Woods & Water (267)
A couple of weeks ago, I received a call from Lloyd Kaplan of Owatonna, who invited me to join him at the new Steele County History Center that had just opened this past spring. I first met Lloyd a few years ago when I did an article about him and his trapping.
He first approached me at the Steele County Historical Society’s annual meeting held at the old Boathouse on Beaver Lake. I had written in one of my columns that there didn’t seem to be the number of trappers around that there once was.
He told me that he was a trapper and was still doing it, so he invited me to his home to see what trapping was all about. Lloyd, who is in his mid-70s, has since sold his home in the country and moved to Owatonna. But, he still does some trapping. If folks have a problem with muskrats or other critters, they can call Lloyd and he will come to the rescue.
This past week, I met Lloyd in Owatonna and he gave me the deluxe tour of the new Steele County History Center. It is indeed quite a facility that is located on the east side of the Steele County Fairgrounds. The new History Center was built without any tax dollars — it was all donations from individuals and businesses.
The main reason for his call was to show me the fantastic habitat displays and this area’s history. I had asked two of my grandsons, Trevor and Grant, if they wanted to tag along and see what I anticipated being an interesting experience. I was not disappointed because Lloyd gave us the deluxe tour and took the time to explain each era.
The first thing we noticed when entering the building was the full-size buffalo mount in the middle of the lobby. This introduced the display that we were there to take in.
The display is set up to depict four eras of our history; pre-Eastern era before 1858, Early Pioneers 1858-1910, Agriculture Advancements 1910-1960 and Agriculture & Natural Resources 1960-Present. It was interesting to see how each era had an effect on our wildlife habitat. Prairie grass was abundant when the buffalo were roaming the area, but once the land was settled, the buffalo and prairie grass started to disappear.
There were so many different and interesting things to see; everything from Indian artifacts to a “bone crusher” that was used by buffalo hunters to crush buffalo bones. The crushed bones were sold back east for farm fertilizer. Local farmers fed them to the chickens instead of crushed oysters. There was a different type of plow called a “swamp angel,” which was pulled through sloughs by oxen to drain swamps and create farm land.
The whole display had numerous mounts of various animals and fowl that were abundant in each era. Many of the mounts were either donated or on loan from area taxidermists or private parties. There was a separate display for the Beaver Lake area featuring, among other things, you guessed it — a beaver.
There was also a “pumpkin seed” duck boat on display. I soon learned what the hole on each end of the boat is for. There was a pair of “duck shoes” that didn’t look anything like the ones from today with the same name.
It was very interesting to see how many animals that were abundant in those early days are still around today. One display had a pheasant, snow goose, jack rabbit and a picture of an eagle.
Kaplan said that it is illegal to display a mount of an eagle so you can only use pictures. He also said that one reason for the decline in the pheasant population is the increased number of eagles and hawks in the area.
There was a display of antlers from the tsunami deer, which are raised on an area game farm. The world champion rack for that species of game farm raised deer is also on display. Kaplan said that game farms of today have a lot to do with the preservation of our outdoors heritage.
Lloyd said that we are coming full-circle from where we once were when it comes to preserving habitat. When the land was first developed it was for settling and clearing land for farming and eventually much of the wildlife habitat was destroyed. Now there is new habitat being created through WMA’s, set-aside and land being donated for habitat.
If you get a chance, I would recommend taking a short drive and visiting the Steele County History Center to see this display. The display will be there until September 1st.
Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for children ages 7-16, and free for anyone 6 and under. Hours are: Tuesday, Wednesday 10-4; Thursday 10-8; Saturday 10-3; closed Sunday.
If you would like to become a member of the Steele County Historical Society, a membership is $25 annually and $15 for seniors or students; an annual family membership is $35 per year.
If you are interested in trapping or learning about it, Owatonna will be hosting the National Trappers’ Convention at the Steele County Fairgrounds August 2-5. According to Kaplan, they anticipate breaking the record for attendance at this year’s event. It sounds like it could be an interesting event for trappers and non-trappers alike.
Until next time, take a little time to relax and enjoy a picnic at an area park, go for a walk or wet a line and soak a worm, but mainly just enjoy the outdoors experience and stay cool!
Please remember to keep our troops in your thoughts and prayers because they are the reason we are able to enjoy all the freedoms that we have today.
This past week, my wife Jean and I headed up to our cabin. This was going to be a special trip that we were really looking forward to.
What made this trip extra special was that our son Brad was bringing our little granddaughter Emma up to the cabin for the very first time. It rained pretty much non-stop upon arrival and continued for part of the next.
But that didn’t seem to dampen her excitement of being at the cabin for the first time. I don’t really know who was more excited about her visit, Emma or grandma and grandpa.
Her dad and grandma took her out in the paddle boat on our lake for the first time. Grandma helped her catch fish with her Barbie pole.
The next day, we took our fishing boat and headed to an area lake where I soon discovered that Emma sure likes it when we go fast across the water. She caught the first fish (with grandma’s help) but she decided right away that it was more fun to play with minnows than to fish.
After she had caught her fish and her dad had caught a couple, old Grandpa was starting to get just a little nervous. Eventually, I caught fish and we all enjoyed a good day.
To grandpa and grandma the fishing was great, not because of fish caught but because we had taken Emma on her first extended fishing excursion. She was really good in the boat and never really asked to go in until the very end. I think that we might just have another fisherman in the family.
Once she arrived at the cabin, it took Emma no time at all to start enjoying the outdoors. She really liked feeding peanuts to the chipmunks and it wasn’t long before she was petting them.
That was fun to watch, but when she made a move to pick one up, we all yelled at the same time. I do believe she was the only one that wasn’t worried about getting bit.
When we decided to have a campfire she helped her dad carry wood to the fire pit. Grandma had the fixin’s for S’mores. I do think Emma had as much marshmallow on her face as she did in her little tummy.
It sure was great to spend time in the outdoors with our youngest grandchild. It’s a great feeling to be able to share the outdoors experience that we all enjoy so much. I know that Emma really liked it at the cabin because when it came time to pack up and go home, she didn’t want to leave.
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For quite a few years, I had a camper parked at Best Point Resort on Lake Tetonka where I was able to enjoy one of our areas finest resources. It seems that no matter what time of the year it was, you could always catch fish on that lake. We have a valuable resource right here at home, but there are many great places to camp within a 50-mile radius. This is what makes this state so great for anyone that enjoys the outdoors.
The DNR has issued the following news release regarding Lake Tetonka and other lakes in that watershed:
DNR surveying anglers on Upper Cannon chain of lakes
A comprehensive survey of anglers on the Upper Cannon chain of lakes this summer will help manage and improve those fisheries, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR).
The survey, also known as a creel, involves interviewing anglers while they are on the water. The creel clerk will ask questions about fishing experience, fish caught and harvested, and information about the anglers themselves. Anglers will also be asked for their opinions on proposed muskellunge management on Tetonka Lake. The creel clerk will also do a boat count to measure recreational use.
When the creel data is analyzed, it will help provide a unique picture of the fishing quality and recreational pressure on the lakes. It will also impact future management plans for the lakes.
