My in-laws decided on taking our family up to Kab this summer. We are staying at Voyageur Park Lodge. We are interested in hiring a guide for two days. Does anyone have any suggestions. Additionally any must have’s as far as jig color or lures for the walleyes?
I was on Kab for the first time in September this year. Hired Tim Watson and could not have been more pleased. He got us on a limit of Walleyes in some tough conditions and showed us numerous spots to fish that we used later in our week long stay. He is at http://kabetogamaangling.com/
I highly recommend Tim!
Lloyd
I 2nd Tim Watson use him 3 years ago he allowed us collect wt points and we have used them since. We fished mid Sept with 1/4 jig/minnow deep in fact deeper than you would normally try. We were up there this yr in late Sept did very good. Can’t wait for next year we may try late Aug to hit the trolling bite. Tim has a very tight schedule book early to advoid disappointment.
Tight lines
I just booked my trip with Tim. Looking foward to it. Did you use any colors in particulars?
Pink & white
Blue Vegas was hot when we were there.
He loves blue vegas jigs…although ask him about “crystal eyes” if you’re jig fishing. Tim is my uncle, an excellent fisherman, true historian of the area as he grew up on Sugarbush island. We try to do more than catch fish…we try to show you why the weather, seasonal patterns, or conditions are producing fish so if things change during your stay, hopefully you can still find them!
Wade Watson “Kab Kid”
Old Post, but thought if people are looking for a guide next season or just want to ask questions.
Welcome to In-Depth Wade. What do you see for 2018 on Kab.? 2017 wasn’t a very good year from all I’ve heard and seen. Not many bigger fish although I heard they were getting more larger Walleyes later in the fall. What are you expecting this year?
Thanks, Dutchboy
I love this lake and the entire system. I do fish other places LOTW, St. Croix river, and smaller lakes occasionally…but “Kab” is my home lake and I love it. This post can go on and on, and I know others will have different opinions, so this is just my thoughts on the question…
As far as the future fishing, I would encourage people to do more research to find fish. Don’t count on the “normal” spots to produce, and I think that is one of the problems with 2017 success. Same groups that come in June tried the “June Spots” and the fish weren’t there. Same in July, and so on. I think our water temps were warmer than normal with a little earlier ice out (warmer spring-50’s & low 60’s in mid-March to mid-April)).
Let’s look at fish numbers- Kabetogama has an EXCELLENT population of walleyes in the DNR testing studies verses the states average. Kab is listed as a top 10 walleye lake by the DNR and the catch rate numbers: This is off the 2016 published data on Kabetogama-
The walleye gill net catch in 2016 was 12.8 fish/net, well above the historic average for Lake Kabetogama. Walleye gill net catches were at a historical low in 2014 at 5.5 fish/net. The increase in the walleye catch over the past two years was largely due to a high catch rate of fish from the 2015 year-class which made up 24.6 percent of the 2016 catch. (state “normal” for walleye on a lake is 3.6-10.8)
So, the walleyes are there on some length level. Great year classes were 2012, 2015, 2016, and my hope is that data and that early ice and warm spring will make 2017 numbers high. 2014 on the other hand was a historic low for catch rates according to data. To put this into perspective: (this data is taken from the 2016 Kabetogama Lake Survey- MN DNR)
The average length of 2015 Walleyes was 9.7 inches. Age-4 walleyes from the 2012 year-class composed the next largest portion of the catch at 18.8 percent of the catch. The 2012 year-class ranged in length from 14.5 to 18.5 inches long and averaged 16.5 inches in 2016 gill nets. Overall, gill netted walleyes ranged in length from 6.6 to 27.5 inches long and had an average length of 15.4 inches.
If you fished last year (2017), maybe you notice a health population of 20” fish (slot) and 10” fish small. Those 2012 numbers are at the top of the “keeper” range or “slot” fish…then we have a year or two of low numbers. The good news is in my eyes is that 2015-2017 should have 3 solid years of natural production and walleye numbers! That helps the entire system.
On the other end of the walleye spectrum in my eyes is that the numbers of Perch are at record high levels, Sauger numbers are above average, and lastly is those Smallmouth Bass. We have a great Smallmouth Bass resource, and these bass are competing for food, taking over areas, and moving food sources (or patterns of food) from walleye.
In the end, for general tourism this is good in my eyes. More opportunities to catch fish on your vacations! That said, you may look for action with Yellow Perch (live bait rig and worms), or Smallmouth Bass (jig or live bait rig and leech). You will find walleyes using these same patterns of fishing, but then stay in that area and work the structure more!!! Use your electronics or map skills and find similar areas. The structure on Kab and Namakan is similar, but different. Kab in general is shallower with more bays, inlets, and sand weed lines. Namakan has those areas as well but generally deeper water and sharp break lines and more rock reefs, points, and structure.
Big walleyes? I don’t think Kab is a system you think “trophy” walleyes (my opinion). There are big walleyes, but overall our slot and fishing pressure keeps these numbers in check. Personally, I think we have a GREAT number of walleyes from 18-24” fish, but not a lot over 27”. If 30” walleye is what you’re seeking, I’m not sure this is the destination for that. If you seeking unequaled scenic beauty, wilderness and wildlife around every undeveloped island, and good fishing…Kabetogama is that destination!
One remark I often hear is; “all I catch is slot fish, and I can’t keep anything”. My answer to that is- change depths! Walleyes feed in groups and it’s my belief that you hang out with friends your own size or age (not all the time). But moving up or down reefs or structure will often result in finding fish of different lengths. This is most often scene early in the year- post spawn, as some bigger fish will still be shallow, while larger numbers of fish and generally smaller males will be in deeper cooler water. So, if catching 20” walleyes are a problem, move 5-10 ft deeper generally and you may find those eater fish in the same area.
