Minnesota Steelheader

I don't know how long this is going to last, but the Baptism River Gauge is back up and running! Having access to this information gives you critical insight as to what steelhead may be doing on any given day, and this gauge adds a sorely needed Mid-Shore flow resource to your tool-kit. Thanks to the Cooperative DNR/MPCA Stream Gaging program, you now have a window into not only what the Baptism is doing, but also what conditions on other streams in the immediate area are probably like. Hopefully with the additional dollars from the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment, this gauge will continue to be funded. I'll be monitoring the data-stream from this gauge, and hope to have some useful tools developed for understanding what the gauge is telling you soon. Until then, here's the link: Baptism River Gauge

Passing on some info from our friend, Tom Helgeson who is once again bringing us the Great Waters Fly fishing expo... THANKS TOM! Experience the best in fly fishing at the 2009 Great Waters Fly Fishing Expos in Chicago and Minneapolis. Emphasizing education, adventure and conservation. Led by international fly fisher and acclaimed photographer Brian O’Keefe and Madison River outfitter and author Kelly Galloup, both expos will feature regional and national fly anglers and tiers who will help you take your fly fishing to a new level. Regional presenters and fly tiers will include Tim Holschlag, Pat Ehlers, Tim Landwehr, Kevin Feenstra, Wendy Williamson and Larry Mann, Indiana writer Brandon Butler, Ohio's Great Lakes guide Jerry Darkes, Midwest Fly Fishing magazine fly tying columnist Dennis Potter, artist and guide Bob White, muskie hunters Robert Tomes and Brad Bohen, Michigan tier Jeff “Bear” Andrews and others to be named in the weeks to come. Check out the link for more details...

The 2009 winter season for lake and stream trout in all Minnesota lakes will open Jan. 15, and close March 31, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR). In past years, winter trout season dates were different for Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) lakes, trout lakes outside the BWCAW and those on the Canadian border. Legislation enacted after the 2008 Fishing Regulations booklet was printed changed the winter trout season dates for all lakes, making the information printed on pages 14, 15 and 45 incorrect. The only exception to the statewide winter season is that lakes in Becker, Beltrami, Cass, Crow Wing and Hubbard counties are closed to winter stream trout fishing. Blue Lake in Hubbard County is the only lake within those counties where stream trout can be caught during the winter season. Winter season dates for lake trout and stream trout in lakes, as well as other corrections and changes that have occurred since the 2008 Fishing Regulations bookl...

Upgrade your gear with Great Lakes Fly Company's Rod and Reel Swap Shop Event. From January through February 2009. Finally a chance for you you to take your old rod and reel or gear and get that new high performance rod and reel or anything in the store. The sale of products is applied as store credit or direct sale only and not redemeble as cash! Just bring your product down to the store or send it to us and include you name, address, phone number and prices. We will display the products and let you know when it sells. Conact info: Great LakesFly Company 313 W Superior St.Duluth, MN 55802 218-740-3040

If you are not aware of it, the new North Shore Tributary & Trout Maps are now available online. These interactive maps provide a bit more detail than the old North Shore trib maps & are another good source of information. Just click the link & scroll down to the bottom of the page: North Shore Tributary & Arrowhead Trout Maps Here are the links to the Old Maps: Tributaries from Duluth to Beaver Bay Tributaries from Beaver Bay to Grand Portage Regards- NMF

I realize that this is Minnesota Steelheader , but so many of us fish all over the North & South Shore that I thought I'd include it. Sorry it's so tardy... When you look at a "normal" Spring Run profile, basically you are looking at a specific time period when the fish follow a bell-curve as they return to a given tributary. The numbers start slowly, build to a peak, then decrease. The total population of fish in the river also follows that same curve although some fish may stay in the river as long as 60 days before emigrating back to the lake. However, when looking at fall run fish, particularly ones that winter over in a stream like the Brule, you have to look at things a bit differently. The run itself follows the same sort of bell-curve with respect to returning fish, but total population does not decrease over time. That is to say, emigrating fish do not offset numbers of fish entering the river like they do in spring. Rather, the total population continues...

With the leaves turning beautiful colors it means one thing for North Shore Stream anglers...fall run! This past weekend was spent doing some sight seeing with the family but we did get a chance to get out four our first fly fishing lesson. With some help from dad, our little smolt got to experience his first Pink Salmon. Though the water was low on all the rivers from Duluth to Grand Marais this past Thursday thru Friday, it did not slow the pink run. We found fish all throughout the Cascade, Cross & Poplar Rivers. All the fish were fresh and feisty with several starting to make the Redd's. If you are thinking of a weekend to go hit the Pink Salmon Run, this is it.