Winter Camping and Ice Fishing

[sparetime]

I am considering trying a BWCA Camping/Ice Fishing trip this winter. What type of equipment do I need? Any tips or information you can provide will be welcome. Also, and reference materials or websites with information. The search engine doesn't produce many leads. The rest of the world probably thinks this idea to be insane.

I have a canvas cabin tent, and want to hit the remaining garage sales of the season for anything else I may need.

[CrappieJohn]

Out a post in the Duluth/range/Ely forum and ask for Surface Tension to reply with ideas....the man is a winter camping genius. And in the BWCA to boot!

[Chris_Wallace]

Good sleeping bag is a must! I bought the Kelty Orb, a four season tent, mainly for the girls in our group, they slept fine, we just slept in a regular tent and we were fine too. Nalgene bottles work great for boot warmers. Boil your water before you go to bed for the next day, place it at the bottom of your bag, voila, boot warmers.

Keep your liners in a plastic bag and put at the bottom of the bag, keeps them from freezing into a shape you can't get your foot back into.

Lots of socks, change them often, you will be happy to put a new pair on.

Keep your meals simple, something you can keep your gloves on. Ramen, Rice a roni, pre-made burgers, spaghetti, etc.

Get your self a good big sled from a place like Sportsman's and put some wood along the sides of it, than screw in some eyes, perfect for lashing rope across your stuff to keep them from falling off the sled.

Before you go fishing set up your camp and get everything good to go, latrine, dig out your fire pit, tents, etc.

Here are some pictures and the story, we did this with out highschool class.

Boyfriends, girlfriends, cheer leaders, football players, captains, band kids and catchers. A combination on the outside that appears to not make any sense, it even had some of us worrying if we could do this. These kids could be brought together because of a high school class that only seniors are allowed to take. A course that deals with everything from the stars in the Celestial Sphere down to the tiniest grains and types of rock and everything in between. This class brings together for one reason, and that reason is the love of the outdoors.

Experience? Who needs that; this class welcomes the kids who have never been camping, or fishing, or hunting, or even hiking. Everyone brings something to the table and every one has enough to share with others. This class strengthens the bonds not only between kids and friends but between kids and adults. We students transition from being kids to adults during our senior year; we develop and mature to who we want to be as people.

The date came closer and closer, knowing that one day that coach bus would show up to take us to a destination unknown for many of us. The miles ticked off the sun began to set, passing towns one by one on the start of our quest. Finally arriving at Camp Menogyn, we were greeted with open arms by a very friendly staff, which was very eager to introduce 36 kids to there first winter camping trip.

We went to bed early and woke up even earlier for a hearty breakfast that really stuck to our bones. With the sun still climbing through the trees we attached our polks, cinched down our snowshoes and set off for the trip we have been waiting for since we were freshman, a trip truly once in a lifetime.

The girls were the first to find camp, and in a matter of a few minutes we had a nice firm path leading through our home for the next three days. Stepping off this trail surely meant you were going to be surprised by going up to your waist in snow. One by one the tents were assembled, water was boiled, congratulations were said to each other for making it this far, lunch was cooked, and trail mix passed around, staring out into the lake and taking in as much scenery as our senses could take in. The virgin snow, which was as pure and untouched, that only dreams are made of. The defiant jack pines, standing strong; holding as much of Canada’s forest on this side of the border, being crowded by the Minnesota’s hardwoods, the little bit of cold that could only bite on the tip or your nose, the rest of your body surrounded by layers of warm clothes. The water rolled easily over your tongue, this is some of the purest water to drink, and you can smell the aromatic scent given off by this untouched forest that towered over us in all directions. This trip consumed and used all your senses.

The fishing was nothing short of fantastic; I have traveled all over the Midwest, and have caught a trophy of almost every species. After latching into one of these Lake Trout, I can truly say this is the fish of fishes to tangle with through the ice. There is something very gratifying about auguring through 30 inches of ice, by hand, lowering a lure through the depths, in search of the Denizen of the Deep, Salvelinus namaycush, the lake trout, I now feel for once I am truly tied into nature now, I can feel the lakes heartbeat through the line, its heartbeat traveling through my rod, up through my hands and into my heart and soul.

An hour into the trip, I felt a slam on the other end. I set the tube jig home and that Lake Trout shot out like a cannon, immediately the silence was broken with me yelling “FISH ON” and the drag screaming away. There is nothing you can do but hold on for the ride of your life and hope that sooner or later it starts to get tired and to keep a smile on your face. Stuck in a tug of war that lasts for just a few moments, yet for that brief time frame you feel like you’re on the top of the world. It’s a breathless sight to see that gorgeous fish a few feet under you, I still remember that awesome red and oranges that can never be found on any canvas painting.

