Lake of abandoned fishing boats

[catchafew]

There's a lake I finally found the northwest passage to way up north in 2019. I fished it once in 2006 when I was able to hike hills with canoe on my back and then it almost killed me. Unless your truck has 30"+ tires you're not going to be able to drive out here. The 50+ acre lake is nestled in some steep granite escarpments about 300' high and a boggy old service road used to allow access to it in the valley.

Anyway it's loaded with bass and some decent pike and it's 50' at it's deepest point but traditional areas with lay down logs and lilly pads hold bass but trolling a lure across the lake will produce pike.

When I first fished it in 2006 I was shocked to see all the boats permanently dumped at this lake on both sides from old steel and wooden hulled boats to more modern aluminum boats. Just walking these hills are strenuous, I can't imagine the group of buddies needed to put these boats here. It's like visiting Easter island and wondering how they hell did the do this. In 2019 I purchased a set of oars and we took a boat fishing.

I see now my screen shot of these pictures from my phone made them worse, sorry about that

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[RonG]

Pull one out for me and one for yourself!

There's no chance they put them back there to use on the lake? Like leave them there and haul in a trolling motor and battery each trip.

[Lip_Yanker]

There's no chance they put them back there to use on the lake? Like leave them there and haul in a trolling motor and battery each trip.

That's what I was thinking, especially if it's that much work to get them in/out of that location.

[Rambler]

This sounds like something right out of When The Wild Calls by Jack Kulpa. Great read.

[Aux Pleins]

Pretty awesome. That's the reason I always wanted a jacked up truck. For that one time I need to really offroad to get to where I'm going. That or a zombie apocalypse.

[badger75]

At only 50 acres, pair of oars would get you around. Self service boating. Cool.

[catchafew]

There's one other lake I know of where they have a communal fishing boat just one lake over, but she's a leaker.

I've left my canoe at a lake one summer about 100 yards in the woods and a guy left a note on it saying he borrowed it, I left him another note saying good fishing. Things are a little different up here.

These remote rivers and lakes are awesome, some of my clients over the years could fish for hours without getting tan lines. Well they mostly read a book and drank coolers. .

Actually I think what a cool and dignified way for an old fishing boat to go. As they decay into oblivion over the years they stand at the ready in waiting for the next generation of anglers to enjoy them and for a few generations that proceeded us and the common bond we all shared.

[polishfly]

Sounds like a portage my friends and I did up at Craig Lake state park in the UP haha! Yikes, I would love to check that place out!

[Bearhorse]

If you have mentioned this in the past, i apologize as i am very new to the Forum, but where is this lake? Im in Chicago and have been doing alot of day trips during quarantine and have been trying to find some new spots

Thanks!

[catchafew]

Bearhorse,

Welcome to the boards. This lake is many hours north of Illinois via car.

[Backwoodsbobbers88]

There's one other lake I know of where they have a communal fishing boat just one lake over, but she's a leaker.

I've left my canoe at a lake one summer about 100 yards in the woods and a guy left a note on it saying he borrowed it, I left him another note saying good fishing. Things are a little different up here.

These remote rivers and lakes are awesome, some of my clients over the years could fish for hours without getting tan lines. Well they mostly read a book and drank coolers. .

Actually I think what a cool and dignified way for an old fishing boat to go. As they decay into oblivion over the years they stand at the ready in waiting for the next generation of anglers to enjoy them and for a few generations that proceeded us and the common bond we all shared.

Hello catchafew,

My uncle and I made the portage down to the lake with kayaks and had some success on topwater. We stayed at our family cabin in the local town and went back the next day with my brother and his friend. They initially tried the jon boat which was soon after brought back and traded in for the canoe . Unfortunately we weren't the ones that left the note, but we did manage to catch a few bass on the floating canoe.

I often enjoy exploring the county and the lakes it has to offer.

[Peter Piper]

Have oars will travel or portage. Thats great man. Years ago I used to stay at Portage Bay on Lake of the Woods. The portage was to Shoal Lake. We found a small runabout boat just left there in the weeds. The lodge controlled the boat we used with a chain. I always wondered whod go through that effort to lift a row boat. Always exciting to portage.