BWCAW Information
Travel permits are required to camp in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) and the Quetico Provincial Park. These permits are intended to reduce over occupancy within the wilderness and limit the impact on the natural resources. BWCAW permits may be acquired starting in January on a first come - first serve basis. The Quetico Park permits are available 5 months in advance of the day you desire.
Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness
The BWCAW permit requires you to enter at the entry point and date shown on your travel permit. The maximum group size is 9. The permit reservation fee is $6 and the camping fee is $16 per person per trip. At the time of the reservation, a minimum $32 camping fee will be collected in addition to the $6 reservation fee. A credit card is required for the reservation. For more rules and regulations, please view www.recreation.gov
Quetico Provincial Park
The Quetico Park enforces rules similar to the BWCAW Travel permits are required and must be used on the date and direction of travel shown on the permit. The reservation fee is $12 and camping fees are around $22 (Canadian funds) per person per night. At the time of the reservation, a $100 deposit will be taken and will go towards your camping fees. The remaining camping fees will be due at the time of receiving your permit. In addition to a camping permit, the Quetico Park requires all people entering at Prairie Portage to clear customs in advance. You must apply for a Remote Area Border Crossing Permit (RABC), which may take up to six weeks to process.
Reservation
A $50 deposit per trip is required for any partial outfitting reservation. For complete outfitting packages, a $100 deposit per person is required.
Refund Policy
Trip deposits are non-refundable. If you cancel the reservation, your trip deposit will be applied to another canoe trip for the current or next year. We do not give refunds for early returns.
BWCAW Permits
As a Cooperator with the USDA Forest Service under the Superior National Forest, we are able to issue permits into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW), part of the National Wilderness Preservation System. There is no charge for us to reserve your BWCAW permit and we do not charge you when we issue your travel permit. If you need assistance with reserving a permit or advice on selecting a travel route, please feel free to contact us!
What To Bring
Packing light is crucial when going on a canoe trip. The majority of the time people pack way too much stuff and never utilize everything that they bring. Every extra item that it is added to a pack will add additional weight and will seem even more heavy on a long portage. The list below contains essential items, as well as, some items that will make your canoe trip more comfortable. These are merely suggestions that we've found over the years to be helpful in the BWCA.
- Clothes (quick-drying pants, cotton or wool socks, short & long-sleeve shirt, sweatshirt or light jacket), rain gear, gloves and hat, good footwear (hiking or waterproof boots), lightweight shoes/sandals for camp, swimsuit, towel,
- Sunscreen, sunglasses, playing cards, book, flashlight, spare batteries, first aid kit, compass, knife or multi-tool, duct tape, matches, water bottle, and water filter.
- Fishing rod and reel, fillet board and knife, stringer, tackle (see BWCA Fishing Tackle for suggestions), depth finder, and marker buoys.
Fishing Information
Minnesota Fishing Season
- Walleye, Sauger, & Northern Pike - May 10, 2025
- Smallmouth Bass & Largemouth Bass - May 10, 2025 (NE Zone)
* Please consult the Minnesota State Regulations Handbook for lake specific regulations, The seasons listed below generally apply to the Ely area.
Minnesota State Record Fish
- Walleye 17 lbs, 8oz
- Northern Pike 45 lbs, 12 oz
- Smallmouth Bass 8 lbs, 0 oz
- Largemouth Bass 8 lbs, 15 oz
BWCAW Fishing Tackle
Fishing in the Boundary Waters and the Quetico Provincial Park can be some of the best fishing worldwide. These lakes see very low fishing pressure resulting in an environment that is very conducive for reproduction. As a result, the Boundary Waters and Quetico Park produces not only lots of fish, but huge fish.
With hundreds, even thousands of lakes, a remarkable habitat has formed for the game fish and all the inhabitants. Walleye, Northern Pike, Smallmouth Bass, Largemouth Bass, Lake Trout, Crappie, Sunfish, and Bluegill all lurk in the waters of the wilderness. The difficulty is deciding on what species to chase after and what lakes to explore!
Generally, there are lures that you can count on to consistently catch fish. However, at the time of your trip, you need to pay attention to seasonal trends and current conditions. Current weather plays an important role on deciding which tackle, lures, and fishing techniques should be used.
Top Water & Surface Baits
Rebel Pop-R, Rapala Skitter Pop, Floating Frogs, Hula Popper, Floating Rapala, Buzz Baits, Booyah Pond Magic Spinners, Heddon Torpedo
Medium to Deep Running Lures
Beetle Spins, Mimic Minnow, Spinnerbait, Cotton Cordel Wally Diver, Rapala Shadrap, Mepps Spinners, Rebel Crawfish, Rattlin' Rapala
Live Bait (Minnows, Leeches, Night crawlers)
The use of live bait is a key component of fishing and preferred by many fisherman. 1/8 oz to 3/4 oz jigs, tipped with a biodegradable grub, such as Berkley Gulp, and live bait is an excellent tool to catch fish. Jigs colors: orange, chartreuse, white, blue, pink, even purple. Grub colors: yellow, green, and white.
Trolling with Walleye Spinners or Crawler Harness's also works very well. Spinner blade colors: Orange, Chartreuse, Silver, Gold. Hook sizes: #2 or #4
Slip bobbers combined with a leech or a night crawler works very well in the Boundary Waters lakes. Thill 4" slip bobber, bobber stops, mediumed sized split shot weights, and #2 or #4 Gamakatsu colored hook.
Lake Trout
Little Cleo spoons, Northland Bionic Bucktail jigs, 1/2 to 3/4 oz Kastmaster lures
Fishing Equipment (Tackle)
Fillet Knife, Fillet Board, Tape Measure, 2 rods and reels per person with 6 lb to 10 lb test line, several small tackle boxes for easy storage, fishing line clippers, stringer, pliers or forceps, steel leaders 30 lb 9" to 12 ", mouth spreader, and a landing net per canoe.
Ely Outdoors Company carries a full line of fishing tackle, including everything suggested above.