Hey, all! Planning a 2 week trip this summer and looking for some insight. Going in ep 14 through shell and looking to make it up to Gun Lake as a base camp. Then we'll be completing the loop down into loon. Can't seem to find much info on this particular gun lake. Most of what I have found has been on the one by fourtown. Any experience up there? Campsites decent? Smallmouth and trout fishing any good? Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance and have a great week!

I did that loop in 2014 solo,
Can't remember much about Gun Lake, but the South site on the Island of Finger Lake is truly a Five Star campsite.
I spent 2 nites on Finger Lake in June and was the only person on the lake.

Nice! How long were you out there?

quote s500yards: "Nice! How long were you out there? "

If we are talking about the same route here is it.
I went in at EP 14, Upper Pauness, Shell lake, Spent the first nite on Lynx Lake, the first site you come to on Lynx from Little Shell is real nice, I solo but I don't think there were more than 2-3 tent sites there, it was really rocky but sweet.

Went from Lynx, to Hustler, Pocket and spent the 2 nites I talked about on the south Island site on Finger Lake.

Went from Finger to Beartrack to Eugene and spent the 4th nite on Steep Lake.
The only site on that lake is OK.

Paddled out through South Lake, Slim Lake, Little Loon and Loon back to EP 14.
So to answer your question 5 days/4 nites. But looking back on it I never was on Gun Lake.
A USFS ranger buddy told me that Fat lake is supposed to have nice Lakers in it.

PS, I did not have to take the portage between Slim Lake and Section Pond, I was able to canoe the whole thing with only one log pull over.

Yeah sounds like the same route. We actually went in the same ep last year but started on loon. Made it up as far as eugene and fell in love with the north campsite. Ended up not completing the loop and went back the way we came in. We didn't attempt to make it through that sec3 flowage. Just took the portage.

We spent a few nights on 'that' Gun Lake on This trip

Excellent! Thanks for sharing! If it's unoccupied I'd say it will make for an outstanding base camp.

quote TuscaroraBorealis: "We spent a few nights on 'that' Gun Lake on This trip "

Nice report TB,
I stayed on the same site as you on Finger Lake, I forgot about a nite I did on Oyster Lake. I was hoping for the 5 star site you were in. The necked down area of the point, but it was taken, so I camped on the end of that point.
PS, 500 yards, I need to start journaling on my trips.
It was actually a 5 nite 6 day trip upon further recollection, TB's trip report reminded me of that.

quote s500yards: "Excellent! Thanks for sharing! If it's unoccupied I'd say it will make for an outstanding base camp. "

Here's some more information on that Gun Lake campsite .

Thanks so much for your help. Can't wait to get up there. Secured our permit today!

I stayed at that Gun Lake site one day after TB was there in 2012. I found that giant pile of cut wood he left. :) Here's the loop I did solo then. EP 14 Loop solo

I wanted to lay over but it was really cold and windy and that nice site is a bit exposed to the wind so I moved on after one night. A very beautiful lake.

We passed through Gun Lake on a trip a few years ago. Check out my trip report if interested. Trip Report

quote TomT: "I stayed at that Gun Lake site one day after TB was there in 2012. I found that giant pile of cut wood he left. :) Here's the loop I did solo then. EP 14 Loop solo


I wanted to lay over but it was really cold and windy and that nice site is a bit exposed to the wind so I moved on after one night. A very beautiful lake.


"

Another great report! Thanks for taking the time to write these things up, fellas. We all appreciate it.