“It’s been nearly 25 years since we’ve done a creel survey in this area,” according to TJ DeBates, DNR area fisheries supervisor. “This is a high priority for us and we’re anxious to use the data being gathered.”
The creel clerk will conduct surveys on Tetonka, Upper and Lower Sakatah, and Cannon lakes in Le Sueur and Rice counties. The clerk will split days between lakes and interview anglers from a boat.
DeBates said the creel clerk will be easy to recognize. The clerk will be in a DNR uniform and will be driving a boat that displays a DNR sticker. The creel clerk will approach anglers on the water and ask for permission to survey them.
“The more information our clerk gathers, the better we will be able to manage this chain of lakes. By helping us, the anglers will help themselves.”
Reports from the first two weeks of the creel survey show anglers have been very successful with walleyes, northern pike, white bass, bluegills and crappies on this set of lakes.
Until next time, take some time to enjoy a little fishing and experience the magic of watching a bobber as it bounces lazily in the breeze.
Please remember to keep our troops in your thoughts and prayers because they are the reason we are able to enjoy these freedoms that we have today.
Taking the time to “stop and smell the roses” can be an eye opener for a lot of us that are too busy with the hectic pace of daily life.
I have never considered myself a bird watcher, but in the past few years I have enjoyed watching different birds coming to the feeders up at the cabin. When there is a bird I don’t recognize (which is most) I try to find out what kind it is.
Occasionally, the feeders at the cabin are invaded by a raccoon or a pesky red squirrel. But, for the most part, they attract a large assortment of birds that are just fun to watch.
With all this fun being had at the cabin, I had decided to try it at home. I bought my first feeder for the house, filled it up and anticipated the onslaught of various birds.
I had to run some errands and was gone for a short while, but when I returned, the feeder was on the ground and pretty much destroyed. That’s when I spotted two gray squirrels scurrying away from the scene of the crime. All this was not going to deter me from my bird feeding venture, so I purchased two more feeders and hung them out of squirrels reach. Problem solved; or so I thought.
Life was good because now the birds were starting to come, finches, chickadees and two different kinds of woodpeckers and the squirrels could no longer reach the feeders. This lasted until the battalion of neighborhood blackbirds discovered the feeders. I soon found out that it takes about one full day for blackbirds to empty a feeder and eat an entire suet block.
Looking out into my backyard, I had flashes of that old Hitchcock movie “The Birds” dancing in my head. I eventually decided to abandon that idea, but I did leave one feeder that those miniature vultures didn’t seem to bother.
I guess I will have to stick to fishing; I seem to have better luck with that. Speaking of luck, there have been some nice walleye caught around the area so far this year, not only in Albert Lea Lake but also on Fountain and in the Shell Rock River, which shouldn’t come as a surprise with the number of walleye in Albert Lea Lake.
It wasn’t too many years ago that a past neighbor of mine called and told me about the walleyes he had caught in the Shell Rock on Thanksgiving Day. I have also heard of a few area lakes that are producing some very nice crappies this fishing season.
The channel below the Bridge Avenue dam has produced some nice walleye on crankbaits, especially in the early morning and late evening hours. The northern fishing has been pretty good on Fountain Lake and the bluegill fishing on Fountain has been going great guns since ice-out.
Fishing bluegills can be a real blast when you are using light tackle. And, pound for pound I don’t think that there is a better fighter than the bluegill. On Fountain Lake the best spots seem to be the two bridges, Hatch and Blackmore.
Edgewater Bay has a nice fishing pier that is a good spot to try, but almost all of that shoreline can also produce fish. A nice mess of bluegills can make for a mighty tasty meal.
I discovered years ago that evening fishing along the shore in Edgewater Park could yield some dandy bluegills along with some nice crappie. When I was a kid I had a friend, Dennis who was from Austin. His grandpa worked for the City and took care of Edgewater Park.
When Dennis would come and stay we rode with his Grandpa to Edgewater Park and fish all day until his grandpa had finished work. We walked the whole shoreline of the park. I believe we fished almost every inch of it. His grandma packed us a lunch and when his grandpa took dinner break, he’d come and get us so we could have lunch with him. I don’t think I’ve had many lunches that tasted much better than that.
Spending a whole day fishing Fountain Lake was pretty common for me growing up. You didn’t need much money (luckily) because if your bike tires had air and you could dig up a few worms, you’d be set. I would usually start my day of fishing at Katherine Island and then move to the dam.
Climbing the walls under the bridge at the dam was always an adventure. It was pretty exciting when you’d see a school of crappie or a northern swim through.
As a kid, I could spend most of the day under that bridge and never grow tired of it. After the fishing was done, I’d stop at the Northside Creamery (Dairy Bar) and spend some of my mowing money on a sundae or an ice cream cone. Yeah, I’d have to say that there just wasn’t a much better way to spend a summer day.
Until next time, take a little time to relax and enjoy a little fishing and watch a bobber as it bounces lazily in the breeze; it’s a great way to experience the outdoors.
Please remember to keep our troops in your thoughts and prayers because they are the reason we are able to enjoy all the freedoms that we have today.
When I was growing up on the north side of Albert Lea, I had a lot of options when it came to the outdoors. We lived on the west side of Bridge Avenue north of town.
I can recall as a young boy that there weren’t many houses around when we first built ours. Our house was actually one that my folks had purchased from Mabel Nelson.
It originally sat back on the old mink farm, which was located where Bancroft Bay Park is today. They had it moved onto a new basement and then remodeled the inside.
At the back of our lot was a pasture. I can remember my Grandpa Winjum’s cows grazing right up to the back of our land in the early years.
There have been a lot of changes to the area over the years, but every so often, I will drive through the old neighborhood and reminisce about those days long past. As kids we were never lacking for things to do and being creative was what we were best at.
Early summer was when we’d spend endless hours at “the bridge” catching minnows and frogs. Our eyes were also peeled for bigger fish to swim through. This was a great way for a kid to learn about nature and the outdoors in general.
We were always trying to come up with a better minnow trap to catch minnows and small fish. I can still remember how excited I would get if I caught a small sunfish or crappie in that minnow net I had rigged up.
My minnow net was actually an old window screen that I had rigged with wire coming from the four corners to the center. After working on it in the garage for quite some time, I stepped back and admired my handiwork all the while thinking that this is really going to work. Unfortunately, in those days window screens were made with wood frames and wood floats.
When the time finally arrived for me to use my latest fish catching invention, I dropped it into the water. And instead of sinking to the bottom, the fast flowing water of the “crick” was soon carrying my fish trap away.
I had a rope on it, which I had intended to use to haul in the bountiful catch that I had envisioned. But now, it was needed to retrieve my escaping invention. I eventually added enough rocks to sink the thing, but as I recall, that particular trap never did work all that well.
As summer moved on, the water would get lower and the fish would be scarce. This meant it was time to move on to other adventures.
You needed a pretty good imagination and a little ingenuity to make most of my ideas work back then. I think that I may have had a 50 percent success rate at best on most of my ideas. That never kept me from trying though.
