Woods & Water (267)
Although the first day of fall isn’t for a few more weeks, the Labor Day weekend has always meant the beginning of the fall season for me. Football season begins after that holiday and the deer hunting archery season begins on Sept. 13th and runs through the 31st of December. This means the open water fishing season is now on a relatively short leash. Don’t put away the fishing poles and tackle boxes just yet because there is still plenty of action to be found on the water.
I’ve never been an avid deer hunter like a lot of folks in our area but I can understand what folks see in the sport. It definitely takes a lot of patience to sit in the woods hours on end waiting for that perfect shot. On the other hand, spending time in the woods watching wildlife and anticipating the trophy buck you are seeking may be just over the rise or behind a clump of trees can be fulfilling in itself.
My son Brian first started bow hunting with his Uncle Lynn when he was in high school, and Lynn taught him a lot about the sport, but most importantly he taught him to appreciate the outdoors and when to take a shot and when not to. Taking a bad shot can result in crippling a deer, causing it to run off and maybe not be found for days, if at all.
After Lynn moved away Brian kept bow hunting for a couple of more years before deciding to put bow hunting on hold. He has been talking about starting to bow hunt again, but so far it hasn’t happened. Hunting is not as uncomplicated as fishing because you have to either have permission to hunt private land or use public land. Fortunately for area residents that like to hunt there are at least 11 WMA’s (Wildlife Management Areas) available to outdoorsmen in Freeborn County.
One crisp and sunny October morning when Brian was still hunting, he asked me if I’d like to go with to see where he was hunting. If you were to make a prototype of a perfect fall day, that day would be as close as you’d get. We drove to an area between Bricelyn and Frost that Lynn and Brian had been hunting. Brian didn’t plan on hunting that morning; he just wanted to show his dad the beauty of those woods so I could understand how attractive it could be to anyone that truly enjoys the outdoors. He didn’t have to do much selling before I realized how much enjoyment a person could get out of just sitting in a tree stand on a day like this and although it didn’t make me want to go out and buy a bow, it did remind me of how much I truly enjoy spending time in the outdoors on crisp, sunny fall days.
I’d have to say that this is one of the many reasons that fall has always been my favorite season. In a way there is something a little bit lonely about fall because it signals the end of summer and the end of the growing season. It is probably the reason why when a person reaches that “golden age,” which I like to think of as a state of mind thing; it is referred to as the autumn of your life.
I have known some folks that liked to combine duck hunting and fishing so they could have the best of both worlds. One guy fished for walleye and hunted waterfowl on Lura Lake in the fall and had good success with both. Another would make an annual late fall trip to Lake of the Woods for a combined hunting and fishing vacation; what a great way to get the most out of the outdoors experience.
I plan to head north a couple of more times to do a little fishing and maybe even a little grouse hunting. I have seen numerous grouse in the area by our cabin all summer so you just never know. Fishing in the fall can sometimes be challenging, but it’s all good when you’re spending time on a lake. I have not found anything better than being on the lake enjoying the cool crisp air while taking in the beauty of the leaves as they change colors; it just makes everything seem right.
If you have ever enjoyed the smell of the fallen leaves in the forest, you know that there is definitely a different smell in the air after the first hard frost. This is when the foliage begins to turn brown and in most cases the lake vegetation also begins to die. Fishermen, at least “the old-timers” used to say that fishing got good again after that first hard frost. Somewhere along the way someone decided to analyze this and came up with the ph system or “turn over” as an explanation. I know that this is probably a scientific true-ism, but I’m sticking with the old-timers and using the first hard frost as a measuring stick. Whatever you want to believe, the bottom line is that fishing can be pretty darned good from mid-September ‘til ice-out and it’s one of the best times to land that trophy fish you have been seeking.
Until next time; there is still plenty of time left to enjoy the great outdoors with a weekend camping trip, do some fishing or just spend a day at one of our areas lakes.
Please take a little time to remember those who served and those who gave the ultimate sacrifice so that we are able to enjoy all the freedoms that we have today.
There are many times when a person is out enjoying the outdoors that things just don’t go as smoothly as one would like.
I can remember years back when a friend of mine was heading out early in the morning for the deer hunting opener and he bagged a deer sooner than expected.
It seems that on his way to the hunting area, a deer ran out of the ditch and he struck it, taking out his radiator.
Another time, a couple of hunters had just registered their deer and as they were heading home to hang them, a deer ran out of the ditch and into the side of the vehicle. I’d guess if you were a superstitious person, you might take that as a sign.
Over the years I have seen, heard about or experienced first hand some not-too-cool incidents while fishing. More than one of those instances occurred while on a family vacation at Spider Lake. During the first part of the week my son Brian, the oldest, would go out with me at the break of dawn until about Wednesday when he would usually opt to sleep in like his brother. My usual trend on these vacations was to hit the lake early, return to camp about 8 to clean fish and have breakfast. After breakfast we would load the whole family into our little boat and fish for about three or four hours. On one of those occasions I was on the lake at the crack of dawn enjoying the solitude of an early morning sunrise when I tied into a nice sized pike. I fought the fish for a couple of minutes before I was able to coax it to the boat. As I maneuvered the fish towards my landing net, it must have gotten its second wind because it lunged downward and then came straight up, exploding out of the water, but I finally managed to get it into the boat. That pike was determined to fight me all the way and when I tried to remove the hook, the fish went berserk and shook the lure loose, which flew at me like a slingshot driving the treble hook into my hand. The hook was embedded so that I couldn’t cut the end off nor crimp the barb. I tried everything to extract the hook, all the while trying to keep the boat from drifting into shore. I eventually decided to bite the proverbial bullet and rip it out with my needle nose pliers. After such an ordeal there is always enough free advice at camp to go around that makes removing a hook sound easy and painless.
Another incident that I had while fishing alone on Spider almost ended badly. I had decided to go out in the evening and do a little casting and I believe I had every fishing pole that we owned along with me. On one of the casts I managed to unknowingly hook another rod lying behind me and fling it over my shoulder into the water; luckily it was still attached to my lure and I was able to retrieve it. That is one of those things a person does that causes him to look around to see if anyone was watching.
Camping with the family was never uneventful because it seemed that something always happened to make things interesting. One weekend we had decided to go with some friends to Hickory Hills for the weekend. Now, getting ready for any camping trip always seemed to offer its own challenges. This particular time as I was attempting to put the pickup camper on the truck, the jack broke and I couldn’t get it to crank up. After a lot of sweat and some “McGyvering,” I was finally able to get it to work. Once we were at the campground I was cranking the jacks down and as I furiously turned the handle to make up for lost time, it came off, striking me in the forehead and almost putting me to the ground while leaving a nasty gash. I’ve often wondered if my boys thought they were watching a cartoon because they were speechless at first; then when they figured I was going to make it they began to laugh. I didn’t see the humor in it at the time, but they still bring it up from time to time and after all these years, I can finally see a little humor there.
