BWCA May fishing? Boundary Waters Fishing Forum
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WanderingWoodsmanMN
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10/01/2021 01:28PM  
Hi friends,

I have heard from a couple people that BWCA fishing is best in May and I am still learning how to be a good fisherman. This might be one of those things that people hold close to their chest but would anybody be willing to help out with tips? Which lake? Specific part of the lake? What to use for a lure, bait, etc? Which weekend in May?

Would be great to get some eaters but really just looking to catch anything that is biting- bass, walleye, whatever.

Ideally we wouldn't have to go in too far but am willing to do whatever it takes to get to the good fishing. Have been up in BWCA many years and just done okay fishing- would like to have one trip dedicated to fishing and do great! Any tips would be greatly appreciated! I will keep this information to myself as to avoid any crowds, I will only be in 1 canoe. Thanks!
 
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BearRaid
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10/02/2021 03:57PM  
Late May Iron and Crooked lakes. we always got a tow to the Bottle portage so not much travel. Smallmouth will be shallow usually and will hit topwater or many other lures. Walleye jigs or leeches on points or in current areas. A slip bobber and leech worked great from our campsite especially if the wind blew in. Good luck!
 
WanderingWoodsmanMN
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10/02/2021 09:14PM  
Thank you BearRaid! 2 quick follow ups: Crooked and Iron are both pretty big lakes, any part/bay/feature of those lakes to target in May? Have a recommendation for an outfitter for the tow? Thanks again!
 
cyclones30
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10/03/2021 09:26AM  
Find moving water and you'll find fish early in the spring.
 
10/04/2021 11:03AM  
I would say the first 2 weeks of June would be best for eyes and SMB. Early may would be best for LT.
 
missmolly
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10/04/2021 11:39AM  
WW, there is a lake in northwestern Ontario that I've fished, in aggregate, for about three months. I could draw that lake for you right now, i.e. every island and every bay and every weed bed. However, when I go there, I have no idea where and how to catch fish because it's constantly changing. So, when you go, constantly change your presentation and location until you start catching fish.
 
WanderingWoodsmanMN
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10/04/2021 11:47AM  
cyclones30: "Find moving water and you'll find fish early in the spring. "


Sorry to clarify, do you mean moving water as in finding stream inlets, etc? Or are you saying that fishing is great everywhere in early spring after ice out?
 
WanderingWoodsmanMN
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10/04/2021 11:48AM  
AmarilloJim: "I would say the first 2 weeks of June would be best for eyes and SMB. Early may would be best for LT."


Thanks! What does a guy use to catch Lakers in the spring in open water from a canoe? And where?
 
WanderingWoodsmanMN
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10/04/2021 11:50AM  
missmolly: "WW, there is a lake in northwestern Ontario that I've fished, in aggregate, for about three months. I could draw that lake for you right now, i.e. every island and every bay and every weed bed. However, when I go there, I have no idea where and how to catch fish because it's constantly changing. So, when you go, constantly change your presentation and location until you start catching fish."


Excellent advice, thank you!
 
cyclones30
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10/04/2021 01:03PM  
WanderingWoodsmanMN: "
cyclones30: "Find moving water and you'll find fish early in the spring. "



Sorry to clarify, do you mean moving water as in finding stream inlets, etc? Or are you saying that fishing is great everywhere in early spring after ice out?"


I'm talking areas with current or where current flows into a slower pool or lake. On a large scale....think Basswood Falls or Curtain Falls. Great fishing in and below and in the swirling waters downstream and into the lake(s). On a smaller scale...something like the Granite River between Magnetic and Saganaga. A lot of pools and rapids/riffles on a smaller stream. Prime areas for finding fish. Kawishiwi River, Moose River North, etc. Tons of options with lots of good places. But if you put me onto a random lake in late may or June and I can hear water flowing/falling I'm headed there before I try anything in the main lake. (which can also be good)

Streams are shallow, warm faster, and the moving water is moving food around. When that stuff flows into a lake or into a deep pool on the river itself...game on. Jigs and plastics, cranks, bobber and leech, etc.
 
BearRaid
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10/04/2021 02:42PM  
Iron lake - The Bottle River current areas are good. Peterson Bay current areas as well. If you hit it right on the weather any bay with small boulders will be good for smallmouth. Island points, saddles, and mid lake lake reefs usually produce walleyes and northerns. Crooked- We did well on all species in Friday and Saturday bays. Remember to take some leeches in with you!
 
10/04/2021 06:41PM  
There are a couple of BWJ articles that specifically discussed spring fishing in the BWCA. Email Stu to figure out which ones or pick up a fishing magazine about targeting walleye during the shoulder seasons. Fish are generally very hungry at that time of year if you hit it right!
 
outsidethebox
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10/05/2021 06:01AM  
WanderingWoodsmanMN: "
AmarilloJim: "I would say the first 2 weeks of June would be best for eyes and SMB. Early may would be best for LT."