Whenever I got the urge to build something out of wood, I would have to ask before I could use a particular board that I had in mind. I usually ended up getting permission to use a board, if I wanted to pull the nails out of it.
I became a master of nail straightening because the nails for my building projects were to come out of the “used nail” can. I think I still have a can of those nails left from when we cleaned out the folks’ house. I might need them some day!
I spent many summer days building and rebuilding my “race car” to be used on race day or any time I wanted to haul it to a hill. My friend Kim Dilling lived across the street and we’d spend a lot of afternoons racing it down the hill by his house. It wasn’t a long hill but it was fairly steep with a lot of oak trees to maneuver around, which gave me a chance to use a few more of those second hand nails.
We were big fans of stock car races which were held every week at the fairgrounds. When the fair came around, they would feature Aut Swenson’s Daredevil’s in front of the grandstand, which was a thrill show with guys T-Boning cars and crashing motorcycles through burning boards.
The rollover contest was one of my favorites. There was also the guy that blew himself up with dynamite. The grand finale was the “Ride of Death.” It featured a little cement car that would go down this long, steep ramp and do a summersault, hopefully landing on the pad below.
I guess some guy died attempting it at one time so thus the name. Yes, these were some of the things we’d try to emulate with some boards, bent nails and a set of old wagon wheels. Every kid needed a role model back then, but I think Roy, Gene or Hoppy were probably the ones that our parents would have preferred.
There have been some nice walleye caught below the dam in the past couple of weeks. While I was up north, my grandson Trevor sent me a text message with a picture of a 27-inch walleye and a 17-incher that he had caught that morning.
He also caught a couple more in the 17-inch range. He released the 27-inch fish and kept the rest for the table. There are also some sunfish and crappie being caught at various spots around Fountain Lake.
I know that the northern fishing has started to pick up after a steady decline for many years. I have to think that the stocking of Goose Lake a couple of years back has had something to do with that. So, if you’re thinking about wetting a line, there are plenty of spots for shore fishing to be found right in your own backyard.
Take a Kid Fishing weekend was last week, but there doesn’t have to be any designated time or date to help a kid enjoy the sport. Buy yourself a license and take a little time to take a kid fishing.
Our youth are the future of the sport of fishing and hunting and of the outdoors that we enjoy.
Please remember to keep our troops in your thoughts and prayers because they are the reason we are able to enjoy the freedoms we have.
Minnesota has fishing rules and regulations for the whole state, but there are also slot limits on certain lakes. Be sure that you know ahead of time if there are special regulations for any lake that you are about to fish.
There are people that just aren’t aware. Then there are the folks that flagrantly break the rules just to put more meat in the freezer. These are the people that take the word “sport” out of sport fishing.
I have stated more than once that sometimes a fine just doesn’t seem to be enough for some of these perpetrators.
A recent call to the Turn-In-Poachers (TIP) hotline led a Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) conservation officer to three anglers committing alleged over-limit fishing violations on the Rainy River along the Minnesota/Canada border. They face fines and restitution of $3,000.
State conservation officer Robert Gorecki of Baudette recently received an anonymous TIP call about a group of anglers possessing an over-limit and double tripping during the May 12 fishing opener on the Rainy River in Lake of the Woods County. The caller also said one of the anglers didn’t have a fishing license.
According to Gorecki, the call led to several charges. James A. Fleck, 50, of Hillman was charged with 40 sunfish and 11 walleye over the legal limit. The current daily possession limit for walleye/sauger on the Rainy River is six. (Only one walleye can be more than 28 inches; not more than four can be walleye; walleye 19 to 28-inches must be immediately released). The daily possession limit for sunfish is 20. Fleck faces fines and restitution totaling $1,780.
Gerald L. Hatch, 67, of Milaca was charged with 12 walleye more than the legal limit. He faces fines and restitution of $715.
Daniel E. Hastings, 50, of Baudette was charged with six northern pike over the limit. He faces fines and restitution of $370. The current daily possession limit for northern pike on the Rainy River is three (only one more than 36 inches). All northern pike from 24 to 36 inches must be immediately released. Hastings was also charged with angling without a license, a $135 fine.
A consent to check a refrigerator/freezer found three bags of northern pike and two bags of walleye. Six more bags of walleye and three bags of sunfish were discovered in a freezer chest.
Gorecki said eyewitness reports are among the strongest tools a CO has in combating code violations. Anyone witnessing a fishing or wildlife violation is encouraged to contact the nearest conservation officer, law enforcement agency or the toll-free TIP hotline at 800-652-9093. Also, #TIP is available to most cell phone users in Minnesota.
People should contact the Minnesota State Patrol or a DNR regional or area office for the name and phone number of a conservation officer in their area.
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MUSKY TALK - The June meeting of Crossroads Chapter 54, Muskies Inc. will be Wednesday, June 13. Our summer meetings will be on the water at French Lake. You can come as early as you are able. We will meet at Hoy's Resort at 8:30 pm for a short meeting. Our meetings are second Wednesday of every month. Except during summer, our regular meetings include an informative speaker, updates, door prizes and raffle, musky talk and tips. Anyone interested in musky fishing is always welcome. Bring a friend and check us out. Help improve musky fishing in Southern Minnesota.
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Spending a week up north can give a person a greater appreciation of the natural beauty of our fair state. This past week, I spent a few days at our cabin doing some work on the inside.
After a few days, I headed a little south to the Longville area to spend a little time with my brother-in-law Ron Johnson at his cabin. I hadn’t spent time with Ron for quite a few years. It was a lot of fun and gave us a chance to catch up on things.
We fished his lake, Wabedo, hard and also hit Little Boy before venturing to Winnie on the last day. There was a mayfly hatch going on the lakes by Ron’s so fishing was extremely slow.
Winnie was a different story. I managed to boat three walleye; two 20-inchers and a 22, but they were in the protected slot limit and had to be released. Ron did catch a 16-incher which should make a nice meal for him.
The fishing was fun and having someone else skipper the boat was a welcome treat. The time spent fishing was great and even though the catching wasn’t the best, it was the memory of the time spent that I’ll always remember fondly.
Even though he said it was no big deal, I still feel that I owe Ron a minnow bucket and some leeches to replace the ones I left sitting on the dock of the bay at Little Boy. I guess you could call that a “senior moment” or maybe something else would fit.
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Until next time, grab your tackle and do a little fishing because it’s a great way to enjoy the outdoors.
Please remember to keep our troops in your thoughts and prayers because they are the reason we are able to enjoy all the freedoms that we have today.
There is a lot to be said about spending time in the outdoors. I have been lucky enough to have a little piece of land in northern Minnesota where I enjoy spending time. I know that our place wouldn’t be for everyone, as there is no running water and no electricity.
I did however break down and buy a generator which comes in pretty handy for working on the cabin. Like I said, it isn’t for everyone but our family enjoys it and I don’t see any upgrades in the foreseeable future.
In fact, I am writing this week’s column from the cabin because there were things that I wanted to get done before the summer swings into high gear. Spending a little “quiet time” alone in the north woods is actually pretty relaxing and it really makes me feel just that much closer to nature.
