This year my wife and I decided not to gift each other on Valentine’s Day. The romance has not been lost, but our money will be better spent on an upcoming vacation to Key West, Florida. What could be more romantic than that?
Besides, I think that Valentine’s Day was invented by the greeting card companies. If it were a real holiday, I would not have had to work all day and go to a fire department training.
The warm streak we have been having this week makes me feel like going to Florida could be a mistake.
Just kidding, Rachelle and I have been working pretty hard and it has been a few years since we have been down there. Our last vacation to Key West was in 2008. We were in-between housing on the Trail and were going to stay at Hungry Jack Lodge for a few weeks. Sadly enough, Hungry Jack Lodge burned to the ground that week along with most of our belongings. Luckily no one was hurt, and the Lodge has been beautifully rebuilt.
While in the Keys, Rachelle and I went tarpon fishing with a friend and everyone forgot to bring sunscreen. Naturally my native “Key West Conch” friend did not require such protection, but Rachelle and I were both whiter than rice from a long Minnesota winter.
Rachelle hooked into a 150-pound tarpon that took about two hours to land. Meanwhile my feet were turning purple and the vultures had begun circling the boat. The next two days we spent rubbing cold aloe vera on our blistering bodies while lying in the shade. Lesson learned.
It seems strange to say that 30 degrees is warm, but lately it has felt a little bit like spring. There is still some snow to play on, and it looks like we are forecasted for precipitation by the end of the week. The snowmobile trails are pretty rough, but the groomers have been working hard to make the best of what they have to work with. I would imagine the Nordic trails are in fair condition since they are not subjected to the same type of abuse. I have been avoiding the snowmobile trails while ice fishing this week. The lakes are not much nicer to ride on right now, but at least my equipment is not getting bounced around so violently. The lakes where you can launch a sled at the boat ramp have been an easy choice. They are more convenient, especially with novice riders. It seems like there have been a lot of riders up here lately, which is great, but I like to ride the trails when they are in perfect condition.
A freshly groomed trail is such a rare pleasure. It is one spoil of living up here that I love to take advantage of.
The fishing reports have been pretty consistent from lake to lake. Birch has been a hard safe to crack this season, but every other lake has been pretty good. Mid- February is traditionally our coldest month of the ice season, also known as the mid-season slump, but the fish have been cooperating. The group average has been a little over one fish an hour, which is just fine. Fast action on the ice is spotty at best. It happens, but not every day. Jigging and minnow combinations have been productive lately, especially in the deep water. Live bait rigs are not getting eaten like they were in January. Jigging for lakers in 45 – 55 feet of water has been pretty consistent, and the fish are willing to chase the jigs, which is fun to watch on the sonar. Keep your bait above them and watch them rise up to grab it.
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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