This month’s newsletter will feature one trip report along with some new information on the B.W.C.A and of course a NEW photo slideshow.  If your trip was not featured, look for it in the off season newsletters this fall and winter.

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August was a great month for both fishing and weather most of our trips were to the Crooked Lake area and once again this lake did not let us down...it is quickly becoming one of my favorite areas.  There were lots of great stories, some are featured in this newsletter and others will be in a later newsletter.  The Smallie and Northern action was superb.  They were hitting at all depths and we were catching them in structure and while trolling. The hot lures this month were gold/black deep divers for walleyes, bone colored Popr's for Smallies and just about any Rapala for Northerns. The fishing was so good.  I personally caught a 40" Northern and lost 2 others right at the canoe that were equal to or larger.

Three Men and a Boy 

This early August trip was with Craig, Tom, Austin and Chris who won a free trip in our 2009 raffle. This group arrived to Ely and they called me as soon as they checked into their room. We decided to meet ASAP and then we reviewed our route, fishing equipment and clothing. I gave them all the up-to-date fishing reports and we were all excited because the reports were very good. This group was with three friends who have been doing trips together for the past 10 years and this year’s new addition was Craig’s 8 year old son Austin.

Day 1 - It was turning out to be a pretty decent day for travel.  The temperatures were in the low 70’s and fairly calm. We went in entry point 23 (Mudro Lake) and made it all the way to Chippewa Lake, where we set up camp for one night. As we set up camp, the boys started to get their fishing gear out and fish the shoreline right in front of camp where they caught a few Smallies and Northerns. One of them got a snag and Tom decided to get into a canoe and retrieve the lure. When he sat in the canoe, the front end was sticking up in the air in a very precarious position but he was only going into the lake about 30 yards, when a gust of wind came up and capsized the canoe. There we were not even 12 hours into the trip and we already had a capsized canoe and lost one rod & reel. It was obvious that this group was going to give me lots of material for the newsletter. We had a brief rain before we all headed back to the tents for the night.

Day 2 - When we woke this morning it was beautiful day, but the report was 10 to 20 mph winds and we had to paddle across Friday Bay on Crooked Lake. Once across this stretch it was clear sailing to our destination: Thursday bay. However, while crossing Friday Bay the winds were picking up and it really made it difficult especially for Craig who was paddling along with his son Austin. We hop scotched across the bay till we made it to calmer waters where we all had a big sigh of relief. When we arrived at Thursday Bay we were able to get a great campsite on a large island right in the middle of the fishing grounds. Once camp was set up the boys went out and caught a few Walleyes and Northerns for dinner while I cut up firewood and put the final touches in camp. While we had dinner we noticed a resident Eagle that had a favorite tree right across the river on the Canadian side. We all were sleeping early this day in preparations for the hard fishing and exploring we would all experience over the next few days.

Day 3 - We were treated to some pretty decent weather during this trip and today was a no different.  Tom and Chris hit the islands and river while I tagged along with Craig and Austin down to Thursday Bay. However, we were 1 hour into our day trip when Austin hooked into his first Northern…the fight was on and I was 30 yards off their starboard side getting my camera out, when Austin had the Northern right at the side of the canoe, the northern dove under the canoe.  Austin could not contain himself and leaned over the side and spilled into the lake, when he turned around and grabbed the canoe he managed to capsize dad and all the contents into the lake. Somehow during all this commotion, Craig managed to grab Austin’s rod and the fish…there they were: dad was at the stern bobbing along, Austin was straddling the hull of the canoe and his first Northern was draped over the hull. I hurried over to Austin and told him to swim over.  As he grabbed the side of my canoe I told him in no uncertain terms, “DO NOT CAPSIZE MY CANOE!”  I told him to grab the bar at the stern and hold on while I paddled him to shore, Craig tossed the rod and fish into my canoe and all the way to shore all Austin could say was, “Ramsey, Ramsey you have my fish right?!” All I could do was laugh and say yes. I got him to shore then retrieved Craig and the canoe.  After we reached shore they emptied the canoe and all the watered down contents. We took some photos and told Austin that he will never forget his first Northern.  All that was lost was one rod & reel. They paddled back to camp to get a change of clothing while I made my way down Thursday Bay where I caught a couple of Northerns and a 19” Smallie. When I reached camp Tom and Chris had a few nice Walleyes and Northerns we cleaned the fish and saved them for another day since we planned to have Porterhouse steaks.  After dinner the boys went out for the evening fishing. When they came back they had caught and released Walleyes and Northerns.  Chris and Tom said that they were happy with the size of the fish and the steady fishing. We all talked about the day’s events and Austin’s first Northern. Austin and Craig went to sleep early and I soon followed, Chris and Tom stayed up and enjoyed the fire late into the night.

