Five stars isn't enough for this crew. We fish with Craig at Lake Vermilion Fishing Guides just…read moreabout every year, and our Boundary Waters trips into Basswood are the ones we talk about all winter. From the first phone call he asks the right questions about what you want out of the day, then builds the whole trip around it. Getting into the BWCA on your own takes real planning, but Craig handles all of it, and once you're out there you've got world-class fishing with almost nobody around. He reads the water, adjusts constantly, and genuinely cares that everyone on board catches fish. He handles the big fish with real care too, quick photos and healthy releases. This is what a professional guide service should be. We're already planning next year's trip.

Doesn't get any better then, local and family owned…read more My cousin from Ely had previously bought a outfit for her grand baby and realized it was too small. We went in to exchange it and they could have not been more accommodating. She did not have the receipt and had removed the tags. They knew it was their product and were happy to make the swap for a larger size. As she made the swap, I browsed through the store with my other cousin. Oh my, the variety of merchandise was mind blowing. They had everything you'd need for a camping trip. They even sell camping packages for the boundary waters and when you check-in on Yelp they offer a 15% off coupon. If you're a fisher, they also offer live bait to help you catch that big fish. That way your "big fish" story will be truth instead of a made up one. My other cousin who was traveling with us, caught so much fish during our trip, that when we left Ely, we had to stop at Spirit to buy dry ice. When in Ely, I highly recommend that you shop, Spirit.

Piragis bookstore was a great place to browse. Quiet, well lit with lots of interesting unknown and…read morealso known titles. Books seemed thoughtfully chosen; a good nature section and kids section. Will return!

Was in town, shopping for souvenirs. I probably should have purchased the hot sauce they were…read moreselling, but at $6 a bottle, I thought it was overpriced. I would have been thrilled if you could get all 3 bottles for a discount, but that wasn't happening. They have a ton of t shirts for sale here. We picked up one for Ely, MN for about $25. They have a men's side and a women's side. The women's side had a ton of apparel. I found a cute shirt and shorts on sale. The fitting room is right there by the stairwell. I love a good sale. These times were not for Ely, they were just hiking/camping brands of clothing, but that's ok. A lot of the women's stuff was fairly plain. The back of the store has restrooms, art, and camping/fishing supplies. The front of the store has weapons and shoes. In fact, the gal who makes the moccasins was right there in the store, putting them together in real time! It was so cool to see how she was manipulating the leather. We did not take the stairs up to the second level; it appeared to be more of a bookstore up there. Parking is on the street.

Ely Outfitting Company should be your only choice for any Boundary Waters Canoe Area adventure…read more I recently booked a fully outfitted, professionally guided trip through EOC, and every aspect was exceptional. The gear was top-of-the-line, well-maintained, and spotlessly clean--tents, sleeping bags, pillows, all of it! The food was plentiful, delicious, and offered a surprising variety for a backcountry trip. What truly sets EOC apart, though, is the people. Amy in the office was kind, responsive, and efficient--before, during, and after our trip. The outfitting team that got us set up and checked us in afterward was equally friendly, knowledgeable, and professional. And then there's our guide, Dave Freeman. I expected a skilled and experienced leader when I heard he was a National Geographic Explorer of the Year--but that title alone doesn't capture how perfect he was for our family. This trip was a memorial journey to honor our dad, and we had some very specific hopes for the experience. Dave truly listened and helped us make every part of it meaningful. He kept us safe, made it fun, and became part of our family along the way... even if he does cheat at Uno. Ely Outfitting Company--and especially Dave Freeman--are the absolute best in the BWCA. I wouldn't go with anyone else.

We rented a canoe from here just for a day trip. We had never portaged a canoe before or tied one…read moredown to the car. The staff were so friendly and helpful. They went through every piece of information making sure we knew where we were going to helping us practice portaging. We had a blast out on the water and when we came back we immediately had several friendly staff asking us all about our short trip and helping get all the equipment put away. Would highly recommend!

Tracy is absolutely the best resort operator on Kabetogama. We stopped by the other day and she…read morehad staff detailing the stainless steel grills (that had sear stations)!!! We toured many of the cabins and we were very impressed. By far, Northern Lights has the nicest and most luxurious cabins in Voyageurs National Park.

