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Piragis Northwoods Boundary Waters News
June 6, 2013
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Greetings!
Good day from the End of the Road in Ely, Minnesota.
It is awesome here in Ely and canoe trippers have begun to descend upon our Northern Paradise. It is great to see people excited as we are about canoe camping after a long winter and cool spring. As always it is a real thrill to see canoes on the tops of cars, trucks and vans rolling into town.
We are busy packing food and gear and rental canoes, planning shuttles and guiding. The first trippers of the year have all come back reporting great fishing and cold water conditions. With that in mind the Forest Service issued a Superior National High Water Warning as follows:
Today's Safety Message:
* Water levels are high. Rivers are running with a great deal of power.
* Water temperatures are still very cold. The gasp reflex may prevent even a good swimmer from surviving a dunking without a life jacket.
* Assess your route. Anywhere water runs through narrow places or there are portages on rivers, high water may create a hazard. Approach portages with caution.
We'd like to get your trip pictures and journal accounts of your trips! Email them to our webmaster and we'll share your experiences with others in our newsletter and on Facebook. Thanks for all you who have shared so far.
The color of wilderness hides
when the sun goes down.
Not sleeping exactly but resting, waiting
for light's spark, for the warmth
of tomorrow.
In the dark by the camp fire's flames
you can glimpse the edge of color.
Cloaked in mystery, clothed in the
cold of deliberate thought.
Quietly courting shadow.
As another log falls or piece
of bracken blazes, the colors
nearest drop their act and dance --
but quickly change back into their
monochromatic robes of black.
Night holds many secrets
outside the sphere of your headlamp.
Like the inky reflection on the lake
of so many cloud covered skies.
Thick with memories lying just
below the surface waiting to
strike like hungry fish.
Haunting the dreams of
winter days, hibernating;
blanketed in white and frigidity:
breaking free in the long, full
days of Summer with vibrant song.
Wilderness Color
©Timothy James Stouffer 06/06/2013
All Rights Reserved
Have a great day from Your Friends in the Great Northwoods,
At the End of the Road,
The Staff at Piragis Northwoods Company
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Boundary Waters Fishing Gear List
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Boundary Waters Fishing Gear List We get asked all the time what our choices for fishing trips in the Boundary Waters are. While what goes in a guy's or gal's tackle box can be very personal and lures are highly prized for sentimental and experiential reasons... there are tried and true options that have advantages over others. There are a "big three" of fish species in the Boundary Waters, four if you include Lake Trout, although they are not as prevalent. Walleye, Northern Pike and Smallmouth Bass can be found throughout the Boundary Waters (BWCA). Panfish such as Black Crappie and Bluegill are common as well. We'll focus on the "big three" for the purpose of this discussion. Please note: All of the items discussed can be purchased in our retail store at the first stoplight in Ely, Minnesota before your trip begins. At Piragis, we don't run out, we keep these staples in stock, in the best color and size combinations. The first thing you need is a good Medium 2 piece spinning rod and one for back-up. If you want to go with a slightly heavier action on the back-up rod, that is fine. Extra line, pre-spooled is a good idea. The best choice for the BWCA is 8 pound test. We advise you take something 6 to 10 lb. test, nothing lighter unless your passion is ultra-light fishing and then you'll have to adjust a great many of the lure choices that follow accordingly.  | Our friend Mike Teach with a wilderness-sized
Smallmouth Bass |
Smallmouth Bass and Northern Pike like surface lures. Frog baits, Mouse baits and floating Rapalas always top these lists. Old standards such as Lucky 13, Tiny Torpedo, Bass-Oreno and the newer Pop-R baits all pull Smallies out of their hiding places. READ THE REST OF THE LIST HERE 
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 "Drew, Attached are some photos from last weekend. We had a great trip going in at Entry 14 (Little Indian Sioux River North) and coming out at Entry 16 (Moose River North). The water levels were high around the rivers and some of the portages were partially covered in water. The campsites were great. We stayed at sites you recommended on Little Loon Lake, Finger Lake (island site), and also camped on Oyster Lake. The portaging was challenging - it added up to about 6 miles. Nevertheless, we had a fun time. Thanks again for your assistance!" Aaron Hanson"Adam I just wanted to let you know how very much I appreciated all you and your organization did for me concerning my canoe trip on Monday May 27th. It was not only your knowledge and expertise that I appreciate, but I can't imagine a more pleasant and thoughtful person to have taken me out on my first canoe trip in years than yourself. The trip was even more than I had anticipated and I cannot wait to start planning my next one. In fact I am already planning to make the next one a bit more challenging and will be working on my portaging skills in the meantime. Thank you once again for providing me with one of the best days I have had in a long time and you will be seeing me soon, as you company as a whole meets all of my expectations and more. Have a great week!" Chris DeMarco Email us your pictures and trips stories! Just click the webmaster link below: WEBMASTERFind us on FACEBOOK for great pictures every day from the Boundary Waters.
