The greatest attribute of sweltering summer heat is that lake temperatures have finally warmed enough for a fair-tempered I-wegian like myself to enjoy. Swimming does not appeal to me until sometime in August when the lake water is warm enough to dive off the dock without freezing my tail off. It is a short season for us warm water swimmers, and Devil Track Lake is currently perfect for an evening dip after closing the restaurant.
Summer heat also affects how the fish behave and is often referred to as, “the mid-summer slump.” Admittedly, fish are harder to find and coerce into biting on hot days, but they also require a lot of calories to keep up with a higher metabolism rate which mean, fish will eat more each day and fight harder to get away when they are caught— especially the smallies.
Some of the rock pile walleyes we are catching have rake marks on them from narrowly escaping the jaws of northern pike.
This time of year, I find larger forage inside the bellies of walleyes, northern pike, and bass. Lately, the bass and northern bellies are full of crayfish on Saganaga Lake, while the walleyes are mostly eating dwarf herring, yellow perch, and a variety of minnows. Big fish require big forage in order to meet the necessary calories, and the best time for big walleyes to feed is during the evening hours when they have a sight advantage over their prey – especially during the full moon cycle.
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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