Thanks! What does a guy use to catch Lakers in the spring in open water from a canoe? And where?"


I am 68. I have (likely) been fishing for 66 years-from before I can remember. Amarillojim's advice here on the timing reflects my experience. And speaking of experience-find a fishing friend to instruct you on the basics.

Catching spring lake trout is a wild adventure. Casting spoons from shore or toward shore from a vessel is very effective. Everyone has their favorite spoon-I like silver and blue...I believe they will likely hit anything at this time of the year.

Walleye love to hang out near the bottom of points with nice drop-offs...generally in 15 to 25 feet of water. Bouncing jigs off the bottom with minnows, leeches or nightcrawlers is the most sure-fire strategy.

September brook trout fishing is/can be spectacular. Drift just off the shoreline in areas with structure/fallen trees/rocks bouncing jigs and minnows or nightcrawlers off the bottom can bring you great joy.
 
10/31/2021 01:52AM  
80% of my trips have been on the opener (early May) there are a few reason what makes May a great time to go into the BWCA for fishing success.
almost all species will be shallow , thus your able to narrow down your search area considerably , without having to search for mid-lake humps / or areas over 30'-35' (for the most part)
the main reason i go opener is for lake trout , i can catch just about anything else in my local area except lake trout. and if opener(early may) is within 2 weeks of ice out they will be shallow-aggressive- & eager to eat. they will be cruising shoreline looking for some winterkill fish. (same with pike , after the big female pike breed they do want an easy meal sitting on the bottom to suck up and enjoy.
and some years we've even caught walleyes on deadbait from camp. so i always bring up a smaller cooler layered with sucker minnows&ice , when i get back to camp i cast out a slip sinker set up and now i'm fishing again while relaxing at camp.
winterkill(not oxygen related) is a natural occurrence that happens on basically every lake in minnesota. fish get trap in the ice (pic) die , lake thaws they sink to the bottom other fish eat them. lures :::: spoons-minnow imatations-jigs all sizes-(sometimes small can be better (big time larva hatch going on underneath your canoe)(pic of larva) lakers are as a aggressive as pike just about anything in your tackle box should get the job done.
many mentioned moving water , many lakes connected by waterways , some are small , some are large like eddy falls-jasper falls.it will bring feed into the lower lake and walleyes like moving water when spawning , THUS we have the start of the foodchain with bugs and fish eggs & moving up to large pike eating the little guys getting some free eggs. even areas with more of a snow run off type of moving water will hold fish too , stop and listen for water as you paddle around.
1 thing that doesnt get brought up/noticed enough is bottleneck bays are a magnet in may , especially if their reasonably close to spawning areas. and after spawning,,, walleyes will stage in the deeper part/flats(20'-30'?) of these bays. they may not be feeding at times but they are there. Now come the dog days of summer you will be hard pressed to find any fish in these bottleneck bay areas.
with walleyes and smallies i feel a slower presentation is better as the water is cold and they can be sluggish, i prefer the countdown rapalas early may or vertical lite jigs compared to an erratic crankbait (but not a rule by any means)
in end if your going into the BW in may bring some frozen sucker minnows with have a slip sinker rig at camp all the time and you will be enjoying some lake trout :)
 
10/31/2021 07:15AM  
Just like the best scenery of Colorado is Utah, the best BWCA fishing is Quetico. Target the period from mid-May to early June. LT fishing can be slow and result in a long day for a few fish. Learn about slip bobbering and you can catch a lot of fish in a short time.
 
cburton103
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11/02/2021 09:57PM  
bobbernumber3: "Just like the best scenery of Colorado is Utah, the best BWCA fishing is Quetico. Target the period from mid-May to early June. LT fishing can be slow and result in a long day for a few fish. Learn about slip bobbering and you can catch a lot of fish in a short time."


Bobber - I got hooked on slip bobbering in the bwca this year. Any tips for slip bobbering in the Q? Slimers, Gulp, twister tails?
 
11/03/2021 06:13AM  
cburton103: "
bobbernumber3: "Just like the best scenery of Colorado is Utah, the best BWCA fishing is Quetico. Target the period from mid-May to early June. LT fishing can be slow and result in a long day for a few fish. Learn about slip bobbering and you can catch a lot of fish in a short time."



Bobber - I got hooked on slip bobbering in the bwca this year. Any tips for slip bobbering in the Q? Slimers, Gulp, twister tails?"


Without live bait, slip bobbering has been a bust for our group. We have moved to jigs and rubber bodies with good luck. When they're hungry, you'd swear they would bite on a cigarette butt.
 
cburton103
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11/03/2021 07:43PM  
bobbernumber3: "
cburton103: "
bobbernumber3: "Just like the best scenery of Colorado is Utah, the best BWCA fishing is Quetico. Target the period from mid-May to early June. LT fishing can be slow and result in a long day for a few fish. Learn about slip bobbering and you can catch a lot of fish in a short time."




