QUETICO Spring Solo Expedition--Crane Lake to Prairie Portage
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- čas přidán 25. 12. 2019
- This trip extends from Crane Lake with an entry point at the Maligne River and a final destination of Prairie Portage. In about 115 miles of travel there were only two encounters with other paddlers until I portaged into the more-frequented peripheral lakes (Sunday). This video is a compilation of a ten-part series under the same title.
Part 1 Maligne River Death March Against the Current!
2 Bentpine Bliss. . .
3 Sunny & Serene Across the Great Sturgeon Lake. . .
4 Lonely Creek Bass Bonanza!
5 Eastbound & Wound, Loaded Up & Paddling!
6 Caught In the Current!
7 Kicking Back on Kawnipi. . .
8 Groundhog Day. . .
9 The Agnes Lake Super Highway!
10 The Final Leg - Krátké a kreslené filmy
Beautiful ending with homeward bound…
Dennis: thanks for watching and your comment. I would just say that I meet the most interesting and wonderful people in the park. My favorite part of that video segment was the group from IN that I met.
Northern end of Kinippi in Cowa Bay is where we fed our first eagle. It followed us three miles to the creek. My brother finally decide to throw a fish up on shore to see what it would do. As my brother rear his arm back to launch the little walley. The Eagle launched into a dive. No video of that one
Tim, that is so cool. The eagles are now replacing the sea gulls up there. In the old days, the eagles would shy away from any canoe, now they come circling. . .
Kawa Bay, where the Cache River dumps into Kawnipi, is a great spot in the spring. If patient, there is always a big northern or walleye in there. One year, my wife and I camped at that site after coming down the Cache, and we caught a couple northern over ten pounds and a seven pound walleye, in addition to many many good sized walleye and bass. It's a great spot, but only in the spring, as you probably know. I'm not sure if that is called Kawa Bay, but its that long finger on the very Northern tip of Kawnipi. I think we're talking about the same spot.
Great stuff.
Mark thank you so much for the wonderful video. I have viewed many of these on CZcams however I found yours to be perhaps the most informative. I particularly enjoyed the routes you took delineated on your maps--very helpful. I also appreciate your willingness to share your favorite camp sites as well as fishing spots--this is rather unusual for most who submit videos. Also your body exercises were great and finally your insights and suggestions on how to make your trip safer and more enjoyable.
By the way I have been traveling to the Quetico since 1969 and always appreciate more information--thanks again!
Tom, I had just responded to a recent note on this video and then noticed yours for the first time. Thanks for your kind words, and how great it is that you have been exploring our heaven-on-earth since 1969! I would love to have a beer with you and pick your brain, hear fish stories, and see some photo albums as well as pour over the maps and share fishing holes. . . Look me up if you're ever near Chicago, would love to commiserate or send me a DM anytime. I'm heading up next week for one more trip this year, which I'll post later in the fall. Thanks again and take care.
Great job
You are fast with getting back to replys. Almost live :)
I am calling Anderson Outfitters this morning for a June 3rd trip to iron lake
I just found your very nice videos.
I have been doing Quetico for 30 years. 4 solo trips.
I beg of you to try a kayak paddle.
I my first solo trip. O used a kayak paddle for the first 90 min.
Then picked up my expensive bent shaft carbon fiber canoe paddle. Used it for 30 seconds. Then put it in the bottom of the canoe where it stayed for the rest of the trip.
Have you ever fed the Eagles?
It will make great video.
Last trip we fed one Eagle 4 fish over a 20 min period.
The Eagle would swoop down while you are standing 10ft away.
Third tip. Grind down your barbs with a drummel drill. Simple catch and release. And you don't lose that many fish.
25 years ago. My brothers friend got a hook deeply inbeded in his thumb. He had to push it through. Cut off barb and pull it back.
He was white as a ghost.
4th... did I mention kayak paddle ? ? ? ? ? ? ?.
Guaranteed you will love it.
Guaranteed an extra mph.
Guaranteed less fatigue.
Can't wait for your reaction to a kayak paddle and your future eagle feeding video. You do good camera work.
