Greetings,  An old map from many years ago shows where an Ely Outfitter marked a campsite on the longest point or the island of Cheatan Bay NorthEast of This Man Lake. 

PaddlePlanner shows no camps at all on the bay.

Anyone know if it exists?  Or any others on the bay?

Thanks for the help.

Regards,

MossBack

I looked on my Memory Map software that goes back to 1983 and didn't see any campsites verified or not either.

I'd paddle up on there and run the shoreline to look for potential campsites. I bring small set of waterproof binoculars, great for scoping out sites without having to paddle all over.

One of the biggest advantages to the Q, is that you can camp ANYWHERE you can land and set up a tent/tarp. I've done that more than a few times and it really is kind of cool to do. Finding a little hidden gem that is YOURS entirely is kind of nice.

Check with some who did the Stumpy Quest aka bushwhackers rendezvous back in 2010. They may remember... 8-)

Hey Mossback, I think we may have the same map....perhaps the same outfitter.  Back in 2009, I went through This Man and camped on Cheatan Bay...only because it was too late in the day to go find another camp.  My map is marked with a very cool 'secret campsite' on a point on the SE shoreline just past the small oblong island on the same shoreline.  I was told it had what could be described as improvements of the nature that Boy Scouts used to build - pioneering type stuff...counter type table, etc.  While we did find evidence that it once may have been very nice, it was way over grown, not very big or open, tons of mosquitoes and in my opinion, is better kept a secret and that was 7 years ago.  It should be easy to find - there is an eagle sitting in the big white pine just above the campsite.   ;D  We did find a suitable site on the western of the two long points coming from the north shore, if memory serves me, however, I would not seek that one out either.  I don't think many people spend much time in that bay.  I was told there is good lake trout fishing among the reefs just through the narrows, but have no experience to validate it.  To me, it was not worth the paddle back up in there.  If you decide to head that way, I'd recommend you do it early enough in the day to check it out good and still have time to back out to the main lake if you don't find it amenable.

pd

PD,
I believe you correct on several counts.  Just guessing at the vintage of the map and the Sharpie red dots, I would say it was from Woods Davis in the 1980's.  The marked site is the one you described on the North shore western most long point or the island adjacent to it.  The story that goes with it is a conversation that took place in Woods's parking lot.  Found a gentleman sitting on his tailgate with a 6 pack and a container of salt killing a bucket of minnows.  He was headed to camp on Cheatan bay the next day and said they would catch 100 lake trout per day with the minnows.  Nothing large, but lots of fun and they only kept a couple of small eaters.  Yet another one of those people I have met and now wonder if they are a member here?

Regards,

Bob

Quote:

said they would catch 100 lake trout per day with the minnows.

If that is even close to being true, as someone who loves baked LT, that would be worth the paddle in if your of the same mind.

  I don't think you can bring in salted minnows but I'm sure GULP minnows would work just fine.

There are 2 camps on Cheatan Bay.  The rather primitive site Portagedog mentioned and the better site on the south tip of the long point coming off the top part of the bay.  Kingfisher and I stayed one night there a few years back on a spring trip.  Found a weed bed off the primitive site that had a lot of northerns and a few walleyes hanging around.  Picked up 2 pike that went 15#.  The bay is deep enough for trout, but no takers.
-YB