Kayak in small lakes near Ely

[kayakfisherman]

Hi guys!  I used to be on this site long ago (participating mostly in the Mille Lacs forum), and the system wouldn't recognize my email.  So I created a new user name.

 

I'm planning to spend May and June in Ely.  My project is to autochart and create maps of a few small lakes I like off the Echo Trail, which I'll do via my Helix I have mounted on my bright orange fishing kayak.

 

I don't need any advice, as I pretty much know the area and what works to catch fish.  I'm just looking to possibly connect with other Ely anglers while I'm up there.  I'm tentatively planning on starting next week, assuming the "wintery mix" and wind in the forecast abates.  I'll be paddling around a bunch of different small lakes, going back and forth and back and forth, listening to either WELY or WEVE on my radio.  So if you see me, stop by and say hey.

[delcecchi]

WEVE?    Are they still the same as they were?   I remember them as being, for my taste anyway, almost unlistenable.   

 

Can you get KAXE there?  

[Stick in Mud]

Very cool project.  I just got back from up there, and I'll be up again on another solo the first week of May.  I'll check back if I decide to enter near Ely.  

[kayakfisherman]

2 hours ago, delcecchi said:

WEVE?    Are they still the same as they were?   I remember them as being, for my taste anyway, almost unlistenable.   

 

Can you get KAXE there?  

Not sure about KAXE , but WEVE from Virginia comes in. They are so bad, they are almost good! Their tag line was "Not too hard, and not too soft" to which I add "and not too good" If you want to hear schmaltzy drek from the 80's then tune in. 

[kayakfisherman]

14 minutes ago, Stick in Mud said:

Very cool project.  I just got back from up there, and I'll be up again on another solo the first week of May.  I'll check back if I decide to enter near Ely.  

Thanks, I'm excited about it too. I've fished those lakes and know for a fact that the existing maps are at best incomplete, and occasionally plain wrong. So I'm really looking forward to seeing what the data shows. 

[kayakfisherman]

On 4/25/2017 at 10:00 AM, Stick in Mud said:

 

I've been charting and fishing for a month now and it's been awesome. I inserted a photo of my rig in case anyone was interested. 

 

I have found several interesting shallow walleye lakes with a lot of deep muskeg/muck. I believe the walleyes are sitting on it and feeding on bugs. Imagine a 18' hole with 9' of muck on top of the hard bottom. So only 9' of fishable water. Has anyone seen this before and developed a presentation to target walleyes feeding this way. I tried lindy rigging, jigging, crank trolling, bobber rigging, and casting sinking cranks. No real luck, but there must be a way to target these fish. 

[monstermoose78]

I found those fish to be not actively feeding they lay there mostly. The best fishing on those lakes for me was in 2 to 4 feet windy side of the lake with raps or slip bobbers and orange jig and a leech

Cloudy days are best

[kayakfisherman]

1 hour ago, monstermoose78 said:

I found those fish to be not actively feeding they lay there mostly. The best fishing on those lakes for me was in 2 to 4 feet windy side of the lake with raps or slip bobbers and orange jig and a leech

Cloudy days are best

That, sadly, sounds like the truth. I really wish I could fish them, but if they're inactive then there's not much a guy can do. I appreciate the advice, and I did try the windy side exactly as you suggested. I have a clear water and a tannin stained water lake with this feature and both have good numbers of walleye. I've been able to pick up a couple on mud-rock transition but I believe the bulk of the population is sitting on that muck. 

 

I'm going to try the ULS-4 Shad Rap next on shallow windy shores. I picked one up vertical jigging a pink Slab Rap which is my go-to winter presentation and that tiny Shad Rap is about the same size. 

[Wanderer]

@kayakfisherman

 

I'm truly envious of your trip/project and the fact that you have the kind of freedom it takes to do it.

 

I haven't been able to get negative muck laying walleyes to do anything either but trying to get a reaction bite would be my best guess too.  And of course waiting for those right conditions in those right spots as mentioned.

 

Best of luck!  I'll be up the second week of July with a bunch of friends but can't say for sure I'll be back before then. 

[kayakfisherman]

Thanks! 

 

I haven't been able to get them to go from the muck. However, as sunset approaches I've been slip bobbering over the rocks and simply hammering them. My theory is that they follow the bugs when the light gets low, and come up in the shallow hard bottom. I went through 3 dozen leeches in about 45 minutes with insta-bites on the bobber rig. It's tremendous action and I'm getting a lot of big girls. Mapping definitely paid off! 

[FishinCT]

This is sneakily the best thread in  this forum. Only wish I had the time for something like this. Has to be so many little gold mines out there like you are finding