Quetico Solo
June 11 - July 2, 2003
Photos and text by Doug Clark

Day 8
Portage trialDay trip to McDougall and Cushing. Had a quick breakfast and loaded up the essentials for the day. It's only a 100 rod portage so I brought the sink. Oops. How many times must I learn the lesson not to say "It's only a 100 rod portage"? I paddled by it the first time, not believing it was the portage. I'd be more apt to troll for lakers next to this wall. Starts with a bed of poison ivy and goes downhill from there -- or should I say uphill? Sharply. UGH.
Portage trial Portage trial Portage trial
It was worth the grunt. Beautiful clear water and good smallie fishing. The southwest wind of the last few days had pushed the minnows into the northeast corner by the portage to Chatterton. I saw a school about 15 yds wide by 40 yds long. There must have been billions of them. All the smallies I caught in that area had at least 2 or 3 in their mouths. Greedy. By the time I had fished and relaxed my way to the Cushing portage the weather was looking stormy again, and the wind was becoming a real factor. And that leads to one of the things I don't like about soloing... smallie fishing in the wind. I really enjoy pounding an area of shoreline with someone else running the canoe, and then switching and giving them the opportunity to do the same. I don't have near as much trouble laker or walleye fishing solo, but any level of wind more than a breeze really lowers my smallie production. The boat control is just not there. Thoughts like this and storm clouds in the area convinced me not to make the jump over to Cushing. I don't think I can do that portage back to Keats in the rain. A fall there could be a really long wait for help. Since I was at the portage, I walked it over to Cushing. Not maintained but do-able. I will return another day.

The landingI checked out a few campsites on the way back to the Keats portage. Not much to brag about. Picked up a nice eater size laker, and will bake that bad boy up tonight. Stopped for a quick clean and bag. Yum to come. Found a weed bed in about 20' and cleaned clock on some nice northerns. Looks like the heart of the storm will pass to the east. Portage wet, but not running water. Took it slow on the way down that steep slope. I knew that I couldn't hold the front of the canoe down at a sharp enough angle to keep the back from banging, and I didn't want to take the chance of a banger in the rear when I was trying to find a solid step... they were few. I began that section by letting the back of the canoe down, and keeping it in contact with the rock face behind me. Made it. The thought of baked trout with hash browns made the paddle back to camp a bit shorter. It was even better than the thought. Finished my stay on Keats with an evening flyrod/jig and minnow fish. Thank you walleye. You can have some rest now.

Doug Clark