Heading up either to Kab or vermillion the wednesday after Labor day and not sure which one to go to. I've been to Kab camping and they have some pretty nice sites set out on the lake. I've fished vermillion 3 times but never paid attention to what their sites looked like. Will have a 16 foot lund explorer and was wondering if it will be difficult to find a spot or pretty easy and if most spots have a area you can pull the boat up to. Was originally planning on going to Kab but I have a buddy that's fished vermillion since he was a kid going up there the week before and could basically give me a whole lot of places to go and an up to date report. (He has never camped on the lake and said never really paid to much attention to the sites)Are most of them on islands? (Any bear lockers provided or do you have to hang your food like the bwca
Any help's appreciated

Thanks

Are you looking for campsites or are you open to using campgrounds as well? Several drive-to campgrounds on the lake

I am very familiar with the Hinsdale Island/Muskrat Channel area campsites(which are also on islands). Not sure if/how many others are on the lake.

They do have bear lockers but as a whole the campsites are smaller and less level than Nam/Kab sites and do not have docks. Many have rocky landings as well which can bang up a boat pretty well unless you take extreme care in nightly mooring.

Normally this area receives lots of weekend boat traffic but after labor day it will be significantly quieter.

One thing to consider is how close your buddy will be fishing to where you will be camping. Hinsdale is geographically near the middle of the lake lenghtwise so you may have a long run to your buddy's hot spots if he were fishing in say, Pike or Black bay.

Steve

Thanks for the info Steve. Not looking to stay at a campground (didnt have the time to do a bwca trip this year so this will be as close as I can get to that) Kab was great when we went as far as campsites go but we struggled last year fishing so figured it would be good to go to a lake that I can get some good spots to start at. What you mentioned is kind of what I was worried about as far as trying to beach my boat on rocks. I was hoping since all the kids are back in school by then that maybe a lot of the campsites would be open and I could just find one that had good access for boats.
Checked with my friend and he generally fishes from the east side to the middle. Doesnt do much on the westside
thanks

The third campsite (coming from Oak Narrows) on Hinsdale is a nice one and is tucked in a bay with a gravel landing. Most of the rest are rocky. It is on a nice hill and has a locker and picnic table up the hill with a flat area for tents (I don't recall that they have official "tent pads" like VNP sites but the tent spots are flat). Going there mid week you shouldn't have any problem getting it.

Steve

There is also a nice sand beach site on your left just after you go past,(North), of St. Marys Island.
Cliff

There is a nice campsite east, south-east of the Trout Lake Portage. It is a Forest Service campsite with a fire ring and a latrine. Fairly secluded.

That Forest Service site has a sand beach too.

Thanks a lot for the info, sounds like I should definately be able to find something. Now I just have to get a good map so I have an idea where you guys are talking about. Only fishing trip of the summer so I cant wait. (wife just had our 2nd boy a couple weeks ago so fishing time will be few and far between this summer)

This isn't the greates map but it will give you an idea.

cool, thanks for the map, thats actually on of the few areas I know a little bit about (we fished right by the trout lake portage)

I've camped on the one north of St. Mary's Island that Cliff mentioned. Very nice! Another time on the same spot, I was taking a mid afternoon siesta in the boat and had a houseboat pull in next to me.

No less than six kids started going down the slide into the water and then the guy asks me if I'll mark some fishing spots on his map...after I was so rudely awakened...

Paul.

So did you show him where all the good spots in Rice Bay are?

Just so I'm sure, is it ok to overnight park at the accesses while I'm camping on an island?

Yes, all of the roadless area cabin people do. Most now have sizeable parking lots.

How about finding a mid July - Mid week camp location? We decided to forget making a rez, and going for a primitive site. We're hoping we're alright doing this, otherwise it will be sleepin in the boat or truck!

Fishing is fishing either way.. they won't know the difference.