Fishing report Pickle Lake

Just got back from a week of fishing in the Pickle Lake area. Weather was cool and windy. Snow just melted in the bush 2 1/2 weeks ago. Walleyes have spawned not long ago so it was tough to catch any fish bigger than 15 inches. Lots of small males biting. Black flies were the worst the locals have seen in 30 years (bring your repellant)--especially in the late afternoon and evening. Water levels were up when I was there, but dropping about 3 inches every day on the river system. I had a great time and am planning next years trip even though this year was the worst fishing I have had in the last 4 yrs of going up there. 15 inch fish are the best eaters anyway. Fishing should pick up in the next couple weeks as the water temps rise.

[IaDave]

What lake did you fish? We got back from Pickle Lake 6/5. We fished Bow Lake with Albany River outfitters. The first 2 days were OK with plenty to eat and a couple 20" fish. The last 2 days really picked up with our largest walleye was 24". I figured last week would be great. Going back up in July-I guess I didn't get enough fishing the first time.

I fished Badwesdawa (mud lake) lake. I camped at the Town campground there. Had a great trip. But the fishing and bugs were worse than normal. But remember it was a slow/late spring up there.

Hello ironriver and Dave
Am heading to go a little farther north that iron river to the Pipestone was last there in 2002 at the end of May--haven't fished up there this late in the year. Will the eyes still be up in those bays where other rivers come into Horseshoe below the rapids or will they be out in the lake.
If the are out into the lake it will be different fishing for me. Not that good of an eye fisherman but up there you don't have to be very good.
But was wondering where to try out in the lake--what kind of areas.
It will be about 1200 mil;es one way from here in central michigan.
Good to hear from you guys.
len at clare

While I was at the Mud Lake campground, 3 guys from Alabama went up to the Pipestone and Horseshoe lake 2 days in a row, but got mixed up on the map about where to fish. They had advice on the hotspots and couldn't find them. They didn't catch a fish. The guy who advised them, Marvin (spends every summer from April-Sept) up there said he has no doubt in his mind that if he had gone with them to show them the spots, they would have done well.

While I was there, the fish were in the river below the falls and rapids but were starting to hit in the lake along shallow points. My advice is go where you caught fish before and try that first. You should be hitting better fishing than me. Good luck. Wish I was going with you.

While I was at the Mud Lake campground, 3 guys from Alabama went up to the Pipestone and Horseshoe lake 2 days in a row, but got mixed up on the map about where to fish. They had advice on the hotspots and couldn't find them. They didn't catch a fish. The guy who advised them, Marvin (spends every summer from April-Sept) up there said he has no doubt in his mind that if he had gone with them to show them the spots, they would have done well.

While I was there, the fish were in the river below the falls and rapids but were starting to hit in the lake along shallow points. My advice is go where you caught fish before and try that first. You should be hitting better fishing than me. Good luck. Wish I was going with you.

IRON RIVER
Is that where you are from--michigan UP WHEN WE GOT THERE IN MAY 25th of 02 have a pic of snow knee deep.
I took a fella who had only caught one eye in his life. We kept track for a period of one hour not using a net and trying to have them fall off the hook before boating and we put 52 in the boat. Had another 30 on that didn't get boated--all males all looked to be exactly the same length. The locals in town said that when the females spawned then they would bite. What would that be a hundred fish per hour or more.
I am writing this to follks who have been to this area and expect most to think I am a liar of a fisherman. If you have been up north of Pickle and have hit it right you know what I am saying.
Iron river come on up I will show you where we caught them. It is a big body of water with lots of bays all looking the same and it is very easy to make a wrong turn. When I say big body of water just long it fishes like a small lake and the fella that told me about it went in with a canoe.
A fella from near Toronto was taken to the Pipestone by his wife and dropped off just days ago and he is making a trip down the Pipestone alone and going from river to lakes to rivers and is making a 2 month solo trip--that is a trip.
len

IRON RIVER
Is that where you are from--michigan UP WHEN WE GOT THERE IN MAY 25th of 02 have a pic of snow knee deep.
I took a fella who had only caught one eye in his life. We kept track for a period of one hour not using a net and trying to have them fall off the hook before boating and we put 52 in the boat. Had another 30 on that didn't get boated--all males all looked to be exactly the same length. The locals in town said that when the females spawned then they would bite. What would that be a hundred fish per hour or more.
I am writing this to follks who have been to this area and expect most to think I am a liar of a fisherman. If you have been up north of Pickle and have hit it right you know what I am saying.
Iron river come on up I will show you where we caught them. It is a big body of water with lots of bays all looking the same and it is very easy to make a wrong turn. When I say big body of water just long it fishes like a small lake and the fella that told me about it went in with a canoe.
A fella from near Toronto was taken to the Pipestone by his wife and dropped off just days ago and he is making a trip down the Pipestone alone and going from river to lakes to rivers and is making a 2 month solo trip--that is a trip.
len

I am from Iron River, Wisconsin. There are 2 Iron Rivers. What you say about the Pipestone and Horseshoe lake is the same as I have heard around camp. Badwesdawa lake is similar in that I can usually catch 50 fish in an hour, but it has been much slower this spring. I have heard that the Pipestone is even better than Badwesdawa. I'd love to go up there some time, but maybe next year now. Hope you have fun and catch lots to make up for what I missed this year. I'm not complaining. I had a great trip this year even with the lack of fish and lots of bugs. Al