Boundary Waters Quetico Forum :: Fishing Forum :: Early July Jackfish Bay
|
Author | Message Text | ||
jwettelrin89 |
I have canoed in 10 miles just to see motorboats buzzing around all day and it was a bit of a buzzkill. If you're already going to Jackfish it wouldn't be too much further to get to the bay to the NE of there - the one that feeds into the tiny bay where basswood falls is. That bay looks like it has a bunch of nice structure and reefs out around the islands in the middle of the bay. I almost booked a trip over that way until a spot at my preferred entry point opened up. |
||
eastcoast |
I would like to start off by saying that you all have a great community on here! I have been preparing for my first trip to the Boundary Waters in early July and have probably read close to 50 different threads dating all the way back to 2003. Individuals such as QueticoMike have generously shared many years' worth of experience in their posts which have helped first-timers such as myself get up to speed on patterns in the area. As a quick summary, a friend and I are doing a 7 day canoe trip taking the following route in early July: Enter Fall Lake, Newton Lake, Pipestone Bay, Jackfish Bay, Back Bay, Wind Lake, Exit Moose Lake (or that is the plan currently). We are experienced fisherman from Florida but have never had the chance to tangle with pike, walleye, or very many smallmouth. I am hoping to explain our approach to targeting these species and then gather opinions on what we should do differently. I am especially curious about whether you all think the high cold water will be back to more normal levels in the coming weeks and/or if it will affect the fishing strategies at all. Now for the details… I was currently thinking we should spend the first day making the trek up to Jackfish Bay to set up camp and fish lightly along the way. Is it worth spending more time fishing Newton Lake and Pipestone Bay (perhaps even spending the night on one of the lakes)? I have read that we have decent chances for Walleye at the base of the falls on each lake. Then we were planning on fishing Jackfish Bay heavily for 2-3 days before continuing on towards our exit. I would rather have us spend more time on the more promising lakes for fishing even if that means full travel days on the back end of the trip. My take away is that all of the lakes we are travelling through hold decent amounts of pike, all but Back Bay have loads of smallies, and that walleye can be found in decent numbers in some of the lakes but especially Jackfish Bay. Please correct me if I am wrong. In terms of tackle: 1.) 6-12 lb 4 piece St. Croix Premier spinning rod with 2500 reel and 10 lb black braid. I currently plan to always have about 2 feet of 12 lb fluoro leader on but I am open to other suggestions if the fish are more wary than I expect. 2.) 6-12 lb spinning rod with a 2000 reel with 8 lb clear mono and no leader. 3.) Medium heavy 4-piece baitcaster with 12 lb mono for throwing top water and bigger lures for pike and smallmouth and for trolling. 4.) 6 weight fly rod for smallies and pike (using poppers, woolly buggers, deceivers) 5.) 2 weight fly rod for pan fish (using small spider flies) Our plan for each species: Smallmouth: We likely will fish very similar to how we do in Florida. Targeting the shoreline structure and submerged rocks close to the bank. I am a fan of finesse fishing so I will primarily be throwing Ned rigs, tubes, soft plastic crawfish on 1/8-1/4 oz jig heads. My friend prefers crankbaits. I will also throw junebug senkos, watermelon flukes, and the like texas rigged. In the mornings/evenings I will throw poppers and Whopper Ploppers. Additionally I may throw a small Mepps spinner or spinner bait. If I can gain confidence in them (I never have much luck with them), I will also throw 3-4 inch paddle tail swimbaits. Pike: It seems from what I have read that we should just fine weed lines and cast along them. I will probably throw Whopper Ploppers, Large Mepps, Husky Jerk (gold, size 4), Shad Rap (purpledescent, size 07) for trolling as we travel. How long of a bite leader should I use? I have bought the 18 lb Knot to Kinky Leader and will probably put 12 inches of that out front to prevent bite offs. Is that overkill and do you think it will reduce bites substantially? I would be happy to just use 30-40 lb mono leader instead. I think Back Bay is supposed to be our best bet for consistent pike action. Walleye: This is the one that I would like to catch the most but also have the least amount of knowledge. From