Smallmouth Shangri La

If you are into bass you probably already know there is good smallmouth fishing in Canada, north of Minnesota. We did a canoe trip there recently and found some. I have done this trip before but not for three years and had some doubt as to whether I was a little too old and broken down to do it. It went well but I would say it is right at the limit of my ability and sadly may slip beyond my grasp soon. At the least I got to do it one more time and am very grateful for that. For me this trip is half about being in a wilderness area and half about fishing. Over the last 30 years I have found trips combining wilderness travel and wilderness fishing fishing are what I really like. Everyone is looking for something different from fly fishing and has their fishing paradise but for me this is smallmouth Shangri La. There is nothing better.

I took a lot of pictures and am not thrilled with the fish photos but I got photos I like and had a lot of fun taking them. We had some windy days which is typical and that gave me some time to cruise around the camp area looking for photo ops. Late August is not nearly as good as early June for the fish. In June the big bass are on the shoreline and topwater flies work all day. In late summer they are generally off the shoreline but I am figuring out some lakes that have good late summer topwater and am finding locations I can get them on sinking lines and clousers. Our biggest bass was on topwater and was close to 22" but not quite there so I will say 21.5". I got a couple other on topwater that were 20". My paddling buddy fished jigs and caught plenty of good ones also. Jigs are more effective than flies in searching for offshore fish so couple of times we found them throwing jigs and then switched to the clouser. They are not everywhere so you need to know the lakes and spend sometime hunting for them but that makes it fun.

Good stuff.


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The portage trail to the put in


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one of our camps


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Not our boat but that is how you do it


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Bring some flies and some good bass rods


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That is what you are looking for


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Fishing from shore near camp


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Good pike can be caught on the shoreline in June but we only found small ones on this trip


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One of my favorite shorelines, lots of memories here


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Nice clouser fish below some falls


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That is a big one


I had a lot of fun stalking critters that generally wanted no part of me or my camera.......


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Trumpeter swan


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Holarctic tree frog


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Bull frog I think


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Bull frog macro


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Least chipmunk balancing on his tail and eating flower buds


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Painted turtle


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Green frog I think


http://i.imgur.com/IwnxLUy.jpg
Snapping turtle hunkering down


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Anglers at the take out

John has been doing this canoe trip to the 'Boundary Waters' for a long time now.

Every time he came back from one of these trips Andy and I would talk to him about it.

He does like to go early June for the best fishing.

At 77 I waited too long to go but it is wonderful to see John's cool photos.

You need to be younger and in good shape for this trip.

You have to portage all your gear and canoe between lakes.

I am sure if anyone wants to go John could give them lots of good info.

John knows a guy who will lead you on a trip and supply the canoes.

It is a good trip. Not everybody’s cup of tea but it is good. There are cabins you can stay at and day trip from. I may try that sometime.

"Oct. 21, 1978 the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness act banned motors here, and on dozens of other "motorized" lakes in Minnesota's federal wilderness."

We used to go to the little Tsiu river, south of Cordova, Alaska for wild Silver salmon in a shallow, sandy tide water.

We went to Alaskan Wilderness Outfitters' Lodge for years and they used to have a flying service in the Boundary Waters.

When the Boundary Waters were shut down in 1978 to all motors AWO moved their operation from the Boundary Waters to Cordova.

https://www.alaskawilderness.com/TsiuRiver.htm


We have gone there for years and most all our staff took groups there as well.

It is all wading in a shallow, clear, all sand tidewater where you fish the first mile or more in from the ocean.

Most used a #8 or 9 weight rod with a reel with a good disc drag and mostly just a floating line.

We used lots of chartreuse and hot pink spun deer hair "bass bugs" for fantastic top water fishing.

It is still one of the best values in all of Alaska, right on the wild Pacific ocean with a big comfortable lodge.

They have 5 two story deluxe modern cabins for resting, sleeping and showering.

We had groups go every year until they just got too old. It is real easy fishing so anyone who can walk will enjoy this trip.


Contact me if you want to catch 20 to 50 or more 6 to 12 lb fresh wild Silvers / Cohoes right out of the salt.

My largest so far was 19#..........


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