It looks like the nice weather that we have been experiencing the past few weeks has been pretty good to area fishermen. Even as the average temperature inches slowly downward, the threat of any measureable snow has so far eluded us. The channel by Frank Hall Park has been a busy place the last couple of weeks. 

The perch bite is still on and from what I’ve seen, most fishermen have been doing pretty well. Geneva Lake was the hot spot earlier this fall with the narrows producing plenty of perch and a few pike in the 22-inch range. I have always had a fondness for fall fishing, but this year I haven’t been able to take advantage of it for some reason.

In his latter years, my Uncle Ben would take an annual fall trip to Winnibigoshish to fish for perch. For years I wondered why a person would go way up north just to fish the lowly perch. That was before I discovered how tasty a mess of nice sized perch can be.

In my younger years, I always thought of them as inedible because the ones we caught were always pretty small or grubby. Later on when I fished Big Sand Lake in the Deer River area, we would catch “Jumbos.” But, they were always full of grubs and no matter how hard I tried to convince myself that they were harmless, I just couldn’t quite bring myself to eat them. I always thought that it was such a waste because they were big, fat fish that had a lot of meat.

Eventually, we caught some nice perch on other lakes that weren’t grubby and mighty tasty on the table. Our little lake up north had some dandy perch in it for a few years, but then they just disappeared, only to be replaced by crappie and bluegill which was a pretty fair tradeoff. Finally, after all those years of wondering, I could see why my Uncle Ben would head north in the fall to fill his freezer with those tasty perch.

 I guess my mindset back then was why in the world would a person drive all the way up north to fish perch when, there you were in “God’s Country” which is loaded with walleye and northern pike. Some time ago, I adopted the philosophy about fishing for what’s biting. I probably thought the idea was okay after reading it in In-Fisherman magazine, after all if Al says it, then it must be a good idea. I would probably draw the line at bullheads however, even though I have partaken in that delicacy in the spring. In any case, I just don’t enjoy cleaning them.

Late fall fishing is one thing that I truly look forward to almost every year. My old neighbor Gene and I did a couple of fall trips to Spider Lake in late September. This is usually a good time to go and if you hit it right, the leaves will be peaking. We however, usually had cool damp weather and from time to time, we fished in corn snow and had to put up with some rain squalls. Fall weather can be funny in that some storms can catch you off guard and then just as fast as it comes; it’s gone.

There was more than one time when we’d have to pull up on shore and seek cover from the storm. We could see it coming across the lake like a wall of water pushing the water into frenzy ahead of it and creating big waves and whitecaps. This was a time that you didn’t really want to be out there. 

There was an unoccupied cabin along the shore and we docked the boat and spent some time under the roof of their wood shed. This actually happened on more than one occasion and on a couple of different lakes.

No matter how bad the weather got, it was still a good time because there was something special about being there at that time of the year. In late fall, you usually have most of the lakes in the area pretty much to yourself. It kind of gives you a peaceful feeling when fishing a lake that just a month or so earlier had been busy with boats going to or coming from their favorite fishing spots.

Fall fishing is not without its hardships or whatever you want to call it. I’ve mentioned before about the communication thing with the fingers. When your brain is telling your fingers to bait a hook and your fingers can’t seem to grasp the concept or the minnow firmly enough to put it on the hook. Once you’re on the lake long enough for the fingers to get numb, it is probably time to seek the warmth of a cabin or in our case at the time, the camper.

When my neighbor Gene and I went fishing at Spider, we would take my pickup camper. I had that camper for quite a few years and the one thing that always worked really well on it was the heater. There was nothing like coming off the lake and stepping into that toasty little camper. You’d thaw out in no time, but it was almost like taking a sleeping pill. 

The fishing wasn’t always that great. But, I did manage to catch my own personal best walleye on one of those trips. Whenever I think back to those fall trips I feel pretty good because I know that they were special times that will never be repeated.

The end of the firearms deer hunting season reports show that there were less deer taken this season than last. I have heard a few reports of some nice bucks being shot in our area. One person that I know got a 10 pointer. An 8 pointer was also reported. This is pretty darned good, but overall there doesn’t seem to be as many deer around as in past years. Some speculate about the weather having an effect. Others think that the increased number of coyotes in the area is taking its toll on the young deer. I do believe that coyotes are definitely affecting not only the deer population, but also the pheasant population in our area.

Deer Registration up for second week

Better weather conditions for hunting and a Friday holiday for some were the likely reasons deer registrations climbed to within 7 percent of the 2010 season-to-date level after the second weekend of the 2011 firearms deer season, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

Final numbers from the second weekend show that hunters have harvested 143,000 deer so far in 2011, down only 7 percent from the 2010 to-date harvest of 153,000. During the second weekend, hunters registered approximately 27,000 deer compared with about 22,000 last year.

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Until next time, hunt safe and enjoy those outdoors experiences.

Please remember to keep our troops in your thoughts and prayers during the coming year. They are the reason we are able to enjoy all the freedoms that we have today.

Echoes from the Loafers’ Club Meeting

“My brother-in-law is an idiot! He was canoeing in my cornfield.”

“Why didn't you chase him out of there?”

“I wanted to, but I can't swim.”

