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7:55 a.m. Opening morning I send the text… “are forks in season?” You see, on a normal year, my father and I try to only target 8 pointers or better but don’t worry our standards decrease quickly as the season wears on. After considering the last few winters, increased pressure by outsiders on the land we hunt, and projected low deer herd; he replies, “Yes.” And at 8:07 he is ours. Little did I know that this would be the beginning of many life lessons that I am still digesting. As soon as the deer hit the ground a coyote came out of nowhere and tentatively but immediately nipped the downed deer in the butt, making sure that the deer was in fact dead and proceeded to pounce on its chance. I had no choice but to shoot the coyote to protect my harvest. I watched as it slinked off and laid down near a tall spruce tree. I waited the customary 15 minutes before checking out my prize and field dressing him. Once I closed in on the 5 pointer I was shocked to see that the hind end had been eaten… Tail, roasts, steaks, gone… Estimated 10lbs worth of venison! Did I miss? Were there more than one? How did the 2 shots not scare the predators away! So, after cleaning him, I drug the deer carcass to my shooting lane roughly 60 yards from the stand. Positioned the deer so that it would cool quickly and lightly covered it in spruce bows. After cleaning up my hands and walking back to the stand, I sat and watched; first the chickadees came, then the grey jays, then the crows, and finally the eagles and ravens. One of my main take-aways of watching nature take it’s course was that the ravens were top dog. Once the ravens showed up nothing else got a scrap. After an hour of watching the ravens peck away, I walked back to the deer, pulled it closer toward the stand so there was more distance between it and the gut pile, and flipped it over and hid it better than before. At roughly 2:00p.m. a coyote came within site. As it closed in on, what it hoped would be dinner, the Ravens met it head on. While two birds distracted him, another flew by quickly grabbing a good chunk of hair, ripping a tuft out. These ravens were relentless until the coyote retreated. Afterward he just sat and stared as a meal slowly disappeared peck by peck. While a few crows got a nibble or two in, the coyotes & eagles never got a sniff. The Ravens ruled supreme. Why didn’t I shoot the coyote, again? Well, I wanted to shoot another buck. Afterall, we still had one tag to fill. And even though there was all this commotion, it didn’t seem like the deer minded. I had a doe and two fawns walk by, and they barely even noticed the fallen relative or the buffet that commenced. And sure enough, I waited until about 4:30 when another doe came from the same woods as the 5 pointer. “Perfect, Decoy is set,” I thought to myself. Not 30 seconds later, a large 8+ pointer came into view head to the ground… I bring up the gun, shoot and immediately confidently text “We Are Done.” I admit, didn’t wait very long to check this one out maybe 3 minutes. A beautiful 9 point, huge comparatively to the 5 point only 15 yards away. This deer turned out to be one of my top 5 all time biggest whitetails and first deer over 200 pounds since 2014.
What an amazing hunt, What an amazing experience. So many lessons to be learned. And the best part is, the family and I have 337lbs of deer to be turned into venison. Final tally for the 2023 season: 9 point buck 212lbs. & 5 point buck 125*lbs (*plus 10+lbs. donated to the coyote) Who knows, maybe I will go duck hunting again 😉 Who knows what "Turnover" is??TURNOVER! Fall Turnover is and here and no it isn’t a dance you go to… During the summer the lake water “stratifies” in three layers. Warm on top, a mix in the middle somewhere, and finally colder. The most oxygyn is in the top warmer water and the most dense water is in roughly 40 degrees. You need to know all of these things to understand turnover. When the air cools the lake’s surface temperature enough and is probably helped along with a little wind, the water mixes itself up and the temperature neutralizes throughout the water column. This really messes with the fish. Bait scatters, fish scatter and don’t eat for a few days, and it takes a little while for the lake to normalize again. Well we are currently in the normalization phase of turnover… But now winter weather is coming and we won’t be able to enjoy it… without getting cold anyway…
So, I decided to make an appointment at a boat mechanic to fix and tweak some items on the G3 and, last night, pulled it out for the season. Such a mix of emotions when that happens, the lake is beautiful, there are no bugs, very little boat traffic, and the wildlife seem to be everywhere. As we transition from Grouse to duck/goose – to deer season be careful. Deer ticks are in full force right now. But, as always, don’t let that scare you. There is so much to do in the Borderland right now. GET OUTSIDE AND ENJOY IT! Enjoy yourselves and I will SEE YOU ON THE LAKE! -Capt. Brad Krasaway ([email protected]) Who knew?!?!? All my life, I have heard of this amazing fall bite. Walleye gorging themselves in preparation for Winter… But never had I really experienced it, granted this was mainly due to the beginning of hunting season. Now most of us are excited to get out on the water as soon as the ice melts and that shallow water walleye bite is going, then through the transition month of June, through the reef bite of July and August, but the weekend of the International Falls Bass Championship is a symbol of needing to winterize your boat, site in deer rifles, patch duck decoys, get the shack mowed, and make sure the 4 wheeler is maintained enough so it can get you down your favorite Grouse Road… Folks, I am a convert… September fishing is the best fishing. I have had such a good September! Walleyes stacked up so thick my Humminbird Transducer is misreading them and mistaking for the bottom!
