Woods & Water (267)
Have I mentioned that this is my favorite time of year? I don’t think that any time of year makes me feel more alive than fall. This is the time of year when there is a little bit of everything out there for the outdoorsman. Whether you fish or hunt waterfowl, game birds, bear or deer, there is basically something for every sportsman out there.
When my oldest son Brian was in his late teens, his uncle Lynn got him hooked on bow hunting. Lynn would take him with whenever he could. Brian learned a lot about hunting from him.
Eventually, Lynn moved away but Brian never lost his desire to hunt. One fall day when he was still living at home, he asked me if I’d like to ride along with him to see firsthand some of the spots he was hunting. It was a cool clear crisp autumn day so I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to enjoy spending time in the outdoors with my son.
We headed west to the Bricelyn/Frost area. He took me to a couple of places that he had access to. Just being outdoors in the woods waiting for that deer to appear would be enough for me. I didn’t even have to be a hunter to enjoy this time; the peaceful tranquility of the forest in the fall gave me a peaceful relaxed feeling that is hard to describe.
If a person has a stressful job or thinks that things sometimes seem to be moving too fast, then perhaps taking a little walk in the woods could be a great stress reliever. I know that it works for me. There are plenty of opportunities to enjoy the outdoors right here in our area. Myre-Big Island State Park is a great place to go for nature walks
If you want to venture a little farther north to the Waterville area, Sakatah State Park is another beautiful park with hiking trails. Sakatah Singing Hills State Trail runs through Sakatah Lake State Park and stretches 39 miles from Mankato to Faribault. The paved trail offers hikers, bikers, skiers and snowmobilers beautiful scenery through Minnesota's hardwoods.
You can also combine a nature walk with some grouse hunting if you care to venture even a little further north. Jay Johnson, the hunting recruitment and retention coordinator for the DNR, has this to say about hunter walking trails in Minnesota:
Whether you’re a first-time ruffed grouse hunter, a seasoned veteran or a family planning an active outing, finding places that offer easy access to Minnesota’s most-popular game bird will be your first priority. Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) hunter walking trails are excellent places to start.
Hunter walking trails offer hundreds of miles of easily accessible hunting trails that wind their way through wildlife management areas, state forests and other public hunting lands. There are more than 450 miles of maintained trails meandering throughout the northern half of the state, and new trails are continually being created.
Many of these trails are gated, allowing foot traffic only, and offer parking lots or easy access to parking. Hunters can expect mowed routes that may follow old logging roads, are planted with clover or pass through forest openings that attract a variety of wildlife.
“There is a lot of great ruffed grouse habitat along these trails,” said Jeff Lightfoot, DNR northeast regional wildlife manager. “The trails are easy to navigate and offer excellent opportunities for the novice hunter or for families with kids just learning to hunt to see birds and enjoy the outdoors.”
Finding the hunter walking trails is simple: www.dnr.state.mn.us. The DNR Web site also offers a hunter walking trail tool that provides information on the locations of these trails by name and the county in which they are located. Simply select a county from the tool and browse the list of the various hunting trails.
“There are more than 165 maps presently available on this website,” explained Tom Engel, DNR wildlife geographic information system specialist. “New trail maps are being added continually, so folks should remember to check this website regularly for any new additions.”
Hunter trail maps are also available at most DNR area wildlife offices, along with a variety of information on the area wildlife hunting or viewing opportunities and tips.
“There is no time better than this fall to pack up the hunting gear and the family and explore the forests of northern Minnesota by doing a little ruffed grouse hunting,” said Ted Dick, DNR grouse coordinator.
“Ruffed grouse populations are at their peak right now. The excellent habitat and easy access you’ll find on the hunter walking trails provide the perfect ingredients for a successful hunt.”
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I don’t know if you have driven past Pickerel Lake in recent days, but I have to say that it’s not a pretty sight! The dry spell and hot weather we have been experiencing has not helped the beauty of our area lakes. The sight of this lake really bothers me.
With the killing of the carp came cleaner water, which means more sunlight and more vegetation. This creates a sort of “Catch 22” for those of us that enjoy the beauty of the outdoors. All the pencil reeds that appeared after the initial kill were a great place to catch northern pike. This is just this writer’s opinion. I know that there are fish in the lake and in a couple of years, the pike should be big enough.
I equally enjoy the fishing and the beauty of a lake. Just being able to sit back and look across a lake and enjoy a sunset or a sunrise is a great way to relax and forget the stress of a day. Try it sometime. Just drive or walk to a local park and take the time to sit back and take in the beauty of it all.
There is still plenty of fishing to be done so if you head north to hunt or venture to a nearby lake, don’t forget to take the fishing pole.
Until next time try and take a little time to relax and get out and explore our great Minnesota outdoors. Please remember to keep our troops in your thoughts and prayers during the coming year.
Here we are stepping into the month of September and so far, the weather has been almost ideal. I know there are some that want to hang on to those toasty summer days as long as possible but, as for me, fall has always been my favorite season. The change of colors that occurs in the fall has always been special to me.
There is the unmistakable smell that only fall can produce. If I close my eyes and use my imagination, I can still smell the vegetables that were stored in the breezeway of the house that I grew up in on north Bridge Street. My Mother used to pick the vegetables out of the garden and store them there until they could be canned or were ready to eat. Each fall, the dying vegetation has a smell all its own, which to this day, still gives me goose bumps whenever I smell that smell. It’s almost like taking a step back in time to those backyard football games we played as youth on those cool, crisp autumn afternoons.
My uncle Lloyd had a special fondness for the fall, especially Halloween. Maybe it could have been the fall colors or even the ghosts and goblins associated with the day that was his favorite, but that’s another story for a later column.
There are already some early hunting seasons underway. Early goose season is now open along with mourning dove and bear season. The early season goes until September 22nd and re-opens with the rest of the waterfowl season on September 24th. The deer hunting archery season opens on September 17th and goes until the last day of December. Pheasant season opens October 15th. The special youth deer hunt is October 20-23. The Deer hunting firearms season opens on November 5th and the muzzleloader season opens on November 26th and goes until December 11th.
When the people of the state of Minnesota voted in favor of the Lessard-Sams bill to improve our outdoors habitat and preserve our heritage and the arts, it was a very positive thing. Each year, the politicians try to “tinker” with it, but for the most part, it is unchanged and is doing much good for the state of our outdoors heritage. Wildlife Management Areas (AMA’s) are crucial to ensuring that hunting and fishing will be there for generations to come.
Each year, there are fewer and fewer hunting and fishing licenses being sold in Minnesota. Preserving land and giving the public accessibility to it is important to promoting and preserving these sports for future generations. I know that there is less and less private land being made available because there are fewer landowners that own more of the land. The days of a farmer having 180 acres to raise some crops for selling and a few cattle, hogs and chickens for food has pretty much gone by the wayside.
This scenario has made it harder for the average hunter to gain access to private land. This is also why WMAs are so vital to preserving the sport. In Freeborn County alone, there are 11 such areas ranging in size from 14 acres in the Upper Twin Lakes WMA north of Twin Lakes to 855 acres in the Pancium Prairie (Grass Lake) WMA southwest of Gordonsville. Being able to hunt or even visit one of these areas is a good thing. If you are not a hunter but enjoy being out in nature and just enjoying a little outdoors adventure, there is plenty of public land right in our area. I probably wouldn’t advise going for a nature walk in one of these areas on opening day of firearms deer season, but at other times, it can be a great outdoors experience.
