Dog Days of Summer

Big Hook Camps is experiencing our first official heat wave of the summer.  Highs in the upper 80's and lower 90's are expected to occur for the next couple days.  Until recently, the weather patterns have been all over the board.  Just last Sunday the days high temperature was a chilly 52 degrees.  Sundays cold front plummeted water temperatures from 68 to 62 degrees.  However, the water temps should come sky rocketing back with this latest warm front.

A West Lake 43" released 7/17,
caught on the rock next to the dock

   

Fishing 

Walleye are now staging in their typical summer locations.  Wind blown points and rock reefs from 8-16 feet of water are common hot spots.  Not as many fish are being found among the weeds over the past week.  Back trolling while vertical jigging 1/4 oz heads will always be my favorite technique locating walleye.  Flouro orange and black seem to be the hot colors this summer for tails.  Lots of nice walleye 22"-27" have been boated and released among all the lakes over the past week.  Just about all big fish have been caught vertical jigging. 

A view from the water at Central

I have heard mixed reports on trolling for walleye this week. While guiding Sunday at West Lake most fish shunned the crank baits and would only attack the jigs.  The trolling bite should pick up as the water temps warm and the walleyes descend into the depths.  Focus in 12-15' while navigating break lines.  

Loons nest on the west end at Central

Pike fishing has been successful later in the day.  4-9 pm seems to be the feeding window the past week.  Top water action has been exciting lately, also in the afternoons.  Pick your favorite weed beds and get ready for the smash, remember the bigger fish will hang on the outside of the weed edge.  Bucktails have also been equally effective among the weeds and out performing one of my favorite lures, the Johnson Silver Minnow.  Bright colors such as flouro orange and fire tiger have been triggering bites.  Also, this time of year while fishing for walleye on deeper reefs I like to have one person throw deep running baits for northern. Usually there is one pike lurking on the edge of the walleye school. 

Burnt, Cocos and West all notched 40" + fish in the last week.  The last weeks of July and into August should produce some bruiser pike now that the water levels have returned to normal and our weed beds have matured. 

Good luck on the water everyone! 

-Nathan 

www.bighookcamps.com 

Post Hatch

A beefy South Lake pike. 

 The warm days of July have arrived.  The past three days, humid weather with temps in the 80's has stalled over the Opasquia Provincial Park. Weather forecasts have been predicting rain and cloudy weather. However, as I sit on the deck writing this blog, I am basked with sunshine under blue skies .  The pleasant days are very welcomed after a cool and wet June.  The lack of rain this past week has allowed the lakes to drain a fair amount.  As I mentioned in a previous blog, most lakes were at record high levels.  Thankfully, lake levels have dropped close to 6".   Our lake temperatures are beginning to creep back up to 70 degrees on the surface once again.

A nice 37" SW Lake pike. 

Fishing 

The walleye bite is back on schedule.  After a several day lull due to the inconsistent weather and a mayfly hatch, our bread and butter fish has grown hungry again.  Last week we witnessed the tail end of the mayfly hatch and most fish were stuffed with the winged creatures when caught.  However, after a day guiding on the Central yesterday, I would say one in five fish showed any signs of mayflies in their throats.  Furthermore, I filleted four fish up for shore lunch and on closer inspection did not see a single carcass in the bellies.

Surprisingly, many fish are still being boated in shallow water.  4-8 ft was the magic depth finding walleye schools yesterday at Central.  Creeping deeper than 12 ft nothing was found but dead water.  Vertical jigging below the boat while back trolling was the most effective way to locate schools.  1/4 oz jigs were out performing 3/8 oz  as walleye were still preferring the smaller presentations.  According to most guests I spoke with, Flouro orange, white and pumpkinseed have been top twister/gulp colors.  Casting Flicker shads and Rapala Shad raps on top of shallow reefs have also been productive.  Walleye should begin transitioning to deeper reefs (15-20 ft)  over the next couple weeks.  

Yesterday while guiding I knew the pike were going to be aggressive when two walleye were           T-boned boat side within 20 minutes.  Pike were holding tight on wind blown weed beds.  Silver minnows and bucktails were top baits.  Some top water action was to be had; Buzz baits and Bucher dancing raiders produced some great explosions in the late afternoon hours.  West, Burnt, Cocos, and Central all reached the infamous 40" mark for northern last week.  Fisherman are having an easier time locating the weed beds with the receding water levels.

Good luck on the water everyone and don't forget to send us pics of your stays at Big Hook Camps.
-Nathan
www.bighookcamps.com

Raging Waters

June is about to come to a close and it will go down as the wettest month we have encountered in our 26 seasons at Big Hook Camps.  This past week, we again were blasted by pounding rains for consecutive days.  Lake levels as a result are the highest we have witnessed in years and some lakes are still rising.  Every rapids in the Opasquia Park are gushing to rid the lakes of the excess water.