Guide tips: As the water temps lower, brining fish up from the depths isn’t as detrimental. Just reel slower, take your time, and have fun. Jigs with shiners are the ticket right now. And make sure you use the lightest jig you can get away with. I was using a pink 3/32 oz jigs with a shiner and we caught 67 walleyes between 9:30 – 3:30 on Sunday! 29-32 feet of water. Hunting/Outdoors update: Happy Ruffed Grouse Opener! Stay safe as there is lots of greenery still in the woods and visibilities are low! Guide tip: Step off of the roads you normally walk about 20/30 feet and walk slowly with your dog close. With all that food in the woods, there is little reason for them to be out in the open, but they still need gravel so they are still close to your favorite spots, just not on top of them 😊 Goose hunting has been tough out there so far. The Molt Migration was a no show for the first few weekends and we are crossing our fingers that they just haven’t gotten here yet. But we are all thinking in the back of our minds, “Did the bird flu have this big of an impact on the migration?” We certainly hope not, but doubt is creeping in…. Youth duck hunt and the early Teal season proved to be a successful one with good bags and many “First Ducks” were reported across Minnesota. The duck numbers look strong so far, lots of Teal, Woodys, Mallards, Ringers, ect…! Also, don’t sleep on the hiking opportunities this Fall, it is the best season to get out especially as you start being able to see in the woods farther and farther as the leaves fall. There is so much to do in the Borderland right now. GET OUTSIDE AND ENJOY IT! Enjoy yourselves and I will SEE YOU ON THE LAKE! -Capt. Brad Krasaway ([email protected]) Rainy Lake:
Walleye Update: September is here and the fish seem to be back on a seasonal pattern despite the odd summer weather. Walleye’s are being caught at varying depths depending where on the lake you are. If you are in Sand Bay or the North Arm near the Causeway fish can be found in 30 – 35 feet along break lines. If you are in the National Park walleye are being caught in 28-35 but that depth needs to relate directly to deeper water (50+). Jig and minnow are still the best presentations and they are really liking the fall. Meaning don’t be scared to use a VERY aggressive jigging motion and letting the bait nearly free fall to the bottom. If you are familiar with jigging raps, this is a similar strategy. Northern are in the same locations as the walleye but bully the other fish away, so if you catch a big Northern don’t expect to catch a walleye for a little while it would be better to move. But if you are seeking out Northerns use 20+ lbs. test Fluorocarbon and have fun, there are a lot of them out there! Big Bass have now transitioned to deeper water and they can be caught in anything from 15 – 30 feet right now. Look for big boulders on your graph with one – three fish near them… that equals Big Smallmouths! Enjoy yourselves and I will SEE YOU ON THE LAKE! -Capt. Brad Krasaway ([email protected]) Rainy Lake Walleye Update:
July and August have given the Walleye new life. What was once predicted to be a terribly hot summer due to the temps in May and June, have turned on their head and cooled significantly. It’s a somewhat easy formula; hot weather warms up the water forcing the walleye to go deeper and deeper to be comfortable and it can result in a reduction of appetite. However, Due to the cool temps of July and August, Rainy Lake has only gotten better and fish are being caught in depths from 10’ to 35’!! They're everywhere!! That being said, remember to practice ethical catch and keep practices. Try to never fish deeper than 30’, don’t keep any walleye under 12 inches, only keep what you are going to eat, & throw everything back larger than 18 unless. Even if you want to mount a big one, replica mounts are better than the real thing. So, take measurements and lots of pictures (up close shots capturing the whole fish) and let it go as quickly as possible. Guide tip of the week: If you catch 4 