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Fish Lake, Island Lake Boulder Lake Fishing Reports


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Try using lite(or light??) pike/ sucker minnows. They aren't as expensive as shiners, and the bigger profile minnow will get you some awesome bites. You will be surprised how many 13, or 14 inch walleyes will hit a 4 or 5 inch lite pike minnow. Can't go too big in the fall IMO.

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  • Northlander

    57

  • reinhard1

    23

  • Jarrid Houston

    22

  • fishinfey8

    21

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...

Hey Mike nice to see your doing better and back posting on here again! I need to stop by and pick ya up and we can do some fishing up there.The eyes are really snapping not too far from your place.

Grant Sorenson and myself had a awesome weekend fishing island lake. We caught TONS of walleyes, all on cranks, and even won some money in the Hawg Walleye Contest. 1 dandy was caught by Chuck, sorry forgot last name, and it weighed in at 9 pounds 10 oz. Biggest fish I have seen in that contest in many years. Not many big fish, as is typical on Island, but a bunch of the 14" to 19"ers. If a guy likes a shore lunch Island will not disappoint right now. Best depth was 20-25' with a few being caught in 30'. Many fish were suspended and caught several feet off bottom.

As far as color we found anything with white in it to be best. The smallmouth bass were also out with the eyes and man were they aggressive. Smallies up to 21"ers were caught. I think we would have gave the guys in the bass tourney a run for their money. wink

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Thanks Northlander and it is nice to be back. It has been a long grind. Fishing out here has been faily consistent all summer. Sounds as tho you guys had the right recipe this weekend. I don't crank much. No downriggers. Pretty much a rigger. Been in the depths that you said, and have had some quality fishing. The smallies have been active as you said. Got a couple of big ones last week. Fun fish to catch on a long rod. I have seen loads of suspended fish right in the thermocline. Wondered out loud a lot. Maybe it is time for me to invest in some equipment. Do you board fish at all? Good to hear from you and always keep a tight line.

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Thanks fishingfey, RH1, and DD for the tips.

I will absolutely have to head over to Island and give her a shot again. Especially with the summer winding down.

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Mike we just long line with longer rods and this Power Pro to get the lures a bit deeper when needed. Wind was key this weekend. If we didnt have much the bite slowed.

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Northlander, I just read the Duluth News Tribune and saw your name at the 10th place finish for the tourney. Nice work. 2 lbs 9 ounces, how long was that fish? I'd have to guess about 18-19 inches knowing the Island Lake walleyes.

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We had 2 twin fish Saturday. 1 was 19.75 and one just shy of that and a ounce lighter. We got a bunch in that 16-19.25 range but just couldnt beat 20". I know we had a few bigger fish on sunday but they just werent smashing baits like Saturday and they would come off half way to the boat. Heard that a lot on Sunday.

Would you believe that 9 pound 10 oz. winner was only 28" long? That a fat fish for Island.

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Ditto. Steve -glad you guys got into some sizable fish. 28 inches and just shy of 10 lbs...I would most definitely get a replica of that fish!

Miller did you get a job up in Duluth?

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any good spots or area that would be good for muskie out on island lake. try to really boat one before winter. eek any help would be great.

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If all you're looking for is to stick a fish this year, I'd head to the river or one of the smaller lakes around the area. Island is a tough nut to crack, tons of spots and a low population density. Go find some weeds in the harbor or up around Spirit Lake and throw topwater and tails.

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Yep! I am moving up to Duluth next week! I am pretty pumped!

FF, good luck in the FLW tourney this weekend. You should make a post on your experience

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FLW? Where? Tel us more. How much they getting ya for do do that? Can you actually win $ unlike the AIM?

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I'll let FF explain more but I think the event this week is the last of the 4 qualifiers before the end of the year championship and is on Lake Oahe is SD. Here is the payout table (I'm not sure if this is the payout for each qualifier or for the championship), but there is definitely some good money paid out for the co-anglers

full-27725-11482-flw.png

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I won a fishing photo contest on the next bite's website, which entered me into a drawing for a grand prize, that consisted of being selected to be Co-angler on an flw or aim event. I was lucky enough to be the guy that won, and the next day I was talking with Mark Boyd about being co-angler for either Gary Parsons, Chase Parsons, or Keith Kavajecz at one of the above mentioned tournaments.

Anyways, long story short it got pushed to next summer due to conflicts in schedules. Either way it was sure nice of them to offer such a cool package.

Miller- Did you find a place to live?

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congradulations on my part. you will do great. you have great fishing ethics and are bound to do well in angling as in whatever your plans in the future. good luck [although i know it is not just luck]. reinhard.

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Great job Elliot!! I need to start taking more pics of fish ,,,but then I would need to learn how to post them then too!!! Any one of those three would be good to fish with and I know I would learn a lot ,,,Good Luck when you get that oppertunity

LAS

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Miller- Did you find a place to live?

Heading up there this weekend to look at apartments. One of the places I am looking at is 2 blocks from one of the boat launches on the STL River which would be pretty sweet.

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Thanks for the kind words guys...I'm really looking forward to the experience!

JW- That would be awesome if you got a place 2 blocks away from the St. Louis! Let me know where you end up. We will have to hit island when I'm back in town periodically this fall/winter.

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I can't help but think there are a few exaggerations in that story... But what's a fish story with out a little stretching of the truth? Sweet fish nonetheless. I would really like to spend a day out on Island targeting skies sometime.

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Any Labor Day weekenc fishing reports on Island? I've been in Canada and then stuck at home fishing up a home remodeling project. Might try to get out Monday evening if the painting is done.

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Still many eyes being caught on cranks in 14-20' of water. West side. I had a buddy up there yesterday and today and he had no problems getting a limit of nice eaters. Biggest was only about 17" but a lot of them 12-16"ers. From what he said they were still suspending at different times of the day. As usual when they had a bit of a chop they did better.

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Hey Northlander, we should get out one of these nights now that I am a resident of Duluth again. We should meet some night after work and hit the lake. PM me and lets line something up

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"I fish, therefore, I lie". What with the junk you see people doing just to get on you tube or TV, can you blame the guy? If the fish pulled the guy a mile, and we use that as a scale 100yds = 1 mile, the length of his fish would be about 3 inch long (50-1 ratio). and who wants to brag about that?

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  • 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. 
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