Bobber - I got hooked on slip bobbering in the bwca this year. Any tips for slip bobbering in the Q? Slimers, Gulp, twister tails?"



Without live bait, slip bobbering has been a bust for our group. We have moved to jigs and rubber bodies with good luck. When they're hungry, you'd swear they would bite on a cigarette butt."


For some reason I just don’t catch many fish on a jig in Quetico. I try some every trip, but since it’s not one of my confidence lures I just don’t try it for as long as I might. Any tips on jigging in Quetico? Mostly for walleye.
 
11/04/2021 07:16AM  
cburton103: "
bobbernumber3: "
cburton103: "
bobbernumber3: "Just like the best scenery of Colorado is Utah, the best BWCA fishing is Quetico. Target the period from mid-May to early June. LT fishing can be slow and result in a long day for a few fish. Learn about slip bobbering and you can catch a lot of fish in a short time."




Bobber - I got hooked on slip bobbering in the bwca this year. Any tips for slip bobbering in the Q? Slimers, Gulp, twister tails?"




Without live bait, slip bobbering has been a bust for our group. We have moved to jigs and rubber bodies with good luck. When they're hungry, you'd swear they would bite on a cigarette butt."



For some reason I just don’t catch many fish on a jig in Quetico. I try some every trip, but since it’s not one of my confidence lures I just don’t try it for as long as I might. Any tips on jigging in Quetico? Mostly for walleye."


Can't respond much now... headed off for some doctoring. I'll edit this and comment later today. Least I have something to think about in the waiting room!
 
cburton103
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11/04/2021 07:23AM  
bobbernumber3: "
cburton103: "
bobbernumber3: "
cburton103: "
bobbernumber3: "Just like the best scenery of Colorado is Utah, the best BWCA fishing is Quetico. Target the period from mid-May to early June. LT fishing can be slow and result in a long day for a few fish. Learn about slip bobbering and you can catch a lot of fish in a short time."


Bobber - I got hooked on slip bobbering in the bwca this year. Any tips for slip bobbering in the Q? Slimers, Gulp, twister tails?"


Without live bait, slip bobbering has been a bust for our group. We have moved to jigs and rubber bodies with good luck. When they're hungry, you'd swear they would bite on a cigarette butt."


For some reason I just don’t catch many fish on a jig in Quetico. I try some every trip, but since it’s not one of my confidence lures I just don’t try it for as long as I might. Any tips on jigging in Quetico? Mostly for walleye."


Can't respond much now... headed off for some doctoring. I'll edit this and comment later today. Least I have something to think about in the waiting room!"


No worries, get to it when you have the time. I hope everything turns out well at the doctor!
 
11/04/2021 08:25AM  
Pitching jigs and plastics is very effective. Vertically jigging a plastic like you might do with live bait not so much.
 
cburton103
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11/04/2021 10:40AM  
AmarilloJim: "Pitching jigs and plastics is very effective. Vertically jigging a plastic like you might do with live bait not so much."


That's probably my issue then.

When you pitch jigs, you're basically casting them out and bumping them along the bottom on the way back to you, correct?
 
11/04/2021 12:53PM  
AmarilloJim: "Pitching jigs and plastics is very effective. Vertically jigging a plastic like you might do with live bait not so much."


So true. Vertical used to work with a live leech, plastic not really.

Cast and retrieve bouncing bottom on the way back works best. White twister tail or minnow body works pretty good. In early spring, just keep casting to shore and retrieve along bottom back to the boat. Usually they are quite close to shore.

Near flow water, say below a falls, walleye may be up off the bottom so a faster retrieve with a minnow body on the jig may be the ticket.
 
cburton103
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11/04/2021 09:45PM  
bobbernumber3: "
AmarilloJim: "Pitching jigs and plastics is very effective. Vertically jigging a plastic like you might do with live bait not so much."


So true. Vertical used to work with a live leech, plastic not really.

Cast and retrieve bouncing bottom on the way back works best. White twister tail or minnow body works pretty good. In early spring, just keep casting to shore and retrieve along bottom back to the boat. Usually they are quite close to shore.

Near flow water, say below a falls, walleye may be up off the bottom so a faster retrieve with a minnow body on the jig may be the ticket."


Thanks for the tips! I’ll give them a try next late May on Kawnipi and Kahshapiwi hopefully!
 
11/05/2021 09:23AM  
The dusk bite below moving water will be the best bite.
 
AlexaBliss
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11/25/2021 01:47AM  
The best times to fish are when the fish are naturally most active. The Sun, Moon, tides, and weather all influence fish activity. For example, fish tend to feed more at sunrise and sunset, and also during a full moon (when tides are higher than average).
 
Basspro69
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12/02/2021 10:39PM  
Late May early June start as shallow as 2 feet and work your way out to 10. Unless there’s a major cold front that blows through, just about everything will be shallow .
 
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