Not only Freeborn County but every county in the state has WMAs set aside for public use. If the Lessard-Sams bill is allowed to function the way it was intended, there will be more land added in years to come. There is an 86 acre plot of land with 140 ft. of lakeshore on Big Too Much Lake in northern Minnesota. This land is actually right across the highway from our cabins driveway and has been donated to the DNR for a Scientific and Natural Area, which is similar to a State Park or an AMA provided for public use. Donations are just another way that the state acquires land for public use and with this particular piece of land being a natural area, I would assume that it would require little maintenance after the initial trail and parking areas are installed.
There’s still plenty of fishing to do so don’t put away those fishing poles just yet. Actually, some of the best fishing is yet to come and I’m getting anxious to wet a line soon.
Muskie Talk
The September meeting of Crossroads Chapter 54, Muskies Inc. will be Wednesday September 14th at Eagles Club, 7 p.m., in Owatonna, Mn. Our guest Speaker will be DNR, D. J. Debates, from the Waterville, Hatchery.
Coming events: Our October 12th meeting speaker is Ken Bachman from Bubba Tail Lures. Our Chapter 54, fall outing will be on French Lake, October 16th. Winner takes traveling trophy. Watch for details.
Our meetings are always second Wednesday of every month, and include guest speakers, updates, door prizes and raffle. We center our programs around guides, lure makers and helping our members catch more fish with musky talk tips. Our goal is to improve musky fishing in Southern Minnesota. Check our Web site at www.michapter. Anyone interested in muskie fishing is always welcome and need not be a member to attend. Bring a friend and check us out.
Until next time, do a little fishing, take some time to relax and get out and explore our great Minnesota outdoors.
Please remember to keep our troops in your thoughts and prayers during the coming year.
Eagle sightings make this vacation special
Written by Jim LutgensOnce again, I was lucky enough to be able to spend some time with family in the North Country. This time, it was with my oldest son Brian and his three boys Trevor, Taylor and Grant. It’s funny how when a vacation is in the planning stages not everyone is excited about it. A couple of weeks prior to this, I had asked Grant, my youngest grandson, if he was ready for vacation. He replied almost half-heartedly that he guessed he was. I secretly hoped that it wouldn’t be a long week for him.
Once we were at the cabin and settled in, the boys made plans to fish on our lake. All three of the boys fished the lake in the evening for the first couple of days. I can’t really think of a better way to get a kid hooked on fishing than to catch fish of any kind. We have an abundance of panfish in our lake that are more than willing to bite a hook. Trevor never misses a night of fishing on our lake. This week, Grant was there with him and I could tell that he was enjoying every minute of it. Trevor has a small electric trolling motor that is just perfect for his boat and he even let Grant drive the boat, which is a big step. I know Trevor was being nice, but I also know that his thinking is that if he is not driving, he has more opportunity to fish.
We fished five different lakes in four days and although the fishing wasn’t what you’d classify as great, it wasn’t all that bad. We managed to catch fish on every lake we went to. I feel that catching enough for a meal at the lake and taking some home for another meal or two can be considered a success.
I had fished on North Star Lake a couple of weeks earlier and had pretty good luck so we decided to try it this time up. The fishing wasn’t quite as good to me as the last time I was there, but we did manage a few small pike and then Trevor, the fishing guru of the family, tied into the biggest northern of his young life. It was a good ten pounds and gave him quite a battle, before it was finally boated and then released. He was beaming with pride after catching that fish, and I could tell that his younger brother Grant was really excited to see a fish that size.
After we had left the lake, Grant was already talking about trying to find a lure like the one his brother had caught that nice pike on. We looked at a few different places and had to stop in Grand Rapids on the way home just so he could buy some tackle with his own money. I almost couldn’t believe it at the time, but I actually think that there is another Herfindahl boy that is hooked on fishing.
Taylor is usually the northern guru of the family; while he did catch his share this week it is probably that dandy bass that he caught that he’ll remember most. On the last day, we did some late afternoon and evening fishing on a little lake that we like to fish. It has a pretty nice sandy shore, so when the fishing is done, some of us take a dip and get refreshed. We have some eco-friendly soap to bathe with. There’s nothing more refreshing than a dip in a northern lake on a warm summer evening.
That evening, we caught plenty of northerns but Grant stole the show by catching five of them himself. If I had any doubts about Grant having a good time, they were definitely erased. He was all business when he was fighting a fish and when we got back to the cabin, he said that he wanted to eat a quick lunch and go to bed. I told him that he must have been worn out from reeling in all of those fish. He just smiled.
Another highlight of the week was the eagles that all of a sudden have decided to make our little lakefront their new hangout. I had seen eagles soaring over the lake all summer, but now, they had taken a real interest in this dead birch tree that sits on the shore straight down the hill from our cabin. All week long, there were at least two eagles soaring back and forth in front of our dock. The real interesting part is that there were two different eagles that seemed to be fighting over that one tree. One was a bald eagle and the other was a golden eagle. If the golden eagle got there first, the other ones didn’t bother it. But if a bald eagle was in the tree, the golden eagle would chase it away. One afternoon a turkey buzzard flew overhead just above the tree tops and it kind of made me wonder if it was following me. We never did see that bird again. I really can’t remember having seen one around before that.
On our last day there, we spotted at least two bald eagles flying back and forth across the lake and also that golden eagle. You could hear the eagles screeching in the trees by our cabin. One time, both the bald and golden eagle tried perching in that tree at the same time, but eventually the golden eagle won the battle and was once again perched atop that tree. I told Brian that what we have here is our own little raptor center. I had tried to get a good picture of that golden eagle, but just as I inched my way through the woods to an open spot, my sleeve brushed some loose birch bark. It then gave me a glance and flew off. I wondered if it would come back. I didn’t have to wait too long for the answer, because a couple of hours later it was back.
This is once again an example of the unexpected surprised that nature can spring on us. What a great spectacle to have observed. I feel fortunate to have witnessed something that not everyone has the opportunity to enjoy.
Once again, I have to say it’s not always about the catching of fish but it is about the experience and the making of more precious memories. To my surprise, Brian said that Grant wasn’t ready to go home yet – he wanted to stay another day.
Until next time, do a little fishing, take some time to relax and get out and explore our great Minnesota outdoors.
Please remember to keep our troops in your thoughts and prayers during the coming year.
One of the things I enjoy doing from time to time is driving around our city and reflecting on some of my earlier years. It is fun to look around and remember what the town had in years past, as far as businesses and places I frequented growing up in Freeborn County.
A couple of weeks ago, Ed Shannon had a nice article about the many things that were manufactured right here in Albert Lea. My grandfather, Albert Herfindahl, worked for the American Gas Company, and Ed mentioned that business in his article. The pictures that appeared in the paper looked almost identical to the Coleman products of the ‘60s and ‘70s.
