just wondering if anyone knows how hard it is to find a campsite on the south end of jackfish around mid may? Never been to BWCA and was hoping to stay some what close to south end to pike fish

A good bet you'll find somthing open that early in the year. The weather will be the big factor.Better the weather more chance of people wanting to bust out of the cabin.

One word of advice be prepaired for all forms of weather. I was in the BW last year end of May rain,sleet,45mph winds,65 and sunny all in one week not to mention 28 degrees at night.

Enjoy, have fun and be safe.

Mid may might be tough. I would imagine the motor boat crowd will be in there fishing opener and they will have access to the south end of Jackfish. When the fishing is good you can count on them being on Basswood. If big pike are what you're after and you're determined to fish on Basswood, then I would think about Back Bay. It contains some huge pike and many of them. It's a much shallower piece of water than Jackfish and possesses fantastic structure for pike along with a good food supply - panfish. Are you paddling or motoring? If paddling, you might consider another lake in mid may so you don't have to compete with the motor boats you are sure to see on Basswood.

I would go to another lake the whole motor boat thing worries me but im a slave to trophy pike and everyone tells me that's the lake to go to. and I have to go then because one week after I get back I leave for Ontario for more pike fishing, Then work will start up again. I was looking at back bay but we are coming in from Mudro and most of us are weak canoers(at least we think well be) so I was afraid of paddling all that way and finding sites full then having to trek back.

back bay would be a haul from mudro but could be reached easily for a day trip from jackfish. i've fished jackfish, pipestone and back bay and would say back bay is the place for big pike. my brother caught two (one after the other) in 2006 on back bay. the first was a 36 incher, the second a 44 incher. last summer i caught a four footer and 30 minutes later had a smallie on the line only to be taken by a three foot norton. it's a sick lake for big pike.