Fishing Conditions after the Big Storm

WOW. what a storm we had on Tuesday and Wednesday last week. I had the pleasure of having to fish in the weather on Tuesday. It was difficult, though we had 2 artifical musky strikes but both fish came unpinned. The wind was gusting way over 40 miles an hour and possibly up to 50+ gusts were hitting the area. My supper club, Captain Nemo's and Guides Choice Pro Shop were out of power for over 24 hours. Thank heavens for generators concerning the aquariums in both buildings.

What happened to the lakes????? Simply they rolled over and over and over and over. Cooling incrediably fast. We missed many of the temperatures we have patiently waiting to arrive. Now they are passed. Water temperatures were 50-51 on the Eagle River Chain on Tueday. As of today they are 43 and 42 degree. Mid size lakes that were 49.5 degrees on Monday were 45.5 on Friday and 44.5 on Saturday. There will be no more warming of the lakes this year, as of Nov. 6 we turn the clocks back and the days get shorter and shorter. So we missed the magic 48, 47, 46 degrees that are so good for the live bait bite.
Guiding on friday we boated a 40 and 48 incher. On Saturday we got another nice fat 40 incher. The fish are on the hard bottom outside the good weed flats. Slow and steady is the key to getting bites.
The weather looks good for the lakes to stay open at least 3 more weeks. We are to have temperatures in the 40's and 50's the next two weeks. The fishing is picking up as far as suckers go. SUCKERS HAVE BEEN DIFFICULT TO OBTAIN BUT WE HAVE NOT RUN OUT YET. WE HAVE THEM NOW AND IT LOOKS LIKE WE SHOULD HAVE THEM THIS WEEKEND.

Come on up the weather looks good and the bite is on.

Ranger Rick