I am about to embark on a trip to the BWCA. I have heard there is a good brookie lake up the hill from our planned camp site. I am going to bring one fly rod as the rest of the space will be taken up by casting tackle. I will be bringing a 8.5 foot 5 weight. I have never fished for trout in the bwca and never fished a lake for trout either. I need advice. What patterns to bring, what areas to concentrate on.
I figure on bringing a number of wolly worms, ants, caddis flies a few Adams and march browns for dries and a few bead head hare’s ears and regular hare’s ears and some partrige and oranges for wet flies. I also plan on focusing on overhanging trees, inlets and outflows. Anything I am missing?
dynamite
PTS ETC
Submerged humps & points (as Buck Perry would say: a fish is a fish…) If available- contour maps would be helpful…another option would be to lug in a portable LCR…neither are neccessary- they’d just be an asset. This time of year, (excluding early morning/evening) I’d be looking to troll at a 6-8 ft depth (mininum)
Just an OPINION !
Since you didn’t mention
which of countless little Brookie lakes your going to be trying up here . As a fellow inthusiast of them critters, who lives up here, let me lay it on the line. If your going to be on a canoe trip and want to save weight, leave the fly rod at home. Most of the guys up here just drown a crawler for Brookies , And most "stream trout " lakes up here are just little 20 to 40 acre lakes devoid of any structure or points so you can leave sonar at home too unles you have some other reason to bring it. Give a little more detail here or E mail me and I’ll try to help further if you want. Tony
more info
I will be hitting Sock and topper. Topper has an outlet that flows down to the main lake. Sock looks to have a marshy area at one end. Both are above South Lake down from Gunflint. Fisher F 13 is the map I am looking at. Sock has a small inlet that links it to mucker and dunn. I cannot recall the depth of the lake off the top of my head but both are quite small.
yep
Worms have always ruled here too. On another forum that I frequent, there are those who would be king. But, each year the results come in and prove that will never happen.
I refer to my weapon of choice as “my secret hackle” or “garden hackle” on that forum…as not to bruise their sensitivities.
Sorry, should have responded sooner
But, most or actually all of my trout fishing is done West and North of Issabella and through St. Louis county . Talked to a few enthusiasts whom I work with but… the lying ba… wouldn’t tell you the truth if you were pulling out their fingernails. UH ! Trout fishermen . Sorry couldn’t help more… But the DNR publishes a book on Stream trout lakes in Minn. all you have to do is go to their site look for … and ask for it . If your into trout big time , come up camp out and travel around hitting these little lakes. This is what I’ll be doing the week of June 12th. One whole week of Trout, Bass and Walleye fishing . yes yes yes ! Sorry I couldn’t help more But, I’m up here and at your disposal if you think of something else. Tony
on my way
I am going to leave to come up to gunflint in a few hours. They group I am coming up with is rather old and worn out so we are taking 2 days to get there. I wil be up twice more this summer and may get the bug for more trout fishing, we will have to see how this trip goes. Thanks, Ben
Brookies!
I would check regulations on spinning tackle
and hooks before you try conventional tackle.In our state single hook only,flyfishing not as limited other than no barbs at certain places.
I would go with a three or four weight if possible for brookies,4-6x leaders,dries flies would include humpies,trudes,stimulators in sizes
12-16,they like those bushy flies!Underwater your choices of beadhead haresears,pheasentails,prince nymphs,zug bugs should work.Don’t forget the terrestrials too!
I am back
I hiked up to the lake to see the water covered with bugs of all kinds and the lake was full of leaches and minnows. I threw every fly in my boxes and moved nothing. But, I did get a number of smallies down on the main lake. Thanks for the advice. Ben
Brooks
Try some of the Maine streamer patterns on 4 lb. leader tips, Grey Ghost, Spruce, muddlers and Carey Specials. Put out a full fly line with 15 foot leader and paddle in a S pattern real slow, or about 1 mph.
brookies
try some blood worm / midge paterns, san juan worms, misquito emergers / midge lookalikes.
then some poppers for the dawn and dusk should work. possible hexaginia lumbata hatch at that time as well, large mayfly / light green to grey.
good luck wish i could carry your gear and tag along…jeff
www.mastersschoolofflyfishing.com
Lake Clear Wabblers
– Last Updated: Jun-21-05 10:29 PM EST –
Or, slap any of those fly patterns behind a Lake Clear Wabbler with about a three foot lead to get them at a consistant/proper depth (as well as being an attractor). ;)