Boundary Waters Top Tackle List

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NorthStar
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Boundary Waters Top Tackle List

Unread postby NorthStar » Thu Apr 28, 2022 8:54 am

Hey everyone! I am taking my 15 year old son on our first Boundary Waters trip the second week of June and I was curious what fishing lures are a "must have" up there. We are fine with catching any species but I know we need to pack light so I want to make sure we have the essentials! Thanks in advanced!


“The lazy do not roast any game, but the diligent feed on the riches of the hunt.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭12:27‬ ‭NIV‬‬
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Re: Boundary Waters Top Tackle List

Unread postby Bowhunting Brian » Thu Apr 28, 2022 9:20 am

Go on YouTube. Lots of videos with guys that go up there frequently. Lots of knowledge to be gained.
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Re: Boundary Waters Top Tackle List

Unread postby Chuck B » Thu Apr 28, 2022 9:48 am

I have been up there a few times. My first time I had beginners luck and caught a 32.5 inch walleye on a black jig and a leach. Went out in a rain shower in front of camp at about 10 pm. My buddies called me crazy. Next thing you know this walleye is pulling me all over the place (canoe) while fighting it.

The other times I have been up there we have always caught some walleye, but never “slammed them”. Always hard in canoe tho. My favorite campsite was on a rock face (just above the rock face). We’d climb down to the water and toss out a weighted rig with about 12 inches of line flowing freely and a hook and leech on it. We caught plenty of walleye that way and was easy drinking some whiskey while relaxing on the rocks!

I haven’t fished smallies or northern up there but I know some guys have done well with that.

Early June should be some good fishing up there.

Catch a lot of fish or not, you will have a blast with your son. Very cool you are doing that. Good luck!
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Re: Boundary Waters Top Tackle List

Unread postby dan » Thu Apr 28, 2022 11:07 am

Mepps Aglia spinners with no buck tails in size #3 to #5 in assorted colors but silver seems to work best most of the time.
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Re: Boundary Waters Top Tackle List

Unread postby 218er » Thu Apr 28, 2022 3:18 pm

Grab some Fuzzy Grubs. They’ll work for walleye, pike,and smallies.
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Re: Boundary Waters Top Tackle List

Unread postby Hilts » Thu Apr 28, 2022 11:24 pm

If you bring live bait(leeches or crawlers) jigs work well. Slip bobber with an 1/8 oz jig, floating jig with a sinker above it. I have also had trips where just a hook & sinker with a leech out fished everything else.

Spoons & spinners for pike. Plastics can work on anything up there.

Also, you you plan on spending time fishing... bring a basketball net with one end tied off. Grab a few rocks to throw in it when you get to camp and you have an anchor. An anchor comes in really handy if you are trying to fish with any wind stronger than just a breeze.
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Re: Boundary Waters Top Tackle List

Unread postby Ahawk116 » Thu Apr 28, 2022 11:28 pm

I went up there on the Canadian side a couple of times in Boy Scouts. I grew up fly fishing and caught a ton of small mouth and pike with a few walleye mixed in tossing clouser minnow patterns. (Bucktail minnow with dumbbell eyes) in various colors as well as leech and crawdad patterns.

Pike would eat top water frog patterns a lot as well.
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Re: Boundary Waters Top Tackle List

Unread postby BRoth82 » Fri Apr 29, 2022 12:40 am

Floating rapalas and shad raps work the best for me, also I run them on braided line and troll any time were paddling. I hate bringing live bait if you have to Portage at all.
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Re: Boundary Waters Top Tackle List

Unread postby szwampdonkey » Fri Apr 29, 2022 1:07 am

Orange jig head with leech for Walleyes
6” purple plastic worm for Walleyes
White Spinner Bait for huge Northern

Probably all i’d take, multiples of each to account for losses.
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Re: Boundary Waters Top Tackle List

Unread postby NorthStar » Fri Apr 29, 2022 2:33 am

Chuck B wrote:I have been up there a few times. My first time I had beginners luck and caught a 32.5 inch walleye on a black jig and a leach. Went out in a rain shower in front of camp at about 10 pm. My buddies called me crazy. Next thing you know this walleye is pulling me all over the place (canoe) while fighting it.

The other times I have been up there we have always caught some walleye, but never “slammed them”. Always hard in canoe tho. My favorite campsite was on a rock face (just above the rock face). We’d climb down to the water and toss out a weighted rig with about 12 inches of line flowing freely and a hook and leech on it. We caught plenty of walleye that way and was easy drinking some whiskey while relaxing on the rocks!

I haven’t fished smallies or northern up there but I know some guys have done well with that.

Early June should be some good fishing up there.

Catch a lot of fish or not, you will have a blast with your son. Very cool you are doing that. Good luck!


