This past fall I was able to go to the cabin for a few days with both of my sons and my grandson Dylan. I first went with my grandson Dylan and his dad, my son Brad. Next, my son, Brian and I visited the cabin. Both times were special times where bonding with family was important.
As we work our way through the month of March, I have become a little less skeptical of the idea that winter is over. As the years have rolled by, as a true Minnesotan, I try not to get my expectations too high. This goes for the weather, definitely sports and any other good fortune that may potentially occur. I don’t want to sound like a “Gloomy Gus,” but I find that not having any high expectations causes the impact of any disappointment to be less impactful.
After sharing that tidbit of information, let’s move on to something a little more positive. I am in the process of trying to find the right time to get my boat ready for summer. I still have it in storage, but I plan on getting it out soon, to begin tinkering with it. Cleaning out the boat gives me the same kind of satisfaction as organizing my tackle boxes. I also have yet to buy my fishing license for this year.
Last summer when my son, Brian, and I spent a few days at the cabin, we visited Spider Lake one day and had good luck fishing for pike. The weather for our trip was great and we caught quite a few fish. The northerns were hungry and the bass were aggressive as well. It was a very fun day all around. I consider a day of fishing with either of my sons or grandsons a great day.
On that day of fishing on Spider with Brian, we caught fish in areas that have not produced much in the past. That is one of the things about this lake that is unique, on any given day you might have success. There is one part of the lake that I know where there is a hump that comes up to eight feet and drops off to 220 on each side of this small hump.
I do write quite a bit about Spider Lake, but each time that I visit it, I renew my love for this beautiful lake. I really like visiting it in late August or early September. The boat traffic isn’t as heavy, and the fishing is usually good. This time of year, the leaves will usually show signs of fall. I’ve fished this lake when the leaves were at peak color and there isn’t a prettier time of year to be on the water.
I can’t wait to make a visit to this lake in early June. I have fished it at that time of year many times with good results. I have many fond memories of early June fishing on that lake and when I do a little daydreaming, I can see a few of the bigger fish that I have had on the other end of my line.
Until next time: I have heard that there will be a significant bait shortage this summer. If you have driven in the country, you may have noticed that many places that were home to ponds and streams are now dried up or extremely low on water. This does not bode well for the likelihood of finding minnows and leeches. If you take a drive out South Shore Drive and go across the Jugland Bridge, you will notice the lack of water flowing down the Shellrock River.
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