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Canoe Trip Outfitting: Quick Links
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Above all else, Canoe Country is THE place in North America for canoeing and camping.
We are here to help you plan your trip every step of the way. From permitting and routing, to canoes, gear and food, our goal is to help you have an unforgettable wilderness experience. Call Drew or Adam at 800-223-6565 to set up your adventure!
Quick Links:
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As noted by this picture of the pictographs on Lac La Croix the water levels are higher than they've been in over ten years. Due to the late ice out and unseasonably cool winter, the water temperatures are also extremely cold. We want to repeat the Superior National Forest U.S. Forest Service warning here. Wear lifejackets when canoeing and have warm dry clothing and a source for warmth (ie: fire, survival blanket, etc.) on hand.
Today's Safety Message:
* Water levels are high. Rivers are running with a great deal of power.
* Water temperatures are still very cold. The gasp reflex may prevent even a good swimmer from surviving a dunking without a life jacket.
* Assess your route. Anywhere water runs through narrow places or there are portages on rivers, high water may create a hazard. Approach portages with caution.
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Sigurd Olson Exhibit Unveiled
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The Sigurd Olson Legacy: Wilderness, Writing and Wolves Exhibit
Now at the International Wolf Center
The International Wolf Center is proud to announce the opening of a fascinating new exhibit highlighting American author and environmentalist, Sigurd Olson. Among other photos and artifacts, The Sigurd Olson Legacy: Wilderness, Writing and Wolves Exhibit, May 19 through October 31, features a recreation of Olson's famous writing shack.
Sigurd F. Olson was one of America's most beloved nature writers and most influential conservationists of the 20th century. Best known as the author of The Singing Wilderness and eight other books, Olson also played an important role in the preservation of a number of national parks, seashores, and wilderness areas.
According to Nancy jo Tubbs, the Center's board chair, those who know Olson as a popular writer and successful activist for the conservation of wildlands will get a peek into the Olson most don't know.
"For example, Olson first agreed with the public's disapproval of wolves and support of their extermination until he began work toward his master's thesis in 1930. Olson's pioneering wolf research, though unsophisticated by today's standards, transformed him into an admirer of the species and resulted in the first-ever scientific study of wolves. His thesis, 'The Life History of the Timber Wolf and the Coyote: A Study in Predatory Animal Control,' on display at the exhibit, ended with the proposal that Minnesota's Superior National Forest be designated as a sanctuary for carnivores," says Tubbs.
As an author and speaker, Olson was unsurpassed in capturing the sense of awe, wonder and connectedness that close contact with nature can bring to people, explains Tubbs.
"Olson struggled for many years to find his personal literary voice and become a regularly published writer. A replicated corner of his 'writing shack' is on display in the exhibit. 'The only thing that will give me real joy is the painting of word pictures, moods and emotions,' he wrote in his journal. The lyricism of his essays lets his readers feel the splash of a lake wave on the hull of a canoe and find rejuvenation and meaning in the yodel of the loon or the spark of a campfire after a long portage at the end of the day."
READ THE REST HERE
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Call Drew or Adam at 800-223-6565 to reserve your canoe trip and find out how to get 10% off your catalog and retail store purchases! |
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Your Friends in the
Great Northwoods | 105 North Central Avenue
Ely, MN 55731
1-800-223-6565 |
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