Boundary waters adventure

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bean1031
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Boundary waters adventure

Post by bean1031 » Sun Jun 01, 2008 4:29 pm

On friday we leave to go to nothern minnisota on the edge of canada. It is a canoeing trip with the boy scouts. The best part of it all is the fishing! They got pike walleye pan fish crappie small mouths bass and lake trout! I going to bring my fly rod and spinncasting rod. But I have a question to all you canadanese people and anyone up that way. I will mostly be going for walleye and bass with my fly rod and spinncasting but do you need steel leader on a flyrod for pike? Wouldnt that be really hard to cast with? I have a cabellas stowaway 5 wt rod, should I even try for pike? How deep do they run this time a year? Is it possible to catch a good sized one in a canoe without tipping? Also what types of flys are good for walleye and smallmouths up there? Thanks in advance!

And oh' ya,
How do you fish from a canoe for lake trout, or do you have to go from the shore?
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WiskeyJaR
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Re: Boundary waters adventure

Post by WiskeyJaR » Sun Jun 01, 2008 5:11 pm

I usally cast/Troll when Im in canoe. I'll cast out, then as the line settles, Ill give a couple strong paddles, then reel in and re-peat. Seems to work fairly well on me local lake trout (shrugs), no pike here, good luck, sounds like a great trip.

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DarbyMan
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Re: Boundary waters adventure

Post by DarbyMan » Sun Jun 01, 2008 6:56 pm

I am by no means an expert but in my experience......

You can get steel leaders that are made for a fly-rod. Check Cabelas or a local store for them. Your 5wt will be fine, and yes, you should try for pike. In freshwater there are few, if any, thrills better than a pike on a fly rod. I have caught them (smaller ones mind you, not 30 lber's) on my 6wt. I would say that since it is not to hot yet up there, the pike shouldn't be deep, but by mid-late summer they will be. They seem to not like hot water.

As long as your canoe is steady and well balanced and your paddling skills are suffecient you will be fine in the canoe. As for flies I'm not sure. I caught some serious bull smallmouth in Ontario last year, up by Michigan. I used a little black wolly bugger and some poppers.

Don't know much about lake trout but I'd say you need be over some deep water to have any luck. Have fun and remember there are no rules about try newing fishing techniques, as long as its legal.

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Re: Boundary waters adventure

Post by markj » Sun Jun 01, 2008 8:00 pm

What a trip that will be, good luck and enjoy the fresh fish. My Dad went up north every year when I was a lad, brought back fish we ate up. Things have changed now as far as what you can bring back. Always wanted to go.
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muddycreek
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Re: Boundary waters adventure

Post by muddycreek » Sun Jun 01, 2008 8:20 pm

Heading to Gods Country! Born and raised Minnesota boy and I miss the north country something fierce. Personally I see no need for a steel leader for the pike. Go with a heavy tippet and you will break off few if any. With a fly I have seemed to catch them in the front of the mouth most of the time. About any minnow imitating pattern should work, but walleye are hard to catch on the fly. For northern and bass go with brighter flashier colors and patterns. It is very hard to get a fly deep enough for them. A better bet would be, space permitting, bring a spinning rod and some of the new Berkly gulp baits and jigs for the eyes.

Fishing aside, please do one thing for me, well actually yourself. Bring a camera and take more pics than you even thought possible. You are going on a trip of a lifetime and you will be glad you did.

DON'T FORGET THE DEET. The state bird (mosquitos) will kill ya if you dont.

Post some pics when you get back.

Good luck and safe trip.

Stu

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Re: Boundary waters adventure

Post by prairiefire » Mon Jun 02, 2008 11:39 am

I went on several canoeing trips in the BWCA when I was in school--and I promise, you'll never forget it. It's simply spectacular up there!!!
While I'm not an avid fisherwoman, I don't recall anyone on our trip using a steel leader. As Muddy said, a heavy tippet should be just fine.
And I second the DEET recommendation. The mosquitos are big enough to carry away small children, so ignore Muddy's advice at your own peril!
Have an amazing time!

