Minnesota weather change

[wh500special 2,160]

I spent last week on a fishing trip in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness of northern Minnesota. The BWCAW is a huge wilderness area along the Ontario border about two hours north of Duluth, MN.  Except for a few designated lakes with a 25 hp motor limit, the area -and the adjacent Quetico Provincial Park - is off limits to engines or motors of any kind.  Access is limited by a permitting system and it’s completely realistic to spend several days in a row fishing and not see another human being. 

 

Truly one of North America’s treasures.  

 

Anyway, my family has been making annual trips up there since 1976.   I’ve been going since I was a little kid, so over 30 years.   Like anywhere else in this part of the world the weather can change really fast. 

 

Ice went off off the lake in the pictures you see below on May 11th.  I took these pictures Tuesday after they had a couple weeks of weather in the 80’s.  Surface water temperature was about 74 degrees.   That’s a FAST warmup and spawning season for the various fish is all messed up.  

 

Tuesday evening a storm rolled in. I thought these pictures were awesome and wanted to share.  

 

First picture was taken at 7:46 pm. Water was flat calm but the storm was coming and the clouds were the same color as the lake.  

 

Wall cloud picture at 7:47.  Notice the limp flags.  

 

Next wall cloud picture at 7:49.  Lake still calm but the flags were fluttering. 

 

 At 7:50 the dust was blowing and dad was holding on to his hat. 

 

7:51 the Adirondack chairs blew off the dock into the lake. 

 

7:53 the lake was boiling.  And the temperature has plummeted at least 30 degrees F. 

 

Amazing. 

 

Steve

[Achto 27,502]

Awesome pictures!! Thank you

[WHX?? 48,763]

Awesome Steve for the really ! 

We take it the fish didn't cooperate then? Speaking for both Achto and I a fishing trip like that is on our bucket list. 

Edited June 5, 2018 by WHX19

[wh500special 2,160]

 Actually, the fishing was really good.  Lots of walleye, bass, bluegill, and pike.  Kept some but we’re pretty selective with what we harvest.  

 

The smallmouth bass fishing is unreal.  Dad kept a journal so I can confirm what we actually boated over the 6 days I was there, but I’d guess I caught and released at least 50 bass over 15” plus lots of smaller ones.    Biggest this year was 19.5”.  In years past we’ve boated 21-inchers.  

 

I like to fish topwater, so most of mine were on poppers.   Also used a classic rapala minnow but had to remove one of the trebles to make dealing with the pike easier. 

 

We like to keep fish too.  Even bass.  Minnesota limit is 6 per angler (total possession, not per day as the morons in the cabin next to us insisted 😡) and we try to keep 14” fish.   That’s actually a bit of a challenge when you set a tight tolerance.

 

 I’d guess the smb in the pic below is a 14”.  Not a Lunker.  I didn’t take many fish pictures for some reason. 

 

Walleye were still shallow.  Found them in wood.  We aim for 15” fish there and release those that are bigger and smaller.   I think you’re limited to one over 20”, but we don’t usually keep that big.  

 

Bluegill were hot until the weather changed.  Lots of 8”-9” fish.  In years past we’ve lucked into fish to 12”.  

 

Couldnt find crappie this year.  And I burned a day trying for lake trout with no luck.  But for a southern Illinois fisherman it

was worth the effort. 

 

Spring fishing is easy.  It gets tougher as the summer progresses. 

 

Another favorite minnesota catch is pictured below.  Wish we had old Dutch chips down here...Jason knows what I’m talking about!

 

Steve

[JERSEYHAWG / Glenn 4,497]

Those pictures were super. Thanks.

 

Glenn

[ebinmaine 67,266]

6 hours ago, Achto said:

Awesome pictures!! Thank you

I was thinking those exact words.

[dclarke 4,032]

Thanks for the story and the pics, Steve.  Awesome!!

[peter lena 8,580]

had a similar front in togiak Alaska , we were lucky to get inland and secure our stuff, mother nature can get nasty, pete 

[wh500special 2,160]

I don't have a Youtube account, so I'll try to upload a video snippet here...

 

Steve

IMG_1250.MOV

[WHX?? 48,763]

2 hours ago, dclarke said:

Thanks for the story and the pics, Steve.  Awesome!!

 

One of these years I am going to coerce  @Achto into doing a trip like that if we can break away from tractors long enough!

Every other year my wife and I make the trip to Mille Lacs, MN for some smallies & wallies. Small mouth can be a blast on lite or even ultra lite tackle.

 

I gotta call @Vinylguy on this thread as I know he loves to fish.

 

As for the chips Steve you can't go in a filling station around here and not find them! You get the hankering lemme know I'll set you up!

[CasualObserver 3,408]

Sweet photos Steve!  The BWCA is truly a Minnesota treasure! 

 

We had one of those storms run through down here just the week before! This was Fri night of Memorial Day weekend.

 

 

[19richie66 17,500]

Those wall cloud pictures are fantastic. If I saw one of those I probably would mess myself. I do find weather very fascinating. Beautiful area to fish. Much more scenic than the lakes down here in flatlandville. Nice catches.

[wheelhorseman 3,211]

It’s truly beautiful up there! I try to take a fall drive every year up highway 61 along Lake Superior . I live in southern Minnesota so the drive isn’t that bad. And as you figured out if you don’t like the weather in Minnesota say 5 more minutes because it will change!!! 

[stevasaurus 22,706]

Nice pictures Steve.  I've been going to Canada for quite some time now for a fishing.  I suggest that everyone take a week or two and do it at least once.  You will not be sorry. 

   Steve, I went on Lake Michigan yesterday...got 3 coho's that were in the 3-4 lb range.  If you want Lake Trout...the word is...that is all they are catching down at Burns Ditch, Ind. this year.  Good size also.  Just so you know.    The crappies just turned on this last week around me.

[Vinylguy 4,674]

No wall clouds but did do some topwater fishing tonight. 21 inch 5 lb. Even. 10 lbs of weeds to. Thank you 30 lb braid.

[WHX?? 48,763]

Looks photo shopped to me Terry ... Whats that they say? all fishermen are liars 'cept you and me and sometimes I ain't so damn sure about you??

I think the dog knows the truth but he ain't talking!