Every angler dreams of fishing remote waters stacked with walleye, smallies and pike. The goal is to find waters where fish may never see a lure in their lifetime. Fishermen travel deep into the wilderness and may even take float planes into Canada just to charter a fishing experience of a lifetime. The thrill of starting the day catching the limit of walleye and then transitioning to target trophy pike seems too good to be true. But what if I told you this wilderness fishing jackpot existed and is accessible in the lower 48?
The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) spans nearly the entire Northeastern tip of Minnesota. Here anglers can find untapped wilderness waters with incredible fishing. The BWCAW was designated a Federal Wilderness Area by the Wilderness Act in 1964. It is primarily accessed by canoe or kayak. The act restricts all motorized vehicles except issuing a limited number of permits on select lakes for boats with 25 horsepower or less. The lakes inside the BWCAW have become fishing gems and receive very little pressure. Of the 1,175 lakes inside the BWCAW, in terms of wilderness angling, Basswood emerges as the crown jewel.
Basswood Lake is my favorite place to fish, period. I have taken personal fishing charters, tagged along with locals, paddled a day trip, and have been on several overnight excursions into Basswood Lake. In this article I outline each experience so that you can choose which one may be right for you.
Basswood Lake: The Best Boundary Waters Fishing Experience
Where is Basswood Lake and How to Plan Your Trip?
Basswood is located just Northeast of Ely, MN and resides in the Boundary Waters. Of the BWCA lakes, Basswood is relatively easy to access. The two major entry points are through Fall Lake (# 24 entry) and through the Prairie Portage via Moose Lake (# 25 entry). To access Basswood, you need a BWCA permit (recreation.gov). Here are the different permits and a description of each:
Day Paddle: Unlimited permit availability and no advance booking needed. At each entry point there is a box where you can self-issue a permit. These are free of charge and I believe are simply used to track human activity in the BWCAW.
Overnight Paddle: Limited permit availability and advance booking is recommended. You can reserve your permit online or through many of the outfitting companies in Ely, MN.
Day Motor (Prairie Portage or Fall Lake): Limited permit availability and advance booking is required. The Day Motor permit allows you to enter with a 25 horsepower or less, fish for the day, and then exit. If you use this permit then you can only boat in the motorized areas, so be sure to bring a map, review the regulations, and know where you are.
The Day Motor permits may be the most popular. BWCAW permits are sold early in the year, typically the end of January. They sell out in about 5-10 minutes. If you are not able to get a permit, I recommend booking a guided fishing trip. Note a day motor into Moose and Sucker Lake does not give you access to Basswood, only Fall Lake and Prairie Portage provide day motor boat access into Basswood.
Overnight Motor: Limited permit availability and advance booking is required. These permits sell out fast. The only difference between a Day and Overnight Motor Permit is that the Overnight Motor permit allows you to camp on one of designated campsites within the 25 horsepower or less zone. If you are unable to purchase an Overnight Motor for yourself, one of the outfitting services in the area may have a pass and can help you get geared up for your fishing trip. Note unlike the Day Motor Permit, the Overnight Motor Permit into Moose Lake allows access to the Prairie Portage.
How to Access Basswood Lake?
There are theoretically many ways to access Basswood, but practically speaking there are three main entry ways. They are Fall Lake, Moose Lake to the Prairie Portage, and Mudro Lake. Hands down Fall Lake and the Prairie Portage are the most popular and easiest ways to enter Basswood.
Fall Lake Entry # 24:
Arguably the most popular and easiest entry point for all permit types is the # 24 entry, Fall Lake. There are two portages required to enter Basswood and both allow portage wheels. The first portage is 83 rods from Fall Lake to Newton Lake. The second is 85 rods connecting Newton Lake and Basswood Lake. Both portages are considered easy, but the second leading to Basswood has some elevation which has been named “heart attack hill.” While an easy portage, when pushing a 16’ fishing boat on wheels the hill becomes much more challenging. When I plan a day paddle fishing trip to Basswood, 90% of the time I will take this route because it’s relatively easy to get to even though there are 2 portages.
