Anyone have any favorite lures for the smallmouth bass of those deep clear northern Minnesota / Canadian lakes? Also would love to know if anyone has caught a 5lb+ smallie up there!

thanks!

I have fished BWCA several times and had great luck with smallmouth.  Biggest I caught was when I was in 8th grade (1970's) and just crossed 5 lbs.. Numerous others 4+.  Best lures (back then) were Mepps 4's and 5's in Silver or Yellow/Red.  In the evening the topwater bite was ferocious... I used a Crazy Crawler and Jitterbug.  

Still use those baits today but have added in plastics.  White spinnerbaits/trailers and Yamasenkos work great (if in doubt go white for smallies) Kalin Lunker grubs and Chigger Craw Crazy Legs is good too.  If you have to go deep, the Lunker grubs or a larger paddle tail minnow on a 1/4 jig head can get you down into the deeper Rock piles. 

I have caught thousands on F13 Rapalas. The F13s allow for long casts, which keep the fish from seeing you. I use barbless trebles for quick releases and the fish's safety and my safety. I also remove the middle treble. However, you will lose these lures to pike and especially smaller pike. For whatever reason, the pike above 35" are less likely to cut mono.  

I fished it the whole month of 2015 August, 13 portages in and 30 mile paddle in the BWCA/Quetico. The smallmouth Bass Fishing was excellent. I measured several of the larger ones before release at 22". Alot of fish 19 to 22" last summer all on artificials. I have fished it most summers since 1970. I have caught a number of 5lb + smb's years past fishing livebait. This watershed holds many 5lb + smb's. Jig and Kalen worm/plastics. Senkos. Green pumkin, black, brown. Strike King Zulu/pearl. Dropshot. Surface lures early morning and evening.  Spend sometime on BWCA.com fishing forum. Hope this helps.