Louisa does have pretty good lake trout fishing in it, we base camped on the large northerly island last year. Pretty lake and VERY deep. It can be reached from PP in one day, Louisa falls portage can be taxing though. We saw only one canoe go by when we were there.

The S chain is a nice route option as well. It depends on the time of year you are planning on going through, but you can get solitude there and the fishing is pretty good.

You can also pay your Q fees over the phone with a credit card.  Maybe even online?

I would definitely recommend calling the Q office as the reservations people don't know their bums from their elbows.

Easy

Paddle in from Horse on a day permit through BW.  You can make canada (moose bay) in 5-6 hrs.

RABC...lets you cross into canada without going through customs.  It is a canadian document that pre-clears you through canadian ports-of-enntry.   Takes 4-6 wks to get one in mail.  It is good for 1 yr.

Q fees are paid in either 2 ways.  Pay an Ely outfitter to drop your fees in the PP box post season.  Or you go up to PP on a tow day before and pay your fees in person.   Probably more ways to do it than that.

I heard that sippin' water from a hoof print will make you almost as crazy as drinkin' fracked Ogallala water.    Pardon me,Suncacher knows what I mean.         Would someone please expound on RACB concerns for me?  I seem to be picking up a negative vibe on them. Thanks.

Yeah, you are correct, Rocky.  It's got nothing to do with customs but you have to get a permit from the ranger station.  There's no customs at PP, so the RABC is your ticket into Canada but you still need to get your ticket into the park.

An exit via Horse can be done though.  You have to jump thru the proper hoops on your way in but you can exit any old way you like.

Theoretically, it might be possible to take a motorboat up to PP, pick up your permit, then motor back out and drive around to Mudro or someplace like that to start your trip.  But you'd better make it to the Q on the first day.  I don't really know, though.  Just conjecture on my part.

wally wrote on Mar 31^st, 2012 at 3:12pm:

I don't understand how you can paddle in from Horse Lake.  Isn't Horse in the BWCA?  I thought you had to pass through a customs ranger station to enter Quetico?

I was at Robinson in 2007.  Very clear water, and no one else around (this was the last week of June).  The bugs weren't bad.  We were only there one night, but caught several smallies from the shore.  We saw a Moose on Bart, just over from Robinson.

Bill, great idea for a 4 day base camp!  Now I'm thinking a late summer trip to Robinson or Louisa.

Well I heard there are no fish in the Quetico, lots of people, really overcrowded, and the bugs are bad, and the bears eat people......

SunCatcher

I'm not a fisherperson but I hear Louisa is a great trout lake and just within first night range of PP and pretty high on solitude.