Early June trip advice...

[KidMoe]

I'm planning a trip with the misses for the first week in June. My biggest concern is fishing a lake where we'll get pounded by rough water. My boat is a late '70s Lund with a 25 to 35 horse. (hoping to upgrade) I've fished Mille Lacs in it but, anything more than about 10 mph winds gets pretty rough. My question is what major walleye fishery would be my safest bet. I've been looking at Leech, Rainy, Winnie, LOTW, or even Mille Lacs. Any advice anyone has on which lake would have either the calmest waves or the best sheltered bay fishing would be greatly appreciated.

[mainbutter]

Though I don't know it well and there may be shelter, the one time I was out on Leech, it got CRAZY, WICKEDLY rough the last day of fishing we had. We could not have safely gotten out on the water. We opted to try another lake, much smaller, that was a short drive away.

Then again, leech is a great fishery, so if you hit it with good weather it can be wonderful.

[PerchJerker]

The lakes you've mentioned are pretty big, pretty open lakes .... ie. a recipe for waves if there's any kind of wind at all. Maybe you should look at Vermilion, or Kabetogema, or something like that --- they're still big lakes and very scenic, and you have lots of options to stay out of the wind with bays and islands.

[JBMasterAngler]

Lake Saganaga at the end of the gunflint trail is definitely worth looking into as well. Great scenery, and the tourist season that time of year hasn't quite picked up yet. Big lake, but alot of options to get out of the wind. Also, that time of year the smallies are literally jumping in the boat! There are also numerous smaller lakes nearby that are very productive walleye (and lake trout) lakes.

[Twins 57 Fan]

I second Vermillion. We have been going up for the past 4 years and it is an amazing fishery. On nice days you can hit the main lake, or on windy days there are bays upon bays, channels upon channels, and honey hole after honey hole to avoid mother nature. Lodging is abundant too from campsites for tenting to nice cabins. Check it out, you will not be dissapointed.

[KidMoe]

Vermilion! thanks for the advice. The wife seems to agree so it looks like that's where we're going.

[thatoneguy]

depends on what you're looking for. in early june, Leech would be great for walleye, perch, largemouth bass...just about anything you want to catch, really. if you want a little more of a wilderness feel, saganaga would be a good bet. there's not really a wrong decison...lots of good options!

[gregg52]

winnie and the cutfoot are very good that time of the year

if you ging for a week there will more than likely be days you can get on the big lake and if not there are plenty of walleyes crappie and sunfish to be had that time of the year in the cutfoot or little cutfoot stay at eagles nest...williams...or bowens all nice resorts

or from what i understand little cutfoot in is cheaper than those 3 but i dont know what there cabins are like but if you stay there..... there would hafta be a 90 mph wind for you not to get out and at least get crappies or sunnies there are some walleyes in there to

check it out lots eagles and ospreys flying around to watch to

[KidMoe]

I primarily chase walleyes during open water, but definitely just wanna get the little lady on some fish. See is a big fan of bass fishing since there's seemingly more action. It kinda sounds like anywhere in the Voyageur National Park is a pretty solid choice for most any species. Thanks for all the input!

[PerchJerker]

I've only been to Vermilion a few times but I thought it was great. The last time I was there was for a tournament and we spent a couple of days prefishing. We started trolling cranks to explore some areas and wow did we catch fish ---- not just walleyes, but lots of different species and some nice size to them too. I've always thought it'd be a great place to spend a week.

[Chode2235]

We've done Vermilion before and love the lake. It is a great place. For your smaller boat you will want to stay out of Big Bay onthe windy days. We stayed at Glenwood lodge before and it would be perfect for you.

A ton of bass around there, and also some good walleye fishing in some out of the way non obvious places. I would give Billy a call and see what he has available.

[Fish Head]

All the lakes mentioned are great lakes and big bodies of water. Just to throw out a couple other options that have a place to hide in the wind- Lac Seul or the Canadian side of LOTW.

[Chris Haley]

I'd take serious look at Cass. Plenty of places to stay out of the wind and plenty of other options accessable by boat from Cass. Wolf, Andrusia, Kitchie, Pike Bay, all easy to get to with your boat.

[thatoneguy]

I'd take serious look at Cass. Plenty of places to stay out of the wind and plenty of other options accessable by boat from Cass. Wolf, Andrusia, Kitchie, Pike Bay, all easy to get to with your boat.

plus if you stay on Cass, you're less than a half hour from two other great lakes, Leech and Winnie. not a bad way to go.

[gregg52]

isnt pike bay on the south side of 2

do all those lakes have muskies in them to???

i hear alot of good things bout cass just never fished it

[Chris Haley]

Yep! Muskies in all of them! The only time you need to worry about the channel to Pike is during high water, and if you have a bigger console boat. The old railroad bridge is pretty low. Most tillers can make it, you just might have to remove the seat on the bow.

[tacklejunkie]

I have a 17 footer and do LOTW all the time. I just pick my conditions.

Having said that, if I wake up one day and it is too windy to fish the main lake, I fish the river, 4 Mile Bay, or Zipple Bay. At that time of the year, the fishing is still great in those areas and you don't get the big waves(most of the time).

There have been times that no size boat will do if the wind really picks up at LOTW

[Bluegill1510]

I was going to say Leech with out a doubt because it has everything in it, so many species to chase! But I will change my opinion to agree with Chris and say Cass as well. As a BSU grad and having lived in the area there are just way to many options if you stay on Cass, and like was said before Leech and Winnie are not that far either. Even then Idk why you would trailer your boat to Leech or Winnie when Cass is comparable to them both if all you want is good walleye fishing with your wife to go catch some fish with you. Also being that said, with your boat and motor size if its to windy on Cass you can hit some of the smaller lakes connected to it so its not that bad of a deal, same goes with Leech there are many areas you can tuck yourself into on either lake. In my opinion though Lake of the Woods & Rainy are just to big of water(s) for your boat especially if the wind gets howling, and then your just stuck sitting in the cabin.

[genegodawa]

Sorry haven't read all the posts so don't know the boat size, but Cass has many outta the wind areas to try....just too bad about the boat ride in from those areas sometimes....and we use an 18' solid alum.

A few yrs ago, comin' back from Kitchi, I had the scariest ride of my 30+ yrs....thank god for my buddies 30hp Evinrude....anything smaller and I wouldn't have even tried.

Several yrs ago, after a trip to Kitchi when my boy and his friend were 11, we started back out of the Turtle River and I turned right around....but we only had a 16'er with a 15hp...called the lodge owner, and bless his soul, he drove over to PikeHole and trailerd us back to camp...best $30 I ever handed over--not that our lives were only worth 10 bucks.

I am still worth more dead than alive....but I prefer being poor.

Stay safe

[tacklejunkie]

Keep in mind that alot of resorts on these big lakes rent boats not unlike kidmoe's.

It's all about conditions on the lake. You could take a canoe on Lake Superior when it's calm

[JBMasterAngler]

I only fish superior in a canoe