The rains have subsided leaving a muggy, and buggy, mess in their wake as the grass and leaves are exploding with life. Wildflowers are knee high and blooming in some of the more wooded areas as the weather settles into a slightly more stable pattern this week.
June is traditionally some of the best fishing of the year since fish tend to be shallow and hungry after a long cold winter. The recent rain storms have triggered fish to bite, but then leave them tight lipped and finicky once they have passed. Bluebird bright and sunny days are great for golfing, but not so great for catching walleyes, especially in the month of June when they are shallow.
Guides don’t get to choose the days they fish and tend to target deeper fish, like lake trout, to keep the excitement level high on sunny days. Deeper fish are not as adversely affected by the bright skies and high pressure; targeting them can save an otherwise boring day of chasing uncooperative walleyes.
Sometimes on very calm days it is fun to spot walleyes cruising the shorelines with your eyes while standing in the front of the boat. To see them in the water is very exciting, even though they are not likely to bite anything once they have spotted you stalking them. I find it educational to see how they position themselves in certain spots, or how they retreat when threatened by my presence. We are lucky that our lakes are clear enough to spot fish as deep as six feet of water yet dark enough to be productive during the day.
Soon the bug hatches will control the feeding on most lakes in our county and can create some exciting surface action for the trout while devastating the walleye bite. Matching the fish you target to the conditions they prefer is a great way to stay productive on the water.
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. You can also visit Cory’s website at Gunflintfishingguide.com.
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