Despite waking to 50-degree mornings, and being chased off of the lake by a lightning storm, this week has been very pleasant. The sun came out after the storms passed, and I am excited to finally start wearing shorts again.
Saganaga Lake is alive with campers enjoying the recent heat wave while swimming and splashing each other as they paddle through the Boundary Waters Canoe Area.
It is always fun to watch the numerous paddlers visiting Saganaga Lake each season while I am guiding anglers—sort of like people watching at the state fair. The youth groups are typically singing camp songs or splashing each other as they slowly navigate the lake without an agenda. The more experienced paddlers make great time while paddling in unison with precision and grace, as they glide through the water. I am always amazed at how fast a canoe can go with experienced hands on the paddle.
It is common to meet canoes in the narrows that lead to Saganaga Lake each morning, which I refer to as the “morning traffic jam.” It is important to give them a brake while passing in a motor boat. You are responsible for your wake, by law, which means slowing down for paddlers, especially when passing in close proximity. The last thing I need to deal with while guiding is a capsized canoe, especially if it was caused by the wake from my boat.
Campers have been reporting repeated bear visits this season in the Seagull and Saganaga lake areas. We fished near an occupied campsite in the narrows today, and watched a bear enter the water from the back side of the campsite oblivious to the campers. The bear swam across the short narrows and dashed into the woods while the campers were setting up tents. I do not know if it stole any of their food, but it was running away from the campsite like a criminal.
Bears moving silently through the woods are very hard to see. I had one walk less than 10 feet behind me this week while breaking for lunch on a campsite in Red Rock Bay. I would have never even seen the young bear if it were not for my customers spotting it behind me. We took some photos as it calmly made for the woods and watched it return to the site after we left, scouring the ground for any crumbs we may have left behind.
You never know what you might see in “unorganized territory.”
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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