Every year thousands of anglers leave their home waters and head north to the border. The fresh clean air, hoards of hungry fish and pristine waters call out to them like they have for so many travelers of the past and the thoughts of a fly-in fishing trip can make even the worst procrastinator get out his tackle box early to begin preparations. Any fly-in fishing trip is certainly a worthy venture, but the cost can sometimes be a bit more than the family budget can handle. A few years ago I took my annual fly-in fishing trip into Northern Ontario with friends.
As usual the fishing was fabulous and the trip was relatively simple. Just show up, get on the plane, arrive and start fishing, what could be more perfect. Well its not so perfect if North Country fishing is in your blood and you decide that want to go up there twice in the same year. It just so happens that I live about 800 miles away and I was certain that my wife was not going to agree with two such trips in one year. I knew that I was going to have a hard sell when a month after returning I asked the chief financial officer of family budgetary matters if I could make another trip to the North Country. She of course responded, Have you lost your mind, you just got back. I knew right then that if I was to pull this off I had better come up with a plan that would pass the sharp eyes of the resident accountant. What I really needed was a bargain; surely no wife can refuse her husband a true bargain. I then began researching and planning a trip that would help to fulfill my never ending need to feel something tugging on the other end of my line, while still appealing to the thrift-shopper in my wife.
The internal search engine went on in my head and I began to think back on trips that I had taken which were not quite as pricy as a fly-in trip into Canada. I realized that a canoe trip into the Boundary Waters of Northern Minnesota might just fit the bill. I could catch plenty of fish, have some quality time in the Northwoods and prove to her that I was a very effective thrift-shopper.
Having taken numerous trips to the Boundary Waters around Ely, Minnesota in the past, I was convinced that I could have a quality fishing trip by going right up to the border, but not necessarily having to cross over into Canada. Most of the lakes on the Minnesota side of the border also have outstanding fishing. They are not quite as good as the Canadian side, but they are very close and the cost of the trip is dramatically reduced.
Contacting a local outfitter and going through them is an easy way to make sure your trip goes off without a hitch. An outfitted canoe trip is much cheaper than a fly-in fishing trip, but I still wanted to trim it down to a dollar figure that my wife simply could not refuse. Canoe outfitters will provide you with everything you need for a backcountry canoe trip. They will provide the food, the equipment, the canoes and the information. All you need to bring is your clothes and your fishing equipment. I realized that I already had most of the things that I needed for this trip and what I didnt have I could rent or borrow from a friend.
A good quality backpack and a light weight tent are a must. I already had these things so half my battle was over. The food that outfitters pack for you is reasonably good, but I always find that there are things I like about it and things I would do differently. By sitting down at the kitchen table I was able to plan out 5 days worth of meals and a great deal of the food I needed was already in the cabinets. We certainly had plenty of Ramen noodles and those are always good for a quick light lunch. We had extra packs of tuna and a big package of beef jerky. I still needed to get about 5 freeze dried meals from the sporting goods store to have as dinner back-ups, but all in all I figured that I had already saved several dollars.
The canoe on the other hand was another story. I do happen to own a canoe, but it is heavier than a full sized bass boat and I had no intention of carrying it over any portages. I would have to rent an ultra-light Kevlar canoe and this would be my one big expense. When there are two people to share in the carrying you can use a slightly heavier canoe, but this was a solo trip and I needed a top-of-the-line model for lightness and ease of paddling.
By shopping around on-line I was able to locate and compare canoe outfitters in the area. Most have the models listed so you can see which one of the outfitters rents the exact same canoe for a lower price. If youre not sure which canoe is best for your needs, you can call up the outfitter, tell them where youre planning to head and see what they recommend. The lighter the canoe gets the more expensive it gets, but remember every pound that you take off with your wallet is one that you dont have on your back. Also the ultra-light Kevlar canoes are unbelievably fast and maneuverable in the water.By: Stephen Matt
