Boundary waters in Minn. Info

[TheGambler]

Ted,
I do not post much, usually enjoy lurking and reading the posts, but you have struck up a thread that is near and dear to me. I will also be in Minn boundary waters in Sept and have fished up there quite a bit. I cannot offer any advice on Smallies or Walleye's as we do nothing but fish for Trophy northerns. (although a few nice smallies get caught each year on the big baits) If catching big northerns is a goal, read on! You need to take jerkbaits that are long and somewhat thin. I have guys going that have been fishing up there since the late sixties and through trial and error have come up with a few baits that work, no matter what. Take you a couple of musky mania Burt Baits in Firetiger. Take several original floating rapala's, the big ones, in perch, firetiger and blue/silver. The pike will break a few so have at least one back-up of each of the rapala's. Take a couple of unwieghted 9" suicks in firetiger and chart/black dots. Fish over weeds all day and you will kill em. You will get tired and sore from wrestling these big boys, so take a couple of red eye wiggler spoons and medium size bucher depth raiders to troll around with when you need a break from casting and jerking.. Stick with silver, firetiger or perch on those. These lures have netted me so many pike I could not even guess the number. My biggest is just under 40" but I have netted for my buddies numerous over 42" plus. Good fishing, and take a waterproof disposable camera! P.S. do not go cheap on the steel leaders, get the best ones you can find for fishing the bigger baits. I learned the hard way.

[GeoFisher]

Throw those steel leaders away, and take some Terminator Titanium or BPS Titanium leaders. They are LOTS more expensive, but the will NEVER kink. After a couple fish on a normal leader, you will KNOW what I mean.

Later,

Geo

[WaubeeCharlie]

I have been up to Basswood lake 5 times, but several years ago. At the times we went there you could drink right from the lake. In the trips I have taken there I have seen Moose,(Bears in our camp), wolfs, Eagles, and of corse many many Loons. Lures? Of corse take many jigs with twister tails for bass & walleyes, several kind of crankbait you would us anywere for bass or eyes. Pike take the larger plugs, don't forget the red/white daredevil spoons in the 7"--9' size. DON'T FORGET TOP WATER LURES FOR BASS AND PIKE LIKE BUZZBAITS, NIP-A-DITTYS,POP-R'S. There are large bluegills to be had up there as well so don't forget wax worms and night cralwers. On one trip we were having trouble getting the bass to hit till we tried cralwers under a slip bobber set about 18" fished close to rock walls( Had my bobber attacted) reeling it back in! LOL If I never see heaven the Bounty water will be as close as a person can get. It is GOD'S country. I have been to KY lake several times, go every April, but it doesn't hold a candle to MINN. You really don't need to go into Canada, they don't want you there and make you feel they don't as well. It does seam to rain alot when we are up there so have a good rain suit and large DRY tent. I hope you have a frost before you go, thats why we liked Sept. over other months we have went. Kills a lot of the flys and skeeters and there are a lot of them . Some think I didn't see anyone tell you
(((((( TAKE A LOT OF GOOD DEEPWOODS OFF OR REPEL )))))) I like a heavy DEEP 40%. I went to Lake Of The Woods in Canada a couple years ago and had a great cabin on an Island and that was great, but no way as good as Basswood, way way less people on Basswoood. I don't know how or were you are going but we went from Winsor throught Fall lake, Netwen, into Basswood. Love those portages LOL Have a great trip ! Charlie

[TheGambler]

I have had those titanium leaders before, and my experience was not good. While they did not kink, the swivel snap pulled out on me. Had two ruined in about 3 hours, at about 7 bucks a pop!
For the jerk baits, I have not been able to beat mania's jerkbait leader. 175# with a BB swivel. Never once have they let me down. Cost about 4 bucks. But I know guys who use 30# sampo's every year with no trouble. Maybe it is just me and my darn luck!