We have no TV, just a radio and on my first day up there, I didn’t even turn it on. That’s what you could call getting away from it all. It’s not the Boundary Waters, but it sure works for me.
Camping can give you a lot of that same feeling. Before we found this land, I was planning on buying a pop-up pickup camper which I felt was all that I would need. If I didn’t have my own space in the woods, I would still be enjoying this area because of the many camping opportunities available through National Forest Campgrounds, Voyaguers National Park and our many State Parks.
You can go to almost any State Park and get that “back to nature” feeling because the campsites are nice and big and there is plenty of nature to explore. Most National Forest campsites are rustic but most offer toilets, water and have firewood available.
I have written in the past about campsites that the Forest Service has available on a first-come basis on various lakes in the Chippewa National Forest. These are rustic sites, with a few located on Spider Lake.
I have often thought about taking the tent and spending a night or two at one of them. I should probably do that while I still have the desire to do it. I guess I still get that kid feeling when it comes to the outdoors. I have a feeling I’d have that “old guy” feeling after sleeping on the ground for a night or two, but I think it would be well worth it.
Locally, we have a nice State park available to us in Myre State Park and Sakatah State park is only 50 miles to the north by Waterville. It was sure good to see the many folks enjoying our area lakes, parks and walking trails this Memorial Day weekend, whether it was fishing, boating, picnicing or just taking a stroll around the lake.
We are lucky to have these many valuable resources available to us right here. I believe that it is what makes this a great place to live.
I have heard that some folks have been catching crappies on Pickerel Lake. I am not sure, but I don’t remember hearing of the DNR placing any crappies into the lake. Evidently, there are folks out there who probably feel that they are much more knowledgeable than the DNR.
If someone did indeed do this on their own, I would have to wonder if this will hurt the long range plan that the DNR had in place for the lake. The plan that the DNR implemented in Geneva Lake seems to be working quite well and is starting to pay dividends with some nice perch and pike.
While I was working outdoors at the cabin, I happened to be standing fairly close to the bird feeders. There were some chickadees and finches on the feeders a few feet away. A pesky red squirrel was busily munching on some sun oil seeds on another. A vision then flashed through my mind so I mentioned to my wife that the only thing missing was a raccoon sitting on my shoulder. I could have been an imitation of Grizzly Adams.
Time spent watching all the critters of the forest is time well spent. Yes, there is a lot to be seen in the outdoors if we take the time to take it in. Just stepping out of this fast paced world and relaxing by a lake or sitting in a park for a few minutes can do wonders as a stress reliever.
Until next time, take a little time to relax and enjoy a little fishing and watch a bobber as it bounces lazily in the breeze; it’s a great way to experience the outdoors.
Please remember to keep our troops in your thoughts and prayers because they are the reason we are able to enjoy all the freedoms that we have today.
This past week, I was able to spend a few days up at the cabin. My friend Mark went along with me and our plan was to get in some early season fishing.
Earlier this spring, he had helped me do some work on the inside of the cabin, but the weather was so bad that we had no chance to fish. I felt bad about him not getting to fish so I had hoped to make this our priority.
I hadn’t brought my big boat up to the cabin yet so we would have to fish out of my little 12-ft. Lund with a 5.5 hp Evinrude. The next day upon arrival at the cabin, we set out for an area lake in search of some walleye and northern. I have fished that lake many times so I knew its structure fairly well.
I started out by trolling the shoreline watching the weed edges on this clear lake, as I had no depth finder. I soon got the same feeling that I used to get years ago when I fished Spider Lake without a locator. This awesome feeling reminded me that I always seemed to catch my share of fish.
Fishing ”old school” was like going back to my youth fishing with my Uncle Ben. Trolling the shoreline in that little boat was indeed like those days when Uncle Ben would tell me about fishing. Those little fishing tips, I have used my whole life and they still hold true today.
On this particular day, I had decided to try what had worked for me in past years on this lake; a black jig head with a black and yellow Swirltail twister tipped with a fathead minnow. I trolled the weed line which was comprised of last year’s pencil reeds and underwater weeds that were just starting to grow.
In about four hours, I boated three northern and about ten bass, which had to be released immediately because the season wasn’t to open for another week. I caught one bass that measured 21-inches and was a real “hawg” in bass fishing language and, of course, I had forgotten the camera.
But, I had a witness so the fish can’t grow any larger when I retell the story. I actually landed this fish while using my ultralight in search of crappies. That was really a blast.
Mark landed a bass and northern with numerous sunnies and some small crappies. We were doing only catch and release unless we found some nice crappie or a walleye or two. The larger crappies were pretty hard to find in some of the lakes we fished this week, but when we fished our little lake, there was plenty of action to be had from both sunnies and crappies.
Although there were a lot of fish to be caught, for the most part the size was small. I believe the fishing is ahead of schedule in our little lake, probably because it is a shallow lake and they tend to warm up faster than the deeper lakes.
The next day, we headed to another favorite of mine, a little lake called Maple, and we fished it the same way, just trolling the shoreline. This time, Mark boated six northern and one walleye while I caught and released 19 northern, all in a three hour span.
I couldn’t keep the northerns off my black and yellow twister again and although they weren’t monster pike, it sure was a fun afternoon. It was also fun just remembering the many hours I would spend fishing Spider or Big Sand Lakes with no fish locator, just trolling the shoreline or fishing the weed edges.
Whenever I would catch a walleye I marked the spot by finding a particular spot along the shoreline. I would then line it up with another to try and pinpoint the “hot spot.”
I can remember fishing with my wife Jean and the two boys on Big Sand. I would just line up with the point on the north end of the lake and a brown cabin farther down the shoreline. Then I’d coordinate this with a spot on shore like a fallen tree. I’d guess you could say that was my version of a GPS.
Yes, in those days catching fish was always a challenge but that was just part of the fun. It was always a good feeling when I’d put the kids and their mom on fish and come back to the camper with a nice stringer. I guess it took fishing from that little boat to remind me how much fun fishing can be when you are using just the basics that I had learned over the years.
I really feel that simple is better when it comes to most types of fishing. And, I look forward to fish alone or with one person in that little boat. My son Brian and I have actually fished from that boat in late fall for the last couple of years. We have created fun memories that I will always cherish.
Until next time, take a little time to relax and enjoy a little fishing; it’s a great way to experience the outdoors. Please remember to keep our troops in your thoughts and prayers because they are the reason we are able to enjoy all the freedoms that we have today.
Another fishing opener is in the books and the weather couldn’t have been any better. This year’s opener was hosted by the community of Waconia which is located in the west Metro area. Lake Waconia is the second largest lake in the Twin Cities Metro area, second only to Lake Minnetonka.
When I first heard that this year’s opener was being held in the Metro area again, I didn’t know what to expect. Once I arrived in the area and had a chance to talk to some of the local folks, I realized that this was going to be another fun event.
As each year’s opener approaches, I find it hard to imagine that an area can top the previous year. But, again, I was pleasantly surprised. The folks of Waconia went the extra mile and did an excellent job of showing the media and guests what their community is all about.