what I can tell slip bobbering with live leeches is the way to go. I have bought 1/8 and 1/4 oz Northland Fire-Ball Jigs and will pick up some leeches before the trip. Any tips for how many/what size leeches I should buy or the best way to keep them? Seems they are pretty hardy if they have regularly changed water. How deep should I be working the slip bobber rig. It seems they are leader shy, is 12 lb fluoro way too big? I have printed out topo maps of each lake we will fish and plan on targeting humps. For all species, what depth is most common to be targeting them in early July. Is relying on the topo maps going to be key to success? Hopefully with the colder water this year, they are still somewhat shallow as that is how I am used to fishing in the shallow FL lakes. What are your go-to trolling tactics? Realistically, I will not switch lures too much and I assume the staples on my rods will be the Ned rig, paddle tail, and Husky Jerk. What would your go-to lures be? Is fishing in the heat of the day productive at all or should we just make ourselves busy during the sun's peak hours? Is July the time to slow down presentations or cover as much water as possible? Any and all fishing tips would be greatly appreciated! QueticoMike, I notice that you have mentioned writing articles on things such as smallmouth tactics in the region. Are those publicly available online somewhere? Are side trips where we hike in to small lakes such as Azion Lake or Hube Lake worth it for the fishing or even just the adventure? Any must try campsites or activities that you think are worth the visit? I know that this was a long post and I sincerely appreciate any advice you can offer. Best, Eastcoast |
||
eastcoast |
|
||
cyclones30 |
You're good on the route and already have a bunch of info that all seems fine. My comments....you're going to hate carrying that many rods on portages but you don't have that many portages to do so go for it. All of your techniques sound fine. Leeches yes are very good, do the nalgene method or leech king for keeping them in. Some places don't sell different sizes, you just get assorted ones. If there are sizes anything from M to XL is fine...you just get fewer of the XL's of course. By the time you get up there the water levels will maybe be a little high yet but nothing like earlier this spring and water temps are basically normal for this time of year. So yes they're cold compared to what you're used to but it's not like what you'll be experiencing is out of the ordinary for that area and date. Much closer to normal and normal than it is flooded and cold. |
||
eastcoast |
|
||
jwettelrin89 |
|
||
eastcoast |
|
||
jwettelrin89 |
|
||
bobbernumber3 |
Day 2. Make a day trip back to Pipestone and Newton Falls and scratch that itch. Day 3 - 6. Fish, fish, fish. Day 7. Head to exit point. Fishing days and travel days don't mix well, IMO. You want to avoid seeing a group take the last available site on your destination lake because you "had to fish" while traveling. |
||
eastcoast |
Best, Eastcoast |
||
bobbernumber3 |
Weekly Fishing Report Also good place for bait and tackle in Ely. |
||
Captn Tony |
My walleye set up is one of the either a slip bobber, jig, or walleye hook with a couple of split shots (TGO method). I might set up with a couple of rods with different rigs. Then I always have a trolling rod with either a deep diving hard bait or a lindy style rig on it. I might also have a casting bait on a rod such as a #4 brass mepps with squirrel tail, wopper plopper, stick bait, little cleo, etc. For smallmouth bass my set up is a slip bobber, a trolling hard bait, and a casting lure. Northern will be either a spoon, a spinner, or hard bait on two of the rods and a trolling plug for the third rod. On the mepps I sometimes pinch the barbs because northerns like to swallow that lure and that makes it easier to get those nasty stinkers unhooked. I also use a fish gripper of some kind rather than a net. That way the fish, especially northern pike, don't get all tangled in the net. I think the fish are better off because I can leave the fish in the water while unhooking them. Plus a net takes a lot of space. Also you might want to put a safety cord or float on your all-in-one tool. I and quite a few people have donated theirs to the bottom of the lakes in the bwca! |
||
Kellyheaney1057 |
Slip bobber n leech foot off bottom jig n twister tail in rapids you will catch smallies n wallies n northern |
||
bobbernumber3 |
