Isle Royale Forums

Does anyone have any fishing updates? I will be heading up this weekend (07.04.14-07.07.14) and curious as to what is hatching or working fly wise. I will have both my fly gear and baitcaster......Any info would be greatly appreciated as their is not much info on the web for Isle Royal fishing reports.

thanks!

Kyle

What are you fishing for? Where do you want to fish?
I caught a pike on a fly rod last month in Siskiwit. There were rainbows in the Siskiwit Creek. Lake Trout in Siskiwit (where it empties into Siskiwit Creek, in 4-5ft of water). I saw the lake trout grab my lure, it was a blast.

We didn't have much luck in Superior from the shore/ docks, but that could be because of the amount of sediment that was churned up. We had great luck in Feltdmann using spoons (5 of diamonds, red with white stripe, Johnsons swimming minnow). The ones we cought were in or just off the weed beds just off shore... probably 10 feet of water max. We went June 14-22nd.

I will be focusing on the bays and inland lakes and streams. I will be using my fly rod for the Trout. I would love to catch some brookies too. Probably try for pike with baitcaster and/or fly rod with larger streamers. I planned on hitting Moskey Basin, Lake Ritchie, Chickenbone and hopefully McCargoe Cove. Just didn't know if any specific colors or patterns were more successful.

kcephoto wrote:I will be focusing on the bays and inland lakes and streams. I will be using my fly rod for the Trout. I would love to catch some brookies too. Probably try for pike with baitcaster and/or fly rod with larger streamers. I planned on hitting Moskey Basin, Lake Ritchie, Chickenbone and hopefully McCargoe Cove. Just didn't know if any specific colors or patterns were more successful.

As to trout, and this is my opinion only, the streams may contain coaster brook trout, which are endangered. I don't don't fish the streams of IR for this reason. As for pike, spoons ( I usually try a Five of Diamonds first), my girlfriend used a Luscious Lure in green and was killing them (not literally). I always have Mepps (Black Fury w/ squirrel tail), various colored spoons in hammered blades. I have a perch colored #13 Rapala that always makes the trip, and a few topwater baits such as torpedo plugs, pop-r's. I have taken rubber baits but have yet to try them. The flies I used for pike are either green and black long (6") w/ eyes or yellow and red w/eyes.

I just got back Sat. Not sure where your looking to fish. I was in Windigo. They had Washington Creek closed due to the Loons. But I did spend a few hours casting off the docks there. I'm far from a great lakes fisherman (Love the St Croix and there Smallies!!) But I did have what I think was a lake trout follow my mepps but I couldnt get him to bite. I spoke to a couple who went out in a canoe they didnt have much success from what I gathered.

I have not been there but am headed there at the end of August for a week. I was debating on bringing my fly, more for stopping and fishing the creeks I will be passing along the way. As far as on the island, are there "productive" trout streams? and if so any direction to them would be greatly appreciated. Obviously know that coaster brook trout are protected 4 miles around the island, but looking to mix things up instead of the spinning rod

Washington Creek, say between the campground and the bridge, is fly fishable -- roll casting and drop casting. While I have not tried it, I would imagine that the Big Siskiwit is also fly fishable. Keep in mind that brook trout are heavily regulated on ISRO but there could be a steelhead run...

You may wish to consider a fly line with an integrated shooting head -- I used a Rio Outbound line on my last trip. This will allow you to get some distance when shore fishing.

Thats why I kayak and like fishing the big water...! One good salmon or laker and you can feed your crew plus some lucky hikers!