The good news is that the snow is actually beginning to disappear along the Gunflint Trail this week, and the bad news is that the ice is not.
Gunflint Lake was reported to still have 20 – 30 inches of ice as of last weekend, and the temperatures are still cold enough to inhibit thawing. Little Iron Lake has always set the pace for springtime thawing and it is not showing more than 20 feet of open water by the snowmobile bridge. Unfortunately it seems that any plans to fish up here this weekend would require an ice auger instead of a boat.
We had an exceptional year for snowfall and all of that snow has to go somewhere. Drainage is always an issue in the spring, as stationary snow becomes mobile water. The swamps and roadsides on the Gunflint Trail are flooded and the water is creating streams in places that I have never seen before. I am not sure if it is due to the excessive snowfall or because the lakes are not separating from shore quick enough to accept the abundance of water, but some of us acreage owners could claim to have waterfront properties.
I have a flooded swamp and the mid-trail residents along Poplar have a small river running along the Gunflint Trail below their driveways. Many of the roadside utility boxes are completely underwater and streams are trickling down every hillside.
There is a “hidden waterfall” near the Seagull Guard Station that is not very hidden right now. The hidden waterfall usually runs most of the summer and dries up by fall, but right now it is as big as I have ever seen it.
Frozen ground that is fairly non-porous to begin with tends to shed water fast. That water ends up staging in swamps and ditches until the lower lying lakes are ready to accept the additional run off. With some luck the swamps will recede before the mosquitoes begin to hatch this season.
It will take a lot of sunshine and warm winds to get things back on track and it sounds like we are forecasted for both this week.
Opening weekend used to be an anticipated occasion for me but this season it is just another day. Traditionally speaking, the Gunflint Trail is not a highly sought destination for anxious anglers since the water is usually too cold and the fish are too lethargic from the spawn to be active. This year will be no different. It is even possible that the spawning area restrictions will be postponed until the spawn is complete. Walleye spawn is based on water temperature, so the spawn will most likely happen late, just like the thaw. The Department of Natural Resources almost extended the spawning regulations last year so it is likely to happen this year. Time will tell.
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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