Hosting an event of this size takes a lot of work. It was estimated that there were over 300 volunteers working to make this all come together. The hosting of a Governor’s Opener is the communities chance to promote their area and attract tourism. The economic reward garnered from this event is immense. Tourism in all of Minnesota brings in an estimated $11.3 billion annually.
Lake Waconia is very scenic with some beautiful homes dotting the shoreline. It also has plenty of open land that is lined with trees. The lake has 3,080 acres of water with a maximum depth of 37-ft. There is a large 37 acre island on the lake that is named Coney Island after the famous island out east.
Coney Island in Lake Waconia is not only a unique piece of land, it has an interesting history. The resort that once occupied the island was a destination for vacationers from the Twin Cities as well as those from out of state. At one time, the University of Minnesota football team even held practices on the island. As in all places with an historic past, legend has it that there were also some well-known gangsters that frequented the island back in the day.
Lake Waconia is one of the finest fisheries in the metro area. It is known for its variety of species and beautiful scenery, which make it a destination for thousands of visitors. Anglers revel in the size of the walleye, muskies (up to 4-1/2 feet in length) and bass. Pan fishermen find a vast resource of sunfish and crappies. And, the lake has seen a rejuvenation of the northern pike population. Whether you’re an angler who enjoys catching fish for the fry pan or to catch and release, you can find what you are looking for on beautiful Lake Waconia.
On Friday night, I met up with my friend Jeff Anderson, a sports broadcaster from Watertown South Dakota, who I have been fishing with for several years, and our fishing host at the Community Center. This year’s host, Charlie Christopherson, said he was excited about the chance to show us the lake and talk about the community. Charlie is 32, married and has two daughters that are 8 and 5 years old.
When he talked about them his face would light up. On this day however, he would have to put up with hanging out with a couple of “old guys”.
Charlie works in Eden Prairie and his wife in Chanhassen so they decided to relocate to the small community of Saint Bonifacius just outside of Waconia. He likes to hunt and fish and is really into running; he has run in quite a few marathons.
On this day however, he was trying to put Jeff and I on some walleye. He kept on talking about the lake having some sheepshead in it. I think that this was an omen because I ended up catching the largest one I have ever seen.
It was a good fighter but not exactly the fish I had written down on my wish list. We caught a lot of perch that day. I even had a fish on that I couldn’t get to the boat. After a few minutes, it spit the hook. Most folks I talked to said that it was probably a muskie which is an abundant fish in this lake.
Charlie said that when he fishes Waconia, it is primarily for bass and muskie. He also said that it is a very good bass lake. There are not only a lot of muskie in the lake, but many are in the “lunker” category. The lake has a lot of good structure, which also makes for good walleye fishing. Plenty of crappies and sunnies also swim these waters.
One fisherman mentioned that he felt the sheepshead population was a big contributor to the rapid growth spurt of the muskies in the lake. Although there are plenty of walleye in the lake, we evidently were not in the right place at the right time. The days leading up to the opener were cool, cloudy and rainy, but Saturday was a perfect day weather-wise.
A sunny, warm day with little or no breeze does not always make for a good fishing day for walleye. There were walleye caught on this day but none were taken by our group of fishermen. The largest registered that day was a 28-1/2 inch fish and the largest pike registered was 33-1/2 inches.
I mentioned to Charlie while we were fishing that you could take this community and “plunk” it down anywhere in rural Minnesota and it would blend in. Waconia truly does have the best of both worlds, the beauty of country living and the friendly small town atmosphere with all the assets of the metro area. I would definitely visit Waconia again.
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Until next time, set aside some vacation time and enjoy a little fishing; it’s the best way to enjoy the outdoors.
Please remember to keep our troops in your thoughts and prayers because they are the reason we are able to enjoy all the freedoms that we have today.
The fishing season is now open for walleye and northern with the bass and muskie openers to follow. The large and smallmouth bass seasons will open on May 26, with the muskie opener to follow on June 6th.
Locally, there are plenty of walleye swimming in our area lakes so you shouldn’t have to venture far on the opener to experience some good fishing. The one good thing about our area is that you don’t need a boat to cash in on some good fishing. There are some folks that have been catching dandy sunnies in Fountain Lake since ice-out. The secret to their success, you may ask? Worms, just plain old earth worms that we used to dig up in the garden for fishing as kids.
It’s funny how the old tried and true methods of catching fish still work in spite of all the experts telling us about the latest technology. I guess the “new and improved” methods and lures that seem to guarantee the same fish we’ve all been seeking for years isn’t totally necessary.
Over the years, like most fishermen, I’ve been lured to the sporting goods department of a store seeking that new “sure-fire” fish catching phenom. A few years ago, I saw a commercial about this muskie bait that showed a guy asleep in his bed dreaming about catching this giant muskie. After watching that commercial numerous times, I just had to have that lure. After locating it in a store just a little ways north of here, I decided to invest and bought that sure-fire fish catcher.
I’m still waiting for it to bring in that “lunker” like the one in that guys dream; I’m sure that it will be any year now. Funny thing is; I haven’t seen that lure advertised on TV since I made the purchase.
One thing that I am confident in is my ability to catch fish with a lure that has produced fish for me in the past. I’m sure that if you have confidence in a lure, you will tend to use it more often.
I still have my favorite Shad Rap (shad colored). My favorite bucktail is black with a silver spinner. A black and silver Rebel has caught more fish for me than a floating Rapala of the same color and size. I first learned about the Rebel many years ago when working at Wilsons.
A fellow worker did a lot of fishing with a well-known fisherman from Austin and he always used that particular lure when fishing for muskies. He did a little modifying of the original by replacing the original treble hooks with Mustad treble hooks because they were sharper and would hold a bite better.
After using the lure a couple of times, I was “hooked.” It has been one of my go-to lures ever since. It was the first hard plastic Rebel lure produced. At one time, I had numerous in the black and silver color and some in gold and black.
Over the years, they had taken a beating and the ones that I haven’t lost on fish are still my “go-to” lures whenever I am casting for muskie, pike or bass. I can still picture the explosion made when a big fish hits the lure the moment it touches the water. I almost forgot to mention that my own “personal best” walleye was caught on that same lure. As I write this column, I am thinking that I will need to inventory my tackle box just in case there is a need to restock it with some last minute necessities. This is what fishermen do when starting another fishing season.
DNR expands fishing opportunities with 20
legacy-funded fishing piers
Anglers can wet their lines at 20 new and improved fishing piers across the state during this year’s fishing opener and throughout many fishing seasons to follow, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR).
With $592,000 in funding from the Parks and Trails Fund of the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment, the DNR replaced 15 fishing piers and installed five new ones in 2011.
The DNR installed the new fishing piers at:
Grant Lake in Beltrami County.
Big Lake in Carlton County.
Sylvan Bay on the Mississippi River in Itasca County.
Lake Shetek at Lake Shetek State Park in Murray County.
Albert Lea Lake at Myre-Big Island State Park in Freeborn County.
