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3/14/2017 3:16 pm  #1


North Tea -> Mangotasi ->Three Mile -> Manitou -> North Tea

Just getting ready to book this route for late July and wanted to see if anyone here has some valuable information to share. I'm planning on doing it with 3 buddies over 5 days/4 nights. We'll be hitting smallies along the way.

My biggest concern is the potential for the wind to kick up and cause us some delays.

The specific plan would be to get to AP #1 early morning, paddle the Amable du Fond and cross North Tea the first day, camping at Mangotasi on night #1. Day 2 to paddle through and skip over Biggar, spending night #2 on Three Mile. Day 3 to hop over and spend a night on Manitou. And then spend night #4 on North Tea before heading home.

Any preferred campsites along this route?
What are the sites like on Mangotasi? I can't find much on them.
Any preferences on East vs. West on North Tea?
Also - for the portage from Manitou to North Tea (not Three Mile) - is the waterfall worth the extra distance?

Any info is appreciated. 

Last edited by basilthegood (3/14/2017 4:59 pm)

 

3/14/2017 4:24 pm  #2


Re: North Tea -> Mangotasi ->Three Mile -> Manitou -> North Tea

I've posted this a couple times recently so you might have already seen it, but here's my trip report for a similar route: http://www.myccr.com/phpbbforum/viewtopic.php?f=108&t=44357

I went through Three Mile and Manitou, and have some info/pictures on some of the sites.

Which waterfall are you talking about from Manitou to Three Mile? I didn't notice any, and don't see any mention of it on Jeffs map.


edit: about the wind picking up, they're all pretty short days so if you hit the water early, you should be able to cover a lot of ground before winds pick up in the afternoon. Also all of the lakes you're camping on having multiple campsites, that if wind really does become an issue it shouldn't be difficult to just pull over and call it a day. Worst case scenario you get slowed down an hour or two, or you take a non-ideal campsite... but I wouldn't be worried about making it to the campsite after sunset and/or having to reroute the trip.

Last edited by trippythings (3/14/2017 4:27 pm)


Trip Reports & Campsite Pictures
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3/14/2017 4:54 pm  #3


Re: North Tea -> Mangotasi ->Three Mile -> Manitou -> North Tea

I had indeed given your trip report a read! A couple of times actually. Great read! I debated doing the same route that you did, but ended up choosing to go in through North Tea as it would cut down on the travel time up from Toronto, and so that I could maximize time on what I've heard are good bass lakes (hence the skipping of Biggar).

trippythings wrote:

Which waterfall are you talking about from Manitou to Three Mile? I didn't notice any, and don't see any mention of it on Jeffs map.

My mistake - I meant the waterfall at the portage from Manitou to North Tea. Looks like there are two portage options.

Day 1 and 2 will be the longest. Day 1 being about 18km of paddling east and Day 2 with a number of short/medium portages. The wind concerns are only top of mind for the first day, wanting to get through the entirety of North Tea basically, and take out day coming west again. Not trip derailers by any means. 

 

     Thread Starter
 

3/14/2017 5:06 pm  #4


Re: North Tea -> Mangotasi ->Three Mile -> Manitou -> North Tea

basilthegood wrote:

I had indeed given your trip report a read! A couple of times actually. Great read! I debated doing the same route that you did, but ended up choosing to go in through North Tea as it would cut down on the travel time up from Toronto, and so that I could maximize time on what I've heard are good bass lakes (hence the skipping of Biggar).

trippythings wrote:

Which waterfall are you talking about from Manitou to Three Mile? I didn't notice any, and don't see any mention of it on Jeffs map.

My mistake - I meant the waterfall at the portage from Manitou to North Tea. Looks like there are two portage options.

Day 1 and 2 will be the longest. Day 1 being about 18km of paddling east and Day 2 with a number of short/medium portages. The wind concerns are only top of mind for the first day, wanting to get through the entirety of North Tea basically, and take out day coming west again. Not trip derailers by any means. 

 

Thanks!

Ah I see now. Jeffs maps puts it at 15min extra travel time, and also specifically mentions "This waterfall is quite pretty". I haven't been there myself, but I think it's a no-brainer considering it's only 15min.


Trip Reports & Campsite Pictures
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3/14/2017 9:14 pm  #5


Re: North Tea -> Mangotasi ->Three Mile -> Manitou -> North Tea

Sounds like a great trip, if the weather is ok, you should have the wind at your back down North Tea. However, I'd suggest camping on the end of North Tea for your first night, since the sites there are a lot nicer than those of Mangotasi. Worth the extra 30min paddle in the morning in my opinion. 

