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Water cold, weather heating up

With the sun finally appearing this past week, anglers are hoping water temps will rise and give fishing activity a jump start. Last Tuesday fishermen reported surface water temperatures of just 53 degrees on several area lakes, well below where lake temps usually are following Memorial Day.But the thermometer was finally hitting 70 degrees on a regular basis and the flower planters were finally able to stop worrying about frost. Warmer temps should stimulate the fish as well.The funny thing was there were several reports of anglers limiting out last week, proving that when the fish are hungry, they’re going to eat. The trout seem to be the least affected by the cooler water. Terry Gfeller of Ely brought in a 13 lb. 12 oz. laker off of Burntside Lake and registered at Skube’s Bait and Tackle. Gfeller used a Canadian Wiggler to catch the 33-inch trout.From up the Fernberg came a 10 lb. 8 oz. laker caught by Mark Olson of Whitehall, WI on Snowbank Lake using a cisco. Olson brought his fish into Smitty’s to have it registered.Christopher Kessler of Tower, MN came over to Burntside to do a little trout fishing and took home a 9 lb. 15 oz. lake trout. He registered the fish at Voyageuer Fuel and Food.Right behind was a 9 lb. 13 oz. lake trout caught on a jig and a minnow in Burntside Lake by Krista Maki of Ely, who checked the fish into the Angler contest at Great Outdoors Bait and Tackle.Top walleye caught was a 9 lb. 12 oz. whopper taken out of Burntside by Bob Stenman of Coon Rapids, MN using a Shad Rap. Stenman took the fish to Vermilion Fuel and Food to have it weighed.Next up was a 9 lb. walleye that went 27.5 inches on the ruler, caught by Anna Yahnke of Ely on Basswood Lake using a chub and registered at Voyageur North Outfitters.Duane Zamler of Eveleth used a minnow while fishing on Frasier Bay on Lake Vermilion to take a skinny 29-inch walleye that weighed 7 lb. 8 oz. He checked the fish in at Vermilion Fuel and Food.Bass fishing should start picking up with warmer weather. This week we had a 5 lb., 20.5 inch largemouth bass caught by Steve Henry of Minneapolis and checked in at Skube’s Bait and Tackle. Birch Lake can often be a hot spot for crappies, one of the best eating panfish. Elizabeth Cromer of Duluth, nearly got a meal out of a 1 lb. 8 oz. crappie caught on Birch Lake using a jig and a worm and registered at Voyageur North Outfitters.Caleb Maki of Ely reeled in a nice 20-inch smallmouth while using a blue Rapala but decided to let the fish go and entered the contest at Voyageur North.Another nice Catch and Release was turned in by Darren Henderson of Moores-ville, IN to Voyageur North. Henderson used a rubber worm to fool a 29-inch walleye on Fairy Lake.A 27-inch walleye released in Moose Camp Lake was reported by Bob Derr of Greendale, WI to Voyageur North Oufitters.With the sun breaking through the clouds last week, look for the walleye fishing to pick up. Early morning has been a hot time with several groups limiting out in time to be back in town for breakfast.If it stays cool, the trout will stay up in the shallower waters. Panfish are starting to pick up as well and there’s nothing better than a pan of fish cooked golden brown for dinner. Good luck!

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