Day 4- This morning is a great day the temps are in the 70’s and the water is flat.

I have a strategy that I wanted to try and this was the right size group for it.

We are fishing the entire Thursday Bay area Craig and Austin will head down the west shoreline while I tag along and Chris and Tom will head down the east shoreline. They would troll while I targeted structure and as it turned out we all caught fish. Just as both groups reached the southern shoreline, Austin caught what turned out to be one of the many good size Northerns he would catch over the next few days, they called me over for some help and as I came along their side Austin pulled a 32 incher right up next to me like a seasoned angler and with one grab, I pulled it out and took some photos. We stopped for a shore lunch of summer sausage, cheese and crackers on a sandy beach and exchanged fish stories. Chris caught a 20” Smallie. Then we changed sides and headed north. By the time we all reached camp we caught between 50 and 60 quality fish.

While I prepared the Pork loin and potatoes Craig and Austin fished around the islands. Tom and Chris hung around camp with me. They had caught some walleyes but since I was cooking the pork loin, I asked them to release the fish, While doing so, a local dinosaur of a snapping turtle came by and grabbed one of the walleyes…  well I couldn’t have that!  I went in and grabbed the snapper by the tail and pulled it out of the lake, we all laughed and took some photos.

After dinner we went out for a final fishing expedition in this area. Craig and Austin checked out the other side of the island, Chris and Tom fished the Canadian side with top water and I fished a bay near a place called little current. Tom and Chris had a lot of hits but couldn’t hook up.  Craig and Austin had a couple and I caught a dozen Northerns and Smallies on top water all near structure.

While we sat at the campfire we could hear loons far off singing their tune and a Barred Owl hooting away on the Canadian side. Once again we went over the day’s events and soon after we all slipped away to our tents in preparations of our short travel day to the lower Basswood Falls area tomorrow.

Day 5- On this day it was slightly overcast and the winds were 5 to 10 mph.  We broke camp down and were on the water by 9:00 AM.  As we made our way over to our destination, some in the group decided to troll. We had a brief stop at the eastern Crooked Lake Native American pictographs and took some photos.  Then it was another 20 minutes to our campsite.  We set up camp and of course, Austin being an 8 year old fishaholic, caught a Smallie and Northern right from the campsite. We went over and checked out the waterfalls and all were impressed.  We took a few photos and returned to the campsite. Tomorrow we will make our way out to the entry point and this was our last full day in the Boundary Waters, so all decided to take it easy, swim and hang around camp. This night I think everyone but I was in their tents by sundown.  I stayed up for a few more hours enjoying the campfire and relaxing before hitting the tent.

Day 6- The skies were ominous and I had almost all camp broke down before I woke everyone else. We hurried had some coffee and we were on the water by 7:30 AM. We made it all the way to the entry point without a hitch or a drop of rain and in pretty decent time 5 ½ hours. This group like all others started out a little rough but on this last day they were like a well oiled machine.

On the drive back like so many other groups they all were going over the last few days. Chris commented that I tore them down and built them up, all I could say was “that’s what I do!” Craig said that this type of trip “tests your mental toughness”. I think these comments were positive and I don’t want anyone who reads this to get the wrong idea.  We are flexible and we don’t do anything that anyone doesn’t want to do. However, I will bring up suggestions to the groups to improve their trips and give them a feeling of accomplishment.  Sometimes we will push the limit and sometimes we will take it easy.  It all depends on the group.

As a final thought on this group; This group was comprised of a great bunch of guys. Chris and Tom caught more Walleyes than anyone else.  Austin “the pike slayer” Tapley caught not only his first Northern but more good size Northerns than anyone else but not without his dad Craig who had an unbelievable amount of patience and was pretty much Austin’s personal guide the entire trip.

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Ramsey Dowgiallo