"Well, son, that makes an even 60 — I guess we'd better head back to camp."

"Okay, Dad, but I think I've got another one on . . ."

Bass fishing in the Boundary Waters

This was a day of bass fishing that Dave Schimke and his son Mark would never forget. While they have made quite a number of trips to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness over the last several years, they'd never had a day like this one.

The Schimkes had decided to bushwhack into a small lake, just west of a regularly traveled route near the end of the Gunflint Trail. The trek through the bush wasn't easy, but they had only their day packs and a Kevlar canoe to carry. And when they saw — and even photographed — two wolves on the way in, they thought that the day couldn't get any better. But it did.

Mark's first cast in this secret lake brought in a nice two-pound bass. His dad responded by bagging one of his own shortly thereafter. A little over four hours later they released number 60! Four days later, while telling me the story back at my outfitting base, they were still wearing the grins only a bass fisherman can appreciate.

So how do you find a lake like the one the Schimkes found? Well, it's unlikely the Schimkes, or anyone else, will be forthcoming with a treasure like that. So your search should begin at home, on your maps, and in the guidebooks that tell you which lakes are likely to hold bass. From there you're on your own, limited only by your energy and your enthusiasm for the hunt. Keep in mind, however, that your secret lake may not be easy to get to.

Because a search for one of these extraordinary lakes can be somewhat daunting, I'll give you a little help. I won't give away my top secret lakes by name, but I'll get you started in the right direction — at least within the area surrounding the end of the Gunflint Trail. After that it's up to you.

Not far from one of these spots is the lake that the Schimkes stumbled onto last July. Hundreds of canoeists paddle by the hidden entrance to their lake every summer. Little do they know what exists only a few hundred yards away.

But, again, it is important to remember that the best bass spots are closely guarded secrets. Nearby the spots I've mentioned are hundreds of small lakes with untouched populations of aggressive smallies. And, now and then, some largemouth, too.

Don't overlook the closer lakes either. Saganaga gives up record-book smallies every summer from its many rock piles and unfished bays. I fish Seagull Lake a few times a week and regularly catch and release bass in the 16- to 20-inch range. Many times I have heard anglers ask, "Aren't there any small bass in these lakes?"

As any bass fisherman knows, some of these bushwhacking adventures will be fruitless . . . and frustrating. However, when you tire of getting scratched by the alder branches, and are about to give up and turn back, keep an eye out for those wolves. Think about the Schimkes and their memorable day. And the grin you'll wear when you release bass number 61.

Move on to Fishing: Top Secret Lakes: Red Rock and Ogishkemuncie Return to Top

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