I spent fourth of July week with Mrs. MNAngler’s family up at Ken’s cabin on the Gunflint Trail. Ken and George were both there and we did a lot of fishing. The week started out slow, but picked up enough for us to supply the fish fry planned for Friday night.

Mrs. MNAngler, our two kids, and I arrived Saturday evening. After having a bite to eat, Ken suggested I take his boat out while he waited for George and his wife to arrive. I got out on the water at about 8:00pm and decided to just head across the bay.

There is a big rock in the area that I’ve fished on occasion, but have never caught anything. I started with a Big Bite Baits green trick stick rigged wacky style. On my second cast near the rock, I felt some resistance and set the hook. The drag sounded good, but it didn’t move. I kept the line tight on it so I could see where it was hung up while I maneuvered the boat over to get it loose.

As I approached, there was a splash and the line started tugging back! It was a fish! As I was trying to pull it in, it flashed its back and it looked like a walleye. The line was also around its body and not in its mouth, so I wondered if I foul hooked it when coming off a rock. After fighting it for a few minutes longer, I got a net on it and to my surprise, I pulled in this beauty, a 17″ smallie, hooked legally.

It was a nice start to the week, especially since it qualified for the BP Minnesocold Bass Derby.

I spent about an hour and a half in the area and I would get one more bite on a glow super fluke when a cast went awry over a branch. I tried to reel it in fast over the branch so as not to get snagged and got a surface splash. Unfortunately, I tried to set the hook too fast and lost it. The rest of the night was quiet.

When I got back, everyone asked if I caught anything and I said I did. Mrs. MNAngler was especially happy to get a fish in the kitty for the fish fry, but she balked when I said it was too big and I wanted to let it go. We compromised and agreed that we would see how the week would go and release it if we had enough other fish.

Week tally: Smallmouth bass: 1