Angler Fishing Contest

Each summer the Ely Echo has a summer long fishing contest here in town.  It is free to submit an entry.  Spirit of the Wilderness is one of the Angler Check In Stations for the contest. 

If you are in the area make sure to take a photo of your fish and send it to us with your contact info and how big your fish is.  The contest allows you to enter fish you keep by bringing them in to us to weight and measure or you can take a photo and release the fish for someone else to catch later.  We recommend the Catch and Release method so someone else can have a chance at catching a trophy down the road.

Here are a few of recent entries.

Quetico Station Openings & Ice Conditions, May 16, 2013

Information and photos supplied by Quetico Park Service

Update May 16.

Information on station opening:

• May 17, Atikokan Entry, Dawson Trail Entry, and Lac La Croix stations will be open
• May 18 - Prairie Portage station will be open. The Prairie Portage station will open at 10 am. Self-serve will be available before 10 am.
• Beaverhouse and Cache Bay stations remain closed until further notice. Updates will be posted when available.

Ice conditions are variable and travel could be limited. There are no penalties for changes/cancellations at this time.

May 16 fly-over:

The photos mainly show ice on the deeper lakes but most of the park is ice-free. Hopefully after the rain this weekend the ice will be gone!

Inlet Bay, Prairie Portage Dock - lower left

Baily Bay, Basswood

  
    Basswood Lake

Isabella Lake entry, May 16, 2013

Dropped a group off today traveling Isabella Lake to South Kawishiwi. Undergrowth is just starting to sprout.

May 15, 2013 USFS Ice Out Report

One More Ice Out Report.  Let's hope these end soon and we don't have to worry about ice until winter.

 

A strong crosswind grounded the fire patrol this afternoon. New information from observers:

• Disappointment is open.

• Parent Lake (near Snowbank) is iced. Snowbank is still iced in.

• Rice and August Lake are open.

• Vermilion Lake was iced in yesterday.

• Big Lake was reported open yesterday, but southerly winds pushed the ice pack to the northern half today.

• The North Arm of Burntside is still frozen. The East Arm is full of dark ice.

This information is from Monday’s flight:

• Moose Lake: southwestern third is open; northeastern two thirds frozen but dark ice.

• S. Kawishiwi R. and Gabbro Lake are mostly open.

• Turtle is open.

• There is ice in the middle of Bald Eagle.

• Clearwater and Pietro are frozen (thin ice) but Gull is open.

• Quadga and Bog are open.

• Isabella and Perent still have a lot of ice in the middle.

• Polly and Phoebe are open.

• Alton and Sawbill are still frozen.

• Generally the smaller lakes in the south east are open or mostly open. Larger lakes are still frozen.

• Alice is frozen.

• Insula south of The Rock is open, the northern portion is frozen.

• Lake 3 is mostly open.

• Knife Lake including the South Arm is mostly ice.

• Saganaga is still frozen.

FS Pilot report—this information is from a flight late Sunday afternoon.

• Jackfish- 40% open

• Open: Pipestone, Stuart, Agnes, Nina Moose, Ramshead, Upper and Lower Pauness

• Frozen: Oyster

• Bald Eagle- 60% open

• Gabbro- 75% open

• Open: Gull, Turtle, Lakes 1 and 2

• Clearwater- frozen, but open around the edges.

Today’s safety message: Bears are awake and hungry. Keep a clean camp.

Winds are drying fine fuels quickly. Be careful with fire.

Give yourself a fighting chance. Wear your PFD.

Ice Condition Report - May 14, 2013

Superior National Forest Ice Update

Tuesday PM, May 14, 2013

A strong crosswind grounded the fire patrol this afternoon. New information from observers:

Generally the smaller lakes in the south east are open or mostly open. Larger lakes are still frozen.

