Okay,

Just booked our trip for September 8 thru the 12th...now we just need to decide on a great fishing route.

We are Catch and Release guys (except for the 10 unlucky fish over the last 11 trips that became dinner years). We do not like messing with the cleaning, disposal, frying, etc...love the dinners, but its just a hassle (in my opinion)...

Route Options:

EP 4, Crab, Little Crab, Korb, Cummings Silica, Coxey Pond & Otter.

EP 14, Shell, Lynx, Little Shell, & Heritage

EP 26, Wood, Hula, Indiana & Good...outside chance of Ella Hall

We LOVE to catch Smallmouth...would like a few walleye or pike added for a decent mix, but not required.

Any input would be appreciated.

Thanks!
Greg

Either EP 4 or 14 would be great for the fishing you're looking for - 26 would be at the bottom of my list.

From EP 4, head to Cummings for some of the fastest smallmouth action around, though the fish run a little smaller than EP 14. Coxey and Otter also have good smallmouth fishing; Korb has a good population of largemouth to add some variety. All of these lakes also hold pike, but the area is a little short on walleye fishing if that's important - there are a few in Crab.

From EP 14, you have quite a few options as all of these lakes hold some big smallmouth along with walleye and pike. Lower Pauness would not be my overall choice, but it does hold some huge smallies. Better fishing overall is on the other side of the portage into Shell. Shell, Little Shell, Heritage, and Lynx are all great fishing lakes with a nice combination of size and action. I would choose a site on Heritage or Lynx for a little less traffic.

I have not been to EP 4 but I have done the other 2 and I would pick EP 14. We had the best luck on the south side of Lynx by the exposed rocks for SMB and trolling the west end of Heritage for SMB and Pike. The campsite on the southeast corner of Lynx is nice. Make sure to take the correct portage from Shell to Little Shell which is about 15 yards east of the rock field where the water flows. The girlfriend was not impressed with my navigating skills on that one.

Thanks for the info....it's looking more and more like EP 14.

Greg