Hello all,

To make a long story short, I have an opportunity to take my 6 year old son in this summer as the rest of the family is headed to Colorado. I do not wish to portage a lot going in and would like to set up base camp in a hurry to fish and enjoy.
I've basecamped in Ensign before and think this would be perfect, but would like to see something new for myself. I've also been towed to Red Rock and gone in to Alpine. Lake 1 entry is not an option as our group's done the paddle to Insula the last three years.
Any suggestions on something relatively easy, new, scenic, and with good fishing would be appreciated.(This is a recent development so I will need to get an available permit as well)
Thanks
fcrugbyhooker

Enter at Little Indian Sioux North and set up on the Pauness lakes, or go over to Shell. There is a longish portage there (200 or so) but it's a very easy one...wide and flat with few rocks. LIS-N has a short portage at the put-in (40 rods or so) and there is a portage along the river before you get to the Pauness lakes. Easy, and there is good scenery.

Enter at Hog Creek and go to Perent.

Enter at Snake River (#84) and go to Bald Eagle. Wait, no...Bald Eagle gets ripped up into waves easily and that might not be good with just you and the little one. There is a portage of around 200 rods to get to the put in a Snake and then there are three short ones on the Snake, but all are relatively easy portages.

Enter at Bower Trout and go to Swan.

Maybe also look into Lake Isabella or the Isabella River.

That's all I've got. Good luck, and have fun!

You could enter at Sawbill. Lots of day-trip options.

quote nojobro: "Enter at Little Indian Sioux North and set up on the Pauness lakes, or go over to Shell. There is a longish portage there (200 or so) but it's a very easy one...wide and flat with few rocks. LIS-N has a short portage at the put-in (40 rods or so) and there is a portage along the river before you get to the Pauness lakes. Easy, and there is good scenery.


Enter at Hog Creek and go to Perent.


Enter at Snake River (#84) and go to Bald Eagle. Wait, no...Bald Eagle gets ripped up into waves easily and that might not be good with just you and the little one. There is a portage of around 200 rods to get to the put in a Snake and then there are three short ones on the Snake, but all are relatively easy portages.


Enter at Bower Trout and go to Swan.



Maybe also look into Lake Isabella or the Isabella River.


That's all I've got. Good luck, and have fun!
"

What nojobro said.

Thanks nojobro. Any good outfitters by the Little Indian Sioux Entry? Just looking for canoe/drop off/tow?

quote fcrugbyhooker: "Thanks nojobro. Any good outfitters by the Little Indian Sioux Entry? Just looking for canoe/drop off/tow?"

When we put in there, we rented a canoe at Voyager North in Ely. I do not know whether there is something closer to the put-in; it's a drive up the Echo Trail out of Ely to get there.

Look at Larch Creek into Larch Lake and onto Clove Lake. From there you can access the Granite River. This is in a burn area so permits are available and there is a great campsite on Clove with a sandy beach that is untouched by the burn. (See photo) Only portage to Clove is a short portage from Larch Lake. Could be at the campsite in less than two hours.

Gabbro. 200 rods portage and you're there. Set up and start fishing.

Entering at EP32 (S Kawishiwi R) you can go "up and over" and into Gabbro, as well as paddle up the Kawishiwi toward Lake One. Short portages for the most part.

You might also try Lake One (EP30). It's heavily used but the numbered lakes have a lot of sites with only a few short portages.

I saw Gabro permits were gone. I will look at the S. Kawishiwi entry. Larch Creek has some available. Do you know a close outfitter for canoe/drop off or tow for Larch?

Thanks for your help.....

rockwood is close to the larch entry. no tow needed...if you read up on it youll understand why. :)

Little Isabella river to Quadga. There are a few portages but most are short and all are easy. The Isabella river-side landing of the portage two Quadga is a ledge and can be tricky depending on water levels.

#47 Lizz Lake!!!!

Put in on the shore at Rockwood lodge, easy in right from the car, they have bunkhouses too if you want to get an early start. Two 60-some rod easy portages to Caribou and there are nice sites there a plenty. Good fishing I'm told and read (I didn't have luck landing one though) Or keep going south (the next two portages are 20 some rods each -PLENTY easy). We base camped on Caribou and day-tripped south to some good wildlife in Horseshoe (Moose!), shallow lakes (except poplar). Just did this with my daughter. Great time! I hope it all works out for you! I highly recommend this entry as an easy in and mild portages!

Best part was the end...paddle up to the beach at Rockwood, brought the car down, and unloaded the canoe right into the back of the car.

Couldn't have been more convenient!

Croixboy96

In my opinion, East Bearskin. Portage into Alder (short), portage into Canoe Lake (short again) and camp on Canoe. If Canoe is full then stay back on Alder.

Then take an afternoon hiking trip up to Pine Lake on the portage trail from Canoe, take a left at Pine and go up the trail to Johnson Falls. Beautiful falls; me and my buddies swam in the pool of the upper falls for over 2 hours. You can bring your rods here too. One of my buddies caught a nice northern at the end of the portage on Pine Lake.

Also, for an early morning start you can camp at the developed campground right at East Bearskin.

Look at Homer, just south of Brule. Can go on to several other lakes, portages short. Also look at Hegman Lakes off the Echo Trail. Pictographs and a hiking trail for things to see and do.