Sand Point Report from 7.12.05 to 7.14.05

Major COLD front is the first thing I have to say here. It was 95 degrees, 3 days before we arrived and the temps dipped down to the low 40’s at night (Bbbbrrrrrrr) when we showed up. That is mighty cold for mid August. That is a temperature change of over 50 degrees. Even with the cold temperatures, Voyagers was still packed. We searched for a campsite for about 4-5 hours before Angie found what may have been the last in the park. We searched Namakan, the Eastern side of Kabetogama and the Northern part of Sandpoint, until we found one. So if you are headed up there this weekend, make sure you take this into account. The first pic is taken of camp.

The fishing was still bearable and fish were caught but nothing of any size as far as smallies or Walleyes were caught between our party of 2 boats. The fish were scattered all over the place and we chose to work mid lake humps and sharp shore line breaks. I could not find anything artificial that a smallie would commit to, so I ended up working the humps with a jig and a leech. Fishing from 6-15 feet of water you would get smallies on these mid lake rock humps. Go a little deeper and you would find the walleyes. They mainly were hanging in 15-22′ feet of water. Action was far from fast and furious but fish were there you just had to work for them.

After spending some time on our short vacation up there and finding the fish scattered and unable to figure out a pattern for bigger Small mouth or Walleye, Stacie and I decided to try our luck chasing big toothies. So we worked the same mid lake rock humps chucking some big baits. These humps came from 20 feet plus deep and topped of anywhere from 2-4 feet of rocks. These places were marked with rock buoys. The first hump we hit just as we started to move on to the next, Stacie says she has one. The next 15-25 seconds was sweet music to my ears as I hear her drag start screaming. It stopped its mad dash only to give some violent tugs on the line. Stacie tried to gain some ground back on the fish but just couldn’t budge her. After a stand off for about 5 minutes, the fish went on another 15 second tear. This was a big fish and most likely with out a doubt the largest I have ever had hooked up in my boat. After it’s second huge run, Stacie was still trying to get some line back but just could not manage an inch. We also had to worry about this fish crossing up with the buoy now. So, I decided to drop the back trolling motor down and chase this fish down and get on the other side of the buoy. After gaining most of the line back on the fish I stopped the motor to again let Stacie do battle with this fish. This time the fish made a dash for underneath the boat. This is where the second standoff begun. I mentioned right away not to put to much pressure on the fish, but after another minute or so the fish moved again a short distance towards the back. Then I saw the line go slack and the fish was gone. The hooks had came undone and the fish lived to battle another day. Not sure if it was a pike or muskie, but that was one monster fish. Stacie battled that fish on my old pike rod and I have caught a ton of 10-18 lb pike on that rod in Canada and here in MN and it never looked or sounded like it did that overcast afternoon. Just do not bring up anything about her losing that fish. She is still a little sore about it. We went back the next(last) morning and tried for some more action and that is exactly what we got. Similar action to what James and Steve Vick found on the St. Louie. Crazy fish doing weird things. I was working a top water bait to the boat and saw no fish following I went to sling back for my next cast and THUD, SPALSH a big (15lb+/-) fish came out of the water and T-Boned my boat where the lure came out of the water seconds before. We went the rest of that morning with about 5 more follows and one short lived hook up from pike that ranged 8-15 lbs. Never caught anything above 5 but we sure had great big fish action casting top water, bucktails and a gold Dr. Spoon.

It was great to be out in the middle of nowhere relaxing, enjoying mother natures beauty of being on the border of Canada, and sharing it with good friends. We enjoyed one evening of a great Northern Lights show as we sat by the campfire enjoying a few beverages.

If you are heading up there, the mid lake humps seem to be holding the fish the best during this cold spell. Work it with a jig and live bait and the same humps can provide all the action no matter what species you are looking for. Just look for the rock buoys and you will find fish.

*CLICK ON PICTURES TO ENLARGE*