Late November brought sub-zero temperatures, freezing over the smaller lakes which are already showing 6-7 inches of solid ice. We had to replace a water system on West Bearskin Lake after Thanksgiving Day and augered a trench through 7 inches of ice. It was a surprise to see this much solid ice on a lake that has not been frozen for very long.
Loon Lake is also covered in ice as of last week. I would suspect that Gunflint and Saganaga will be locking up very soon. The early ice has got me excited to hike into some B-Dub walleye lakes before the big snow comes. I am sure there have been some local jumbo perch holes getting fished by the early bird anglers in Cook County, and I have been tempted to join them. Fresh perch sounds great, but I have been taking my time going through last year’s gear and re-discovering things that I lost or broke last winter.
The pop-up tent that I lost from my trailer on the Moss Lake portage last year has been replaced with a slightly bigger and better version of the same Clam tent from Gander Mountain. The new hubstyle tents are so convenient to carry and set-up. I like that I don’t have to trailer the big Otter tent when I fish with myself or one other person, especially when hiking into the B-Dub.
My winter pack boots still need replacing since I burnt the sole off of the left boot while taking a snooze in my ice house last winter. Apparently I had my foot too close to the fire and melted the tread flat. It was strange awaking to the stench of burning rubber with a blistering hot foot. I stubbornly continued to wear the melted boots last season despite there being no traction on the leftside and nearly twisted an ankle every time I ran the power auger. I looked pretty silly trying to walk up the steeper trails sideways (using my right foot twice for traction) but they were warm and I was too proud to replace them. New season…new boots.
Our bird sanctuary has been fairly successful with a steady barrage of jays and grosbeaks visiting for a brief snack. There have also been a few chickadees diving in for the suet and seeds (when the bigger birds give them a turn) but not as many as we have seen in the past years. It is still early season and I think many of the birds are still able to get their natural food easily before the big snowfall covers everything. Maybe then we will start seeing some more bird activity by the feeders.
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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