Deer season is not supposed to be this warm, which poses a problem if you only own winter hunting gear. I know a few people that chose fishing over hunting this week, and I am truly jealous of anyone with enough time to do either sport. I will find some time to walk around the woods with my rifle before the season is over, but not much.
The unbelievably warm weather has come with some wind, and the first week of rifle season has been tough for the few hunters I have been talking to. Hopefully, the bucks will get deeper into the rut for the last week of the season, and start moving around more during the daylight hours.
I saw a 10-pointer standing off some traffic on Miller Trunk Highway in Duluth this week. He stood tall with a flexed neck while facing down the Jeep Wrangler that was stopped in front of me. It was dark, and he stood his ground by stomping the pavement for a minute before slowly walking into the woods behind Kohl’s parking lot. That could be my only hunting story this season. I have told a few people that I have better odds getting a buck with my truck this season, and it almost happened.
The anglers who have been really making me jealous this fall are still doing well on the Gunflint Trail. Walleyes, crappies, and whitefish have been finding their way into some local freezers this past week. The weather has been warm, but a lot of the nicer days have also come with high winds. Saganaga Lake is difficult to fish on windy days since most of the fish are being caught on the exposed main-lake humps that top out around 55 feet deep. The water temperatures are in the upper 40s and have been since October.
This week is going to start looking a little more like November with forecasts calling for both rain and snow. We all know how fast the seasons can change, but it is going to take drastic changes in the temperature, and high winds to start chilling the big lakes if we stand a chance at having ice for the opener.
This has been a fall to remember, but I am ready for the next season to happen.
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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