A Strange 7 Days Camping on Lake of the Woods

Comments · 913

• LO

  @LostLakes · 1 year ago · pinned

  FAQ <br><b>1) Shoreline length:</b> At <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1amkGOKUbY&amp;t=519">8:39</a> you can see that the 7,500km calculated by the GIS software includes all of the island shoreline. &nbsp;The US side is missing from the dataset but it would still be less than 10,000km of shoreline. I used to make maps for a living and I assure you the 100,000km number that gets thrown around is not accurate. <br><b>2) Why no fishing?</b> &nbsp;I did a bit of trolling big lures for muskie but that didn&apos;t pan out so any fishing footage just slowed down the video aimlessly...and the small fish usually aren&apos;t worth including. <br><b>3) Why hate on motorboats?</b> I&apos;m not hating, I&apos;m glad they&apos;re enjoying the outdoors. &nbsp;I know this lake is full of boats but as I said this was an experiment to see if I could find some quiet late in the season. <br><b>4) Main track:</b> Max H - Once Loved <br><b>5) Bought the stove from black spruce gear in Ontario</b>

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• DI

  @disconbobulated3514 · 1 year ago (edited)

  I can get lost in a hallway. I&apos;m impressed by your navigation skills.<br>Well done sir

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• KL

  @klayvonisme · 1 year ago

  One more comment. You are incredibly talented. Your narration, videography, editing, perspective, personality. I can’t say enough. Our world needs more men (and women too) like you. Thank you for sharing your experiences and gifts! <br>Bless you my friend.

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• JI

  @jimfromm3981 · 1 year ago (edited)

  As a young man our extended family enjoyed a log cabin on the shores of Lake Superior. I watched as the original plots were sold and people began to build cabins and install long railways across wide stretches of beach for their boats. They were ugly. Even at that age, I recognized the blight people were bringing to this land. Fortunately, others noticed it as well. The entire area was purchased by the Department of the Interior. All the cabins, shacks, and railways were removed, and 40 miles of scenic shoreline was turned into a National Lakeshore. Their were howls of protest and lawsuits by the landowners, but they were compensated fairly. Some local residents who frequented the area for hunting and fishing protested the usurpation of their &quot;rights.&quot; I have traveled the world literally from Antarctica to the Artic. This is my favorite spot in the world. It speaks to me like no other. I felt a great sense of loss as the government took over. I have returned hundreds of times to have my soul renewed. During those times I watched it mature as a National Park. Nearly 1 million people visit this area each year and that traffic has sustained two small towns that I doubt would have made it. The not so surprising thing is, there is less damage to the land than there was when only a few fortunate families owned it. Sure, there is more traffic to several locations but most of the natural beauty remains secluded and has returned to a nearly pristine state. <br>I could never have done what I am about to describe if it had remained in private ownership. I have taken my grandchildren back many times. My favorite fishing hole, where I caught my first rainbow trout, looks the same as it did when I was a child, and actually has more fish. My grandson caught his first Salmon and Steelhead on a flyrod at that location. I was able to take my grand daughter on a walk along my favorite Brook Trout stream and sit on a sandy bank under the same white pine I did as a kid. <br>Lake of the Woods has that kind of beauty. &nbsp;I hope it will be well managed in the future for the benefit of those who follow us.

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• LI

  @livelife4471 · 1 year ago

  Lake of the Woods is nice cottage country and a good birding area. A quick tip for you, Jon: A raven will flap its wings and glide now and then when flying, whereas a crow flaps its wings the whole time it is flying. I was living in New Brunswick back in the 1970s when they sprayed the province with DDT. The bald eagle population plummeted, but they have made a comeback. I&apos;m glad I&apos;ve lived long enough to see the recovery.

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• RD

  @rds990 · 1 year ago (edited)

  I&apos;ve fished nearly every significant freshwater lake in America over my 71 years. &nbsp; NOTHING comes close to Lake of the Woods for sheer diversity available, size and health of fish, as well as beauty. &nbsp;I&apos;ll be there this week (June 10, 2025) for another week long fishing trip on the northwestern portion of LOW. &nbsp;Cannot wait.

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• JE

  @jebjed3998 · 1 year ago

  bad vacations and trips are good sometimes, they make the good ones even better.

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• PR

  @progkarma944 · 1 year ago (edited)

  Lake of the Woods... This was my home for summer between the ages of 10 to 14. Where I learned how to canoe, kayak, water ski... Fishing every day, swimming off the dock. The best of times.

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• AR

  @ArrierePaysAvecSylvain · 1 year ago

  Thank you for sharing your adventures John , wonderful scenery and always educating. Don’t forget to wash the boat for the next one , so no cross contamination to cleaner lakes .

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• KI

  @Kidsinadventures · 1 year ago (edited)

  I live on LOTW year round. &nbsp;An amazing lake to live on, but we don’t often canoe trip on the lake. &nbsp;Like you experienced, not really a wilderness tripping destination. &nbsp;For daily living, can’t be beat. &nbsp;Unfortunately, you were also in a pretty busy area during peak hunting and fishing tourism time. &nbsp;That is the one of the big industries for Sioux Narrows with the tourist camps. &nbsp;Long time viewer, appreciate your content - thanks!

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• BE

  @benjibones · 1 year ago

  Thank you Jon, another great adventure. I love that you don&apos;t try to sugar coat it, but at the same time you don&apos;t whine about it either. With careful editing you could have made this a &quot;trip of a lifetime&quot; video, but you were honest. You could have also made it a &quot;oh woe is me, I had a terrible time.&quot; But you were honest and didn&apos;t do that either. It&apos;s a fine balance and you do very well. We&apos;ve all had trips that didn&apos;t pan out the way we expected: the weather was bad, the bugs were bad, we got injured, it wasn&apos;t what we were looking for. <br><br>Thank you for your honesty: it gives validation to all of our trips that don&apos;t go according to plan.

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• JU

  @Julie-l7r · 1 year ago

  Oh boy!! A new lost lakes!! So happy 😊

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