At press time, the John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon mushers were arriving at the Trail Center checkpoint. Trail Center has provided these mushers and their handlers with very affordable hot meals and free overnight accommodations for quite a few years. They stay open all night so that even the latest arriving racers and handlers can still get dinner and be able to tend to their tired dogs.
The first year I was able to witness the excitement; I could not believe how many people volunteer their time and skills. Everyone from the promotional side all the way to emergency medical technicians, veterinarians, search and rescue and many more volunteers willing to do whatever is needed. It just shows you how dedicated our locals are to such a great event. There is also a lot of trail preparation necessary for the race. The heavy snow we received last week brought down a lot of trees and there were a lot of people working hard to clear the trails for the racers before their arrival up the Gunflint.
Visitors are always welcome during the Beargrease, but it can get pretty busy in the restaurant. The dogs are usually put to bed immediately after being thoroughly checked for injuries, so it is the quietest busy place on the Beargrease trail.
The upcoming Mush for a Cure event is a more “spectator friendly” non-competitive race that happens during daylight hours and can be seen from many different vantage points along the Gunflint Trail. Last year the race began with a sourdough start, in which mushers start the race in sleeping bags and hurriedly hitch their team at the starting gun. The start was on the ice in front of Gunflint Pines. That was very educational and a lot of fun to watch. There was even an airplane that flew over, dropping pink streamers through the air.
On a different note, the snow has managed to stick around and the trails are in much better condition than a couple of weeks ago. I might even attempt to fish Birch Lake again.
Actually, Gunflint Lake has been providing some nice lake trout. The best bites have been up shallower than I am used to fishing, but hey, as long as they bite I don’t care what depth they are in. Twenty-five to 35 feet of water has been the most productive for me, and the fish are always a nice size, averaging three to five pounds. The buckshot spoons have been working fine, but a trusty jig and minnow combination is a good choice as well.
I enjoy fishing Gunflint Lake because I can always visit Gunflint Lodge or the Gunflint Pines and warm up with some coffee or hot chocolate if necessary. Besides, I only live a few miles away so I don’t have to be as well prepared as I do if I am fishing a long way from home.
Good luck and stay warm.
Cory Christianson, a 2000
graduate of the University of
Iowa, has worked as a fishing
guide on the Gunflint Trail
for nine years. If you have any
fishing reports or stories to
share, send an email to: christiansoncory@
hotmail.com or
call 218-388-0315.
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