Guys,
I've been all over the southern part of the park, and I'm gonna cap it off with the Hunter's Island Loop next fall. That will get me to Sturgeon I've been hoping to see for a long time. Next Spring I'm going in from Beaverhouse and start seeing some of the northern part of the park. But Poohbah...for those of you who have been there, how did you get there? Someday I might do a solo trip where I can travel fast, I use a Kruger Sea Wind and on-water speed is faster than most solos and as fast as a good tandem team, and it really excels when it's windy and rough. I'd like to do a solo trip where I can spend a few days there, as part of a 14 day trip. Do I paddle up the border lakes from Prairie Portage to McAree and Minn and go in that way? Or is it really necessary to go in to LLC and possibly do a tow? Just wanting to know how you all did it.

Joe

You could go from PP up to Conmee and in from there. From Beaver House you have several options to get to to the Maligne and in thru Wink. I tried to find the trail from the top of the Maligne over into Pooh Bah and failed but others have succeeded on that abandoned portage.
Funny, I always wanted to see Pooh Bah simply because of the name. I don't fish and when we got there from Conmee I thought the lake was less than attractive so we just paddled out and over through Wink. I have never been back.

LOL, I hear Poohbah has good fishing and the remoteness of the lake is what is drawing me there. I've been through William and Conmee a couple of times and the Memory Lane portages to Poohbah just don't look so attractive! For sure, if you are paddling a Kruger you'd rather paddle 20 miles than portage 2!

Joe

I think the one to talk to on this board would be Wallee. He's done it more than a few times.

Been to Poobah twice. Both times started at Beaverhouse and went though Jean and Burntside into Sturgeon staying at a nice small island campsite at the top of the Maligne. Made it into Poohbah the next day via Tanner Lake and the creek leading into Poohbah. First trip returned the same way...it was mid-June with really high water and almost didn't make it back up (my son and I had alternate plan if we couldn't make it to head to the LLC station and see if we could find someone to take us back to the Beaverhouse entry point). But we did make it up the Maligne that trip. The second trip we exited by paddling across the northern expanse of LLC and went down the Maligne and up Quetico creek into the western side of Beaverhouse....that was a really nice route.

FIshing on Poohbah the first trip was fantastic, some of our best ever on any Q lake....lots of big smallies, northerns, walleye and lakers. The second trip was early July and we had upper 80 temps, clear sunny skies, and no wind.....fishing was difficult but we did okay, except for catching walleyes which must have been quite deep.

First trip saw two float planes and some LLC nation folks use their motor boats heading to the area near the Wink portage, but never really saw them except for taking off and landing on their mid-lake island. Second trip we had the lake to ourselves for 3 days and saw nobody else.

I have been there many times, but I have did the Tow option every time I have went. That gets me in there in about 12 hours from the permit station. I double portage. If you choose this route, keep a eye on the Maline water level before you go as you will be paddling against the current till you get to Poohbah Creek. One time I had to deviate from my trip plans because the current was just to dangerous to attempt.

Good advice on checking the water level on the Maligne. That river can really rip when the water is high. One late spring we came down from Beaverhouse and had planned to go down the Maligne and over to Darky. We scouted the river and decided it was way to risky to take it. Other times the top has been fast but doable. An easier go when it widens out.