This season, June appears to have been the hottest month for fishing in Jasper and the area, overall. Having Red Rock Wilderness Store here as part of Northwind Lodge affords us the ability to find out what is biting and where. Plus, our Northwind Lodge guests caught the biggest fish and most species at the end of May and throughout June. When the smallmouth were on the spawning beds this season (which is usually the third week in June for as long as I can remember), our guests were catching whoppers in smallmouth bass and the largemouth were doing pretty nicely, as well.
Once we entered July, our weather turned spectacular for the most part. We had the occasional mega-downpour, but were very pleased with the nice temps and sunny days. Only one day hit 90 degrees F and everyone was griping at the horrific discomfort and terrible sweatiness it caused - for one day. I kept reminding the complainers that we had a normal winter last season which means actual temps dipping to -40 degrees F and six whole weeks of -23 to -25 degree F mornings. It became apparent to me that many among us have really short memories with everything from politics to weather. Once we made it past our 15 hour heat wave, summer fell lock-step into mid-seventies by day and mid-to-high forties by night. That went on for days on end. It was awful to be so comfortable. I do think it caused some issues with fishing as while we humans like the climate-controlled temps of northern Minnesota (at least for this year and probably never again), the fish find it less enjoyable or at least un-motivating. The barometric pressure remained high and infrequently moving for many of the days past. Fishing is always best when atmospheric pressure is changing and preferably on the rise. When it remains high all the time, while that is better than a fish depressing low, it is not as good as an inspirational rise. With the more variable weather of June, fishing was more exciting and in that lies no surprise. June generally brings about bigger fish and more activity in general. This June was no different.
As for recent activity, there have been quite a few customers coming into Red Rock (our store and the Northwind Lodge office) asking for very specific lures to catch northern pike. We have thousands of lures in the store here and whenever we don't have the exact color/design/brand in stock, we get a lot of varied remarks of great disappointment. "Well, one would think that with 25,000 lures in stock, you'd for certain have MY color/brand/model!" When I ask what they are using that specific color to catch, they invariably say "northern pike". At that point, great restraint must be put forth on my presentation that five different customers have been in today all asking for a really different specific lure "for northerns". That in itself should really easily indicate that the northerns are biting and they are biting EVERYTHING. Northern pike are like that. They can really be biting and they pretty much are biting from a reaction to the lure. How do I know that? I've personally watched LOTS of northern pike under the ice with underwater cameras. It also doesn't hurt that I fished hard for many years as a guide. For more current data, Rapala came out with their Scatter Rap which is a whole line of lures that wobble when pulled through the water, but then suddenly shoots off in an erratic motion. That erratic, occasional veering off-course makes fish take notice. That notice can result in a reaction strike. Northerns are reactive fish. Yes, there are occasional times when they do hit one color over another, but more often than not, they will hit all the lures in your tackle box and sometimes even a six inch yellow, plastic, braided rope with a treble hook attached. Fishing northern pike is the easiest of all the fish and they are very aggressive. That is why the limit for them is three. The trick is finding the big ones. There is a reason that big fish are big - they are not stupid.
Now, does that mean that northerns will hit every lure you throw out of the boat? No. Sometimes, they are simply not in the mood. The point that I am trying to make is that if you don't find your exact, trusty, confidence lure for northern pike, don't worry about it. We have about 100 others that will do quite well and on some days nothing works. Incidentally, the exact same thing can be said for worm harnesses and spinner rigs for walleye fishing. Colorado or Indiana blade - it's not going to matter that much. Spin, flash, bite. For July and August, slap on a fluorescent orange, chartreuse, or copper colored blade, hook on a worm, and throw it over the side. Troll around the cabbage weed bed edges and be on the bottom. Other colors will work as well. They are really more interested in the worm.
As of late, northerns and bass have been slamming top water lures like Zara Spooks, Chug Bugs, various poppers and Jig-N-Pigs which are pretty weedless and fun to use. The best fishing in Jasper appeared to be from 5 AM to 8 AM when the pressure seemed to increase every day for the past ten days. That was for the Kowalyshens in Cabin 7. Jim Rhoads and son Dan, and grandson Abraham did well during a wide range of daytime hours. Terry Rose, caught fish at all day times but noted that the fishing was a bit slower overall this season. I'm still holding the spectacular weather to be responsible for slow fish activity. What was inexplicable was that the bluegills disappeared for the past two weeks. Normally, this time of year, they are jumping in the boat. We'll have to see what the rest of August and September brings.
Lake trout have been hitting big jigs at 90 feet in Snowbank Lake. Catching lakers at this time of year requires a special skill set. Rainbow trout in Tofte Lake (next door to us) has been producing some nice rainbows from trolling with Salmo Hornets in Rainbow Dace pattern which is exactly like the minnows that are in Tofte. To use these little beauties, you simply troll them behind the boat about 150 to 200 feet....and the rainbows are tasty!
We'll see what this week brings. I'm hoping to sneak a little time on the water as well. For the bulk of the summer, I spent my time talking about fishing in the store for 12 hours per day, seven days a week since the first week of June which was my last trip to date.
The ax is becoming dull. I need to go sharpen it.
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Comment if you'd like. I'd also like to hear your stories of staying at Northwind Lodge.