Jump to content
  • GUESTS

    If You  want access  to member only forums on FM, You will need to Sign-in or  Sign-Up now .

    This box will disappear once you are signed in as a member.

Recommended Posts

I am going up to Ely over labor day, and wondering if anyone has any advice for the lakes up there. Never been up there before.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Fishinbabe,

Been fishing the Ely area since 1970. If you want to get away from everything, you can go up Echo Trail to Big Lake. Close to town you have Burntside, Shaggawa and a Lake I fish each year now, White Iron. White Iron is a chain connecting to Farm and Garden. I like to fish near the river systems.

Happy Fishing

love2fish1

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Skip111, I am staying in a cabin on the White Iron chain. So more than likely that is where we will fish the whole week.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

fishinbabe,

Good luck fishing. Let me know how you do and let me know if you need any other suggestions. What lodge are you with?

love2fish1

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Does anyone know where the Tiger Muskies came from in White Iron? Has there always been Muskies in White Iron that may have inadvertantly spawned with the Pike? If so, are these the smaller Shoepack strain Muskies, or the Leech Lake strain? Maybe they were privately stocked?

I'd love to know if anyone has any idea where they came from.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey ahc and skip:

Welcome to the forum. Great to have you over here. grin.gif

ahc: If the season is right, pike (which spawn earlier) can mix with muskie (which spawn later), and the product is the hybrid tiger muskie (sounds like you're well aware of that). But I don't know if any muskies have made their way into the White Iron chain. I know some muskies have escaped the Wolf River rearing ponds and have made their way from there through the river to Shagawa, but not sure about any muskies naturally ocurring in White Iron. Of course, we have a cabin on a lake chain near Bemidji that never had muskies. I caught one there a couple summers back, and the DNR had reports of them, so if someone can start stocking them there, they can start stocking them here.

If you want, you can call the Tower DNR office at (218) 753-2580 and talk to their fisheries head, Joe Geis, and ask him. If anyone would know, he would.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

hello, also heading up to big lake in sept for first time. any info on how to fish this lake at that time? thanks

Link to comment
Share on other sites

yeah, i was looking at the survey info on the DNR's website, and it shows they sampled 3 tiger muskies in white iron. it doesn't say that they surveyed any pure strain muskies, though. Do you know if the Muskies in the rearing pond you mentioned were Leech Lake strain or Shoepack strain fish?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 'we have more fun' FishingMN Builders

Well the ones i know that have been caught have been big more like leech lake then the little shoepacks

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Skip111, we are staying at the Pine Point Lodge for the week. Since never been up there, am unsure of structure or anything else on the chain, but know I am looking forward to going.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I wonder how many escaped and if there is any natural reproduction (with other muskies, not pike) occuring. Maybe it was only a few of them that got loose and all they had to spawn with was Pike.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 years ago we caught a muskie 2 lakes downstream from Shagawa - it was one of those Steve Martin moments where we kept looking at one another and saying "WHAT THE HECK IS THAT THING?"

Talked to the fisheries guys and they were thinking it may have been an escapee that worked its way down. Roughly 28".

Great - first smallmouths, then rusty crayfish and now these things... So much for keeping the BWCA free of invasive pests.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

fishinbabe-

I will be up there the weekend before you and staying at Pine Point Lodge. Will be heading up August 30 and coming home on Sept 3rd. Have been fishing up there for at 18 years this same week. Fishing can be really slow but it can also be OK at times. Crappies are hard to find now but if you find them they are large. Walleyes have be scattered the last few years but I can ususally get some on crankbaits in the morning and evening. It is great up there away from the city though. More of a family trip than a hard core fishing trip. It is a beautiful area with the leaves changing and the peice and quiet. I should be around on Sat though to tell you how we did. I will hopefully be in my new boat. Red Mr Pike 18ft with a 115 yamaha on it. We will also be up there with our new red lab pup so if you see us say hi.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I used to fish Big Lake a lot. I love that lake. A little remote but worth it once your in. Very pretty lake surrounded by pine trees.

The best spot for walleyes is through the narrows. Either resort can point this area out to you on their maps. There are some plus 20 foot drops that usually hold fish. Or, go through the narrows and fish along the left shore all the way down and around to the left.

I like to fish leeches tipped on a 1/4 oz. yellow jig. Bring several, lots of rocks.

Good Luck!

love2fish1

Link to comment
Share on other sites

While in College at Vermilion, I went for a bike ride past the river flowing between Fall and Shag. and saw one heck of a fish! Must have been over 48" and it wasn't a Northern. I only wish I had a rod at the time!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Fishinbabe: Report White Iron Chain last 2 weeks

Walleye bite is moving to crawlers and minnows, leeches will work (bring your own tough to get here - Vados is close to you) but crawlers (buy them in Ely and leave some cash in the local economy) out fish them 2:1. Minnows by the time you get there. Fish are found in the usual haunts -rock points, 15 to 25 FOW on W.I.. Have not fished Farm or So. Farm. Live bait rigging best with a floating head - less snags. W.I. is the best in the chain. Two kids and I had a shootout with the wallies in the rain last Sunday.