“Fishing piers provide a safe and convenient place to fish, instead of from bridges or steep embankments or fragile shoreland areas,” said Nancy Stewart, fishing pier coordinator for the DNR’s Parks and Trails Division. “They can be the heart of a community or a main component of a state, county or city park, and are often used to facilitate fishing clinics that help introduce new participants to fishing.”
Funding for this grant program is from the Parks and Trails Fund created after voters approved the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment in November 2008. The Parks and Trails Fund receives 14.25 percent of the sales tax revenue and may only be spent to support parks and trails of regional or statewide significance.
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Until next time, get your tackle ready and do a little fishing; it’s a great way to enjoy the outdoors.
Please remember to keep our troops in your thoughts and prayers because they are the reason we are able to enjoy all the freedoms that we have today.
It was a little over a week ago that I received a call from Rex Stotts, a local man that has ties to Nome, Alaska. The reason he called was because I had written about my brother-in-law Lynn who lives in Nome and thought that I may be interested in what he had to say.
He was right; he had a lot of interesting information not only about the outdoors, but also about the culture of the area.
Rex has a nephew who is a law enforcement officer in Nome. He and his wife were invited to visit him and his family during the summer. The Stott’s had decided that since they had never ridden on the Amtrak, they would take it to Seattle and then fly to Nome. Rex said that they thoroughly enjoyed the Amtrak experience and would do it again.
While talking to him, I realized that he was really an avid outdoorsman. In Nome, he had access to a variety of opportunities. Rex fished in many of the rivers around Nome and also spent a lot of time exploring this area of Alaska.
He was also able to spend some time at his nephew’s cabin in a remote area of that part of Alaska. While there he had the opportunity to hunt caribou and went along when his nephew and his sons hunted moose.
Stotts also had a chance to do some fishing and was told by the family that he should never leave the house without a gun. Bears are always a threat whenever you are outside of Nome so carrying a firearm is just considered an added piece of fishing equipment. According to Rex, the hunting was physically hard because of the rough terrain and the riding of ATV’s for a long distance took its toll on your body.
Rex has put together a slide show that he has presented to different service organizations in our area. Those pictures really tell a fascinating story of Nome and the culture of the area. The vastness of the area is pretty overwhelming and the idea of that much untouched wilderness is hard to imagine. Apparently, many abandoned dredges exist out in the bush that were left there by gold miners of years passed.
He had grown quite interested in the native culture, as his nephew’s wife is an Athabasca Indian. He was impressed when he watched her canning the salmon and moose for use during the upcoming months.
She also mentored her daughters so that they could pass on that longtime family tradition. Meat in Nome is very expensive if you have to buy it in a store so hunting and fishing is a way of life for many of its residents.
Life in this part of Alaska is somewhat rustic and to some may even seem harsh; it is surely not for everyone. Even the most avid outdoors lover can have a hard time with the long dark winters.
I think I would have a hard time going with little or no sunlight for that long a period of time. It seems that this is the price they pay for enjoying the beauty of Alaska and the great hunting and fishing that it offers.
These are just a few of the many interesting stories that Rex shared with me. He truly enjoys the outdoors and the native culture. I’d guess that for an avid outdoorsman like him spending that much time in Alaska was about like locking a kid in a candy store.
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MUSKY TALK
The Crossroads Chapter 54 of Muskies Inc. will meet June 13 on the water at French Lake, 5-8 p.m., followed by short meeting at Hoy's Resort. Check our Web site www.michapter54.com. Our meetings are second Wednesday of every month. Anyone interested in musky fishing, join us on the water and afterward at resort.
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Lake sturgeon making a comeback on Lake of the Woods and the Rainy River
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Section of Fisheries is celebrating a major milestone in the recovery efforts of the lake sturgeon population on Lake of the Woods and the Rainy River. According to DNR fisheries biologists, short-term population recovery goals have been met, which is a big step toward full recovery.
“The population is recovering nicely and it’s a testament to a how successful long-term cooperative efforts on international and border waters can be when coupled with strong clean water legislation,” said Phil Talmage, DNR fisheries supervisor in Baudette.
The recovery has been a cooperative effort between the Minnesota-Ontario Borders Waters Fisheries Management Committee, which includes biologists from the DNR northwest and northeast regions and Canada Ministry of Natural Resources.
The spring harvest season on the Rainy River runs from April 24 – May 7. From May 8 to May 15, anglers can fish for lake sturgeon, but must release all fish they catch. The fishing season for lake sturgeon is closed May 16 – June 30. There is a second harvest season that runs July 1 – Sept. 30.
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Until next time, get your tackle ready and do a little fishing; it’s a great way to enjoy the outdoors.
Please remember to keep our troops in your thoughts and prayers because they are the reason we are able to enjoy all the freedoms that we have today.
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Once again, I will be attending the Minnesota Governor’s Fishing Opener. This year’s event is being hosted by the community of Waconia and as in past years, I am always a little curious about what the area will have to offer.
A few years ago, I attended the opener in White Bear Lake. I was a little apprehensive about this because it is a metro area community. I had never really thought about spending an opener this close to the Twin Cities. It turned out to be a very enjoyable event, as I was pleasantly surprised at the variety of things that community had to offer.
This year, the opener is once again close to the Twin Cities. I am looking forward to seeing the community and fishing on Lake Waconia. I am sure it will be another enjoyable time because the host communities always do such a great job of promoting their area of the state.
Until the walleye and northern opener arrives, there is still plenty of fishing to be enjoyed. I have heard that local fishermen have been having some luck catching sunfish on Fountain Lake this spring. Wax worms have reportedly been working well and catching sunnies can be a blast on light tackle.
Before I began attending the Governor’s Fishing Opener, I would usually fish Reed’s Lake near Elysian, my favorite lake to fish on opening day. Eventually, it became crowded and putting your boat in and out became a real challenge, not to mention the parking thing. I don’t know if there are any walleye in Reeds Lake these days, but in the ‘80s I would always bring home a few walleye and northern on the opener.
After fighting traffic at that boat landing for a couple of years, I changed it up a little. I stayed close to home to see if there were any walleye lurking in Fountain Lake. I decided that I would try my luck in Edgewater Bay, and trolled with Beetle Spins tipped with a fathead minnow, my bait of choice.
In the ‘70s, I spent quite a bit of time fishing from shore at the mouth of the creek that runs into the bay. Spring would bring out quite a few fishermen lining the banks of that creek. I can remember leaving work and hurrying to get a good spot for catching those early season crappies.
These fish were the kind that magically seemed to shrink in size the closer you got to home. We did however manage to eat a few meals each spring.
As I had not yet mastered the art of filleting crappies and sunnies, I did it the old fashioned way; gut, gill, cut off the head and scale. Once I started filleting them, it was like a revelation and meant no more picking around the bones or picking scales out from between your teeth.
There are still a few fishermen around that actually prefer the old way. Maybe its tradition or they just like it that way. However you choose to prepare your panfish, it can be some mighty fine eating.
Getting back to that particular opener; the boys and I trolled that bay for most of the morning sharing the lake with only one other boat. In the end, I believe we came away with five nice eating walleye, which is considered a pretty good opener in anybody’s book. The best thing about it was that we didn’t even have to leave town.
