I've taken my cousin twice to Fall Lake Campground for some June fishing on area lakes and he is not a good canoe fisherman. I keep him in the front where I can watch him closely, but the rock and roll action is driving me crazy! He is used to fishing from a motorboat and can't sit still for more than a few seconds at a time. I am hanging on to the gunwales so much I can hardly relax and fish. Last year, he suggested maybe we would have to go somewhere else with better fishing... I think there are still many lakes that need our attention.

To keep his interest, I suggested he bring his motorboat. He will be there 4 or 5 days and I am looking for lakes to target during his time around Ely. After he leaves, I will canoe fish for several more days. He doesn't seem to get the enjoyment out of wilderness canoe fishing.

Which lakes should we fish while he is with me and we use his motorboat?

Offhand....moose, shagawa, burnside, little long, ed shave and big.

overthehill: "Offhand....moose, shagawa, burnside, little long, ed shave and big."

The first ones I thought of were Shag, Burntside and Big.

I'll add White Iron and Birch Lake out of Babbitt.

Fall lake is also a good walleye lake. Or try to get a motor permit for Basswood.

Birch.

Shoot me an email and I'll get specific with ya. It's looking like I'm going to have to cancel my permits this year. Was looking to enjoy some more IPA's with you this year. I'm just sick I'm gonna have to cancel.

What size boat and motor? Triangle has always done me well. Short roller portage from Ojibway.

Shagawa and/or Burntside.
Burntside will produce much larger Walleyes, but Shagawa will produce more.
There is a special method to use on Burntside for success, and will also work on all other lakes.
Let me know when you will be in Ely, and I can make sure to be around to show you the method.

TGO I have a question for you. We had a cabin on Burntside until about 1980. As a kid in the 60s I fished for walleye on the lake and it was tuff. I see these nice walleyes coming out of Burntside for a number of years now. What changed? Was I a poor fisherman? Didn't have the right spots? Or was the lake stocked? What are your thoughts. I remember catching lake trout on the lake with the old wire lines. I boat on the lake about every 5 years just for sight seeing and reminiscing. In fact I will be bring my Mom up the Dead River to Twin Lakes this summer.


In my opinion this is the most beautiful lake in the state, maybe even in the country!! It is a shame about the spiny water fleas. JIM P.

Bushpilot: "TGO I have a question for you. We had a cabin on Burntside until about 1980. As a kid in the 60s I fished for walleye on the lake and it was tuff. I see these nice walleyes coming out of Burntside for a number of years now. What changed? Was I a poor fisherman? Didn't have the right spots? Or was the lake stocked? What are your thoughts. I remember catching lake trout on the lake with the old wire lines. I boat on the lake about every 5 years just for sight seeing and reminiscing. In fact I will be bring my Mom up the Dead River to Twin Lakes this summer.
In my opinion this is the most beautiful lake in the state, maybe even in the country!! It is a shame about the spiny water fleas. JIM P."

We used to net Ciscoes in the mid 70s, then our yearly catch decreased until we never got a Cisco. We put a smaller mesh net in, and had many 7-8 inch silver and light green fish in it that smelled like cucumbers and had a jaw with teeth, like a Barracuda. We identified them as Smelt, and wondered why they were running in the fall when they spawn in the spring? Didn't take too long to figure out they were eating the eggs of both the Cisco, Whitefish, and Trout.
The DNR then started stocking the lake with Walleye fry, but the Smelt population kept growing, and no Walleye increase.
They then stocked fingerlings (Larger than fry) and the Walleye population took off because the previously stocked fry had been eaten by Smelt.
As I posted, there is a certain method that will greatly increase you chances of getting fish on Burntside, and location is more important in the early season.
Where was your cabin??

Cabin was east of Burntside lodge looking out a Pattison Island. We have talked before. My Grandfather was superintendent of schools in Ely until about mid 60s. If I remember right your Mother was a teacher.

Thanks for answering my question local knowledge is priceless.

yogi59weedr: "Shoot me an email and I'll get specific with ya. It's looking like I'm going to have to cancel my permits this year. Was looking to enjoy some more IPA's with you this year. I'm just sick I'm gonna have to cancel."

Larry - I lost your email address. Send me a note. --Phil

yea... I was looking forward to seeing you too. Darn gettin' old!

I've done well on Cedar.

Well Lake Vermillion is not all that far West of Ely and is one of the top 10 Walleye lakes in the state.

http://www.startribune.com/june-is-walleye-month-minnesota-is-the-walleye-state-here-s-where-to-find-them/382584791/