jan 2021
Posts: 790
NW Oregon
Texas rigged Beaver baits, Dirty Jig jigs, weightless zoom super flukes, Pepper baits Spinner baits etc drop shots etc


- 330 Belisle
Re: Best lures and lakes ?? BWCA [Re: 330-Trapper] #7196418
02/26/21 12:29 AM
02/26/21 12:29 AM
Joined: Jan 2021
Posts: 790
NW Oregon
3
330 Belisle Offline
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330 Belisle  Offline
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3

Joined: Jan 2021
Posts: 790
NW Oregon
Zoom Super Chunk Behind jigs etc


- 330 Belisle
Re: Best lures and lakes ?? BWCA [Re: 330-Trapper] #7196528
02/26/21 08:41 AM
02/26/21 08:41 AM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 254
IN
R
Ross Offline
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Ross  Offline
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R

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 254
IN

I went in June a few years ago to Malberg Lake. Fished narrow spots and flows in and out of lakes. Smallmouth hit everything. For walleye we used leeches on slip bobbers and Rapalas. Pike hit Rapalas and jitterbugs.

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