Tim: I'm sorry it has taken so long to reply, for some reason I was never notified of your more recent comments. 1. You have definitely convinced me on the kayak paddle. I won't be solo this fall, so I have the winter to acquire one; I am definitely doing it, thanks to you. I have a couple cheap ones now, but I'll make the investment. 2. I have fed the eagles, but I've never gotten a good video clip yet. Great idea. 3. While on a solo many years ago I had a small northern jump and imbed the rear hook of a rapala into my right tricep (thank goodness the fish came off rather than thrashing around). I could not see the hook since it was in the tricep, but I left enough line on the lure to grip it with my teeth and pull on it enough to visualize the penetration. I took me one hour to push the hook all the way through and expose the barb and then cut it. Super painful while doing the pushing, but once I cut the barb it was all over with no blood. From that moment on I vowed to crush the barbs which I usually do, but sometimes forget. That is great advice, especially when solo. Also, regarding your spring top water lure recommendation--thanks for that tip, I have purchased a couple Rebel teeny poppers for next spring since I didn't see your post until a couple days ago. I should mention that I got really lucky this year and was in the park during the heat wave of the first two weeks of June. I experienced some of the best smallmouth action ever, and I'll detail the locations in my next video, which I'm editing now. Thanks again for all your valuable feedback and advice--hope you have a great season!
Mark Anderson of Anderson Outfitters. Crane Lake MN.
Is the best.
Nothing funner than fishing late May , early June topwater smallmouth spawning bass.
Our secret weapon is Rebel teeny pop R. Just drift down the shoreline casting to every rock, pocket, log, overhanging tree.
Let it sit 5 seconds. Twitch it. Let it sit 3 seconds , repeat
Goodness what is that sound, Bruckner?
second place: I think you may be referring to Motzart, Gavotte I & II. You must know your music because I'm a classical pianist and I had to look up
Bruckner. If you click on the "show more" in the description, it lists all the musical selections. Thanks for watching and hope you get up there this year!
Mark,great videos,wondering what model Wenona you paddle. Thanks Tom
Tom: That is the Encounter, which is their high-volume solo model. They also have (I think it's still out there) a solo model called the Prism, but it is much more narrow and you cannot carry nearly as much gear. The Encounter is a good big water boat and I just posted a video from this past spring which really demonstrates that attribute. Thanks for watching and I hope you get up there soon!
Enjoying your videos Mark! Great music choices, informative, editing is wonderful. You're inspiring me to make a solo trip myself. I'm curious about what you use to make the fishing pole storage tubes you're using in your canoe and do you feel that they are worth adding? Thanks. Ed
Ed: Thanks for your kind remarks. I hope you get to make a solo at some point, and the key is to just behave a little differently as it would be very easy to perish while alone out there. Most important item is a personal locator beacon, in case you get incapacitated. I personally use a SPOT but there are many others out there. As for the rod tubes, I get that question alot and it seems like it is hard to find them anymore. The ones I have are made by Flambeau Outdoors, but I recently looked on their website to help out another inquirer, and they don't appear to make them anymore. I would look for some light weight plastic tubing (PVC is too heavy and fluorescent tube casings are to small). Finally, I looked at your channel and really enjoyed your videos--I hope you'll produce a BWCA story some time--you do a great job!
Do you use different outfitters for the drop off and pick-up? I would like to take a similar route. Thank you for the video, these videos have been the most informative, by far, of all the Quetico videos that I have seen.
Shad, thanks for your kind words. For transportation I utilize Anderson Outfitters in Crane Lake and LaTourell's in Ely (Moose Lake). Mark Anderson normally drops me off at an entry point on the western edge of the park, or up to Beaverhouse for a northern entry. Mark then has my van dropped off at LaTourell's resort on Moose Lake. Once you get to Prairie Portage, your vehicle its waiting, and since the LaTourell family operates the motorized portage there, it's a very efficient process. So you start at Crane Lake, where Andersons can also provide nice lodging the night before, and then you end up all the way down at Bailey Bay of Basswood Lake at Prairie Portage. It's a fantastic trip, no matter which route you take. If you watch the very last part of the video, you'll see these outfitters advertised. For this year, with the border closed, I'm trying to cover the entire southern border of Quetico, but on the US side. I had never traveled in the BWCA. . . In SEP, I covered the portion from Lac La Croix to Prairie Portage, which was a great trip. I'm going back up this Friday, and will cover the other half of the southern Quetico border, from Moose Lake to Grand Marais. I must say that I'm very impressed with the BWCA--nice campsites and well-kept portage trails. And the latrines are a nice feature, as well! I think Quetico should consider the incorporation of fire grates and latrines, just for environmental sake. It makes sense. I'll be posting those videos sometime this fall/winter, so if the border is closed next year (many outfitters think it will not be open by then) this could provide some valuable intel for those wanting an alternative to our beloved Quetico.
What maps are you showing in your videos? And where do you get the campsite ratings?
Those are just your standard W.A.Fisher. The camp site ratings come from a web site called Paddle Planner. Check it out, as they have all sorts of resources for the paddler.
There is a great website called Paddle Planner. It provides the campsite ratings, as well as a wealth of other info.