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Bolton got one back through Radhi Jaidi but it was not enough to prevent Paul Jewell collecting a belated 41st birthday present as his team stretched their unbeaten run to six games.
Wigan were unchanged after last week's win at Everton but Bolton had fit-again Jaidi and Gary Speed back after they had missed Thursday's UEFA Cup trip to Bulgaria through injury.
Jussi Jaaskelainen reclaimed his place from Ian Walker, and the only notable Bolton absentees were Ivan Campo and Nicky Hunt. It was the first meeting between the sides since 1993 when both were in the old third division.
Wanderers looked to be suffering from the effects of their long journey home from Bulgaria in the early stages as Wigan made the livelier start.
The pace of Senegal striker Camara in particular was causing big problems for the Trotters and he produced Wigan's first threat of the game.
Jay-Jay Okocha's long throw-in was cleared from the Latics area and Camara's speed took him clear as he raced down on the Bolton goal.
But the finish failed to match the approach play as he dragged a tame shot across goal without testing the keeper. Wigan had another chance from Jimmy Bullard's corner but McCulloch tried to place the shot which lacked the power to trouble Jaaskelainen.
Bolton enjoyed a stroke of luck when Camara was on the receiving end of a harsh offside flag when he had a clear run at goal, and then Jason Roberts missed the target by inches after unleashing a shot from the edge of the box.
Wanderers weathered the early storm and came up with near misses from Hidetoshi Nakata, Kevin Nolan and Okocha.
Wigan suffered a blow when right-back Pascal Chimbonda limped off after a heavy tackle from Kevin Davies.
But the home side conjured up the best move of the first half just before the break. Roberts freed Camara on the left, and his cross was tailor-made for Bullard on the edge of the six-yard area. However, the midfielder's downward header was easy meat for the keeper.
Wigan then missed a terrific chance. England Under-21 left-back Leighton Baines fired in a superb ball which Bolton failed to clear. It fell for McCulloch but the Scotland international completely miscued as he attempted to let fly with his left foot.
The stalemate was broken two minutes into the second period when Wigan struck on the counter-attack with Bullard leading the charge out of defence.
After an exchange of passes with Camara, Bullard knocked the ball into the danger area and N'Gotty's header was a poor one, landing at Camara's feet with the keeper helpless.
The former Wolves striker kept his cool and the shot went in off the underside of the bar.
Bolton went agonisingly close to snatching an equaliser when Ryan Taylor cleared off the line to deny Davies a goal.
But Wigan then struck again and once more it was that man Camara who did the damage. He got past Henrik Pedersen and fired a cross in for Bullard who was squeezed out by Tal Ben-Haim. However, he cleared the ball only as far as Camara and this time he picked out McCulloch who hammered in the second with his right foot from just inside the area.
Bolton pulled one back when Stelios fired in a cross from the right, and the unmarked Jaidi headed past John Filan. Wanderers survived when Roberts put a free header wide and Stelios missed a similar chance at the other end.
Wigan were denied a third when the keeper produced a magnificent save to keep out a Damien Francis pile-driver and Camara had one ruled out for offside.
But the Latics had to hang on grimly as Bolton battled to salvage a point with El Hadji Diouf failing to hit the target with a far post header.