Winter is upon us and we are ready for it. There is not very much snow up here yet, but most of the lakes that are visible from the road have frozen over. Poplar finally closed up last week so I would imagine that Gunflint and Seagull will not be far behind. That does not mean the ice is safe on the bigger lakes yet, but the smaller ones should have about six inches of ice by now. I have heard reports of eight inches, but every lake is different, so be careful.
The fall gradually turned into winter, which was nice for a change. No major blizzards or record breaking lows in November, and now we are into a fairly mild December. Our crew was still doing outside construction last week, but I am glad that work is finally over for the year. It is hard to climb up a frozen ladder, especially while wearing my cumbersome ice fishing boots. Just a few more weeks of inside work and it sounds like the rest of the frozen season will be spent fishing and snowmobiling.
Rachelle has invested in a new pair of Nordic skis and boots for the winter season. She had always rented them in the past, but she plans to do a lot more skiing this year. I have never tried it myself, but I can see the attraction, especially after deer hunting. The quieter you can navigate through the woods, the more wildlife you will see. Sneaking around on the ski trails is a great way to spend time in the forest.
I am not sure if I will try Nordic skiing this winter, but it will be the year I finally build a permanent ice shack. One hobby at a time for this guy. I have threatened to build a house for years, but I did not really need one before.
I actually enjoy the freedom of being mobile while fishing, but too many days last year were cut short due to bad weather, and I have grown very fond of fishing in a T-shirt. I would like to take Sophia fishing this winter and I think an icehouse is a good way to break her in gently. They are warm, dry, and we could even sit and watch Barney or Sponge Bob Square Pants while we fish. Whatever it takes to make it fun.
Rachelle and I have decided to get Sophia a child-sized toboggan for her birthday this week. It is a quiet outside toy that we can tow her around the driveway with, or out to the icehouse. Perfect! She was rarely outside last winter and I think she will really enjoy playing in the snow this year. The “Kitty Cat” snowmobile will have to wait until next year. She is still pretty little for motorized toys.
There is some snowfall predicted for this week, but it does not sound like the major dumping we are ready for. A little bit each day is nice but we could use a good base to get started. I have already plowed our driveway once this year, but we could have survived just fine if I had not. Many of the gravel roads that do not get plowed can still be driven with four-wheel drive.
The most exciting news this week is that Trail Center will be re-opening on December 16. They used to open the doors right after Christmas but decided to get an early start this year. With any luck the Trail will have plenty of snow and business for everyone. See you up here soon.
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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