A-fishing they did go, four used-to-be “very good” fishermen. After 2016 and 2017, their rating has slipped to “good” fishermen. Uffda! The hope was to bring the rating back up to “very good” fishermen.
Who were these four fishermen? Bob Goetz from Austin, Bob Hanson from Albert Lea, Gary Oliver from Fairmont and Paul Proft from Owatonna—that’s who.
With two vehicles, each pulling a boat, departing from Owatonna on Friday morning, May 18, driving 270 miles we arrived at our destination: Leech Lake, Walker, MN. We stayed at Anderson’s Grand Vu Lodge on Pine Point, Leech Lake, Walker, MN. Our stay was for one week, departing May 25 (Leech Lake is the third largest lake in Minnesota).
You name it and Grand Vu has it: a game area with a pool table, an exercise room, playground with a pirate ship, fishing items, a forty-foot waterslide into Leech Lake, canoes, paddleboats, a sand beach, even a well-behaved brownish horse. It is one of six Anderson family resorts on Leech Lake with one open the year around (mainly for ice fishing).
The harbor is lined with big rocks to keep high waves out while giving you an easy-to-get-to boat slip to leave your boat around the clock. There are plug-ins to charge your boat battery with access to gas for your motor. The shed for minnows and fish cleaning is at the beginning of the floating dock as you walk out to your boat. The neatest thing about the harbor was a lit Statue of Liberty to welcome you into the harbor in your boat after dark.
The unit-log home that we stayed in was named Honey Bear. It had a dishwasher, electric stove, air conditioning, microwave, Jacuzzi, two showers, porch, fireplace, electric heaters if needed (it froze one morning). It truly was a honey bear with about 100 bear items—almost too much for four good fishermen.
The resort had lots of amenities with great ambiance to make it even greater. Harper (the young Anderson girl and her dog) gave me the feeling of love in the Anderson family. Then there is that great dock person, Jason, and his ability to be cheerful besides his fish cleaning ability. Jason, you make an old fellow proud to know a member of the younger generation.
Short Shorts:
1. Fellow fisherman Gary, quote of the week, “This looks like a good spot not to catch a fish.” (Most of the time he was right)
2. Paul entertained about 25 boats of fishermen by playing his harmonica when it was close to dark and the music just floated over the water with no fish biting
3. Bob and Bob were the best cribbage partners, winning most games
4. Bob Goetz was the best fisherman of the four of us
5. Fish are where you find them. We caught just enough to maintain our “good” fishermen status
6. I was invited to the elders feast honoring all elders under the white tent at Walker. I was lucky enough to see Ila and two other members of Trinity Lutheran Church, Cass Lake, at the feast
7. Being an old Navy Korean War veteran I must pass this true Memorial Day ceremony happening along to you: At a Memorial Day ceremony, a World War II veteran was asked by a small girl why he fought in a war. His answer, “Because that was when I had a little girl like you.”