That is a monster walleye! Did you end up putting that one one the wall?
“The lazy do not roast any game, but the diligent feed on the riches of the hunt.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭12:27‬ ‭NIV‬‬
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Re: Boundary Waters Top Tackle List

Unread postby NorthStar » Fri Apr 29, 2022 2:35 am

dan wrote:Mepps Aglia spinners with no buck tails in size #3 to #5 in assorted colors but silver seems to work best most of the time.


I have a couple of these already so I will make sure to throw them in the pack, thanks!
“The lazy do not roast any game, but the diligent feed on the riches of the hunt.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭12:27‬ ‭NIV‬‬
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Re: Boundary Waters Top Tackle List

Unread postby stash59 » Fri Apr 29, 2022 3:15 am

Went up there a couple times back in the 80's! Back then. Anything orange got hit well! Diving bass baits did the best! Mainly caught walleyes on crawlers on jigs! White jigs worked best! This was mid to late August!! Canadian side!
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Re: Boundary Waters Top Tackle List

Unread postby Chuck B » Fri Apr 29, 2022 6:11 am

NorthStar wrote:
Chuck B wrote:I have been up there a few times. My first time I had beginners luck and caught a 32.5 inch walleye on a black jig and a leach. Went out in a rain shower in front of camp at about 10 pm. My buddies called me crazy. Next thing you know this walleye is pulling me all over the place (canoe) while fighting it.

The other times I have been up there we have always caught some walleye, but never “slammed them”. Always hard in canoe tho. My favorite campsite was on a rock face (just above the rock face). We’d climb down to the water and toss out a weighted rig with about 12 inches of line flowing freely and a hook and leech on it. We caught plenty of walleye that way and was easy drinking some whiskey while relaxing on the rocks!

I haven’t fished smallies or northern up there but I know some guys have done well with that.

Early June should be some good fishing up there.

Catch a lot of fish or not, you will have a blast with your son. Very cool you are doing that. Good luck!


That is a monster walleye! Did you end up putting that one one the wall?



Unfortunately being in the boundary waters with no ice or way to keep it cool, keeping it for a mount was not an option. So, I will be getting a replica done on it, just have been pushing it off until I have a good spot for it. It was hard enough getting a deer mount in the house (with the wife) and she didn’t want any fish mounts. But the good news is I will be building my man garage (not for cars) hopefully in the next twelve months and that fish will be on the wall there!

Sure mounts are expensive and money could be spent elsewhere (invested) but in my opinion, you gotta mount the special deer and fish that you have taken. Just brings back such awesome memories. My boundary water monster walleye experience will probably never be topped for the rest of my life.
If you aren't green and growing, you are ripe and rotting
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Re: Boundary Waters Top Tackle List

Unread postby NorthStar » Fri Apr 29, 2022 8:57 am

Chuck B wrote:
NorthStar wrote:
Chuck B wrote:I have been up there a few times. My first time I had beginners luck and caught a 32.5 inch walleye on a black jig and a leach. Went out in a rain shower in front of camp at about 10 pm. My buddies called me crazy. Next thing you know this walleye is pulling me all over the place (canoe) while fighting it.

The other times I have been up there we have always caught some walleye, but never “slammed them”. Always hard in canoe tho. My favorite campsite was on a rock face (just above the rock face). We’d climb down to the water and toss out a weighted rig with about 12 inches of line flowing freely and a hook and leech on it. We caught plenty of walleye that way and was easy drinking some whiskey while relaxing on the rocks!

I haven’t fished smallies or northern up there but I know some guys have done well with that.

Early June should be some good fishing up there.

Catch a lot of fish or not, you will have a blast with your son. Very cool you are doing that. Good luck!


That is a monster walleye! Did you end up putting that one one the wall?



Unfortunately being in the boundary waters with no ice or way to keep it cool, keeping it for a mount was not an option. So, I will be getting a replica done on it, just have been pushing it off until I have a good spot for it. It was hard enough getting a deer mount in the house (with the wife) and she didn’t want any fish mounts. But the good news is I will be building my man garage (not for cars) hopefully in the next twelve months and that fish will be on the wall there!

Sure mounts are expensive and money could be spent elsewhere (invested) but in my opinion, you gotta mount the special deer and fish that you have taken. Just brings back such awesome memories. My boundary water monster walleye experience will probably never be topped for the rest of my life.



Totally understood. I don't own any professional mounts. I take pride in in some of my DIY antler projects but I haven't caught or shot anything worth paying the big bucks for. But if I catch a 32.5 walleye in the boundary waters, you can bet a replica of that fish is going on my wall!
“The lazy do not roast any game, but the diligent feed on the riches of the hunt.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭12:27‬ ‭NIV‬‬
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Re: Boundary Waters Top Tackle List

Unread postby minnesotahunter » Mon May 02, 2022 3:01 pm

This June I'd bring an auger, portable and a buddy heater!
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