Catching It All Chequamegon Bay, Apostle Islands by Dick Ellis

www.onwisconsinoutdoors.com June 22, 2009 Catching It All Chequamegon Bay, Apostle Islands By Dick Ellis

Still a bit early to pursue a I pondered Kastern’s offer. deep water search for lake trout Superior was quiet and the fore- near the Apostle Islands, Guide cast called for the big lake to stay Aron Kastern had left the target of flat with gentle winds. Although choice to me; take the sure bet- Kastern knows better lake trout bite and chase Chequamegon fishing is on the horizon as the Bay’s trophy-class smallmouth calendar pages burn away into bass, or vertical jig for lakers in July and August, if we did find water that can reach depths of fish we might tangle with a fero- hundreds of feet with no guarantee cious fighter weighing in at 10 that we would find fish. pounds, 20…or who knows how “I also have a great bite on big. Most appealing to a writer right now casting for walleyes,” who had only fished for lakers on the multi-species guide said on a the Superior hardwater, Kastern bluebird, mid-June morning. “We loves to vertical jig the deep. Most caught lots of nice fish the last other anglers prefer to motor troll. several days on crankbaits in shal- Even a bad day of fishing is low water. We will catch walleyes still fishing, I thought, considering if we go for it. But that can wait the possibility of photographing until late afternoon. Or we can do the dreaded skunk for this column. it all.” We would still be on big, beautiful Kastern does it all. Born and water working the big, beautiful raised on a 400 acre dairy farm in Apostle Islands. There is no such this hunting and fishing paradise thing as a bad day if fishing when of Lake Superior Country, he had one launches on Chequamegon learned to fish from his father and Bay. never pondered the idea of leaving Kastern’s 115 Mercury was the wild north. This is where his soon carrying us over the Bay in home and heart stay. the Tuffy Osprey with visions of “It’s a trade-off,” the certified nasty, cooperative lake trout. We Great Lakes captain said. “You moved around Long Island and can probably make more money settled in to work water more than by heading to southern Wisconsin. 80 feet deep. Several boats trolled But, you’d be leaving all of this. in the general area trying to pick For me the choice to stay was the same fight we were looking easy.” for. Ashland-based Guide Aron Kastern vertical jigs off of Long Island for lake trout in the deep water of Lake Superior near Chequamegon Bay.

fish doing the hooking. scenery on the big water around “The old timers say that if the islands is extraordinary. But you start fishing lake trout and an angler cannot beat the aesthet- you get a good one, you’re done, ics of Chequamegon, and the you’re hooked,” Kastern said. fishing that comes with working “Guys will go 20 miles on the ice the weed and timber-strewn bot- to find better fishing. Sometimes toms and shorelines of the bay. the fishing is great but the ice As the big water of Superior isn’t as good out there and they continued to stir and the skies lose machines (snowmobiles, darkened, we would occasionally ATVs). Winter fishing for lake have to work for more fish. At trout is better and really getting other times, the smallies were so popular, but summer can be very active that for 20 minute stretches good.” every other cast brought another We lost two fish immediately battle. Several picture fish to when they rapped our jig off of four pounds came on board tem- Madeline Island before Superior porarily for photos, and two ex- riled unexpectedly. Already cellent smallmouth bass in the hooked myself with Kastern’s five pound class released us be- stories and good company and fore they found our net. Smallmouth were the main catch of the day on Chequamegon Bay, with fish maybe a little too stubborn with We got off the Bay just in caught and released to four pounds and two bigger fish lost near boatside. visions of huge lakers dancing in front of thunderstorms. It had my head, I chose to take a long been a fabulous day on ride to Basswood Island to escape Chequamegon Bay and the Great- the winds and work water at well est of the Great Lakes. This is The skipper handed me a whatever it wants. If it’s a really a over one hundred feet hoping for Ashland, Washburn country. And custom made, four foot rod big one you will literally not be one good picture fish. Walleye really, there is no such thing as a specifically designed for lake able to budge it off the bottom. fishing would wait for another bad day on the water. trout armed with a home-made These big fish can tear up your day. With the fish uncooperative Connect with Aron Kastern Kastern-special crafted during the gear and crush your lures.” and more than half-day gone, we and Unlimited Trophy Outfitters winter months. Line ripped off With one eye on his electron- turned back to our sure bet. at 715-765-4210, 715-413-0336 the reel as the jig tipped with a ics to announce the blips repre- Chequamegon Bay; old www.unlimitedtrophyoutfitters.com. O large smelt carried, down, down, senting fish, Kastern controlled faithful, did not disappoint us WO down to dance on the bottom the boat on calm seas to ensure with her superb smallmouth fish- with the lake trout. I listened as that our lines would remain verti- ing and occasional walleye. The Kastern explained the jigging tac- cal to best feel any fish. Upon re- tic and told me what to expect. quest, I had been set up with the Basically he said, expect any- guide I had never before met thing. through the Ashland Area Cham- “When you vertical jig for ber of Commerce (www.visitash- lake trout you might feel a light land.com 1-800-284-9984). The tap, tap, tap from one fish and the Chamber’s website offers profiles next fish might hit so hard it al- of numerous fishing and hunting most rips the rod right out of your guides, lodging and dining infor- hand,” he said, visually demon- mation and profiles of activities strating how to bump the jig sev- to be found in the area. eral times in succession on the Kastern told me that in addi- bottom before occasionally tion to smallmouth bass and wall- sweeping the rod up high to trig- eye, he targets trophy pike and ger a hit from interested but inac- musky but targeting lake trout tive lakers. “If you feel anything through the ice off of the Apostle different at all, and I mean any- Islands is a favorite and an unsur- thing, set the hook. That’s a lake passed angling thrill. For the trout.” novice Superior angler who has “When you hook them up, never before tangled with the size A nice smallmouth bass is brought to net and released after taking guide Aron back off on the drag and let it do or power of a laker, it’s often the Kastern’s jig and rubber worm near a tangle of submerged timber.