Where are the fish biting?

Overheard, a young boy telling his father fishing jokes at a tackle shop. “What is the definition of a surgeon on vacation? A fishing dock.

“Why is it so easy to weigh fish? Because they have their own scales.” On that note, the father and son laughed their way out of the shop to what was hopefully a great fishing adventure. A great moment to witness. Now it’s time to stop kidding around and get to the fishing report.

Tyson at the Beaver House said walleyes are being caught at Two Island, Elbow, Devil Track, Ball Club, Seagull, Sag and Crescent lakes on Beaver Flicks or Beaver House float rigs off the bottom.

In the daytime, the fish are found in 19-20 feet deep and evening in 6-8 feet. Anglers are using pink and chartreuse spoons with leeches, minnows, and night crawlers.

Lake Superior fishing for lake trout is still good, said Tyson. Lake trout are biting from the surface down to 120 feet on Beaver Flick spoons. He suggests using blue and white or blue and silver spoons. Other colors for spoons that work to attract trout are chartreuse and watermelon.

Pink salmon are in the rivers, said Tyson. Fishermen have caught pinks at Cascade, Poplar and Brule rivers using Beaver Flicks with a piece of night crawler, or on yarn balls.

Two Island, Hungry Jack, Bearskin, and Devil Track lakes are giving up smallmouth bass. An angler reported catching a nice meal of bass and northern from Seagull Lake, Tyson said.

The fall run of steelhead has begun. A steelhead was caught in the Brule River. They can’t be kept and must be returned to the water, but they are fun to catch.

Rainbow trout are still biting on Mink and Kimball lakes from shore.

Brook and rainbow trout are doing well on all area streams, said Tyson. Two streams to try are Kadunce and Brule rivers. Tyson suggests using night crawlers and orange or pink Beaver Flicks.

Forrest Parson from Hungry Jack Lodge reports the smallmouth bass are still biting. He suggests using artificial baits fixed with leeches and crawlers. Bass are being caught in the 16- to 19-inch range. Walleye fishing has also been good. Anglers have best luck fishing just at dark on rock ledges using Lindy rigs and spinners with leeches or crawlers, said Forrest.

Leo Lake is still producing lots of rainbows, said Forrest. There are a few grouse around and finding them will get better when the foliage goes away, he added.

Captain Kelly Shepard of North Shore Outdoors Lake Superior Charters reports that lake trout are scattered anywhere from the surface to 120 feet on the big lake. Flatlining spoons or Dipsy Divers and spoons are working well fixed to lead core line. Shepard suggests using spoons colored gold, purple, orange, and watermelon. He noted that a few coho salmon are being caught and are mixed in with lots of small pink salmon.

Inland, Shepard said walleye were being caught on jigs and minnows or crawlers in 8-foot depths and 15- to 18-foot depths depending on the lake. The water is starting to turn over as the cool weather in fall has begun, he added.