Well, here's the deal. Later this summer, I have some cousins coming up to visit me from TN / NC, and they are hell-bent on seeing the BWCA. They are all in their 30's, avid outdoors-men, and two are experienced paddlers, but the only problem is we only have four days to work with (six with travel from Minneapolis).

I spent a few weeks browsing QJ and other websites, and browsing the McKenzie maps for ideas, and I settled on EP #16, the Moose River going north into the Nina Moose, Ram's Head, and Agnes area. I figured it would expose my cousins to a pretty good variety of BWCA terrain, fishing opportunities, and wildlife. I hear it's a fairly popular entry point, but I told them not to expect total solitude with only four days to work with.

We plan to base camp somewhere in that area, and spend most of the time fishing. Nobody really has a species preference, but I would like to try for lakers if they're around. Do any of the lakes between Nina Moose and LLC have lake trout in them? Also, we are tentatively planning on base camping on Agnes. Anyone with experience in that area have any suggestions?

With a day to travel, & if you're packed right, you could make LLC in one day. There are lakers in LLC. Also, there is Warrior Hill and the best pictos in the park. There is a good laker hole opposite the pictos on the Minnesota side. With a depth sounder, you'll have no trouble locating it. I would go for anywhere between Boulder bay and Fish Stake Narrows, and probably pick Tiger bay for camping. Most sites are good to excellant. Also, if you camp on LLC, you could go to Iron for a day trip, with Rebecca & Curtain Falls on that days menu. Just get an early jump out of Minneapolis. Who knows, with that for a sampler, you might just get them to come back & commit to more trippin time in the future.

There are also lakers in Oyster, if you decide not to go that far.

Thanks for the replies. I think this will work out well for my cousins and I. But with regards to Warrior Hill and Rebecca Falls, I'm assuming we can't we do that without RABC's and Quetico permits? I may have to save that for a solo. Looks like Curtain Falls would be okay, though. Too bad this trip isn't happening until August!

I'm still planning a solo for this spring, to make up for the one I had to cancel last year for that temp job in Yukon. I'm sure I'll be back with other questions when I get around to finishing those plans.

You shouldn't need either a RABC or Quetico permit as long as you stay in the water or are on a portage trail running between the border lakes, i.e. the Bottle Portage from LLC to Bottle Lake/Iron Lake.  It's on the Canadian side, but you are legally entitled to traverse it without "officially" entering Canada.  I have forgotten the law/treaty stating such, and this is not considered legal advise, so you can dig a little further if you like.

However, I would make an effort to not fish the Canadian shores and bays, etc. that are obviously Canadian without a Ontario fishing permit, as the treaty allows for travel, not fishing.  

Just be aware of no live bait fishing on the Quetico side...
And what Wally said about permits has generally been the rule, however there have be some cases where visitors were checked and I believe fined for something or the other.

Bruce