Boundary Waters Vs Montana

[BigBass123]

Weighing out whether to do a canoe trip at the Boundary Waters or backpacking for trout in Montana. We’d be looking at a week in the middle of July.

Anyone ever done either trip? I’d assume there’s no bad choice, one just might be better than the other.

 

[turkeykirk]

I have fished in Montana but never made it to the Boundary Waters. You have a tough choice. Good luck.

 

[pjciii]

I have done both. I would choose the Boundary waters. They have great small mouth have lunker lake trout, walleye, northerns and muskie. Moose, bear and wolves. The boundry waters is the just beautiful. Go up and thru Ely Minnesota

 

[oldfella1962]

Personally, I like backpacking and mountain scenery, but I am the world's worst trout fisherman. But I also like canoes, and I know how to catch northerns & muskie.
Either way, I wouldn't mind having two choices like you have!

 

[pjciii]

I did miss one thing about is during the summer there is a biting black season. Serious. Ask about it when making plans.

 

[JKat81]

Do both

 

[JKat81]

Both are bucket list trips in my opinion. I have never fished in the Boundary Waters, but I went up there on a grouse hunt a few years ago. Stayed in Ely and hunted in the wilderness area. Absolutely gorgeous. I have a lot of experience trout fishing in the Rocky Mountain west. Seeing the sun come and go down over the Rockies is just something that I just don’t have the words for. I went out west for the first time when I was 8 years old and I have been in love with it ever since. If I just had one trip left in me, it would be somewhere in the mountain time zone

 

[Dean]

Can't speak to Boundary Waters....yet. But I have trout fished/backpacked/camped Montana for 30 years. The backpacking part is the thing I would focus on....depending on how far "back" you go? Montana trout-hiking can demand alot physically. But the rewards are more than worth it, and the trout catching can be just a bonus.

 

[Tight Lines]

Weighing out whether to do a canoe trip at the Boundary Waters or backpacking for trout in Montana. We’d be looking at a week in the middle of July.

Anyone ever done either trip? I’d assume there’s no bad choice, one just might be better than the other.

Look at where in MT you want to go and talk to local shops. The snowfall was light, so most are expecting hoot owl closures over the summer. I was planning to fish there in August and switched to Utah.

 

[BeerThirty]

I did a week-long boundary waters canoe trip when I was 17 as a Boy Scout. It was one of the most memorable things I've done in my life. From the canoeing, the crystal clear water, the portaging, the fishing, the wildlife you will see, it's absolutely majestic! You won't have mountains, but you do get up into some rolling bluffs and steep rock formations. You will have amazing smallmouth bass, walleye and northern pike fishing. Heck, if you want trout, you can even fish deep for the lake trout!

As far as hiking vs. canoeing, each trip will have it's pros/cons. One thing to consider is the camping aspect. With the canoe trip, you have the luxury of bringing a little more gear than a backpack trip imo because you have the vessel to carry. Yeah you still have to haul it when you portage, but it gives you the option nonetheless.

 

[Native]

I went to the Boundary Waters about eight years ago with a group of three other guys from my scout troop. It was four adults and five boys.One of the dads was from Minnesota and basically planned the trip. We had a fantastic time. We caught lots of northern pike, one large lake trout, some walleye, and lots of smallmouth. It was a fantastic trip. I do remember that we had to have a tour permit for our group so you might need to get on that pretty quickly. We rented canoes through Paragis Outfitters and put in at Lake One north of Ely. If I remember right we paddled about 35 miles and portaged another 7 miles or so. The dad who planned our trip ended up buying a lodge on the Gunflint trail on the boundary waters. He is a good trustworthy man and I’m sure he would be happy to help you with planning your trip if you would like. Let me know if you would like his contact info.

 

[hunter44a]

The Boundary Waters just has so many lakes and so many species of fish to go for that you'll always have a choice when one species aint biting something else will be. Plus the scenery is outstanding