Fishing in the Boundary Waters

The Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA) Wilderness offers world-class fishing opportunities. Known for its clear waters and remote, untouched beauty, the BWCA is home to a variety of fish, including walleye, northern pike, smallmouth & largemouth bass, and lake trout.

Walleye

Lures

  • Jigs: Use 1/8 oz to 1/4 oz jigs in bright colors like chartreuse, white, or orange. Tip with a live minnow, leech, or soft plastic (like a paddle tail).
  • Crankbaits: Shallow-diving crankbaits in natural fish patterns (like silver or perch) can be great.
  • Live Bait: Leeches, nightcrawlers, or minnows.

Techniques

  • Drifting and Jigging: Use a drift along the shoreline or in deeper water (12-20 feet) with jigs tipped with live bait.
  • Slip Bobber: Use this technique in deeper water or around structure like drop-offs or submerged rocks. A slip bobber allows you to adjust the depth of your bait easily.
  • Casting: For more active fishing, cast jigs and crankbaits along the edges of drop-offs or near submerged rocks and points.

Best Times to Fish

  • Early Morning & Late Evening: Walleye are most active during low light periods, typically at dawn and dusk.
  • Mid-day: Can also be productive in deeper water when walleye retreat to cooler spots.

Location Tips

  • Shorelines & Drop-offs: Look for walleye near drop-offs, points, and underwater structures like sunken rocks or weeds.
  • Shallow Water Early/Deep Water Mid-day: In warmer months, walleye may be in shallow water in the morning and move to deeper, cooler spots as the day heats up.

Northern Pike

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Lures

  • Spinnerbaits: Large, flashy spinnerbaits in bright colors (chartreuse, white, or red) can draw pike’s attention in both shallow and deeper water.
  • Crankbaits & Lipless Crankbaits: Use large, loud crankbaits in bright patterns like fire tiger or shad to mimic the pike’s natural prey.
  • Spoons: Large spoons like the Johnson Silver Minnow or Swedish Pimple can be effective, especially when jigged in deeper waters.
  • Topwater Lures: Large, noisy topwater lures like buzzbaits or poppers can provoke aggressive strikes, especially in low light conditions.

Techniques

  • Casting & Retrieving: Cast spinnerbaits, crankbaits, or topwater lures along the edges of weed beds, drop-offs, and points. Vary the retrieve speed and use erratic motion to entice strikes.
  • Trolling: This technique is effective for covering large areas. Troll larger lures like deep-diving crankbaits or spoons behind your canoe at varying speeds, especially around drop-offs, humps, and structures.
  • Jigging: In deeper water, use spoons or heavy jigs to target pike that are holding near the bottom or structures like submerged rocks.

Best Times to Fish

  • Early Morning & Late Evening: Pike are most active during low-light periods, so fish at dawn or dusk for the best chances.
  • Overcast Days: Pike are less wary on cloudy days and can be more active throughout the day.
  • Mid-day (Hot Weather): When the sun is high and the water is warm, pike tend to move to deeper, cooler waters, so focus on drop-offs or submerged structures.

Location Tips

  • Weed Beds & Shallow Water: Northern pike love to lurk in and around thick weed beds, especially near shallow areas with access to deeper water.
  • Drop-offs & Points: Look for pike near steep drop-offs, submerged rocks, or points where they can ambush prey.
  • Islands & Humps: These underwater structures often provide great ambush spots for pike, especially when trolling.

Bass

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Lures

  • Jigs: Use 1/8 oz to 1/2 oz jigs, especially in colors like black, brown, or green pumpkin. Tip with a soft plastic trailer like a creature bait or craw.
  • Topwater Lures: Frogs, poppers, and buzzbaits work well early morning or evening when bass are near the surface.
  • Crankbaits & Lipless Crankbaits: Shallow-diving crankbaits in natural fish colors or lipless crankbaits for covering deeper water.
  • Soft Plastics: Wacky-rigged worms, Texas rigs with craws, and Senkos are good choices for a slower presentation.

Techniques

  • Casting & Retrieving: Cast topwater lures, crankbaits, and soft plastics along the edges of shorelines, rocks, or submerged structures. Retrieve at varying speeds depending on the lure and the bass’s activity level.
  • Jigging: Use jigs tipped with soft plastics to work through submerged structures or around rocks and brush.
  • Carolina Rigging: Ideal for deeper water or slower presentations. Use a weight, bead, and hook to present soft plastics off the bottom.

Best Times to Fish

  • Early Morning & Late Evening: Bass are more active and more likely to hit topwater lures or shallow-water baits during these times.
  • Mid-day: Bass may retreat to deeper structures when it’s hot, so focus on deeper, cooler spots with jigs or soft plastics.

Location Tips

  • Shorelines & Cover: Bass love to hang around structure like submerged rocks, fallen trees, weed beds, and points.
  • Deeper Water (during hot weather): When water temps rise, bass often move to cooler, deeper water. Look for them near drop-offs, ledges, or submerged humps.
  • Shallow Water (early in the day): In the morning, focus on shallow areas near shoreline cover or weed beds.

Lake Trout

Lures

  • Spoons: Heavy spoons (Swedish Pimple, Little Cleo) work well for deep-water jigging.
  • Jigs: Large jigs (1/2 oz to 1 oz) tipped with minnows or soft plastics.
  • Crankbaits: Deep-diving crankbaits in natural patterns like perch or shad.
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Techniques

  • Jigging: Drop spoons or jigs into deep water (20-40 feet), and use short, erratic lifts to mimic struggling prey.
  • Trolling: Slow troll with deep-diving crankbaits or spoons at 1.5-2 mph to cover deeper areas.
  • Casting: Cast large jigs or spoons near submerged structures like points or islands, particularly in spring or fall.

Best Times to Fish

  • Early Spring & Fall: Lake trout move closer to shore and are more active in colder water.
  • Summer: Fish deeper (30-50+ feet) when lake trout retreat to cooler waters.
  • Dawn & Dusk: Lake trout are more active in low light, especially on warmer days.

Location Tips

  • Deep Water: Look for lake trout in 20-40 feet of water, even deeper during warmer months.
  • Drop-offs & Underwater Structures: Focus on drop-offs, submerged humps, and points where lake trout can ambush prey.
  • Cold, Clear Lakes: Lake trout prefer clear, oxygen-rich, cold water and thrive in deep, cool lakes.