Does fishing burn any more calories than sitting at a bar sipping a margarita? Tomorrow my family departs on a five-day canoe trip to the Boundary Waters and plan to fish for sustenance. If we don't want to eat another noodle dish for dinner, we'll have to cast a few lines to reel in shore meals.

To be upfront, fishing is not my favorite activity. I find it boring and am ever-itching to move onto a five-hour hike. But if I'm fishing to avoid another carbo-filled noodle dish, I know I will be extremely motivated to cast lines for hours. I will need lean protein on this trip -- the beef jerky won't taste so good by Day 3. Besides, the kids just scored two new Zebco 202s from their generous uncle and are primed to fish.

For all you fishing fitness fans out there, here's how many calories you burn when fishing (based on a 155-lb person). Fishing is definitely a better workout than lifting a margarita, especially if you pull on waders or get off the boat:

• Fishing while sitting on a boat: 176 calories per hour
• Fishing while standing on a bank: 246 calories per hour
• Fishing in stream with waders: 422 calories per hour -- now we're talkin'!

If pulling on the waders results in over 400 calories burned per hour, just think of how many calories it takes to haul in a marlin from the sea.

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Just booked a family canoe trip to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area in Superior National Forest. From Minnesota's Gunflint trail, we're slipping a four-person family canoe into Seagull Lake for a four-day paddle chosen for its kid-friendly portages and variety of terrain. Lots of swimming, hiking, canoeing, fishing, shore lunches of freshly caught walleye and not one single motorboat buzzing the deeper we head in.

Besides the costs for gas and canoe rental, once we're on the water there's no more wallet leakage. We'll be in absolutely gorgeous surroundings not spending a single additional dime. No ice cream cones to buy, no go-cart tickets, no waterslide fees. No smoothies or lattes in the Boundary Waters, either. If we are blessed to see the dancing, glowing lights from the Aurora Borealis, this magical moment is free.

This is my husband's dream trip -- he's an experienced Boundary Waters guide. Our kids are finally old enough to not jump out of the canoe. I've assistant-led a Sierra Club paddle trip to Isle Royale, MI -- but I've never set foot in the Boundary Waters. We're ready. If you, too, are ready to get physical with your family this summer, like to fish in pristine waters and love the idea of avoiding a leaky wallet on summer vacation, check out Tuscarora Lodge and Outfitters. Staff and offerings are excellent. Or plan a basecamp or backpacking trip into the woods near you -- wallets stay watertight there, too.

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