If the weather cooperates this week the Gunflint Trail road construction should be complete by the time you read this column, and the minor delays and dust will come to an end. Dust from the gravel road bed has caused havoc on my boat and equipment each day as I trailer up the Gunflint to Saganaga Lake but a smooth black top surface will be worth the extra maintenance needed to keep my vehicle and gear clean.
Rinsing off fishing reels and wiping down the Honda motor, seats, and depth finder have become part of my morning routine while waiting at the landing for the customers to arrive. During last year’s road construction I had some problems with trailer bearings and flat tires but so far that has not been the case this year. The road crews have been working into the night to complete this project and the lingering smell of hot asphalt means the end is near.
June is almost over and we are still competing with the massive bug hatches in the lakes while fishing for walleyes on the Gunflint. I have managed to catch between 10 and 25 walleyes per day but very few fish are being kept since they do not fall into the strict slot limit. The majority of walleyes are between 14 and 16 inches and are no longer allowed to be kept with the new restrictions. The slot limit allows an angler to keep one fish over 20 inches which unfortunately encourages anglers to kill the bigger and less desirable mercury laden walleyes (23-25 inches in length) that we used to strictly release since they are the future hawgs and backbone of any good fishery.
Next year those small walleyes should be 16-18 inches in length and we will have more opportunity to keep a few of the healthier fish for dinner, but only time can tell if the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Fisheries actually knows what they are talking about. Anglers who want to keep fish are disappointed but I have been encouraging them to give it another try next year. Hopefully they will.
Among the numerous aquatic hatches are an explosion of pesky biting mosquitoes that have been present—especially after each rain. They have been thick enough to force me away from fishing certain areas and give new meaning to being a blood donor. Lake levels have been rising this week and rising shorelines equate to new hatches erupting once the eggs are submerged. Mosquitoes lay their eggs along the shore and can live up to seven years without hatching, so high water years can be brutal. Despite the bug hatches we are still managing to catch an acceptable amount of fish each day and the eternal optimist in me thinks it will soon get better.
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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