The Ties of a Hybrid Fish to the BWCA
Splake and the Trout Hatchery Tour Near Lanesboro
Many of the brook trout and splake that end up in lakes in and around the Boundary Waters come from fish hatcheries in southeastern Minnesota.
Joe from the P&P Podcast recently toured the Peterson State Fish Hatchery, which is managed by the Minnesota DNR. The hatchery is located near the Root River and the popular tourist town of Lanesboro.
Assistant Fisheries Supervisor Ryan Wierzba led us on the tour. Among other things, we discuss how splake are made and how they end up in the lakes in and around the BWCA.
What is a splake? It’s a lake trout and brook trout hybrid. And they’re damn tasty, many anglers agree.
This episode is supported by Sawbill Canoe Outfitters and Borderland Lodge.
Check out the video tour of the hatchery in the video below.
Forest Service Scant on Details of Ely ‘Research’ Facility Closing
Forest Service to Utah Update & Talking BWCA and Books with Duluth Writer
The federal government announced last week it is moving the headquarters for the U.S. Forest Service from Washington, D.C. to Salt Lake City.
As part of the move, the Forest Service says it will also close or repurpose all nine of its regional offices, create 15 state offices, and shutter research and development facilities in more than 30 states, including a site in Ely on the edge of the Boundary Waters.
The specifics on what “research and development facility” in Ely will be closing remains in question a week after the announcement came out. Paddle and Portage media spoke with officials from the Northern Bedrock Historic Preservation Corps April 4, as it’s possible they are included in the situation, specifically a historic research lab they now manage in Ely via a lease with the Forest Service.
Learn more in this episode of the podcast.
Also featured in the episode is Duluth writer Alex Messenger. Alex talks about his new book, “The Ice on the Lake.” He also shares stories about search and rescue operations he’s been on in the Boundary Waters, as well as the time he was mauled by a grizzly bear in Canada.
This episode is sponsored by Voyageur Canoe Outfitters on the Gunflint Trail, and Bending Branches Canoe & Kayak Paddles.
The Miscalculations of Spring in the Boundary Waters
Bring on April in the Boundary Waters
April. The month that’s been known to send fear up the spine of the Paddle & Portage Podcast team.
Recent revelations about what April can offer for BWCA and Quetico adventures has the podcast duo rejuvenated this year. A surge of outdoor activity in late March played a role in this newfound understanding of late winter in the Boundary Waters, as is shared in this episode, which is sponsored by Tuscarora Lodge & Canoe Outfitters, Loons Nest Coffee, Friends of the Boundary Waters, and Ely Outfitting Company.
Kevin Kinney: Behind the Wool and Canvas
Kevin Kinney: Behind the Wool and Fabric
Kevin Kinney, owner of Empire Wool and Canvas Company, celebrates the natural world. He does so without apologies. A direct, straightforward creator, Kevin is a generous creator of fabric, though he doesn’t need your approval to know his work is being done the right way. He knows it. And most everyone who has some of his product knows it too.
Kevin has built small batches of garments near Lake Superior and the Boundary Waters for more than 20 years. He runs his business the same way he always has: Old school. Customers order direct. No waitlists. Manufacturer to customer. No B.S.
In this episode of the podcast, we learn about the journey of Kevin Kinney.
This episode is sponsored by Bending Branches Canoe & Kayak Paddles and Borderland Lodge.
Duluth Author’s New Book Showcases BWCA and Canadian Barrens
Ryan Rodgers – Where the Green Light Shines
Minnesota author and frequent Paddle & Portage contributor Ryan Rodgers has a new book about paddling canoes. “Where the Green Light Shines” will be available in summer 2026.
The book takes readers from Minnesota’s Boundary Waters into the Canadian barrens, a region rarely seen by most BWCA paddlers. The book tells the pull this area had on one of Minnesota’s most accomplished paddlers, Bob O’Hara.
Rodgers recently met up with Joe Friedrichs on the shore of Lake Superior in Grand Marais to discuss the book and other topics relevant to the Boundary Waters.
This episode is sponsored by Tuscarora Lodge & Canoe Outfitters and Ely Outfitting Company.
Solo Trip Across the Border Lakes – Mona’s Story
A Solo Trip Across the Border Lakes – Mona’s Story
Mona Gauthier completed a 200-mile solo trip last summer across the border lakes of the Boundary Waters. It was her first solo adventure after completing nearly 70 trips to the BWCA.
In a new episode of the Paddle and Portage Podcast we share Mona’s story, including the highs and lows of her first solo trip and how it intersects with decades of introducing others to wilderness paddling.
Mona, who first traveled to the BWCA in 1983, will be presenting this weekend (March 13-15) at Canoecopia. Be sure to catch her presentation on Saturday afternoon. And swing by the P&P booth and say hello if you’re at the expo this weekend!
This episode is sponsored by Loons Nest Coffee and Sawtooth Outfitters.
Special thanks to Mike Gauthier, Sue Sullivan, Paula & Fred Furlich, Lisa DeLaney, Joanie Ouellette, Ruthie Davis, and Kevin Kenow for supporting Mona’s trip and helping to make this episode possible.
Watch a video of Mona’s trip on YouTube channel.
Tim Bates: An Unsung Hero of the Boundary Waters
Tim Bates: An Unsung Hero of the Boundary Waters
Tim Bates met his wife on the Gunflint Trail. For decades, he paddled and portaged a canoe by thousands of BWCA visitors, though most never knew his name. A gifted paddler and wilderness enthusiast, Tim passed away in December 2025 after a battle with prostate cancer. He was 60.
Tim worked at the University of Minnesota Duluth outdoor education program. He was also a co-founder of the Duluth Folk School. He was a certified canoe instructor who introduced the Boundary Waters to many people during the past 30 years.
In this episode, we hear the story of Tim Bates, a quiet legend of the Boundary Waters.
This episode is supported by Bent Paddle Brewing Company and Friends of the Boundary Waters.
Special thanks to Julie Bates, Kelly Bates, Ken Gilbertson, and Pat Kohlin for making this episode possible.
Paddling North: How Stories Inspire Adventure
Paddling North: Inspired by Stories
Sometimes, the hardest part of wilderness trips – be it a winter trip to the Boundary Waters or a canoe trip to Quetico – isn’t the actual trip itself that is the most taxing. What can be the most challenging is simply getting back home and adjusting back to “regular life.”
Four Minnesotans spent most of last summer paddling from the end of the Gunflint Trail to Hudson Bay, going north across a large section of Canada along the way. Paddling under the name Solitude of Four, the group traveled more than 1,250 miles over the course of the 2.5-month expedition through some of North America’s most remote waterways.
We followed their journey last summer on the podcast, and featured it before, during, and after their trip. We’ve also been in contact with the group since they completed their journey in mid-August. The names of the four paddlers are Ryan, Kathleen, Maren, and Timea.
They’ve all settled back into the post Hudson Bay trip differently. We wanted to learn what it’s like settling back into society after being immersed in the routine of a canoe trip for more than two months.
Also featured in this episode is Zach Fritz. Zach is well known in many paddling circles across the Upper Midwest, including an epic paddle trip he made from Minnesota to the Arctic Ocean in 2024. Zach was in communication with the Solitude of Four before their trip, offering suggestions for the paddle north.
This episode is sponsored by Ely Outfitting Company.