I had just gotten into camping in the early ‘70s. I couldn’t be a real camper without the famous Coleman lantern. I also had a green metal cooler made by Coleman and bore a strong resemblance to the Kampcold cooler.
My folks had a Kampcold cooler that I believe got thrown out after living in my cellar for a few years. It’s funny how what a person sees as junk at the time may be a collectible later on. If you ask my wife, she’d probably say I haven’t thrown out anything in the last 41 years.
When I was in Vietnam, we had our generator go down so we broke out an auxiliary lantern and, when I pulled it out of the box, to my surprise it was made by The American Gas Company in Albert Lea, Minnesota. I was pretty excited about this. It kind of gave me a connection with home in a place I felt was about as far away from there as you could possibly get at the time.
There were a lot of pretty neat businesses around when I was growing up. Almost every neighborhood had its own little family-owned grocery store. I can remember riding my bike into town and going to a little store on the corner of Minnesota and Johnson Streets; I’m not sure of its name but we called it Russell’s Store. Maybe because that was the grocer’s name, or it was actually named that. That store had, beyond a doubt, the best selection of candy and ice cream treats in town. I also liked to go to the Albert Lea Creamery and buy a sundae. My favorite was chocolate marshmallow, which was chocolate ice cream with creamy marshmallow topping.
In those days, I never got an allowance so I would use my paper route and lawn mowing money on anything that was considered frivilous. I could usually get my mom to give me a little change when it came to buying fishing tackle like hooks and sinkers. But, if I wanted a lure, I was pretty much on my own.
I can remember going into Simonson’s sporting goods store to buy fishing tackle, live bait and even get the old Johnson Outboard motor repaired. The store was located on Clark Street right around the corner from Interstate Power. I would love to go into that store just to look around, even though I usually didn’t have enough money to buy anything. I do believe I bought my first Daredeville spoon there.
I still have a jointed lure I think was made by Mirro-Lure that I had purchased there. I was excited about that lure. I just knew that it was going to catch fish. The only thing that lure has actually ever caught is the kid who bought it. I still have it hanging up in my basement with a few of my other old lures and my most prized possession, the old Shakespeare Marhoff reel with a fiberglass rod.
When I was about ten years old, my uncle Ben had talked to my dad. He told him that I should have a good rod and reel. My dad agreed he would pay for it and Uncle Ben purchased it. I can still remember the day they gave it to me and how happy I was. I don’t think I fully realized at the time the sacrifice my dad had to make in order to buy, as we didn’t really have a lot of money to spend on extras. Once I had that reel, I spent hours in the backyard casting at a tire swing in order to get accurate and avoid getting the dreaded backlash.
Thinking back to that sporting goods store and outboard motors brings back memories of the old 5-horse Johnson my Uncle Ben used to have. The smell of the gas fumes that old motor emitted was what fishing was supposed to smell like. I can still hear that old motor putt-putt-putting along as we cut through an early morning fog on a northern lake.
In my youth there were only two ways I would ever get to go “up north” fishing. One way was to read about it and then lean back, close my eyes and picture in my mind the fishing adventure I had just read about. The other was when Uncle Ben and Aunt Marcie would invite me along on a fishing vacation to Northern Minnesota.
In those days a trip north or even to Minneapolis was a pretty major undertaking. On those fishing trips, we would head north on the highway past Lake Mille Lacs. Along the way, we would stop at Hickory Lake where there was a little wayside rest and some picnic tables. Aunt Marcie would pack a picnic lunch which consisted of potato salad, cold meat sandwiches and, of course everyone’s picnic favorite, Van Camp’s pork n’ beans. For some reason, I don’t think I have ever tasted a picnic lunch as good as that one. Maybe it was actually the food, but I really think it was all about the time and the place.
Yes, memories are precious, but in this day of rapidly changing times, they are a great way to slow things down and forget about your everyday problems. When I was in the service, there was an observation some of us made: eventually you only remember the good parts and the bad parts fade into the background.
Until next time, do a little fishing, take a little time to relax and get out and make a few memories in our great Minnesota outdoors.
Please remember to keep our troops in your thoughts and prayers during the coming year.
SELDOM SEEN — A rare white hummingbird shown here is at the feeder near Ron Johnson’s cabin by Longville, Minnesota.
With every day that passes, I find more and more things that make me appreciate the outdoor world around us. If you take the time to stop and “smell the roses,” you will find that nature can put on a very fascinating show.
When we visit our cabin in the north woods, it seems that a person takes more time to sit and watch the wildlife. Wildlife doesn’t always have to be seen in rural areas. You can watch your share of critter activity right in your own back yard. We live on the south side of town where just sitting on our deck in the back yard can be interesting.
The other day my wife, Jean, spotted a woodchuck on the edge of our yard. She called me but it had disappeared by the time I came to look. Although I had some reservations about the sighting, I was sure that she knew what a woodchuck looked like. A little later that evening I was sitting on the deck when the critter reappeared, stopped and looked at me as if it was sizing me up.
I then casually wandered away towards the neighbor’s back yard. This year we seem to have more than our share of rabbits in the yard. Of course the gray squirrel population hasn’t seemed to dwindle. Just the other day, I spotted a chipmunk in the front yard hanging out under the steps.
In my quest to establish a wildlife sanctuary right here at home, I had decided to put up a suet block in the back yard in hopes of attracting some of our feathered friends. That block disappeared in a couple of days without my noticing any birds. After the next block was in place, I started keeping a watchful eye. Soon the trees in the backyard were full of birds. I don’t believe anyone intentionally sets out to feed blackbirds, but they must have thought I was their new best friend as they managed to clean that suet block out in about a day. So much for my attempt to attract finches, song birds, and various others. Maybe I’ll try something different next year. But, for now I will be content to watch the ground critters in my back yard.
When we are up at the cabin, there are finches, grosbeaks, juncos and three types of woodpeckers. There is an occasional visit by the resident chipmunks. Sometimes a red squirrel will come into the picture. I never thought I’d see the day that I’d be excited about birds visiting our feeders, but I realize that I am indeed witnessing one of the wonders of nature.
It’s fun to watch the chipmunks because there are two of them that come from different areas. Each time they are there together, they fight until one runs off. The loser will eventually come back if it sees the other one is not around. One of them has found a way to actually get inside of the old wooden feeder. I can go up to it and tap on the glass and it will just keep filling its cheeks until it has had enough.
The other day my brother-in-law Ron had a white hummingbird at the feeder up at his cabin near Longville. My niece Jenna sent some pictures of it to a TV station in the Twin Cities and also to a wildlife research center in Georgia. They emailed her back and said it would be great if they could “tag” the bird. Now, I don’t know a lot about birds but those little rascals seem mighty quick to me. This is just another example of nature keeping us on our toes with new and exciting developments. It sure is a lot better to see a white hummingbird than a two headed toad or a toxic frog with three hind legs.
Nature can be an interesting world and if you take a little time to explore it, you may be surprised at what you will find. Visiting a state park or any of our local parks can be a rewarding experience. Just spending and hour or so relaxing in the outdoors and observing the wildlife around you is a great way to spend family time. We also have to remember that today’s youth are the ones taking care of our outdoor heritage in the future. Sitting at home in front of a computer or playing video games will do nothing to teach them an appreciation for the outdoors.
