Arvid's Fishing Report

Even with slow fishing, some of the Bosch Boy are trying. They go down on the river to one of the shanties for an hour or so after work and most evenings there isn’t much going on. Tuesday, however, the guys caught four; three eaters and Jeff caught and released a 28-1/2″ walleye. Bragging rights for the entire year go with the largest walleye caught during the winter test season and Jeff’s is going to be hard to beat.

Jeff with a beautiful 28-1/2″ walleye

Merry Christmas everybody.

It’s difficult to write a fishing report when there isn’t much to write about. We waited quite a long time for good ice and now we are waiting for the fish to start.  Most of the river has 8″ to 9″ of ice, some of it slush ice and there’s some current, so one still needs to be cautious when venturing out on the river.  The shiners never did come in this fall, as a result not many fish came either. From what I hear, those fishing the river are not doing very good; catching one or none and many times the one caught is a slot fish; so it’s nothing to take home. Reports from the Lake are not much better.

Don has some company coming that want to fish.  Friday I went with him to help put his shanty out on the Lake. We went out of Adrian’s, about 3-1/2 miles past Pine Island; not quite to the end of the road. Where we set up there was 18″ of ice and 32′ of water. We fished for about four hours; from 10:00 until 2:00. We were marking fish steadily and tried many different types and colors of lures, but the the fish were not very active. We caught five saugers and kept three. We are hopeful that the new year will bring better fishing.

Great weather we are having; better for fishing than deer hunting. I’ve heard of a few fish being caught in the river in the Wheeler’s Point area, but you couldn’t prove it by me. On opening day of deer season, Terry, Wally, Nolan and I fished the river for a couple hours between the morning and evening hunt. One little sauger was all that was caught. On Tuesday afternoon, I fished from 3:00 to 5:30 and caught one 16″ walleye to keep; a 24″ slot fish and about 7 or 8 little walleyes and saugers.

Deer season has been going well. Gerry, Terry and I have gotten our deer. Wally, who always sees a lot of deer and waits until the second week to take one, hasn’t seen much of anything. We haven’t seen any big bucks or much for buck activity. Maybe that will change with colder weather coming the next few days.

A Doe & Fawn being chased by a small Forkhorn Buck

The weather the first couple of days this November has been good; wish we could say the same for river fishing. It has been poor for this time of the year; just good enough, as someone said, to keep em interested. The excuse;  no shiner run.

Monday afternoon I fished the river for about three hours. There were only three other boat out on such a nice afternoon. All I had heard was to fish shallow, so I anchored up in thirteen feet. Sometime between 3:00 & 4:00 there was a short bite and I caught three nice 16″ walleyes and two small sauger. The next two hours I only had one good bite and caught a nice 24″ walleye.

Tuesday, Don and I fished the same area from about 4:00 until 6:30. For our efforts we caught five walleyes; one 16″ to keep; one little one  and three in the slot from 21″ to 23″.

Don with a nice November Walleye

Jodi, Steve and Scott are in Minnesota for a family wedding and came up to Baudette for a visit. They picked a good time as we are having a very good run of nice days. Some days are a little windy, but after the September we had, we are happy with October.

Monday afternoon, Jodi, Steve, Scott, Diane and I fished the river for a couple hours. Fishing has been slow the past few days, but we’ve managed to get enough to eat. Jodi and Diane managed to get two nice walleyes and two saugers to bring home. The boys, well, were along for moral support.

Tuesday, we didn’t fish; a little two windy. Steve, Scott and I went for a walk in the woods looking for a partridge.  We didn’t see any, except for one that was in the back yard in the morning.

Wednesday, we all went fishing again; late afternoon. It was a little windy, but calmed about 5:30; fishing was slow. Steve and I each caught a nice walleye. Scott and Steve each caught a mooneye. Jodi outdid us all with a beautiful 28-1/2″ walleye that we took pictures and released.

Jodi’s 28-1/2″ walleye

Scott with a Mooneye

Northern Minnesota has been a great place to be this October; the weather has been great.

My friend, Chuck has been here from Indiana visiting relatives and friends and was with us for a couple of days. We fished the river Friday and Saturday, twice each day for a couple of  hours. Friday fishing was slow. We caught three walleyes to keep and released a 24″. Saturday was better; we kept two walleyes and release a 21″ in the morning and kept six walleye and a sauger in the afternoon. They are all really nice fish and made for a good fish fry.

Sunday, Don, Sue, Diane and I fished the late afternoon and came in with six walleyes and one sauger. Sue had the hot hand; she caught four of the walleyes plus a 22″ slot fish.

Chuck with a 21″ walleye

Sue with a 22″ walleye

Terry came up on Saturday and we spent a couple hours cutting brush on the trails getting ready for deer season that isn’t too far off. After lunch we took the boat and went to Zippel Bay. It was a beautiful afternoon with a light northeast breeze, but warm clothes was required. After drifting for an hour trying various depths with no luck we anchored up in 24 feet of water and caught a limit of nice saugers; one perch; no walleyes. The perch was 14″, I’m sure the largest I’ve ever caught.

It has been a week since we had nearly four inches of rain and the river got dirty. A few fish had moved into the river and fishing had just started to pick up and then it completely shut down. Reports I’m getting are mixed; some are getting two or three fish; others, not a bite. The Lake still seems to be the best bet.

We went camping with Don and Sue early last week for three days in the Chippewa National Forest east of Cass Lake. We did a little walking and bike riding. The weather was good and the colors were near their peak.

Terry with a sauger

A big perch

Out for a walk

Since grandson Matt left six weeks ago we’ve put fishing on hold. It’s been a busy summer with the garden; mowing lawn every few days; berry picking  and the senior pontoon program. A better than average garden has provided us with wonderful fresh vegetables for weeks. The blueberries and juneberries (Saskatoon berries to our Canadian friends) were very good and chokecherries made great jelly and syrup.

Fishing on Lake of the Woods remained very good all summer out in the 32-34 feet of water. Bait fishing was the method preferred by most and was consistently good, but from what I’ve heard; down rigging the last couple of weeks has been a little better. The river has been poor all summer. Even those looking for a sturgeon are finding it not so good.

As we get into September and the days and nights cool we should get a run of shiners which, hopefully, will bring the fish back in the river.

Fall isn’t far off; the days are getting shorter and the hummingbirds are feeding frantically preparing for their journey south.

Hummingbird at the feeder

Matt and I took the boat up to the Vidas Landing near Clementson and spent some time on the river trolling and casting for pike and smallmouth. After an hour or so and not a hit we anchored up near the mouth of the Rapid River. It was two bites, two fish for Matt; a 31-1/4″ sturgeon and a 21″ walleye. Both fish gave him a good fight; he was satisfied.

Matt’s first sturgeon

Matt with a nice 21″ walleye