Greg, Gregory and Andrew go to Lake Two, 8,20-22,12

The four of us headed across Lake One on our first canoe trip together.  We paddled past many beautiful shorelines, narrow channels and wide open lakes.  We crossed two short portages to Lake Two very efficiently.   Because it was the end of the busy season we didn't see many other canoeists.  We were fortunate to find my favorite campsite empty.  We pitched camp right away and set up some northern bait on bobbers off the west rock.  Supper was started after a firewood expedition.  We enjoyed sweet corn, baked potatoes, salad and grilled chicken.   For dessert we had S'mores.   Everyone went to bed early.  The next morning progressed with bacon and eggs and lots of coffee.  We rigged up  for trolling and headed for a large bay to the east of camp.  We worked our way east and tried to cover the deep water hoping to find a Northern.  We then looped around some structure and found ourselves on the north shore heading west.  All of a sudden Greg's line went taught and then broke.  We looked back to see an Eagle flying away with the fish and lure that was on Greg's line.  What an awesome experience.  We then headed for the Dangerous Waters trail.  We hiked the trail and had a lunch on the rock.  The river was beautiful  here and we took many photos of the area.  We headed back to camp and continued shore fishing while the boys climbed rocks and enjoyed the woods.  They were very much at  home in the wilderness.  Supper was Calzones made over the fire, and then later in the evening we had S'mores.  We fished the evening away hoping that a Northern would find our bait attractive.  At about 8pm Greg caught a nice Northern.  I cleaned it and saved it for breakfast in the morning.  Our last day's breakfast was the Northern, bacon and fried eggs.  We were packed and on the water around 10am.  The paddle out through the lakes that returned us to the landing  was peaceful and beautiful with full sunshine and gentle breezes.

Mina and Josh go to the BWCA, 8,11-14,2012

We traveled efficiently across Birch and Carp Lakes and arrived at our lunch spot.   Mina decided that the campsite we were having lunch on was a good one to camp on.  After pitching camp we went to the outflow of the river and set anchor.   We fished for several hours catching many Smallies.  It was their first time fishing and they were successful.  That night we had sweet corn, fish, baked potatoes and smores for supper.   The next morning we loaded up a lunch and some fishing tackle and headed out on a day trip.  We crossed several portages and paddled several lakes and rivers.  We had  lunch and spent our time photographing and exploring.  On the return trip we fished and caught many more Smallies and some were huge.  It was a great time.   For supper we had steak, chicken, fish and rice.    What a feast.   In the morning we had pancakes and bacon to prepare us for the paddle out.  The wind was strong but we were stronger.  It was a great trip, I really like Josh and Mina.  I hope to paddle with them again.

Ron and Joe on Knife Lake, July 30 to August 5, 2012

On our first day we paddled and portaged about 12 miles.  We enjoyed sweet corn, steak, salad and potatoes for our inaugural meal.  After bacon, eggs and hash browns for breakfast the next morning we paddled another 4 miles to what I call "home" on the middle arm of Knife Lake.  We spent the afternoon at the Bass Hole nearby and caught enough for supper.  I diced and rolled them in Cajun fish coating.  I served them on tortillas with rice.   Ron especially like the spicy flavor of my fish tacos.   Our next day trip took us to a waterfall that was a portage and 4 miles away.  Ron caught a Walleye and Joe scored with several bass.  We spent lunchtime in the cool mist of the falls.  That evening we had a fish fry and it was super delicious.  The fourth morning found us paddling towards Thunder Point.  The view from the top was awesome.  The canoes and people below looked like toys moving around in a giant forest full of water.   On the way back to  camp we spent several hours trolling deep for Lake Trout, and after a few miles we had nothing.   We paddled into my "Last Hope Bay"    We made several passes that covered the whole bay.  On the last turn to initiate the last pass Joe snagged something.  He was sure he was stuck on a rock or tree branch.  He had to reel with great effort and was sure he was retrieving a large branch.   Finally, after several minutes of toil, we caught a glimpse of what it was.  It was a 4 pound Lake Trout.  We couldn't have been happier.   That evening we covered it in onions, wrapped it in tin foil and roasted it over a bed of coals.   It was delicious.   We now had caught a Walleye, a Smallie and a Lake Trout.  To complete our mission of catching  the "Big Four"  our last last layover day was spent trolling and casting for Northerns.  Our efforts were futile and our theory was that the water was so warm that the giants had all moved to deep water.   We rebounded by catching several Smallies and  eating them for supper.  Our next to last day found us heading down river and covering about 14 miles of portages, rivers and lakes to our last campsite on Birch Lake.   Ron and Joe continued to fish for Northerns from shore as it was too windy to fish from the canoe.  We had Calzones for supper and prepared for our last leg of the journey, which took us back to civilization in the morning.  Ron and Joe were wonderful  to travel with.  I wish them goodness in their lives and hope that I can travel with them in the future.