• Disappointment is open.
• Parent Lake (near Snowbank) is iced. Snowbank is still iced in.
• Rice and August Lake are open.
• Vermilion Lake was iced in yesterday.
• Big Lake was reported open yesterday, but southerly winds pushed the ice pack to the northern half today.
• The North Arm of Burntside is still frozen. The East Arm is full of dark ice.
This information is from Monday’s flight:
• Moose Lake: southwestern third is open; northeastern two thirds frozen but dark ice.
• S. Kawishiwi R. and Gabbro Lake are mostly open.
• Turtle is open.
• There is ice in the middle of Bald Eagle.
• Clearwater and Pietro are frozen (thin ice) but Gull is open.
• Quadga and Bog are open.
• Isabella and Perent still have a lot of ice in the middle.
• Polly and Phoebe are open.
• Alton and Sawbill are still frozen.
• Alice is frozen.
• Insula south of The Rock is open, the northern portion is frozen.
• Lake 3 is mostly open.
• Knife Lake including the South Arm is mostly ice.
• Saganaga is still frozen.
FS Pilot report—this information is from a flight late Sunday afternoon.
• Jackfish- 40% open
• Open: Pipestone, Stuart, Agnes, Nina Moose, Ramshead, Upper and Lower Pauness
• Frozen: Oyster
• Bald Eagle- 60% open
• Gabbro- 75% open
• Open: Gull, Turtle, Lakes 1 and 2
• Clearwater- frozen, but open around the edges.

Today’s safety message: 
Bears are awake and hungry. Keep a clean camp.
Winds are drying fine fuels quickly. Be careful with fire.
Give yourself a fighting chance. Wear your PFD.

Updated May 13, 2013 Ice Out Report from USFS

Superior National Forest Ice Update
Monday PM, May 13, 2013

Today’s Safety Message:
• Grasses are dry and cured. We’ve had a few small fires. Keep fires small and stay nearby.
• Winds will be from the south at 5 to 15 mph but with gusts up to 30 mph. Wear PFDs.

FS Pilot report—this information is from a flight late Sunday afternoon.

• Jackfish- 40% open
• Open: Pipestone, Stuart, Agnes, Nina Moose, Ramshead, Upper and Lower Pauness
•  Frozen: Oyster
• Bald Eagle- 60% open
• Gabbro- 75% open
• Open: Gull, Turtle, Lakes 1 and 2
• Clearwater- frozen, but open around edges
• This information is from today’s flight:
• Moose Lake: southwestern third is open; northeastern two thirds frozen but dark ice.
• S. Kawishiwi R. and Gabbro Lake are mostly open.
• Turtle is open.
• There is ice in the middle of Bald Eagle.
• Clearwater and Pietro are frozen (thin ice) but Gull is open.
• Quadga and Bog are open.
• Isabella and Perent still have a lot of ice in the middle.
• Polly and Phoebe are open.
• Alton and Sawbill are still frozen.
• Generally the smaller lakes in the south east are open or mostly open. Larger lakes are still frozen.
• Alice is frozen.
• Insula south of The Rock is open, the northern portion is frozen.
• Lake 3 is mostly open.
• Knife Lake including the South Arm is mostly ice.
• Saganaga is still frozen.

Reports from observers:

• Snowbank is iced but the bays are opening

May 13, 2013 USFS Ice Out Report

Superior National Forest Ice Update
Monday, May 13, 2013

Today’s Safety Message:
• Grasses are dry and cured. We’ve had a few small fires. Keep fires small and stay nearby.
• Winds will be from the south at 5 to 15 mph but with gusts up to 30 mph. Wear PFDs.

FS Pilot report—this information is from a flight late Sunday afternoon. There is a flight up now so more information will be sent later:

• Pipestone- open
• Jackfish- 40% open
• Stuart- open
• Agnes- open
• Oyster- frozen
• Nina Moose- open
• Ramshead- open
• Upper & Lower Pauness- open
• Bald Eagle- 60% open
• Gabbro- 75% open
• Gull- open
• Pietro- open
• Clearwater- frozen, but open around edges
• Turtle- 25% open
• Lakes 1,2,3 open
• Moose Lake: southwestern third is open; northeastern portion frozen but dark ice.