Rainy days provide some amazing rainbows

How are the high lake levels affecting the fishing you ask?  After chatting with the guests at Central and the outposts, the majority of reports have been favorable.  However, another player has just entered the fold, the mayfly.  Yes, it is that time of year and they have begun hatching.  We began witnessing mayfly carcasses on Monday and thus far it has been a pretty weak hatch.  Typical hatches will cover bays and here at Central you'll stumble across a couple dozen here and there.  Only time will tell on the hatch, hopefully the rising waters have put a damper on the yearly insect invasion.  This morning (June 30th) surface temperatures were a rather cool 60 degrees. I have always noted that mayflies hatch heaviest when the surface temperature is around 70.  

A nice 23" Central Lake walleye.

As I mentioned before, the fishing reports have been overall positive.  Walleye have been aggressive as ever.  Most fish are still holding close to the rapids and edges of weeds.  Some larger fish have been boated on rock shelves, but it still may be to early for reef fishing.  Fish are harboring close to the mud where the mayflies are hatching.  Jigging has been the hands down favorite for catching walleye. 1/8 oz or 1/4 oz are best.  After filleting a couple walleye yesterday I did not notice much for food in the bellies, which means they are not filling up on mayflies.

Camp dog Shadow captains an evening cruise.

Those of you not familiar with the weed beds may struggle to locate them this week due to the high water.  The weeds are growing and were nearly at the surface just a week ago.  Pike are slowly positioning themselves in the beds.  However, most big pike are being caught while jigging for walleye this past week.  Northern seem to be chasing smaller baits, so as a last minute addition to the tackle box toss in some smaller spoons to catch timid fish.  A plus to the low weeds is you can sneak baits over the top of the beds without worry of catching plenty of salad.

Good luck on the water everyone!
-Nathan
www.bighookcamps.com

Walleye Bonanza

It has been quite a week here at Big Hook Wilderness Camps.  The Saturday (June 18th) began with stiff winds and warm temperatures. The fish were responding extremely well to the warmth and stable conditions. However, things quickly changed last Sunday evening with a wicked storm front.  Our entire area got pounded by a massive 12 hour downpour with plenty of scenic lightening to boot.  When the skies finally cleared Monday afternoon over 2.5" of rain had fallen. 

Needless to say, the lake levels immediately shot up and have been still rising here at Central Lake.  Rapids throughout the Opasquia Park are gushing torrents of water.  Following the deluge of water fishing, as expected, took at hit for several days.  The cool rain knocked the water temperature down considerably on most bodies of water.  Fish turned lethargic until about Wednesday.  However, Wednesday the walleye bite came back with ferocity.  

A beauty 31" walleye released on South Lake Wednesday

I managed to guide several times this week and got a great feel for the fishing patterns on Central Lake.  Also, after chatting with numerous guests at the outpost, my diagnosis for the patterns were reaffirmed.  Walleye at the moment are staging heavily in current or quick moving water and around the weed beds.  Although we still have not witnessed a single mayfly, I believe the walleye have begun feeding on some early larvae coming out of the mud today June 24th.  

Burnt Lake baby moose. 

The walleye bite today was absolutely electric on Central.  My clients notched over 142 fish and we left them biting in every single spot.  The most effective lure today was without a doubt a 1/4 oz jig head stuffed in a pumkinseed tube jig.  Some notable walleye were also caught at the outposts, South Lake in particular.  The guests there boated and released many between 24-27 inches, along with a 31" behemoth.  Most fish were caught while trolling Hot N Tots.  Also, SW lake on Thursday had already tallied over 3000 walleye, incredible! 

Basically targeting techniques for walleye until we see the major may fly hatch is to look for weeds, muddy flats and areas that have current (ie rapids or quicker moving water).  Pitching or slow back trolling 1/4 oz jigs with a black, brown, chartreuse orange, or yellow twister works effectively.  Heck,  the walleye are aggressive enough at the moment to smash bucktails and johnson silver minnows.  

I have heard of catching "snakes" but never the real thing!

Pike fishing on the other hand has truthfully been disappointing the past several days.  The big boys have been timid and quick to dart away from sight.  It hasn't shut down, it has been just slower than usual.  However, not to be discouraged, several nice fish have been boated and released, most notable a 39.5" and a 44" pair of beasts caught on jigs at Central. Burnt Lake and West have tallied several nice fish in the 36-39" range also.  Some success for the big boys has been found trolling along rock shelves with larger crankbaits, like jakes or bomber magnums.  The big fish just haven't been as aggressive in the weeds recently.  It's as if the walleye have kicked them out of their own stomping grounds. 

However, don't fret.  Northern are creatures of habit and will surely return to the weedy flats after a brief hiatus.  I'll keep pitching those bucktails and silver minnows in the weeds, the fish will be there soon.  As the water keeps warming, current surface temperature is around 66 degrees, top water action should begin to take hold.  It is by far my favorite way to attack trophy nothern, nothing is more exhilarating that witnessing a 40" fish explode from the depths. 

Good luck on the water everyone!

_Nathan 

www.bighookcamps.com