One of the camping excursions we took with a group of friends was really an exercise in futility. A friend of mine had told me about this campground on Elysian Lake that was in a farmer’s pasture and camping was on a first-come, first-serve basis, or so we thought. After getting a late start on Friday evening, we had to set up our tents in the dark. After we had finally finished and stepped back to admire our handy work, another camper walked over and informed us that we were in someone else’s spot — so much for the first-come, first-serve theory. After we had torn down the tents and moved them in total darkness we realized that we had no firewood. In as much as we were the men and were gatherers of all things outdoors, the three of us set out in the farmer’s pasture in search of firewood. We only managed to find a few straggly branches, some cockleburs and the farmer’s Holstein bull. Upon returning to camp almost empty handed, except for a few sticks along with some cuts and scratches, we found that the girls had a nice fire going. It seems that fellow felt bad for telling us to move so he gave them a bunch of firewood. Topping off the weekend of pure enjoyment was the fact that the walleyes we were told would bite from shore were actually 4-inch bullheads that would bite a minnow almost as large as they were.
We tented, we camped in campers but no matter what, I always made sure that I had a fishing pole and tackle box along because you just never knew when the opportunity would present itself. Those were all fun times with memories that make us shake our heads and laugh when we look back and wonder how we did it.
Until next time; there is still plenty of summer left so take some time to enjoy the great outdoors with a weekend camping trip, do some fishing or just spend a day at one of our areas lakes.
Please take a little time to remember those who served and those who gave the ultimate sacrifice so that we are able to enjoy all the freedoms that we have today.
As we do every other year we seem to shift into high gear and go roaring towards the next season as soon as another fair is in the books. As I look back on those days I can remember feeling like the start of the new school year was zooming towards me like a runaway locomotive. In all reality I’d guess that the reason for that was that I just wasn’t ready for summer to end. That feeling was almost the same one that I’d get as an adult when it was the last day of vacation and I was packing to go home or when I’d drive by my workplace on a Sunday evening knowing that morning would be there before I knew it.
Late summer takes on its own personality as the grass begins to turn brown and the weeds begin to wither and die. You may already see a hint of yellow on the leaves of some of the soft wood trees. The second part of the summer has been dry but in all reality that is not uncommon for this time of year. I really do like the month of August with the warm sunny days and cool nights – what’s not to like?
These are the kind of days that can rekindle my excitement for spending some time on the water. I am looking forward to once again heading north to the cabin but I really want to spend a couple of days fishing some of the lakes a little closer to home. My grandson Trevor has been doing his best to test the waters for bass on some of our area lakes and he has had some pretty good results. On one of his Fountain Lake excursions he boated two bass over 4 lbs. - now that’s a pretty good day of fishing. His cousin Dylan has beaten the waters of Fountain Lake hard this summer and has also done pretty good in the northern department. I hope to take both of them to one of the lakes that I haven’t fished for a few years but still have fond memories of.
For many years I would fish Reeds Lake by Elysian on the opener and then frequently during the summer. This lake used to be good for walleye early on and the rest of the year it was a good bass, pike and panfish lake. I have looked on the DNR website and they say there are walleye in the lake but do not list it as having stocked any walleye in recent years. I have to wonder if they quit stocking it or if they ever did. I do know that we did catch some dandy walleye in the lake years ago.
I’d also like to try St. Olaf and Beaver Lakes in the weeks before ice-over which, hopefully, is still quite a ways away. Once school starts the lakes in our area should be a little less congested but some outdoorsmen will be thinking ahead to the upcoming hunting seasons and may even make the mistake of putting away the fishing gear. Fall is actually a very good time to be on the water because there is a lot less boat traffic and on some lakes you could be the only one fishing it.
One thing that I have mentioned many times in the past is the importance of introducing our youth to the outdoors. I am proud of my grandsons and the fact that they all like to hunt and fish and will be carrying on family traditions. Our youth are the future of our outdoors heritage and statistically there are less and less youth getting involved in these sports. This is why it is important to at least give them a taste of what these sports are about.
Looking back on my own experiences; I learned to love fishing at an early age and although a lot of things have changed it still comes down to the basic concept of enticing a fish to take the bait. I’d have to say that once a kid fishes he or she will definitely want to do it again if their first experience is a good one. There are new lures and electronics on the market today that do everything short of guarantee that the fish will be jumping in the boat. The name of the game for a child is catching fish; so keep it simple, starting with the basic hook, line sinker and bobber and a worm or minnow which will usually do the trick. Young kids (and adult kids) don’t care what they catch as long as they are catching something because this will keep them coming back.
Yes, the outdoors is a wonderland of entertainment that doesn’t need batteries or a plug-in to be enjoyed. There is no substitute for the enjoyment that I have gotten from sitting around a campfire roasting hot dogs and marshmallows and making s’mores with my kids and grandkids. You can never go back but the memories will last a lifetime.
Until next time; there is still plenty of summer left so take some time to enjoy the great outdoors with a weekend camping trip, do some fishing or just spend a day at one of our areas lakes.
Please take a little time to remember those who served and those who gave the ultimate sacrifice so that we are able to enjoy all the freedoms that we have today.
Another Freeborn County Fair is in the books and as a youth that usually signaled the beginning of the end of summer for me. Once the fair was over I knew that a new school year was on the horizon. Although the end of summer vacation was fast approaching, there was still plenty of summer weather left to enjoy.
I actually feel that August can be one of the better months because the days are warm and the nights cool off nicely. This can be a great time to do some serious bass fishing if you know where to look. This time of year you can usually find bass in heavy cover, especially early morning when they are top-water feeding for insects and frogs. As the day warms they can be found on underwater dropoffs close to weedlines. One technique that I read about years ago was to find open pockets in heavy cover and plunking top-water lures into the open area. Another method is flipping a “pig ‘n jig” or plastic worm into that same area. I have spent many hours on the lake during the “dog days of summer” and I’ve found it a great time to be fishing, although I don’t actually think that there is really a bad time.
Starting with Fountain Lake, there are many good lakes in our area that can offer some very good bass fishing. When you hit the lake early on an August morning you may be greeted with a layer of fog as the cool morning air greets the warmth of the water. As the mist of morning fog touches my face it gives me a peaceful feeling that makes me feel like everything is right with the world.
The Minnesota deer hunting season is already on the minds of many hunters and this year the Minnesota DNR has made changes that it hopes will rebuild the dwindling deer population across many areas of the state. Licenses went on sale Aug. 1st and the Minnesota DNR has issued the following news release pertaining to those changes:
Conservative deer season set
Hunters can expect a conservative 2014 deer season designed to rebuild deer numbers across much of the state, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources said.
“Hunters should check the 2014 hunting regulations closely because only one deer can be harvested in 95 percent of the state,” said Leslie McInenly, big game program leader for the DNR. “To shoot a doe, hunters may have to apply for a permit in areas where they haven’t in the past and, in some places, no antlerless harvest will be allowed.”
In 69 of Minnesota’s 128 deer permit areas, hunters must be chosen in a lottery to shoot an antlerless deer. Only bucks can be hunted in 14 areas. In 38 areas, hunters have the choice of shooting a doe or a buck. Bonus permits allowing hunters to shoot more than one deer may only be used in seven permit areas and for some special hunts.
Northeastern Minnesota hunters will feel the greatest impact from a bucks-only season. In bucks-only areas, no antlerless deer may be harvested by any hunter, including those with archery or youth licenses. McInenly said that most of these areas are now below goal and that this year’s conservative approach is consistent with the DNR’s long-term commitment to manage deer populations at established goal levels.