Moose Lake Entry # 25 to Prairie Portage:
This is my favorite way to access Basswood Lake when using a motorized permit. The reason is that the Prairie Portage has a motorized truck and trailer that will tow your boat across – no portage wheels required! You will need to make sure you bring cash and check the rates with LaTourell’s Resort or else you will need to push your fishing boat with portage wheels. For me the fee is worth the service.
Mudro Lake to Jackfish Bay Entry # 22 / 23:
This entry point is only for paddlers, no motor boats are allowed. It is the easiest way to canoe to Basswood’s Jackfish Bay. The West end of Jackfish Bay typically gets very little fishing pressure because it is a long way from the more popular # 24 entry from Fall Lake. From the parking lot there is a short trail to Mudro Lake, where you can drop in your canoe. To get to Jackfish Bay in Basswood, you have to complete three short portages. The first portage is from Mudro Lake to Sandpit Lake which is an 84 rod portage (about a ¼ mile). The second portage is from Sandpit Lake to a creek that connects to Jackfish Bay and is only 33 rods. The third is just a quick hop over some shallows along the creek. All in all to get to Basswood from the Mudro Entry is about 3 miles.
Jackfish Bay is a fantastic place to fish. Some of the islands have amazing campsites. If you are planning an overnight to Jackfish Bay, be sure to try and snag one of these island campsites before someone else does.
Fishing in a Canoe or Kayak
Basswood is a big lake with big water. Angling in a canoe can be challenging, especially on a windy day. The wind typically is strongest midday, so I like to canoe fish in the mornings or evenings. Fishing evenings is obviously not feasible for day paddles because you have to paddle back to your entry point and I never recommend doing this at night.
Drift fishing with a Lindy Rig, a jig, or a spinner is my go-to unless it is a calm day. I set my canoe ahead of a reef, point, or rock pile and then let the wind carry my canoe across. I just throw my line in and let the wind do the work. I simply give a little wrist action to bring my bait to life. Drift fishing allows me to cover a lot of water in a canoe. If I hit fish, I will circle back over the spot several times until the bite stops.
Sometimes the wind is very strong and the waters very rough. In these conditions, I first make sure I can get back to my campsite or portage. If the wind is getting too strong, I do not fight Mother Nature and head back. But if I can handle it, I try to paddle against the wind so that when I am done fishing, the wind carries me back to my original destination. If the waters get too rough, I will seek a bay or shoreline that shields the wind. If there is a reef in the middle of the lake or someplace, I want to fish in open water – I always hit this up early (or late if I’m camping overnight).
Pro-tip: Whenever I fish in a canoe by myself, I put a life jacket or seat pad on the front seat and sit on the forward seat but facing the rear seat of the canoe. This way my weight is closer to the center of the canoe. Also, my paddling ability is more central which allows me to maneuver the canoe by myself much easier than if I were in the back seat.
Where to Fish in Basswood
Early in the fishing season, I will hit areas with a current. I think Pipestone Bay offers a lot of good options. The rapids from Pipestone Falls, the narrows, and several of the points are perfect places to target. I sometimes fish these same places later in the season, but these areas are more productive early. Pipestone Bay makes a great day paddle. If you plan to make day paddles into Basswood then I would suggest planning your trip early in the season.
Mid to late season I like to find reefs, points, or rock piles in Jackfish Bay (Fall Lake entry) or near Wind Bay area (Prairie Portage Entry). I look for islands and points. I cover as much water as possible until I start picking up fish. Then I duplicate the successful method. A good strategy that can be used for any lake is to fish the shoreline that is getting hit by wind. If the wind has badgered a rockpile all day, it may have carried some walleye with it and they will be waiting for you to hook into them.
How to Target Walleye
Where to find walleye depends on the season. Early in the season the walleye will be near currents for spawning. Target the falls, narrows, and rivers. When the walleye are spawning, there are so many that you could walk across Pipestone Bay on top of the fish! Early in the season the walleye tend to stay near the currents, but as the season progresses they move.
In mid to late summer you will find walleye on the many reefs and rocks piles around Basswood. Typically, you will find the 10-20’ in depth hanging on a reef. Using a Lindy Rig, Jig, or Slip Knot Bobber is the gear of choice. Trolling with a Shad Rap also can be an effective method to pick up monster walleye.
