• Monday-What'sUP November 28 - 07:31 pm

Sue Haralson was out at Big Traverse recently and spotted this fishing vessel coming in from a day on a quiet looking Lake Superior. She said the setting sun, with the low angle it was at, brought out so much more detail in the scene, that it caught her interest right away. With the hundred or so seagulls following the boat like that, you just know they had a good day fishing on the Big Lake. These shots make me wonder how long these fishermen continue going out on the Lake to for their catch and I’m guessing it must be pretty cold out there this time of year, too. Are there any fishermen out there that can enlighten us on winter fishing on Lake Superior?

Well for starters, the water becomes quite rigid after awhile.

Fishing boat for Whitefish fishing?

Take out the snowmobile for trolling. :D

I love the Lake Superior fishing submarines. :D (Sorry... it's just what they look like to me!)

A golden boat.

There was at least one of those type boats docked in Charlevoix often. I always wondered why the cabin part was so low, and I agree, Mel, they do resemble a sub or a 'humpback'.

There is a good site to read/view the evolution of this type of fishing boat that plied the great lakes www.harveyhadland.com/ Some of the boats listed fished out of the Portage Entry and also Big Traverse on "the Keweenaw".

I have seen pictures of them in early spring breaking ice to get out. Very impressive to see them full throttle with there nose straight up in the air to get on top of the ice and break through.

Winter fishing on Lake Superior??? You should ask Neil Harri; I hear he is an expert in "fly" fishing this time of year.....

Capt; I think he might have kind of a soft landing yet, and a slow descent to the bottom of the lake. Actually it still might be a hard landing into soft water, but nevertheless I think he needs some ice to form before fishing.

Love the photo, especially with the smokestack hiding in the background! My dad was a commercial fisherman out of Big Traverse on the Twin Disc.

Calming.

Some time ago you had some pictures up of similar type fishing boats unloading at Kauppi's dock in Gay. I believe it was taken in the 40's when Charlie Kauppi had the fisheries there. Some of those fisherman out of Gay and Copper Harbor would fish in the winter, but only the most rugged old Finns who carried an extra dose of SISU.
Watch out for them seagulls ;)

Great Pic, I could live there, nice area!

Thanks for that site, Eddyfitz!...and Steve, I'll bet those were some bravehearts piloting those boats. Sounds like they learned something from the USCG....just a bit more dramatic!

What a great site Eddy. I really enjoyed the collection of annals and anecdotes.

I remember the boats out of Portage Entry having a hard time in the brash ice in early winter. They might take a day or two to cover the last couple miles to the Entry during the worst of conditions. The fall & winter were herring season. There were other times when ice had to be chopped off the boat 'cause they were getting a bit top heavy.