Northern Pike are one of the most commonly caught fish in Northern Minnesota. Weather your fishing for them or walleye, odds are you'll be pulling one in from time to time. Northerns can get quite big and make for a great meal when canoeing in the wilderness. One draw back to these slimy fish are a strip of bones embedded in the meat of the fillet called y-bones. Some people leave them in and deal with picking them out while eating them. There is a way however to remove the y-bones while saving most of the meat. Jim shows you HowTo remove the y-bones on a Northern Pike.

Looking for a way to communicate with the outside world when on a canoe trip in the wilderness? Some people bring them along for emergencies, others to touch base with the friends and family during their trip. Others may have a situation where they need to be contacted during their trip. Whatever your reason may be a Satellite Phone is the best way to have this option when in the wilderness. Here's how to use a "satphone".

We only bring you this HowTo because it was requested by one of our viewers. After getting the initial chuckle out of the request we got to thinking that this is one aspect of camping in the BWCACW that may not really get covered when explaining what to expect to a first time BWCAW camper. We tried to have a little fun while making this episode, I hope we don't offend anyone and that you find the humor in our shooting techniques. Here's HowTo use a latrine.

Have you ever wanted to learn how to start a fire with flint and steel? Matches aren't always reliable when in the back country. As soon as they get wet they become useless. Not to say flint and steel is a fool proof option, but its a good skill set to have and something you can throw in your pack "just in case". Glenn walks you through the steps of creating a birds nest and getting that perfect spark to create a nice campfire.

One of the most important things to think of when out in the wilderness is making sure you have clean water to drink. As our environment continues to become more polluted and not to mention the ever ready giardiasis looking to invade your lower intestines, having a good water filter is a must. There are a lot of water filters on the market so its important to find one you like using. We aren't supporting a specific brand in this episode, but do talk about the different options you have when picking out your next water filter. Here's how to filter water.

Another cooking tip from Jim. How to save money by making your own dry meals. Dehydrated hamburger is the first step in making lightweight delicious meals for out in the wilderness. This is something we have used over the years and feel like we have not only saved a ton of money, but also felt like our meals may have been a little more tasty. If you look at the cost of freeze dried meals in camping stores these days and feel like they are a bit spendy hopefully this video will help you on your way to keep a few dollars in your pocket on your next trip into the wilderness.

Have you ever heard the frightening sound of a rock scraping the bottom of your canoe only to see water begin to appear in the bottom of your boat throughout the rest of your trip? Well we sure have over the years!! In this episode of BWCACAST we'll show you how to patch up those holes with a little fiber glass. Its really not as hard as you'd think and with this step by step guide you'll be patching up your own canoe in no time. Jim walks you through cleaning the area, prepping the patch location, mixing the resin and applying the patch. We hope you find this episode helpful throughout your years of canoeing.

Bent shaft paddles provide more power and efficiency while paddling your canoe. Some people love them while others prefer the standard strait shaft paddle. Some don't like how the bent shaft paddle preform when steering the canoe from the stern. We at BWCACAST.com love to use bent shaft paddles both when paddling in the bow and when paddling in the stern. The design allows you to utilize more of your power being delivered in a manner that propels your canoe forward through more of your paddle stoke. Jim shows you some quick tips on how to make sure your using the bent shaft paddle correctly.

We start our third trip of the summer into the Mudro Lake entry point. My parents have joined us for this trip making this a very special time for me to show off the BWCAW. You'll see some nice paddling and portaging along with my thoughts on the the DululthPack Northwoods pack. Join us on our journey.

Our trip is coming to a close.  After being out for 7 days and traveling over 95 miles and packing our gear over 30+ portages we find ourselves paddling across a familiar lake.  Knife lake famous for so many reasons from a spot used by many to make the sharp edged tools needed to survive to the home of Dorothy Molter.  We paddled under sunny skies making our way back out to Ely.  This half of the Voyagers highway was a great trip.  The sights are amazing and the history of those traveling before you humbles one as you pack your lightweight canoe over the portages.  Thanks for joining us on this trip, it will be one I remember for the rest of my life.