Help with planning Northwest Ontario trip

[ditch pickle wis]

Very interesting thread. Thanks to all that contributed. I also am 58. From 1960 until 1984 we used to spend one week fishing on Little Vermilion by Sioux Lookout. Since 1984 we have been at the Northwest Angle on Lake of the Woods. Currently I spend the equivalent of a month there musky fishing each summer. RWS I've always enjoyed your trail summaries. Some year I will snowmobile in the Ontario area instead of going to Wyoming. Does anyone that goes to Minaki know Dave and Grace Heath ? They just celebrated 50 years of camping at Minaki the summer before last. Let us know how the trip goes.

 

[steve_in_il]

Very interesting thread. Thanks to all that contributed. I also am 58. From 1960 until 1984 we used to spend one week fishing on Little Vermilion by Sioux Lookout. Since 1984 we have been at the Northwest Angle on Lake of the Woods. Currently I spend the equivalent of a month there musky fishing each summer. RWS I've always enjoyed your trail summaries. Some year I will snowmobile in the Ontario area instead of going to Wyoming. Does anyone that goes to Minaki know Dave and Grace Heath ? They just celebrated 50 years of camping at Minaki the summer before last. Let us know how the trip goes.

The willingness of people to contribute to John's forums has always amazed me. I am very appreciative for all the assistance I have received over the years.

I do not know Dave & Grace Heath...after going to Minaki myself for 45 years, that surprises me a bit. I'm completely jealous ditch pickle....not because you're 58 ( ), but because you get to spend essentially a MONTH muskie fishing! Below is a PIC of my personal best, caught last August. 49 & 3/4". Trust me when I tell you that I sqeezed that tail...pulled on that tail....and still couldn't get another 1/4" out of the measurement. LOL...

I am REALLY looking forward to using some of rws's knowledge and information!

 

[momoney2123]

Thats a nice fish Steve!!! so close to 50! I wish I could spend the whole summer there, one day i hopefully will. But consider myself lucky to spend a week in june and a week in july. That pic is giving me the fever

 

[steve_in_il]

Thats a nice fish Steve!!! so close to 50! I wish I could spend the whole summer there, one day i hopefully will. But consider myself lucky to spend a week in june and a week in july. That pic is giving me the fever

Thanks momoney! The fever will hit me as the snow starts to melt...in March(ish)...

 

[rws]

rws,

THANK YOU! That's exactly the info I was looking for! Side note: Sorry for the delay in responding...obviously this is my "thread" and I thought I would receive email notifications of responses. I didn't receive any after momoney and I had our little dialog about Minaki.

A couple of questions. I fully realize there's no way to depend on the trail conditions we will encounter, but in general, are there areas on that loop that are better than others?? Second, I know some people are touchy about this, but when riding hundreds of miles in "new" territory, I really like my security blanket(s). View attachment 43959 Would you be willing to "share" your GPS tracks? I run a Garmin GPS 60csx. Third, as we get closer to this trip (mid-February), would it be OK to "pick your mind" a little bit more? This is GREAT info! Thank you again!

Steve

The only section of trail that has been consistently bad is the stretch from the junction south of Nestor Falls to Sioux Narrows. An alternative is to enter the US at Rainy River/Baudette and ride the Ballard trail up to the NWA and then go back into Ontario there and jump on the L105 and continue to Kenora.

Sorry I do not share my GPS trail tracks.