duluth BWCA to Duluth Area Fishing Reports

[Redlantern]

JB, check your personal messages, I left you one. Have fun!

[Scott M]

Just got back on Wednesday JB. No construction on 61 or Gunflint. Duluth has some road construction in places.

Went through the Seagull River rapids, wasn't too bad. Water is way down. The pine pollen line from just a few weeks ago is 2 inches high and dry. Lots of active fish, and fish in the shallows. If you get stable weather you should have great fishing.

It was overcast and drizzly for us, but he fishing was fantastic.

[gunflint]

I stopped by Chalstroms this afternoon and was told the main hatch is over. I'll post on Sunday to confirm.

[S.S. Fiasco]

takin the 2year old and FatFinger to Rice Lake for some the 2nd annual pre-fathers day family fishin derby, let ya all know how bad we did lol and what dont work lol

[A1000HOOK]

All 3 lakes have been extremly slow the last 3 weeks, I have used minnows,crawlers, and leaches. I fished deep,shallow, and in between. I fished wind blown shorelines, and mid lake reefs. I can't figure them out, those darn walleyes. I'm going bass fishin.

[gunflint]

I just got back from Island and all I can say is "wow." Thank you walleye Gods for a great Fathers day.

[AverageFisherman]

Spent three days camping at McFarland Lake (N. of Hovland) a week ago. Weather was cloudy, raining and cool. Fishing was pretty slow, but did find a few good sized smallmouth (up to 3 lbs) and some northerns in the weeds. I never fished there before, but assumed that the smallmouth action would have been better if it was warmer. Only caught a few very small walleyes in the evenings. Might have done a little better, but my minnows were stolen the first night from my standard yellow minnow bucket - I suspect the loons. I wasn't going to drive 40+ miles to Grand Marais for more.

I hit portgage creek caught some brookies, but they were small (most 5-6 inches).

There's a fox that hangs around the campground looking for handouts. He comes within 7-8 feet of you.

Also spent a night at Devil Track, but things were slow there too. A few tiny walleyes and a just a few average smallmouth.

All in all, a great trip as I was away from the office and in beautiful country!

[Northlander]

Does that mean you got fish or just a tan?

[gunflint]

Both, Let's just say I would have have taken the ALS by 11am.

[S.S. Fiasco]

our luck wasn't so well, my 2yr old girl was askin "where's fish daddy? where fish go?" after one got off near dock, other than that all i did was chase her to keep 'er from falling in or just falling lol what a work out

[gunflint]

The bite was hot but early. They were taking minnows and leeches off of jigs and rigs. Pretty much anything I threw at them. But it did slow way down after 11am. I caught a fat 26 and a 21 back to back and several in the high teens.

[Jarrid Houston]

Hopefully you let those nice fish go?

[gunflint]

None of your business.

[Jarrid Houston]

Didn't mean to push your button gunflint. And your right, they were your fish. However, I know island lake as well as the next guy. So it's no secret that it takes a long time for the fish to get big. Im still a little dissapointed to hear from a warden that a husband and wife took 6 real nice fish out of a little lake that I fish over in Wisconsin (Amnicon). They kept 6 eyes with the smallest being 5 lbs. It does sound a little greedy of me, but I like to catch nice fish, and I always feel better letting them swim for the next person. I know island is a nice big body of water that does hold nice fish, but they are not as common as the cigars. It would be real nice to go out there and have days like the one you just had. And I'm willing to bet most people would agree with that. Anyway, nice fish, and good job. I'll try and get up there this week for a proud post of my own. Good fishing!

[gunflint]

Let me apologize. I'm a little jumpy after the Fish Lake fiasco. As a rule I only keep the smaller fish from Island as there are too many of them and I beleive that it's benificial to the overall walleye population to keep the smaller ones and release the bigger ones. That said, I released the 26 successfully but the 21 was fatally hooked and therefore was part of Father's Day dinner. I won't waste a walleye. This is one of the reasons I would like to see the DNR ease slots during July and August.

Everytime you head out fishing you hope for a day like I had although you're lucky to get 3 or 4 days like that a year.

[reinhard1]

i read the postings on island,fish,and boulder daily. i was raised in duluth and moved to the cities in search of a job in 1971. i miss being up there every year for the fishing and hunting. i haven't been up there this year and am planning to camp on a island for a weekend on boulder with my wife and grandson. through these postings i hear of low water on these lakes. just how low are they? can a guy launch a 18ft. boat at the public landing by the dam? on boulder. i know you have to be carefull even when the water level is normal. i fish the otter side of boulder. i have seen boulder low a few years ago when the only water was in front of the dam and you could only put in a small boat or canoe fifty yards out from the landing. thank you.