I do think 2018 will be good! Watch the spring temps closely, watch when ice out is this year (Normal is April 28th-30th). Be flexible and try “new” areas. The system is big and there are many areas to fish, don’t simply do what worked last year if it’s not working this year.
Lastly, I love to talk fishing and a goal of mine is to be more active in social media as a guide and person that loves this lake. I’m happy to try and answer questions, and I’ll do my best to post more during the season. I’m not an ice fisherman, so ask Tim Watson or Casey Deziel (https://voyageurparklodge.com/ice-fishing-lake-kabetogama/)
Hope that helped a little…sorry I carried on and on…
Wade Watson
Hope that helped a little…sorry I carried on and on…
No apology necessary, thanks for taking the time to share your experience and knowledge. Our Kab trip got scrapped due to awful weather last year, really hoping to make it happen this June.
Wade,
Thank you for some great info on the lake!
A couple years ago I read that the DNR was worried that many of the YOY walleyes weren’t making it due to predation by larger slot walleyes (similar to Mille Lacs). Is there still a concern, or was it just a couple poor year classes?
I’ve fished east Kab/West Namakan since 1997, and have been lucky enough to have alot of success. I pretty much only fish Namakan now days (along with the east end of Rainy in August) and had a pretty good 2017 there. Lots of 12.5″ fish, and lots of 19-21.5″ slots. Those small’s from last year should be good for the pan this July.
We’ve definitely seen the fish group by size, especially in August on the reefs in Rainy. My wife and I once caught 19 straight eyes on a reef, and every one was 18-20″.
hey xplorer, I’ve followed your posts in the past and I know you are right on the target, and offer great insight into the lake! Thanks.
I personally am concerned by those high numbers of perch, high smallmouth numbers and the competition walleyes face in the system. I think that has changed some patterns as to where we find fish. Maybe its just me looking in other places. Good example is those dog days of July and Aug., walleyes tend to be scattered on the “flats” of the reef, then move up during dusk to feed (normal walleye pattern in my mind). But I’ve been fishing weed lines and weed patches more in 6-10 feet of water (past 2-3 years)…and even on HOT/FLAT days. Maybe I was just late to the party and all of you have been looking shallow when everyone’s on the reefs, or deep when the wind is blowing and i’m in the shallows!
Kevin Peterson is our Fisheries specialist out of I-Falls, great guy to talk about the system or the resource in general. I also, question the longevity of the slot slightly. I like 4 walleye limit, and I urge people to put back BIG fish, and treat those 20-24″ fish like gold…that is our future fish stock!
Kabkid, great thoughts on Kabetogama/Namakan. I too share your feelings of the lake system, there is no place I would rather be. I fish out of the Ash River and spend about 20 days a month there May till oct. The Fishing has changed a lot in my opinion. Places we used to do well at aren’t as good any more at least for Walleyes. I find myself going farther to fish, in fact I fish the Ontario side of Namakan a lot. I agree that the Smallmouth and perch seem to have exploded the past several years. I have seen folks bring in Perch from Sullivan’s bay that were so big they didn’t even look like Perch. The Smallies move out onto the reefs and are mixed in with the walleyes in July and August. Smallmouth love crayfish but they eat anything including minnows so they compete with the walleye for food. Something seems out of balance. As far as slots, I prefer the old minimum of 13″ I hate seeing folks come into the cleaning shack with a bunch of 11 and 12 inchers and it happens a lot.
Dan
Hey Dan, good to see you on here!!
I’ve heard from others that they are finding walleyes in the shallows more often the last few years too. We have caught them casting weedy back bays for pike and smallies in July/August. And the reefs don’t seem to have as many fish on them as say, 10 years ago.
Sometimes I get stuck in a rut and fish the same area’s year after year expecting the same results. Last year I forced myself to go and eXplore some new areas. Some paid off, some didn’t.
I have personally stayed with the 13-17″ slot for keepers on Namakan since its inception in ’98 (I believe off the top of my head). All I know, is that there are very few places I’d rather be in July or August than camping on one of the islands in VNP 
Hi Chris, Looking for some new forums the other day and stumbled onto this one. Seems to be a lot more interest in Kabetogama/Namakan then just about any of the others. I know what you mean about being in a rut, I am guilty of that big time. I am too dependent on my electronics and they aren’t much help in 6-8 ft of water. I have friends tho that only fish shallow weeds or edges and do well all summer but they are only getting a handful of bites each time out. I do agree that there isn’t the numbers of fish on the reefs as there was a few years ago. With all the mapping tools there are no secrets anymore so anyone can find them with a little effort.
“If you seeking unequaled scenic beauty, wilderness and wildlife around every undeveloped island, and good fishing…Kabetogama is that destination!”
Couldn’t have said it better myself, I only wish I had more time to spend up there. I saw this thread title and just seeing then name Kab got me excited. We are trying out the opener week this spring, usually do the second week, and bringing my older brother and his wife up this time. Already looking forward to it, even if the walleye don’t cooperate one of the other species is willing. Those monstrous pre spawn smallies are a riot. I really hope to spend some time getting after the perch this spring, my wife discovered she likes perch more than walleye so I can get I’ll be getting daily texts on whether or not I’ll have a few to bring home since she’s not coming with this time.
We need to keep it secrete. 
Getting to be to many folks around up there some weekends. 
Updated some things on our website, and created a “new” page that is interactive called “Let’s talk Kabetogama” and has some information and insight on fishing and other things…please check it out and add thoughts or questions. If you want the newsletter I try write, sign up…FREE Map as well if anyone wants, just contact me!
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