| Matt Johnson Outdoors Boundary Water Bounty |
| Matt Johnson Outdoors |
By: Deitz Dittrich
When you plan a trip to the Boundary
Waters in early March and do not
actually leave for that trip until the very
end of June, you have a lot of time to
get excited, especially if you have
never been there before: plenty of time
to pack and un-pack a tackle box,
plenty of time to dream about what
you will see and what you will catch,
plenty of time to lose a lot of sleep because you are dreaming too
much about what you are going to see and what you are going to
catch.
I recently had the honor of experiencing three full days in the
Boundary Waters while staying at Timber Trail Resort just
outside of Ely, Minnesota. During my stay I witnessed this
pristine area's beauty, its remarkable fishing, and its fascinating
ability to make good friends of perfect strangers.
I arrived at Timber Trail on a windy Wednesday afternoon in late
June and checked in. I was welcomed by the mount of a
legendary fish said to swim the waters of Farm Lake on which the
Resort resides. It is a mythical beast with the body of a Northern
Pike, the mouth and eyes of a Wolf, and crowning fin atop its
head.
I was soon greeted by the glowing smile of Marge Forsberg, one
of the owners of the resort. Her husband Bill was out walking the
grounds talking with other vacationers staying at the resort. I
retrieved my key, unpacked, and decided to take a walk around
the resort where I soon realized that I was "not in Kansas
anymore."
Timber Trail resort lies just outside the Boundary Waters on Farm
Lake, a lake with no regulations on boat or motor size. However,
on the opposite shoreline begins the vast expanse of wilderness
known as the Boundary Waters, a region of indescribable beauty.
My stroll led me to the fish-cleaning shack where I found a
gentleman cleaning the morning's catch. No doubt, asking how
the fishing was would have received a "here's your sign"
response from comedian Bill Engvall, as I could see without even
asking that the day's fishing had been pretty good. On the table
lay several nice walleye, perfect eating size.
The person cleaning the fish, a highly respected guide from the
Ely Fishing Guide Company, was Rob Nelson. It was Rob who I
first contacted to arrange for this three-day trip to shoot Hot Bite
Fishing episodes. My goal: to show the many ways to have a
great time in the most beautiful part of the state.
Cameraman Darin Ingalls and I met Rob early the next morning
for the part of the trip I was most excited about. We were going to
portage North several lakes where I could match wits with my
favorite fish that swims our waters: the Smallmouth Bass. The
weather forecast predicted light showers in the early morning
and light and variable winds throughout the day--perfect weather
for taking a canoe back in the deep woods. It would have been
perfect if that had actually happened.
Instead, Rob and I battled 20+ mph winds and rain most of the
day, not exactly the best conditions for fishing, and even worse
for obtaining camera footage for a Hot Bite Fishing Show. We
arrived at our destination after a lengthy trek through lakes and
deep woods on a thin winding trial just wide enough for three
guys to walk single file while pushing and pulling a canoe rigged
with wheels. When the trees finally parted revealing the lake, I
could hardly contain myself.
Rigged with only three rods, one tackle box, and a few plastics I
stepped into the front of the canoe as the rain continued to fall on
my rain gear. Rob explained that the fish here would not be any
different from any other smallie trip I had ever taken. Typical lures
like small jigs and twister tails, small spinners like a Mepps #3, or
small crankbaits would catch the fish. Wind made it impossible to
fish one entire shoreline of the lake, so we headed down the
other. On my third cast with a top water popper I hooked a decent
fish.
It turned out to be about a four pound Northern, not the desired
species, yet it was something pulling back on the other end of my
line. By the time we had reached the opposite end of the lake we
had caught no less than 70 smallmouth and largemouth bass,
maybe more, the largest of which was a fat 19" smallie. I was
actually quite surprised to see as many largemouth bass as we
did. Rob even pointed out it was more than he is used to seeing
on this lake as well, but I was not complaining one bit.
Darrin Ingalls our cameraman got lucky. Due to the bad weather,
he was able to do quite a bit of fishing and less filming. It was he
who hooked into the largest fish of the trip: a largemouth that
would have easily tipped the scales over five pounds. However,
his six-pound test and the abundant shoreline wood was not a
match for the strong fish, and after a long 30-second battle, the
fish won and broke his line.
Two casts latter Darin lost a large smallmouth the exact same
way. It ate at his heart, but it was still awesome to see the fish we
were capable of catching in the Boundary Waters. By days end
the rain had stopped long enough to offer time to get enough
footage for an interesting Hot Bite adventure, and I have to say
that the portage back to the resort seemed shorter even though I
was tired from a day on the water battling the wind and rain yet
assuredly much less tired than Rob who had done the lion's
share of the paddling that day. Needless to say I was looking
forward to the comfort of my room at Timber Trail and the warm
embrace of a dry pillow.
Day two began even earlier. Rob stated that reaching our
destination would take well over an hour of several portages with
his 14 foot boat and 20 hp engine. It's quite an experience to take
a boat rigged with motorcycle wheels out of a perfectly good
fishing lake and put it in another, only to take it out of that
perfectly good lake and put it in yet another.