[fatfinger]

i dont know for sure but ill bet it would be pretty tricky launchin an 18 footer.the dock is not in for one thing & i saw a guy launchin a 14 fter last weekend-went shore fishin with my bro & niece- looked like he was havin a time.guess it depends on skill, patience, know-how, & a little luck...which is why i havent been out there

[erikh45]

guess it depends on skill, patience, know-how, & a little luck...which is why i havent been out there

What fatfinger said. On opening weekend I was able to launch my Tyee 1850 from the Blu Fox landing. It was not easy and I brought waders and help just in case it was hard to get it back on. I also had my brother in law with me and he knows Boulder pretty well. We mostly used the kicker motor to get around. I am not suggesting that you take a boat like this out there, but based on your level of experience loading and unloading, and how well you know the lake, it can be done.

My $.02

Erik

[reinhard1]

i thank both of you. you know i like to think after fishing boulder since jr. high school, i know every boulder and stump out there but what i hear from you guys i would get to know a few more. maby i will wait until mid-july and ask for information once again. i do know my way around the lake and have fished probably every square foot of it but i will wait to hear better news in mid-july. there are also islands to camp on on island but boulder has always been my favorite. thank you again very much.

[NeverEnough]

We were out on boulder last week with the 16'. Launched out of the Blue Fox and it was just fine, although all four tires of the truck were in the water to get the boat out. We looked at the public landing on opener and there was no chance of landing there, and I'm pretty sure the water hasn't come up much since then even after all the rain. I'd say you'll be fine if you go out of the Blue Fox.

[reinhard1]

thank you for your reply. when i had my smaller and much lighter crestliner i launched out of blue fox all the time. the owners are great people. when i bought my crestliner 1850 i launched there to go camping and had no problem. when i tried to pull it out my rear right tire was on gravel and the other three on the two concrete strips. put it in 4wheel and my one tire went deep in the gravel. the very helpfull owner got his big dump truck and pulled me out. totaly my fault and so much for my driving skills. my trailer is so wide its real hard to put the two tires on the strips at the same time so i gave up landing there. but i would encourage people to go to blue fox for they go the extra mile. i fished boulder when there was another resort on that side of boulder called nordbergs. our family used to stay at their cabins. when nordbergs closed we stayed at blue fox. the cabins are rustic but for a place to hang your hat its fine and you can't beat their price. if you fish boulder on a regular basis i will ask about the water level again in mid july. i know the fishing does slow down a little but we still always seem to get a shore lunch going. thank you again.

[reinhard1]

i'm 61 now and i do remember before blue fox the resort was called carlsons resort. a little bit of trivia. the largest walley i have ever caught was 8lbs. i have realeased that one plus others over 3lbs. over the years. thats a lot of years so i have had days were we caught nothing but maby a perch or a bullhead or two. i do fish the otter side most of the time. of all the years i have fished this lake i have never caught a crappie. but in the last 3 or 4 years large crappies have been caught. i,m retired now after 35 years as a meat cutter. i,m looking forward to going back to the lake that has given me not only great fishing experiences but the feeling that i'm somewhere in canada at times. the wildlife the tall pines and the solitude of camping on one of the islands is somethings everyone should experience. well i could go on forever but thank you and others for giving me an update.

[PurpleHaZe]

not only great fishing experiences but the feeling that i'm somewhere in canada at times. the wildlife the tall pines and the solitude of camping on one of the islands is somethings everyone should experience.

My thoughts exactly.

[no_bod]

There are no muskies in Island. Period! where the heck are they????

[Jack Stasney]

I'm not a Muskie fisherman, but I've seen plenty of pic's with upper 40's and even 50 inch Muskie out of Island. I know of at least one crew that guides for Muskie's up there, so yeah they are there.

[Feathers Rainin]

Chub lake.

Chub isn't too good for shore fishing now that the eurasian mill foil has taken over that side of the lake. Great lake to get a kid on some fish if you have a boat. Small sunfish are everywhere in that lake.

[Northlander]

Yup!

[jwmiller33]

i know there are a lot of muskies in island lake, and big ones at that... seems i see one or catch one when walleye fishing on island very frequently. the muskies are definitely there and they are big too! saw one that was over 50 inches a couple weeks ago when it followed my bottom bouncer/spinner/crawler rig to the boat when i reeled in.. thought it was a log at first.. without a doubt, the biggest fish ive ever seen in a lake in my life.. thing was GINORMOUS

[Down Deep]

There are no muskies in Island. Period! where the heck are they????

Too early. Come back in Sept.

[JBMasterAngler]

Redlantern, got the message. I didn't have a good vibe about devilfish when I checked out the launch, so I didn't fish it. On the 1st day I just around on the arrowhead trail...the wind was brutal at the launches on chester and esther, made casting very hard. How'd the return trip go?