Until next time do a little fishing, take a little time to relax and get out and explore our great Minnesota outdoors.
Please remember to keep our troops in your thoughts and prayers during the coming year.
As we venture into the “dog days” of August, I have to wonder what the fishing would be like for me if these days didn’t exist. I just spent another week in the north country with my son Brad, grandson Dylan and my wife Jean. The weather was just about picture perfect for August. In fact, I think I have read a blueprint of August days and these were it. We enjoyed warm sunny days and cool, comfortable summer nights. It was so nice up north that the mosquitoes even decided to take a few days off. The only downside to that was the abundance of over exuberant deer flies.
Those nasty little biters are bad enough when you are in the woods or sitting outside, but when they get you trapped in a boat with nowhere to run, it can be pretty uncomfortable. Our first day on the water, we experienced a swarm of them. Jean asked me where the fly swatter (which I usually keep in the boat) was.
It was missing. I knew that it wasn’t going to be a pretty experience, as she spent more time swatting them with one of her sandals than she did fishing. We did manage to get through the day, and from then on, that swatter was in plain sight every time we were in the boat.
If you like catching and eating fish, then the “dog days” would be perfect for you because we caught plenty of fish. We took a few meals home and enjoyed a fine meal of fish at the cabin. I just don’t think that you could wish for it to be any better than that.
Now, if you only consider fishing a success if you catch walleyes, then you don’t want to fish with me. I don’t claim to be a master fisherman and I am surely not a whiz when walleyes enter the conversation. But for some reason, I usually end up catching one or two. I have always said most of my fishing success is about luck and time spent on the water. If you put in the time and keep trying different techniques, then good things will usually happen.
It’s always fun to watch when Dylan’s grandma lands a northern. We already know what she will say: “it’s a keeper!” She did manage to get some legitimate keepers this week. All of us contributed to the weekly fish feed. Dylan caught some nice northern, bass, crappie and some dandy bluegill; it’s sure fun to see the smile on his face when he catches a fish. Brad was once again on top of the northern fishing and he landed some dandy pike during the week. Both were caught on his favorite lake using his favorite spoon (The Doctor).
We fished five different lakes in six days and had pretty good luck on all of them. Most of the fish caught were on our little lake that supposedly has no fish in it. The last evening there, Brad and Dylan took grandma out fishing for panfish. Only an hour later, she came walking back up to the cabin. I asked her why she was quitting already - “weren’t they biting?” I asked. She said that she had had it and was tired of catching fish; she said that she only reeled in twice without a fish.
After catching about 30 bluegills and crappies she had had enough. They didn’t keep any fish that last night because most of them were a little too small, plus we already had enough to take home. It’s not too often that a person experiences fishing like that.
The unique thing about the week and for the most part the summer, is that we very rarely use live bait. This week we used none at all and caught plenty of fish. I guess plenty is a pretty strong word because when you’re fishing, you don’t usually think that you’ve ever caught enough.
We kept enough during the week to eat and took a couple of meals home. We also threw back some “keeper” sized fish. I like to keep the “eating size” fish and return the larger ones to the water because they are the ones that lay most of the eggs and replenish the fish population.
I can still remember the old wives tale (can I still say that?) that northern always lose their teeth in August, which is why the fishing isn’t as good. August has always been good to me as far as fishing goes. I don’t think that my family will disagree with that as evidenced by the good week of fishing that we just experienced. It’s not all about fishing, but about spending time with family and enjoying the wildlife and all the natural wonders that surround us in the great outdoors. These are just a few more of the precious memories that we will have to cherish for years to come.
The fall months can also be very good for fishing and your chances of catching that “lunker” even increases as we move further into fall. The number of fish caught may not be like early summer, but there is some good fishing to be had at that time of year.
I was fishing on Lake Tetonka one late fall day. There was one other boat on the whole lake. I could see that they were fishing bass and seemed to be catching a few.
It wasn’t until a couple of weeks later, when I read in an issue of Outdoor News, that the state record bass had been caught on Lake Tetonka on that day. The record held for a few years before being broken just a couple of years ago.
Until next time do a little fishing, take a little time to relax and get out and explore our great Minnesota outdoors.
Please remember to keep our troops in your thoughts and prayers during the coming year.
Even though we are now headed into the month of August, there are still plenty of vacation opportunities and, although the days will still be warm, the nights should start cooling off, which will be a welcome break.
Heading to Northern Minnesota for a week or even a few days can be a rewarding experience, but you don’t always need to venture that far to experience some of our state’s natural wonders. The following news release by the DNR tells of one of those experiences.
Mystery Cave offers cool escape from summer heat
Visitors can once again experience natural wonders above and below ground at Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park located in Southeastern Minnesota. Cave tours are now being given following the state shutdown.
Discovered in 1937, Mystery Cave is the longest cave in Minnesota, spanning more than 13 miles underground. It is a network of passages that was created when rock was dissolved by moving water. Park naturalists guide tours through various portions of the cave and explain its history, its features and how it was formed. One-hour cave tours are designed to be fun and informative for all ages. They are ADA accessible.
Another perk to cave tours during this hot Minnesota summer is the temperature. The cave stays at a constant 48 degrees year-round.
One-hour cave tours are offered every day through Labor Day between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Two-hour and wild caving tours are offered on weekends. Details can be found on the park Web site at www.mndnr.gov or by calling 507-937-3251.
Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park has also opened its main campground, horse campground and trails. Historic Forestville, a restored 1800s village operated by the Minnesota Historical Society, reopened July 23.
Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park is located between Spring Valley and Preston, six miles off of State Highway 16. Signs will direct visitors to the park or cave.
Another nice thing about this park is that it is not a great distance from home and can offer something a little different for the vacationer.
Over the years, I’ve known many folks who enjoy camping and fishing at Forestville and a lot of them bring their horses. It’s a great place to trail ride and just plain have some old-fashioned fun.
Forestville State Park has a variety of outdoor activities to enjoy. Not only does it offer access to Mystery Cave and all its wonders, there are hiking trails, trout fishing, campsites and horse trails. Fall is also a great time to visit Forestville and enjoy the autumn colors.
Overnight camping is available seasonally.
Horse Riding
The Minnesota Horse Pass is required for equestrians at Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park. These may be purchased from any ELS license agent prior to your visit.
The horse trails and horse camp will close for the season on November 1, 2011. Trails are surfaced with crushed rock. Shod horses are strongly recommended.
Best time to contact the park:
Summer: Sunday - Wednesday, 9 a.m. - 8 p.m.; Thursday - Saturday, 9 a.m. - 9 p.m. Winter: Generally, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Hours limited due to staffing.
Office hours may vary. Please call ahead or leave a message.
Contact: 21071 County 118, Preston, MN 55965. Telephone main park: 507-352-5111; Mystery Cave 507-937-3251; Fax: 507-352-5113; E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Deer Hunting licenses are now available
I know that it may be a little early for some of you, but the Minnesota DNR made its 2011 deer hunting licenses available on August 1st.
This year’s archery season opens Saturday, Sept. 17. The general firearms season opens Saturday, Nov. 5. The deadline for lottery permit applications is Sept. 8.
