Cold weather and rain continues to hang over the Ely area, keeping the water temperature in the mid 50’s and the walleye biting! Packsack anglers have had no problem finding smaller walleye, with only a few reports of larger 25” plus fish being caught. Walleyes are still going after minnows, although leaches have been working as well.
Large Northern pike have been the main focus for a few of our guests this past Memorial Day weekend, and those guests have been very successful. Several 40” plus pike have been caught and released from Pipestone, and Jackfish Bays. The bait of choice for going after the big boys has been either large dead suckers or frozen Alewives.
Smaller area lakes with warmer water temps have been hot for bass and panfish. One area lake has been producing copious amounts of large and smallmouth bass. If you have never fished Ella Hall I would put it on your list of lakes to hit this summer. It lies along the Four Mile Portage, so it requires some work to get there, but you will be rewarded with plenty of fish, and of course the beautiful scenery of the BWCA.
The area is starting to see more and more paddlers out there. If you’re fishing Fall, or Basswood Lakes from a boat be sure to respect those in canoes. Slow down and keep your distance. Canoers, when using the portages remember to clear your gear and canoes from the portage landing as soon as possible, so the boats don’t get backed up.