Starting this Sunday, our group of 6 is paddling in from French Lake to camp and fish for 2 days near Emerald Island on Pickerel. From there we paddle to the cabin on Batchewaung and stay for 3 days. The ice there just went out a few days ago and the weather forecast after these last 4 days of mid to upper 80's and mid 50's lows, shows the bottom dropping out next week with mid 50's highs and near freezing lows.
Given my respect of the knowledge and experience found on this forum I am compelled to ask for any advice on dealing with the effects of this extreme weather change on the fishing, water temps and bugs. We are targeting in this order, LT, Wally's, SMB and pike. We have had great success on these lakes over the years but have never been there this early in the season so soon after ice out.
Karl

Lake trout fishing can be very exciting soon after ice out! I’d spend more time doing that given the temps and ice out. Trolling dr. Spoons and little Cleo’s in a canoe is a blast. They are also active during sunny weather. It helps to know the depths. Lake trout can be found on shelf’s/shallows near very deep water. I e cot them casting from shore in very cold water. The east side of Emerald island might be good, but I’ve never fished Pickerel.

I’ve had several trips during cold weather in mid May and the fishing can be slow. Moving water especially beneath waterfalls and between pinch points are easiest for walleye and pike. It seems like places where wind blown top water accumulates or spills out is key that time of year. I’m not a fishery biologist, but I assume that it’s because the water is more oxygenated, partly because that’s where the bait goes, partly beaches it’s warmer. Have a look at the wind direction leading up to the trip and identify spots on the map that catch the wind.

Shallow muddy bays warm sooner, so I’d try that too.

I don’t use a fish finder, but I had good luck fishing a 35 foot hump in May during the walleye spawn. It was a little messy! I don’t usually hear about humps in spring, but the old codger that took me was optimistic and the proof’s in the pudding.

Have a nice trip! We’ll be exiting Pickerel on the 28th.

Water is still cold down a few feet, first warmup lake trout fishing is excellent.

That's an encouraging insight Pinetree!

GreatIndoors, you are going find Pickerel to be a tremendous fishery. 2 years ago, in late August, on our last day, I landed my PB trout in the channel east of Emerald.

LT can be good early in the year in the southern narrows between 15N and 11Z. This area is shallower and warms up first. There will be some motor boats in the area.

AmarilloJim: "LT can be good early in the year in the southern narrows between 15N and 11Z. This area is shallower and warms up first. There will be some motor boats in the area."

Motor boats in Quetico? Tribal?

That 15N campsite looks like a winner for our second night at only 9 miles left to the cabin. Thanks, AmarilloJim!
We are hopeful that the near freezing low temps and 1" of snow expected near Atikokan Saturday and Sunday nights will temporarily knock down the bugs for the early part of our trip.

Pinetree: "

AmarilloJim: "LT can be good early in the year in the southern narrows between 15N and 11Z. This area is shallower and warms up first. There will be some motor boats in the area."

Motor boats in Quetico? Tribal?"

I assume so.

Expect windy days on Pickerel and plan around the forecasts. Just speaking from experience. Lakers can be had down Pickerel Narrows on those windy days :)