I am looking to do a route early to mid May of 2022. We would enter at EP 52 and right now I am debating two different routes. The first option would be to head West and up through Ogish, SAK to Thunder Point and back down through Kekekabic. After that we would head East, going through Vee, Fee, Little Sag and returning through the Tusc portage. Alternatively, instead of turning North we would head South going through Little Sag, Vee, Fee down to Boulder, Adams, Kawishiwi and completing the Louse River. Then we would head North and exit with the Tuscarora portage.

Which route would you prefer and why? An emphasis would be on lake trout fishing but we are also interested in the possibility of Walleye and Smallmouth around the Kawishiwi. We have a good chunk of time to take layover days and do a good amount of fishing. With this in mind, what would be a good timeframe for this trip? Would Paulson lake be worth the trip, I heard it has good numbers for Lake Trout. If there is any other good info about either of these routes I would appreciate it.

If you're at Little Sag already and want lakers....hop over to Makwa. Very cool looking cliff and plenty of eaters

Both are great choices. Fishing is the primary goal so I would base my plans around that. MN dnr lake finder website combined with reports from this site will tell you what species are in which lake.

Good luck!

I am curious about the choice of #52 as your entry, but . . .

Option 1 - Thunder Point Route - It will take you a hard day to get to Gillis. Interesting route, but I don't know if it will help your fishing goals. Gillis to Gabimichigami is pretty but through a burn area that is still recovering. Beware the wind on Gabi. I made a crossing in Aug that was a doozy. Stop and see Mueller Falls between Agamok and Muller Lakes. (Take the Kek Trail east .25 miles to the bridge.). Ogish is worth fishing. Eddy Falls should be spectacular that time of year. SAK to Thunder Point is a lloonngg paddle. The route south to Kek is unremarkable. You might consider going through Kek Ponds and making a day trip to Thunder Point from Kek. Kek south to Fraser is kind of cool. Wisini has some interesting scenery. I don't know the route through from Fraser to Makwa. The better campsites are south on Makwa. We got blown off the cliff site one afternoon. We could not get a tent pitched in the wind. Makwa to Little Sag is easy. We like the route through the Beaver ponds all the way north on Elton. But, in the spring it could be too wet. Talk to your outfitter, the 180 may be the better choice then. LIttle Sag has many good sites. There is a nice one on the peninsula on the south shore. Sits up high though so you may want more protection in the early spring. The portage from Little Sag to Mora follows a scenic stream. The portage from Tarry to Crooked starts on a boulder field. Be careful here. Crooked to Tuscarora is nice spot. We came to Tuscarora from Snipe when we traveled there.
Option 2. Brandt to Gillis - See above. Gillis to Little Sag. See my comments about Mora and Tarry above. Little Sag to Makwa See my comments above. I think if you want to visit Boulder/Adams, it is an easier day trip from Kawishiwi River/River Lake than through the Vee/Fee route. If you decide to go that way, please read all you can in the trip reports. I have thought to attempt this route several time, but, getting from Ledge to Boulder is not intuitive. That and the reports of the muddy portage ends through here have put me off several times. If you make it this far, you should take a day trip to Fishdance to see the pictographs. The portage ends change at the upstream side of the falls southwest of Malberg depending on the water level. The Louse River is a lot of work. And there are several route finding challenges along the way. Talk to an outfitter about the status of the beaver dams/ponds along this route. They change the portage ends all the time through here. You will not find much fishing along this route. Take the time to visit Wine Lake for lake trout instead of going north through Dent to Mesaba. The portage from Hub to Fente will get your heart pounding on the Fente side. You will double up on Mora and Tarry maybe. See my comments on the rest of the trip above.

Hope you have a great trip!

Michwall2: "if you want to visit Boulder/Adams, it is an easier day trip from Kawishiwi River/River Lake than through the Vee/Fee route. If you decide to go that way, please read all you can in the trip reports. I have thought to attempt this route several time, but, getting from Ledge to Boulder is not intuitive. That and the reports of the muddy portage ends through here have put me off several times. "

A quick comment on this...we did Ledge to Boulder in late July '21...through in 25 minutes, single-portaging. The ravine bottom was dry, and I think that can be a mire when wet. And the hill just to the north of that spot is certainly steep. But overall, not so bad as to be any kind of deterrent.

Boulder to Adams, however, was one long and rough slog, especially on the Adams side. The middle pond was bone dry and folks had made their own maze of routes through the willows.

Also agree with the thoughts on Makwa and Fishdance.