fishing reports MayFly Hatch

[Drail1313]

Any idea on when it might happen this year?? TIA

[Uncle Boney]

No  sign of them yet.......

[snoozebutton]

We're up on Kab now and yesterday we saw 2 of them all day out there.

[Hibbingite]

just wondering if anybody has an update on the mayfly hatches... Still happening??? Or been done awhile?? Heading up this weekend.

thanks for any replies, and good luck to all

[dillon]

Some friends were camping on Kabetogama this past weekend and they said their boat was covered with them Saturday morning.

[Xplorer]

Heading up this weekend.

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If you get a chance, would you post surface temps for main lake areas.  I'm headed up to Nam next Wednesday for 5 days.  Was up 4 weeks ago and temps were mid 60's, but with the ups and downs in temps since just wondering where things are at now.  Thanks and good luck!

I think those up and down temps have extended the mayfly hatch this year.  I have headed up the week after the 4th almost every year since '98, and it has been pretty rare that we've seen alot of bugs on Namakan this late.  

One thing we have done when there have been hatches, is to troll the last hour of daylight and 1st hour or two after dark, longlining floating raps over deep mud, where the bugs are coming to the surface.  Have had a few really good stretches on walleyes doing this as they are slurping at the surface.  Have even done this over 60-70' of water on Namakan with success.   

    

[Hibbingite]

Xplorer, I will post the temps for you, thanks for the replies!!

I'm going to guess 74 for avg temp but will let you know for sure. 

Spending this weekend up there and again in mid July for a week

 

enjoy your trip and good luck as well!!!

[Xplorer]

Thanks, and I'll post a report after we get back on the 12th.  In early June me and my son spent all our time on smallies and pike, but I will put some serious walleye time in on this trip..  Headed back up the end of July for 5 days and again mid August for another 4.  I gotta check for sure, but I think that I will put in my 375th day camping in the park on that last trip over the last 19 years.  Sure love that place 

[Dusty]

Xplorer, water temps range anywhere from 75 in shallow areas to 69 in the deep open areas on Namakan. Still getting nice fish shallow. Not a lot on the reefs yet. Did a little long lining a couple days ago only had one hit. We have only been using Crawlers of course and they seem to work just fine. Seeing a few May flies but not a lot. Good luck next week.

Dusty

 

[Xplorer]

Thanks Dusty!

So they've only come up about 5 degrees in the last  month, kinda what I suspected.

 Since we're in the Wolf Pack area I will have a good variety of waters to hit for eyes close by. And I'm sure that Dylan and Momma will want to spend some mid-day time fishing shorelines for smallies too, so I'll try rigging or bouncing  those areas while they cast the shallows..

Hope you guys are having a good week and stay safe over the 4th weekend.  Will let ya know how we do when back home.

 

[Hibbingite]

Xplorer,

just got back...I didn't fish much on Namakan but talk was Pike island was doing well. 

we spent most our time fishing in lost Bay Area and temps were 74-75. The warden checked us out... Said fishing was slow all over.. That's were I got the Pike Island tip from. He said Namakan was a little better bite than Kab right now.

we managed a few fish, but terribly slow!!!! And it was mixed bag for leeches, minnows, and crawlers...glad I brought all it was tough!!

didnt see many mayflies but lots of dead ones still in the wind blown bays.... A few on the tent.. Hopefully the big one is done so things can turn around

but great weather and great times make up for the lack of fish!!!!

good luck on your trip, I got one more in 2weeks!!!!

[Xplorer]

Thanks for the report, glad to hear the mayflies are winding down.  

I'll let ya know how we do, getting everything ready to head up Wednesday to Sunday.  I usually make a trip or two down to Pike, seems like if they're their, they will bite.  We've also gotten some nice smallies there too while fishing leeches for eye's.

[Xplorer]

Quick update from on the lake. 

Main lake temp is 70. Got 3 last night with one eater and two smalls.  Went out at 615 this morning and smoked em. Got 15 eyes..... 3 smalls...7 eaters (kept my 4) and 5 overs between 19-21,5. Also got a 18.25 smallie that was a Pig!!!!  

No mayflies to be found and all keepers had empty bellies.  

Fish fry tonight.

[dillon]

Xplorer, Did you say in a different thread that you are staying in the Wolf Pack Islands? Me, my wife and girls have Wolf Pack Central booked for next Thursday-Sunday. I'm thinking of buying a new Clam screen tent....necessary or not?

Glad to hear you found the eyes. Can't wait to get up there.

 

[Xplorer]

Yup we are on Wolf pack east.  Lots of ripe blueberries on the south side of the island.  Fish were from 21 to 30.  We have a cabelas screen tent but have not had the fly on.  

There  are some horse/deer flys and the ankle biters are starting. Not a lot of Mosquitos.  About an hour right at dark.    

[Xplorer]

Dillon,

lots of biting flies the last couple days. If youdont have a screen tent then yes, I would get one. H2O temps are up to 75 here in the wolf packs. 

Eyes are hitting great. All I've used is a lindy and leech on reefs and they Havnt been fussy 

Also went and did some casting shady shorelines today and my son got some pike and smallies midday

[Xplorer]

Hibbingite,

  As my previous posts indicate, fishing was very good.  Main lake temps were up to 73 Saturday, and had up to 78 in bays.  We did alot of swimming and tubing Friday/Saturday.

  Son and I did go out early Saturday morning and did very well on eye's again.  Between the 2 of us we got 12 eyes in two and half hours.  Fish were 13-23.25" and caught on one large flat with a rock/mud bottom.  Best depth was 25'.  All were caught on lindy's with leeches.  5 were between 13 to 16.5 and the rest were over 19", so it was really fun.  We did have the CO stop by and check license and basic boat items, he said the hot bite was down on Pike island and he was headed down there next.

  Back up in 2 weeks!!!

[dillon]

Xplorer, thanks for all of the information. The weather forecast for the up coming weekend doesn't look great, but hopefully that changes. Will post report when we get back.

[dillon]

We didn't go up until Friday morning last weekend because of the rain Thursday, but we did well Friday evening. Like Xplorer said above, the best depth seemed to be about 25'. We found a reef that topped off about 23' and found fish immediately. Everything was caught on leechs. We tried crawlers and then half crawlers, but couldn't get a bite.

Tried shallower Saturday morning and got into the smallies until the wind picked up. With the wind we had coming into the campsite, the screen tent definitely wasn't necessary.

[Xplorer]

Sorry the weather wasn't better for you guys. 

We're headed back up on safurday AM for another 5 days. Weather looks HOT!! !!!!   Have a couple of my sons buds coming with so will only be fishing eyes  early. Looks like lots of swimming and tubing will be happening   

 

Diid you find lots of blueberries?

 

 

[dillon]

We found plenty of blueberries...both ripe and green. The weather next week looks really hot for camping. I'll wait until September for our next trip.