How are conditions up on the Manitou?

[Hiddenbay]

The big lake also has bays that continue to produce huge numbers of fish. A few years ago my brother and I fished the stretch and big lake and caught at least 300 large bass. The trip of a life time. They are all still swimming.

[SimilarIsland]

I only have one Musky lure, a Perch colored 10" jointed True Believer. I'm guessing the Manitou water will be super clear in late June when I'm there. I would guess I'd be better off with a more natural colored bait to troll. I hate to spend too much, but what would be your top two choices for that time of year? I have a bunch of 7" Rapalas in several depths. How does a Suick differ from a Believer?

[Hiddenbay]

The lures you have do work well. The most productive lure to date for us up there is the 9 inch Phantom. You cast this lure and jerk it back in. Black and prisim color works the best. Also White Fish patterns are effective. Depth Raiders and Mepps 7 Giant Killers with bucktails have also worked well. Knowing where you are staying I would cast the Phantom or Giant Killer in those bays close to your camp and the bays in Esox. If you want to see at least a good follow up then get that map I told you about and then go to the back of Mirror Bay in Esox. There is a small island back there that you should cast around. You will have a good chance at seeing one of these Musky. Canoe Bay is also good. That time of year go to the back of these bays and work the shorelines. You will kill the bass at the drop offs with surface baits and see and may hook a big Musky. When you see the rocky islands in those bays stop and cast the Phantom around them. I would also make sure to cast those bays south of where you are staying. I always look for where trees have fallen in the water over deep water.

You are lucky that you are located close to Esox. That is one hell of a lake. One last thing, make sure to cast around the enterance to Esox on both the shallow side and deep side where you have to lift your engine. There are giants swimming around there. Cast that Phantom and hold on.

[SimilarIsland]

Thanks, just got back from Cabela's. Guess I'll be "forced" to go back. Got a 10" Gold Suick w/black stripes and a 9" Black backed Grandma w/Hologram sides.

Our group should be back today. Can't wait to see how they did.

Ever have any luck in Peep Bay?

[Hiddenbay]

I have fished Peep Bay many times. I would cast around the drop offs at the enterance for Pike and Musky. After entering the bay turn right and go to the back. You will go through a narrows then stay to the right and fish the far shoreline. Cast around the down trees near the drop offs and you will find the big Bass and mabe a Musky.

[Hiddenbay]

How did your friends do fishing?

[SimilarIsland]

They said they had a great trip. They fished Esox, Stretch, Lower Manitou, Dogfly and Aronson (I'm doing Gates for sure). The Rocky Channel was down a bit from last fall but still very "passable". He didn't know any water temps (darn). Water flow everywhere was down to a "trickle".

Hidden River waterfall had very little water flowing.

Lake Trout were biting "really good". Catching them on Gold and Silver Rapalas and KB Spoons in 10' of water where it drops off into 20' or more. Largest was 29". (This guy's favorite is Lake Trout).

Bass were good size but scattered (makes sense).

He said Northerns were very slow and he/they don't target Muskies.

Sounds like what we've heard/read - they need rain! We have another group coming back out on June 16th. Will that be in time for your trip?

[Hiddenbay]

Thanks for the great information. I am going up to the Lower Manitou during the week of June 18th. Aronson? How did they do there? With water being low the portage must have been a lot better. No bugs. Laker fishing in the shallows must have been a blast. Great fighting fish.

[SimilarIsland]

I really wish I could give you a better report. He's just not as "into" the specifics as I am. I'll ask about Aronson.

After thinking about it, with the cold front and the low flow water, his report makes perfect sense. I would expect the lake trout to move back up with the falling water temps and the smallies to be scattered in pre-spawn with little or no water movement. I would guess that he didn't specifically target Northerns.

It would be nice to get some substantial rainfall. I'll take it any way I can get it though!

[SimilarIsland]

I now have about a bunch of Manitou maps going back to the '30s and it's a bit interesting including the following:

Doyle Bay and O'Shaughnessy Bay appear to be the same bay.

Meridian and Weasel Bay appear to be the same bay. Apparently the river running out of Aronson is called the Weasel River.

Blanchard and Three-o-Three Bay appear to be the same bay.

I've heard "Hidden River" called "Hidden Bay". Now I have a map that calls the bay "Hidden River Bay".

According to more than one map, the "rocky channel" is not the the dividing point between Esox and The Manitou Stretch, it's the next point to the southwest.

The older maps tend to name the bays "off the wall names" and the newer maps tend to name the bays by the river or lake that is near them.

I've heard some of the the old timers call some bays "bu*+s*tters" and "garbage can" bay.

I don't know, maybe just interesting to me.

[cedarnarrowsguy]

Fished the Stretch on Sunday. Only managed to catch 2 smaller trout, but what a beautiful day to be on the "tou" We graphed a lot of fish in 28-35 fow. The 2 we caught were in pretty shallow. Over-and-out..............

[Hiddenbay]

Thanks for the report. We are less than a week away before we hit the water. How was the water level?

[SimilarIsland]

Thanks Cedarnarrowsguy. How low is the Rocky Channel? Is it back up to where it was last Fall? Wonder if that Grass Island in Esox is exposed. We're headed up right after Hidden Bay on the 23rd - 30th.

Thanks

[cedarnarrowsguy]

Sorry about the delay, I just got back from that area. Didn't fish the Manitou, but I can say you'll not have problems. When I was up 2 weekends ago...we passed through the channel on the left of the island, going from Essox to the stretch. Went slow, trimmed up, no problem. The creeks are running more water now than last week. Lots of rain in that area, lately. When I left to come home this morning, it was 58 and raining, got home, 87 and humid/sun...go figure.

[SimilarIsland]

Thanks Cedar. Only five more days - can't wait. The radar looked like they were getting some good rain today.

[SimilarIsland]

Hidden River,

Hope I catch you before you leave. Here is the response from one of the group that just got back Sunday and fished last week on the Stretch. Sounds like the Skeeters are hungry, but the creeks are flowin!

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Water was up. I figured about 18" more than normal. No problems going through the narrows. Since I was the boat carrier, I only portaged a boat into Gates. Weather was terrific. Mostly sunny, high 70's to low 80's and cool evenings. Rained one day in morning and cleared up in afternoon for fishing. Not the number of fish as before, but it is hard to predict, since most of the time was spent swimming after only a few hours of fishing. Ended up fishing middle of the day, which doesn't produce much in any event. What we did catch though was bigger than normal. Bigger bass and bigger Northern. No trout.

I seemed to catch more Northern on a big orange Mepps I bought coming out last year, and in fact caught a nice size one off the north west shore of the island. Jack was catching big bass on a 5" three hook, black over white, jerk bait. Randy pulled in a nice Northern on a florescent blue rattle. Grandy and Lynn did great on surface casting in areas where the upstream lakes where flowing into the Manitou, like the spillway from Gates and back behind Hidden River (at least that is what they said! You know the bumper sticker about all fisherman are liars.....).

Only draw back was the Mosquitoes. They really did not bother me much, but enjoyed the others. Have fun.

Gary

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