That first run lasted a little over 20 seconds. It made three or four more runs before we got it up the hole. A beautiful 27 inch laker with all the colors of a wild fire on it, this was a gorgeous fish and the picture with my smile will prove that to you! I ended up catching 4 more and all of them were over 20 inches with one more being about 27 inches, plus a chunky 24 incher and two smaller ones. My buddy caught two, and another friend caught one too. The fish fry that night was awesome, inviting my teacher, principal, another chaperon and our group of 9 people; those were some of the best fillets I have ever had. The way it flaked off with a twist of your fork and simply melted in your mouth. The smell of the firm red meat sizzling in the hot butter with onions, salt, pepper, garlic, lemon juice, intertwining with the campfire is a smell that won’t soon leave my nose.

The most memorable part of the trip came Saturday morning as the sun came up. I was sitting on the ice, all by myself watching the sun rise come through the trees, the lx3 had the usual red glow, I was just staring off into the sun rise, thinking over on how in just a few months, I will be pushed into another world of unknowns; being an adult and fending for myself, jigging away my worries and living in the moment and than being brought back to reality by another one of the freight train style hits we had been experiencing. I couldn’t help but to let out a laugh, all I can think of was it couldn't get any better than this, sun rising with another awesome sunrise going right off our nation’s border, reel screaming and the rod pulsing with the pulls of another BWCAW lake trout. The sight of the sun’s rays hitting the back and shimmering down the hues of the trout that had just freshly been taken out of the water is something you can only experience if you do it.

There wasn’t just the fishing that made this trip great, the explorers made a trek to the top of a portage that seemed to lead to the heavens and the view from the top was nothing but phenomenal and one of the coolest views that you will always remember.

Some people preferred to get a good fire going and laugh away the day and talk about their hopes, dreams, wants and needs. The logs and branches popping and the mesmerizing glow the fire has of staring into, with some hot chocolate in your hand. Everyone knows this feeling.

Others yet went off into the woods as far as they could go, and would just sit down and let the woods absorb them in the beauty of everything, the stillness, the quietness and its grip slowly tightening over another person, whispering into their ear to come back soon, let your self escape from everything, leave your worries at home when, you here, enjoy what there is for you here and have the time of your life in an area that took thousands of years to achieve what it is has now, those people are the one’s will be back to experience it again, those are the people who will protect this place with all their might, to not let this place be developed, people who will keep the water running pure, the snow untouched, the lake trout plentiful, people that the BWCAW needs for it to make it for our kids, and their kids.

The BWCAW has a mystifying way of it self, it always craves people to come and experience one of the last wild places on Earth. It craves the attention from people, to experience the BWCAW, to care for the land, to care for them, to find you’re self. The Outdoor Adventures class has the same feelings and that for 85 minutes out of every day your senior year, you are to live outside yourself.

[Matt Johnson]

Great story and pictures Chris!

Good Fishin,

Matt Johnson

[CrappieJohn]

Chris....you need to get rid of that horrendous orange cap and get a chartreuse one. The chartreuse really adds character to pics.

[Swimmer]

Chris, thanks for bringin back memories!

[castmaster]

if your canvas tent is a wall style with stove jack you will want to get a small woodburner. much easier than hauling in propane tanks and heaters. one other thing e brought when we did this is a 18v cordless drill with a couple extra betteries (well wrapped to keep from going dead) it came in handy in many ways. screwed don into the ice and screwed in eye blots to use for tie down anchores when erecting the tent (if you are camping on shore and not on the ice you probably wouldnt need to do this and could just tie off to trees)

like the other poster suggested keep meals simple. we made up a couple batches of soup that could be brought in in ice cream buckets and reheated when needed. also had steak sliced thinly and used to make "hobos" by adding cut up potatoes, onions and carrots, wrapping in tin foil and putting in the hot coals from fire. then jsut eat it right out of the tinfoil. a buddy brought some of that prescrambled egg dump from the grocery store, i wouldnt reccommend that stuff, pretty gross!!

if you can, pick up a copy of the boundary waters journal magazine, they usually have some great tips and ads for places that sell winter camping equipment.

[sparetime]

Ok, after that story I'm ready to go now? When do you think the ice will be safe?

[Chris_Wallace]

Its not so much ice being safe your looking for, try going towards the end of the season, your chances of having nice weather is alot better. The one day we fished without shirts on out there. I am not sure who the auger sponsor is here, but there is one I definatly won't bring up there again, we broke the shafts on two of them, but we ground a lot of holes.

[smmurphy]

Fantastic story Chris. Makes me think back to the days when I could go winter camping every chance I had.

[Chris_Wallace]

Thanks ssmurphy.

Tom, I like the hat.