Hunters can enter the lottery for antlerless permits beginning Friday, Aug. 1. The deadline to apply is Thursday, Sept. 4. Hunters may apply using both their firearm and muzzleloader licenses. If hunters are selected for both licenses, they must select the one season in which they want to shoot an antlerless deer.
Deer hunting licenses, lottery applications and special hunt applications are available at any DNR license agent, by telephone at 888-665-4236 or online at: www.dnr.state.mn.us/hunting/deer/index.html. Lottery winners will be notified in October.
Permit area breakdown
Bucks-only deer areas in 2014 are deer permit areas 108, 117, 118, 119, 122, 126, 127, 169, 176, 177, 178, 180, 181 and 199.
Lottery deer areas in 2014 are permit areas 101, 103, 105, 110, 111, 152, 155, 156, 159, 171, 172, 173, 179, 183, 184, 197, 203, 208, 213, 229, 234, 237, 238, 242, 246, 247, 250, 251, 252, 253, 258, 259, 260, 261, 262, 263, 264, 265, 266, 267, 268, 269, 270, 271, 272, 273, 274, 275, 276, 277, 278, 279, 280, 281, 282, 283, 284, 285, 286, 288, 289, 290, 291, 294, 295, 296, 297, 298 and 299.
Hunter choice deer areas in 2014 are permit areas 157, 201, 209, 210, 214, 215, 218, 219, 221, 222, 223, 224, 225, 227, 230, 232, 233, 235, 236, 239, 240, 241, 248, 249, 254, 255, 256, 257, 292, 293, 338, 339, 341, 342, 344, 345, 347 and 348.
Managed deer areas in 2014 are permit areas 114, 287 and 343.
Intensive deer areas in 2014 are permit areas 182, 346 and 349.
The DNR strongly advises hunters to review new deer hunting regulations, permit area designations and boundary changes before applying.
The DNR strongly advises hunters to review new deer hunting regulations, permit area designations and boundary changes before applying. Current and up-to-date information is available online. Information about deer management and upcoming deer population goal setting during the next two years is available online.
Until next time; there is still plenty of summer left so take some time to enjoy the great outdoors with a weekend camping trip, do some fishing or just spend a day at one of our areas lakes.
Please take a little time to remember those who served and those who gave the ultimate sacrifice so that we are able to enjoy all the freedoms that we have today.
My, how things have changed since the summer of ‘64
Written by Jim LutgensThe Albert Lea High School class of ‘64 is holding its 50th class reunion this coming weekend, August 8th and 9th. The class of ’64 was the first class to be significantly bigger than the preceding class, but as the baby boom continued, classes got so big they had to hold graduation at the fairgrounds. So we led the boom, were much bigger than the class of ‘63, but we weren't the biggest class.
In ’64 the downtown was the hub of the community, stores were open until 9 p.m. on Friday nights and “dragging Broadway” was what we did on Friday and Saturday nights. There were many “hang outs” like Phil’s Café, Field’s Pizza Cellar, Dee’s Drive-in, and we would spend a lot of time at the Broadway and Rivoli Theaters. In those days it seems like there was a drive-in in almost every area of town that offered burgers, fries and shakes. You could get a pronto pup and a frosty mug of root beer at the A&W drive-in, which was a popular place when you were dragging Broadway. We liked hot cars and, unlike today, they didn’t all look the same. It seems as if there were almost as many car clubs around back then as there were drive-ins.
The teen center was a popular place where live bands would usually perform on weekends. There were bands like the Closers, Little Cesar and the Conspirators, Surfin’ Ole and a lot more whose names elude me. The Starlight Drive-in was also on the list of popular places we liked to go on weekends. Summers were usually spent hanging out at the beach during the day and dragging Broadway at night. It wasn’t uncommon for someone to be drag racing on South Broadway or the Bath Road on a Friday or Saturday night, not for pink slips but for bragging rights.
Growing up north of town in the ‘50s and attending Hammer School, which was where the football field is located today, afforded me six years of country school education. The years spent there are probably the most memorable of all my school years. This is where not only the three “R’s” were taught, but where many valuable life lessons were learned as well. As kids we learned politics from our parents and whoever Dad supported, he was the man! I remember when Adlai Stevenson and Dwight Eisenhower ran for president and the “I Like Ike” button that my Uncle Orville left at the house because he knew my dad was a staunch Democrat.
For us baby boomers, life was fairly simple back then and most importantly we learned to be creative because we made our own brand of fun. I can remember playing kickball and other organized games on phy. ed day when Mr. Maas would come to the school and oversee our play time. This, however, was not the play time we looked forward to; the best times were at recess when we played games on our own like Red Rover and ones that we had created.
Our class was the first one to go all three years through Southwest, which was a brand spanking new school. Although it was an adjustment coming from a two room schoolhouse to the big glass one, those were good years with good teachers and lots of memories.
During our days at Central High School we had certain rules that we had to adhere to, like a pretty strict dress code. Loren Ward, our superintendent, was ex-Army and his rules were strict and pretty much without any flex. Our lunch time was actually our own and that was a time when we could go out of the building and eat lunch. Some days I would bring a sack lunch and eat in my or someone else’s car. Most days however, I would go to Shea’s Ice Cream Store where you could get a couple of those “silver dollar” hamburgers, milk and an ice cream roll for about 50 cents. If you wanted to eat a little lighter there was Merrill’s popcorn stand on the corner of Broadway and Clark.
Probably the one day that sticks in my mind the most is the day that President Kennedy was shot. I was sitting in Mr. Christopherson’s social studies class when that stunning news came over the speaker. I can remember spending the next few days intently watching the events unfold on our old black & white 19-inch Zenith. I was watching when Jack Ruby shot Lee Harvey Oswald on live TV.
After graduation you either got a job or you went to school, but always in the back of the minds of us young men was the reality of the Vietnam War and the draft. This affected a lot of our classmates and many changes followed; most of us made it home safely, but some gave the ultimate sacrifice and they should never be forgotten.
The following two paragraphs were part of a book introduction written by a classmate of mine; Joan Claire Graham:
We share a common background. Most of us grew up in Albert Lea. Only a few of our moms worked outside the home, most of us attended church as children, and if our dads were not farmers or professionals, they held down steady jobs at factories like Wilsons, Queen Stove, Universal and Streater. We were the first of the post war boomers, babies born during a time of optimism that carried our country into a new era of growth and prosperity. Men used GI benefits to get an education or buy a house, and the population exploded, triggering a building boom in Albert Lea. Very few homes in the Ginkel Addition, Garden Villa or Shoreland Heights were built before 1945. From the time we were born until we graduated from high school, the population of our little city grew by 35%.
Although we were expected to help our parents at home, most of us spent the better part of our summers outdoors riding bikes and roller skates, playing neighborhood games of make-believe and participating in organized or disorganized sports. Parents who lived through the Great Depression raised us conservatively and encouraged us to do well in school so we could get a good job and become independent. They endorsed school discipline that included consequences for failure to obey rules, a dress code, and occasionally corporal punishment. They supported a curriculum that offered a rich variety of classes in humanities, foreign languages, math and science, business, agriculture and technical training. The school offered extracurricular activities, and the city, churches and organizations sponsored additional opportunities after school and during summer. It seemed as though everyone wanted us to do our best.