There are a few lakes in the Boundary Waters which allow for
motors as long as they are under 25 hp. It was on one of these
lakes that we searched for walleye. Trolling crankbaits, lindy
rigging, and jigs and twister tails were the techniques for the day.
I was expecting that because of engines and small boats being
allowed on this lake we would see quite a few other boats and
expected it to be less beautiful. How wrong I was. I must admit it's
very hard to concentrate on fishing when you are so taken back
by the beauty around you. We maybe saw a handful of boats the
entire day with the majority of them being canoes.
Lindy rigging a transition area from rock to sand in 20 feet of
water yielded more than enough fish for a shore lunch,
something you must do if you are ever there. We just pulled up to
one of the unused campsites, stretched our legs, and filled our
bellies. Again, we were spoiled by Rob's hard work. The rest of
the afternoon offered more of the same: more awesome beauty,
more walleyes pulling on the end of our lines, more of my mind
drifting off wondering how it took me this long to ever make this
trip.
Day three marked the end of our grand slam (a canoe trip, a
portage trip, and a big boat trip): a trip in Rob's "cadillac", a
twenty foot Warrior on the chain of lakes connected to Timber
Trail Resort. I must say that after two days of being cramped in a
canoe and boat, Rob's Warrior seemed like an air-craft carrier. We
managed quite a few more walleyes, a jig and a crawler or leech
over a rock pile in 20 feet of water was the ticket.
In the three plus days I was at the resort, I had many
opportunities to talk to Bill and Marge, owners of Timber Trail,
and fell in love with them and the place they own. Bill was nice
enough to take me on a tour of the grounds which include a
motel-like area, cabins, fish cleaning shacks, and what one can
only describe as a palace in the woods.
They have a few cabins that make my house look small--one can
sleep up to sixteen people at one time. I toured one of the cabins
that slept eight, and I use the word "cabin" very loosely here.
Two stories, three bedrooms, all knotty pine on the inside, a
fireplace and a whirlpool tub made this seem like more a house
than a cabin.
Also, sharing a boat with Rob Nelson of Ely Fishing Guide
Company for three days was a complete joy. Rob is a true
professional and a wonderful person, a feeling that was not just
my own but shared by the many people I talked to at the resort
who expressed some bitterness toward me for taking three days
in a row with him, hogging him all to myself!
Thanks to all those mentioned above, my three days in the
Boundary Waters resulted in a dream trip, new friendships, and a
deep desire to return again as soon as possible.
Watch the Video... Boundary Water Hot Bite Show
When you plan a trip to the Boundary
Waters in early March and do not
actually leave for that trip until the very
end of June, you have a lot of time to
get excited, especially if you have
never been there before: plenty of time
to pack and un-pack a tackle box,
plenty of time to dream about what
you will see and what you will catch,
plenty of time to lose a lot of sleep because you are dreaming too
much about what you are going to see and what you are going to
catch.
I recently had the honor of experiencing three full days in the
Boundary Waters while staying at Timber Trail Resort just
outside of Ely, Minnesota. During my stay I witnessed this
pristine area's beauty, its remarkable fishing, and its fascinating
ability to make good friends of perfect strangers.
I arrived at Timber Trail on a windy Wednesday afternoon in late
June and checked in. I was welcomed by the mount of a
legendary fish said to swim the waters of Farm Lake on which the
Resort resides. It is a mythical beast with the body of a Northern
Pike, the mouth and eyes of a Wolf, and crowning fin atop its
head.
I was soon greeted by the glowing smile of Marge Forsberg, one
of the owners of the resort. Her husband Bill was out walking the
grounds talking with other vacationers staying at the resort. I
retrieved my key, unpacked, and decided to take a walk around
the resort where I soon realized that I was "not in Kansas
anymore."
Timber Trail resort lies just outside the Boundary Waters on Farm
Lake, a lake with no regulations on boat or motor size. However,
on the opposite shoreline begins the vast expanse of wilderness
known as the Boundary Waters, a region of indescribable beauty.
My stroll led me to the fish-cleaning shack where I found a
gentleman cleaning the morning's catch. No doubt, asking how
the fishing was would have received a "here's your sign"
response from comedian Bill Engvall, as I could see without even
asking that the day's fishing had been pretty good. On the table
lay several nice walleye, perfect eating size.
The person cleaning the fish, a highly respected guide from the
Ely Fishing Guide Company, was Rob Nelson. It was Rob who I
first contacted to arrange for this three-day trip to shoot Hot Bite
Fishing episodes. My goal: to show the many ways to have a
great time in the most beautiful part of the state.
Cameraman Darin Ingalls and I met Rob early the next morning
for the part of the trip I was most excited about. We were going to
portage North several lakes where I could match wits with my
favorite fish that swims our waters: the Smallmouth Bass. The
weather forecast predicted light showers in the early morning
and light and variable winds throughout the day--perfect weather
for taking a canoe back in the deep woods. It would have been
perfect if that had actually happened.
