Piragis Northwoods Company Enews
June 16, 2011
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Greetings!
The first two weeks of June are in the books. We've had big weather swings and many days that fall into the ideal canoe camping range. The waters have started to warm. Our Smallmouth Bass Fishing guided trip clients had good weather and returned last weekend to assure us that the fishing was fantastic. A great time was had by all! While our guide Aaron Chick was leading that group, Steve Johnson was guiding a father and son trip. They happened to get lucky enough to see a loon on the nest. With one of our new cameras in tow they got a good shot of those telltale white on black spots. Just like a newborn fawn, those spots help the loons to blend into their background at a distance. 
Come up and visit Ely and take an early Boundary Waters trip!
From the end of the road,
Sincerely, Tim Stouffer Piragis Northwoods Company
On the boundary we paddle; driven to the edge of the map. Answering the call of wilderness, the solemnity of solitude, We search for the next sunset. Wake to the seductive flames of the eager campfire brewing our morning cup of adventure. TJS 2011 |
Boundary Waters Bluegill come Bigger!
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A Spring Tripper's Tale by Adam Anderson
"Here are some great shots from our recent Memorial Day weekend. Thanks for the great products and a very knowledgeable staff!"
Click here for the rest of the story
Call or email Bert or Drew to plan a trip into the Boundary Waters or Quetico wilderness in 2011!!!
Send me your trip stories and pictures: piragis webmaster
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Are Pakboats the future of Fly-In Trips?
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When our buddy, master canoeist and guide, Cliff Jacobson scoops news that we haven't heard before, we generally give him a good listen. With both ears. He has long been a proponent of folding canoes, especially those made by our friend Alv at PAKBOATS. For that matter, so have we. They perform great on northern rivers and, need we say more, Boundary Waters lakes. Oh, how many other canoes can you pack up and put in a duffel bag? Put it back together in less than 30 minutes? Yeah, we didn't think so. PakCanoes rule!  Read Cliff's news here on our Blog. |
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Want to get even more remote? Leave the known behind and grab a float plane to parts unknown!
While Brandon was waiting to get a picture of the float plane in flight, he caught sight of one of our other feathered friends of the Northwoods. I've often seen this guy and his relatives fishing the shallows at Semer's Park Beach.
Guided Group Trips We still have room on our Piragis guided adventures. Here are the trips that still have room for canoe trip clients: - Women in the Wilderness - July 9-15
- Howl with the Wolves - August 27 - September 2
- Autumn Colors - September 24-30
- Bears in the BWCA - July 24-29
1-800-223-6565 Call us to find out more about the trips or check them out on our website here. Hope you can join us. Remember, if you have your own group, we can also create these trips for the dates that work best for you.
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News from the Outfitting Desk by Drew Brockett
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Thanks to all of you who have been calling and booking trips through us. We are more than happy to help you out with anything we can. Remember that we can do it all with our Full Outfitting package or any mix of partial outfitting that you need - canoe rental, shuttles, permits, packs, food, tarps, etc.
We have Stand Up Paddle Boards for rent!! Yes, some of the staff have been trying them and loving them. It's the new way to enjoy some time on the water up in the Northwoods. They are perfect for having at your cabin or just day tripping on a nice quiet lake. The costs for rental are $25 for 2 hours or $40 for the day. Please reserve ahead of time if you are interested in doing this.
Fishing News
Our clients are coming back telling us that they are having a great time catching fish. The bass are feasting on top-water according to some. One guy came back and said he didn't even change his lure the entire trip because it was working so well. By the way, it was a Heddon Torpedo. It happens to be one of my favorite lures as well, plus the favorite of a certain guy I trip with who makes Atomic Hashbrowns. MMmmm mmmmm. Can't beat those hashbrowns with a side of walleye!!
Where is the rain??
We are dry up here these days and are hoping for rain. Not only for water levels in the BWCA, but for our gardens at home. In fact, there are a few small fires going in the western half of the BWCA these days. One is in the Lake Three area and one in on Crab Lake. At this time, there are a few campsite closures in Lake Three. So, if you are travelling in these areas, you may see/smell smoke. The Forest Service is monitoring each area and is posting info at the entry points.
Bear Activity
There have not been many reports from clients or the Forest Service. The latest one was a pesky bear on Malberg. Other than that, nothing much to report at this time.
Permits
Plan ahead for reserving permits. Certain entry points are filling up, especially during the peak of the summer, so call us to help you with a route and to secure a permit. That way you know you'll be ready to go on your adventure.
Fly In Canoe Trips to Quetico
This could be the ultimate trip. Get away from the crowds. Enjoy incredible fishing. See the wilderness from above while in a de Havilland Beaver. It's not too late to plan a trip like this. Just call us to find out about the details and to get this journey started.