Joan was right when she said that we were encouraged to do our best. I have to honestly say that if it were not for a couple of fine folks — Grace Dahle, my 12th-grade English teacher, and later on, Jim Lutgens, a former sports editor for the Tribune — I would not be writing today.
There was a time that whenever I would hear the phrase “dog days of summer,” I would get the feeling that fishing season was almost over for another year. It has been many years since I have had that feeling about the dreaded “dog days” because some time ago I took it as a challenge to prove I could catch fish most any time of the year. I have never thought of myself as a great fisherman nor even a very good one for that matter; persistent might be the word that is closer to the truth.
About a week ago my grandson Dylan and I headed north for a week of fishing at the cabin. I have always enjoyed the time spent at the cabin with my grandkids and being able to spend a week fishing with Dylan was great. Dylan is almost 16, but he still likes to spend time fishing with old grandpa and any time we were at the cabin and not fishing he was busy making spinner rigs, cleaning reels and putting new line on any reel that needed it.
We fished five different lakes that week and had pretty good success on most of them. On a trip back to a little remote lake not far from the cabin, we spotted a jackrabbit crossing the road and another at the edge of the woods. I have not seen a jackrabbit for quite a few years, and Dylan said it was the first one he had ever seen; he jokingly said that looked like it had kangaroo legs.
Dylan and I had been at the cabin about three weeks previous and experienced some great fishing on Spider Lake (my favorite) and at that time I told him the lake would be different the next time we fished it. Patterns change, and as summer moves on, the fish move to different locations for forage and to be in their comfort zone. When we first hit the water we tried the area that had been good earlier, but now it was a totally different story. I told Dylan I’d like to try a spot that my old friend “Bid,” who was the previous owner of Spider Shores Resort, once told me about. He would always talk about fishing a sunken island in front of this tall broken pine. This was quite some time ago and that pine has since either fallen or blended in, but I knew the area and eventually located that small sunken island. Almost immediately upon finding it I caught a nice sized walleye, but unfortunately that was to be the only one of the morning. Even with that I was quite sure that Dylan was thinking I actually knew what I was doing.
We spent the rest of the day casting or trolling for muskies, which is what we had intended to do all along. We caught quite a few pike and bass but alas the “toothed one” that we sought was not going to make an appearance on that day. Dylan really gets excited when you talk about fishing muskies and I know that he will get his share in due time.
The next day we decided to try a pristine little lake just a short distance from the cabin. I have mentioned in the past that you could take this lake and drop it in the middle of the boundary waters and it would not look out of place. There are no cabins on this lake and most days you visit it you will more than likely not see another boat. This lake does not hold any walleye but it does have plenty of pike, bass and panfish. We go to this lake primarily for the pike and at times it can be pretty darned good and this turned out to be another of those times.
We started trolling the weed edges, which is kind of easy to do on this clear little lake. It is a fairly long, narrow lake with finger bays and a maximum depth of 80 feet. I only mention this because after trolling the shoreline with minimal success I decided to follow up on a tip given me by a neighbor who likes fishing the same lake. He told me that a couple of years ago he spotted fish suspended in 80 feet of water, so he tried trolling the middle of the lake using deep divers. Somewhat to my surprise, we caught quite a few bigger pike in 64-52 foot of water using deep divers. I can still hear the screaming of my drag as a pike attacked the lure on the other end of my old Diawa Millionaire fishing reel.
Both Dylan and I had a great time fishing that week and the time we spent together is something that you cannot possibly put a price tag on. At the end of the week we both agreed that Spider is still our favorite lake. The day we got home he was already talking his dad into going out on Fountain early the next morning. What can I say? He’s hooked!
Until next time; enjoy the great outdoors and take some time to go for a walk, take a bike ride or introduce a youth to the great outdoors. We could all take a little time out of our busy lives to step back and take in some of the wonders of nature that we have nearby.
Please take a little time to remember those who served and those who gave the ultimate sacrifice so that we are able to enjoy all the freedoms that we have today.
Once again I have been blessed by being able to spend time at the cabin with my grandson Dylan. I always know going in that whenever he and I go to the cabin it will be pretty much all about fishing.
It was just a couple of weeks ago that my wife Jean and I were at the cabin for a few days. We had planned on relaxing and getting some work done on the cabin which we did. The days that we spent there seemed to go by all too fast and I can’t remember the last time that I spent a good chunk of time in the North Country and didn’t fish; well this was one of those times. I asked Jean if she wanted to go fishing but she decided not to so we left it at that. In the back of my mind I knew that Dylan and I would be doing our fair share in another week.
I can’t say enough good things about time spent up north away from the daily routine. Where else can you be greeted each morning by a chorus of birds singing and loons calling to each other? There is entertainment galore when watching the birds at the feeder or the chipmunks as they scour the ground for dropped seeds. We have one feeder that looks like a red barn which they can reach by climbing a tree. Sometimes they will slide off the roof of the feeder and bounce to the ground and after shaking the cobwebs out like a Disney cartoon character they keep right on trying. This is more entertaining to me than anything you will ever find on TV.
One observation that I have made is that there just doesn’t seem to be the tourist traffic that I can remember from years gone by. When I was growing up folks took their vacation a week at a time and that had to be planned plenty far in advance. I just don’t see the typical vacationer that I saw as a kid and later on when I entered the working world. My Dad had two weeks of vacation a year and we usually never went on a real vacation like most folks. If we went anywhere it was only for a day but there were a couple of times that I remember when we went to visit a distant relative or friend of my folks.
I do recall this one time when we went to visit their friend Vern Johnson and his family who had moved to Milaca where he had purchased a bar-gas station which was quite common back then. I guess that was what some folks referred to in those days as a “beer joint”. I was really excited because to me that was going “up north” and to an aspiring young fisherman that is where the good fishing was. Well, things didn’t exactly turn out as I had expected when we finally got to go fishing. We went to the banks of the Rum River to fish for that elusive game fish (to some) the bullhead! We actually drove home with a gunny sack full of bullheads in the trunk of our ’49 Buick. When we hauled that sack of bullheads to the basement to clean them, I couldn’t believe it - some of those dumb fish were still alive!
I was actually introduced to real vacations by my Uncle Ben and Aunt Marcie when they would take me along on their fishing vacations “up north”. I still have some of the souvenirs that we had bought from roadside stands. It was pretty common to see folks selling miniature birch bark canoes and tee pees along with assorted other Indian related items. I believe my favorite was this drum with the face of an Indian Chief on it. That drum could really put out the sound but eventually it wore out much to my parents dismay I’m sure.
Yes, it almost seems like the weekly family vacations are being replaced by day trips to Valley Fair or Mall of America. This is a little disheartening to me but sadly it is the sign of the times. I believe that we need to introduce our future generations to the beauty of the outdoors so that they can appreciate and preserve it for generations to come. I realize that not everyone will be a fisherman or hunter but taking the time to get a break from the neighbors barking dog or the guy a block over that doesn’t know the 4th of July has passed can be rewarding. You may be surprised at how relaxing something as simple as a drive in the country or maybe even a trip to one of those nice little communities to the southeast corner of the state can be.
