Cook County News Herald

Where are the fish biting?





Isaiah Schmidt of Indianapolis, Indiana was one happy fisherman after he reeled in this 22-pound, 4-ounce lake trout. Schmidt caught the lunker lake trout in front of the Grand Marais harbor when he was fishing with Captain Kelly Shepard of North Shore Outdoors Lake Superior Charters. A true sportsman, Schmidt released the lake trout right after the photo was taken.

Isaiah Schmidt of Indianapolis, Indiana was one happy fisherman after he reeled in this 22-pound, 4-ounce lake trout. Schmidt caught the lunker lake trout in front of the Grand Marais harbor when he was fishing with Captain Kelly Shepard of North Shore Outdoors Lake Superior Charters. A true sportsman, Schmidt released the lake trout right after the photo was taken.

James Heddon, a beekeeper, is credited with inventing the first artificial fishing lure made of wood in the late 1890s. Of course James didn’t invent the first lure. According to the New World Encyclopedia, the Chinese and Egyptians used fishing rods, hooks, and lines as early as 2,000 B.C.E. Hooks, strong and thin, were made from bronze. Fishing line was spun from silk. Lures were made from bone and bronze. It definitely took some planning to go fishing way, way back in the day.

Today we have surface lures (waddlers, poppers, fizzers), spoons, plugs (called crank baits by some), spinner baits, artificial flies and soft plastic lures. New lures are being invented all of the time. Whether or not fish have gotten smarter since the first lures were thrown at them can’t be known, but advances in fishing lures, fishing line, poles and techniques have improved. We can thank James Heddon and many others for making fishing the great sport it is today. Now for the local fishing report.

Tyson at the Beaver House said, walleyes are biting on Two Island, Elbow, Two Island, Devil Track, Lichen, Seagull, Saganaga, Gunflint and Crescent lakes on Beaver Flicks or Beaver House float rigs and leeches.

As the air temperatures have heated up, fishing may have heated up even more. Lake Superior is offering up quite a few nice lake trout, said Tyson. Trout are being caught from the surface down to 130 feet on Beaver Flick spoons, blue and white or blue and silver and chartreuse colored spoons. Some lake trout have even been picked up as deep as 200 feet. Tyson reports that lake trout in the 20-pound range have been caught in the big lake.

Lake Superior’s water temperatures are hovering in the 50-degree range. Both coho and chinook salmon are being caught from 80 feet up to the surface. Coaster lake trout are being caught at the mouths of the Cascade, Temperance and Polar rivers, as well as from Artist Point and other Lake Superior points using little Cleos, KO Wobblers and Beaver Flick spoons.

Rainbow trout are still biting on Kimball and Mink lakes, added Tyson.

Forrest Parson at Hungry Jack Lodge reported that the smallmouth bass bite is still on. Bass were running in the 18- to 19-inch range.

Walleyes are being caught off the docks with a bobber, leech and jig.

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

Captain Kelly Shepard of North Shore Outdoors Lake Superior Charters said fishing for lake trout and salmon on Lake Superior has picked up and fishing is great. Shepard said lake trout are scattered from 300 feet to the surface. Flat lining spoons are working well. The water temperature is about 48 degrees, he said. Blue and purple spoons have been working well to catch fish. Each day more salmon can be found. Overall, fishing is top-notch, added Shepard.

Stream fishing Brook trout are being caught in most streams. If you want a lot of action, try walking a hundred yards or so up or down most streams from the point that they cross roads. Most fishermen are fishing near the culverts. Not a lot of people are beating the brush to get to where the brook trout fishing is really good. A little effort should yield some great results. Brook trout caught in the 8- to 12-inch inch range from small streams are considered stellar.


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