I started an earlier thread about basecamping. I was specifically looking for the best basecamp fishing lake.
Basecamp fishing

There are also several other basecamping threads.

Here were my criteria:
- Able to get to in 1 day (5 to 7 hours of paddling/portaging)
- Good fishing (walleyes, smallies, pike, lakers; in that order)
- Good day trips possible to pictographs/waterfalls/etc
- Somewhat off the beaten path (numbered lakes are out)

So after reading all the basecamp threads and talking with my Ely outfitter, I have narrowed it down to Lac La Croix (EP16) and Ogishkemuncie (EP54).

Here are some comparisons:
LLC:
- Pro: Get to use my current Ely outfitter who has treated me very well.
- Pro: Get to use Ely which is what I'm used to
- Con: Seems like a pretty good hike to get to LLC
- Con: EP16 to LLC seems like a very crowded route

Ogish:
- Pro: Ogish seems less crowded and traveled than LLC
- Pro: Get to see Grand Marais
- Con: Need to find another outfitter and blow off my current outfitter

Which would you choose?

Personally, I would use entry point 16, and try to basecamp on Boulder Bay, or the Tiger Bay area of Lac La Croix. Easy day trips to Iron, Curtain Falls, Warrior Hill, Rebbeca Falls, and up to Fish Stake Narrows. Good Fishing in that area, and the Boulder River, also where Bottle River runs into Lac La Croix... just don't fish on Canada side without license and know the regulations.

That said, I also have to say I have never done the Grand Marias side... But 16 is one of my favorite entry points.

Bruce

You guys should have no trouble getting to LLC on the first day (5-7 hours, tops). EP16 is fairly crowded but its still the BW - you won't see many people, especially once you get onto LLC. Tiger Bay and Boulder Bay have great fishing, and day trips are possible in any direction.

Never been in EP54, but you won't regret going in EP16.

Mad Angler....what did you decide? I've been to both (ep 16 many times), so I can give you all the little tips. Drop me an email again and maybe we can watch some tip-ups and go over your maps.

cowdoc,

I haven't decided yet. I was pretty set on EP16 but LLC seemed a bit more crowded and certainly harder to get to than Ogish. I was starting to think more about Ogish.

But the replies to this thread have me pretty convinced to use EP16.

I assume that your vote would also be for EP16??

I realize that this belongs in the other thread but please consider looking at Phoebe. Phoebe will meet more of your requirements. Phoebe/Grace HMmmmm!

One more vote for LLC in Boulder Bay or Tiger Bay. "Crowded" is a relative term in the wilderness. I've done this trip seven times and some years I've seen a few dozen people and others I've maybe seen 4 or 5.

Ogish. can be a lot of fun with many side trips available. Spice lake just off of Ogish has 1 camp sight on it and when we were their we hammered smallies and saw a moose every evening. Get the tow across Seagull. You will not enjoy Seagull Lake when the wind picks up.

No, I'm not voting for LLC. I'm 50/50 right now. Last time I went to LLC, it was packed. I'm not going back for awhile. But I do like the area. I was very happy with Ogish and that area and was pleased with the lack of people. I think that was just luck though, which it can be anywhere, anytime. Date of trip and day of week can mean a lot. Did you say when you're going? If one of your 4 main criteria is to get off the beaten path, you may want to look elsewhere like fishinfreak says. LLC and Ogish are pretty popular spots. Just an idea....

If you want seclusion... go in at 14 and do the loop back to Shell, we basically saw no one between Slim Lake and Pocket for two days. Here's the lakes we saw people camped on: Pauness (both), Slim, Pocket, Gebe-on-e-quat, Oyster, Lynx, Little Shell, Shell.

Lakes we did not see people camped on: Loon, East Loon, Little Loon, Section 3 pond, South, Steep, Eugene, Fat, both Beartracks, Thumb, Finger, Rocky, Green, Hustler, Ruby. And we only saw one camp on Shell... the whole Island was open!

that was the last week in June last summer.

Bruce

I decided on Boulder Bay on LLC. I applied for an EP16 permit for early August...

Ogish and the others will have to wait until next year...

Bruce:

Just a cautionary tale about Loon Lake from two years ago. We decided to camp in a beautiful campsite(the middle campsite of section 27 of Fisher Map F-16). It had a high rocky bluff for a great lake view and one of the nicest sand beaches for swimming off to the side. The next day was very windy and cold, so we elected to read books and enjoy nature. The peace was interrupted by a couple who arrived in a Lund boat and proceeded to motor troll right in front of the campsite blowing exhaust in our faces for the next 8 hours! They knew the spot because they caught a few very large walleye. The next day the wind was lighter so we left to fish elsewhere as they were arriving again. They were there again for 8 more hours.
I like boat fishing too and have a 16ft Alumacraft. But I will not camp on Loon again as being there defeated the purpose.