Where are the fish biting?

Why are walleye called walleye? Isn’t that a strange name for a fish?

Walleye, who feed primarily at dusk or dawn, have what are called pearlescent eyes. This type of sight is caused by a reflective layer of a pigment called the tapetum lucidum, which helps them see at night or in murky water.

Then why aren’t they called tapetum lucidum pearlescent-eyed fish? My guess is that it was easier to call them walleye.

With the mayfly hatch in full swing, walleye have been harder to catch, but when netted, caught and cleaned, it’s apparent that they have gorged on mayflies. The hatch is about over and walleye will soon crave minnows, leeches, and night crawlers. That’s the hope, anyway.

Here is the local fishing report, complete with pearlescent-eyed fish.

Tyson at the Beaver House said walleyes are being caught on Devil Track, Two Island, Elbow, Seagull, Gunflint, Sag and Crescent lakes. If you want to increase your chances of catching walleye, Tyson advises you use Beaver Flick spoons and Beaver Flicks and leeches. Both can be purchased at the Beaver House.

Plying Mink, Kimball and Trout lakes using crawlers and Beaver Flicks, Little Cleos and floats with a crawler can stir up some action with rainbow trout, mused Tyson.

Lake Superior lake trout are being caught in 170-foot depth on Beaver Flick blue and white spoons or blue and silver and chartreuse spoons. Coaster lake trout are being caught at the mouths of the Cascade, Temperance and Poplar rivers using Little Cleos and Beaver Flick spoons.

Fishermen who have been chasing smallmouth bass and northern are having some luck on Devil Track, Two Island, Poplar, Bearskin and Hungry Jack lakes.

Brook trout are being caught in most North Shore streams on everything from flies to Beaver Flicks hooked with night crawlers. Favorite streams include Cascade, Brule, Elbow, Kimball, Devil Track and Temperance rivers.

Captain Kelly Shepard of North Shore Outdoors Lake Superior Charters reports that limits of lake trout are being caught in the 170- to 130-foot depths using flashers and flies or Beaver Flick spoons. Some salmon have been showing up, reports Shepard, adding that watermelon-colored spoons are working best to catch salmon.

Shepard said he has been catching walleyes on Two Island Lake using Beaver Flicks, or jigs with leeches, or leeches and bobber. Shepard suggests fishing late afternoon and evening.