Solo Camping a Remote Island Shelter for 3 Days
On remote Lake Superior trips, put safe boating and campsite logistics ahead of fishing, and use current conditions to choose your route and spots.
- Allow for lingering swell even after the wind calms; slow down to avoid driving the boat into waves.
- Find and secure an established campsite before fishing, and use sheltered water for breaks when conditions are rough.
- Check water-temperature and weather-buoy data to guide fishing and boating decisions; carry GPS for fog.
The footage shows changing lake conditions, route choices, and a fish fight that the notes cannot convey. · Best for: Campers and anglers planning remote Lake Superior boat trips.
The creator makes a solo boat trip to Isle Royale, camps in a shelter, fishes for lake trout, and returns through fog. The trip highlights rough swell, campsite-finding, changing fishing fortunes, and prioritizing a safe return.
Planning and overnight drive1:20
- He drives to Grand Portage the night before so he can launch early during a rare calm-weather window.
- He sleeps in his truck camper rather than setting it up fully, saving time before departure.
Open-water crossing6:26
- He loads roughly 40 gallons of fuel for the trip.
- Despite calm weather, the lake retains swell from earlier winds; he slows down to avoid spearing waves with the boat.
Finding camp and fishing12:05
- A dock and trail turn out not to be the campsite, so he keeps searching.
- He prioritizes finding a campsite before fishing, then finds a shelter with a fire pit and firewood.
- He checks water temperatures and weather-buoy readings to choose areas for safer boating and fishing.
Fishing and camping overnight19:41
- Fishing is slow despite trying many spots; he returns to camp before dark.
- He brines trout with four parts brown sugar to one part salt, but has no ice and leaves the fillets in lake water.
Second day on the water25:15
- He refuels from his tanks and continues fishing, trying different depths and locations.
- He notes that fishing results are outside his control and that improvement takes repetition.
Foggy return and final fishing33:46
- He packs camp and starts back in fog with visibility around 100 yards; he uses a GPS and checks conditions around the island point.
- He stops to fish along the route, loses a very large fish that will not fit in his net, then lands another before heading back to avoid worsening conditions.
Step by step
- 1. Travel to the launch area the night before so you can start early when conditions allow.
- 2. Load enough fuel and essential gear before launching; check the lake rather than relying only on a calm-weather forecast.
- 3. Slow down in swell and keep watching wave conditions and route options.
- 4. Locate and secure an established campsite before committing to fishing.
- 5. Use water-temperature readings, weather-buoy information, and sonar to inform where and when you fish.
- 6. On the return, use GPS in fog, reassess conditions, and leave before the weather becomes unsafe.
Tools & resources mentioned
- Water-temperature app — compares water temperatures around the island.
- Weather buoys — provide water-temperature and wind readings.
- GPS — helps with navigation in fog.
- Fish sonar — locates fish while scouting fishing areas.
Notes are AI-generated from the video's transcript and may miss nuance.