Thanks again to everyone who has been calling and emailing. The summer is here and we look forward to seeing you in Ely where the Outfitting Staff is waiting to load a new Wenonah canoe on your vehicle so you can head out to your entry point.
Paddle On!!
Drew and the Outfitting Crew
Call or email Drew to plan a trip into the Boundary Waters or Quetico wilderness in 2011!!!
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Photos from Outfitting Clients
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We love getting photos from people who go on trips in the Boundary Waters and Quetico. It's also great to get shots of folks using our canoes, kayaks and gear on waters near their homes. Keep them coming.
Drew,
"Picture of my nephew's (Ryan Wilkie) largest fish ever! Caught around islands between Wed and Thursday Bay. 25". Thanks for the great trip!"
Thanks, Marty Neus
Here's my shot from the trip last Summer too (camp site at Caribou Lake) Jim Fairchild
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Do you have friends that are interested in the Boundary Waters but don't know how to start planning their first trip?
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Let them know about us. We love to introduce people to the beauty of the Great Northwoods! Forward this newsletter to them or just have them give Bert or Drew a call!
We'd like to introduce them to Ely, Minnesota and the beauty of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. The Boundary Waters is the perfect place to spend quality time with friends and family.
Have you recently connected with old friends on Facebook and are looking for a way to reconnect in person? A Boundary Waters trip holds the answer and the opportunity for an economical vacation. At Piragis our focus has always been on the best relationship we can have with our canoe trip clients.
We know this country because we paddle it ourselves. We'll start with getting your permit and canoes for your trip. We specialize in lightweight kevlar canoes and gear so you can have fun in the wilderness without breaking your back as you carry your canoe and gear between lakes. At Piragis, we can pack and route your whole trip including food if you want. We're flexible, so if you want to bring your own gear, we'll get you some of our 44 lb canoes or grab your permit for you. We're happy to be Your Friends in the Great Northwoods - a one-stop-shop and source for everything you need to know about the BWCA wilderness.
Having fun in the woods on the canoe trail doesn't require refined camping skills or extensive paddling experience! We spend time making sure canoe campers are comfortable with the gear and canoes before every trip. We offer shuttle service and tows to your wilderness entry points.
Our Rental system is the easiest to understand of any Canoe Trip Outfitter in Ely. If you want to rent everything you need for your trip from us the fee is simple $100 per person, per day. You bring your clothes and personal gear including fishing gear. If you want to rent a kevlar canoe or one piece of gear we price those things very reasonably per day. (A tandem kevlar canoe with a comfortable deluxe portage pad rents for 40 dollars a day and includes two lifevests and two kevlar paddles.)
We also offer guide service from some of the most experienced, knowledgeable and personable canoe country guides available. They've been travelling the Boundary Waters and taking clients on fishing and camping adventures for over three decades now.
"Equipment provide by Piragis was excellent, as usual... everything was new, and worked flawlessly - the staff that assisted us were equally superior. We were in and out in no time at all. Can't thank you enough for a quality trip. I have done a fair amount of traveling, and thus have some experience in grading performance. Piragis Outfitting is the best. Please advise your entire staff that all of their hard work does not go unnoticed - or unappreciated. Piragis put together a top shelf experience." See you next year! Mark D. O'Leary
Your Friends in the Great Northwoods,
Piragis Canoe Trip Outfitters, Bert Heep and Drew Brockett
1-800-223-6565
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Join us on FACEBOOK. Help us grow our Facebook followers. Share Piragis with your friends and click the old "LIKE" button.
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If you were a facebook fan of ours, you'd know that a moose was spotted
right in town Ely and that morel
mushrooms were in season.
We use Facebook to post quick news about Ely, special sales, fire-ban status in the wilderness, current events and fun stuff.
Thanks for your social media help and thanks for sharing us with your friends as we continue to promote Piragis Northwoods Company and the Boundary Waters Catalog and utilize all means necessary to keep you, our valued customers and trip clients, in the loop. |  |
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Your Friends in the
Great Northwoods | 105 North Central Avenue
Ely, MN 55731
1-800-223-6565 |
Day Pack SALE
"These backpacks have the best support system of any day pack I've ever used, making them the perfect choice for canoe trips, the daily commute or school." Steve Piragis
Ivar Revel Pack Dimensions: 19 x 12.5 x 8.5 in.
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Capacity: 1460 cu. in. 40% OFF List Price: $85.00 Your Price: $51.00 CLICK HERE We Are Solar Powered Click the link above and you'll find a graph of our energy production and consumption here at Piragis in Ely. 
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