Northern bite has been awesome. Cranks in bright colors. Shallow as 4 feet. Farm maybe best. Kids have been using the cranks in 4-10 FOW and releasing numbers of 30+. I only guide on these excursions - wallie guy.

Smallie bite is either up against rocky shorelines or on mid-lake flats. If you get calm water - Torpedos, as previously posted, in a frog pattern have been good. If it's windy - jigs and plastics. Try the islands in Garden. This is the best smallie lake of the chain.

In general - windy shore, low light shallow, bright light deeper, bright colors on W.I. - you know the drill. Will be up myself your weekend. Hope for good weather and tight lines. It's an awesome chain of lakes. Remember CPR or my kids won't have anything to look forward to. Good luck!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.


  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • mulefarm
      With the early ice out, how is the curlyleaf pondweed doing?
    • LakeofthewoodsMN
      On the south end...   The big basin, otherwise known as Big Traverse Bay, is ice free.  Zippel Bay and Four Mile Bay are ice free as well.  Everything is shaping up nicely for the MN Fishing Opener on May 11th. With the walleye / sauger season currently closed, most anglers are targeting sturgeon and pike.  Some sturgeon anglers are fishing at the mouth of the Rainy River, but most sturgeon are targeted in Four Mile Bay or the Rainy River.  Hence, pike are the targeted species on the south shore and various bays currently.   Pike fishing this time of year is a unique opportunity, as LOW is border water with Canada, the pike season is open year round. The limit is 3 pike per day with one being able to be more than 40 inches. All fish 30 - 40 inches must be released. Back bays hold pike as they go through the various stages of the spawn.  Deadbait under a bobber, spinners, spoons and shallow diving crankbaits are all viable options.   Four Mile Bay, Bostic Bay and Zippel Bay are all small water and boats of various sizes work well. On the Rainy River...  Great news this week as we learned sturgeon will not be placed on the endangered species list by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.     The organization had to make a decision by June 30 and listing sturgeon could have ended sturgeon fishing.  Thankfully, after looking at the many success stories across the nation, including LOW and the Rainy River, sturgeon fishing and successful sturgeon management continues.   A good week sturgeon fishing on the Rainy River.  Speaking to some sturgeon aficionados, fishing will actually get even better as water temps rise.     Four Mile Bay at the mouth of the Rainy River near the Wheeler's Point Boat Ramp is still producing good numbers of fish, as are various holes along the 42 miles of navigable Rainy River from the mouth to Birchdale.   The sturgeon season continues through May 15th and resumes again July 1st.   Oct 1 - April 23, Catch and Release April 24 - May 7, Harvest Season May 8 - May 15, Catch and Release May 16 - June 30, Sturgeon Fishing Closed July 1 - Sep 30, Harvest Season If you fish during the sturgeon harvest season and you want to keep a sturgeon, you must purchase a sturgeon tag for $5 prior to fishing.    One sturgeon per calendar year (45 - 50" inclusive, or over 75"). Most sturgeon anglers are either a glob of crawlers or a combo of crawlers and frozen emerald shiners on a sturgeon rig, which is an 18" leader with a 4/0 circle hook combined with a no roll sinker.  Local bait shops have all of the gear and bait. Up at the NW Angle...  A few spots with rotten ice, but as a rule, most of the Angle is showing off open water.  In these parts, most are looking ahead to the MN Fishing Opener.  Based on late ice fishing success, it should be a good one.  
    • leech~~
      Nice fish. I moved to the Sartell area last summer and just thought it was windy like this everyday up here? 🤭
    • Rick G
      Crazy windy again today.... This is has been the norm this spring. Between the wind and the cold fronts, fishing has been more challenging for me than most years.  Panfish have been moving in and out of the shallows quite a bit. One day they are up in the slop, the next they are out relating to cabbage or the newly sprouting lilly pads.  Today eye guy and I found them in 4-5 ft of water, hanging close to any tree branches that happened to be laying in the water.  Bigger fish were liking a 1/32 head and a Bobby Garland baby shad.   Highlight of the day way this healthy 15incher
    • monstermoose78
    • monstermoose78
      As I typed that here came a hen.  IMG_7032.mov   IMG_7032.mov
    • monstermoose78
      So far this morning nothing but non turkeys. 
    • monstermoose78
      Well yesterday I got a little excited and let a turkey get to close and I hit the blind!!
    • smurfy
      good......you?? living the dream..in my basement playing internet thug right now!!!!!! 🤣 working on getting the boat ready.......bought a new cheatmaster locator for the boat so working on that.   waiting for warmer weather to start my garden!!!
    • monstermoose78
      How is everyone doing? Holy moly it’s chilly this morning I stayed in bed and will hunt later today when it warms up.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.