These are my route and dates. I hope to target lakers and walleye in Ima, and walleye, smallies, and pike the rest of the trip. I'm planning to mostly fish jigs with grub tails, but also bringing an assortment of lures for trolling and casting (spoons, rapalas, spinners, poppers, etc). Trying to be ready for anything.

The Piragis newsletter is saying walleye are holding in 17-23 ft of water, and lakers are moving deep. Does that jibe with other's experience?

Also, are there any smallies along that route? I don't think DNR lists them in most of those waters, but I've seen people talking about smallies in Alice, Insula, and the Kawishiwi River.

I'm also bringing two chicken-wire pillow traps for crawfish. Will they survive the turtles and otters?

Any other comments or advice? Thanks!

Hmm. I guess I asked the wrong questions?

Haven't been up this year yet, but it looks like you are set. There are always smallies. The crayfish trap will work if there are crayfish around, but turtles will chomp on it given the chance. Start shallow as shallow fish are active fish and let them tell you how to catch them.

I have been between snowbank and thomas to fish but have not done well. I prefer smaller lakes now. The area is very very scenic tho!

Msteiger,
Probably the best fishing lake on your trip will be Disappointment for Smallmouth and walleye! Cattyman Falls is nice to visit if you have time. Jordan I have never caught much! Ima has some very nice Lakers in it, I have never fished for them but have seen a few caught as I have traveled through it. Just a quick bit about the various lakes you will travel through. Hatchett has some eater size walleye in it, if fish it. Thomas has some walleye and lakers as well, the Island site is a nice place to camp. Kiana is all northerns, and some nice ones too! Insula, I like the first campsite on the left before you enter the main lake, landing is a little rough but a nice level site. I mainly fished the flow into Insula from Alice, caught my best walleye ever there. As mentioned in the other thread Hudson is good, the flow into it from Insula is where I learned to catch walleye about 15 years ago. All of the portage ponds with flow into Lake Four are good fishing. There are a lot of smallmouth there now, as back 15 years ago there were not that many.
Like I said before we will be in the Hudson area from the 19th until the 24th.

Good Luck!
Bruce

quote Arkansas Man: "Msteiger,
Probably the best fishing lake on your trip will be Disappointment for Smallmouth and walleye! Cattyman Falls is nice to visit if you have time. Jordan I have never caught much! Ima has some very nice Lakers in it, I have never fished for them but have seen a few caught as I have traveled through it. Just a quick bit about the various lakes you will travel through. Hatchett has some eater size walleye in it, if fish it. Thomas has some walleye and lakers as well, the Island site is a nice place to camp. Kiana is all northerns, and some nice ones too! Insula, I like the first campsite on the left before you enter the main lake, landing is a little rough but a nice level site. I mainly fished the flow into Insula from Alice, caught my best walleye ever there. As mentioned in the other thread Hudson is good, the flow into it from Insula is where I learned to catch walleye about 15 years ago. All of the portage ponds with flow into Lake Four are good fishing. There are a lot of smallmouth there now, as back 15 years ago there were not that many.
Like I said before we will be in the Hudson area from the 19th until the 24th.


Good Luck!
Bruce"

Thanks Bruce! We will probably blow through Disappointment, but I'll be sure to fish it now. Definitely want to fish Hatchet.

Do you mind clarifying...What are portage ponds?

I thought you said you were out on the 21st? Maybe we will cross your path after all; probably arriving at Insula on the 24th.

Between Hudson and Lake Four are three sets of rapids, there are ponds (what we call them in the south) or small lakes between each of the ponds. The first one coming from Insula is small and we have not caught many fish there, the 2nd is best, larger tailrace and if you go onto Google Earth you can see some visible humps in the lake that are also good to fish. The third rapid has some decent fishing areas too, but we did not get to fish it very long. It has been many years since I have been there, but I am quite sure that the fish will be there.

We are entering at Lake One Entry point 30 on the 19th and will be either staying on Hudson or near it. With the Fire going through several years ago, my favorite place to camp is in the burn over. We will be looking for a place to camp that has some trees for shade and to hang the hammocks when not fishing. Depending on what sites are open we might even have to go up to Fire Lake to find a spot.

Bruce

Just came out of Koma. We caught lots of eater sized walleyes in 14-18 FOW on jigs. Fished windswept points and shorelines. Best presentation was 1/8 oz jig, pink, chartreuse or black, with 1/3 to 1/2 a crawler. Leeches were productive too, but crawlers were better. No big fish but plenty to fill a skillet. Mayflies were hatching while we were there.

quote lundojam: "Start shallow as shallow fish are active fish and let them tell you how to catch them."

great advice, thanks!

quote Arkansas Man: "Between Hudson and Lake Four are three sets of rapids, there are ponds (what we call them in the south) or small lakes between each of the ponds. The first one coming from Insula is small and we have not caught many fish there, the 2nd is best, larger tailrace and if you go onto Google Earth you can see some visible humps in the lake that are also good to fish. The third rapid has some decent fishing areas too, but we did not get to fish it very long. It has been many years since I have been there, but I am quite sure that the fish will be there.

We are entering at Lake One Entry point 30 on the 19th and will be either staying on Hudson or near it. With the Fire going through several years ago, my favorite place to camp is in the burn over. We will be looking for a place to camp that has some trees for shade and to hang the hammocks when not fishing. Depending on what sites are open we might even have to go up to Fire Lake to find a spot.

Bruce"

Thanks for all the info. I hope you have a great trip!

quote fishtales: "Just came out of Koma. We caught lots of eater sized walleyes in 14-18 FOW on jigs. Fished windswept points and shorelines. Best presentation was 1/8 oz jig, pink, chartreuse or black, with 1/3 to 1/2 a crawler. Leeches were productive too, but crawlers were better. No big fish but plenty to fill a skillet. Mayflies were hatching while we were there."

Excellent report, exactly what I was looking for. Thank you.