duluth BWCA to Duluth Area Fishing Reports

[saunasisu]

Fished the river saturday with my father, from 11:00-4:00. I got shut out but my father boated a nice 24 and 17" wally. Sure was nice to be out in the boat again. Turned out to be fairly nice out. Fished Greenwood lake last night, and had 6 fish to show for it.

[Luck e 1]

For the past four years we have set our alarms for 3:30 to leave the cities and be on the water early. This year we decided to sleep and fish the afternoon and night bite. As we were putting in everyone was coming out with nice fish.

Apparently we missed the best bite. We caught three fish 18,21,20...the DNR guy at the landing said that far more people came out in the morning/afternoon with their limits than people who came out at night with limits.

I think I learned that float down with a jig and minnow is fun, but not the most productive way to fish the river. Next time out I would do it differently.

I will probably try again this weekend.

[xdasher19]

Northlander (or anyone) Do you guys have any info on where the best bet would be to do a little shore fishing tommorrow? I dont have a boat. thanks

[longcaster]

My Dad came up from southern MN and we had some of the best walleye fishing in a while. We landed 14 fish on Saturday with the biggest being 28.5, 27, 26.5, 25, and almost all the others in the lower 20s. Sunday turned out much like Steve said, we only caught 7 but a couple more pigs- 28 and a 26.5

- Steve, I was the guy that said hi to you a couple times this weekend, I was in the red 14' lund with my old man in the front netting all my fish. - thanks for showing off that 29 incher on Saturday right next to us up river- I've never seen boats close in on a spot so quick.- seriously congrats on the big ones and finishing well in the contest.

[Voyage North]

Not Knife or Thomas but one of our groups caught a couple nice lakers out of Ima.

Pike are hitting (best I think so far) on frozen/salted ciscoes.

Walleye on rainbow chubs.

[mr marbles]

Fished the river sat 5-16 / 5-17 with the wind and the cold fishing was very tough for us but managed to get our 6 fish for 3 guys, most fish being pretty big,sunday was a perfect day no wind and warmer temps but walleyes seemed scattered here and there, chartreuse was by far the best colored blades for spinner rigs my usual hammered copper wasnt producing, a lot of rockbass also. good fishin to all.

[Northlander]

My Dad came up from southern MN and we had some of the best walleye fishing in a while. We landed 14 fish on Saturday with the biggest being 28.5, 27, 26.5, 25, and almost all the others in the lower 20s. Sunday turned out much like Steve said, we only caught 7 but a couple more pigs- 28 and a 26.5

- Steve, I was the guy that said hi to you a couple times this weekend, I was in the red 14' lund with my old man in the front netting all my fish. - thanks for showing off that 29 incher on Saturday right next to us up river- I've never seen boats close in on a spot so quick.- seriously congrats on the big ones and finishing well in the contest.

Longcaster it was nice to meet you and your dad. How log did that trolling motor battery last fighting that current all day? Maybe we will see ya out there again.

[Fishin' Dave]

Any reports on the stream trout or lake trout in the BWCA or gunflint trail area? Usually around this time of year for us the bite is going hot and heavy but with the late spring it makes we wonder. This weekend we're going up the gunflint for some shallow water lakers, I'll be sure to report back with our luck.

~Dave

[fishinfey8]

I had a very fun weekend fishing. All in all not amzing fishing, but awesome weather along with a few exciting moments.

It started fri. with this decent but fat walleye

Then today I made it out with JW, and had a exciting expirience. I was jigging for walleyes when I had a nice bite. I set the hook and started reeling in the fish. All of the sudden it got really heavy, and started fighting back. While reeling in my walleye, this thing decided to feast on the walleye I had hooked in to. Ended up with two fish on one hook!

We ended the day with some nice eater walleyes after dark...Perfect way to end the weekend.

[AJS1980]

Hello I was wondering if anyone has ever been up to BWCA/ Route #2 Cross Bay Lake - Poplar, around the 1st week of June before? If you have been and are willing to share a little info as to where to expect to find fish this time of year? Been up there twice but both times were in August.. Mainly talking smallmouth, walleye, and lake trout.