Instead, Rob and I battled 20+ mph winds and rain most of the
day, not exactly the best conditions for fishing, and even worse
for obtaining camera footage for a Hot Bite Fishing Show. We
arrived at our destination after a lengthy trek through lakes and
deep woods on a thin winding trial just wide enough for three
guys to walk single file while pushing and pulling a canoe rigged
with wheels. When the trees finally parted revealing the lake, I
could hardly contain myself.
Rigged with only three rods, one tackle box, and a few plastics I
stepped into the front of the canoe as the rain continued to fall on
my rain gear. Rob explained that the fish here would not be any
different from any other smallie trip I had ever taken. Typical lures
like small jigs and twister tails, small spinners like a Mepps #3, or
small crankbaits would catch the fish. Wind made it impossible to
fish one entire shoreline of the lake, so we headed down the
other. On my third cast with a top water popper I hooked a decent
fish.
It turned out to be about a four pound Northern, not the desired
species, yet it was something pulling back on the other end of my
line. By the time we had reached the opposite end of the lake we
had caught no less than 70 smallmouth and largemouth bass,
maybe more, the largest of which was a fat 19" smallie. I was
actually quite surprised to see as many largemouth bass as we
did. Rob even pointed out it was more than he is used to seeing
on this lake as well, but I was not complaining one bit.
Darrin Ingalls our cameraman got lucky. Due to the bad weather,
he was able to do quite a bit of fishing and less filming. It was he
who hooked into the largest fish of the trip: a largemouth that
would have easily tipped the scales over five pounds. However,
his six-pound test and the abundant shoreline wood was not a
match for the strong fish, and after a long 30-second battle, the
fish won and broke his line.
Two casts latter Darin lost a large smallmouth the exact same
way. It ate at his heart, but it was still awesome to see the fish we
were capable of catching in the Boundary Waters. By days end
the rain had stopped long enough to offer time to get enough
footage for an interesting Hot Bite adventure, and I have to say
that the portage back to the resort seemed shorter even though I
was tired from a day on the water battling the wind and rain yet
assuredly much less tired than Rob who had done the lion's
share of the paddling that day. Needless to say I was looking
forward to the comfort of my room at Timber Trail and the warm
embrace of a dry pillow.
Day two began even earlier. Rob stated that reaching our
destination would take well over an hour of several portages with
his 14 foot boat and 20 hp engine. It's quite an experience to take
a boat rigged with motorcycle wheels out of a perfectly good
fishing lake and put it in another, only to take it out of that
perfectly good lake and put it in yet another.
There are a few lakes in the Boundary Waters which allow for
motors as long as they are under 25 hp. It was on one of these
lakes that we searched for walleye. Trolling crankbaits, lindy
rigging, and jigs and twister tails were the techniques for the day.
I was expecting that because of engines and small boats being
allowed on this lake we would see quite a few other boats and
expected it to be less beautiful. How wrong I was. I must admit it's
very hard to concentrate on fishing when you are so taken back
by the beauty around you. We maybe saw a handful of boats the
entire day with the majority of them being canoes.
Lindy rigging a transition area from rock to sand in 20 feet of
water yielded more than enough fish for a shore lunch,
something you must do if you are ever there. We just pulled up to
one of the unused campsites, stretched our legs, and filled our
bellies. Again, we were spoiled by Rob's hard work. The rest of
the afternoon offered more of the same: more awesome beauty,
more walleyes pulling on the end of our lines, more of my mind
drifting off wondering how it took me this long to ever make this
trip.
Day three marked the end of our grand slam (a canoe trip, a
portage trip, and a big boat trip): a trip in Rob's "cadillac", a
twenty foot Warrior on the chain of lakes connected to Timber
Trail Resort. I must say that after two days of being cramped in a
canoe and boat, Rob's Warrior seemed like an air-craft carrier. We
managed quite a few more walleyes, a jig and a crawler or leech
over a rock pile in 20 feet of water was the ticket.
In the three plus days I was at the resort, I had many
opportunities to talk to Bill and Marge, owners of Timber Trail,
and fell in love with them and the place they own. Bill was nice
enough to take me on a tour of the grounds which include a
motel-like area, cabins, fish cleaning shacks, and what one can
only describe as a palace in the woods.
They have a few cabins that make my house look small--one can
sleep up to sixteen people at one time. I toured one of the cabins
that slept eight, and I use the word "cabin" very loosely here.
Two stories, three bedrooms, all knotty pine on the inside, a
fireplace and a whirlpool tub made this seem like more a house
than a cabin.
Also, sharing a boat with Rob Nelson of Ely Fishing Guide
Company for three days was a complete joy. Rob is a true
professional and a wonderful person, a feeling that was not just
my own but shared by the many people I talked to at the resort
who expressed some bitterness toward me for taking three days
in a row with him, hogging him all to myself!
Thanks to all those mentioned above, my three days in the
Boundary Waters resulted in a dream trip, new friendships, and a
deep desire to return again as soon as possible.
Watch the Video... Boundary Water Hot Bite Show
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