Category: Boundary Waters Trip Tips and “How To”

Cold Water and Hot Fishing

If you have not heard yet, the ice is finally out on all the lakes near us, even big Sag to the north.  It was a little challenging for a while there to get back to the good lake trout lakes like Tuscarora and Gillis.  For eager lake trout fishers that were willing to sit on smaller lakes and wait for the ice to go out, the reward was some good fishing and a lot of adventure.

2013.05.20 Vogt

Mike Vogt and his guys found out first hand what ice out trout fishing is like.  They found the “glacier” on the Missing Link portage (which is still there by the way, but receding)!  They spent a little time on Missing Link waiting for the ice to go out on Tuscarora.  Strong spring winds kept them close to shore for a while.    Eventually their patience was rewarded with some beautiful northerns and lakers, even enough to eat!

 

2013.05.20 Vogt (3)

2013.05.20 Vogt (2)

This is actually the first time I’ve ever seen Mike in a hat that is not a baseball cap.    Can you tell what a likeable guy he is?  I can hear him laughing right through that picture.   It is not a leave-no-trace kind of laugh, it is a leave-you-laughing kind of laugh.

2013.05.20 Vogt (4)

2013.05.20 Vogt (1)

Suddenly it is Memorial Day weekend .  The lakes are ice free, the temps are rising , the sun is out, and the fish are waiting!  Come on up and share your fishing pictures with us!

2013.05.20 Vogt (5)

 

Melting!

Suddenly, spring is in a big hurry to get here.  Starting Thursday, the temperatures have been up into the high 50’s, low 60’s.  The sun is shining warmly, the birds are singing, and Denali is basking on the deck.  The 2 feet+ of snow that is on the ground has been melting with force.  Round Lake road is suffering a bit from the rapid melt.

2013.04.27 washed out road (7)

The driveways and outfitting yard are clearing nicely.  At first the melt was dammed in by the snow banks creating a slushy pond in the center.  This morning things are looking much better.  The mud is pretty thick but at least everything is flowing in the right direction now.

2013.04.28 spring melt (1)
The Cross River, just down the road, is open and flowing down the center.  The ice is still around the dock, but it is looking more and more slushy each day.  The open water is attracting all sorts of birds who arrived looking for spring but are now forced to wait it out with the rest of us.  So far I’ve noticed common & hooded mergansers, common goldeneyes, Canada geese, mallards, a kingfisher, bald eagles, and a turkey vulture all hanging out around the open water.

2013.04.27 cross river (5)

Round Lake is covered in watery slush.  Almost a good foot of it.  Ice reports in the area still are in the 20″+ range, but at least things are starting to move in the right direction.  The snow may be in a hurry to melt, but the ice can’t be rushed.  We still can’t tell when the ice will be out for sure.  The forecast calls for rain and wind, both will help.  If the temperatures stay warm, that will help as well.  We need to wait and see how things progress, but it is feeling decidedly spring like around here!  ~Rachel

2013.04.26 spring melt (9)

2013.04.26 spring melt (7)

 

 

 

Ice Conditions

We sure have been having a chilly spring this year!  The temperatures feel a lot more like what a northern Minnesota springs should be like.  We have been a little spoiled the past few springs!  A slow moving weather pattern has been dumping some wet, heavy spring snow on us for the past week now.

2013.02.12 ice fishing with Jen and D (5)

I went out last week to drill a hole in the ice on Round Lake.  We still have a foot of snow on top the ice which is keeping it very insulated (this was before received about 18″ of snow on Thursday night!).  The ice is still around 26 inches thick.  Reports from Sagananga Lake and Gunflint Lake are reporting around 30 inches of ice as well.

For those of you concerned for you upcoming canoe trips, we will keep you posted!  It is a little to soon to tell for sure when the ice will come out.  What the weather decides to do next week will make a lot of difference.  We do know that the late spring should keep the water temps down making for some nice fishing opportunities.  All this snow should keep the water levels up for the spring and the fire risk down as well!

The DNR has a nice website that shows ice out conditions across the state – http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/ice_out/index.html.  Keep your eye on that and on our blog, we will let you know as soon as the ice goes out!