Hey friends. I am planning on taking my 10-year-old son camping in VNP for a week this summer. It will be my first time in the park, and it will be my son’s very first national parks experience. We figured we’d start with Kabetogama. If it goes well I’m considering a fall trip to Namakagon. I’m looking for some advice in terms of general preparedness, etc — but also would welcome specifics on camping spots, fishing trends, etc. Thanks in advance to those who are more experienced and willing to share their ideas. Specific questions below:
1.) Timing — is there a “best” time to go? Weather will be weather. We want to be there when the walleye bite is on.
2.) Camp sites — we’re hoping to camp on an island. We’re in a fiberglass tri-hull so we want someplace with a nice sheltered sandy shore where we can beach the boat at night, preferably visible from the fire ring/tent pad. An island with shore fishing opportunities would be a bonus.
3.) Gear — any camping/fishing gear that I might not be thinking of that will come in extra handy in VNP?
4.) Safety — how common is it to encounter black bear on the islands? Do people just bring spray, or are you packing a 12-gauge to be safe? I’d personally hate to have to pull that trigger, but I’d hate even less to explain to my wife that my kid was eaten by a bear while I emptied a can of pepper spray on it.
5.) Fishing — we love to fish, but we’re not great at it and our boat is not a great setup for fishing. Our go-to methods are long-line trolling crank baits or dropping anchor and fishing live bait under slip bobbers. Are there general areas of Kab that are going to be best suited to amateurs these methods? Are there other methods or presentations that I should work on developing — or fishing gear that I should get comfortable with — before we head up?
6.) Best spots on the lake to buy bait/fuel/firewood?
Thanks so much!
