So. I stopped in to a room (diagnostic center) at the office where some guys from my old group were working. We share vacation stories etc... I asked "anyone here ever been to Isle Royale?". A new guy that i don't know hollers "i used to work there!". Turns out he's from Jordan and worked there as restaurant wait staff during the summer while finishing up school. You could tell he loved the place. After living in the desert his whole life he moves of all places in the world, there for a whole summer  . 

Thanks guys. This Isle Royal thing has been good. Not only for the raw information which does have weighty value, but also helpful getting thru the day to day grind lately... I hear the music too.... and hey, there's a banjo in there somewhere.

Fresh caught Laker in a restaurant!  I've only had it that way once and I will never forget it!  Fillet only, no breading, rubbed with oil and spice, pan-seared then oven baked.  I'm transported back to heavenly music just reminiscing.

Quote:


Late June/early July. One thing to remember with the water temp being what it is year round, the trout seem to be in fairly shallow or at least close enough you could cast from shore with a suitable rod/line combo.

I caught them on Mepps spinners. In the protected bays, you could probably anchor/troll and do well too.

I don't know if its still open, but they used to have a lodge at Rock Harbor that served fresh caught Laker dinners. Not a bad way to start or end a trip.

You might be able to find some useful info on this forum concerning Isle Royale. Most of the guys here are fairly generous with info.

(You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)

I saw some reference to 'coasters' while scouring a couple sites but didn't stop to study. Interesting, will have to do some research....  Looks like late June will be the time frame at this point. I thought maybe LT on Siskiwit if the wind isn't too bad. From the shore eh? what time of year?

Quote:


Never canoed it, but did backpack the isle 4x times, covering the 3 main routes east to west and the center route 2x.

Caught a few small lake trout casting from shore at the campsites directly on Superior.

Don't know if you like to catch Brook Trout, but there are numerous streams that dump into Superior and I'm told that they hold Brook Trout and some hold " Coasters" which if you don't know are Brook trout that feed/grow in Superior and get to humongous size, compared to the stream Brookies. They have special rules for Coasters, but I believe you can keep (1) over a certain size?

I didn't know about the Brook trout/Coasters until way after I made those 4 trips.
If I ever go back, I'll make a point to fish for them.

MT, is right about Superior waters. Even in calm conditions you want to stay clsoe to shore, pay attention and have a plan B if you or someone else go over. You wouldn't last long or swim far in that frigid water.

Yeah I'd rather avoid the big open water if possible and following your route didn't see a way to avoid it entirely.
That is a nice fish, at 5'1" it would be a monster if she were holding it. Thanks for the tips MT!

The island is not a place to take lightly. Lake Superior water is ice cold. Life threatening cold in a short period of time. The big lake is no place for an open canoe unless you are experienced and safety prone. We did a couple of miles on the big water coming around Indian point from McCargo cove.......stunning but nerve wracking. Even during calm conditions there can be big rollers.

My suggestion for a fun trip with a daughter would be to take the water taxi to Chippewa harbor and stay there for a few days. The campsite intersects the trail system there and is good for day hikes. Very beautiful and fairly protected water. Then portage the .6 mile to Whittesley. Unfortunately even though I wanted to fish there I just passed through. The lake has a good population of walleye I am told. Stay there a few days and then continue on to Wood Lake. Good average size on the pike. Wood gives access to huge Siskiwit as well.*****I would never stringer a fish this size but it was bleeding like a stuck pig and I waited to see if it would recover.......it did not.
(You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)

Thanks MT. This will have to be a destination point for us. My daughter wants to catch a bigger pike. I traced your route. Somehow the mileage is less than i had anticipated. It looks like much of the Lake Superior water is sheltered and that's good. Was the big lake rough going at times? Did you pick up any trout?