“We’re looking forward to another good season,” said Lou Cornicelli, big game program coordinator for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR). “Deer populations are at or near goals throughout much of the state.”
Cornicelli said hunters will discover several new regulations for the upcoming deer season.
Until next time do a little fishing, take a little time to relax and get out and explore our great Minnesota outdoors.
Please remember to keep our troops in your thoughts and prayers during the coming year.
In last week's column, I mentioned the trip north with my friend Mark and grandsons Trevor and Taylor. This was a fun week of fishing and working around our property. Even with the little setback of the truck breakdown on the way home, it was a very good trip. Meeting nice helpful people along the way was a plus.
Fishing was a little slow at times, but whenever we had an overcast day, the fishing always seemed a little bit better. I think the clarity of the northern lakes has much to do with that. The weather for the week was just about perfect, as we enjoyed mostly mild days and comfortably cool nights.
Each year, I try to revisit my old favorite, Spider Lake, at least one time. We had decided we would get an early start on Tuesday, so we were up at 4:30 a.m. and soon on the road. When we first arrived at the landing, there was not another boat to be seen and Trevor, as usual, was out of the truck and casting off the dock. He was already landing fish before I could even get the boat ready.
Once we had launched the boat, it wasn’t long before Mark caught a nice pike. The boys soon followed suit. As we fished the lake, they continued to bring in fish after fish. For the most part, there were plenty of fish caught on this day, but I on the other hand was only to land the dreaded “skunk” on this trip. All three of my passengers were able to catch numerous fish but, alas, the skipper of the barge was unable to attract a single fish. I was almost in a funk when they tried to alibi for me by saying the guy driving the boat is at a disadvantage. Thanks guys for the support, but I just don’t think it was my day.
After a few hours, more and more boats appeared on the lake, so we eventually decided to call it a day. As we reached the landing, I thought that I could at least catch a sunnie or perch from the dock. That was not to be; I couldn’t even entice a fish to bite there. I finally decided to call it a day and begrudgingly put my fishing pole in the boat and we headed back to the cabin.
I was mystified because after all, I always have considered Spider “my lake,” or at least my favorite lake. The one that I could always find fish on, even when others could not. I guess you could say that I found the fish alright – just not for myself. This will not deter me from trying my favorite lake again another day.
The next day, I was back in the groove and catching my share of fish once again – just not on “my lake.” We have so many nice lakes within a few miles of our cabin; it is almost like a fisherman’s smorgasbord when it comes to picking one to fish. I have a couple of favorites, but choosing a set favorite would be tough. Now that I think of it, the boys were catching fish on every lake we tried, so maybe this was telling me that there was a changing of the guard taking place.
Back at the cabin, I asked my fellow fishermen what lake they’d like to try the next day. Mark said he didn’t care. Trevor thought it would be fun to try a lake that we’d not fished before. He chose Grave Lake which lies south of Marcell off of Hwy. 38.
It is known for its huge bluegills. The lake has a 5 fish limit on their “gills,” so we thought it would be worth a try. We were fishing this lake for the very first time and actually had some pretty good luck. This time it was Mark’s turn to almost catch the skunk. Even though I was catching more than my share of fish, I kind of felt sorry for him. I guess it was just his turn to watch the other guys land the fish. It’s funny how that works. It just goes to show that fishing is sometimes a fickle sport, and that there is always a certain amount of luck involved.
On this day, we didn’t see any of those “monster” bluegills. We did manage to catch some walleye, quite a few nice northern and some bass. Mark and the boys wanted to take some fish home.
Having already eaten a nice meal of fish. it was time to bring a few home to share with family. We brought home some northern, walleye, crappie and bluegill. So, I’d have to consider this a pretty good week.
We have quite a few bird feeders at the cabin. I really do enjoy watching the many different birds that come to feed. This is great, but we found out that there are some four-legged critters that consider this their feeding ground. They come in the middle of the night and knock down whatever feeders they can and run off with whatever they can.
Trevor sat up a couple of nights in hopes of catching them in the act. One night as he sat in a recliner facing the patio door, there was a raccoon looking directly at him. But, as he got out of the chair, the critter scurried a little ways away and stopped turning to see if he was chasing him. It then fled off into the night, almost teasing him.
Some may consider them “cute,” but they can trash a bunch of bird feeders in a hurry and will also run off with the suit blocks. Those “wascally wittle cwitters!” Maybe I’ll have to get me a bluetick hound and tie him under the tree as a deterrent. Oh well, there never is a dull moment when spending time in the north woods and that’s just fine with me.
All-in-all, this was what I considered a good week of time spent in the north woods. We caught fish, did some work around the place and ate like “kings” thanks to Marks gourmet cooking. The boys definitely enjoyed the meals and hopefully it won’t be too much of a letdown when they have to spend time at the cabin eating grandpa’s cooking.
Despite a small setback with the truck breakdown on the trip home and all, this was indeed a good week and one that I know the boys will remember. It’s all about having fun and making memories. We surely did both.
Until next time do a little fishing, take a little time to relax and get out and explore our great Minnesota outdoors.
Please remember to keep our troops in your thoughts and prayers during the coming year.
After spending a week up north at the cabin with my friend Mark Runden and grandsons Trevor and Taylor, we were headed back home. The weather for the week was almost perfect and we fished a different lake almost every day. Counting the one lake that we fished twice, we managed to hit six lakes in seven days. We caught quite a few crappie and bluegill along with northern, bass and a few walleye. It was a good week of fishing and enjoying the north woods and, thanks to Mark and the boys, we got a lot of work done around the place.
The rain held off until Friday morning and after some morning showers it turned hot and humid. We left early Saturday morning for the trip home thinking we’d be home by early afternoon. Deciding to wait until we were down the road a ways before eating breakfast seemed like a good idea at the time, but about 18 miles east of Grand Rapids, everything changed. The engine made a funny squealing noise and the warning lights came on. I knew that I’d probably lost the serpentine belt.
Here we were basically in the middle of nowhere when a van stopped and a gentleman got out and asked us if he could help. After looking the situation over, we decided that we had the right tools and would be able to put the belt on ourselves if we could find one. The man that stopped to help said he’d take me to a parts store where I could get a belt.
On the way, he introduced himself as Bill Whittaker and for some reason, that name seemed familiar. Then it dawned on me; my second cousin has the same name.
Bill had just finished working a long shift at the Hibbing Hospital and was on his way home, which was only a couple of miles from where we had broken down. On the way to Grand Rapids, we talked and I told him how much I appreciated what he was doing. He told me he was a very religious person and that helping others is just what he does. We talked about religion and life and for some reason, even in this time of a fast-paced society. Here was a person who took the time to go out of his way to help total strangers.
It was about 18 miles to Grand Rapids one way and when we got back, Mark had some more bad news – Mark handed me my cell phone which I’d forgotten to take and said he had no way of letting me know that there was also a busted pulley. My heart sunk because there was no way I’d expect this person to take me back to Grand Rapids. After we checked everything else, Bill didn’t even think twice about taking me back to the parts store. However, before we left he asked the boys and Mark if they’d like to go to his house which was a couple of miles away and his wife would fix them breakfast while we were driving to Grand Rapids. My two grandsons are pretty shy and politely declined the generous offer, to which Bill replied, “They must not like girls,” because he’d mentioned he had two teenage daughters living at home.
