The last week of September signifies a few changes on the Gunflint Trail each year. The most obvious would be the changing of the colors on the trees, but for visitors of the motorized boundary waters it also marks the end of the day-use motor permits.
Day-use motor permits are a major part of my business and their availability affects where I can fish with customers. The last two weeks of the season have always been difficult to obtain a permit for Saganaga Lake since there are very few issued. In order to have a day-use motor permit for Saganaga Lake after September 24, you would have had to reserve it last winter. It is a silly deal to say the least, but arguing the logic has proven to be futile. September 30th is the last day a permit is needed for the BWCA, other than a self-issuing permit that can be filled out at most entry points.
The last week of September also marks the end of lake trout fishing in the state of Minnesota since they will soon be spawning on shallow rock piles throughout the lake. Trout lay their eggs when the water gets cold, typically in early October, and the male trout loiter around the spawning grounds to protect the hatch from predators like bass and pike. They will attack anything that moves, but it is illegal to target them after September 30.
The longer I live in the woods, the less I rely on a calendar to define the changing seasons. Specific dates are important when it comes to angling, for legal reasons, but Mother Nature has her own calendar that varies slightly from year to year. If cold temperatures happen earlier than normal, trout will start spawning before the angling season closes, but don’t count on that happening this season, since the water temperatures are still in the 60s.
Soon, the colors will peak and the big fall winds will strip the trees of their leaves which cover the ground in gold. Seeing into the woods becomes much easier, and game trails that were camouflaged by the summer growth become visible again. Buck hunters will begin scouting the woods with swollen necks in search of this year’s trophy, as we say goodbye to another wonderful summer on the Gunflint Trail.
Cory Christianson has worked as a fishing guide on the Gunflint Trail since 2000. If you have any fishing or wildlife reports or stories to share, send an email to: christiansoncory@hotmail.com or call 218- 388-0315. You can also visit Cory’s website at Gunflintfishingguide.com.
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