We are paddling the southern portion of Wabakimi and into the Brightsand River Provincial Park in September. We will start on Heathcote Lake and head south into Sesaganaga Lake to the Brightsand River. We will be spending four days headed down the Brightsand River to Allan Water Bridge. Can anyone shed some light on the camping, fishing, or other details along this route.
Brightsand River
I was considering a similar trip for this summer until my canoe partner had to back out. Now I am going to go back to Quetico in September. If you go to the Canadian Canoe Routes website (www.myccr.com), you should be able to find out some good information. Go to the Ontario Routes forum and search on Allanwater/Brightsand or just ask for advice. Several guys that frequent that site have made that trip and offered good information.
Dave
Brightsand heaven!
I have done that route a few times. Do I assume that you are taking the train to Flindt Landing and heading southeast through the Savoyard lake chain? Four days may be pushing it a bit if you want to fish… we always figured at least five nights.Be prepared to paddle a full day the first day in due to a lack of decent campsites until the first lake southeast of Savoyard. Watch to the north side of the small lake for a point before you get to the portage. A very nice campsite for up to three tents. The portage is also a rough campsite. The fishing can be described as A-1 excellent… maybe better than that. I always bring a portable depth finder along and the walleyes and pike are thick as long as you work the breaks and moving water. After you get into Seseganaga (after a rather challenging wet 3/4 mile portage) continue north and head for the Sunray lake outlet. Paddle downstream approx 2/3 of a mile and there is a fantastic campsite on a rapids, river right. A very good spot for the second night in and all the nice walleyes you will ever want. Get up early for the Ses Lake crossing because Ses can get ugly with a wind. it is a good 4 hour paddle. Do the portage below the falls (but fish it first)and paddle directly across the next lake to the falls below Wapikimaski and be sure to fish around the falls. We got some very large walleyes there. After that quick portage you are into the Brightsand. The next portage (Approx 3 hours)takes you to a spectacular campsite on top of a cliff looking down on a rapids and falls. Again, all the walleyes you will ever want in and below the falls. Your next day will be a long one due to a number of pull-overs, portages (short), and some pretty good rapids to run. The fishing in this section is as good as it will get anywhere in North America, and I would highly suggest you add another night to enjoy it. Campsites can be found (or made) quite easily along the way. We always camped the last night on the inlet into McEwan lake due to some great fishing there below the rapids, and then a short three hour paddle out to Allanwater. Best lures… jigs with Twister tales, chrome colored Rapalas, chrome Walleye divers, big spoons for trolling (there are some pig pike in the Brightsand). Be prepared for bugs, particularly this year with the big snow melt. The blackflies can be pretty bad near the rapids. Plastic boats are suggested due to a lot of rocks. Be prepared for the train to be late… it always is! Have fun!