The BWCA opened last Monday and I took two newbies in for a 5 night trip on Wednesday. We entered at #41 - Brule lake. Neither newbie had ever paddled a canoe much and had never done a portage. We hit the water around noon after a six hour drive avoiding staying anywhere overnight on the way up, didn't even have to stop for a permit because for the time being you can print it out at home. Took about 2.5 hours or so to paddle down the lake and hit our first portage. It was pretty short but rocky, got their first taste of putting a canoe on their shoulders. Found a campsite on South Temperance for the night and set up camp.
Day two saw us packing up, fishing all around the lake ( caught one bass and saw an eagle playing king of the beaver lodge) and then portaged into North Temperance and set up camp on an island that was full of little fox squirrels, great entertainment for the pup. Caught a few bass that night and learned that the pup likes me more than squirrels. I left her stareing up a tree at a squirrel and went out fishing, as soon as she realized I left she ran to the shore and started whinning and then jumped in and started to swim across the lake. Had to go back and get her.
Day 3 we day tripped 2 portage's up to Cherokee lake and caught a nice lake trout and then some pike in Sitka lake on the way out. My newbies got to each carry the canoe across a 100 rod and 165 rod portage during the day. Breaking them in slowly!
On day 4 we fished our way out to a nice island campsite on the west end of Brule. Set up camp, fixed our 3rd fish dinner and then headed out to find some walleyes to complete the grand slam of BWCA fishing. Fishing on Brule was great, also caught a number of bass and a few pike and two walleyes.
Day 5 started with eggs and bacon fried walleye fillets and since we had completed the grand slam we got greedy and headed up to Wench lake because it's a stocked Brooke Trout lake. A pretty rough portage but we managed although we got skunked looking for Brooke Trout. Headed back to Brule, caught our supper there and headed back to camp. After supper one of the guys went out fishing and managed to watch a cow moose swim between two islands with her pretty small twin babies.
Day 6 was packing up and paddleing the 6 miles back to the truck on a glass like lake. I have never seen Brule so calm. I told my newbies that they had six days of no rain, very little wind, warm weather, not too many bugs and great fishing and that almost never happens so don't expect it the next time. A great trip all in all and I now have two 24 year olds who want to go back.
Here's a link to a bunch of pics.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/X1VzuzmExUuEiM8P8
Day two saw us packing up, fishing all around the lake ( caught one bass and saw an eagle playing king of the beaver lodge) and then portaged into North Temperance and set up camp on an island that was full of little fox squirrels, great entertainment for the pup. Caught a few bass that night and learned that the pup likes me more than squirrels. I left her stareing up a tree at a squirrel and went out fishing, as soon as she realized I left she ran to the shore and started whinning and then jumped in and started to swim across the lake. Had to go back and get her.
Day 3 we day tripped 2 portage's up to Cherokee lake and caught a nice lake trout and then some pike in Sitka lake on the way out. My newbies got to each carry the canoe across a 100 rod and 165 rod portage during the day. Breaking them in slowly!
On day 4 we fished our way out to a nice island campsite on the west end of Brule. Set up camp, fixed our 3rd fish dinner and then headed out to find some walleyes to complete the grand slam of BWCA fishing. Fishing on Brule was great, also caught a number of bass and a few pike and two walleyes.
Day 5 started with eggs and bacon fried walleye fillets and since we had completed the grand slam we got greedy and headed up to Wench lake because it's a stocked Brooke Trout lake. A pretty rough portage but we managed although we got skunked looking for Brooke Trout. Headed back to Brule, caught our supper there and headed back to camp. After supper one of the guys went out fishing and managed to watch a cow moose swim between two islands with her pretty small twin babies.
Day 6 was packing up and paddleing the 6 miles back to the truck on a glass like lake. I have never seen Brule so calm. I told my newbies that they had six days of no rain, very little wind, warm weather, not too many bugs and great fishing and that almost never happens so don't expect it the next time. A great trip all in all and I now have two 24 year olds who want to go back.
Here's a link to a bunch of pics.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/X1VzuzmExUuEiM8P8