St Louis to the Boundary Waters every year

[Walking School Bus]

Anyone else trip north during the summer.  I usually do solos and am always looking for someone to trip with.  I'm a sports nut and 61 yrs old.   

[Needemp]

I trek up to Mark Twain. I figured a lot out about that lake this year. And now that I finally have side imaging I can't wait for next year. I stay with a buddy that has a place up there. Actually he was the best tx fisherman up there this year. He won 5 or 7 (can't remember) tx this year including 2 BWS's.

I would love to go back to Whiteside someday with the boat.

[Nick]

Several of us went to the Quetico between '88 and '04, but I guess we lost a little interest in it. We really caught the smallies good in those years, but the extra work of paddling, portaging and the long drive finally wore thin on us.

Now, when I go "up north" I take my aluminum boat with a jet and fish rivers in MN or WI. Lots of bass to be had and the trip is not so far. Guess I've grown a little soft over the years. You're welocme to pm me to discuss if you'd like to river fish in summer.

[BassChaser57]

I live south of Cape Girardeau and pull my boat from Lake Fork,TX home, then to Rainey Lake on the Canada side near International Falls in June. I have been doing this for about 10 years now and LOVE it. My fishing buddy passed away some years ago and I have been looking for someone with the passion for a trip like that ever since. I took my son but he is now married and they are expecting so he is out. Most people I have taken have caught more Smallies, Walleyes, and Northerns than they could imagine but they still would whine. "It is too far, it is raining, it is windy and waves", actually had one say their arms hurt from reeling in so many fish and wanted to go home-- so I pretty much decided I would either find someone with the passion or I would take my Golden Retriever. I am 53 so I have a few years left in me to go and enjoy the fishing, the sunsets, the scenery, the bears getting into our stuff, and just the feel of the place. Where do you go up north?

[Walking School Bus]

Responding to BassChaser57: I'm 61 and have been a fisherman my entire life. My parents and my uncle used to have retirement homes on Bull Shoals Lake, and I spent many days fishing all day around Oakland and Pontiac. They moved to Florida, and I then found other places to fish. My experiences in the Boundary Waters have been awesome. I take a school group up to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area every summer, and we use EP 25 and LaTourell's Outfitters to go into Splash Lake and Ensign Lake, where we base camp and fish as well as day trip. I also do solos in the same area. I also solo the EP 30 route from Lake One to Two to Three to Four to Hudson to Insula and back, and this summer I'm planning on doing EP 23 to Mudro to Horse to Fourtown to Boot to Fairy to Gun and back.

I am a full time P. E. teacher (40 years this year), so I try to stay in good enough shape for these canoeing/fishing trips. I also umpire fast-pitch women's high school and college softball, and I used to play high school and college baseball and football, as well as coached high school basketball.

I have had an up-close black bear encounter, so I have an understanding of what's up there and respect my role as a visitor.

My personal best catch up there is an 18 lb northern that I caught on a 3/4 oz rattletrap, crawdad color. It was an amazing catch and I almost tipped my canoe when I hoisted it into the canoe.

I'd love to join you to Rainy lake some time - I've read quite a bit about that area and can imagine your fishing success there. I might not be the best fisherman, but I can fish all day every day for the rest of my life.

Dave

P. S. I'd PM you, but I don't have 10 posts yet.

[BassChaser57]

Hi WSB --

I was in Shanghi China and for some reason BassResource.com is banned there. I am back in S.Korea and glad to be back on the forums.

It sounds like you have the passion as I do. I tell people that catching fish has very little to do with my successful fishing trips. I enjoy everything about my Canada trips, I even enjoy the mosquitos in the evenings. If it is warm enough for the "skeeters" it is warm enough for the Smallies to spawn. I have had 2 trips where a cold front came thru and we fished in our duck hunting outfits and the fishing was slow but normally we catch plenty with lots of bragging rights, great photos, and some great fillets. I stay in a small inexpensive cabin right on the lake and have a blast. It is some of the easiest fishing and catching I have ever done. Lake Fork on the other hand will humble an angler unless you know exactly where, when, and how, to fish.

Email me at Barkskt@aol.com so we can further our discussion about this.

A problem I have is that I will not know what my June schedule will be until maybe even as late as the last part of May. Please email me so we can visit.

Kevin