As I sit here writing this column I am looking out between the pines at the beauty of our little lake as the sun disappears below the horizon. There are many scenes like this that cannot be duplicated by a camera or even an artist’s brush because these are things of beauty that are there for a fleeting second or two and can only be captured in our memories.
Until next time; enjoy the great outdoors and take some time to go for a walk, take a bike ride or introduce a youth to the great outdoors. We could all take a little time out of our busy lives to step back and take in some of the wonders of nature that we have nearby.
Please take a little time to remember those who served and those who gave the ultimate sacrifice so that we are able to enjoy all the freedoms that we have today.
After spending a considerable amount of time on the road this past week, I can assure you that there are plenty of improvements being done on our highways and byways. If you haven’t seen the new state slogan, “Road Work Ahead,” then I can only say that you need to get out more. I don’t believe I have driven on a state highway, interstate highway or county road without traveling through a construction zone. We may get frustrated at times, but this is good for the infrastructure and is also what my wife refers to as job opportunity.
While driving around the city over the 4th I was pleased to see so many folks enjoying our many beautiful parks. There was not a shortage of picnics taking place or people using the many facilities the city has to offer. I know there are always a few unappreciative folks who use a picnic area and leave litter scattered about just a few feet from the trash can. These folks are few and far between and I can only imagine what the inside of their houses must look like. It’s all about respect, and most folks respect these facilities and pick up after themselves, showing that they not only have pride in the community but also in themselves. Future generations will learn from us and if we set a bad example it will be what we have taught them. These are no doubt the same folks who discard their fast food trash and beverage containers on the boulevard, streets and parking lots. I am sure there is a group out there somewhere that would defend these folks by saying they haven’t been taught any different. I believe the remedy for that is what could be referred to as “common sense.”
That’s enough whining about things that bug me; I’m proud to say that our 4th of July fireworks display once again lived up to the reputation that has been established over the past few years. Our community is fortunate enough to have a fireworks display that is recognized as one of the best in the state and we should take a lot of pride in that.
Going back to the parks and picnics; I feel fortunate to live in a community that has so many nice parks for us to enjoy. We also have some nice trails for us to walk and bike on and I have witnessed more and more bikers using the bike lanes on Front Street. I hope a lesson was learned from that person riding in the bike lane on the wrong side of the street. Lucky for that person it wasn’t a deadly mistake.
If you are feeling a little adventuresome the state of Minnesota has something new for bicycle enthusiasts and wannabe mountain bikers:
Minnesota state parks and trails launch ‘I Can Mountain Bike!’
Experience the fun of mountain biking during three introductory “I Can Mountain Bike!” programs on Saturday, July 26, at Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area in Ironton, about 140 miles northwest of the Twin Cities near Brainerd.
These are part of a series of skill-building programs offered by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources’ Parks and Trails Division.
“We are excited to be able to pilot this all-new program in partnership with the Cuyuna Lakes Mountain Bike Club at Minnesota’s premier mountain bike park,” said Pat Arndt, communications and outreach manager for the DNR’s Parks and Trails Division. “It’s a great opportunity for anyone who has ever been curious about mountain biking to give it a try.”
Participants will practice shifting, braking and body positioning in a wide open setting. They’ll also take a guided ride and explore the single-track mountain bike trails.
The programs will be from 9 to 11:30 a.m., noon to 2:30 p.m. and 3 to 5:30 p.m. Use of bikes and helmets will be included with the $25/person registration fee.
Reservations are required. Participants must be at least age 10, and participants under age 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Reservations can be made online or by calling 866-857-2757 (8 a.m.-8 p.m. daily).
The mountain bike trails at Cuyuna Country opened in 2010. The area features 25 miles of single-track trails for bikers of all skill levels, from beginners to experts. The trails wind through 800 acres of deep-red soil, birch and aspen forests and scenic vistas overlooking turquoise mine lakes.
More information about the recreation area, including a map and video tour, is available online at: www.mndnr.gov/cuyuna. Information is also available by calling the DNR Information Center at 651-296-6157 or 888-646-6367 between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Other programs in the “I Can” series introduce camping, rock climbing, fishing, paddling and archery to beginners.
The “I Can!” programs are made possible with support 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.
Until next time; enjoy the great outdoors and take some time to go for a walk, take a bike ride or introduce a youth to the great outdoors. We could all take a little time out of our busy lives to step back and take in some of the wonders of nature that we have nearby.
Please take a little time to remember those who served and those who gave the ultimate sacrifice so that we are able to enjoy all the freedoms that we have today.
I have to admit I am not a big fan of the common blackbird, but I do have a different feeling when it comes to the red winged blackbird. As a kid I can recall the first true sign of spring in my little world was when you first heard the call of the red winged emulating from the nearby slough. I can remember the excitement of trying to spot as many different birds as possible in the slough and once in a while there would even be a rare sighting of a yellow winged blackbird. We would try to spot their nests in the bull rushes of the slough and watch patiently for the little ones to appear. Even to this day the sound of a red winged blackbird still makes me pause and take notice.
Picture this: you are on a summer’s eve drive on a country road with the windows down feeling the coolness of the evening as you pass by an area of slough grass when you hear the sounds of red winged blackbirds busily chatting away. To me nature has a calming effect, and if you pause and take in the beauty of the moment, it can be a great stress reliever.
Looking back again I can recall the times when I would go to Beaver Lake for some crappie fishing. When I was a young kid my mom and dad, along with their friends Elmer and Mary, would take me to Beaver Lake fishing. Now, my dad was never a fisherman but he would be what he would have referred to as “a good egg,” meaning that he went along to make everyone else happy. Elmer had an old green 5 hp Johnson Sea Horse outboard motor and we would rent two boats from the boathouse at Beaver. They would tie the anchor rope from our boat to Elmer’s and he would tow us to the “hot spot” where the crappies were sure to be waiting.
My mother loved to fish and she is the main reason that I have always had a love for the sport. We would sit in that spot waiting for the crappies until the sun started to set and, sure enough, just as the cool of the evening started to put a light fog on the lily pads, the crappies would start biting. The action would be fast and furious for about half an hour or so and the fish would bite so fast that you couldn’t get them off the hook and into the basket fast enough because you didn’t want to waste that small window of opportunity. To a kid who had always lived for that moment, it just couldn’t get any better.
When I came home on leave in the summer of ’66 my mom and dad along with my sister Judy and I drove to Beaver Lake for a picnic and some shore fishing. We had burgers and hot dogs on a little portable grill along with my mother’s famous potato salad and of course it wouldn’t be a picnic without Van Camp’s beans. That June day was cool, windy and sprinkled with showers and although all we caught were a few bullheads, it was a day I remember fondly.
My mother was always giving me fishing tips she had picked up from different folks who knew fishing. One of her favorite crappie techniques was to use a nylon leader that had a small hook, a couple of beads and a small spinner blade. I believe Eagle Claw first put out that particular crappie lure. Mom said the trick was to hook the minnow through the dorsal fin to keep it fresh and add a bobber and after you cast it out you should leave it sit for a moment, then reel it in slowly giving it an occasional twitch. She said if your bobber starts to go under, you should never rear back and set the hook because crappies have soft mouths, so lift the rod tip up gently and reel in a slow but steady fashion until you feel the fish on the other end. This is a technique that I still practice today but for some reason I no longer use the bobber-spinner method and have instead opted for a jig and plastic. Although the rig may be different, the technique still serves me well. I have to wonder when it was that someone put out the memo that stated fish were no longer interested in the old spinner and bobber method. I do believe I am going to give the old method a try once again because I really don’t believe the fish have evolved to genius status yet.
