I'm heading up to Ely this weekend and will be fishing the White Iron chain for the first time. Really looking forward to it!

Anyone been out on this chain recently? With the cold spring and high waters, how has this affected fishing on the chain for this time of year.

We will be targeting walleye and smallmouth. Any thoughts on locations, depths, baits, presentations, would be so helpful!

Thanks in advance and I'll post a report on the trip once we are back!

We are headed to Ely tomorrow and will fish Shagawa and Birch. Interested in responses.

White Iron is a chain?

Good luck Bobber!

Yes, White Iron is on a chain of 4 lakes...White Iron, Farm, South Farm and Garden.

What are your plans and what do you have in the tackle box for your trip? I've heard that the walleye are "still on minnows", but guessing that a change over to leeches is probably happening. But not knowing these lakes, I'm at a little loss of where they will be. Hoping to get some insight prior to scout out some areas on the map.

I traveled thru White Iron up to the narrows toward Farm last year about this same time. There were a few guys fishing around that area... about all I know. Didn't catch a fish that day.

I just got back from Knife Lake on Saturday. Slip bobber and leech was effective in less than 10 feet of water. Water level was around a foot high and water was cold, maybe 50 degrees. I do have the minnow bucket in the truck.

We are using my cousin's motorboat and he likes to troll. We catch occasional fish, but seldom stop in an area to fish it. And he doesn't like to try "new" areas. It will be a frustrating week for me. I am hoping I can get him to try Farm and Garden.

Good Luck as well! Post if you can while you are there.

FWIW, Farm and Garden have a lot more rocks and deadfall/snags, so def. be sure you get someone to mark your map if you're motoring. I love white iron, but we generally stick to it and don't venture to the others in the motor boat bc it's the easiest to get around.

If you can get a day permit into south farm, the narrows into south farm can be good. Directly behind that peninsula, theres a drop off about 30 yeards from shore (just prior to the cove) where I’ve had success with eater walleye in the late afternoon/evening.

South Farm is beautiful. Beginning of the BW and no development. There’s also an enormous rock past the narrows that have produced for me in the past.

When you fish where Kiwishiwi rapids dumps into Whiteiron, I use just enough weight to get to the bottom. I then use a 4 ft leader with a #6 hook and a good size minnow. Just raise and lower rod and let the current move the minnow around naturally.. THIS IS MONEY.
When the sun set just hits Bear grease island. Be at the rapids.
Fish the sw tip of Bear grease.
Nw of Bear grease is a 10 ft reef in 15 for caught nice there
Ring Rock is a good place to toss some deep diving cranks.
Up from ring Rock is a island complex that holds fish.
Down towards the silver rapids I a 6ft reef in 30 fow.
Fish the moving water above Silver Rapids. Good walleye. With high water not sure about going down the rapids.
I've done it in low water and it's ok.
I've seen people do it when it's rolling and that's not my cup of tea.

Those paps should be available in town somewhere

This is all fantastic info! Hoping to hit some of these spots! We are staying up on Garden lake and renting boats with 25hp. Any idea of how long it will take to get to the river that flows into White Iron?

Not really familiar with garden.farm alittle...
Definitely fish below silver rapids.

Phil, you fish Shagawa today?
Or tomorrow..

yogi59weedr: "Phil, you fish Shagawa today?
Or tomorrow.."

Heading their at 6am tomorrow-Saturday.

We spend our summer on farm on the peninsula, have been doing ok on walleyes in 10-12 fow with crawlers and minnows but at times they want the crawler.

Don't overlook the weedy east end of Garden for some nice smallies and some walleye.

White Iron - hit the points on the northeast half.

Here now. We had a guide schedule for this morning that didn’t show up…nice! Ugh!!! Got out to a later start as a result this morning…got some (maybe 10 between 2 boats) small walleye, nothing above 14”. One nice pike and a couple little snakes. Mix of minnows and leaches. May go throw for bass and pike this afternoon and try again for walleye this evening.

I've caught some nice smallies in the general vicinity of White Iron Beach Resort. Also, the channel between Silver Rapids and Farm - I never had much luck there for some reason, though the structure looked so promising. But did catch a big largemouth once on a crankbait, on the north side adjacent to a sort of shallow water inlet or something...maybe looked like a creek feeding in or something?

Crappie in front of Pine Point Lodge (if that's what its still called...across from Silver Rapids)..

Quick recap of our trip. Overall, fishing was a little slow. We did catch fish however. And I think if I had more time and really worked some areas, I would have found some more/decent fish. With the exception of 1 slot walleye (19”) everything else was small. My son did catch a monster smallmouth on a top water bait however! That was fun! Best luck was Lindy Rigging with a minnow in about 15’. We walked down to the falls one afternoon and caught 2 walleye and 1 SMB in about 10 min! Maybe we just should have fished there the whole time! Lol!

Thanks for the update on your trip.

I left Ely this morning and just got home. We fished Shagawa, Birch, and Tofte Lakes in the Ely area. The weather seemed to change three times per day and the bugs were something else. Then the refrigerator in the trailer went out.

But it was a great trip and a great get-away. Back to the oncologist tomorrow and radiation oncologist Monday. I am hoping for a longer trip next year and some time on White Iron as well.

Are you thinking ahead to next year BM66??

Bobber…how was the fishing on those lakes?

brownman66: "Bobber…how was the fishing on those lakes?"

I was hoping no one would ask... Fishing was good or very good. Walleyes were 7' to 12' and hungry for live bait. Leeches under a slip bobber were deadly. Crawlers on a jig okay. Minnows were perch or crappie. We had two walleye dinners for four.

I tangled with a LARGE northern on Shagawa. With just a bare hook it cut the line but we had a good look without having to deal with the fish.

Most walleyes were 14" to 17". Largest ones were 18.5 and 20.5.

I think/hope this trip cured my cousin of the urge for trolling. I prefer to find fish that are hungry, anchor, and fish.

We did get skunked on Tofte Lake fishing for rainbows. They were just not interested. But the water was so clear, you could see trout following the lure!

We had a great trip and have plans in the works already for next year at Fall Lake Campground.

ps send me an email sometime