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bean1031
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Re: Boundary waters adventure

Post by bean1031 » Mon Jun 02, 2008 1:43 pm

Ya I heard the mosquitoes are so big they call in for landing clearance! :lol: I bought some 100% deet the other day at cabellas so hopefully I should be fine. :roll:
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Re: Boundary waters adventure

Post by BigShooter » Mon Jun 02, 2008 2:08 pm

Actually the no-see-em's are worse than the "State Bird: at times. The ticks are bad this time of year. Have a friend check you daily or carefully pack a couple of mirrors. Two of my sons aged 11 and 13 at the time landed a 43" Northern Pike out of a canoe with only a small trout landing net for assistance on the Canadian side in the Quetico Provincial Park, so landing large fish in a canoe should not be a problem. I've hooked and landed 7 pound pike on four pound test monifilment line with no leader. Northern do tend to cut through your line periodically without steel leaders however. Northern will still likely be shallow however the Lake Trout with probably have moved to deeper water by now. You'll probably have more success with spinning gear than with the fly rod. The lakes will still be very cold and hypothermia will set in rapidly for an overboard individual so consider wearing life jackets over deeper water. May the wind always be at your back while canoeing ... and may you have more dry days than wet !!

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Grange
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Re: Boundary waters adventure

Post by Grange » Mon Jun 02, 2008 3:27 pm

I've been to the Boundary Waters many times, but only fly fished there once as I like open face reels. I prefer to cross the border and enter Quetico Provincial Park rather than say in MN. Less noise pollution (motor boats) and other campers to deal with in general. The camping is more rustic as there are not grates or latrines like.

I've used leaders and was glad I did, but I've also gone without them and didn't have too many problems. I did loose a few, but with northern all you have to do put on a new lure and recast because you'll likely get another one. Walleye are one of my favorite fish in the BWCA, and almost never put on a leader. I've caught northern in all depths of waters. Whether I'm smallmouth bass fishing, walleye fishing or even when trolling (in a canoe) for lake trout when you hook a fish theres a good chance it could be a northern. Heck I've had northern jump out of the water grab a bare jig I just tied on and swim away leaving me with nothing more than a piece of line at the end of my rod.

I recommend looking for some pictographs if your are close by. Find some on a calm day on a rock face while sitting in a canoe and to me that's better than catching a fish. Lastly let us know how big the snapping turtle by your camp site is. In all the trips I've taken there is only one time I can remember not seeing a snapping turtle at a camp site.

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Re: Boundary waters adventure

Post by JakeDD » Tue Jun 03, 2008 9:17 am

Bean - what entry point are you heading to? I'm paddling in Fri morning as well for my annual trip with the guys.
As for fishing advice, Stu did a good job and I would agree with most everything he said.
Pike/bass- try topwater flies/poppers - the smallmouth and pike are a BLAST when they come exploding out of the water. The brighter and more obnoxious, the better. Anyplace there's a rapids, fish the deeper hole below the fast water. Pike & bass will hang along the seams of the fast water, but the eyes will be hanging in the deeper holes waiting for food to wash down to them. A 1/4 or 3/8 jig with a leech has filled our frying pan many years in a row in these spots. Also, if you find any mid-lake humps/bars that top out around 10-15', there is some outstanding fishing to be had during daylight hours too. Start deep and drift your way up the windward side, jigging or Lindy-rigging. The active eyes will pound it. Sorry I can't help much on the laker info - most guys I know who fish 'em use airplane jigs with bait and jig 'em along the steep breaks to really deep water (40'+).

Take lots of pics and enjoy your time. Kudos to you for helping instill an appreciation for the beauty and serenity of the BWCA to those kids.

JDD

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Re: Boundary waters adventure

Post by bean1031 » Tue Jun 03, 2008 4:38 pm

Well we leave here on friday and should get there on saturday mid day, but we dont start the treck until sunday. I stocked up on woolly buggers, muddler minnows, and lots of other big juicey flies! I am thrilled!
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Re: Boundary waters adventure

Post by BigShooter » Wed Jun 04, 2008 10:02 am

I'm certain someone in the group has checked the weather forecast. Looks stormy on Fri. & Sat. & long range the expected highs are about 58 degrees with lows of around 50 with a possibility of showers daily. Sounds like rain gear, coffee, hot chocolate and warm food will be the order of the day.

