Boundary Waters/Quetico Spring Trip for 2002

June 15th-23rd, 2002
Day 3:Monday, June 17th, 2002Bluebird Days


We had decided to get up really early and hit Fran Lake hard.  Alan, Josh, Gadgetman and I all got up early.  Dan and Craig opted for more sleep.  Sleeping in was not a bad idea.  Gadgetman and I took the right side of the lake, while Alan and Josh took the left side.  Gadgetman accidentally caught a 2lb walleye.........Then he caught another.  GREAT.......this would be dinner for that night.  Gadgetman and I fished the entire right side of the lake, catching a few northerns, but no smallmouth.  We decided the fish had already spawned out.  The water temperature was near 60 degrees.

The whole reason for coming to Fran Lake was to experience the great smallmouth fishing this lake has to offer.  We were kind of bummed out.  I do believe Fran lake has the potential to hold huge fish, but we had hit it at the wrong time..........Once again, I was reminded......."Were freaking' LATE!!!!!"

I was still whipped from the previous day of HARD work, and decided to go back to camp.  At camp, Dan and Craig were just getting up and starting their day.  Josh and I decided to take a nap, while Dan and Craig, and Gadgetman and Alan went to Slate lake to try their luck fishing.  Josh and I had decided earlier that fishing would be useless due to the "bluebird skies" that were overhead.  This decision would turn out to be a HUGE mistake.  A few hours later, Gadgetman and Alan returned.  They reported that Slate Lake was "on", and they had caught over 50 smallies.  Many over 2 lbs, and some over 3lbs.  The largest for this outing would end up being 3.4lbs.

After lounging around camp for a few hours.......killing about 1 billion of those freaking flies........Josh and I decided it was time to go fishing.    By this time Alan and Gadgetman and the other guys were also ready to go fishing again.  I cleaned the walleye from this morning, and Gadgetman and I, and Dan and Craig ate them for a late lunch, along with 4 cheese mashed potatoes.

Funny thing...........up to this point, I still had not been bitten by a single mosquito or black fly.  They were non-existent.

Back on Slate Lake all 6 of us were catching decent smallmouth bass.  Dan and Craig caught some decent fish, and both finally caught a northern.  At Dark we headed back to Fran Lake.  For dinner, Gadgetman and I had Jambalaya.  

Now, for a little explanation............As with last year, our group of 6 guys travels as 3 separate and individual groups.  We have done this for the past 4 years, and it allows for any canoe to travel in another direction or even another lake if they'd like.  We discussed this with the ranger this year, and evidently, there is not a problem with this plan.  Each 2 member group packs their own food, a stove, filet knife.......etc.  The only things that are shared community items would include the axe and saw.  It is not the most efficient method of traveling in the Boundary Waters, but it does work.

After sitting around the fire for a couple of hours, every decided it was time to hit the hay.  Tomorrow would be a tough day..........a really tough day.

This page was last updated on: December 23, 2022