September is here and the nights are getting downright cold. We have been seeing morning temperatures in the high 30s and I think the leaves should begin changing colors any day now. I have been told that the maples on top of the hill by Pincushion Mountain are showing some red, and they are usually the first indicators that we are truly approaching the fall season.
Fall is our favorite time of the year. The brilliant colors and crisp evenings are much of the reason we cherish this place.
The northern lights have been common lately and unfortunately, the new garage we are building will end up blocking most of our northerly view. Some nights they seem to cover much of the sky but most of the time they are low to the horizon. We were fully aware that the new building would inhibit our view, but we desperately need a garage and the spot we selected was the most logical place to put it.
There was a waxing crescent moon last week that complemented the greenish glow quite nicely, however the moon set quickly and the show was brief.
I am always reminded of a pretty famous print starring a little boy in a straw hat fishing off the lower tip of the moon with his cane pole. I am not a tattoo kind of guy, but I have always threatened to get that tattooed on my arm. Luckily, for my wife, I am all talk and no walk.
Saganaga has been in a little bit of a slump lately with the walleye bite, but that is going to change soon. This week Minnesota Sag is slow, Canada Sag is better and Northern Light Lake is good. I could write that every week all year long and be correct.
Writing a fishing report up here is as easy as being a meteorologist in San Diego, California. Sunny and 70 degrees, again. Too easy.
I try to avoid reports and concentrate more on how the fish are being caught, since that is much more useful information.
What is a fishing report anyway? You could ask five different anglers how they did on any given lake and get five different answers. I have seen some very capable anglers get skunked and some complete yim-yams get lucky. “How” fish are being caught is much more important then hearing, “Sag was pretty good today.”
I would venture to guess that most walleye anglers across the state have no idea to look for them in 25 to 35 feet of water on Sag right now or that fish will not touch a leech once they have dropped down to 35 feet of water. Minnows are living down there, not leeches.
I hear so many people say, “Saganaga does not give up walleyes this time of the year,” yet every qualified angler on the lake that I know would say the complete opposite.
I heard a fishing report on the local radio the other day that simply stated, “Lake trout are hitting on Sag in 55 feet of water.” I love our local radio, but how much can a vague fishing report actually teach you? Every day of the entire year, lake trout are hitting in 55 feet of water on Sag.
I put food on the table by knowing how to catch fish on Saganaga, every day that I try. Consistency is one mark of a good guide. Some days are better than others, for all of us. Giving up every “true” fishing secret is not my game, but I like the readers to know a little more than a general fishing report. I love hearing the responses from readers who have used some information from my columns to catch fish up here. I also thought it would be clever to name this week’s column Fishing Reports while not actually teaching you anything about fishing. Maybe next week.
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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