Also, Petawawa River going back or through Moccasin Lake to Daisy?

If you've seen any of my blog posts or videos on the Tim, you will have seen that campsite. I've never been on Queer so i can't compare. Nice loop

The Little Trout Creek site on the Tim never looked very nice to me when passing it. If it were me I'd camp on Queer.

Will you be fishing? That would make a difference to the route and season tradeoffs.

DanPM wrote:

Will you be fishing? That would make a difference to the route and season tradeoffs.

It turns out that we're going to be going in mid-July. We would be doing some fishing. I'm new at fishing for trout so might try to cast a few lines.

Marko_Mrko wrote:

Misty to White Trout is a long day, especially if fishing. May be worthwhile to aim for Grassy Bay instead instead of White Trout proper.

Hambone to Misty via Petawawa instead of Queer saves on a 2400m portage but both are a nice paddle. Definitely Petawawa on the way back as westerly winds on Ralph Bice can be strong.

Great route.
M

I don't recall Misty to White Trout as being long though it was my first solo back twenty years ago.. I made White Trout easily by mid afternoon. The number of portages can be a bit tiring though.  I did run the last chute even though it was August and low water.  Can't comment on fishing

Peek wrote:

You'll love Big Trout.

I have been to Big Trout once before (last year). It is a beautiful lake, but now that I've read Esther S. Keyser's Paddling My Own Canoe I have to go back! And, since I'll be so close to that lake from my route, I can't pass up the opportunity.

Thanks for the feedback, everyone!
 

Last edited by Waboose Adventures (3/30/2016 3:51 pm)

Waboose Adventures wrote:

It turns out that we're going to be going in mid-July. We would be doing some fishing. I'm new at fishing for trout so might try to cast a few lines.

May would of course have been better for trout than July, especially if your plan is to "cast a few lines" -- lake trout and lake-dwelling brook trout in summer tend to be caught through various forms of deep-water trolling, if at all. Between the two westbound routes, the Petawawa would maximize your chance of trout, since it would mean more river travel and therefore more chance of coming across a brookie hole you could toss a spinner into.

On the other hand, if you'd rather maximize your chance of catching fish period, the Moccasin-Rain route has bass.

If I wasn't concerned about fish or camping on specific lakes (like Moc or Cranebill), I'd take the Pet route. So much less portaging, just beaver dams, and lots of wildlife. But it does make for a shorter trip so I guess it depends how much ground you want to cover.

Also, I'm with those who say Misty to White Trout is not too long. I've gone from Misty down the Pet to Grassy Bay, then up McIntosh and back to Misty as a day trip... granted one moves a bit faster on day trips with no camping gear but I still think you'll be fine.

I'm sorry to hear you didn't catch any smallmouth on Ragged Lake/Parkside Bay, but there are lots of them there, along with most of the lakes along Highway 60 and some that are a portage or two in from it. I was proud to put an 11-year-old relative on his first fish, a smallmouth, on Ragged Lake this past summer. Lakes in that part of the park may have been trout lakes naturally, but smallmouth bass were introduced by railway in the late 19th century before folks knew any better.

Waboose Adventures wrote:

We've decided to go for a weekend in May to try our hand at trout fishing. And the 9-day loop from Magnetawan will be fishing for bass here and there when we're at camp.

So the May trip will be somewhere else, focusing on trout, and the big Magnetawan loop will be in July, if I've got that straight? Note that there are NOT bass in most of the lakes that are accessible from Magnetawan -- only in the Rain-Mocassin and Rain-Islet chains (again, due to their proximity to the former railway).

Take a look at Jeff's map; it notes the lakes in which each of the major game fishes live. Doesn't cover pan fishes or whitefish but it's pretty detailed for trout, bass, pike, walleye and muskie. Not 100% exhaustive of course but I think it's pretty accurate for the well-travelled lakes in the park.

Last edited by DanPM (3/31/2016 7:02 pm)