Where are the fish biting?

Above: David Witte of Lutsen caught this nice 12-pound lake trout.

Tyson at the Beaver House said walleye action is picking up on Two Island, Elbow, and Crescent lakes on Beaver Flick spoons, Beaver Flicks and leeches.

The rainbow trout bite slowed down a little on Mink, Kimball, and Trout lakes but when you do fish for them, use crawlers and Beaver Flicks, Little Cleos and floats with a crawler. A 2-pound rainbow was caught on Mink Lake off the fishing platform last week, added Tyson.

Lake Superior lake trout can be found at 120- to 130-foot depths on Beaver Flick spoons, blue and white or blue and silver and chartreuse. A few salmon are being caught from 50 feet up to the surface. Anglers are catching coaster lake trout at the mouths of the Cascade, Temperance, and Polar rivers using Little Cleos and Beaver Flick spoons.

Smallmouth bass and northern are doing well on Devil Track and Two Island lakes.

Northern are biting on Elbow and Loon lakes.

Captain Kelly Shepard of North Shore Outdoors Lake Superior Charters reports that lake trout are scattered from 200-foot to 150-foot depths. Lake Superior’s surface temp has cooled in the upper 40 degrees. No salmon showing up as of yet but should be soon.

Left: Dale Gervais, Maplewood, found the sunfish to be a lot bigger in Cook County than in the Twin City metro lakes.

Some walleyes are being found inland in the 12-foot depth range.

Forrest Parson, Hungry Jack Lodge, said the walleye bite has slowed down due to the mayfly hatch. Smallmouth bass also aren’t biting as frequently as they have been, said Forrest, adding the smallmouth lately haven’t seemed hungry.

Leo Lake, however, is still producing lots of rainbow trout trolling or still fishing with a crawler.

Buck’s Big Fish Contest is approaching fast. Time to scout your favorite hotspot that holds any number of enormous fish and make plans to catch a lunker between the dates of July 29 and Aug. 5.

There are six categories you can enter: lake trout, brook trout, salmon, walleye, bass, and northern.

Remember, you must have a Fisherman’s Picnic button to enter your catch any time during the contest. The final deadline is noon, Aug. 5 to weigh your big fish at Buck’s Hardware Hank in Grand Marais for the tournament.