SAG on opener

[tkettel]

Has anyone fished Sag on opener? Anyone have any thoughts for this years opener on Sag? For the most part I tend to avoid openers, but my boat is in storage in Duluth and my uncle is opening up a new cabin by Grand Marais and it's my b-day weekend. So I kinda think the fish Gods are giving my clues to go fishing opener!

If Sag isn't a great opener option, what along the Gunflint is?

[redhooks]

I'll be up there opener, first time. make sure you can get a permit. Lot's lakes along gunflint/grade should be good if we can get rid of the ice. I'll be hitting some shallow stained ones later in the week.

redhooks

[tkettel]

Redhooks, will you actually be on Sag for opener or one of the side lakes? I typically fish Sag in early June and August, thus I have no idea what she will be like on opener. Do you know if they have spawn areas that are off limits to fishing? Permits seem to be available for that time frame, maybe that is an indication that Sag is hard to fish on opener.

[redhooks]

Hey tkettle-

We'll be out there for opener-I haven't been up there that early before either. Yes there are off limit areas- I think Seagull River and Granite River should be bouyed off where you can't fish. We're not picky about species so some trollin for pike and lakers will make up for any shortages in walleyes. I'm guessing eyes should be shallow in the bays.

redhooks

[tkettel]

Redhook, two years ago in early June we caught some trout by accident on a lindy with leeches, is that normal? What is the biggest pike you have pulled or seen taken from Sag? Believe it or not after fishing Sag with a big group of guys for over 7 years I have never witnessed a pike bigger than a couple of pounds caught there. I took my first trip to Canada last year and hooked up with a 17lb 42' pike, that was incredible.

[analyzer]

I've caught a number of 7-10 lb pike on sag dragging a floating rapala behind my canoe on the way in or out of the bwca. One year I caught a 37 incher right in the channel. As I was headed in, i just went through the narrowest part, and as I was headed south, it opens up pretty wide. Right out in the middle, I stopped to turn into a boat wake, and boom... my drag went running. At first my wife was unhappy, because she thought I was hung up again, and she'd have to paddle back, but then she realized we were out in the middle, and it wasnt a snag.

My brother had one on that had to go 15lbs, about a 1/4 mile west of the channel. There are plenty of big pike.

[vermilionwally]

Yeah there are some big ones out there, i caught a 38 incher that went about 14 pounds outta there last june, took my leech right off the top while i was reeling in to recast.

[tkettel]

I guess what sticks out to me is we have been fishing Sag for over 7 years with a group no smaller than 6 and I have not seen one big Pike caught. I have started dragging more raps in the last couple of years, I would think that alone would have gotten a big Pike to hit. My son did have what I assumed was a good sized Pike on a couple of years ago in the summer fishing the reefs, but all we saw was the back before he broke the line.

So is it possible that fishing Sag around opener you could find yourself fishing deeper more so than shallow? When does she turn over and the bays are warmer than the bottom?