What are your summer plans?

[iceman16]

this year i only got one tripped planned and that is last weekend in may and into june. goin to nester falls. trying to take my grandpa into one last trip but he is gettin old and who knows if he will be able to make it. havent been up there sence sept 2001 and got caught in line at the boarder for 5 hours after the attacks on sept. 11. cant wait went there many times as a kid and made great memories cant wait to get back. hopefully making another trip up for ice fishing next year after new years got to see if i can get some vacation time. good luck to everyone that heads north of the boarder!!!!!

iceman

[Hawks]

Fishhooks,

I will be fishing Minnitaki out of Pickeral Arm Camps June 7-8. Last year, fishing was extremely slow during this week. We fished down by Abrahm's Chute and made our way back to Moonlight Falls. Not too much luck other than a fluke 20" Smallie of all things. Any advice for finding some Walleye on Minnitaki? I have a nice map of the lake, it just seems that the fish are a little harder to find. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

The morning of the 9th, we fly out to Springpole (10th annual trip there). We are always able to find fish here, but we know the lake so well.

June can't come fast enough!

-Hawks

[Finns]

Hey Hawks; We'll be across the trees from you on the 9th. We go into Birch on the 4th and out the 11th.

[Fishook]

Hawks: Our week last year a Pickeral Arm was probably the poorest in the 19 years we have been going there. We have had good luck in the Arm at both Moonlight and across from moonlight in front of the river mouth. The narrows have produced fairly well. Our group spends most of our time outside the Arm. We like Southwest Bay and East Bay. If you have a good map, the Goldmine just past Windy Jims has always been a good Walleye area. We rarely fish for big pike but always seem to tie into some nice ones just working for the wallies. Good Luck on your fly in. I am betting this year will be a good one. Maybe we will see you when you fly back to Camp. Our group will be in the VIP on top of the hill.

[Hawks]

Finns,

We have talked about making the portage from Springpole to Birch for years. When the water is high, we are almost able to make our way to birch through Cromartie Lake...we go through several rapids, but the final set has been impassable.

We might have to give it a shot this year. Sounds like the water may be up after a good winter.

Do you have any luck with Lakers on Birch? We caught a couple on Springpole last year fishing for Walleyes, but I would like to better understand how to target Lakers specifically...they are awesome on the grill! Any advice on how to catch Lakers early (June 8-12) would be appreciated.

Birch appears to be a huge body of water. What are your typical tactics for the Walleyes? If I remember right, you told me last year that you had a hard time catching small enough eyes to keep.

Stay in touch. Good Luck!

-Hawks

[Hawks]

Fishhooks--

Thanks for the advice on Minitaki. I hope the bite is on this year. Last year, Lee mentioned that the bite was unusually slow and I know that all of the fisherman at PAC were baffled by the lack of Eyes.

What type of presentation do you use for eyes on Minitaki? We primarily jigged and I wonder if we should have tried some lindy rigs. Also, are you usually fishing deeper for the eyes? We started shallower (7-15ft) and maybe should have tried some 20-30ft. areas. We also spent a lot of time in the current areas since this is where we catch all of our Hawgs on Springpole...much different body of water though.

Well, thanks again for your advice. Can't wait to head North!

-Hawks

[Finns]

Hawks; For lakers we troll the quiet, calm bays dragging fat raps or similar fat plugs. Also jigged heavy spoons or jigs in the bays. Odd thing was that if we marked and caught fish in deep water they were northerns.

The walleyes are where the wind is as a rule. Last year (04) was tough for the walleyes.

[NELS-BELLS]

Heading up to Pickeral Arm Camp in early Aug. with my Dad and 2 brother in laws. From there they fly us into Fawcett Lake. This will be my first fly in trip. Has anyone been to this lake? I know there are walleyes and northerns, but are there any smallmouth bass or lake trout in this lake?

Nels

[Hawks]

Nels,

I fished Fawcett two years ago through Pickeral Arm Camps. You are in for a good time and are staying at PAC's nicest outpost cabin. This will be the third season for it.

As for the fishing, we caught TONS of walleyes off the first point to the right looking off the dock. Start shallow and drag your jigs down and you can catch fish all day off that point. Northerns are everywhere, lots of reeds and cabbage to find them in. We fished the first week of June and did catch one laker while walleye fishing. You will no doubt have to fish a little deeper in August to find these guys. No Smallies in Fawcett, wish there were.

You are in for an awesome time...too bad it is so far off!!! My trip is 6 weeks away, heading to Springpole which is up river from Fawcett. I'll let you know how we do.

-Hawks

[NELS-BELLS]

Hawks- thanks for the info. I can't wait!!! Its going to be a long 3 months, 10 days, and 14 hours before I get there.

Nels

[midwesthunter]

Heading up to lac seul towards the end of June. We are staying at Mahkwa Lodge. We will probably hit Vaughn pretty hard and then some other spots he have done well previous years. Im not sure how high the water is this year but if it is high enough I wouldnt mind going to Grassy for some smallmouth.

[CodyDawg]

Midwest,

I have been going to Mahkwa a long time. I have always wanted to catch a few smallies, but we can never seem to find any concentration of them....though we dont try that hard. Have you caught quite a few in grassy? Any info you could share would be great. Oh, by the way, we will be up there June 3-8 this year, so I can tell you about the water level. Right now, it is pretty high.

[midwesthunter]

I've only been to Grassy a couple times but both times we did catch a decent amount of smallies. Any time you can find moving water, then you have a good chance of catching them, even if it is just the wind pushing water through a narrowing. I think we were using shad raps but it wasa few years ago. We never did weigh the smallies but the two biggest ones were around 5 lbs, give or take.

[backlash 1]

Heading up to Souix Lookout June 18-24. Camping at Abram lake park. Have a guide hired for the 19th & 20th on Lac Seul and Minitaki. Have been there a few years ago so it should be a good time.

[Double D]

Reading this post is killing me, have gone up to Dog Lake north of Thunder Bay the last few years and just can't get anyone together to go this year. All set for next year again though, if my brother can quit repopulating the earth.

Has anyone else ever been up that way? We had a great trip each time we have gone.

DD