Isle Royale Forums

Hello!

I was hoping to gather all the fishing info I could for these locations. Also is it possible to catch trout or walleye?

- Lake Halloran
- Siskiwit Bay (staying at Siskiwit Bay campground)
- Washington Creek
- Feltmann Lake


I've read the pinned fishing chart so I'm expecting a lot of pike. I know I will need a Michigan fishing license for Siskiwit Bay. I'm hoping it will be possible to bushwhack to Halloran as I've read it's not easy to get to. I'll be leaving for my trip in the next two weeks.

Thanks.

Brook Trout in Washington Creek is a maybe. I don't know if a Michigan licence is needed there. I would suspect it is.

Correction: Maybe no license is needed for Washington Creek, but yes of course for Washington Harbor.
See page 8 of "The Greenstone."
Inland Lakes and Streams
Licenses are not required to fish on the inland waters of Isle Royale.

Brook Trout are only catch and release.

Mike T. posted a thread some time ago regarding an old trail to Lake Halloran. I'll look for it later unless you or someone beats me to it.

This post?

viewtopic.php?t=2577

Feldtmann Lake has lots of pike. We've caught some decent ones right from the shore.

I have bushwhacked to Halloran and the pike fishing was fast and furious. I fished the NW side of the lake and literally had a follow or caught a pike on every cast using Miller Wobbler weedless spoons (similar to Johnson Silver Minnows). There were quite a few snags in the water in that area. We released everything we caught with the largest being 34". Most were about 24-28".

The largest pike I ever caught out of Feldtmann measured 36". Again, using Miller Wobblers, I wade out to waist deep water and cast toward the center of the lake as far as I can. There are submerged weed beds out there that the pike lounge in during the day. Its great when the pike follow right up to the end of your pole, swim around you and head back where they came from.

Does anyone have any idea of the kind of fish you can catch in Siskiwit Bay? Any tips on spots to go besides the dock?

Cobie33 wrote: ↑Fri May 18, 2018 8:41 am I have bushwhacked to Halloran and the pike fishing was fast and furious. I fished the NW side of the lake and literally had a follow or caught a pike on every cast using Miller Wobbler weedless spoons (similar to Johnson Silver Minnows).

Interesting to hear someone has made it to Halloran. Was the bushwhack in difficult? What time of the year did you go there?

Appreciate the info from everyone here, super helpful.

FF7Cid wrote: ↑Sun May 20, 2018 12:31 am Does anyone have any idea of the kind of fish you can catch in Siskiwit Bay? Any tips on spots to go besides the dock?

You might find Lake Trout or Northern from the dock. Another spot to try is the mouth of the Big Siskiwit River or other parts of the river. The trail to Island Mine has a bridge that the crosses the river about 150 yards from the mouth but it might be easier to walk along the beach.

FF7Cid wrote: ↑Sun May 20, 2018 12:31 am Does anyone have any idea of the kind of fish you can catch in Siskiwit Bay? Any tips on spots to go besides the dock?

Cobie33 wrote: ↑Fri May 18, 2018 8:41 am I have bushwhacked to Halloran and the pike fishing was fast and furious. I fished the NW side of the lake and literally had a follow or caught a pike on every cast using Miller Wobbler weedless spoons (similar to Johnson Silver Minnows).

Interesting to hear someone has made it to Halloran. Was the bushwhack in difficult? What time of the year did you go there?

Appreciate the info from everyone here, super helpful.

About 15 years ago we met a couple of old gentlemen who told the same story as Cobie33 regarding the fishing at Halloran. I recall them saying the bushwhack was quite difficult because of the thick sedge growth in that area.

We have caught small brookies out of Washington Creek. Stay low and out of sight. They were fun. I believe we were using small (size 1 or smaller) Mepp's or Blue Fox spinners.

To be quite honest the route we took to get to the Halloran wasn't that difficult. We came out about a few hundred yards east of the west end of the lake on the open ridge top. On the way back we moved farther east and then headed north to get back to the trial. That was more difficult due to thicker brush and blow downs. It was the end of June if I remember correctly when we bushwhacked there.

The guy I was fishing with had a pike break his line. I told him I'll catch him for you to get your lure back and I did! I cast to the same area he had just casted and the same fish struck my lure. I hauled him in with my buddy's lure still in his mouth! I have pics of it, this was before digital cameras were an affordable thing.

Is it worth it? I think it is just to say you did.

Reporting back to say we all made it to Halloran. We were given advice from the park ranger in Windigo to try a mile in from Siskiwit. It had rained the day before and there was swamp surrounding the lake. It wasn't very long though, we pushed though and made it. We were only there for about an hour though since it was pouring. Still worth it just so say we did it. The fishing was indeed, great. I would definitely go back more prepared for a longer stay.

FF7Cid wrote: ↑Wed Jun 06, 2018 11:10 amThe fishing was indeed, great. I would definitely go back more prepared for a longer stay.

What species of fish were you catching?

Midwest Ed wrote: ↑Wed Jun 06, 2018 11:39 am

FF7Cid wrote: ↑Wed Jun 06, 2018 11:10 amThe fishing was indeed, great. I would definitely go back more prepared for a longer stay.

What species of fish were you catching?

All northern pike, and the rumors are true, pretty much every cast had a fish or a bite.

What lures did you use? I'm doing the feldtmann loop in August and am interested in fishing halloran as well.

rich wrote: ↑Thu Jun 07, 2018 7:29 am What lures did you use? I'm doing the feldtmann loop in August and am interested in fishing halloran as well.

Spoons and Spinners.

The size of your lure, or in my case the size of your spoons that will determine what size pike you catch on Halloran. I have fished Halloran more than anyone else that I have ever personally met, we have made over a dozen trips in the last 10yrs, and over 25 trips in the last 30yrs. Best month for Halloran imo is August, the driest month to make the trek and despite the bugs, the fishing couldn't possibly get any better!

I personally recommend using spoons and spinners, and if you are looking to catch monster pike, use very large Musky lures! The #6 cowbell, or double cowbell musky baits will produce 40+ inch northern Pike nearly every cast basically. My largest catch on Halloran was a 44.5in pike, and it was an absolute beast! Really wish I could have weighed that fish, because I would guess he was at least 18-22lbs minimum, they feed very heavily in the fall to prepare for deep winter months.

I also fished the small stream that you cross when leaving Siskwit Bay heading towards Island Mine for an entire day in 2018, and it was there that I caught the rarest fish of them all, the Tiger Trout! He was only about 10-12in long, but healthy and fiesty, I quickly released him unharmed and sat there in awe that I had just caught and released the rarest trout to ever swim the waters of Isle Royale. Most of our backpacking trips were for the purpose of fishing, and it has never once disappointed producing everything from pike on Halloran, to Lake trout in Siskwit Bay. We have spent many weeks fishing Lake Feldtmann and the entire island is an incredible fishery.

First trip I made to Isle Royale was in 1995, and I have only missed 2yrs since then, the fishing is exactly like all the fishing in Canada, it's action packed and these fish rarely see lures, so they smash everything that is thrown in front of them all year long! I highly recommend Isle Royale to anyone looking for amazing fishing and great backpacking as well. So many inland lakes to fish on the island, and all the fishing is phenomenal, as well as fishing Lake Superior itself, which will produce amazing trout fishing and many other species as well.