I am thinking to start around inlets/outlets with sandy, gravel/rock bottoms and if no luck try and find some weeds that made it thru the winter or have already begun to grow again? At least for the bass and 'eyes, as for lake trout no clue... Any advice or comment would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

Adam

[hovermn]

Was in Ely over memorial day weekend visiting some friends, and doin' a little fishin'. Didn't catch a ton of fish, but managed to catch a first of a species, Brookie. And two personal record fish. 25" Walleye and 25" Laker The Walleye went back. The laker...Tasted GREAT!

[threeball]

Its nice to see that somebody is catching nicer fish. I've been finding plentiful but small walleyes all year. That seems consistent with other fisherman I have talked to around Ely. I hope it changes for me soon.

[dufek]

Managed a few nice fat bass up there last week as well. All walleyes were smaller.

[hovermn]

Those things are pigs!

[chaffmj]

Hover and dufek,

Nice looking fish! Thanks for posting.

[Mike Stark]

was out on Birch lake last night for half an hour...caught a couple small ones in 8fow...wind blown shoreline...water temp was 59-60 in the river.

[storm_rider_1]

I based camped on malberg last week, spent a night on polly on the way out.

caught this 27 1/2, on polly and a few nice eaters

lots of smallies like this on malberg, we caught a bunch of pike, enough eater walleyes for dinner every night, and some of the biggest sunfish i have ever caught

[naturelover]

well my friends and i are going up to sag july 2nd and im ready to catch lakers and walleye. For lakers im vertical jigging with a cisco because i dont have a downriger. Im also set for the walleye but i need tips on how to locate walleye. I already know how locate lakers, well atlest i think.I heard that they sit in about 40ft but the deepth at the bottom is 60ft.But i need help for walleye locating. i know they sit in 20 ft but where in the lake where it is 20ft????

[naturelover]

How do you locate walleye.

[Northlander]

You will want to find mid lake reefs and island points that have rock/rubble/silt/muck transitions. Live bait rig or jig minnows or leeches and crawlers.

[naturelover]

what do you mean by reefs but i know what youre saying about the islands.If youre by and island and youre fishing for walleye, and youre right off of the shore shouldnt it be like 25 ft and then theres a bigger chance for walleye?

[Northlander]

You will have to do some homework with your graph and find the mid lake reefs and sunkin island as well as island tips etc. Who knows how far it will be to 25'? It will change every spot you try.

A reef or sunkin island is a piece of structure thats away from shorelines and can be all alone or spread out off of a island a ways. Get a good map and it will really help you out. A good GPS and chip is priceless.

[CrappiesNCats]

Just got back from vacation from Farm Lake. Fishing was good last week until thursday night.

then the mayflies started hatching.

[naturelover]

do you mean by structures on the bottom of the lake like rocks or weeds?

[Trout_Slayer_77]

That sucks! I am headig to Farm tomorrow, oh well, what can you do!

[Wanderer]

Nate,

You gonna be up through the weekend?

And yeah, that figures about the bite -- this will be our first fishing weekend up there on open water.

Geez, where did the spring go?

[Trout_Slayer_77]

Yes, we will be up there till Sunday. Heading to Basswood on Friday, but other than that we will be fishing the chain. I made it up the weekend after opener, but haven't been up since.

I guess we will just have to work a little harder.

What day are you heading up?

[Wanderer]

do you mean by structures on the bottom of the lake like rocks or weeds?

By reefs he means the spots you find with your depth finder out away from visible points and islands. They'll be mostly rock or gravel up there but some might have weeds on them.

You'll be in that 60 feet of water out in the middle of nowhere then suddenly your depth finder will tell you you're 20 or 30 feet or something like that. The whole shallower area will be surrounded by deeper water.

If you can track that shallower spot to an island or shore, then you are on a underwater point.

Hope that helps.

[Wanderer]

What day are you heading up?

We'll be up late Thursday night (9-10). We have to go back home Sunday afternoon.

We got all our work done this past weekend so it's all play this weekend!!!!!

[Trout_Slayer_77]

I am sure it will be nice to relax!!

Hopefully by the time you get up there I will have found the fish and have some tips for you!

I wish we were leaving today already but we needed a day to get stuff done around the house and it is a high of 52 tommorrow with showers so at least I won't be missing a nice day tomorrow (we won't get up there till around 8pm).