walleyes in one spot that are all the same size… it doesn’t get better… Usually the biggest one on a particular spot is one of the first ones you catch. So if you are catching small ones and want to find bigger ones, move. Northern are following bait fish so either go to the wind blown shoreline or a reef that tops out around 10-20 feet and they will be hunting! Big Bass are transitioning from the shallows to deeper water so they are a bit scattered, some die-hards are still finding them in the shallows! Blueberry Update! I hope you enjoyed the blueberry season as much as I did. I did hear a few reports and did witness a few spots with literally nothing at them and was asked why… Do you really want to know? OK… If you pull up to your favorite blueberry patch and there isn’t a single berry anywhere there are only a few possibilities… Wildlife (Bear, Wolf, Fox, etc.…, Grouse, and most critters) will eat blueberries. If the green ones are gone as well as the ripe ones, someone/something beat you to your spot… Check out the Voyageurs Wolf Project on Social Media and learn more. It’s fascinating! Enjoy yourselves and I will SEE YOU ON THE LAKE! -Capt. Brad Krasaway ([email protected]) Rainy Lake:
Walleye Update: July is the month that reminds you of what an awesome fishery Rainy Lake truly is. Guides are grinding away every day trying to get everyone on a good bite and locals and other tourists are giving it a good go as well. Reefs have really started to produce but sometimes you get stuck on a smaller fish bite that leaves you thirsty for bigger and better. Don’t forget the shorelines! Look for a steep break that levels off around 20 feet and pull a live bait rig or stick baits near the bottom. You may not find the same numbers of fish but they will be larger fish! Northern Pike are following bait fish so either go to the wind blown shoreline or a reef that tops out around 9-15 feet and they will be hunting! Big Bass are being found in the shallows right now and they are chasing crawfish and frogs! I caught a bass recently that spit 4 crawfish at me as I was pulling it out of the water! Blueberry Update! GET PICKING! Pies are being baked, pancakes are being filled and muffins are a plenty across the northland! As always, email me with any requests, and if the boat ride is stopping you, I do know of a few good walk to spots as well, just let me know. However, before you pick, know what a Poison Ivy plant is… They are thriving this year! Enjoy yourselves and I will SEE YOU ON THE LAKE! -Capt. Brad Krasaway ([email protected]) *Picture of my favorite homemade from scratch, Blueberry and Wild Rice Pancakes...AND a cute puppy picture of course!! Rainy Lake Overview:
Rainy Lake can be broken up into many different parts. The North Arm is probably the most scarcely traversed and it’s scenery is second to none, with waterfalls, wildlife and amazing fishing. The downside to the North Arm is that it is dangerous to those who don’t know where they are going. There are rocks protruding out of the water that are not on any GPS map, you can get easily turned around, there is no cell phone service, and the waves can build quickly. The Seine to Red Gut Bay area is another beautiful area but is more densely populated with cabins and homes. This area has it’s dangers also but they are better marked. The “West End” is probably the portion of the lake that everyone is most familiar with and runs from Sand Bay to the Brule. This area is well marked, often traversed and serves as the entrance to Voyageurs National Park. The East End is defined as Saginaw Bay to the Kettle Falls Channel. This is the largest open body of water and has the deepest sounding on the lake. It’s home to the best hiking trail (Anderson Bay Trail is second to none in my opinion), numerous sand beaches, and access to many of the interior lakes on the Kabetogama Peninsula. On occasion each of these areas can be fished just a little differently due to a multitude of variables unique to that part of the lake. Hiring a good fishing/tour guide is