Navigation Kettle Falls

[SquirrelBait]

How difficult is it to navigate to Kettle Falls from Ash River with out getting lost? Any good maps??

Thnx!

[Xplorer]

SB,

Pretty easy, there is a bouy system in place on the lakes. About the only spots that i can think of that might get missed is the turnoff to the north at Sexton island, the tight narrow turn at the end of Kubel, and making sure you go left at squirrel narrows (last year they put an arrow on the island pointing left) as going right puts you in Ontario. I believe the distance is @12 miles from the mouth of the Ash river.

I would suggest getting map N1 from McKenzie maps which covers all of Namakan and will help you navigate the run up to kettle and back.

[SquirrelBait]

Exactly what I was looking for. I just ordered the whole set of maps!! Thanks Alot for the info!!!

[palisade1kid]

You may want to invest in a pair of binoculars for spotting those bouys.

It helped me out my 1st time.

[SquirrelBait]

Will do! Thanks!

[overdalimit]

Also remeber that you are down bound as you go to KFH from Ash River. Bouys are RED RIGHT RETURN so the red is on the left as you go down and on the right as you Return to Ash River from KFH.

[SquirrelBait]

What about going to Kab from Ash River? Is that going up or down?? It seams backwards if you look at a map. It looks like you go up when heading to KF.

Thanks

[overdalimit]

SB,

Going from Ash River to say Tom Cod Bay is upbound or returning. I agree that it can be confusing. There are some places that unless you are certain of where you are going and secure in your ability to navigate that it may look like the buoy is wrong (i.e. green can 39 west of slatinsky bay you go BETWEEN the can and the shore) trust the bouys they are there to keep you safe.

[SquirrelBait]

Over, Im looking at my Kab map from Makenzie and it says that going up lake keep the green bouys to your left. Which would mean red is on the right when heading to Kettle Falls. Where did you get your info?

[overdalimit]

I fish Kab EVERY weekend. Trust me Kettle Falls is down bound from Ash river.

[Xplorer]

SB,

To put it even more simply, Kettle Falls is downstream from anywhere in Kab, Namakan, Sand Point, and Crane lakes. You always want "green bouy's on your right, and red bouys on your left" going to Kettle.

When leaving Kettle, you are always headed upstream, no matter where you are going in the park. You want the "red bouys on your right, and green bouys on your left" on your return trip.

The only place where there is a change in "direction", is if you are traveling from Ash River/Kab and going east past Namakan Island. As you head from Kab to the west end of Namakan island you are going downstream....once you start heading further east than the western most end of Namakan island you are now headed upstream, since you are now going towards Sand Point and Crane.

Just remember, all water in the park flows downstream to Kettle Falls and you'll be OK. Good Fishin'!

[overdalimit]

Thanks Xplorer. Perhaps another way of expanaining this may be helpful as it appears I was confusing this poor guy. I saw a guy once go to the left of the red pylon on the rock ledge as you are leaving old dutch bay twords KFH, you know the one? I tried to warn him (we were waving our arms) but he went airborn. He thought I was on the wrong side of marker. Boat was still floating and the motor still worked so he was going to limp back to the visitor center where his truck was.

[Johnny_Namakan]

You guys explained it very well. I can see where Squirrel would be confused by looking at the map. Just a little bit of useless info for you but, .......The highest point in Minnesota is the Laurentian Divide. You guys all drive past it when you go through Virginia. At that point (Laurentian Divide) all water on the north side of the divide flows northward and empties into Hudson Bay. All water South of the Divide, flows Southward and empties into the Gulf of Mexico. Geologically speaking, the Laurentian Divide is where it all starts from. It's funny, I live in Virginia and there will be many many times where it will be raining or foggy, or snowing, etc. south of the Divide and the complete opposite 2 miles north, and vice versa.

[Xplorer]

ODL,

OUCH, that is one spot I would not want to miss the bouy at, musta left some really nice marks on his hull! I have headed into Nam camping a few times at night in rainstorms, and that is one place I always am extra careful at. I also tend not to run the back channel around Kubel unless I can see it and know the water levels

Maybe sometime when I'm up this summer we can meet up, always nice to meet a fellow Cloquetite (tho I've only been there a couple years, 12 years in Esko) and Kab/Nam regular. I cant get up til after the 4th but will be up there at least 20 days between then and labor day.

The bouy thing confuses lots of folks up there, I can't even begin to count the number of boats/houseboats that have asked me for directions out on the lake while fishing

SB, just take your time and dont be in too much of a hurry, its a really nice ride up to KFH and back!!

[Xplorer]

Johnny,

More useless info.

There is acually one more nameless "divide" in the state, which would be the watershed where all water flows into lake superior and heads east to the Atlantic Ocean.

Geography lesson for today is over

[overdalimit]

Another useless bit of info here. If you look at a map there is a place where the Mississippi and the St louis are only about 30-35 miles apart. Just think there would be no mississippi river if they were confluent.