kab and nam fall trip

[Eye4Eye]

I will be going up on 26th and staying for a week. I hear the eye's will be moving deeper to 30-40' off the rocks on bright jigs. Any updates would be greatly appreciated. Fishin' west Nam from the narrows to Ash River in Kab. Any thoughts? Haven't fished this end of the lakes.

[EyesOnThePrize]

I would suggest doing whatever the guy with you in the white boat is doing - pretty good bet you'll catch plenty of eyes. Also, don't put the people in your boat on 45" muskies when your walleye fishing - it is true that it is pretty fun but you waste 40 minutes fighting it.

If you haven't figured it out yet, I am going on the same trip with Eye4Eye.

But seriously folks, any information would be helpful.

Thanks in advance.

[Hoke2Eyes]

I'll be chasing them around next week too! Was up there about a month ago, and they were moving into the narrows. Water temps should be dropping quickly, and should fall patterns by then. Any help would be appreciated! Anyone see a need to bring cranks, or just jigs/live bait rigs?

[Eye4Eye]

Does anyone know what the lake temp is? I hear if it gets low enough the crappies might turn on as well.

[beeonkey]

I'm not sure of the water temp. up their but the Duluth area the temp has dropped to the high 50's.

Has anyone fished the East end of Namakan in the past week. If so how was the bite and how deep did you find them? I will be heading up there Friday for the week end, any info would save time locating fish.

[diesel]

Water temp was reading 60 to 62 as of yesterday.

[diesel]

I was on the west end this past weekend and did pretty well fishing a few humps. I was cathing them from 15' to 30'.

[beeonkey]

About three weeks ago in about 28-34' Hammer Bay was full of eye's with lock jaw, we had a few bite but only a few from what we graphed and actualy cought. We also found them in 22' on the far southeast end of Namakan they also didn't bite very well. We thru everthing at them, even tried down riggers.

Was your bait of choice minnows the other day? And did you try any northern or smallies? One last question. How hard was it to get a camping spot?

[Eye4Eye]

thanks for the replies. Hopefully with the water temp dropping the eyes will turn on. Are humps better than breaks in the fall? Also do you use lindy rigs or jigs? I would like to troll raps but I have never really done that successfully so i stick with live bait.

Thanks

[diesel]

I was using strictly minnows for walleyes last weekend and only fished for 3-4 hours total. I have a place on the canadian side so I'm not sure about camping sites although it appeared there were several available as it was pretty quiet up there.

[beeonkey]

I have spent about three weeks up there this spring thru summer and have fished them all three ways and been successful with all three ways. Shad Raps worked early summer but slow late summer, for me. Spinners have worked all year. Jigs should work any time I think if the fish are schooled enough. I plan this week end to try all three again. I am even going to down rigger cranks to see if they will hit. I love shad rapping when they hit it’s a blast. It sure sounds like we better have bait too.

[Eye4Eye]

What do you mean we have bait? there are a lot of minnows around. I might try some cranking but it is hard to teach an old dog new tricks

[beeonkey]

I thought you were going up this week end. Looking back I guess your going up the 26th. We (a group of teachers and I) are going after school the 22nd. I always have bait, I just haven't used minnows since spring, crawlers and leaches mostly all summer. I sure would like to find some good jumbo leaches, every thing around Duluth is no where close to jumbo or large.

I hope to give you a good report when we return Sunday.

[Eye4Eye]

Thanks beeonkey, I will look forward to your post.

[Hoke2Eyes]

Are most eyes hitting on Chubs, or are Rainbows or Red Tails getting some action? Do most resorts keep a supply this late, or are we better off getting them in town before we get up there?

Any thoughts on a good Shore lunch site around the narrows on Nam?

Sorry for all the questions, like a good dog, I'm starting to get birdie!

[beeonkey]

I’m sure there will be a lot of camp sites open to have a shore lunch. If it’s anything like the Duluth area here where I’m from there isn’t anywhere close to the usual fishing pressure, or recreational boaters. I’m heading up Friday and will be picking up cubs and light pike minnows for ease of keeping them alive. I would bet that most resorts aren’t stocked very well any more.