important part of a successful vacation on Rainy Lake. One of my favorite aspects of guiding is sharing the natural wonder of our area and also to help vacationers explore their camping/houseboating area safely and effectively. If you hire a guide to take you fishing and you want to stay within a certain radius from your camp site so you can try to replicate what we teach you, GREAT! That is a fantastic idea! I have been tent camping in VNP for over 40 years and owned a houseboat. I can share MANY lessons learned! :) Anyway, utilize the expertise at your disposal for a much more safe, successful and ultimately more enjoyable experience. Ok, Tangent over… Walleye Update: The walleyes are beginning to school up based on “year class.” When I say year-class I don’t mean the year they graduated high school! Walleyes tend to hang out with similar sized fish for survival reasons. Smaller walleye are hunting in schools in rocky shallow water and “herding” food to each other. Larger walleyes are hunting in a more solo to small pack format and a little deeper. For good numbers fish 6-15 feet of water with a rocky bottom near dawn or dusk and use a leech. You will not only catch as many 10 -14 inchers as you want but multiple small bass will be thrown in there as well. The larger walleye can be stalked using electronics and picked off one at a time in 18-28 feet of water on break lines. Minnows seem to be the bait of choice for them. The tricky thing is, depending on the day their preferences change. But movement seems to be key. Bottom bouncing spinners or lindy rigs with long leaders are working. Blueberry Update! They are here! Blue berries are starting to ripen and I ate my first handful this weekend. Plants are doing GREAT and putting out good sized batches per plant! As always, email me with any requests, and if the boat ride is stopping you, I do know of a few good walk to spots as well, just let me know. However, before you pick, know what a Poison Ivy plant is… They are thriving this year! Enjoy yourselves and I will SEE YOU ON THE LAKE! -Capt. Brad Krasaway ([email protected]) Walleye Update:
The walleyes are in a transition period and can be found in wind swept shorelines, bays, channels, and points. If you are looking for large numbers in one spot, don't waste your time (I did that for you already, LOL). Once you find a few, troll live bait rigs with a spinner, lindy rig, or even use and artificial presentation (stick baits & plastics) in anywhere from 10 - 25 feet. Bass are starting to get real active and put up a great fight, try a top water rig, they are starting to work! In some places, you can't keep Northern Pike from biting and my cut up hands are proof of that! Ouch! Handle them with care, you don't want to get a hook, tooth, or gill plate in your hand. Blueberry Update! They are here! I ate my first blueberry of the season on Sunday! It looks like the plants are doing very well and putting out good sized batches per plant! Of course not many of the blueberries are ripe so don't go to the local grocery and buy your blueberry pie ingredients quite yet. But soon! Enjoy yourselves and I will SEE YOU ON THE LAKE! -Capt. Brad Krasaway ([email protected]) Rainy Lake (Minnesota Side), Walleye Fishing Report: So, following one of the, if not the, hottest Mays on record, we finally cooled down to some more normal temperatures. So, in late May and early June when the walleyes were moving toward their summer patterns, the weather normalized and boom walleyes, didn’t know what to do… and they scattered everywhere. Which is great, everyone can pick up one or two from 4 feet of water to 40 feet of water. However, if you are looking for a consistent bite, you may need to wait a week or two. If you do venture out, Shiners and Chubs are working well but that leech bite is starting to get hot as well. I am hearing reports that the Mayflies have started to take flight on Leech Lake and so we are not far behind either. Once that happens use a half of a crawler and a jig with a very slow vertical presentation.
