Sag is in the BWCA, but motorized craft are allowed along a corridor linking the end of the Gunflint Trail to the Canadian border. Check a map for the exact location of the corridor because if you stray from it, you will get a ticket.

“A lot of guys will snowmobile up the corridor and then walk or cross-country ski to their fishing locations,” Benson said.

Crossing into Canada is another option provided you obtain the proper Remote Area Border Crossing permit. It can take a month to process the paperwork, so plan now by going to www.cbsa.gc.ca or searching for the RABC site.

The Canadian side is open to motorized vehicles, so many anglers will get a permit from the Canadian government and then snowmobile up the corridor into Canada and parallel the border until they reach their fishing location.

Benson has tried that method but prefers to remain on the American side because there are more locations.

“The dropoffs are great locations, but sometimes the lake trout can be found shallow,” he said. “I just cross-country ski up from the boat landing and fish by Honeymoon Island, Munker’s Narrows and American Point.”

For more information on Lake Saganaga, visit the Grand Marais Area Tourism Association Web site at www.grandmarais.com or call (888) 922-5000.

SOUTH & NORTH LAKES
Cook County
Finding quality lake trout waters sometimes means going into remote areas and doing some winter camping, which most anglers are not willing to try. South and North lakes are remote enough that they don’t receive much pressure but are also close enough that an angler could fish them on a day trip.

South Lake is the more accessible from a road off the Gunflint Trail along the eastern shore of Mayhew Lake. After the road ends, it becomes a portage leading to Topper Lake and onto South.

“The entire journey is just longer than a mile and well worth it,” Benson said. “When you get a laker in South Lake, it’s usually a nice fish.”

South is a deep lake that drops off quickly, but because of the large average size fish, Benson said anglers could fish it with larger profile spoons and bait.

“You don’t have to, but it’s an option that can lead to some nice fish,” he said.

Anglers that walk the 1,300-foot portage from South Lake to North Lake are crossing the Height of Land Portage -- a part of Minnesota history. A sign on the portage explains the significance of the area, including the initiation tradition of sprinkling newcomers with a cedar bough dipped in water followed by a vow to never kiss another voyageur’s wife and not allowing other novices to pass without undergoing the rituals. The initiation tradition always ended with a gunfire salute and a slug of rum.

Once you’ve done all that, you have only a limited amount of water to fish in North Lake, since all but the southwestern portion is in Canada. There are plenty of good spots in this section, however. Anglers wishing to fish the entire lake can obtain the RABC as explained above and snowmobile in from the Canadian side, but it’s a long haul that’s best begun on Gunflint Lake.

For more information on South and North lakes, visit the Grand Marais Area Tourism Association Web site at www.grandmarais.com/” or call (888) 922-5000.

MAYHEW-BIRCH-MOSS LAKES
b>Cook County
Thousands of lakes along the Gunflint Trail foster healthy populations of lake trout. Although difficult to access, three lakes -- Moss, Birch and Mayhew -- boast clear, deep water and plenty of lake trout.

Each lake is accessible from the Gunflint Trail by a short walk, cross-country skis or snowmobiles. Take Forest Service Road 317 off the Gunflint Trail. Birch is near the Gunflint Trail making access much easier, although the trail to the lake is rather steep. Moss is the most remote of the three but can be accessed through portages from Birch Lake and Hungry Jack Lake. None of the lakes are in the BWCA, so they are open to snowmobile traffic.