I am usually the first one to admit that I have done something less than brilliant, therefore I have granted myself permission to mention other people’s moments as well. While motoring out of the narrows on Saganaga Lake we came upon a gentleman oaring his motor boat. We stopped and asked if we could help and he replied, “I just rowed all the way from the big lake in the waves because my motor stopped running.”
I am no mechanic, but there was a brand new Honda outboard on the back of the boat and they are not known for having problems. The guy was a little bit older but seemed to be in fair shape considering how long he had been paddling. I glanced over his motor and continued a courteous conversation to confirm that he was actually fine.
After concluding his only ailment was being mildly aggravated, I pushed our boat away from his and said to him, “Hook the lanyard back up to the kill switch and enjoy the rest of your day.”
He looked down to see the red safety lanyard dangling from his life vest and a simultaneous look of relief and dismay took over his face as he realized his mistake.
“Don’t feel too bad, we have all done worse,” I told him as we waved goodbye.
The fishing has been pretty good with the big winds this week. The walleyes are hitting leeches and crawlers and can be found in 4-12 feet of water. If the wind is cranking, the walleyes are going to be shallow. Jigs and crawlers seem to work better on windy days in the 1/8 ounce variety. The less wind, the less weight.
When the daisies are knee high, the hawg walleyes should be moving out to the reefs and rock piles. I have been trying a few of my favorite reefs this week with no luck. The Northern Light anglers have been catching fish on the reefs already, and the Saganaga walleyes should be on the humps very soon as well. When walleyes travel out of the bays on the hunt, it can be some of the year’s best fishing. On Saganaga Lake they are looking for herring but will eat anything that moves.
Slip-bobbers are the preferred method for catching walleye on the reefs. Anchoring the boat correctly is the most important ingredient to being successful. Too close to the spot and you will spook the fish, too far and the bobbers are not in the strike-zone. Practice makes perfect and using an anchor off of the bow and stern will help keep your boat from swinging around.
For those of you who have been asking, Bo and Rachelle are both doing fine. Grandma Judy is staying on the Trail this month to help out while I am guiding. I forgot to mention before that Bo weighed in at 7 pounds 11 ounces, same weight as his older sister. Rachelle and I are beginning to settle into a routine around the house, which is difficult with two young children. This has been an incredibly busy month for our family so it is nice to create a more comforting pace. Life can happen too fast if you do not slow down occasionally to enjoy 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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