Kawishiwi Lake up to Lake Polly

[scifisher]

I've never been up to this area of the BWCA and I'm going next week. Any tips? What species should I target?

[Mike J]

Mostly northern, walleye, and pan fish in those lakes. I don't think there are any smallies. I'm heading up there this October so let me know how you do. This will be my first time up there so I can't really help you with any tips.

Mike J

[scifisher]

Hi Mike

Thanks for the reply. I've done a little research myself. Maybe it can help the both of us...

Kawishiwi Lake - http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/lakefind/showreport.html?downum=38008000

Square Lake - http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/lakefind/showreport.html?downum=38007400

Kawasachong - http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/lakefind/showreport.html?downum=38007000

Lake Polly - http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/lakefind/showreport.html?downum=38010400

Some of this survey information is old...like 1962, but it at least gives a clue as to what to expect. Also, there are lake maps available in each one of those searches.

One of the things that strikes me is that most of the fish are kinda small. This is good because I'll have a couple of kids with me. Hopefully, the piscatores are agreeable...

[mojoputter]

Fisher,

You won't catch your limit but you won't get skunked either, I've camped on both Kiwishiwi and Square and have had good luck with the eyes on both lakes. If you fish Square go to the windy side of the lake and it always seems like we've had good luck. Going from Kiwishiwi up the river to Square is always an adventure, it gets a little shallow in some spots and if the rangers are keeping up with knocking down the beaver dams you shouldn't have to get out of the canoe. However, if the beavers have had a successful year with there dams you will be lifting your gear over or around the dams. Good Luck...

[scifisher]

Thanks for the info. I'm going up only for a few days. I've got a couple of kids that are going with me, so we'll see how everything goes. We may decide to go all of the way to Polly or we may just camp and fish on Kawishiwi. I'll report when I get back...

[Powerstroke]

I took this trip the week of 7/8-7/15. Actually we went a lot further in, i was through the lakes you're looking at. The fishing will be okay, but most of these lakes are pretty shallow.

The NW corner of Kawishiwi is pretty good around the islands. I never fished the other lakes.

The better fishing is actually further up in Malberg and north, but you have to make the long portages to get there. DOn't expect to be alone. This is the 10th most popular EP in the BWCA and most people don't even go to Polly because of the pair of long portages.

Since I was kind of a downer I thought I should share that I caught all of my walleyes trolling cranks on the weed edges and near the curlyleaf pondweed. The curlyleaf weeds were the real key. These were the only places I found 'eyes.

[Mike J]

Scifisher,

Yeah, I know the DNR website really well . I had to laugh when i was looking at the one lake and then noticed the info was from 1962. I'm really interested in hearing about how you did, so let me know. We might try and get up as far as Malberg. My FIL is a diehard so the further we go the better for him. I only want to go in as far as needed to get to some good fishing.

Mike J

[Mike J]

Powerstroke,

You stated "This is the 10th most popular EP in the BWCA ". Excuse my ignorance, but what does EP stand for?

Mike J

[mojoputter]

EP = entry point

[Mike J]

O.K. I feel foolish now. Thanks.

Mike J

[Powerstroke]

sorry about the shorthand. All the entry points are tracked by how many visitors they receive and by the percentage of permits used compared ot how many were available.

This EP is rarely crowded, but almost every site on Kawishiwi is usually taken (people just come to fish the 1st lake!?!) and the crowds really thin out on Polly. To get to Polly there is a 189 rod portage and a 95 rod portage with a 10 minute paddle inbetween to get to Polly. This weeds out most of the casual trippers and to get further than Polly you have to do 3 more portages totalling another 200+ rods.

We made it to Malberg in 1 day and went even further, but to get solitude and good fishing you have to work for it. All my walleyes were caught in Koma and north of there. There were TONS of smallies and I even caught a few bluegills on Malberg. If you make it to Koma, Malberg is an easy daytrip. Only a 27 rod portage I believe.

[mojoputter]

Fisher,

If your taking kids, there is a nice camp spot, on I think its the north side of the lake that has a nice sandy beach believe or not, and then directly accross the lake theres a camp spot on a island. My kids liked that one because they could go off by themselves and explore and not wander to far without getting lost. But to get a spot on Kawishiwi you will have to be there either on a thursday or early friday morning. good luck