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Gunflint Lodge
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 Boundary Waters Quetico Forum Trip Planning Forum Insula v Alice Reply
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View BWCA Photo and Trip Report Contest Page
Poll: What is your favorite month in the BWCA/Q?
| Previous Messages: | |
| Author | Message Text |
| Camp Cook |
05/01/2008 09:56AM Fortunately the forest service isn't going to increase entry permits because of a BWJ article so I can't imagin that traffic will be much higher than it would have otherwise been. I camped on Fourtown after it's BWJ campsite review (I already had the permit when the article was published) and han no problem finding a very nice site to call home. It seems to me that publishing that there are nice campsites on a lake in an area where travel is somewhat controlled is alot different that publishing that there is a hot crappie bite on Isle Bay in 12' of water which would drive every fishing rube and his brother within 200 miles of Mille Lacs to that little piece of water... perhaps that's a different conversation all together. If we find our preferred campsites taken we will dig in and try the next one; such is the way of canoe country travel. Regardless, thanks for the advise Mr. B. |
| mr.barley |
04/30/2008 06:03PM Hah, we'll see who the worry wart is when we head for the recently reviewed Brent next summer. |
| moose plums |
04/30/2008 05:29PM Mr B....You worry wart...:) |
| mr.barley |
04/30/2008 04:53PM The problem with marking spots on your map after reading the BWJ article that critiqued the Insula campsites is 1000's of others did the same thing. This is one reason I'd be inclined to pass on Insula this year. I think alot of other people will have the same ideas as you. I have a hunch it will be a busy lake this summer. I know BWJ thinks they're doing people a favor by doing this, but I sure wish they wouldn't. You just have a bunch of people heading for the same campsites only to find they are already filled up by someone else who read the same article.Good luck. |
| Arkansas Man |
04/30/2008 02:51PM The campsite I mentioned above is a nice campsite, not a great landing site but a couple of good tent sites... Bruce |
| Camp Cook |
04/30/2008 09:47AM Thanks fellas; all good advise. Perhaps we'll just see what open site we are able to find on the north end of Insula; if the site is nice we may not want to move. I did read the Insula review in the BWJ in fact I spent most of the day Saturday sitting next to the wood stove making notes on my map while the snow piled up outside. I will definitely advocate for a day trip to Fishdance because my travel mates have never seen pictos and I think they would appreciate the experience plus we could fish Alice to and from. I must apologize for my current and near future ramblings; my last BWCA trip was a nightmare and I've been very anxious to get back up there ever since. Needless to say, I am pretty jazzed about this trip and find it hard to focus on much else. |
| moose plums |
04/30/2008 09:28AM Why not do both? |
| Arkansas Man |
04/30/2008 07:16AM Compromise... camp at the campsite on the left just inside the chute where the Kawishiwi River runs into Insula... and day trip to Alice and to Kiana for some fun northern fishing. That way it is an easy trip to Insula to fish, a short day trip to Alice, and a short day trip to Kiana, or Thomas... Bruce |
| sirbill |
04/30/2008 02:51AM Another vote for its a longass one day trip to Alice. I'd rather be on Alice just becasue there's less people generally but on the other hand when its windy on Alice it can be a pain as its more of an open lake compared to Insula which is broken up into lots of different parts that offer wind protection. The paddle from Insula to Alice is a favorite for me although I never had any success catching fish along the way. Had some nice pike fishing on Fishdance once but never got around to fishing for walleye there. As you'd find on posts about Insula on other threads if you decide to camp there, The Boundary Waters Journal had an excellent article reviewing all the campsites in its winter issue that is worth checking out. I wish they'd do more similar articles. |
| mr.barley |
04/29/2008 07:56PM Usually when you day trip to go fishing you are traveling to your destination during the best fishing times.Unless you fish your way to your destination you waste good fishing time. I took my wife all the way back to Alice in one day on her first trip and shewas a 110 lbs wimp at the time. She told me she would never go that far again in a day ever again. It can be done in one day, but it's a long day. The other times we went back to Alice we have stopped on Insula. |
| moose2007 |
04/29/2008 06:42PM Tried to get to Alice in one long day last year and it was pretty rough so we split it into a two day trip. Alice was nice once we did get there. Didn't make Fishdance. Went through Hudson on up to Fire on the way back and stayed there the night. It was much more private and we were able to see lots of wildlife, moose, deer, loons. A smaller lake but it was fun. |
| hexnymph |
04/29/2008 06:21PM Both nice lakes and both have good fishing. Making it to Insula on day one is no major hassle but it's a long paddle from there to Alice. My advice, wing it... if you get to Insula early enough and are not ready to settle down, keep going. Hex |
| Camp Cook |
04/29/2008 04:33PM I am entering the numbered lakes highway on June 4 with two friends for five days of fishing focused follies with a likely side trip to Fishdance. Our original plan was to base on Alice but we would like to get to our base camp on the first day and Alice might be quite a push as I will be in a solo canoe. Would we be better off basing on Insula and day tripping to Alice or would it be worth the haul to push to Alice. I have never been to ether of these lakes so I turn to those with more experience than I. |
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