I'd also recommend that you spend more time on Biggar or Three Mile since the lakes are both beautiful and have plenty of trout. There's really no point in travelling all the way to Algonquin to target bass, since far better bass fishing can be found anywhere in Southern Ontario between Toronto and Algonquin. The Park provides the last remaining habitat in Southern Ontario for healthy Lake Trout and Brook Trout populations after all, why not try and enjoy this special resource while it is right under your canoe? 

 

3/14/2017 9:42 pm  #6


Re: North Tea -> Mangotasi ->Three Mile -> Manitou -> North Tea

Thanks for the info Darren. I was eyeing that clustered group of 3 sites at the end of North Tea and wondering, but found myself leaning towards Mangotasi in order to shorten the next days trip. Now knowing that they are nicer I may target them instead.

You're not the first person to tell me that! To be honest, I think the reason I'm not super keen to target trout is that haven't really had much success in the limited times I've tried. Based on time of year for this trip, I'm guessing I'll have to be trolling a swivel some 60 feet deep to find them as well? Working the shoreline while casting at shoals, boulders and structure sounds more like my cup of tea. This trip isn't a trip to Algonquin to target bass as much as it is a "While we're in Algonquin might as well pull in some bass". 

I'd probably change my tune if I had some trout in the fire...

     Thread Starter
 

3/15/2017 7:28 am  #7


Re: North Tea -> Mangotasi ->Three Mile -> Manitou -> North Tea

The Mangotasi sites aren't great from what I recall (but that's based entirely on looking at them while paddling past a time or three - I've never camped there). Biggar and Three Mile, on the other hand, are beautiful lakes with some really nice sites - my advice would be to spend a night on each. 

Wind will only potentially be a concern on your way back to the access point, as it's almost always blowing west to east. North Tea can be not fun on a windy day, that's for sure. 

I've taken both portages between North Tea and Manitou and yet have zero recollection of a waterfall. So maybe all of my memories and opinions are suspect...

 

3/15/2017 8:19 am  #8


Re: North Tea -> Mangotasi ->Three Mile -> Manitou -> North Tea

basilthegood

Sounds like a great trip!  I agree with D Smith that you should spend a little bit of time fishing for trout while you go through Biggar and Three Mile.  Even in late july you will be able to catch lake trout in 25-35 feet of water, infact I would argue this depth range is more productive than the traditional 40-60 feet.  If you don't have a leadcore setup you can still catch trout using a bottom bouncer with a spoon or crankbait.  Another option is to jig with a white tube or white twister tail on your bass rod.  If you're not taking a depthsounder with you, you can troll along a steep-looking shoreline or park yourself off a steep looking point and jig.  I think the best way to jig is to pretend you're ice fishing and just jig vertically.  One way to gauge your depth would be to measure out 30 feet of line on your front lawn at home and mark that depth with a permanent marker (works best with braid and a coloured marker).  That way if you try jigging you will know if you're in a good depth.  With either technique you want your lure to be close to the bottom.  If you spend an hour or two trying this on Biggar and Three Mile there is a good chance you will get skunked but I think the chance of hooking a big lake trout on your bass rod is well worth it!!

I would imagine you've already read all of the above techniques on-line but they really do work.  Once you've hooked into a big lake trout in a canoe I think you'll be addicted.  Hope this helps!  Let me know if you do end up trying to catch some trout.  

 

3/16/2017 10:59 am  #9


Re: North Tea -> Mangotasi ->Three Mile -> Manitou -> North Tea

I have travelled these lakes many times - I agree with others that spending time on 3 Mile (or Biggar) is completely worth it.  In my opinion, 3 Mile is the nicest lake in the park - certainly the nicest one I have visited in the park….there are lots of lakes I haven't been to though.  Fishing on 3 mile is outstanding!

Now for the wind - quite frankly I don't think others have really highlighted how terrible the wind on North Tea can be.  I mean, it's a huge lake, and more or less runs east/west, and from Manitou you will basically be paddling the whole lake. I would recommend you think about this because the Amable du Fond takes longer to get out of than you think, even more so if you had a windy day and just traversed the North Tea.  Might be wise to factor in a wind day, or commit to getting up early to traverse the lake before wind is a problem (as suggested already).

My last trip to 3 Mile (via NorthTea) was so terrible wrt wind, I am going to drive extra far this year to launch  at Kiosk, just to try and avoid the North Tea and all the potential wind.  Hopefully the wind on Kisok won't be as bad…!

You've planned a great trip though!

 

3/16/2017 8:19 pm  #10


Re: North Tea -> Mangotasi ->Three Mile -> Manitou -> North Tea

I was once stranded on Manitou for over half a day due to high winds.We had taken the long portage from Three mile and the wind was really strong!  Two days later it was high winds again on North Tea and round lake on the way out.
I highly recommend getting a really early start before the wind picks up!

 

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