Jump to content
  • GUESTS

    If You  want access  to member only forums on FM, You will need to Sign-in or  Sign-Up now .

    This box will disappear once you are signed in as a member.

Fish Lake, Island Lake Boulder Lake Fishing Reports


Recommended Posts

  • Replies 393
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

  • Northlander

    57

  • reinhard1

    23

  • Jarrid Houston

    22

  • fishinfey8

    21

Good to see you got into some eyes out there Steve.

Pretty crazy stuff reading about the kid who drowned at the rope swing island this past weekend on Island Lake. I just read an article online where MN Power said they won't be removing the rope swing (it's on their property). That rope swing has been out there since before I can remember. It's the only "hangout" type of place on the entire lake and it's really sad to hear of the death of that kid because of it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It wasnt the swings fault. There were a few factors that lead to the death not the swings fault. Kids and adults have played on that swing since before I was around. It was just a freak accident thats it.

Even yesterday there were plenty of people playing on it.

Mn. Power will not take any responsability and I dont believe theres any to take. Its like the kid who drowned out at the deeps. Is it the cities fault? I dont think so.

Kids will be kids and take risks. Accidents will happen. They did when I was young and they always will.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i agree, there are a lot of swings around, public and private. they are put there for the public or one's personal enjoyment on their own property. it is a tragic event non the less. accidents happen all the time and it is very unfortunate it happened to this swing. good luck.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree, definitely not the swings fault. In today's age, it seems people are extremely quick to point the finger and assign blame to someone/something and usually ends up in a wrongful death lawsuit. Nontheless, very sad deal to see a kid that young die. This past week it seems like almost every day you see someone in the news drowning in MN waters. I was out on Lake Minnetonka last night and the sheriff boats were still out there doing search grids looking for the guy who drowned out there this past weekend. Everyone be careful out there!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree with all that, but I won't be suprised if the family goes after MP for some money.....

And to add to JW "gotta be careful out there". One of the most dangerous lakes your gonna find around here is no other than Nebagaman out here is WI. Every weekend you will find countless water skiiers, jet skiiers, swimmers, and just stupid people going way to fast and not paying attention. I am shocked no one has been killed out on tis lake yet. This last sunday I brought some people out, and it was crazy trying to dodge the traffic. I love morning and night fishing, during the day time got to be paying strict attention!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Fished Island over the fourth. The fish cooperated to say the least! Caught tons of fish on slip bobber and leeches. Some nice ones to boot too! All fish were in between 14-22".

full-17935-10136-utf_8bsu1hmda1mditmjaxm

full-17935-10137-utf_8bsu1hmda1mdatmjaxm

full-17935-10138-utf_8bsu1hmda1mdutmjaxm

These were caught on Island??? The Island Lake near Duluth???

Link to comment
Share on other sites

With all the overcast skies lately I've been doing really well on Island. The walleye bite has been strong producing lots of 14 & 15 inch fish using jigs and minnows. This is also a banner year for smallmouth. We have been throwing white plastic swimming minnows riggged on a 1/8 oz tube jigs. Been throwing at bullrushes and pulling the minnow back over deeper water. The smallies can't resist. Most of them are about 1/2 pound, but I've had a couple of 18 inchers. It makes for a fun afternoon of fishing. Haven't tried of Musky yet.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

thanks for that report. island has always produced since i've been a kid. i think the smallies are a bonus. boulder still my favorite just because it's easier to fish and i feel like i'm in canada over in the otter side, plus tons and tons of memories. good luck.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I will second Deep's report. I was up fishing Island this past Saturday and found the fish to be quite active. Any live bait either jigging or rigging seemed to work. Trolling cranks produced lots of fish too. Big ones were hiding, but lots of 14-17 in. fish. Flicker shads, shad raps, shallow shad raps, and the salmo bullhead shallow runner were the top producers for me- even over live bait. Another top producer was a bottom bouncer rigged up with a 3' snell with an aberdeen hook tied on. Put super glue on the shaft of the aberdeen hook, then put a mister twister, ringworm, or any curly-tailed plastic of your liking on the aberdeen hook (as if you were putting it on a jig). Troll anywhere from .8 to 1.8, and you will pick up some nicer fish. That's one of my all time secrets for all lakes with walleyes, not just the Duluth area reservoirs.

Yes tackle- Island near Duluth.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So is going to Island worth it for eater walleyes??

It always seems the few times I've fished it the walleyes were small enough for bait

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i have followed fishinfey8's post over last winter and since then and you can see his results plus i bet northlander has had many good days with eaters. my brother who still lives in duluth also does well there. may not get that trophy you want, but it will certainly give you the meal. as far as the small one are concerned, the dnr in that area is encouraging folks to keep 10- to 12 inch walleys to bring the size structure up. they say the walleys grow very slow up to 16 inches and then gain quickly after that. the reason they say this is, is because because of the larger numbers of smaller walleys the small bait gets eaten quickly leaving bigger bait the larger walleys can feed on and the larger bait can not be utilized by the smaller fish. good luck.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

me and my brother did well there on sunday, kept 12 eyes between 12-15 inches and all caught on minnows grin

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So is going to Island worth it for eater walleyes??