How to Target Smallmouth Bass
Smallmouth bass are some of the most aggressive and enjoyable fish to catch. They typically hang out in the same places that walleye do: reefs and rock piles. But really you will find small mouth anywhere with cover and in depths 5-15’. My favorite bait for smallmouth is the green pumpkin zoom baby brush hog on a jig. This bait triggers smallmouth to attack it with the action from its tail and arms. Small mouth are aggressive fish and will hit spinner baits, live bait, Lindy Rigs, jigs, and crank baits. But I have had great success with the baby brush hog.
How to Target Northern Pike
There is nothing like the thrill of a 40 inch northern pike striking your lure, breaking water, taking drag out and bending you pole over. I always make sure I bring a pair of needle nose pliers and gloves, so that when I hook into one of these lunkers I can extract the lure from its toothy mouth without getting cut. Pike are fairly easy to target, wherever you can find weeds in 10’ of water, you will find northern pike. I search the bays, inlets, and river mouths for weeds and depth. The deeper the weeds are, the higher the chance is of hitting a big pike! I use spinner baits with trailer hooks as my primary tackle to catch pike. And I always use a steel leader because I’ve lost too many big pike from them cutting through my line with their teeth.
The Best Outfitters for Basswood
Unless you are local to the Boundary Waters or have an arsenal of wilderness equipment, then you may need an outfitting service or guided fishing trip. Here are my go to places for outfitting needs:
For guided fishing trips, I had a great experience with The Spirit of the Wilderness. We had a great guide who got us on walleye early and then crappie and pike later in the day. At lunch he cooked some of the fish we caught and prepared one of the most delicious lunches I’ve ever had! The most impressive part of the trip is that I went with my seven-year-old son at the time. The guide was excellent and my son fished the entire day and did not want to leave the lake. They provided all the fishing gear and cleaned our fish for us. The trip was expensive (for me) but worth it and I highly recommend this option if you are unfamiliar with the Boundary Waters area.
Packsack is a full-service family operated BWCA outfitters and resort complete with boat rentals. If you are planning on entering Basswood through Fall Lake, then I recommend Packsack. They are known for their friendly staff and helpful outfitting services. They know the secrets of Fall, Basswood and many other lakes in the BWCA. Their customers experience a prime Basswood experience, which include sharing some of the best fishing spots on the lake. Whether you need equipment for an overnight camping excursion or are looking for a launching pad for day trips into Basswood, Packsack has you covered.
The Packsack resort consists of three Lincoln Log style rental cabins. The cabins once resided on shores of Pipestone Bay on Basswood. The cabins were moved in the 1960’s after the Wilderness Act forced the resorts in the BWCA to move their operation out of the wilderness area. The cabins are furnished with the basic amenities. They have a rustic outdoor cabin vibe that serves many people well. But if you are looking for luxury and modern amenities, I suggest looking for an alternate lodging option. Overall, Packsack Canoe Trips and Log Cabins offers an incredible Basswood Lake experience from outfitting to lodging that leave you with memories for a lifetime.
If you are planning on making a trip towards the Eastern leg of Basswood Lake, then LaTourell’s is the place I would go. They have guided trips, cabins, boats, are conveniently located on Moose Lake, and have some of the most friendly people to help you plan your trip. This year I am taking a group to Basswood via the Prairie Portage and am planning on renting a boat from them.
Final Thoughts about Basswood Lake BWCAW
I love fishing Basswood Lake. Even on the worst fishing days, which are few and far between, this wilderness fills my soul. With limited permits available, the waters of Basswood provide fewer people and more Bald Eagles soaring above, crisper fresh air to breath, White Pines towering over the shoreline forest with no docks or cabins, and the call of loons instead of the sound of excessive motorboats. Whether camping overnight or seeking a day fishing trip, visiting Basswood offers an experience of a lifetime. Whenever I bring my friends to the Boundary Waters, I take them to none other than Basswood Lake. This is one of my personal favorite places to explore and fish in the lower 48 and therefore I highly recommend you check it out too!
For other great fishing lakes in the Ely, MN area check out my analysis of the Top 19 Fishing Lakes in Ely, MN!