Duluth area lakes

Anyone out fishing any lakes around Duluth? Maybe Island,Fish,Boulder or maybe Big Rice. I grew up around these lakes and was wondering if any one on the board fishes them. There are some real nice perch in Rice Lake.Used to bike out to Rice lake dam and fish before I had a car. Boy that was a long time ago.We used to catch huge Northerns there. Don’t know why I thought about those lakes but they sure bring back memories. Steve

I fish Island Lake all the time! My family has a Cabin up there it is reallyy turning into a great fishery. The Walleye population is going up along with their size. There is also a small number of Crappies up there but that population is also growing but theese crappies are huge! The biggest crappies I have ever seen have been up there I have caught a few 3 pound slabs their and my Dad even caught a huge 4 pounder! The only problem is finiding them. It is alsmost imposible to find them. But once you do they stay in that area for about a month and then move on. I also Ice fish boulder lake, it is great usually catch 1 crappie and 3 walleyes per visit there. Finally rice lake is great for perch you can prolly catch your limit every time you go there.

Welcome to the site! you must have dug deep to find this post. I love that area up there, it has given me some of my best fishing memories. Have you ever fished the Clouquet (spelling?) river for cats? How about Wolf Lake,Elliot,or Murphy lakes. So many great spots so little time. I really like fishing up where the river enters Island lake. It used to be called the falls and a person could catch a lot of walleye’s in the spring there. It was a great spot with huge rocks or is that just one or two rocks the size of houses. Just pull up close to the rapids and with a three way rig with minnow drop to the bottom and yep another eye. I remember a very large walleye caught under Island Lake brige on a frog. The frog was two large to hook so the fisherman tied it on with a piece of red yarn. Does Boulder lake still have lots of bullheads? Steve

Were your talking about my cabin is about 100 yards from there. It is a great spot to fish, there a bunch of 2 pound cats up there not to mention any other fish in the lake. I have never fished the Cloquet river for cats. But i do fish passed the rapids were normal boats can’t go with my canoe you can spend a whole inbetween there and Alden lake and catch monster small mouth, and a llimit of wallyes for 5 people. A few of my buddies and me went up there and we caught what we like to refer to a 30/30 30 smallmouth and 30 walleye. Just great there also alot of nice pike in pockets close to shore.

Would love to see some photo’s of that neck of the woods. Do you have a dig camera? Great memories from that area. I may have to do a vacation and get up there this summer. Please keep in touch and throw on some photo’s if possible or if you have some on regular film I would be happy to scan them in and post them for you. There’s a smaller river up that way between Island and Boulder lakes I believe. We used to camp out there and catch some huge northerns. There is also another lake next to Island Beach Resort called Friedenburg. It used to have access from the resort a long time ago but I think the resort owners of 35 years ago sold the access to someone for a house. Do you know of any other access to that lake? If you drive down the road to Island Beach Resort you will pass by it on the right hand side of the road. Steve

I know of that spot your talking about I have to drive by it every time I go up to my cabin. I never know what it was called, and there diffinatly is no way of getting into it anymore because a few of my buddies and me tried to get into it before. I have always wanted to fish there I might take my zodiac in there from the side of the rode somday. I do not have a digital camera sadly. But next time I get film developed from that are I will get a cd copy there always offering. If your going to take a vacation up here and fish Island I suggest it be one of the last two weeks of either June Or Augast. Because before the last two weeks of June it is packed and in July and begining of Augast it is alittle hard to fish, unless you take a canoe up the river thats one of the only ways you are garenteed a good catch. Island lake has peeked theese last 2 years. Some of the best fishing I have ever had and been theese last two. But sadly it is falling again now. If your interested in fishing some of the tournements up there I believe they are the second weekend of June and the First weekend of Augast. I will keep you updated.

If you have some photo’s laying around that you don’t need for a week or so I’d be happy to scan them and put them on the web. I would like to see some of that area. Did you go to school up there? Is it legal to put a boat in off the side of the road on Friedenburge Lake? Steve

Oh yeah it is legal you can just pull your car too the side. I think I will have to try it out. So is there good Northern Pike in there? What else?

Well let’s do it this way. Take and drop your canoe in and head towards Island beach resort. Pick out the spot that is closest to the Island beach resort then paddle out and around the point which if your looking out from Island beach resort would be to your left. After rounding the point you will see a very large pine tree hanging out at an angle just over the water. Go out untill you are in 12 feet of water and drop a crawler with just a split shot for a weight. If their still in the lake you should catch some beauty’s. Bluegills and huge ones at that. Oh yea there are plenty of bass and northerns in there too. We just went there for the gills though. Good Luck. If you got a sled give it a try for ice fishing. That tree may be gone now but the stump should still be there. Good luck. Steve

Hey thanks for the advice. i never thought of going ice fishing, I might have to give it a try. I never know there were so many different kinds of fish there. What kind of bass? Smallies, Largemouth or Rock. How far does the river go back?

Where I’m talking about is not the river. It is on Friedenburg Lake. If your thinking of getting on the ice of the Cloquet River I wouldn’t do it. Also that smaller river I was talking about might be the Otter River has plenty of current so I wouldn’t wander out there on any ice either.Friendenburg lake would have largemouths. I don’t know about any smallies in there but who nows? I plan on doing a little fishing up that way this summer and maybe we can get together for a day on the water. Steve

That would be pretty nice. Yea I don’t plan going ice fishing but thanks fot the warning. Were exactly is frendburg(sorry about spelling) lake? I think I will check it out on the DNR site.

I wish I could tell you roads but I don’t remember the names. See if you can find Island Beach Resort. Once you are about 1/4 mile from the resort Friedenburg (spelling?) will be on the right side of the road. That should be ok for ice fishing. Steve

Ok let me see if I can get my barings on this. So your at the Island beach resort. Do you wanna head towards the bridge? Or to you wanna take one of the roads by the Island lake Inn? I really want to try this lake it seems really nice. Ok now I trying to think of somthing here… Tell me if you know this body of water. You are just pulling out of the Minnesota Power Boat landing and you are driving towards the bridge and the Inn and on the road oppisite side of island lake there is some sort of body of water weather it is a lake pond or what I am not sure. Is that Freidenburg?

Ok I tried to figure this out so this should get ya real close. Take Arrowhead road to Rice Lake Road and take a right. Then drive untill you get to Fish lake road. I think it is the same road that goes past the road for Island lake dam. Before you get to the Island lake dam road you will need to take a right on Fredenberg Lake road. If you follow it to almost the end you will see Fredenberg lake on your right hand side. If you go to the end of this same road you will come to Island Beach Resort. Good luck Steve

Hey thanks for the directions I will definatly try that lake, any other good spots around. I will definatly keep you updated on my fishing succes up here. Well I have to be gettin to be talk to you latter.