Boundary Waters/Quetico Trip for 2001

June 8th-17th, 2001
Day 3:Sunday,  June 10th, 2001Escape from Blackstone


Fishing on Blackstone was really not as good as we had hoped.we had caught significant numbers of fish, but could not locate the hawg smallies that we were expecting to catch on this trip.  We determined the fish had really not started coming back up yet, and the deeper banks of the main lake of Blackstone really did not hold any promise of catching decent fish in the very near future.

After fishing the morning, we decided to break camp, and head to Saganagons.  

Total smallies on Blackstone for GeoFisher and GadgetMan 138.  Not too bad, but no really big fish as of yet.

We had planned to portage into Blackstone, either using the 298 rod Bell portage, or the unmarked portages via Slate, and then float out of Blackstone using the "Blackstone River".  As stated earlier, we used the unmarked Slate portages.  Floating out of Blackstone would be a new twist for this group.we had really never encountered rivers in the BWCAW or Quetico in the past.

Floating the Blackstone River was pretty uneventful..GadgetMan and I decided this would be another MRE lunch day.  MRE's worked great for this type of day.  They have lots of food, and can be repacked in the plastic pouch to be packed out of the park, or burned at the next mini base camp.

This little stream had 5 or 6 portages around beaver dams, but they were not very long..except for the last portage.  GadgetMan and I both agree it would be easier to simply enter and return via the Slate portages.  All the unloading and reloading at the beaver dams is  not worth the time or effort.

There are mixed feeling about returning to Blackstone on future trips.  I personally would make another trip in the future.  The fishing was pretty good, and I like the adventure.  

The "Blackstone River" empties into Saganagons.  After floating this river for 4-5 hours, we were pretty tired, so we chose to pick the first available campsite on Saganagons.  The campsite that we chose on Saganagons was pretty good, with access to some decent fishing spots.  

That evening GadgetMan and I started looking for fish in coves just north of where the "Blackstone River" enters Saganagons.  We fished for nearly 3 hours and only caught a few northern..no smallies.  

If you cannot tell by now, we are partial to smallmouth fishing, and really try to target them whenever possible.  GadgetMan and I talk about heading to better smallmouth water.  We think better fishing will be found in smaller, shallower, and warmer lakes.  

At around 9:00PM, Paul and Alan return from fishing.  They managed to catch 20 or so decent smallies, but nothing really that big.  We talk about moving on, but nothing is decided.

Tomorrow will be a much better day.we will find the larger fish, and all will be good.  This is what GadgetMan and I tell ourselves.  In reality, tomorrow will turn out to be one of the worse days I have ever spent in the Boundary Waters.



This page was last updated on: December 23, 2022