After the second trip to the parts store, he waited around until the truck was up and running and then headed home. He refused to take any money for gas and wished us good luck on the rest of the trip. Now this man was a true “Good Samaritan.” This experience showed me there still are some pretty darned good folks out there. I was just lucky enough to meet one of them.
Just as I was putting the tool box in the back of the truck, a State Trooper pulled up and asked what was going on. I said we’d just gotten done changing the belt. She said it looked like she was just in time then. All the while I was talking to the lady trooper, the dialogue from the movie Fargo kept running through my head. After telling her of my Good Samaritan, she said it wasn’t surprising because there are more people than you think in this part of the state willing to go out of their way help a person.
I actually feel that although we had broken down, I considered myself lucky to have met these two nice people. I had to ask myself would I have done as much as Bill did? I’d like to think the answer is yes, and maybe someday I’ll get a chance to prove it.
Hopefully we will get a break from the heat and get back to normal temperatures. It’s quite an adjustment to go from lows in the 50s and highs in the high 60s like we had for most of the week up north to the mid-90s.
Mark brought something to my attention I had been noticing all summer; it was the lack of tourists. I know the government shutdown has had an effect on that, especially for attracting out-of-state vacationers. In recent years, I’ve noticed a difference in the way people take vacations.
Most of the folks my age were brought up with the family vacation planned around what week you got off of work. These days people can take their vacation one or two days at a time. Somewhere along the line our lives have gotten so busy that the weeklong family vacation has all but fallen by the wayside.
The shutdown definitely had an effect on the tourist business, not only in Northern Minnesota but statewide. It doesn’t make a lot of sense to put the state in a position to lose more money when they’re trying to figure out ways to increase revenue and cut spending. Our elected leaders should think about doing what’s best for Minnesotans and not just what’s best for their respective parties.
Until next time do a little fishing, take a little time to relax and get out and explore our great Minnesota outdoors.
Please remember to keep our troops in your thoughts and prayers during the coming year.
In my last column, I stressed how important it is for our kids to get out and enjoy some outdoor activities. I just really feel that it’s important to introduce our youth to the outdoors experience. It has been said many times over that the youth of today are the leaders of tomorrow.
This is only a common sense statement because of the ageing thing. However when the youth of today lose touch with something as important as the outdoors, it is troubling.
Last week, my oldest grandson Trevor called me in the evening. He told me that he and his youngest brother Grant were fishing in a nearby “crick.” Not only was he surprised by what they were catching, but I too was surprised to hear it. They were catching bullheads (not earth shaking news) and bluegills, some pretty decent perch and even a catfish. When fishing in a small creek, that is not directly connected to a known fishing lake, this is an exciting experience to this writer.
The excitement in Trevor’s voice told me that he was having a blast. The idea of catching that many species of fish in a place that you didn’t expect was pretty awesome. I immediately thought of the times when I roamed the slough on north Bridge Street and would see a fish that wasn’t common to that body of water.
I remember the first time I hauled up some small crappies in the minnow net we used at the old bridge. Crappies weren’t all that common in Fountain Lake back then, and to find them in the “crick” was almost unimaginable. It was instances like this that taught me to learn to love the outdoors and appreciate the surprises that Mother Nature would occasionally spring on us.
Some of us never lose that kid feeling when we are exploring new territories in our outdoors world. It is the same kind of feeling I get when I’m fishing and anticipating that “big one” lurking just around the next point. I still get that feeling, but now whenever I’m fishing with the grandkids, I am wishing that they will be the ones to experience that fish. Don’t get me wrong, I still get that kid feeling whenever I go fishing whether it’s on a northern lake or a creek close to home – it’s all good!
There were many lazy summer days when this kid would ride his bike over to his friend Jim Foley’s farm to play. He lived on Hammer Road, which at that time didn’t seem to have a name. I just knew it was gravel and that I had to ride my bike past this nasty old Holstein bull that resided in the pasture of a farm on the way. The farm was about where the field house is now for the football field.
If that bull was grazing by the fence in the pasture below the hill when, I would ride by and watch him running along the fence bellering. He’d chase me until I chugged up the steep hill and was out of sight.
Once at Jim’s place we played in the barn swinging from the hayloft, dropping on a pile of straw bales below. This was great fun until his dad discovered how many bales had (accidently) been broken; then it was time to discover new territories. I have to admit that all the while we were playing, the image of that bull running along the fence line would occasionally pop into my head, because I knew that there was only one route home.
There also were a few trips back to “dead man’s woods,” which just by the name alone was always intriguing to kids looking for adventure. I’m not sure how the woods got its name, but I’d heard that a local hunter had set a snare trap for deer. When he went back to check it, he forgot the location and was caught in his own trap.
I’m sure there are other local legends about this woods, but that’s the one I’m sticking with. A kid with a little imagination might even have thought that the woods were haunted.
One hot August summer day while exploring a small “crick” north of the road, we found a place where the water was reduced to a trickle in this wooded area. There was a pool that was deeper than the rest. In that pool, we discovered small bluegills and perch along with some bullheads and minnows. Now this seemed like pretty exciting stuff to a young aspiring outdoorsman who seemed to look for signs of fish in every puddle of water he came upon.
I remember how troubling it was to me to think that it wouldn’t be long before that pool would dry up in the heat of the summer, if we didn’t get some rain. I never did go back to that place. Maybe it was because I knew that the same exact situation would never occur again, and subconsciously I wanted to remember it just the way it was.
I have always been infatuated by whatever swims just below the surface of our lakes, creeks and streams. Sometimes discovering fish in an area where you didn’t expect them to be almost seems like a miracle of sorts. If I ever get to the point that I no longer get that tingling of excitement from exploring the outdoors, then it’s time to close the old tackle box and hang up the fishing pole.
Until next time do a little fishing and get out and explore our great Minnesota outdoors.
Please remember to keep our troops in your thoughts and prayers during the coming year.
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Have you ever taken time to reflect on the past and remembered the good times spent just being a kid? The summer months are full of opportunities to just be a kid (no age restrictions). This is a time when kids can get creative and find their own fun.
I distinctly remember that two weeks before school was out, they were coming to me and saying, “I’m bored, what can I do?” The answer was always the same, do what I did, figure it out, entertain yourselves. At that time, I was working nights so I spent quite a bit of time with the boys. I guess they thought I should be the “program director” as well as their dad.
The old saying, “what goes around comes around,” has become a truism, because now their kids have at times uttered those famous words, which usually happens soon after school is out. I sometimes think that it just took a while to adjust to all that free time. I guess that I was the same way when I was growing up, except that I knew asking my folks for playing directions would be an exercise in futility.
The last thing on their mind was figuring out what I should be doing for the day. I have to say that kids can get pretty creative when left up to using their own imagination.
I really do believe that a lot of today’s parents try to over-organize their kid’s activities and not give them the time to just be kids doing what kids do in the summer. How many times have you driven past one of our play parks and seen a bunch of kids playing a pick-up baseball game? When I go for my neighborhood walk in the morning, it seems like the sound of kids playing outdoors has been replaced by a whole pack of barking neighbor dogs.
