Looper Fishing...

[HD]

I can see me now...looper fishing in the Lester river this spring....

[mike89]

that would be a rush if ya fell and went rolling down river!!!!   

[glenn57]

Hell, that's what boobers gonna look like on Norway opener!!!

[Leech~~]

I can see me now...looper fishing in the Lester river this spring....

Heck, is there any Looper's left?  I thought they quit hatching them? I have not tried them in years because I was only getting a few about every 4th trip up. 

[Reinhard]

I think there will be some loopers around for the next 3 years or so due to prior stockings.  Then there will be all steelhead again.  I fish for them through the end of May in the late spring years north of Grand Marias.  I was surprised at the number of loopers even caught that far up the north shore since they were stocked mainly in the south part of the shoreline.  Loopers and steelhead are already starting to show up in some rivers [mainly the southern streams on the shore] then as the season goes on the mid and upper shore streams start to have fish come in.  We get more and more lake run brookies also which we release always.  My brother caught one 5 years ago that weighed 5 pounds that he mounted.  Fish of a lifetime.  My brother is already fishing the rivers and want's me to come up.  I will go the week after next during the weekdays not weekends.  There are small streams that hardly get touched and we are the only one's fishing them it seems.  Don't forget McQuade boat landing also where loopers come in.  People fish there off the rocks and docks.  Two Harbors breakwall can be good also for lakers and coho salmon.  good luck.

[Reinhard]

Talked to my brother today.  Rivers are open but the water is running fast and that's expected this time of the year.  What is not expected is that they are open as much as they are this time of the year.  So I won't be going up until maybe the week after this depending what my brother say's.  Hopefully the DNR will allow a limit of at least one steelhead in the near future.  They are 100% better to eat than loopers.  I usually brine and smoke loopers.  But if you get a smaller one around 4 pounds or so they can be good on the grill.  good luck.

[Reinhard]

Just got off the phone with my brother.  He was at the Stewart River up the shore.  Most of the mouths of the steams are open now.  Sometimes it takes just a few day's or overnight for things to change.  He saw two guy's get each a looper which were around 4 pounds each.  Should be good eating.  That was at Lester River.  While at the Stewart River he saw two trout roll.  If you fish steelhead you will see this at times.  He was unable to hook up with any today, which does happen at times especially this early.  Still early.  He was using hand tied spawn bags.  Soon he will use White or orange yarn the size of a dime tied on a hook with a waxie which works real good when they are aggressive. Caught my biggest one on that presentation at 8 pounds.  I released that one.  So rain is on the menu Monday and Tuesday up there so I won't go up till the week after next.  Why, because the water is still a little too high.  My brother lives there and he and I have fished these steams since the late 60's.  He is a die hard and doesn't care about the conditions.  Can't wait to get up there.  good luck,