Fishing is the berries right now

[Lee Borgersen]

Fishing is the berries right now

by Nick Wognum/ Ely Echo

With the fish hitting, water temps in the 70s and berries ripe, getting outside to enjoy the Ely area is a no-brainer.

We wrapped up the second section of the 2010 North Country Angler fishing contest and in that last batch of entries was the top bass.

John Green of Spooner, WI claimed one of the $25 prizes with his 5 lb. Fall Lake bass registered at Babe's Bait & Tackle.

That wasn't the only monster bass to come in, we also had another Fall Lake smallmouth, this one going 4 lb. 9 oz. for Thomas Gifford, Gatlinburg, TN who stopped in at Spirit of the Wilderness.

There were some other very nice fish as well, including a 14 lb. northern pike taken out of Birch Lake by Brian Dockwell, Ely who gave his information to Babe's Bait & Tackle.

We had a 7 lb. lake trout out of Burntside registered at Babe's Bait & Tackle by Steve Smith, Dallas, TX. Downriggers seem to be the hot tool on Burntside right now.

Burntside is also a great lake to pick berries and local pickers tell us the blueberries are ripe and ready. Be sure to bring bug spray along and/or a head net. And if you get too hot picking berries, leave your bucket on shore and dive in the lake to cool off!

Water temps have been in the mid-70s as summer is in full force right now. It's great swimming weather in addition to fishin' and berry pickin' in the North Country.

Top walleye of the week went 8 lb. 14 oz. out of White Iron for Dave Harris, Severna Park, MD who registered his catch at Voyageur North Outfitters.

Fishing on Eagles Nest and reeling in an 8 lb. walleye was Don Fries, Crestwood, KY who entered the contest at Skube's Bait & Tackle.

In this week's Catch & Release entries. we had a 22-inch bass put back in Basswood by Samuel R. Howell, Lexington, KY who stopped in to enter at Spirit of the Wilderness.

Bear Island was the hot lake for the Fallos family of Nashwauk, MN as Kurt released a 26.5 inch and Peggy put back a 26-inch walleye. Entries came in from Timber Wolf Lodge.

The second section ended on July 19. Winners who will receive $25 checks were:

WALLEYE

10-2 Burntside Nick Nielsen, Greenfield, MN Babe's Bait & Tackle

NORTHERN PIKE

19-9 S Kawishiwi Kyler Zimmerman, Lime Springs, IA Spirit of the Wilderness

Lake TROUT

13-8 Burntside Dave Kirkman, Orono, MN Voyageur North Outfitters

BASS

5-0 Fall John Green, Spooner, WI Babe's Bait & Tackle