My wife and I are considering doing a boundary waters trip this summer and I've just started looking for outfitters.
thinking a 4 or 5 day drip, maybe fly in-boat out. We are both experienced outdoors folk. I would consider bringing all of my own gear but it seems easier to just use someone who will provide everything but fishing tackle.
The focus is just for us to get away for a week, no preference whether its fishing, swimming or photography focused.

Also, can you carry? I see that some of the waters are Canadian and others US.

Any suggestions?

My father, uncle, cousin and I did a 5-day trip out of Ely a while back.  Simply amazing up there.

Is your gear good?  If so I'd take it.  If not I'd let the outfitter handle everything.

By your second day out you'll barely see anyone else.

ETA: I'm dating myself, but when we came back from the trip we noticed that the price of gas had tripled.  Come to find out that Gulf War I had just started.

tag

I have used Sawbill outfitters for several trips in. Great gear, food and overall service. I would also strongly suggest buying a copy of Tha Boundry Waters Fishing Guide from Amazon.

Ely to Ely-Buycks Rd or Echo Trail - to entry point 18 - Nina Moose - into BWCA and camp on Agnes - great walleye lake....if you want to travel - then to Oyster, Ramsted and out.  Grab a meal at Ely Steakhouse on the way out.  Been about a dozen times.  As stated you will not see many people - so your kit needs to be good and you have to be self sufficient.  I have not used outfitters - done my own trips.

Great area!

I've been several times, but the sadly the last time was '98. We've been talking of doing a trip for the last few years, but each time we have a newborn it sets the timetable back a bit. Unfortunately, it's been too long for me to suggest outfitters and specific lakes/routes to check out. I've been on trips that you canoe a few lakes to find one spot you take for your whole trip, and also a trip that we did a route and chose a few different camp sites.

According to this site: http://www.handgunlaw.us/states/USStatesMyStateHonors.pdf it looks like MN does not honor VA's weapon permits, and Canada will definitely not allow you to be armed . I've still gone armed with a survival knife and a slingshot though.

You'll love it.

I canoed the bountry waters for two weeks back in 83' just before I went to basic.  Had a great time, trip was with the Boy Scouts then.  No firearms carried back then and we did have a few encounters with black bears.


CD

thanks for the tips fellas. I'll definitely grab that book.
I've self guided about six - 3 day rafting trips down the new river in WV and I feel like there are way more variables involved on the river as opposed to the lakes, besides the remoteness of BWCA.

I'd love to bring my own gear but then I'd probably have to factor in driving there. I didn't realize how fast the permits go so we're going to have to get a plan together soon.

If you are interssted I can take you up into Canada and drop you off on a island on Lake of the Woods  and you can do what ever you want, boat rental is cheap per day and you will be a lot further into Canada with some way better options.

If you plan on fishing, read up on mayflies and their hatch timing in the BWCA.  I hit mid hatch and the very few fish we caught were stuffed full of the flies. Another thing is carry extra good water with you.  I've destroyed water filters on tea colored lakes loaded with tannins from the run off of the conifer forest.  Not all lakes are that way but boiling tannin water can still chemically burn your mouth and throat.

Out of Ely, Talk to John or Lynn at Voyageur North Outfitters for a canoe rental. Good folks. I use all my own stuff, but know then from a forum we're all on and stop by top say hello when I'm out that way or i see them at trade shows. I also know a lot of people who have used them for many years. If you want a shuttle, Anderson outfitters on Crane Lake can take you on the international line up the Vermillion River and bring you to the mechanical portage at Loon and into LaCroix for a drop and pick up. Go up into Snow Bay and take little lakes like North and Pocket River to explore little water back out to LaCroix or just stay on LaCroix.

Up through Agnes and into LaCriox is a nice trip if you do not like portaging. I like the western side better, especially the summer months because of the burn areas still bouncing back.

The Little Souix (#14 I believe) up into Little Loon, north up through Slim and those lakes up in the "inner horseshoe" area of western LaCroix are not used much. Doesn't take much to not see many people at all, after you leave Loon and Little Loon.

Got two trips planned for this year. One in BWCA and one up through and into Quetico.
I can't really suggest a 4-5 day loop because my trips are never under 8 days, but I know there's tons of great options.

Thanks for all of the advice guys.

This is something we are going to do but it looks like it will be in 2017.
After all the links and recommendations we decided to push it until next year so that we can go exactly where we want to. I didn't realize how fast the permits go and I don't like jumping into trips like this without exhaustive research first, thanks again for the input

I spent several weeks in 1982 canoeing the area out of Ely on both the US and Canadian sides as a Scout.  I remember catching a lot of pike and having a lot of fun fishing.  Hang a bear bag and do it carefully!  We had a "bear mishap" at the very end of our trip. Only one "hungry day," thank goodness.

WOW wish we would have meet a few years ago! This a very pretty area! Lake in the Woods was where I was wanting to take my family but could not find a place that was not so Disneyland type!