This makes me wonder, what kids do for entertainment these days. Is it video games and TV or the internet that keeps them inside and not out playing? When my boys were small they would be up and outside as soon as possible, looking for one or more of their neighbor friends to hang out with. Playing baseball in the backyard or street hockey in the driveway were two of their more popular pastimes. They built a tree house in the backyard and that’s where they would spend a lot of their time.
These were just some of the things that they occupied their time with. Sitting in the house watching TV didn’t seem that important to them. When I look back on my childhood it was all about being outdoors and making your own entertainment.
Occasionally, I have driven past a field of freshly baled hay and it reminded me of those days. I can still remember walking across a field on a hot sunny day after the bales had been put in the barn and seeing grasshoppers and an occasional frog jumping. There is nothing like the smell of a freshly mown hayfield, and even after it has been baled and put away, it still has a certain smell about it.
It doesn’t seem possible that the fair is not that far away. As a kid this was always the week that I looked forward to all summer. But, it was also semi-sweet. The fair was fun and what I’d been saving my mowing and paper route money for, but in the back of my mind, I knew that after the fair summer would soon be over. School was once again looming in the background.
I’ve mentioned before about how my friend Pat Smith and I would start checking out the fairgrounds about a week ahead of time. We’d look to see if there were any new buildings or if there had been a new paint job applied to any existing ones. Pat always liked horses so we’d have to check out the horse barns, which back then had year-round occupants.
My dad always had horses and there was a time when he kept his horses at the fairgrounds all year round, but he said he’d rather keep them someplace where they could have a pasture to run in.
Fishing is much better when the plug is in the boat
Written by Jim LutgensIt was just a few days ago that I returned from spending almost a week in northern Minnesota. This time my Grandson Dylan went with his Grandma Jean and me. The weather was less than perfect, but we made the best of it and in the end enjoyed a good week.
Dylan and I fished our lake the first evening and caught quite a few panfish; the largest was a 9-1/2 inch bluegill. We caught quite a few smaller ones and some crappies that were eating size. Panfish are always fun to catch and when the crappies and bluegills are decent sizes, it makes it even better. We never use live bait on our lake and manage to catch more than enough fish to keep us happy.
The next day we headed to a nearby lake to try our luck and weren’t disappointed. We caught quite a few northerns, some nice bass and crappies. There were more than enough rock bass that were willing to hit our jigs. On this day we tried minnows but ultimately caught the majority of the fish on artificial bait. Although it was windy and the weather was threatening rain, it only sprinkled on us a couple of times as the rain held off. Dylan’s grandma caught a nice fat northern that was just itchin’ to be part of a fish fry.
That night Dylan took his grandma out on our lake for a little crappie and sunny fishing. She actually out-fished him that night, but I told him that the “guide” has to tend to the passenger and can’t always concentrate on fishing. That’s the excuse I’ve used from time to time, but I don’t really think anyone ever really buys into it.
The next day was windy and cloudy with a threat of rain looming. The weather forecast was for rain and clearing the day after. For some reason, I decided that we should try this little lake just a couple of miles away that is easy to access. It is small enough that the wind doesn’t affect it too bad. When we launched the boat the anchor rope had fallen out and wrapped around one of the rollers on the trailer. After some maneuvering, it was finally freed and the boat was in the water.
That was where things seemed to get even worse. After the skipper had boarded the vessel and was sitting in his chair in the rear of the boat, we tried launching it. After much pushing and shoving it was finally launched. At the time I felt that we had made too much work out of the boat launch. Under my breath I uttered the unthinkable, “what else can go wrong?” And it didn’t take long to find out.
When I turned on the depth finder it came on for about five seconds and then went dead. Just then a little light bulb went on above my head, flashing the one word that I didn’t think of: “plug!” That’s when I thought of it – when the wire connecting the locator gets wet it shuts it off automatically.
When I removed the transom cover to check it, the water was almost to the top of the transom. The motor was already running so I gunned it, hoping to get enough speed up to draw the water out. By now Dylan and his grandma were wondering what I was doing.
I suppose panic was starting to set in. After realizing that this plan wasn’t working watching water creep up the floorboard, I thought of the bilge pump which I didn’t think still worked. After hitting the switch, it actually started pumping and eventually pumped out enough water for me to pick up more speed.
I was able to plane the boat off and draw out the remaining water and, finally insert the plug. It almost seems like whenever I go fishing, it never seems to be a totally smooth experience. On this occasion there were a few laughs to be had, (at grandpa’s expense) but that’s what makes it all fun.
After all that had happened, I began to think that fishing on this day was probably going to be as bad as the day had started out. But, that was not to be the case. We started catching plenty of pike with Dylan catching the first one. He wanted to catch a “keeper” northern because he said he hadn’t caught one in quite some time.
We caught plenty of fish that day. Jean had a “hawg” bass on that came out of the water and danced on its tail before spitting the hook. Dylan said, “Grandma that was just like you see on TV.”
It started to rain hard but the fish were really active, so before we decided to call it a day Dylan finally got his wish, a “keeper” northern. Even after all that had happened - life was good.
We ate fish the next day. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Dylan eat as much fish as he did at that meal. Jean fixed all three of the pike that we had kept, so we ate a nice meal. Dylan asked if he could take the leftover fish home to share. I think he already knew the answer to that.
It kept raining steadily for the next day and the new and not-so-improved forecast said rain for the rest of the week, so we decided to cut it short by a day and head home. Even with the weather it was a great time. I’m sure glad I decided to fish that little lake when we did so Dylan could catch his fish and have a trip to remember.
To me this is what it’s all about, enjoying the outdoors with family, having a few laughs and making good memories that will last a lifetime.
Since I last wrote about area fishing, I’ve heard that the walleye bite has slowed a little and although spotty, there are still “eyes” to be had. The northern fishing has been picking up in Fountain Lake, and of course there are plenty of catfish in the lake just waiting to be caught. You never know what will be on the other end of your line when fishing these area lakes. That is what makes fishing fun, so get out and wet a line in one of our area lakes. I plan on helping my grandson Trevor launch the old Blue Fin in the next couple of days. He can be the “Skipper” for a change and take grandpa fishing.
Until next time, make a few memories of your own and do a little fish’n while you enjoy the great Minnesota outdoors!
Remember our brothers and sisters who are proudly serving our country so that we can keep enjoying the freedoms that we have today.
Have you noticed the amount of fishermen lining the banks along the channel between the lakes? The walleyes that we have been seeking since opening day have finally decided to eat. The best bite has been between 8:30 p.m. and midnight.
It is funny how when things change they still seem to stay the same. When I was a youth growing up on the Northside of town, I dreamt of days catching walleye and northern which, except for an occasional northern, were found in lakes other than the ones I had access to.
In the spring, there were people lining the banks along Pickerel Lake catching bullheads. They seemed to be the fish of choice in early spring for many people. In fact, many folks drove from out of town just to fish those whiskered swimmers.
I remember stories about some ”old timers” who knew certain secret spots on Fountain Lake where “slab” crappie were there for the catching. I actually witnessed one such bucket full that this guy my Dad called “old John” had caught. They were the biggest crappies I had ever seen.
