Journal of a Minnesota Angler

Species: Northern Pike Size: 19″ Lure used: bubble gum super fluke Date: 7/23/2009 Time: 8:00-10:00pm Body of water: Poplar Lake Location: Gunflint Trail Weather Conditions: overcast, no breeze George had gone home earlier in the morning, so it was just Ken and I for the rest of the week. We decided it was time to go after the bass I missed the day before. Before getting into THE spot, we cast along the North shore. We had just passed a short dock and I cast behind us toward a fallen log.... (more...)

Date: 7/22/2009 Time: 8:30-10:00pm Body of water: Poplar Lake Location: Gunflint Trail Weather Conditions: clear Later that night, as we were heading out, Ken asked if I wanted to go back for that bass I missed earlier in the evening. I thought it was too soon, so Ken, George, and I went around Young’s Island instead. That turned out to be a bad decision because we all got skunked. I did, however, get a bite on the South shore. It hit my bubble gum fluke and I set the hook hard after the... (more...)

Species: Northern Pike Size: 23″ Lure used: bubble gum super fluke Date: 7/22/2009 Time: 5-6:15pm Body of water: Poplar Lake Location: Gunflint Trail Weather Conditions: clear with some clouds, thunderhead to the North After a hard day’s work building a raised walkway for the cabin, we workers decided we deserved a pontoon ride. Ken, George, George’s wife, my kids, and I took off and decided to check out walleye alley again. On the way, I noticed a channel we usually blow by.... (more...)

Date: 7/22/2009 Time: 5:30-8:00am Body of water: Poplar Lake Location: Gunflint Trail Weather Conditions: some clouds, little bit of rain Being as passionate about fishing as I am, I’ve never gotten up super early to go fishing. Mainly because I’m not a morning person. I’d much rather fish late into the night than at the break of dawn. However, Wednesday morning, I woke up at 5:15am and got an urge to be a “true” fisherman. I got out of bed, launched the fishing boat,... (more...)