Kabetogama area fishing and outdoors report. 3/3/2020
Walleye season ends quietly as most anglers turn their attention to perch and crappie. While the walleye and pike season has ended here on Kab, crappies are beginning to show up near traditional staging areas. Anglers are reporting catching a few here and there but moving around right now is necessary to stay on the bite. Deeper water is best with small jigs tipped with a small crappie minnow. Fish are being found throughout the water column so adjust your presentation as needed. Using your sonar is key to finding suspended fish.
Snowmobile trails throughout the area are mostly hard packed due to the warm daytime temps and cold nights. Groomers are doing their best to keep up. Scratchers are recommended on the trails. Off trail riding is excellent as we still have plenty of snow and very little slush.
You can read the most recent trail conditions from the Park Service and Voyageur Trail Society below.
The Community Club’s Annual St. Urho’s Day celebration will be held on Sat., March 14 at the Town Hall. This is the 50th year for the celebration.
If you haven’t experienced a St. Urho’s Day celebration, this is something you won’t want to miss. Games begin at 4:00 – A potluck at 5:30, followed by a couple of skits & drawings for door prizes. We’re asking for donations for the door prizes. Pretty much anything goes – keeping in mind that this is a family friendly event :>). Donations can be dropped off at the Gateway Store or mailed to the Community Club at 10427 Waltz Rd., Kabetogama 56669. Last year the proceeds were donated to the Kab. Fire Dept. for the heli-pad project.
The story of St. Urho is that he was a revered Saint in Finland for driving the grasshoppers out of the vineyards disallowing the making of their beloved wines – thus the symbols of the grasshopper & the grapes. Google it – you’ll be highly entertained.
There will be a $50 prize for the best costume of St. Urho’s – 50th Anniversary t-shirts will also be available for sale.
If you have any questions, please give Betsey Warrington a call – 218-240-5429.
There are still plenty of activities to enjoy throughout the area. Stop into Gateway and we’ll point you in the right direction.
Stay safe and we’ll see you soon!
Gateway
Voyageurs National Park:
Riding conditions have been great over the past week, and the trails are all open and being used frequently. Maintenance crews are grooming as often as possible to keep up with the heavy use. Slush conditions are healed up for now (lots of slush is still present, but much is currently buried under a 5-inch layer of ice), making trail riding conditions great both on and off the trails. Crews will continue to monitor for slush, and the park will provide updates as needed—especially as temperatures are forecasted to rise above freezing over the next several days.
The Kabetogama Ice Road is still the only open ice road; it is open 2.6 miles out of the Kabetogama boat launch. Other ice roads remain closed due to slush concerns that have been occurring when crews use heavy equipment.
Ski trails, snowshoe trails, and the Sphunge Island Sledding Hill are all still in great shape. Firewood has been placed at the fire ring near the hill, and also in all the warming huts and shelters. The Kabetogama Skating Rink remains closed due to slush. Pressure ridges are still staying stable and portages remain in good shape.
Please check back or view our Facebook page for the most up-to-date conditions. Voyageurs National Park Facebook page is a public page. One does not have to have an account to access and view postings.
Snowmobile Trails
- International Falls to Kettle Falls (Purple Trail): Open and Staked
- Rainy Lake/Black Bay to Kabetogama Lake to Ash River (Green Trail): Open and Staked
- Ash River to Crane Lake (Green Trail): Open and Staked
- Chain of Lakes (Dashed Black Trail): Open and Staked
- Ash River to Kettle Falls (Yellow Trail): Open and Staked
- East Namakan Lake to Sand Point Lake (Blue Trail): Open and Staked
- Rudder Bay (Orange Trail): Open and Staked
Please remember the snowmobile speed limit within the park is 45 mph on frozen lake surfaces and 25 mph on all overland portages. Speed limit signs are posted at trail heads and overland portages.
Ice Roads
- Rainy Lake Ice Road: Not Open
- Rainy Lake Dryweed Loop: Not Open
- Kabetogama Lake Ice Road: Open out 2.6 miles
- Kabetogama Lake Ice Road West and East Spur Roads: Not Open
Ski Trails
- Echo Bay Ski Trail (west Kabetogama area): Packed and Tracked
- Rainy Lake Recreation Trail: Packed and Tracked
- Black Bay Ski Trail (west Rainy Lake area): Packed and Tracked
- Tilson Connector Trail (west Rainy Lake area): Packed and Tracked
- Kab-Ash Trail (Kabetogama & Ash River area): Not Packed or Tracked
- Snowshoe Trails
- Black Bay Beaver Pond Trail (west Rainy Lake area): Open
- Blind Ash Bay Trail (Ash River area): Open
- Oberholtzer Trail (west Rainy Lake area): Open
- Sullivan Bay Trail (Ash River area): Open
- Rainy Lake Recreation Trail: Open
Snowshoe and Cross-Country Ski loans are available for the 2019-2020 winter season at the Rainy Lake Visitor Center. Check the visitor center’s winter hours to plan your visit.
Voyageurs Trail Society:
After the warm weekend temps are starting to cool down and that is good. Groomers will be out and working to get the trails back in great condition for the weekend. The corners need some work with the warm weather and snow being blown out, but the operators will be getting those areas fixed back up. We still have lots of snow and there is more riding to be done. Get up here and enjoy it. If it stays colder, scratchers would be a good option to have along just in case.
Our sponsors are still all open and ready for your trip north. Ride safely and enjoy the North Country.
