As we approach the middle of August, fishing continues to be good on the Gunflint Trail. Andy McDonnell at Bearskin Lodge commented that fishing has been steady all summer rather than up and down like it was last summer. At Golden Eagle Lodge Dan Baumann's guests have been catching lots of big smallmouth bass and releasing them due to the slot limits on Flour lake. They have been getting plenty of eating size wallyes but few big ones. Moon and Aspen Lakes have also been providing good fishing for bass and walleye.

Luana Brandt at Nor'Wester Lodge says that her guests have been really happy with the fishing. Shari Baker at Gunflint Pines had a party out on Seagull Lake who did well on trout, northern and bass. She said the walleyes on Gunflint Lake have been doing better than usual.

The best catch of the week goes to a 21-year old Indiana girl fishing on Loon Lake. Tom Caldwell from Loon Lake Lodge said she caught (and released) eight lake trout one day. All the guys in camp were envious and referred to her as "that girl." Sometimes women just have the touch.

Guests and neighbors on the South Gunflint Lake road have been seeing wolves. Barb Gecas at Heston's Lodge has had three guests report seeing a wolf. Shari Baker has also had guests seeing the animal. One of the neighbors told me about seeing a big wolf in front of the fire hall at 8:00 a.m. one morning. Sue Ahrendt of Tuscarora Lodge has been seeing wolf puppies on the Gunflint Trail. With all the rabbits around, Sue figures there is plenty for them to eat. We just don't want a car to hit them

Down at Hungry Jack Outfitters Dave Seaton has seen a big bear with very large arms. It looks like the bear was a body builder. With all the blueberries this year, the bears are not going hungry. According to what I have read, a good berry crop increases the reproductive success of bears. Well, this year has(and still is) one of the best blueberry crops in years.

Dave has also had some guests from Russia who find the Trail to be like Siberia. This is probably because both places are part of the boreal forest. In Russia it is called the tiaga.

Debbie mark at Seagull Outfitters said that the temperature of Seagull Lake is 77 degrees. That is exceptionally warm for water temperature up here. It is probably why all the kids are every resort are living in the water. The best part is that we have had enough rain so that there is no fire ban.

Lin Sherfy from Rockwood Lodge has had canoeing guests coming in after seeing a huge moose. Lin has seen the pictures and agrees that this one really is huge. It is located somewhere north of Winchell Lake.

Two sets of a cow and a calf moose have been regularly seen around the road by Seagull Lake. These have got to be the most photographed moose in the world. Cars are stopping all the time to snap some pictures.

Finally the warm weather has done wonders for the garden at Poplar Creek Guesthouse. Ted Young says they have gotten 18 ripe tomatoes from just one tomato plant. This is really early for tomatoes to ripen up here. Usually we don't see red until late September.

Just as an aside Ted says that his wife, Barbara, hates to make beds in this hot weather.