Joel and friend on the Kawishiwi River, July 23-26, 2012

We started at the Lake One landing and headed south on the Kawishiwi River.  We paddled through beautiful canyons of abstract rock formations.  It was like travelling through an enchanted land you might see in a fantasy movie.  The rocks were covered with moss, ferns and trees of all sizes and kinds.   We eventually paddled and portaged into the main part of the river and made our way downstream until we found an island to camp on.  The tents were pitched, supper grilled on the fire and fishing gear prepared for an evening of hunting for the elusive Walleye and what ever else we could catch.   The fertile weed beds of the area produced a Northern and a Bluegill.  They were delicious for breakfast with eggs and pancakes full of blueberries that we picked on our first day.  We continued our travels south and happened on a weed bed with a little current going through it.  We spent 3 hours there catching Walleye and quiet shattering Smallies.  It was a lot of fun.   We cleaned them and had lunch and a continued our way down south.  We traversed a lengthy portage and continued on our way to Gabbro.  When we got there the campsites were all  taken and we were forced to camp on a slab beach.   We cooked the fish and made some rice and were really glad that we found somewhere to camp after such a long day.   In the morning we checked the site across the bay and found that they were leaving soon.  We dropped off some packs and went fishing.  We caught more Walleye and Smallies as we floated in and around a nearby bay.  We had another fish fry mid-afternoon  and spent the evening fishing every weed bed within a short distance of our campsite.  We had a little action, but no trophies.  On our way out in the morning we stopped for several hours and fished a narrow, rock lined area of the river that had a good current.  We caught several Smallies.  Alas, we left there to do the monster portage up to the parking lot.  It was a wonderful 4 days  and I hope to fish with Joel again sometime.  

The Hogans on Lac La Croix, July 10-15, 2012

On the first day we paddled to Agnes and camped.  We enjoyed fire grilled meat and potatoes for supper and prepared for another day of travelling.  Our second day took us through Boulder Bay past Warrior Hill and the Pictographs and then West into Fishstake Narrows.  The campsite we had hoped for was open.  We made camp and did a little fishing.   In the morning of the third day we fished some more and caught Smallies and a few Walleyes.  On our second layover day we we paddled to Kelsey Lake and trolled for Northerns.  Our luck continued to be good and we went back to camp with several.   After another big fish fry we took photos of the boys jumping in front of the sunset.  On our fifth day we paddled 3/4 of the return journey.  We camped on Nina Moose Lake.  On our last morning we paddled upstream on the Moose River and by early afternoon we were portaging the last leg of our trip into the parking lot. 

Sally and her friends, 6,14-15,12

The group was a foursome of adventurers from the west.  I took them on two back to back day trips into the BWCA.  Our first journey was to a lake with Pictographs, Pitcher Plants, Pink Showy Lady slippers and a floating bog.  They enjoyed all of this plus a stroll down a 200 rod portage just to spend some time in the woods.  The second day was to another chain of lakes to the east of town.  We traveled through portages, canyons, rivers and woods.  We continued our trip on the main part of the lake to a couple portages to the next lake.  While there we had lunch on a rock overlooking the rapids and hiked a nearby trail.  We wondered at the moss, ferns and plants along the trail.  We enjoyed a high overlook that gave us a view of  more rapids and a graceful curve in the river.  The paddle back was difficult for the first mile due to 25mph winds.  However, we soon found protection from the gales as we wove our way around islands and points.  Then the last two miles we were with the  wind and hardly had to paddle at all.  It was a good two days paddling in the Boundary Waters.  I hope they return.