I have many fond memories of those trips to Beaver Lake, and if I close my eyes I can still hear the sounds of nature as evening sets in, and I can almost feel the cool of the dew as it settles in for the night.
Until next time; enjoy the great outdoors and take some time to introduce a kid to fishing. We could all take a little time out of our busy lives to step back and take in some of the wonders of nature that surround us.
Please take a little time to remember those who served and those who gave the ultimate sacrifice so that we are able to enjoy all the freedoms that we have today.
I know that some folks, like me, have been curious as to the fate of Pickeral Lake over the winter. I have been in contact with Matthew Mork, the Fisheries Specialist for the DNR in the Waterville Area Fisheries Office. He confirmed that after placing several traps in various areas of the lake this spring, there was a total freeze out of the gamefish in the lake. In May, the DNR stocked 150,000 northern fry and 310 lbs. of yellow perch in the lake. The plan is to stock another 200 lbs. of bluegills this summer and fall. Because the lake is prone to winter kill, it is managed as a boom and bust fishery with northern pike and yellow perch (because these two species are more tolerant of low oxygen conditions). Mork said the fish that are stocked in the lake should grow extremely fast and create a quality fishery in a short period of time.
I have no way of knowing if it is true or not, but I had heard that after the last re-stocking of the lake someone introduced other species of fish into the lake. I feel that the DNR has fishery specialists who know what type of fish will work in certain lakes and that folks should just let that play out and not mess with it – that’s just my opinion. It’s always hard to think of starting over again, especially after this lake had just come into its own as a viable fishing lake.
Once we have reached the longest day of the year, summer seems to go by way too fast. I usually don’t get too excited about the summer solstice, but the thought of the days getting shorter is always somewhere in the back of my mind. As a kid I usually went along doing kid stuff until it was fair time, but once the fair was done I knew my days of freedom as I knew it would soon be over. I’m not saying that I didn’t look forward to the upcoming school year, but I didn’t really relish the thought of all things structured.
This meant that my days of roaming the slough or hanging out at the “crick” for a big chunk of the day would soon be finished for another season. It seemed as if the post-fair days went by all too fast and before I knew it I’d be back in school with homework and – a schedule! I actually looked forward to my days at Hammer School because the familiar faces that you would see on the first day were mostly those of the same kids you spent a big part of the summer hanging out with. Yes, there was a lot to be said for country school where everyone seemed to get along and, even if there was a disagreement, it was more of a sibling-type spat that usually ended with a mutual agreement.
The water in our lakes and streams is subsiding and if we don’t get any more cloudbursts things may actually be getting back to normal. I’ve heard that the fishing has been pretty good on Fountain Lake so now would be the perfect time to wet a line. In my past experiences, shore fishing can be very rewarding and it’s also a fairly inexpensive way to introduce the whole family to the great sport of fishing. You can buy an inexpensive fishing pole with a few accessories like bobbers, hooks and sinkers at a very reasonable price. This is a sport that anyone can enjoy and our area has the resources to accommodate almost any type of fishing you may want to do.
There has been an increased interest in bowfishing in our area over the past few years. I can personally attest to that because I have grandsons who have been doing it for a few years. With the high water that we have in the area there should be rough fish in a lot of our area streams. When the boys first started to hunt carp with bow and arrow I tried to coax them to stay “old school” using the hook, line and sinker method. This pretty much fell on deaf ears and now they have even fine-tuned their sport. I am still holding out because I believe that it is hard to beat the fight of a big carp on the end of a line in a swift moving current. It’s not necessarily about the type of fish you are seeking, but more about the thrill of the fight that it can put up. In defense of the bow hunters I can see where the challenge of seeking out those big fish can be a lot of fun.
DNR reminds those bowfishing for carp to plan for carcass disposal
With bowfishing for rough fish such as carp growing in popularity, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources reminds anglers that they need a plan for what to do with any fish harvested – a plan that doesn’t entail disposing of the carcasses in a ditch or at a public access.
“We’re seeing a few too many cases where people are just dumping the fish,” said Capt. Greg Salo, DNR central region enforcement supervisor. “Not only is that pretty disgusting, it’s littering, a misdemeanor that carries a $150 fine.”
Curt Cich, president of the Land of Lakes Bowfishing Association, said the practice also gives bowfishing and the people who enjoy it a bad image. “These activities by a few people don’t reflect the practices of the majority of bowfishers, who practice their sport ethically and responsibly,” Cich said.
Cich recommends that all bowfishers have a disposal plan before practicing the activity.
Appropriate disposal techniques for carp include donating to mink or hog farms, composting, and burying the carcasses on private land with the permission of the owner.
Because bowfishing often is practiced at night in shallow, near-shore waters using bright lights powered by generators, misunderstandings between the anglers and lakeshore owners can sometimes arise. The practice is legal, Salo noted, if the noise generated between sunset and sunrise does not exceed 65 decibels, and no arrows are discharged within 150 feet of an occupied structure, or within 300 feet of a campsite. Lakeshore residents should not harass anglers who are legally bowfishing.
Until next time; enjoy the great outdoors and take some time to introduce a kid to fishing. Play safe and enjoy our areas resources.
Please take a little time to remember those who served and those who gave the ultimate sacrifice so that we are able to enjoy all the freedoms that we have today.
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Rain, rain, go away and come again in a more timely fashion. Although we did get some much needed moisture, I don’t think it was quite what folks had in mind when wishing for rain. There was way too much wind and too much rain in too short a period of time. Whatever happened to those days when there would be a gentle all-day rain that soaked into the ground slowly and gave everything a nice even soaking? I believe this is what is referred to as “feast or famine” and nothing in moderation.
Looking back to my youth I can remember a few times when we would have a real downpour that would dump a few inches at a time. To a kid, a rainstorm was a time to run about outside trying to get a few raindrops to land on the tip of your tongue or sliding barefooted on the wet grass getting mud and blades of grass between your toes. These were just some things that kids (at least this one) liked to do in the rain. Some of the neighbors, like my Aunt Ruby, would yell at us if they caught us playing in their wet yards.
Once the rain had stopped and the ditches were full, it was time to build a makeshift raft or boat and launch it in the ditch. The rafts or boats weren’t life sized by any stretch of the imagination, but more like models. Once the ships were launched it was off to the races! I would run alongside the road following the boat and coaxing it as it wound its way through the culverts and down the ditch towards “the crick” and out into the slough. Now navigating through tall weeds and grass sticking out of the water was always a challenge. There were a few instances when the water was too high and your vessel would get hung up on a branch or clump of grass and would be just out of reach, so you would have to wait it out until the water subsided. Once the water crested and started going down you may be able to reach the boat, but it was a bittersweet feeling. There would only be a small window of opportunity when the water would be running at maximum depth and the current would be at its strongest. This is when you wanted the boat to make the full trip and reach the “crick” where it would be carried off into the slough on an adventure known only to the imagination of a young boy.
