We asked for rain and it happened in both the liquid and frozen form this week on the Gunflint Trail. There has been enough precipitation to reduce the forest fire danger to a moderate rating and the woods are beginning to flourish with leaves again. A nice mix of sun and rain have been nourishing the once thirsty forest that is now showing its approval by rebounding with green life.
Mother Nature threw us another fast but intense cold front to remind everyone that it is still too early to plant vegetables in the ground. It was slightly unnerving waking to the frost covered ground this morning, even though it tends to “zap” a lot of the early season bug population resulting in a short reprieve from the inevitable hatch of pesky black flies and mosquitoes.
I hope to be guiding full-time when that happens because they rarely bother you in the boat.
Surely there are some campers out there in the B-Dub, also unnerved, who were not fully prepared for a wintry mix of snow and freezing rain while cuddling inside their tents last night. It was difficult getting motivated enough to leave my house and start working this morning with ice covering the windshield of my truck, frost on the ground, and a wind that blew right through insulated clothing like it was Novemburrr.
I am sure some campers spent a little extra time in their sleeping bags this morning.
Memorial Day weekend has traditionally marked my opening weekend since it is difficult for me to start any sooner. The fishing reports have predictably mimicked the weather with stable or falling barometers producing nice fish and rising barometers (especially after a cold front) shutting them down. Early season fishing can be good but there are a lot of difficult days if the weather is not cooperative.
June is a better month for action since the lake becomes full of forage and the water is warm enough that the bigger fish actually put up a fight.
Big female walleyes are stressed out for a couple of weeks after spawning, especially if water temperatures are slow to rise. I have seen many hawg walleyes landed without even trying to fight in the first weeks of the fishing season. It is still fun to see these giant females but I would prefer to catch them in June when the bugs are thick enough to carry a person away.
If the bugs are biting… so are the fish!
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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