Are you heading up this week end? I have a New Red Lund Mr. Pike 16 with a 90 Yamaha. Feel free to say hi, and even share how fishing had been going. We will be in that area.

[EyesOnThePrize]

beeonkey,

Eye4Eye, Hokes2Eye and I are all going on the same trip - starting the 26th. Unfortunatly it sounds like you will be gone by then... We will be staying at a resort on the Ash for about 6 days (some longer). Obviously we won't be able to get enough bait for the entire time before we get there so finding a good supplier around there will be important - any recommendations? (we will call the resort before we go up to see if they can supply us right there...). Eye4Eye and myself will be going up early Tuesday to get a half day in - probably putting in at the Ash River visitor center - any recommended walleye spots from there? - We will probably try near the Ash river opening (from Sullivan bay) - I hear that is a good spot and easy to get to. Any concern on low water levels along the Ash since we will be docked there and traveling it every day?

Thanks again

[beeonkey]

I haven’t entered from that side, we always have come from Crane. The water levels were down but good 3-4 weeks ago. I have spent 3weeks up there this summer and have really learned Hammer Bay and North end of Sandpoint, and by the Narrows on the east side. We caught all the fish we needed every trip. Late Aug. was tough for walleyes but we knew where they were, they just didn’t open their mouths far enough. I have boated that end of the lake going up to Kettle Falls but haven’t fished it. I asked the dock boys at Kettle Falls and at the time they said it was dead up there. Reading some reports I really want to find good size leaches. That’s hard this time of year. We have done very well with leaches all year there. I have a good graph and really anywhere we graphed fish we could catch what was there. Deep or shallow.

It’s too bad we will miss each other, I will post how we did Monday. You guys hopefully can benefit from are doings.

[diesel]

I was using chubs but this was basically all the resort had that I leave from at the time(Ash-Ka-Nam). There are several places for bait along Hwy 53 that I would check with before reaching your destination. Good luck!

[ShoepacSally]

Stop @ Cold Springs. Buzz will hook you up.

[Hoke2Eyes]

Wherez Cold Springs?

[Dock Boy]

It's 4 or 5 miles before the ash river trail. They have big signs. Gas station type with also a deer farm.

[Hoke2Eyes]

Thanks, we'll stop. Maybe buy a deer for the grill too!

[beeonkey]

We were on East Namakan mostly in Hammer Bay for the week end the weather was fine, all the rain south and we had sun. The fish have been and are moving. We could find them, and in an hour they were gone, or moved and couldn’t get them to bite. We found them in 32-34 feet and could not get them to bite. Points that came up to 12 or so seemed to hold the fish that bit. Rain bow chubs or light pike minnows, could not buy one on a leach. Spinner and a minnow. They short bit jigs. We had fish dinner but, not much to take home. we cought ten welleyes Sat. and a few northers while fishing for the walleyes. The weather was good, the trees will be full color most likely by next week end.

The warden said the crappies were moving into the mouth of Swansons’s bay I think that’s the bay on Sand Point. All and all a fun trip.

[Eye4Eye]

beonkey... what was the water temp? I am glad you had a good time.

[beeonkey]

60-61 degrees. On my graph the thermocline was showing at about 8 to 9 feet.

[EyesOnThePrize]

Although the fish were pretty scattered and we had plenty of rain it was an enjoyable trip. We were primarily jigging and found a couple of spots that we were gaurenteed a few eyes at each time we went. Apparently the bite turned on on Sunday (after most of our group left). We primarily fished East Kab and west Nam (and in the narrows). Beeonkey - if you would like more detailed info feel free to email me.

[beeonkey]

Thanks but I can't seem to find any more time to get up there with hunting season in full swing now. Thanks for the report, and good to here you had a good time.

[Hoke2Eyes]

I was one that stayed!!! It did turn on. Amazing what a little cold front leaving will do for ya'. We were in t-shirts and catching fish! Not sure what gaurantee he means, but I guarantee that we were on fish! Look to the mouths of bays, and stick it in their lips! Good luck.

[Eye4Eye]

I was with Hoke and the fish did turn on.