In September, we had a fabulous relaxing get away to this resort. Friendly staff, with comfortable,…read moreclean well-equipped cabins. Fantastic expansive views of the lake as a perfect back drop to early sunrises & slow sinking sunsets. The autumn leaves were bright & colorful. One evening was cloudless & I got to see the northern lights dance across the night skies! Memories to last a lifetime. We enjoyed boating in Voyageur's National Park and exploring the islands on Lake Kabetogama (200 to choose from) and the artistic Ellsworth rock sculpture garden & picnic area. We had never seen anything like it before. Amazing! Tip: they have public bathrooms if you need a pit stop. We hope to make it an annual tradition & join the fisherman next round. They were raking in the fish (& the resort staff cleans them for you too)! And for last minute get aways you can make them a discounted offer on a cabin stay & get great value for the price.

Every member of the staff was friendly and helpful and we had a number of nice conversations with…read morethe owner. He's knowledgeable about the area and a good resource for fishing information and route planning. We stayed in a cabin that was clean and had everything we needed. The little store on property had what few essentials we'd forgotten, like peanut butter and coffee. Part of our group spend a few nights in the BWCA, and they outfitted us with canoe and paddles. They also rent packs and everything else you'd need if you didn't have your own. We did well fishing and saw lots of wildlife. Perfect vacation.

OMG! Seagull outfitters are the best! I started to plan a trip in the boundary water's in January…read more I had never been there and live out of state so had no idea what the expect. I call Seagull outfitters several times and they were always able to answer my questions! I talked with the owner, Deb several times and she was super reassuring and knowledgeable. We rented two canoes, a bear barrel, and a tow to American Point. When we arrived July 20th. The staff had everything sorted and ready for us. They had additional supplies we needed like Paracord and extra rain gear. We packed up and Dylan boated us out to American point. We felt embarrassed that we didn't know the front of the canoe from the back but Dylan showed us and didn't make us feel bad about not knowing what we were doing. When we paddled up to seagull outfitters 5 days later we were offered a free shower! Thanks seagull outfitters for all you do!

Bought a wheeler there. Although it was used I would expect that simple things such as spark…read moreplugs, oil, and coolant be changed before purchase. I have had nothing but problems Never again

Technicians Jer and Vinnie are great guys, got my boat going…read moreright away. It's too bad I now take my business to Duluth Lawn and Sport because how rotten owners Cindy and Mike are. I pass them up in beaver bay to drive the extra hour and a half to Duluth. Highly suggest not dealing with these clowns, they will surely ruin your day.

the guys here took our boat in for emergency motor repairs. saved our trip! Fast, friendly and…read moreunderstanding. Couldn't ask for better help under the circumstances. Two thumbs up, and more if i had them. Mike K

From the owner: Marine Fun Since 1979…read more Frank's Marine has provided top quality boats and parts in Orr, MN since 1979. We believe in going the extra mile for all of our customers. If you are looking for a Mercury outboard, look no further. We know them inside and out.Our boats include:* Mercury outboards* Lund* Crestliner * Shorelandr trailers* Manitou pontoonsWe also have a selection of used boats and outboards. You should still be able to have marine fun without the large expense of a new boat.Call Frank's Marine today for your new boat.

I hit a rock while driving my boat on Eagles Nest Lake. I put the spare prop on, but didn't put on…read morea bushing. Needless to say, I screwed up my spare prop and lower unit gear housing. Thinking my trip was over, I was driving on SR 169 going to another lake, when I noticed their sign by the side of the road. I turned around to have them check the damage and see if they could make the repair. John came out and reviewed the damage. If I were to continue running the boat, more damage would be done. He checked to see if they had the part to fix the lower unit, and prop. They did, but couldn't get to it until after lunch. We went back to our resort and a couple hours later, Gretchen called and sent a text message telling me my boat was fixed! Great service, nice people, saved our vacation!

From the owner: Aronson Boat Works was established in 1914 and has proudly been family-owned since. We are a full…read moreservice marina on beautiful Lake Vermilion offering sales, service, and storage. We also have a gas dock that is open to the public. Another hidden gem we have is the Mailboat. With that we deliver mail to patrons on the lake and also provide Mailboat excursions (Mon-Sat, June 1 - Labor Day).

Horrible customer service. We dropped our boat off on the 5th for a service appointment on the 7th…read more By the 12th they still hadn't looked at it. And we were clear when we dropped it that this was our transportation to our island lake house. They didn't seem to care. If you want to be ignored, have to call multiple times to get someone on the phone, be treated rudely and have to wait five times longer than promised to get service, then by all means use these guys.

I was looking for a seat for my fishing boat. Salesperson showed me a swivel mount he said would…read morefit on seat, it clearly wouldn't fit, though. He continued to insist it would, making me feel like I was an idiot. I took the swivel out of packaging and held it up to seat- the screw holes were off by more than 2 inches! Salesperson (who appeared to be the boss) was insulting and disrespectful, and I do not recommend this business to anyone.