Fishing advice

[Guest]

I will be going in the BWCA at the sawbill trail the first week of Sept. mainly fishing on Phoebe lake does any one have advice for that lake and time of year. Has anyone fished that lake yet this year?
Thanks

[Voyage North]

Sorry, Sawbill is out of our range.

Come on everyone else, help this guy out!?

Lynn

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John and Lynn O'Kane
Voyageur North Outfitters
Ely, Mn 55731
1-800-848-5530

[Seabass77]

I have only heard about the sawbill area, but never been. What I heard is that smoke and burnt lakes are very good fishing, especially burnt. Try using beetle spins,mr.twisters, and mepps. Tip everything with a leech. Also, keep an eye out for bears, they are thick in that area.

[uffdapete]

I have gone out from the Sawbill area several times, but it has been quite a while and don't remember being on Phoebe at all.
However I do remember that the north end of Sawbill was very good for walleyes and smallmouth. Also there's a portage about halfway up Sawbill on the west side to Alton and that had an abundance of smallmouth - in fact that's where I caught my first smallmouth. We used slip sinker rigs with crawlers and some topwater baits for the smallies in the evenings. I'm sure crankbaits like Rapalas and Shad Raps would work, as well as jigs and Power Bait if you don't want to mess with crawlers. This last weekend I used the artificial crawlers that Berkley makes with success, rigged with a slip sinker rig on a crawler harness.
Hope that gets you started.

[mrscott]

I just returned from the Kawishiwi Lake area and Seabass77 is right about the bears. The fishing was great! Slip bobber, PLAIN hook, and a leech. I used Gamakatzu neon pink and glowing chartreuse(?) hooks and I couldn't catch anything! The Blue/Silver 3" Rapala was the star though. At dusk, early morning, and trolling the afternoon it was fantastic. But, keep in mind that was that lake last week. All I caught were walleyes and one 32" northern. Along with a few spinners, spoons, and Rapalas, you will want to bring brown, black, chartreuse, and orange twisters with yellow, black and pink jigheads, ranging from 1/8 to 3/8 oz, (mostly 1/4 oz). Leeches seem to be everwhere in the waters in the sawbill area. Leeches just kind of fit in with their diet. Good Luck!

[Rick]

If you're looking for good jigs in an organized tackle box, check out the Scenic Tackle Jig Kit at http://fishingminnesota.com/walleye_fishing_jigs.html

They are extremely good jigs in the weights you'll need at a very good price. Save yourself some money.

[Guest]

I will be travelling to Sawbill on Aug 5th
and taking the Frost River Loop and I will note back here as to whats going on at that time.

Thanks uffdapete and mrscott for info on that area

[ludy]

Never been to Phoebe, fished lakes in the area. I live not far and have a cabin on a lake within 15 miles. Have a friend, fished it but not that time of year, did good on walleyes several years ago. You have picked a good time to come up here and go fishing. (normally) weather is cooling and bugs are down. Bring good rain gear and a very waterproof tent. You have good advice from former posters on how to fish - if you can take live bait it will be a +. you might want to try Grace for walleye and Knight for northern Alton has more variety of fish. Sawbill has a large campsite area and a small store. (bears) Only 15 miles away no problem but I have heard a lot of bear stories!! Keep clean camp. Have fun and fishing should be good.

P.S. Lynn very unsel-fish