As you know we have been having weather front after front moving through. The bite has been good on the day the front approaches and there are high clouds or overcast. The day after the storm when there are bluebird skys you gan pretty much bet the bite will be off. At least that is what I've found. I rarely fish Island in July or August, but I've been encouraged with the results I've had this year. Anybody fishing for musky? Reports?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think walleye are a consistant catch on island. Never been skunked on my adventures going out there. Granted, I only make is 2-3 times a year these days cause of guideing, and maybe I just end up there on good bite days, but I always seem to find fish! As said before, not a lot of big ones, but a lot of that 13"-15", and the ocassional 16 & 17"s. Hope to get up there at least one more outing this year, if I can find some free time! Gdluck

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's a great lake to go to if you want a meal. Like others have said, there are plenty of 12-15in. fish to be had. There are some dandy perch in the lake that are excellent table fare as well. Most are around 9-11 in. and will usually hit on crawlers. During low light don't be afraid to go shallow. Weed edges or the top of humps are great, especially if the wind has been blowing into it for multiple days in a row.

Hey Deep- Was that you that had good luck using mimic minnows on Island? I have been trying plastics out there more and more, and I was just curious to see if they might work.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wasn't using mimics. I was catching smallmouth with white plastic paddle tails rigged on a 1/8 oz tube jig.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ya I can usually round up some Island Lake Trophies (12-16"ers) to take home and eat. The bite has been good up there lately with many approaches working. I like trolling cranks in late July and August up there and this year the crankin has been good. Lots of nice eater fish with a fish over 20" every so often. Im hoping for a few over 25" so I can win the Hawg Walleyes $1000 1st place prize. I need a new Trollmaster for my boat. wink

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There are definitely good sized walleyes to be caught out on Island right now. I fished for a couple hrs this past weekend from a dock and caught a couple for dinner with hardly any effort. Nothing to raise any eyebrows about (size wise), but that is how Island Lake always is. It is what it is. Take what you can get and be thankful your along for the ride.

I am moving back up to Duluth after a 6 year hiatus and am very excited to be able to fish these lakes regularly again, as well as the STL river. If I had to pick anywhere to live in the midwest, it would be Duluth hands down. Duluthians are truly blessed for outdoor opportunities with the big Lake Superior, STL River and several inland lakes all within a 15 mile radius.

Fishinfey-glad to hear you got into them this past weekend

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Fall fishing is usually good and my perferred time to fish Island. A big plus is that the lake is virtually abandoned in late Sept to freeze up.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm mainly a live bait fisherman and it is definitely a minnow bite. I like cranks, but I like to throw them not drag them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For crying out loud - do you want someone to come and hold your hand? Can't you figure anything out for yourself?! crazy

That was your first post?? A troll posting??? Gee, how juvenile crazy Mom and dad finally let you go on the computer and that's the best you can do??

This is a fishing site and sometimes we give tips and tricks to help other members out. The only thing I've been able to offer DD in return for his tips is my gratitude. I don't want gps cords, just some tips and he has been gracious enough to provide so far

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What's wrong with asking???? Nobody asks, nobody teaches. Figuring it out for your self is one thing but not necessarily the end all. I ask people all the time and I live on the lake and fish it regularly. If someone at Jim's bait never answered my questions, I wonder where I'd be today???? Same with coaching.. Asking the questions made a helluva lot of sense to me.. Herb Brooks, Bob Johnson etc.,etc...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

why didn't you ask me, i know everything. i haven't fished island this year but in the fall i fish it like i do boulder. i try to keep it simple with slip bobber and minnow. mostly fatheads [cheaper] but i think shiners would probably work better at times. but when they are on the bite it doesn't matter in my opinion. i basicly hang around the shorelines and the shorelines of bays. in the fall i dont go deeper than 15 feet and usualy shallower. another thing i like doing more than anything is jigging with a white lindy fuzzy grup with a pink head and a fathead through the lips and working the shorlines and the breaks. for some reason that color combo works in that stained water. also i use a orange or red hook. just works for me. good luck and hit that lake, it's a good one.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.