Foraging, exploring and more: Blueberries!! Aargh! Apparently, I spoke too soon about the threat of frost being out of the forecast. International Falls officially reached a low of 39 last week and locations further east and south ( Cook, MN, Superior WI, Houghton MI, Sault Ste. Marie MI, ect… actually had recorded frost! That was close! Morel Mushrooms were available for roughly 5 days… And then between the temperature swing, lack of rain, and 80+ degree heat POOF they were gone. Hiking is starting to become more tolerable due to the declining number of ticks but the deer flies are starting to build in numbers. Mosquito nets are recommended, or speed… If you go fast enough you can out pace them, lol. But then you don’t get to see the sites and that is half of the point. Either way enjoy yourselves and I will SEE YOU ON THE LAKE! -Capt. Brad Krasaway ([email protected]) ![]() It is becoming harder and harder to remember when we had a regular Spring here in the Borderland, but I guess we must embrace it and say, “Welcome to Summer!” This past week the walleyes have started to embrace this extreme weather pattern as well. Big Walleye’s went from the shallow’s last week and are now seeking cooler water on drop offs and some reefs. The larger Northern aren’t far behind either. However, if you seek big Pike, troll sand/gravel/rocky shorelines in 3-7 feet with your favorite stick bait. Some of them have started to transition deep and look for Tulibees, but not in large enough numbers to target them… yet. Bass are heavy into the spawn now with the males guarding the nests. Fun Fact, the males don’t really eat anything while they are on guard. In fact, I heard of a report this week where a youngster who was camping and saw a bass in the shallows, tied on 5 different baits and that bass either body slammed them, picked up the lure and dropped it safely away from the nest, or completely ignored the baits… Until he threw a worm, he couldn’t resist the worm! (Figures!) Guide tip of the Week: During this time of transition Walleye are seeking water temps in the mid-50s. And while you probably don’t own a Fish Hawk X4, all you need to do is find a drop off or reef on your sonar. The walleyes will tell you where it is, they will be stacked up! Now that depth changes as you near current, deep troughs, and still bays so there is no “perfect depth.” P.S. In addition to the Mosquitoes in the evening… The black flies showed up this week… Foraging, exploring and more: Blueberries! We didn’t get any frost in May!! As long as these Thunderstorms didn’t damage the flowers too much, this is shaping up to be an amazing blueberry year! Deer fawns are beginning to be spotted regularly now. Check out my previous posts to see pictures and videos of this year’s newest arrivals (Facebook and Instagram (@outdoorvalues)! While hiking be aware that the ticks are out, so make sure you cover your pants cuffs with your socks and spray Repel clothing and gear spray. Also, check yourself after your excursion (everywhere)! Thanks for reading and we will see you on the LAKE! -Capt. Brad Krasaway ([email protected]) Brad Krasaway (Outdoor Values) Contributor: Brad is a seasoned fishing, hunting, hiking, foraging and tour guide in Voyageurs National Park. While primarily focusing on Rainy Lake, he has extensive experience ranging from Crane Lake to Sand Point Lake, Namakan Lake, Lake Kabetogama, Rainy River, and Lake of the Woods! Anyone who has not traversed these waters before but would like to, should reach out to a certified boat captain. They can show you where to go, what to do, and when. For those who are seeking the elusive walleye or other game fish, these waters can be intimidating. Don’t get discouraged! Reach out to the experienced guides at www.rainydazeoutdoors.com or www.rainylakeguideassociation.com anyone through these two organizations is highly recommended! Outdoor Values Fishing Report…and more! 6/5/23 ![]() For those just wanting a steady fun bite now is your time but please practice ethical fishing and catch and release. Good numbers of small walleye are being caught between 25 – 30 feet of water that most closely adjoins to their spawning areas. Larger walleyes are elusive but can be found on wind-blown shorelines between 4 – 12 feet. Guide tip of the Week: Clouds and wind will allow walleyes to go shallower, clear/sunny/calm days will force them to go deeper. Fish do scare from the boat so try and be sneaky! Crappies and Bass are starting to spawn in the bays. Try and leave them alone. However, I am just as guilty of wanting to get the kids on a good bite and if you choose that route, please practice catch and release! For those of you going for large Northern Pike, trolling with your favorite stick baits using 20lbs+ braided line is producing great results in the shallows. Foraging, exploring and more: 2023 Blueberry outlook: Now is the time we really need the weather to cooperate. These warm temps have allowed the blueberry plants to flower. Please pray to whatever God you believe in that we don’t get any frost for the rest of the summer. Frost kills blueberries. If you hear that famous eagle screech the eaglets are talking to their parents and demanding food! (Sounds familiar!) Most all eaglets have now hatched and are active feeders, if you see a nest keep your distance but enjoy the sights and sounds, it truly is amazing! Geese are now seeing their goslings hatch and the ducks will be close behind so be careful on the water. This past week deer started dropping their fawns and we should start seeing them soon as well! Lots going on this time of year as long as you stop to enjoy it! Thanks for reading and we will see you on the LAKE! -Capt. Brad Krasaway ([email protected]) |
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