The window unit air-conditioner was installed in early June and I am happy to say that we are finally using it. I know that many Minnesotans start dropping like flies every time the mercury rises above 80, but I like to see a little heat in the summer. It is not very fun or safe to work outside in the blazing heat but playing in the sprinklers with the kids while sipping on an iced tea is alright with me.
The next few weeks are some of the busiest weeks of the summer on the Gunflint Trail since it is the last chance for many young families to get a vacation before school starts— and it is usually some of the most comfortable weather for camping, usually!
The busy weeks ahead have also been reflected in the number of permits available for the B-Dub including day-use motor permits for Saganaga Lake. There are about six weeks left in which a day-use permit is required for Saganaga Lake (ending September 30) and only four of those weeks are still available.
The lake has been very quiet for the past couple of weeks which is odd since all of the dayuse motor permits were reserved. I saw five boats on Monday and three of them were fellow fishing guides. I am not sure where all of the permits are going but I do know how to get them. There is a web-site (www.recreation.gov) that allows a person to check availability of BWCA permits as well as reserve them. Day-use motor permits are free if they are available within 24 hours of your date, otherwise they cost $6 to reserve and can be picked up at any cooperator station that you choose.
It is hard to stay on top of permits for my guide business this time of year since a lot of my bookings in August tend to be last minute. If permits are gone I am forced to guide on Gunflint or Seagull instead of Saganaga, which is not the end of the world, but Sag is the big lake that everyone wants to see. I guess the early bird gets the worm.
Last week I wrote about the invading carpenter ants and now we are preparing to be invaded by spiders. There is a spider (I think) that is weaving a tight cocoonlike web on the tops of small trees. The webs are filled with little black specks that appear to be eggs. They started appearing a week ago and are popping up along the Gunflint Trail and possibly across the county for all I know. I don’t get off the trail very often.
The alleged spiders may not become a natural phenomenon like the Asian beetle, army worm, or the “friendly fly” but I am hoping they are significant enough to merit an equally impressive name. I will see what I can find out about them or else make something up for you next week.
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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