Over the years, I have caught a lot of fish trolling a Beetle Spin tipped with a minnow. However, just recnetly, I have kind of gotten away from that technique. I do think that I’ll be giving the old Beetle Spin a try again this year just to see if it still has what it takes.
It’s kind of funny how the way you fish is sometimes dictated by what you see on TV or read in a magazine. I sometimes think that going back to the basics and what once worked can still be effective. As far as I know, the fish don’t read or have access to TV to find out what’s fashionable.
A couple of years ago, I read an article in an outdoors magazine where a guy suggested that using spoons for big pike and muskies still works, even though most fishermen have let them disappear to the bottom of the tackle box. This past summer, I decided to try fishing a spoon again with very good results.
I have often been amazed at my youngest son Brad’s knack for catching big pike. It is actually no secret in our family that his number one lure of choice is the Doctor Spoon. With that thought in mind, I know that I will be checking my inventory of spoons as I get ready for this year’s opener.
I may decide to take a little of the edge off before the opener and visit one of our area lakes for some shore fishing. I’m inclined to think there may be some decent crappie fishing to be had in the next couple of weeks, if the water warms up a bit.
The water temperatures in our part of the state should be more ideal than further north but from some of the reports I’ve read and heard, the inconsistent weather hasn’t exactly had the fish jumping in the boat. Unlike summer weather patterns, temperatures in the spring need to be consistently warm for a few days to get those water temperatures up.
Until next time, get your tackle ready and remember that you don’t need to wait for the opener to enjoy a little fishing; it’s a great way to enjoy the outdoors.
Please remember to keep our troops in your thoughts and prayers because they are the reason we are able to enjoy all the freedoms that we have today.
Spending time at the cabin in April is always an adventure to be remembered. This past week has been no exception.
As I wrote in last week’s column, the first trip of the year can always present new challenges. This time I headed north with Mark Runden to do some work on the cabin. We also hoped to do a little fishing for some perch and crappie.
We stopped at Frontier Sports, which is a grocery, deli and bait shop in Marcell. I happened to ask the fellow who was working in the place where the crappies were biting and he said “Alabama.” I knew that wasn’t a good sign.
He said that the water hadn’t warmed up since the ice went out and nobody had done anything yet. Baitshop guy remembered selling a dozen crappie minnows a couple of days earlier. Not a good omen.
The first day at the cabin we encountered a cloudy, misty morning followed by a sunny and pleasant afternoon. Life was good and all of the reports calling for snow on Sunday night and Monday seemed like misinformation. We awoke the next morning to a sunny day and after making the morning coffee, I set out on a walk up our drive to the highway.
It was a great morning for a walk, as there were fresh deer tracks and signs of wildlife everywhere to be found and heard. As time moved ahead, it got cold, cloudy and windy and soon the rain had started. It wasn’t just windy but “nasty windy.”
And when the rains started, they didn’t quit until evening when the rain turned to snow. The wind that came out of the north never quit blowing during the night. We awoke the next morning to six or more inches of snow.
All of the trees were covered with snow and ice. It was quite a beautiful sight to behold, but we soon discovered that instead of having to “chop” our way to the cabin like some times in the past, we’d be chopping our way out. There were several trees that had fallen across the driveway during the stormy night.
We didn’t attempt to start our lumberjack imitation the next day. Instead, we waited until we needed to go to town before attacking the fallen trees.
A couple of times when the wind was calm, we witnessed a tree fall from the weight of the snow and ice. This is nature at work and it lets you know that there are still things that man cannot control.
The beauty of the “winter wonderland” that we were treated to was something special. There is nothing like being in a cozy cabin with the wood stove blazing while the wind snow and rain are wreaking havoc with the outdoors.
These are times that I could only dream about experiencing as a kid growing up north of Albert Lea. Many times when it was snowing and blowing out, I’d close my eyes and imagine that I was sitting alone in some remote cabin in the woods in front of a cozy fire. The only thing missing from that picture was my imaginary faithful dog lying on the floor beside my chair. It may seem funny to some, but to me, it’s like “living the dream.” It’s the simple things like this that make it all worthwhile.
Awakening to freshly fallen snow is one thing; but to have every tree in the forest engulfed in snow and ice and all their branches hanging down from the weight is a sight that is hard to describe. Looking down the driveway, I could see the pine boughs hanging so over the driveway that they were almost touching the ground. It was almost like looking into a tunnel. Just walking around outdoors could get you “plunked” on the head with a clump of snow falling from a tree.
Watching and listening wildlife is another thing that I really enjoy. Our resident loons have returned along with numerous duck and geese; a pair of trumpeter swans has also been frequenting the lake. I don’t think that there is a sound that says “up north” more than the call of a loon.
Going outdoors early in the morning and listening to the birds and waterfowl as they begin their day is a great start to any day. I had filled the bird feeders and, after about a day of waiting, a pair of purple finches appeared, which were soon followed by some chickadees and juncos. There always seems to be a red squirrel that will find its way to the feeder. Although I am not a fan of squirrels being too close to the cabin, they are still fun to watch.
Spending time at the cabin with Mark is also an experience in some mighty fine dining, as he loves to cook and could easily be one of those guys on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. Although fishing wasn’t going to happen on this trip it will be on the top of the list next time up.
Until next time, enjoy the outdoors and there’s no time like the present to start making those outdoors memories that will last a lifetime.
Please remember to keep our troops in your thoughts and prayers because they are the reason we are able to enjoy all the freedoms that we have today.
It’s been a while since I’ve been up to our cabin, but I am planning a little trip north next week. This is a time that I’ve been looking forward to all winter and it’s finally here. The only thing that I do know for sure is that each time I make the initial first-of-the-season visit, I have to be prepared for anything.
In other years, I have been greeted with fallen trees across the drive, One year, I found a tree had fallen across the top of our old camper. Another time I stood there stunned with trees down everywhere blocking both doors to the cabin. I literally had to chop my way in. Luckily, I had my two grandsons, Trevor and Taylor along to help* (*see do most of the work).
Another time we had gone up in April and awoke the next day to six inches of snow. The first couple of years were pretty rustic and that particular year, we had just finished enclosing the cabin so it wasn’t insulated and we had no furniture of any type in place. We slept on the wooden floor in sleeping bags huddled around a kerosene heater to keep us somewhat warm. It didn’t seem to matter to the boys because they were “up north” and enjoying an early season adventure. It was a special time because we were the first ones to sleep in the cabin and that will be something that we will always remember.
Our family had owned the land for about three years before we started clearing a spot for the cabin, and when we did, the boys were there to help. Brian manned the chainsaw and Trevor drove his Uncle Travis’ ATV which was used to drag the trees out of the way after Brian had trimmed them and cut them up. Taylor and I dragged the brush into piles.
I have to say that those boys knew how to work at a young age and nothing has changed today. We did all that work on a weekend and it was just the beginning of what would be a complete family project.
