Water temperatures in the Ely area are heating up along with fishing

[Lee Borgersen]

5/28/2010 7:42:00 PM   
 
BIGGEST KEPT - The 8 lb. 1 oz. walleye hit a Rapala for Ed Kangas, Ely and was registered at Great Outdoors.
 
Water temps, action heats up

by Nick Wognum

Water temperatures in the Ely area are heating up and along with warmer lakes, we have better fishing. Anglers are reporting better mornings and early evenings than mid-days, but after a slow opener, things are really starting to pick up.

Picking up some big pike was a way to substitute for sleepy walleyes and we had some dandies registered in the North Country Angler fishing contest.

Leading the way was a 17 lb. 5 oz. White Iron pike caught by Matt Lakomek, Westfield, IN who entered his fish at Silver Rapids Lodge.

Same lake chain but this time it was Farm Lake that gave up a 13 lb. 8 oz. northern for Megan Miller, Hartville, OH who entered the contest at Spirit of the Wilderness.

Also patrolling Farm Lake and landing a nice pike, this one weighing 12 lb. 3 oz. was Bill Lovitz, Sauk Rapids, MN who filled out entry forms at Silver Rapids Lodge.

Shagawa Lake gave up an 11 lb. 2 oz. northern pike for John Bednarski, Ashtobula, OH with the registration made at Babe's Bait & Tackle.

Basswood Lake has been picking up for walleyes and a big one came in from Ed Kangas of Ely who stopped in at the Great Outdoors after a trip to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness to register an 8 lb. 1 oz. walleye.

At the end of Fernberg and reeling in a 7 lb. 3 oz. Lake One walleye was William Kennedy, Santa Clara, CA. The entry came to us via Spirit of the Wilderness.

Don't forget about Little Long Lake, with its convenient public access just up the Echo Trail aways. Dan Hackey of Embarrass caught a 5 lb. 1 oz. walleye fishing in Little Long and swung by Skube's Bait & Tackle on his way home.

It's getting to be the right time to go after lake trout, and you'd be hard pressed to find a prettier and more productive lake on the edge of the BWCAW than Snowbank.

Ely's Sharon Lassila knows where to fish Snowbank and how to catch a 14 lb. 8 oz. laker that was registered in the contest at Great Outdoors.

Also on Snowbank, Kevin Klugow, Amery, WI caught a nice eight pounder and pulled into Smitty's on Snowbank to fill out an entry form.

The Portinen family has been fishing Basswood for generations and this past week was a good example of their abilities. In the Catch and Release division, the father-son team of Dennis (29-inch) and Brian (24-inch) put back a pair of monster 'eyes in Basswood with the entry forms filled out at Babe's Bait & Tackle.

Another 29-inch release was reported, this one in Farm Lake by Michael Milligan, Minneapolis who stopped in at Silver Rapids Lodge.

Another Basswood release, this one a 28.5 incher was put back by Mike Stoddard, Bloomington, MN who registered the release at Packsack Canoe Trips.

The Hoff family was also in the catch and release mode, while fishing White Iron, Kevin Hoff of Blaine put back a 28.5 inch walleye while Sandy Hoff of Inver Grove Heights released a 23.5 inch fish. Both entries came in from Voyageur North Outfitters.

A monster 42.5 inch northern pike was put back into Burntside by Cari Ewert, New Brighton, MN, entry from Voyageur North Outfitters and Gavin Blauch of Ely released a 32-inch pike in Farm Lake and filled out the paperwork at Moose Track Adventures.

Two new members of the 20-inch club for bass, releasing a 20.5 inch bass in Farm was Steve Danay Jr., Milan, IL (Moose Track Adventures) and putting back a 20.25-inch White Iron bass was Ben Wissler, W DesMoines, IA, who entered at Silver Rapids Lodge.

Bass will hit crawlers now and it's not a bad bait option for pike and walleyes as well. Remember to keep moving if fishing slows down and don't be afraid to get on the water early or stay late, as long as your boat has the required lighting on board.

Good luck!

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