I’d have to say that in hind sight this was probably dangerous for kids because the current was strong and fast. On more than one occasion I would roll up my pant legs and ford the running water to the other side of the ditch. This wasn’t always an easy task and falling down could result in wet pants and an occasional “red” bottom upon returning home with wet pants. The last words my mother would usually say before I went outside after a hard rain was, “stay out of the ditch.” This was usually taken as a challenge and rolling up your pant legs to above the knee seemed to borderline on genius except when the water was as high as the cuff you had just created.
This was innocent, simple fun that we kids created and that would occupy us for most of a day. I guess I never really thought about being bored because even when there wasn’t anyone around to play with I would use my imagination to entertain myself. Sometimes I would throw a football through the tire swing in the back yard or just see how high I could throw it and play catch with myself. I would never have thought of going to Mom or Dad and telling them I was bored. They had all they could do to put clothes on our backs and food on the table, so being bored never was part of their world.
My mother was the one that introduced me to fishing at a young age. She talked about how she would spend a lot of time at “Coney Island” which is what they called the place where Bancroft Bay Park is today. She and her cousins would swim and she said she would also go fishing there. I actually learned a lot about fishing in that place she called “Coney Island.” Using the proverbial “hook, line and sinker” technique, I’d fashion a throw line and on occasion I’d add a cork which my mother had rescued from an old broken thermos. We always called them corks back then and I don’t know when the name switched to bobbers. I still have an old bobber that is shaped like a Pure Oil can. I believe that I also have one that looks like a can of Grain Belt beer – my, how we have evolved. I can still see those big old yellow bellied bullheads and huge bluegills that we caught. That was simple fishing, and maybe even a little primitive by today’s standards, but it sure was fun.
We must always be careful when we are around high water and fast currents because streams can be deeper and more dangerous than they seem. We should be especially mindful to keeping little children away from fast running streams and rivers.
Until next time; enjoy the great outdoors and take some time to introduce a kid to fishing. Always play safe and if you’re in a boat or by a stream be sure to wear your life jacket.
Please take a little time to remember those who served and those who gave the ultimate sacrifice so that we are able to enjoy all the freedoms that we have today.
I don’t think a grandfather can ask for anything more rewarding than being able to spend time fishing with a grandson. This past week I was rewarded by heading north to the cabin with my grandson Dylan, and I’m pretty sure that Dylan had as much fun as I did. The fish also cooperated, and at times they seemed to be almost as hungry as the mosquitoes. I have to confess I am not a diehard walleye fisherman, but I will seek them out from time to time. I can tell that Dylan was largely influenced by me and Brad, his dad, because he loves to fish for pike, bass and panfish.
This week he was able to do just that. Our first day on the lake I visited one of my favorite lakes and although the weather was perfect, it was one of those days that can actually be a little too perfect. Sunny, warm and no breeze does not make for very good fishing on most of the clear water lakes of Northern Minnesota. Early morning and evening afford the best times to catch fish in those conditions.
As day turned into evening without much luck, we decided to head for the access. As we approached the access I told Dylan we should stop for a moment and cast ultralights in this little bay for a while. We immediately began catching bluegills, crappie and bass. My hunch paid off because past experiences have yielded good results in this area. We caught a lot of fish and kept a few for table fare.
The next day we got up fairly early and headed to another lake that has been a good panfish and pike lake in past years. Unfortunately, we were only on the water for about half an hour when a storm moved in. Luckily, we had just gotten the boat loaded when the storm hit. It continued to rain for most of the day so our fishing had to be put on hold. I don’t mind fishing in the rain, but being on a lake with thunder and lightning happening all around isn’t my cup of tea. Having a little down time gave Dylan the opportunity to force Grandpa into cleaning out his old brown tackle box and replace it with his newly acquired one. Now “old brown” had a lot of memories, but I had so much tackle in it that it took five minutes to find anything, let alone untangle the lure I was seeking. I believe it took more than two hours to re-arrange my tackle, but I have to admit that I do like it; you know what they say about old dogs and new tricks. The next evening I managed to find one of the hooks that had fallen on the floor. It ended up stuck in the side of my big toe – ouch!
I had heard the mosquitoes were extremely bad in Northern Minnesota this year, but I believe they exceeded my expectations. Every time you stopped to do anything outdoors they were like bees on honey and would always find the one spot you missed when spraying repellent on your exposed skin. Dylan said they could probably market Repel as the fisherman's version of cologne.
On our third day at the cabin we planned to visit Spider Lake and we decided to get up early, have a light breakfast and pack a lunch for the day. We had originally wanted to hit Spider on Saturday because that was the first day of muskie fishing, but because the weather didn’t look very promising we decided to fish it on Friday.
Once on the lake we fished a certain spot where I had always enjoyed good luck early in the season. It didn’t take long before Dylan had a nice pike in the boat that was too big to keep. All northern on Spider between 24-36 inches must be released, but you can keep one over 36 and three under 24. Dylan had on a rig he called a snell rig but an “old school” fisherman like myself would just call it a “Little Joe.” I tried my trusty shad colored Shad Rap and caught a perch and not much else. I finally decided to take a lesson from the student and try what Dylan was using. Let’s just say that you are never too old to learn a new trick or two.
For the day we caught well over 20 pike, and Dylan caught his first smallmouth bass. We also caught some largemouth bass and did keep two pike that were under 24” and just right for the frying pan. The shorter northern on Spider have always been nice and thick and a 23-incher is just perfect for the skillet. Dylan asked me how I knew about that spot and I told him it came from fishing the lake for many years. It’s all about spending time on the lake; the more time you put in, the better chance you have of catching fish. Dylan told me it was the best single day of fishing he had ever had, and that brought a smile to Grandpa’s face.
Dylan was really looking forward to fishing muskies, so on our last day there we decided to try North Star Lake, which is a good muskie lake. The weather was clear and warm, but the strong winds made it difficult to fish. We tried to fish protected bays, but there were numerous other folks that had the same idea. Even though we didn’t catch but a couple of pike that day, it was just great to be spending time on the lake.
Catching fish is fun and that’s the ultimate goal, but enjoying the beauty of the area and taking it all in is what it’s all about for me. I know Dylan had a good time and that we will both have some great memories to look back on. We are both looking forward to getting back to the cabin again soon and making some new memories.
Until next time; any time is a great time to enjoy a little fishing and now is a perfect time to introduce a kid to fishing. Remember to play safe and if you’re in a boat be sure to wear your life jacket.
It doesn’t have to be a special holiday to remember those who served and those who gave the ultimate sacrifice so that we are able to enjoy all the freedoms that we have today.
It’s a wonderful thing what warmer weather and sunshine can do for a person. This past weekend I observed many folks walking, biking, jogging or just enjoying an afternoon picnic at one of the many nice parks we have in this area. With so many options we have, not only around Albert Lea but also around the area, it is great to see folks taking advantage of it.
I have been able to enjoy one of my favorite spring smells this past couple of weeks while on my early morning walks. No, I’m not talking about the smell of dead fish still hanging around the Albert Lea Lake vicinity. I am thinking lilacs, which are probably my favorite smelling blossoms, especially this time of year. Although the window of opportunity is rather small when it comes to being able to enjoy that magnificent odor, it is one I relate to with fond memories.
