Smoke Show on Chequamegon Bay Lake Superior

Yesterday morning Granny and I and Mike Neuman and Mark Reesor all headed up to Howie’s in Iron River, WI for the full day 60^th birthday celebrations.  No one’s birthday was actually yesterday but at least ten of us are within three months.  Howie and his wife Sue basically threw a mega party for all of us that started at noon and went deep into the early hours this morning.  It was an absolute blast and I’m happy to say that at 9 pm I turned into a pumpkin and was up early for fishing Chequamegon Bay on Lake Superior today.

 

My partners in crime however, Mike and Mark did not retire at 9 pm.  I’m not sure what time Mark called it but Mike stayed around the campfire until 1 am.  It wasn’t easy for him to get up, especially because it was a downpour at 6 am.  But after rolling over a few times, he reminded us of what a professional he was in college and evidently still is, and the boat was hooked up and on its way before 8 am.

 

We launched Mikes big Lund out of Washburn.  It’s a nice central location for the bay.  The rain had just stopped but it was a cool 65° and a west wind was starting.  We knew the forecast, and fishing today was going to be a challenge.

 

What made things weird was thick smoke from Canada.  While we knew we had wind to contend with, we expected skies to clear and be 79°.  But the smoke literally blocked out the sun and its warmth.  The day turned into an unexpected brisk one to say the least.

 

Our main target was smallmouth bass but there are big pike in Chequamegon Bay.  I tossed my 7-weight Winston Air 2 Max and a 4” long streamer attached to SA wire.  I concentrated hitting the weeds, Mike and Mark cast to protruding logs with Clousers.  We weren’t 30 minutes in and Mark landed this beautiful smallie.

 

After releasing Marks early smallie, we were ready for action.  But Lake Superior can be fickle at times.  Often actually.  We went the next two hours without a strike.  Mark was changing flies like crazy hoping to crack the code.

 

I switched flies as well.  I took off my big streamer and put on a sizeable Clouser.  I left on the wire still thinking pike because like all fish, they like a Clouser too.  I finally went tight.  The hit was solid but the fight died immediately.  I had a jumbo yellow perch.  This is one of the larger perch I’ve caught on Lake Superior.

 

I went on a roll after that perch.  We’d made a move to one of my favorite spots.  Sometimes all it takes is some extra confidence.  I hooked more fish including a couple good ones.

 

I landed two smallies and a pike.  My second smallie fought so hard it was impressive.  While occasionally Great Lakes bass jump, usually they dive and you don’t know what you have until the end.  This fatty topped our measuring tape at 19”.

 

Mike got in on the action.  First he landed a tiny white perch.  That was a new one for his species list.  Sometimes when you catch one you catch a lot but his next hook up obviously wasn’t another white perch.  Mike had a hard fighting smallie of his own.

 

It turns out there was a reason this fish fought so hard.  First of all, it ended up being a decent smallmouth.  That fight speaks for itself.  But Mike had this handsome fish hooked in its pectoral fin.  Now that adds to the battle!

 

By 3 pm the wind was steady and the Lake Superior waves were big.   We were glad to be in Mike’s boat as it’s a big one.  Luckily, as the evening set in, the wind subsided.  Along with calming down, the smoke lifted a bit and a strange sun glow lit our views.  It was warmer too and we finally took off our jackets.  I was certainly glad as my lungs had enough pollutants.  The Canada fires have really been taking a toll on me and others I’m sure.

 

We fished hard until about 8 pm.  We never moved another fish after Mikes last smallie.  But that’s Chequamegon for you, when she shuts down she shuts down.  We headed for the boat ramp and called it a day.

 

It’s been a fun four days since the boys arrived in Hayward on Wednesday night.  We’ve got in some serious fishing and some hours of early and late night fun.  I’m absolutely exhausted and glad to have retired to the van even though I hear the party continuing on with the true hardcores.  Its now midnight and I’m closing the book on what will go down in Northland College history, as the 60^th birthday celebrations to remember.  Take your time Mother Nature, but I look forward to all of us being around to turn 70!

 

Jeff Currier Global Fly Fishing