The only pitfall to the first weekend of beautiful spring weather, is the annual responsibility of removing an entire winter’s worth of excess stuff from our home, while cleaning areas that only get attention once a year. The brighter side of this annual commitment, at least this year, is that we have a few more weeks to have some outdoor fun with our kids before the grind of guide season begins.
This week the Gunflint Trail has undergone an amazing transformation from 90 percent snow coverage to 10 percent with lakes showing at least 10 feet of open water along their shorelines. Rivers are flowing, even raging, and the remaining ice has turned black and spongy as it becomes victim to the bright sun.
The anticipation of open water weighs heavy on my mind, and the arduous process of uncovering and potentially repairing our fleet of boats begins—that is, once the spring cleaning is complete.
Oblivious to the family project taking place nearby, a resident red squirrel has been working off our wiener dog’s excess winter weight, with the determined motivation of a physical trainer. It is pretty entertaining for us to watch, and we like to think of them as playful friends, even though our dog would rip the squirrel apart if she was agile enough to actually get a hold of it.
I have seen a number of ruffed grouse along the roadside since the snow has melted, and one lynx ran across the road near the Gunflint Lake area, but no bears. I am sure the bears will be coming out of rest soon with a big appetite to fill when they wake in order to replenish the weight lost from a winter of dieting—unlike myself.
There has also been a cow and calf moose duo loitering on the Sag Lake Trail (County Road 11), mopping up any excess salt on the gravel road while anticipating the melting of the ice-covered swamps, and it appears they will not have long to wait. The infamous moose pond on County Road 81 is very close to opening up, and has long been a popular feeding area for moose, and a great place to wait for a photo opportunity.
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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