I don't know of anyone who's taken a BWCA trip that doesn't have lasting memories!
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Re: Boundary waters adventure

Post by ymepointer » Sun Jun 08, 2008 2:42 pm

I remember going on a Boundary waters adventure one spring break years ago while at the University. My good friend conned me into going with the promise of fishing :lol: but he really had this exciting idea of seeing how far we could travel in 4 days....We were one of the first in as it was March and we departed Ely I think. Man what a great place and there were fish everywhere, but I did't get to catch any, I was too busy paddelin and Portagin to catch any fish. We did run into a gent the first day in that was fishing and he held up a stringer of northers and walleye the likes of which I have never seen since, I bet he had 10 fish hanging off his canoe and none we smaller than 8 lbs I would guess, and one was a monster Northern I bet 15 lbs. Man I wish I could have had time to catch some.....Good luck and don't forget the digi camera, we will need pics posted when you return :D

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Re: Boundary waters adventure

Post by Vanguard » Mon Jun 09, 2008 8:38 am

Went up about two years ago and I can't begin to tell you how much fun we had!!! Pike are big in those parts I landed a very nice bass and as we were getting it up to the canoe a huge pike shot up and took a chuck out of the side of the bass...craziest thing i've ever seen!

Have a good time
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JakeDD
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Re: Boundary waters adventure

Post by JakeDD » Tue Jun 10, 2008 10:24 am

Boy, isn't that the truth! Just got back Sunday night - will post pics later.
To confirm what you were saying, we had a ruffie in our campsite Friday
and had another one roost in a cedar along the shoreline and watch us fish Saturday night.

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Re: Boundary waters adventure

Post by mit » Tue Jun 10, 2008 11:30 am

I don't have any wise tips on fishing but boy am I jealous. I was born & raised in Mn & miss the lakes & fishing. Don't miss the mosquitos much. Went canoeing in the boundary waters for the first time when I was about 15. It's a trip I will never forget.
Two years ago I was back for a family reunion & spent a week on Gunflint Lake. The fishing was great. I forgot how tasty Walleye were!

have a great trip!

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Re: Boundary waters adventure

Post by bean1031 » Tue Jun 17, 2008 4:36 pm

Im back and that was one of the best trips ever! The fishing was simply amazing! We did a 45 mile treck starting at voyageour outfitters and ending on seagul lake! It was fun but it was work! We had one 120 rod portage in a foot of mud up hill!!! We were on jasper lake and got into some 3 ft high waves and 50 mph winds. if the canoe got angled into the wind at all you would end up 300 yards to the side of you in about 10 seconds. But on the up side we caught pike close to 50 in. and bass in the 20 in range. One guy on our treck caught a lake trout close to 50 inches! The best fishing was on seagull lake though. I was with two 16 year old scouts in a canoe that had never fished before, and they were catching pike close to 30 inches! I was in a canoe with a friend named julinan casting right where a creek came into a bay when wham! I hook a 23 in. bass, (I have pics) and am puting it on the stringer when he hooks a monstrous pike and is craking it in. The fish jumped right when he pulled and it flew at him and nailed him in the side of the head I was laughing so hard. I totaly forgot about my pole and it got all tangled up in the stringer. So julian is pissed off at this pike and starts wacking it with his paddle, I allmost died of laughter. It was amazing. Ill post pics as soon as I get them all loaded up on the pc.
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Re: Boundary waters adventure

Post by muddycreek » Tue Jun 17, 2008 7:01 pm

:mrgreen: :mrgreen: Glad your back safe and sound!

I bet you had a great time. Actually, never heard of anyone having a bad time there. I have a buddy trying to talk me into going over labor day, unfortunately is my anniversary. Boy is momma gonna be mad!!!

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Re: Boundary waters adventure

Post by JakeDD » Wed Jun 18, 2008 11:00 am

Bad times do happen. 40 degrees and rain for 3 solid days sucked. Been there, done that, didn't want the t-shirt. Thankfully, this was a good year.

As promised, a few pics of our trip. No great pics, but I didn't expect any from my disposable camera.

One of the 5 rapids we had to portage around.
Image

A stogie, fishing rod, and walleyes. Ah, the good life.
Image

Paddling out Sunday morning - no wind for a change - very nice.
Image

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