Namakan fishing Report

[Nipper7272]

Hello staying on Namakan later this week for first time with my wife a two boys. Any fishing tips would be helpful.

Thanks

[Ranger2050Reata]

I just got back from camping 5 days on Namakan.  I fished the Canadian side exclusively and found the fishing to be good, despite a fish fly hatch over the weekend.  Fish are showing up in numbers on the mid-lake structure and there were lots of fish in the mid 20 foot depths as well as deeper.  I assume it is probably the same on the Minnesota side of the lake as well.  I was surprised by how few people were out fishing, I don't think I ever saw more than a few boats on any of the popular spots such as Pat Smith.  Overall I would say it was typical mid-summer fishing both in quality and where the fish were located after what I thought was a slower than normal spring. 

[Xplorer]

Sitting in camp right now on North Mitchell island. Had our fish fry last night, finding fish in 25-29' of water. Got 6 between 13-16 for dinner. Catching lots of small fish everywhere we go. Seeing mayfly cases on the water at times . 

 

Headed home tomorrow . 

PS.  Crawlers were better than leeches. 

[NELS-BELLS]

On 7/9/2016 at 7:25 PM, Xplorer said:

Sitting in camp right now on North Mitchell island. Had our fish fry last night, finding fish in 25-29' of water. Got 6 between 13-16 for dinner. Catching lots of small fish everywhere we go. Seeing mayfly cases on the water at times . 

 

Headed home tomorrow . 

PS.  Crawlers were better than leeches. 

I'm amazed you are able to post from your site.  We usually have to get to the middle of the lake north of Pat Smith for any cell service and that is barely one bar.  ....with Verizon.

How was Smallmouth fishing?

Nels

[Xplorer]

3 hours ago, NELS-BELLS said:

I'm amazed you are able to post from your site.  We usually have to get to the middle of the lake north of Pat Smith for any cell service and that is barely one bar.  ....with Verizon.

How was Smallmouth fishing?

Nels

I never expected to have service there (ATT) but I had 2-3 bars, but did loose it about a mile east of camp, but then picked it back up east of Fox island.

Found smallies still shallow, nothing big but did find some casting shorelines, bobbering leeches, and even caught a few on the shallow reef areas around Pat Smith lindy rigging leeches.  Actually the biggest one we caught was an accident. My wife and son were casting in a bay and I was running the trolling motor and dragging a leech on a rig.  We came to a shallow rock section so I reeled up my lindy sinker/leech to about 3' below the boat to navigate around some big rocks and all of a sudden the rod almost got taken over the side. Quick grabbed it and landed a nice @16.5" smallie LOL.  Pure skill,  haha 

 

Back up on the east end in 12 days