Although there weren’t a lot of fish caught on Gunflint Lake at the Cook County Ridge Riders Trout Derby on Sunday, March 13, the ones caught and entered in the contest were decent sized this year. Those in attendance also enjoyed spending the day under bright blue skies next to a roaring, ice-melting, bonfire. Winning first and second place were Brian Schroeder (left) with a 7.1 pounder and Dan Childs with a 6.7-pound trout. Nice fish guys!
Jon at Buck’s has this report for the week of March 14:
As you can probably tell, the fishing has slowed considerably. People are finding it tough but if you’re still driven to go out you might be able to convince a few fish to bite.
Birch Lake is one place you can try. Jigs and/ or spoons tipped with a minnow might get those lakers to bite. Head down deep though, 45 to 60 feet. Duncan Lake might show you some fish in 35 to 50 feet or so. Again try spoons tipped with minnows. Moss Lake is one more you can try in that same depth, 35 to 50 feet.
For rainbows or splake (depending on the lake) I’d suggest the old standbys. You can head up to Kimball with small spoons and waxies and fish in 12 to 20 feet of water. Or you can go to Mink and try in about the same depth. Esther Lake reported a little action as well using ice jigs and waxies in about 20 feet of water.
Tim at Holiday reports that he has heard no good reports from local lakes. But at Northern Light Lake, just across the border from Sag, the whitefish are biting.
Don Roberts brought in one of the first fish of the day. His trout was 2.4 pounds, not too small, but small enough to win the “boobie prize”—a box of steaks!
Ready for a fish fry, the day’s catch was on display at the Trout Derby. From right to left: Schroeder and Child’s first and second place fish, along with Loretta Kloster’s 5.11 pounder; Dwight Moe’s 4.5 pound fish; John “Twinkie” Burnett’s 5.1 pound trout; Eric Plummer 3.3 ounce trout and Robert’s 2.4 pound prize winner.
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