We returned to the Gunflint Trail this week from vacationing in Iowa, and were greeted with a beautiful sunny day. The wonderfully warm trend this season has allowed me to accomplish a lot more than I am accustomed to—which means more time for hunting deer. The last couple of deer seasons have been disappointing enough for me to focus on... READ MORE >
There have been a number of moose sightings this week on the Gunflint Trail. On my last day of guiding on Saganaga Lake, we saw two young bulls wandering through the marsh near Seagull Creek. They were quietly feeding on swamp grass until disturbed by the vehicles who stopped for a look. Bulls are more cautious around humans than the... READ MORE >
The lingering fall has become so nice that I simply refuse to recognize how unusual it is to still be fishing comfortably from a boat. Alright, relatively comfortable, not every day has been a gem this week but you will not hear me complaining about a few cold days in October. As nice as it has been, I am not... READ MORE >
After soaking in the beautiful weather last week it is going to be difficult complaining about what comes next. Unusual weather is often followed by big winds that blow the abnormal system away, and those winds came today with tree-stripping force and rain. Judging by the creaking house with each gust of wind, our peak color change is going to... READ MORE >
Fall fishing is hard to beat. The action is great, the scenery is spectacular, and nary a boat in sight. Of course there is always a chance of fog, freezing rain, snow, violent wind, and highs in the mid-30s (sometimes in the same day) otherwise it has become my favorite time of year to be living on the Gunflint Trail.... READ MORE >
The first real cold front of the season snuck through leaving a glistening sunrise of frost-covered ground in its wake. Chilly mornings are par for the fall and are usually accompanied by fog in the valleys until the sun makes an appearance and melts it all away. Water temperatures on Saganaga dropped to the low 60s causing fish to descend... READ MORE >
While reflecting over my busiest season of guiding anglers on Saganaga Lake it seems the summer has passed by too quickly. Our children are maturing even faster than the seasons and I realize how important it is to make time each week for my family whenever possible—despite a hectic schedule. This week we were fortunate enough to visit our cabin... READ MORE >
According to my calendar another bittersweet finale of open-water fishing is approaching— despite the recent trend of beautiful weather. A person could get used to 80-degree days in the middle of September, even if it does mean an occasional big wind or blood-curdling explosions of thunder at 3 a.m. The inevitable cold weather in our future will make fishing tough... READ MORE >
It was an exciting holiday weekend of wild storms packed with lightning and high winds that blew through the evening hours and into the next day. Big lightning and loud thunder typically shut down the bite for a few days, and the Labor Day storm would prove no different. Walleyes and bass were biting great prior to the violent weather,... READ MORE >
September is upon us and the third holiday of the summer, Labor Day, will mark the “beginning of the end” for visitors on the Gunflint Trail. Soon the leaves start showing signs of autumn as we slip into the next season. Until last week’s major rain, Saganaga’s lake level had been dropping faster than I can remember seeing before. The... READ MORE >