Soon after we purchased the land, we cleared enough trees to make a driveway and also opened up enough of an area to put our small camper on. Before the end of the summer, Brian, Trevor, Brian’s brother Brad and I hauled the camper up there and we somehow were able to get it situated in the area we had picked out. I do know that the driveway seemed a lot wider when we cut it out than it actually was.
We had to do some widening before we could get the camper to its chosen resting place. In the end, we also had to winch the camper into place by doing a little Macgyvering. These are just some of the memories that I have of the first years we were there.
I really felt like an outdoorsman. Building the cabin with the two boys and grandkids still gives me a feeling of self satisfaction.
There were also some tough times along the way; like when Brian and I were digging the holes to put the posts in for the base of the cabin. It was one cold and rainy Memorial Day weekend and while Brian did most of the work, I did most of the falling down on the slope of the hill that was mostly wet clay, tree roots and rock. By the time the last post was in place, we were ready to relax around the campfire and Brian’s mother Jean soon had a hot supper ready for us, which we readily welcomed.
After we had enjoyed a good hot meal, we both headed for bed and were asleep in no time. I have a picture of us sitting by the campfire shortly before supper. Every time I see it I think of that miserable day and am thankful that it is now history.
The other “cold memory” that I have is when Brian and I went to install the wood stove and chimney that went along with it. It was early March and about 08-degrees with a steady wind of 40 miles per hour coming straight out of the north. It took us a whole day to get it done and by the time we got it fired up, we were so cold it didn’t seem like we’d ever get warmed up. I can still see Brian up on the steep tin roof in that wind putting the chimney up. I don’t think either of us will ever forget that miserable day.
I also think about the day we started building the cabin with the help of my youngest son Brad and Grandson Dylan. Dylan was really excited to help us. I think he handled almost every piece of lumber as we unloaded it and stacked it by the building site. He surely didn’t want to miss out on helping and that is another memory that I’ll always cherish.
There is just something special about the whole family pitching in to help create something that we have built ourselves and will be able to enjoy for many years to come. We don’t have some of the conveniences of today’s world like running water or electricity, but to us it’s all about enjoying the outdoors and the things that nature has to offer. It’s amazing the things you notice when you start watching nature like you would a good movie. This movie is labeled non-fiction and hopefully it will never end.
Since we have owned this little piece of the north woods, I have grown to appreciate the outdoors even more. I have never considered myself a bird watcher, but I have really come to enjoy watching the birds and critters of the woods. It is a great pastime that I really enjoy. The extra bonus in all of this is being able to catch enough fish for a meal right out of our little lake.
Until next time, enjoy the outdoors and start making those outdoors memories that will last a lifetime.
Please remember to keep our troops in your thoughts and prayers because they are the reason we are able to enjoy all the freedoms that we have today.
Whenever I go for my early morning walk, I have time to think about fishing, the outdoors, fishing, up north, fishing, etc. I’m not saying that fishing is all I think about, but it is pretty far ahead of the others.
Daydreaming is a good way to pass the time while walking. So while I am on my early morning walk by the channel, I feel like I can connect with nature when I see all of the waterfowl, rabbits, squirrels and an occasional eagle.
The other morning, I witnessed a lone turkey vulture circling overhead. Now I don’t mean just circling. It seemed like it was only circling over me, which didn’t give me the urge to run out and buy a lottery ticket.
Those morning walks can sometimes get me thinking about being up north and remembering some of the good fishing experiences I have had. I still reflect on those times spent fishing in the early morning on Spider Lake. There is something peaceful about being on the lake early in the morning and having it to yourself for an hour or so.
I have always had a special spot that I liked to fish at that time of day, especially early in the season when it always seemed to produce. I would use a little different technique that I had found to be pretty effective: I would back troll along the weed line in our 14-ft. fishing boat with my small electric trolling motor using a Shad Rap which I fished in a jigging motion. I always seemed to catch fish using this method. Smallmouth and largemouth bass, pike and walleye were pretty abundant in that small time frame early in the morning. There is nothing more satisfying than a little early morning alone-time on a lake trying to solve the neverending mystery of fish catching.
I have also reminded myself of some of the strange or funny experiences I have had; so if you happen to see me out walking with a smile on my face or even laughing to myself, I’m okay. I have probably just thought of one of those instances.
One of my most memorable experiences was when I had taken my son Brad’s yellow lab named Brook up to Spider Lake with me. I had arrived at the lake two days before the rest of the family was due to arrive and thus had time to do some fishing once I settled in at the cabin.
After I had Brook neatly tucked away in her portable kennel, it was time to head out and do some serious fishing. After a couple of hours on the lake, I was on my way back to the dock when I heard somebody’s dog barking and whining continuously. As I got closer to the dock, I realized it was Brook. And after being told by the owners of the resort that my neighbor in the next cabin had complained, I knew I had no choice but to take her along in the boat if I wanted to fish.
I felt like I had a good plan in place because Brook sure loved riding in the front of the boat with her nose to the wind. Unfortunately, she also liked to fetch and the first time that I cast my lure to this “surefire honey hole” she was out of the boat and into the water and heading right towards my lure. I can’t begin to describe the feeling of hearing a running, thumping sound and looking up just in time to have a large dog jump over your left shoulder and into the lake. I reeled my line in as fast as I possibly could, hoping that she wouldn’t tangle in the line and end up with a set or two of treble hooks in her mouth.
I then devised a “fool proof” plan of tying her leash to the boat seat. I wrapped her leash around the pedestal of the seat to shorten it. But, much to my regret, I found out after my next cast that it was just long enough for her to go over the edge of the boat and almost hang herself. Now, I don’t know if any of you have ever tried to hoist a fully grown lab out of the water and into a boat, but it isn’t that easy, especially when the dog is flailing its legs, gasping for breath and in general just isn’t cooperating all that much.
Yes, Brook loved to play and she would bring anything that would fit into her mouth for you to throw so she could fetch it. One time, while up north, she dragged a large tree branch over to me looking for a game of fetch. It was too big to throw, but she kept looking at me and the stick while making that little whine. That was her way of begging you to play.
These are some of those memories that I cherish. And although Brook was maybe not that great of a fishing partner, she was a special dog and gave true meaning to the saying “man’s best friend.”
Until next time, enjoy the outdoors and start making those outdoors memories that will last a lifetime.
Please remember to keep our troops in your thoughts and prayers because they are the reason we are able to enjoy all the freedoms that we have today.
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DNR back online for State park reservations
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced that the phased-in rollout of their state park reservation system is complete. Camping and lodging reservations are once again being accepted up to a year in advance. More than 8,500 reservations have already been made online and through the Minnesota-based call center.
Reservations can be made at www.mndnr.gov/reservations>online or by calling 866-857-2757 (TTY 952-936-4008) from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily (except holidays). Up to 30 percent of the campsites at Minnesota state parks cannot be reserved in advance and are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
The new online reservation website features:
• Calendars that show available sites at a park for three weeks at a time.
• Campground maps showing proximity of campsites to shoreline, restrooms, and other amenities.
• Photos of most (but not yet all) campsites.
• Advanced search options that allow prospective visitors to enter specific desired criteria and see their options at a glance.