I'm looking for a paddling/camping destination

[Duffman]

Going to be headed out in a couple of weeks for a three day, two night trip. The remaining permits available for the BWCA are not that desirable on those dates. So I'm looking elsewhere, could be anywhere, but I'd like to keep it in the state of MN.

Any ideas? Lakes, Rivers? Only requirement I have is that there would be a chance at wetting a line and enjoying a fish dinner.

[toughguy]

Upper Mississippi is nice. South of Grand Rapids to Aitkin can be a lot of fun with good fishing too.

[Chode2235]

Look to the rivers in the SE part of the state. Lots of good bass and trout fishing. Great camping in the scenic bluffs.

[Redlantern]

Lots of river options but some aren't so easy to paddle back up so might require dropping a car off at the exit point.

North of Grand Rapids is a nice area called Suomi Hills. Plenty of small lakes and a few fish in there. The vegetable chain north of Hovland is small but no permits required there. Some restrictions similar to the BWCA but not as stringent.

How about Voyageurs or Isle Royale?

[straydog]

Scenic State Park by Bigfork has some nice boat in sites if you are looking for something like that.

[Quetico]

Duff, the upper St.Croix from St.Croix State Park north would be my target.

Or check out Kemo Lake and some of those in the National Forest.

[Quetico]

And if your just headin up for the weekend and need someone for the front of canoe email me.

[Stick in Mud]

Depending on waterlevels, the Cloquet can be a fun time. I'm not sure how runnable the rapids are this time of year, but it's fairly secluded and the fishing is great.

[Duffman]

I went to one of the areas mentioned above this past weekend. It was a nice place to get away for awhile. We had the lake to ourselves all weekend, some college-aged kids looked like they might join us, I took a look at them across the lake through the binocs and all I saw was coolers and plastic garbage bags of gear on the portage. ( Uh Oh ) But after we walked down to shore and they saw us, they realized we had already procured the prime campsite and they went back the direction they came. Whew!

Although fishing was decent with plenty of action, there wasn't much for size. And I really enjoyed a couple of meals of smallies, first bass I've eaten in 20 yrs, we couldn't stop laughing about how tasty them slimy bass were.

The canoe is getting pretty rigged up for fishing, I added a anchor bag to my arsenal although I didn't use it. The drift sock got some use, as well as the rod holders and locator. The only casualty of the weekend was my two piece UL rod. I casted off the top part of the rod, and in a panic I instinctly stopped the line on the spool with my index finger, the top part of the rod shot to the end of the line and snapped off the crankbait and set itself free. Oops

I'll look at my pics and see if there is anything worth posting, thanks for all the ideas folks! It's funny, but most of the places that were mentioned above were areas that I've considered in the past. Thanks again.