The Home Stretch

Smile for your close up Mr. Walleye

We are in our final weeks of business for the 2015 season. It always amazes me how fast the summer streaks on by; it seems just weeks ago I was just struggling to find open water with the float plane.  Thankfully, the summer weather is still holding on as we progress into September.  The past several days have been pleasant, 75 degrees and sunny with occasional rain.  However, last Saturday  (Aug 22nd) we experienced the monsoon of 2015, over 91 millimeters (or over 3.5" inches) of rain fell in a 24 hr period.  As a result, the lakes have skyrocketed back to spring time ice melt levels.  The level of Central Lake seems to have peaked today, rising around 14".

With the massive rainfall all the rapids throughout the park are gushing and drawing plenty of fish to the super oxygenated water. While guiding last Thursday my guests and I chose to take full advantage of the roaring north falls at Central. In a short period of time they managed to boat over 100 walleye easily and we left them biting. Oddly enough, we did not see a single pike in the flowage.

The walleye bite is still good.  As mentioned before, lots of fish are moving to the rapids although plenty are hanging in deep water.  Open water reefs in 20 ft are optimal places to start hunting.  1/4 oz jigs with orange or pumpkinseed tails have been most effective.  Surprisingly, trolling has been lackluster lately, the bite seems to be favoring the slower presentation of a jig.

A Reef Runner boated this Central Lake 40" on Friday 

 The pike bite has been on fire the past several days.  Most fish are holding in the dying weeds and attacking larger baits.  A few have been found patrolling the deep reefs while jigging.  Favourable last week boated 9 fish over 39" while Cocos the week prior had an astonishing 51 fish over 31" topping at 42.5".  

Central Lake 41" couldn't resist an Esox Assualt Bucktail
yesterday 

The higher water has been just perfect for pike anglers.  With the weeds about a foot under the surface, fisherman are able to cast without constant salad on their lures.  I managed to hit the water for a short time yesterday throwing mainly bucktails and delong eels.  Never did I have to worry about snagging weeds as long as I kept my baits high in the water column.  Pike will often explode out of the water when burning baits just subsurface, and it is exhilarating. Pictured right is a nice 41" pike I boated 8/30 while burning a bucktail about 6" under the water.  

Dad and I will  be tackling some fall projects shortly.  In short, Cocos and West will be seeing some touch ups.  New windows and stairs are coming to Cocos; while West is getting a new front door and bedroom interiors.  If time and weather permits we will tackle others.

Good luck on the water everyone! Send us your 2015 Big Hook pics.
-Nathan
www.bighookcamps.com  

Portaging northbound amongst the rapids at Central Lake