As a kid I can remember my Mother picking the flowers off the lilac bushes in the front yard and putting them in vases around the house. To me this was the smell of spring and it seemed to make the house come alive after a long winter of closed doors and windows. As a kid growing up in the country, or at least the outskirts of town, I had two rituals I usually followed. First thing my mother would do after school let out was to take me to town to Northside Barber Shop, where Earl Peterson would give me a flat top haircut. The next thing that I shed was my shoes. Oh, how I loved to run around barefoot, and each year it was not without seriously stubbing one or both of my big toes. Once that was out of the way, there was just the matter of toughening up my feet so that walking on rocks and gravel became less painful. We usually had limestone in our driveway and, if you know what that is, you know those rocks can be very sharp.
Once the shoes were shed I loved walking in the yard and enjoyed the feeling of the new grass underfoot. This didn’t come without a few setbacks, like thistles or stepping on a bee that was busily extracting pollen from a dandelion, and you would also know when a stray dog happened to visit the yard if you stepped on something and it squished up between your toes. These were all just minor setbacks in the quest to spend most of a summer outside without shoes or socks. I can still hear my mom yelling to me after I had come in from outdoors, “Did you remember to wash your feet?” I would usually answer yes as I hurriedly ran to the bathroom to catch up to my little white lie before she did.
Yes, I guess our generation was blessed by an appreciation for the simpler things in life that didn’t take much more than an imagination.
In that light, I can say that looking back to my early days of camping when a person only needed a tent, a Coleman stove and lantern and a couple of good lawn chairs. By good, I mean chairs that had most of the webbing still intact so it would hold an average sized adult as he or she cozied up to the campfire.
Yes, even camping keeps expanding its world. When I had a pickup camper I thought I had jumped to the top of the camping chain, only to be replaced by pull behind pop-up campers, and those folks eventually weren’t in the hunt unless they had travel trailers or fifth-wheelers with pull-out rooms to expand them almost to the size of a mid-sized house. All of these things are good and the comfort they add to your camping experience is nice, but eventually I have to wonder when it quits becoming camping and becomes another home on someone else’s property for a couple of days or maybe even a week. The nice thing about those campers is the fact you are able to enjoy an outdoors experience and see a lot of different places if you choose to do so and still have the comforts of home.
I have a small, rustic cabin in the north woods that I totally enjoy spending time at, but there are still times when I have thought about what fun it would be to tent for a night on one of the many national forest campsites that are available for free on many of the lakes in the area. I told my grandson Dylan a couple of weeks ago that we should take the brand new three-man tent that I’ve had in the attic for a few years and pitch it on Spider Lake. There are at least three different public campsites on Spider that are first come first serve and the only restrictions are that you pick up after yourself and your stay can be no longer than 14 days. I really would like to try that tenting thing for one night. Who knows, maybe it would start another little tradition.
Dylan and I will be heading up to the cabin for a few days, hopefully to make a few more good fishing memories. Looking ahead to next summer I assume that Dylan will probably have a job, so I need to enjoy this time while I can.
Until next time, any time is a great time to enjoy a little fishing, and now is a perfect time to introduce a kid to fishing. Remember to play safe and if you’re in a boat be sure to wear your life jacket.
It doesn’t have to be a special holiday to remember those who served and those who gave the ultimate sacrifice so that we are able to enjoy all the freedoms that we have today.
I always seem to get a good feeling inside whenever I see a kid that gets excited about fishing. In these fast times of technology there just don’t seem to be as many youth that want to commit to having a little outdoors fun. Lucky for me, I have grandchildren that have been exposed to outdoors activities and actually enjoy fishing and hunting. I like to think that I had a hand in exposing them to fishing and have actually taught them a thing or two along the way.
Trevor, my oldest grandson has been a fisherman for about as long as he was able to hold a fishing pole. As he grew into a young man he has actually turned the tables and has been teaching the old teacher a trick or two about fishing. Over the last couple of years he has expanded his interests to bow fishing for carp. His brothers Taylor and Grant are right there alongside him trying their luck. I can see where that can actually be a sort of hunt-fish combination because you have to walk the creek banks in search of the fish.
Their cousin Dylan on the other hand is strictly a hook and line guy when it comes to fishing. This past weekend he and his dad had gotten the boat ready to go on Friday night. On Saturday morning grandpa picked him up bright and early and we headed to Fountain Lake. Once the boat was in the water Dylan drove and old grandpa sat up front and concentrated on fishing. I told him that this was how it should be; he is now the skipper and I am just along for the ride. I have a picture of him driving my boat when he was just 4 years old – he thought that it was pretty big stuff back then. What an enjoyable morning it was – spending time with my grandson and both of us caught a few fish to boot. It was one of those times spent making memories that I will always cherish.
Dylan has always enjoyed fishing and we are definitely going to take a trip or two to the cabin this summer. Dylan not only enjoys fishing but he also seems right at home being the skipper. Trolling is what he likes to do best so I guess grandpa must have taught him well. When he was younger he would change lures just about every ten minutes but now he has a favorite or two and pretty much sticks with what works for him. Having confidence in your presentation and in your lure is a big part of what keeps a person excited about the sport and it also helps you catch fish.
I can’t help but feel proud that all of my grandsons like to fish and hunt. When it comes to waterfowl Trevor may be just a little over-the-top because there is early goose, spring goose and the regular fall waterfowl seasons that take up almost all of his spare time. His brothers and Cousin Dylan are also into all types of fall bird hunting. Dylan’s sisters Emma and Ava will be the next ones that I want to introduce to fishing. Emma already loves being outdoors and getting her to come inside can sometimes be a challenge.
We must remember that these generations and the ones that follow are the future of hunting and fishing and if we want to preserve it for these generations we must get the youth involved. There are many good sportsmen’s groups that are doing their part to promote their sport by getting the youth involved. Locally there is the Fountain Lake Sportsman’s Club which has the Take a Kid fishing day which now includes an ice fishing event. The Minnesota Deer Hunters, Ducks Unlimited, Pheasants Forever, Turkey Federation, Pheasant & Habitat, Minnesota Waterfowl Association and many more that I am no doubt forgetting.
We are fighting an uphill battle when it comes to trying to get the kids outdoors and away from the electronic world that we have surrounded ourselves with. I usually go for a walk every morning but on Saturdays I may not start until around 8:00 am or so, I call that sleeping in. A few years ago I began to notice what I didn’t notice; kids outside playing. In looking back on the days when my sons were young watching cartoons was the only thing that kept them inside and that wasn’t for very long. They had to be outside doing something whether it was riding the “Big Wheel” or “Green Machine” and later when they graduated to bikes they became more mobile. Both of them played some organized sports like hockey, baseball and football but I know that the most fun they had was playing hockey at the park or baseball and football in the back yard. I believe that kids need time to just be kids and not have all of their activities mapped out for them. When was the last time that you saw a group of kids playing a pickup baseball game at a park?
Until next time; any time is a great time to enjoy a little fishing and now is a perfect time to introduce a kid to fishing. Remember to play safe and if you’re in a boat be sure to wear your life jacket.
It doesn’t have to be a special holiday to remember those who served and those who gave the ultimate sacrifice so that we are able to enjoy all the freedoms that we have today.