Arvid’s Fishing Report

Daughter Jodi, son-in-law Steve and grandson Scott are here for a visit from Arizona. Late Thursday morning with near perfect weather, we took the boat and went to the Lake. Not expecting a lot we were pleasantly surprised. We fished the outside of Pine/ Curry Island back trolling with crawlers in 9-11 feet of water. We found fish almost immediately and they were on the bite. We had three nice walleyes in the boat within minutes. We must have caught 20 walleyes and kept 8 in about two hours of fishing. Six of those we kept were in the 14-1/2″ to 16″ range. Scott, who is four, enjoyed reeling in several. It was a great day.

Scott with a nice walleye

Steve & Scott with a 16″ walleye

Steve & Scott with limit of walleyes

Diane & I spent the weekend at the Lake of the Woods Campground with Gerry & Monica, Mike & Jean and Wally & Olivia. Wally’s little guy, Nolan, is having his second birthday and that was a good excuse to get together. We had beautiful weather all weekend. Mike had his boat along and we fished a couple of times on Saturday and again on Sunday morning. Fishing wasn’t great, but we did get enough for a nice late lunch on Sunday. On Saturday, between Mike, Wally & I we caught between 15 & 20 walleyes and kept 7 with Mike doing most of the catching. On Sunday, Mike and I caught about 20 and kept 8 with Mike again doing most of the catching. We caught the fish on crawlers and most in the 9-10 ft of water. It took a while to find them because fishing had been best in the 18 ft range.

At the campground store they had several flavors of hard ice cream and I was all prepared to enjoy a cone when we were done fishing on Saturday night, but I missed out when the store was closed when we got back. We were delayed when two Conservation Officers, (and ladies, no less, a blonde and a brunette) pulled us over as we were returning to the dock. All was fine with licenses, fish, life jackets, etc. but then things got a little tense when the conversation started to turn into a debate about the enforcement authority of the no wake zone on international waters. She said that she could fine us $150 for going to fast, but she didn’t. The delay only caused me to miss out on getting an ice cream cone.

Mike & Wally with a nice walleye at sunset

Wednesday was the ninth annual Lake of the Woods Take a Kid Fishing day and a successful day it was. Approximately 110 kids were treated to a day on the water followed by a cookout at Sportsman’s Lodge.

The weather almost cooperated. It was windy with a few rain showers, but really quite a good day. Because of the wind most boats elected to fish the river and I was no exception. I had two 10 year old boys with me, Carl Pederson and Levi Marken. We came back to town to launch the boat and then went down river to Senske Creek. We anchored up for awhile; trolled a little for pike and cast a few baits for whatever might want to grab them. We ended up catching seven walleyes and kept six of them. Four were nice eaters; two were small but were hooked bad. Levi caught and released a small 24″ sturgeon and Carl caught a nice 15″ smallmouth casting a spinner bait. When all the boats were in, I think we did as well or better than most. Fishing has been good in front of the Lighthouse Gap and I’m sure all the boats would have caught more fish had we been able to fish the Lake.

Levi holding Carl’s 15″ Smallmouth

Levi and Carl with a 14″ Walleye

Five couples, Gerry & Monica, Mike & Jean, Dave & Sandy, Clyde & Leah and Arvid & Diane spent a weekend camping and cat-fishing on the Red River in Selkirk, Manitoba. The guys did the fishing; the ladies did the important things like garage sales, shopping, lunch and card playing. The weather was good; no rain and not too hot.

Fishing was not what it should be at this time of the year and nobody had an answer as to why. The river was low with not the usual current. We fished at night, except for a while on Saturday when only one fish was caught. For the three nights fishing we caught 29 channel catfish and at least that many freshwater drum. Most of the catfish were in the 31″ to 34″ range. Three or four that were under 24″; and could have been kept, but our trip was only catch and release. The largest fish we had was 36″ and weighed 23 lbs. The drum were good size; most around 20″.

The excitement for the weekend was when the ladies were checking out the garage sales and needed a bathroom break. They stopped at McDonald’s and Monica got herself locked in the bathroom when the lock on the door handle malfunctioned. The manager removed the door vent and handed Monica tools to remove the hinge pins. The manager and a rubber mallet completed the removal of the door from the outside.  Twenty-five minutes later she and with her four companions looking on she was free…….

Clyde with a 34″ Cat

Arvid with a 34″, 17# Cat

Clyde with a Freshwater Drum

Monica with tools and door pins in hand

My uncle, Noie, and his wife, Janice, were here from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula for a visit and a little fishing. We fished the river close to town on Friday during the middle of the day and caught three nice walleyes. That evening we only caught one small walleye. Saturday morning we headed for the Lake about 10:00 on a picture perfect day. On a report that fish were being caught in 20′ of water in front of the Gap we started fishing in that area. We caught a few Sauger (bonus fish) and kept five; a couple were quite nice. We then moved down Pine Island and began trolling with crawlers. We found some walleyes in 12′ to 13′ of water and had eight when we went back to the landing for a lunch break at one of the resorts. After lunch we went back out and found the walleyes had moved to shallower water. The closer we got to shore the nicer the fish. We kept eight to fill our limit; all in the 14″ to 18″ range. Janice caught a beautiful 24″ walleye that was released to be caught another day.

On Sunday, after a nice fish fry and with threatening thunderstorms, we decided to fish the river late afternoon. We caught about ten walleye and sauger and kept four; just eaters. We also caught three sturgeon; one was 44″; a big fish.

Janice and Arvid with her 24″ walleye