Bruce Carlson in Grand Marais, a gateway to the BWCA. Photo by Joe Friedrichs
The Science of Fishing the Boundary Waters
By Joe Friedrichs
The basic formula for consistently catching fish in the Boundary Waters, according to Minnesota fish researcher and writer Bruce Carlson is this:
1) Fish where the fish are.
2) Select the right bait.
3) Use the bait effectively.
Bruce, who worked as a fish researcher up the Gunflint Trail in the 1950s and dedicated a portion of this life to catching fish and learning how best to catch them, has a new book on the topic.
His book, “The Science of Fishing,” shows the angler how to use science as an aid to catching more and bigger fish. The book outlines how game fish respond to their underwater environment and how their senses are adapted to catching prey, as well as locating and responding to your baits.
Other chapters provide insight into the mysterious effects of weather and the moon on fish behavior as well as how predator fish relate to their prey. The book is richly illustrated, with photos of some of the author’s favorite fishing baits and numerous underwater videos taken by Bruce himself.
Joe from the Paddle & Portage Podcast met Bruce on the shoreline of Lake Superior in August 2026 to talk about fishing and Bruce’s new book.
Order The Science of Fishing here.
Support this type of reporting from and about the Boundary Waters by subscribing to Paddle and Portage today.
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