It was rumored that he used to sit on the bank somewhere down behind the greenhouse on Fountain Lake. The time of day and technique that Old John used were never discovered by me, and in fact, I don’t know if anyone actually ever saw him fishing. This was one mystery that was played over and over in a young aspiring fisherman’s head.
As a kid, I’d spend a lot of my time reading about fishing and dreaming of the day Uncle Ben would call and ask if I could go with him and Aunt Marcie up north. I can remember the early mornings that I’d stand in the front yard staring down Bridge Street towards town, hoping that the next headlight would be them,
I probably knew just about every species of fish that swam that “crick” between Fountain and Goose Lakes. My neighbor, Roger, was a couple of years older than I, and on occasion, he’d ask me to go with him in his Dad’s duck boat and explore the slough. It was always fun, if not a little scary, with the leaky boat and all.
Roger had the old time version of a bilge pump – me and a 2 lb. Hills Brothers coffee can! It was always a fun adventure, but it usually ended on a sour note when our Moms found out what we were up to. This, however, never deterred us from trying it again.
As I grew older and returned from the service, I married and found that my wife Jean who likes to fish and loves going to northern Minnesota. Over the years, we enjoyed vacationing in northern Minnesota near Grand Rapids.
I also liked fishing many of the lakes in our neck of the woods. Whenever I’d hear of a lake that the fish were biting on, the kid in me would come out and I’d have to try it for myself. When our kids were small, we’d take them to area lakes like St. Olaf and Beaver, just like my folks did for me when I was growing up. This was one way that I was passing something that I valued dearly on to my kids.
There were many holiday weekends spent camping at different lakes around the area. We camped on Lake Tetonka for many years on Memorial Day and over the 4th of July, we’d try lakes like Jefferson/German, and Francis. There was a campground on St. Olaf we stayed at a few times. These vacations hold great family memories.
We have some nice fisheries in Fountain and Albert Lea Lakes. Fishing Fountain in the summer can sometimes be a challenge because it is a recreational lake that also has water skiers and recreational boaters. I‘d say that the best time to fish fountain in the summer would be early morning.
Right now my oldest grandson, Trevor, is working on my old fishing boat and wants to start using it on our area lakes. He does a lot of fishing in Albert Lea Lake, so using the old boat will be right down his alley. It’s a good feeling knowing that he will be using that old boat. I know there were some that were wondering what I was holding on to it for – now they know.
Until next time, get out and enjoy one of our area lakes and be sure to wet a line.
Please remember the service men and women that are protecting our freedoms in your thoughts and prayers.
This past Memorial Day weekend, I headed north with my wife, Jean and two oldest grandsons, Trevor and Taylor. Whenever I go north with them I already consider it a great trip. With the weather outlook spotty at best, we ventured north and arrived at the cabin late at night. It rained pretty much the whole way up and to say it was a miserable drive would be an understatement. Once there, we unpacked in pretty much record time and turned in.
The next morning, the rain had stopped and we decided to head to one of our favorite nearby lakes to do a little fishing. The day was windy and partly cloudy, but the rain held off for most of the day. Trevor manned his favorite seat in the front of the boat as we trolled the shoreline in search of pretty much any fish that we could entice into biting. Trevor likes casting to the shore or edge of the weedline, when we slowly back troll, the type of fishing I prefer about 85% of the time. Over the years, I have done a lot of fishing and have found that most of the fish I catch early on are with live bait. We opted for a scoop of fatheads rather than taking out a loan for a dozen shiners.
The thriftiness of their grandpa was one reason for the bait of choice. I have to say that I’ve always had luck with fatheads when using them to tip a jig or a spinnerbait. My favorite way to fish them is to use a Beetle Spin tipped with a fathead and trolled slowly.
It may be an old fisherman’s way of fishing, but it still is pretty effective today. On this day however, it seems that the fish were more interested in artificial lures like Rapalas or Trevor’s Clown colored Husky Jerk.
Last year, the pike were not as aggressive as this year and we caught some nice northern, a couple of crappie and lots of nice bass. Trevor and I seemed to have the market cornered on northern, with me running a distant second in the catching department. Taylor boated some nice bass. That day we caught quite a few northern, but kept only three between 25 and 27 inches because Grandma said she wanted us to catch enough fish for a meal.
I sometimes think that Trevor is destined to be one of those guys riding around in a fancy bass boat winning big time tournament bucks. He never ceases to amaze me with his fish catching prowess, and if they aren’t biting, he is constantly looking for that right combination that will put fish in the boat.
By the time we were ready to leave the lake and head back to the cabin, the wind had started to pick up even more and the clouds were once again rolling in. Once back to the cabin, I showed the boys how to take the “Y” bones out of a northern. Trevor tried his luck on the smallest of the three and did pretty well for a first-timer.
Although Taylor seemed to show interest, I could tell that it would be a few years before he would want to tackle it. Just as we finished cleaning the fish, it started raining and we headed inside the cabin.
One good thing about an afternoon rain is that it can give a guy the chance to catch a little nap. It rained off and on all afternoon, and we all benefited from that with a nap. Once the rain subsided, the boys were ready to fish our lake and they headed down the hill.
Grandma prepared the fish for supper. They weren’t gone all that long before Taylor came running up the hill and said “grandpa I just caught a 13-inch crappie and that means I hold the family record for this lake.” He had a good reason to be excited because that was indeed a dandy crappie.
The boys went on to catch a lot of crappie in the two days that followed and on the last night they got a little selective. We decided that they should keep enough fish for a nice meal for their family to have when they get home. Trevor had caught two bluegills that were pushing a pound and they kept 8 crappies that were over 11 inches.
Now I have to say that the meal of fish we had on Saturday night was awesome! I know some will argue that we were “only” eating northern and not the king of freshwater fish - the walleye but I don’t think that there is a fish swimming that would have tasted any better than those pike. Out of the lake and into the pan – it just doesn’t get any better!
One of the perks of having those two boys go north with us is that they are willing to help with any chores that need to be done. After each of their Grandma’s fine meals, they always thank her for the good meal. They know what side their bread is buttered on!
When we bought our little place up north, the realtor told us that there were no fish in the lake. We were okay with that because it is a great location, plus there are so many other lakes close by that hold plenty of fish. For a lake with no fish, we’ve gotten quite a few meals out of it and there looks to be abundance for years to come.
What sold us on this little piece of God’s Country were the wildlife and the peaceful beauty of the landscape. The boys like to hunt as well as fish, and there are plenty of ducks on the lake in the fall. The woods have a pretty good grouse population and our six acres border public land. The cabin is rustic; in a way, it’s almost like going back in time. We have no running water, no electricity and we built the small A-frame cabin ourselves on the land that we’d cleared. That feeling of satisfaction is priceless.
I guess in some ways it makes a person feel like a pioneer. There are times I wonder what it would have been like living in that part of the country years ago. I imagine going up there and not doing a thing but enjoy the wildlife and the peaceful beauty of the outdoors world.
Until next time; enjoy a picnic in one of our parks, do a little fish’n and enjoy the great Minnesota outdoors!
Remember our brothers and sisters who are proudly serving our country so that we can keep enjoying the freedoms that we have today.