eastcoast: ".... The outfitter we are using was trying to shy us away from going anywhere near Canada. ...." You need to be able to know good advice when offered. This is good advice. There are too many good spots to bother along the border. |
||
jwettelrin89 |
bobbernumber3: "eastcoast: ".... The outfitter we are using was trying to shy us away from going anywhere near Canada. ...." Some of the best spots along the border route are in the current right along the international border and a trip down the basswood river would likely be the best scenery they see all trip. You need to know the rules and have a gps if you're going to toe the line, but there's no reason to be scared of the border if you do your homework. |
||
eastcoast |
|
||
eastcoast |
|
||
jwettelrin89 |
I always go in October and we crush walleyes on steep breaks adjacent to deep water in 15-30 feet of water. All we do that time of year is jig minnows, but it's too warm to keep minnows alive in July. I'm going in for my first July bwca trip at the end of the month and here is my untested plan: Lindy rig or jig leeches or worms on steep breaks, reefs, or large flats adjacent to deep water anywhere from 15-30 ft deep. Cast weed edges and shallower rock structure with a beaver flick and a leech, plastics, or crank baits. Find current and fish eddies/seams, or in the current where there's a drop-off that goes from shallow upstream to deep downstream. You can often times find walleye much shallower when you're fishing current, but i'll still target mostly 10+ ft deep. Lindy rig entries to bays where the wind is blowing in. Look for areas where there might be a sand/mud/rock transition and try to just drift and cover ground there. If the wind is blowing you will almost always find me on the side of the lake where the wind is blowing into. If the wind is too strong I'll hide behind a point or between islands where currents still sweep around. Hopefully this gives you a few ideas. I'm not sure which or any will work, but these have all worked in the past at one time. |
||
bobbernumber3 |
eastcoast: "... preparing for my first trip to the Boundary Waters..." A first trip can be very exciting! Pack light and have flexible plans. eastcoast: "... I am especially curious about whether you all think the high cold water will be back to more normal levels in the coming weeks and/or if it will affect the fishing strategies at all." Water levels should be dropping back to normal and won't affect your fishing strategies at all. eastcoast: "...Is it worth spending more time fishing Newton Lake and Pipestone Bay (perhaps even spending the night on one of the lakes)? " Campsite availability may be a problem closest to your enty point. Keep your rods (two per person) packed until camp is set up. On a maiden voyage Day One you have more important things to focus on than fishing enroute. eastcoast: "... I would rather have us spend more time on the more promising lakes for fishing even if that means full travel days on the back end of the trip."This is a great thought. Stay on the good fishing lakes. And again, as you head back to an exit point, campsites may be limited and you will end up paddling out eastcoast: " I'd recommend 2 rods per person and leave the baitcaster and fly rods at home until trip 4 or 5 when you get a feel for fishing the BW. St Croix sounds expensive to me and I'd leave it home as well. eastcoast: " Tie anything on and throw toward rock piles, shore, reefs, weed. These invasive fish are everywhere and easily caught. What you have on the end of your line is not too critical. Keep casting! eastcoast: " I am usually glad when Northerns get off before I have to deal with them. Smelly, slimey, and make a mess in the boat. These are caught frequently enough while fishing for your target species, Walleye. eastcoast: " Slip bobber should be set at a depth so your bait is up off the bottom. Needs to be within a foot or two of bottom. A leader is not necessary. Targeting mid-lake reefs in summer toward evening is a good plan. eastcoast: "What are your go-to trolling tactics?" Our only trolling is for lake trout. Four ounce keel sinker, 3 feet back to a flashy spoon. eastcoast: "Realistically, I will not switch lures too much... Only bring two rods. Switch baits more often than you like. However, you could just tie on a jig and fish all week for bass, walleye and northern. Add rubber twister tails, minnow rubber bodies, etc. Our best afternoon in Q for walleyes started a 2 pm with calm water and blazing sun. Fish all day. Have a great trip and be sure to report back! |
||
Wallyhunter7 |
|