Fishing
Here in the Northwoods we take our angling very seriously…
Fishing, Fishing & More Fishing!
Little Long Lake is a very private lake with crystal clear water. The 300-acre lake is filled with walleye, northern pike, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, black crappie, and bluegill, with the DNR stocking the lake every two years with walleye. The average fish surveyed was 4.3 lbs and were larger than other area lakes, most likely due to the presence of smelt, a prime forage minnow. A 45 rod portage connects Little Long to Burntside Lake, and a 270 rod portage connects it to Bass Lake.
Fishing Day Trips
Little Long Lake is centrally located, allowing anglers a multitude of fishing opportunities in the Ely Area. Just ¼ mile beyond the resort is the portage trail into Bass Lake, Low Lake, Dry Lake, and High Lakes!
Fishermen can access Bass Lake by use of our canoes and portage wheels. The portage from Little Long is 270 rods and is a wide, flat trail; once on Bass Lake you can find great fishing for small & largemouth bass, walleye, northern pike, crappies and bluegills.
A short portage from Bass to Low Lake will find the same fish species as Bass but you may also choose to portage from Bass Lake into Dry or High Lakes and sample some great stream trout fishing. These two lakes have been stocked with Brook Trout, Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, and Splake (a fast growing cross between a Lake Trout and Brook Trout).
The Echo trail is adjacent to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area and Superior National Forest and has many options for canoe angling. Grassy Lake and Picket Lake both offer great options for crappies & bluegill, walleye, northern pike, and bass. There is a 120 rod portage off Forest Service Rd 459 leading into Grassy and at the very end of the 459 Rd, you will have find E-Z access into Picket Lake.
If you’re really looking for some adventure and don’t mind working a little harder for some great bass action, you may want to fish Little Bass Lake. This small lake is 3 portages deep into the BWCAW and is accessed via North and South Hegman Lakes. There are a total of three portages into this lake (120 rod, 15 rod, and 180 rod) once there you’ll find consistent action for pike and bass, and be sure to paddle by the large rock outcropping on North Hegman and check out the Native American pictographs.
Basswood Lake is located entirely within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, however small motor boats are allowed daily by permit. Permits for Basswood should be reserved well before you plan to arrive as they are on a first come first serve basis and most weeks throughout the summer months these permits are sold out. There are 2 entry points into this lake…Jackfish and Pipestone bays of Basswood are accessible by use of portage wheels and a smaller 14’boat w/ 10hp motor.