I'm heading up there in a couple of weeks - any reports on the water levels?

ask trygve he just did it.

Beemer
This trip is high on my to-do list. Will you post a report and photos upon your return?

Okay, here goes.

The Fallschain water levels are great! The water is not so high that it makes the falls dangerous, but it's high enough to make all the landings easy.

All the Canoe Landings are very close to the lip of the falls, but none are really that dangerous, if you're not an idiot. Janice will try to scare you, but she does know the eastern Quetico better than any living soul.

The Koko falls portage is mismarked, it's about 100 rods, not 50, or whatever it says on your maps. Make sure you keep left! Left left left left, until you reach water.

Canyon falls, Koko Falls, Bald Rock, and the First and Second Falls are the prettiest.

The only decent sites in the entire Fallschain are on Kenny Lake, the Island and Point sites are great. I would not plan on camping anywhere else between there and Saganagons. The sites are pure rubbish.

Many of the sites marked on Maps are no longer there because of the Bird Lake Fire in 95. 60,000 acres.

You will paddle through burn from the North side of Saganagons till Kawa bay in Kawnipi.

Feel free to ask something, I'm just rambling.

Thanks!!!! I'm printing your comments - Any fishing suggestions?

Well, the whole Chain is great for big bass, we're talking 6 to 7 pounds sometimes.

The big river parts between Bald rock and Little falls, and Kenny Lake are all good for walleye and bass and smaller pike.

I would always throw a jig and a twister tail, or a shad rap into all the falls, and dark current. Just for the hell of it, you never know if there is a lunker picking up dead bugs and minnows floating down the rapids.

Kawnipi is amazing, if you hit it right. The first half of Kawnipi, up to Kawa bay is fairly shallow, good for walleye on windy days over points and reefs. The last half of the lake is deeper, and better all around walleye fishing. There is an Island site that is kinda in mouth of Kawa bay, but not quite. It's great.

The first set of pictographs on Kawa are of two men in a canoe, the next set are of some kind of antlered animal. They're both hard to find.

Watch for moose on the Eastern shore of the first half of Kawnipi up to Kawa bay as you go up, there are almost always moose in there. There are several great sand beaches to the east as you hit the first really big part of Kawnipi, once again, before Kawa bay.

Watch for Swans, people have been seeing them up there. In Cache River Bay, Mckenzie Bay, and on the Waiwag.

Watch for poison ivy in kawa bay.

Kawnipi is full of pike too, steel leaders are a must for crank baits, spinners and spoons.

You can also pick up a Trout on the northern part, if you're lucky.

A thousand thanks!

Make sure you listen to Janice too...

She is an amazing woman, she's been there for 25 years, give or take a few.

Can you add any comments regarding paddling times?

I will be coming in from Seagull River this fall heading up through Cache Bay, Saganagons Lake, Falls Chain, Kawnipi Lake, Wawiag River, Mack Cr and Lake out through Bitchu Lake and return.
Does anyone have any comments regarding the river and creek paddling into Mack lake? Comments on the ports to Bitchu lake from Mack Lake?
Also, is it possible to paddle from Kawa Bay to Bitchu in one day?

Thanks

Boneli

That's going to be a tough route, considering the water levels.

Make sure you have a plan B.

It would be wise to go the opposite direction, although with the water levels the way they are, it may not matter.

You should be able to go from Sag to Boundary point in one day, then you should be able to make it into Mack, then Kawnipi, then Falls Chain, and out.