Ice fishing got a little tougher this week on Gunflint Lake, but I am not complaining. A few fish a day is still better than getting skunked and we have at least been managing to do that. The reports have been about the same all over the lake from a few different groups of anglers enjoying the warm weather. Warm for January that is.
Some would argue, but I find it entertaining to watch all of the activity on Gunflint Lake while fishing for lake trout on the west end. First, the buzz of augers and snowmobiles is heard in the distance as anglers prepare their spots in the early morning. Then, sled dogs howl from the lodge eager to run the trails and down the lake while hikers and skiers make their way across the lake taking full advantage of the solid terrain. Gunflint offers a little bit of everything for everyone.
I took the “G” trail to Gunflint Lake from our house and it is certainly seeing a lot of use. Five different groups passed me on the way home which may not sound like a big deal, but it is the first five groups I have seen on the upper trail all year. The groomer spent some time prepping the trail for the upcoming John Beargrease sled dog race, but after this busy weekend they may have to touch it up again before the race.
There is about 12-16 inches of ice on Gunflint Lake, which should be safe enough for vehicles, and a gutsy Blazer that broke trail from the public landing to Heston’s Point today proved that. I thought they would get stuck in a drift but the snow base is not very thick on the lake, and they had momentum on their side. I am sure the public landing was a little dicey but it appeared they made it through without any trouble. I was hoping someone would have plowed a road onto the lake this year, but no such luck.
November was colder than December and January, making this winter seem very long and it isn’t even February yet. (I just named four months in one sentence.) My goal was to get the new ice shack on Loon Lake last week but the groomers also cleared a trail for the mushers that comes directly off of the public landing. Plowing a road would have messed up their nice trail, so instead I decided to wait until we get back from vacation to put it on the ice.
Hopefully we do not get too much snow before we return, but a little would be nice!
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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