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A canoe carrier will save your truck & your back turning the canoe into a wheelbarrow for your gear. Sail boats to go https://www.sailboatstogo.com/  Folding canoe & kayak cart https://www.sailboat.../CANOE_RIG/5059

This one has no through axle giving it more clearance to help avoid rocks & stumps. They are popular with canoe campers in the Provincial & National Parks on trails, portages or hydro lines like in Pukaskwa National Park. The front end should just pop up with the gear situated mostly in the back it pulls quite well. The MNR should be able to give you a list of lakes and rivers in your search area and the details.

Wayne if I were in your neck off the woods I'd probably target Largemouth Bass & Pike on small backwoods lakes in the Espanola area. I've watched Italo Labagnan on Canadian Sport Fishing https://www.canadian-sportfishing.com/ fishing a small backwoods lake in the Algoma District. The Stocked Lakes Brook Trout/ Splake Trout could also be of interest they make the best eating.

I usually fish from a canoe too I made a seat in the middle stuck a ram tube behind my seat and troll using a kayak paddle it works much better in windy conditions.

Best of luck!

Some history of the Grand Portage area: First Across the Continent: Sir Alexander Mackenzie by Barry Gough. available on e-book.

https://www.cbc.ca/h...P6CH3PA4LE.html  my ancestor Baptiste Bisson was one of the voyageurs. Alexander Mackenzie from Canada by Land 22nd July 1793 was chiseled in stone @ Bella Coola, British Columbia. Grand Portage Post http://www.fortwiki....nd_Portage_Post . Isle Royale National Park https://www.nps.gov/isro/index.htm  Copper Culture http://copperculture.homestead.com/  This copper was transported throughout the Great Lakes and south through another famous saddle point the "Chicago Portage" to the Mississippi and else where. Check the Isle Royale National Park website for updates.

Canada to close borders to most Foreigner's due to Covid 19 it's going to be a rough year for fishing resorts.

Staying in country and fishing the border waters may be best. Some Fishing Lodges on the Minnesota border... Idle wood International Falls on Rainy Lake. http://www.campidlewood.com/  International Falls Journal https://www.ifallsjournal.com/

Zup's Fishing Resort & Canoe Outfitters http://zupsresort.com/  Jimmy Houston Outdoors Crappie Fishing https://www.youtube....h?v=aFbuf6868CA  The Ely Echo https://www.elyecho.com/  Gunflint Lodge https://www.gunflint.com/  The Cook County Herald https://www.cookcountynews-herald.com/ How this will affect the Boundary Waters & Quetico Park will be on going so it's best to check all sources before heading out including the Boundary Waters Blog for the most up to date information.  https://bwca.com/ 

Here are a few great fishing resorts in your search area: Slippery Winds Wilderness Resort on the famous Pipestone River System.  http://slipperywinds.com . Manitou Weather Station & Wilderness Resort on the famous Manitou River system. https://manitouweatherstation.com/  https://manitouweath...ices/our-rates/

Spectacular wilderness fishing in luxurious & comfortable surroundings. Fishing for Muskie, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass,Walleye, Northern Pike, Lake Trout & Black Crappie. This area is known for it's great fishing diversity from warm water to cold water species you will probably find what your looking for.