Lake One is a great entry point because portaging isn't required -- just park and drop in the canoe. Be aware there are some permit logistics that need to be dealt with whenever you venture into the Boundary Waters. Day-use motor permits need to be acquired for the lake you are on if you plan to use a boat with a motor. If none are available, you need to make adjustments.

If the Fall Lake permits were unavailable, my plan was to camp at Fall Lake and use the boat on Shagawa, which is a lake outside the BWCAW. Fortunately, I was able to get the necessary permits for the motorboat as well as the day trips I took with Slaughter. On a spur-of-the-moment trip to the Boundary Waters, you have to take things as they come. Certain lakes or loops are very popular and permits are rarely available without early reservations, but some can be had on the day you get there. Slaughter and I would have liked to take a trip into Horse Lake, but the permit wasn't available. We settled for Wood Lake the day after Lake One and Lake Two.

The reason we ventured into Lake Two on that potential rain day was that the walleyes weren't cooperating on Lake One. I didn't like the idea of paddling and portaging in too far, but the portages from Lake One to Lake Two are short, and it was a wise decision by Slaughter.

There are narrows on the southwest section of Lake Two as you head to the Rock Island Lake portage. We were tipping 1/8-ounce jigs with leeches, and every time I dropped that bait down, I got a bite from a 2- to 3-pound walleye. We would have stayed there far longer than the two hours we were there, but the thunder started barking in the distance. By the time we arrived back at the truck, the rain had started. By the time we had all the equipment packed and the canoe lashed, it was a deluge. Slaughter credited the outstanding walleye fishing we had to us being right on the cusp of the weather front. He predicted the next day on Wood Lake would be tougher.

I guess tough is a relative term. The portage from the parking off the Fernberg Trail to the drop-in point on Wood Lake is 180 rods. That's over a half-mile, and there are plenty of ups and downs to this trail. Fortunately, we had little gear or it would have made a tough portage even tougher.

There is a small island right in the middle of Wood Lake, and between the west side of the island and the shoreline point is a shallow rock flat. I thought the weather front could push the walleyes to the deep edge of the rock, but Slaughter positioned the canoe in 6 to 8 feet of water and drifted us over the shallow top of the rock slab. My experience fishing with Slaughter over the years has convinced me to never question his judgment, and our success on Wood Lake only cemented that conclusion. We set the hook on a few dozen 1- to 2-pound walleyes that fell for the jig-and-leech combo.

I was glad about this, because Slaughter mentioned a couple of times that if the walleyes weren't biting on Wood Lake, we would grind out the three portages into Basswood Lake's Hoist Bay where he knew for sure we could get into some walleyes. Of course, we may have had to portage back after dark, but the almost-full moon would make that "a simple task." That comment by Slaughter made me smile.

Even though I own all the gear I need to make a successful outing in the BWCAW, I still use outfitters and guides. It makes the trip easier, especially those short-notice decisions. Here are a few outfitters who will take good care of you when you go.

In Gunflint, call Gunflint Northwoods Outfitters at 1-888-226-6346 or www.gunflintoutfitters.com Out of Sawbill, contact Sawbill Canoe Outfitters at www.sawbill.com or (218) 663-7150. Out of Ely, the best is Bill Slaughter's Northwoods Guiding Service at www.elymnguide.com or 1-800-559-9695.

Did anybody say, "Road trip"?

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