Savannah Portage Lakes

[Maximum12]

Greetings,

Taking the family on a weekend trip to Savannah Portage State Park & it looks like there are some decent northern/crappie lakes in the Park. We're bringing the canoe so we can access the smaller remote lakes. Anyone have any recent info or historical tips for Savanna, Wolf, Remote, or Schumway lakes?

Any heads up are appreciated! Thanks.

[knoppers]

I believe one of those lakes up there also has rainbow trout, not sure which thou. you will have to research that out.

[Nels]

I ice-fished Remote this past winter and caught a bunch of small crappies a couple of decent bluegills and one 11.5" crappie.
Nothing on the tip-up.
I would like to bring in a canoe and fish it. It is a nice little lake.

[Maximum12]

The canoe's coming - small lakes up there, some carry-in.

DNR didn't have any trout lakes in the Park listed, & we'll only be there for a few days, so we probably won't do too much exploring.

Remote sounds really nice, we're going to try to hit it as well as Savanna especially.

[moby1]

Maximum12
I grew up with my parents owning a cabin on Little Savannah in the park. My Uncle now owns it and we are on Big Sandy. It is on the point across from the cabin that the park rents out. There are a few lakes in the park. Loon is where the swimming beach is. Never fished it but hear it has trout and I don't think motors are allowed. I think it's shumway that one of the campgrounds is on. Anyways largemouth...etc
Little Savanna has a rental cabiin and group camp. That's about the only one I've fished. My parents don't fish so I did a lot of dock fishing and a lot of rowing. Lot's of northerns mostly weedlines. My best lure (i can't find them any more) is a Mepps brown bucktail with red and yellow body and a COPPER spinner. Trolling rapalas or strip- on spinners with suckers and casting the points bays and weedlines and should get some northerns. I know of some Big ones caught but my biggest was around 10 lbs but most were 3-6. I never got skunked with the northerns. Used to have walleye but no longer due to beaver dams. I've caught one in 30 years but don't fish for them either. Some stragglers I'm sure. I used to catch HUGE bluegills everywhere but don't know if they are still there. I wish I would've known they were HUGE then so I could've taken pics. Best Time for crappies is at dark. We would nail them off the dock at the weed lined as soon as the mosquitos get sooooo bad you can't stand to fish. Some big dogfish as well as a few bullheads but don't usually catch many until night. I'll stop rambling now. And try to remember to check this post.
GOOD LUCK!

[moby1]

Concerning the above post- I will qualify it by saying I haven't really fished there in a year or so, which is pathetic considering my access and it's close proximity. My uncle does still fish with good success. All-in-all I would recommend it as a good spot to go and fish/stay but don't expect monsters or eyes. You can always go Big Sandy, Round,Horseshoe,Minnewawa, Aitkin,,,etc Lakes if you get bored in the Park. I'll add the small size and low traffic of Savannah make it easy to fish with beautiful scenery. I think there are only 5 cabins on the lake, 4 of which are privatley owned by 3 familys.
I digress.
GOOD LUCK

[fishermn]

Maximum12,

I fished shumway last year with fairly good success for the Northerns and Largemouth Bass. The bass were receptive to buzzbaits and spinnerbaits during the lower light periods. I did see a couple real nice Northerns in there. One was caught by a 10 year old fishing off the dock right at the boat landing. He didnt weigh it but it was in the 10 lb range. Also, I got splashed by a nice Northern as he took a swipe at a Husky Jerk I was tossing near some weedbeds on the southwest end of the lake. That fish was easily in the 10 lb range also. We did catch a few 3 - 4 lb northerns, and quite a few largemouths. There DNR reports show walleyes in shumway, but I didnt really fish them, its a fairly small shallow lake, with little structure for walleye. Also, be aware that no gas powered motors are allowed on Shumway (and I think that goes for the other lakes inside the park too!) You can use an electric trolling motor but I would suggest that you bring a spare battery. The park office also rents canoes, trolling motors, batteries, and has a charging service for your battery as well.
We only stayed 2 days, so I didnt really get to try the other lakes, I hear that Wolf has some nice Northerns. I think Loon is the name of the lake that has the swimming beach, it is a designated trout lake with both Brookies and Rainbows.
Good Luck, and enjoy!

[Maximum12]

Thanks for the info & tips!

Didn't get out as much as I wanted, what with our two little girls, but the largemouth were almost more willing to hit plastics cast from shore than they were from the canoe. Nothing massive, but there were bass in every patch of lilly pads & pencil reeds.

And my wife even caught one, although I had to unhook the poor beast for her!