Over the years I've heard that the fishing isn't too good on the Bigfork. That tale has been passed around for several years now. In my ornery sort of way, I love hearing it. It just means more fish for me. But in reality, nothing could be further from the truth.
As I paddled the Bigfork near Wirt, Mn I noticed that the usual hot spots just weren't producing much. Then I remembered what an old friend told me. He said that when it's hot and still, the big Walleyes go into the shallow water looking for small baitfish. Well, that just doesn't make much sense because as the water warms, the oxygen levels drop off.
I paddled for a couple hours and as I got close to the right spot, I started paying close attention to the real shallow areas. I tossed a minnow into an open spot and right away caught a nice three pounder, a real dandy destined for the supper table.
As I reached down to lift it into the canoe, I got quite a surprise. The fish that should have been warm to the touch was cold, really cold. These fish had found a natural spring that emptied into the river. The cold water held a lot more oxygen and a lot more minnows. The secret will never be told, well maybe just to a few close friends.
My book "River of Seasons" is for sale on Amazon.com as well as peaceriverbooks.com. The Peace River Books blog is updated often. I invite you to visit "A River of Seasons" blog site each day for a small look into what life was like a long time ago.
Good Reading,
Ron
Cover Design and Formatting by coversareus.com