  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • Kettle
      Walked today and yesterday, flushed 9, shot at two and got two. Hopefully next year I'll have a dog to hunt with. Still warm up here, skim of ice on ponds. Weather has been nice. Hopefully walk a bit more the next few weeks. Been pretty cautious walking for birds to not interfere with deer hunters. There sure are not the deer hunters there used to be 
    • LakeofthewoodsMN
      On the South Shore...  The focus for many this week is the ongoing deer hunting season which is a big tradition in these parts, even for avid walleye anglers.  There were some that either already harvested their deer or are more into catching fall walleyes than hunting.     Those that are fishing are taking advantage of the unseasonably warm weather and excellent walleye and sauger bite that is happening across the lake.  Cold weather is in the forecast in the upcoming days and weeks so that is also getting many excited. The best depths on the south end of LOW are 22-28 feet of water.     Vertical jigging with frozen emerald shiners is catching most of the walleyes, saugers and jumbo perch.  Depending upon where on the lake you are fishing, some slots and big trophies are in the mix as well, but most reports are talking about good numbers of eaters.    Jumbo perch are coming in good numbers this fall which will serve ice anglers well.  Watch out for an occasional pike or even lake sturgeon mixed in with the walleyes.      There are good numbers of walleyes and saugers across the south shore which is setting up nicely for early ice.   On the Rainy River...  There continues to be good numbers of shiners in the river, and consequently, there are good walleyes in the river as well.     Walleyes along with saugers, pike and some sturgeon are coming in up and down the river.  Most walleyes are being caught in 10-25 feet of water in various stretches of the river.   Jigging with live or frozen emerald shiners is the key. Some anglers are also still slow trolling crankbaits upstream to cover more ground and find fish. Both methods are producing solid results. Sturgeon fishing remains strong.  The catch-and-release sturgeon fishing is open into the spring when it changes to the "keep season" on April 24th. Up at the NW Angle...  As temps are getting colder, most are in the woods hunting and not fall fishing, however, for those who bundle up, fishing continues to be excellent.     A nice mixed bag with walleyes, saugers, perch, pike and crappies being caught. Very good muskie fishing with the colder water temps and shorter days.  Some big fish and some good numbers are being caught amongst the islands.  Both casting and trolling is getting it done.  
    • gimruis
      I hunt in the rifle zone so I don't have a need to use a shotgun to hunt deer, but I would be looking at this if there was ever a need to.   There could be state legislation introduced next summer that eliminates the shotgun zone completely.  It has bipartisan support.  Wisconsin removed theirs years ago and MN is usually later to follow.  They've tried to pass it more than once and it came up just short both times.  Probably just a matter of time.
    • Wanderer
      Oh, h e l l no! 
    • leech~~
      Screw that, here's whatch need!  😆   Power-Shok Rifled Slug 10 Gauge 766 Grain Grain Weight: 766 Shotshell Length: 3-1/2in / 89mm Muzzle Velocity: 1280
    • Wanderer
      20 ga has become a real popular deer round in the last 5 or so years.  The rifled barrels are zinging those sabot slugs with rifle like accuracy out to 100 yards easily.  Some go so far as dialing in for a 200 yard shot but really, by 150 they’re falling off pretty low.   I have a single shot Ultraslug in 20 ga that shoots really well at 100 yards.  Most everyone I know that has bought a slug gun lately has gotten the Savage 220 in 20ga.  Problem can be finding the shells you want.
    • leech~~
      My son always bugs me about getting a nice light over-under 20ga for grouse hunting.  I say Heck no, I'm getting a 3 1/2" 10ga so I can put as much lead in the air that I can!!     So, I'm keeping my 12ga.  
    • 11-87
      That’s almost exactly what I was thinking.  Have slug barrels for both   One for turkey and one for deer.      I have a 20ga mosseberg as well. (Combo came with the scope but never used.   I always liked the 12 better
    • leech~~
      Wanderer is right on the money and covered it well.  I was wondering too if you had a slug barrel for one of your guns?  If so you could make that your slug gun with a scope, and the other your turkey gun with the Red dot.  As you can afford it. 
    • Wanderer
      Kinda depends on if you want magnification or quick target acquisition.   More magnification options and better accuracy with a scope.  You get what you pay for too so get comfortable with a budget for one.  Tasco and Bushnell work but I find they lose their zero easier, have low contrast and don’t gather light well in low light conditions.  That said, I’m still using one I haven’t replaced yet.  Vortex has been the hot brand for the past several years for bang for the buck.  Good products.  Nothing beats Swarovski though.  Huge dough for those.  Burris is another decent option.   There are some specific models for shotgun/slug hunting in the economy brands and bullet drop compensation (BDC) reticles.  Based on experience I’d recommend not falling for that marketing ploy.   Red dots are usually lower magnification and easier to get on target.  Reasonably accurate but don’t do well with definition, like searching the brush for your target.  I put a HAWKE red dot on a .22 for squirrels and it’s been good.  For turkey, that’s probably the route I’d go.     If your slug shots are normally not too far and too brushy, I’d think a red dot could work there too if you’re only buying 1 scope.  You’ll be better off dimming the reticle to the lowest setting you can easily use to not over shine the target and get a finer aim point.   If you don’t have a slug barrel, you might appreciate one of those.  I had a browning with a smoothbore slug barrel that shot Brenneke 2-3/4 inch well.  The 11-87 would well fitted with a cantelever rifled barrel. 
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.