Driving by the Bruces

I have two wonderful neighbors — both named Bruce — who live across the road from each other. Whenever I pass their driveways, thoughts occur to me, such as: It’s simple. Life is complicated.

I've learned

1. Not to confuse my needs with what others have.

2. A cell phone is a pay phone.

3. All things being equal, they aren’t.

Those thrilling days of yesteryear

My mother liked sales. Stores didn’t lower their prices. They just added “only” to signs showing prices. Sometimes she took me shopping. She bought what I needed, but little of what I wanted. I don’t blame her. I outgrew new shoes on my way out of the store. When I returned home from shopping, I told my father, “I’m so glad I’m home that I’m glad I went.”

Café chronicles

I asked the waitress for a large iced tea.

"We have only small and medium," she said.

It wasn’t right that they had a medium if they didn't have both a small and a large. Without a large, the medium, no matter what size it truly was, became a large.

I ordered a medium iced tea.

Ties that bind

I bought shoestrings for the first time in years. I replaced old ones that refused to wear out. I didn't like the old shoelaces, so they would have lasted forever. The new laces tied tighter and more securely than their predecessors. The shoestrings turned my old shoes into new ones. As I laced my shoes, I couldn’t remember the last time I’d broken a shoestring. A boyhood shoelace had numerous, ugly knots to keep it in one piece.

A self-inflicted wound

The weather report became one word, "Snow."

Another 10 inches of the white stuff fell. Road crews struggled to put the roads into better albeit it less-than-good driving conditions. I made it to the airport in the morning’s darkness.

The woman tiptoed to the gate of the Juneau Airport. She needed a spot to sit and rearrange herself after going through security. She carried one shoe under each arm. As I watched her circle her bags into proper parking spots, she ran over the toes of her left foot with the wheels of her largest suitcase.

It hurt. I knew it hurt because she exclaimed, "Ow! That hurt!"

Unwelcome company

I suspected that the airplane would be full, but as boarding progressed, the seat next to me stubbornly remained open. I hoped it would stay so. Comfort is best enjoyed in small doses.

A woman walked down the aisle. She glanced at her boarding pass and then at the seat numbers. She checked each row to her boarding pass, hoping for a match. She found her way to row 23. She struggled into the seat next to my 23F.

I smiled in her direction, but I didn't mean it. I wasn’t happy to see her. I’m not proud of that, but I had fallen in love with an empty seat.

From the family files

My son Brian planned to share a meal with his daughter Joey at her school. Brian dislikes catsup packets, so he carried a bottle of catsup.

As Brian and his three preschool children entered the school, 11-year-old Joey was waiting. One of her friends said loud enough for all to hear, "Look, your father brought catsup for everyone."

Joey said only, "Seriously, Dad?"

As the family unit walked closer to a meal, other parents commented as to the wisdom of bringing a catsup bottle.

With each compliment, Joey dropped another step behind.

Nature notes

Did your mother tell you, “You eat like a bird?” If so, you must have been a good eater. A chickadee eats as much as 35 percent of its weight in food each day. A hummingbird can consume its body's weight in sugar water or nectar daily. Canada geese devour grass like a lawn mower. A 5-pound Canada goose eats about a half-pound of grass per day.

Talking to the Holstein

I was talking to the Holstein the other day. The Holstein is a retired milk cow, so she has time to talk. I told the Holstein that travel brings out both the best and the worst in people.

The Holstein chewed her cud thoughtfully and said, “So does everything else.”

Meeting adjourned

“A gentle word, a kind look, a good-natured smile can work wonders and accomplish miracles.” — William Hazlitt

Happy Thanksgiving. I am thankful for you.

The scurs got their ducks in a row, although the Saturday rain turned to greasy skid stuff. No matter, it was precip and it should be gone by the time this hits the streets. More importantly, what’s in store for Turkey Day? Starting with Wednesday, mostly clear with highs near 50 and lows around 35. Mostly clear Thanksgiving Day with highs reaching 55 and lows of 40. Partly cloudy on Friday with a slight chance of a rain shower. Highs once again of 55 and lows of  35. Mostly cloudy on Saturday with a chance of a rain/snow mix in the morning and a chance of rain in the afternoon. Highs around 40 and lows of 25. Mostly sunny on Sunday with highs of 35 – 40 and lows of 20 – 25. Monday, mostly sunny with highs of 40 – 45 and lows falling to 10 – 15. Mostly cloudy on Tuesday with highs of 30 – 35 and lows of 15 – 20. The normal high for November 24th is 36 and the normal low is 19. For the 24th we will see 9hours and 21 minutes of daylight. The scurs will be firing up the Weber by the crack of 10 a.m. so the turkey will be nice and golden brown by noon.

As mentioned, we did see some precipitation over the past weekend and even if it was in the form of snow, it still counted. At the ranch, it amounted to .11”, the most precipitation recorded since October 13th. It was enough to get highway crews out spreading car carcinogens (salt) on area roads, although by afternoon most roads were relatively free from snow and ice. Most fieldwork is complete, although there is still some manure being applied and an odd anhydrous rig being spotted here and there. Soils remain dry and we may be at the mercy of the spring rains to recharge our soils before planting season.

Barn cleaning has commenced at the ranch. Saturday was just a tad nasty to sit out on a tractor without a cab, so oil was changed and the heat houser was attached. In other words, you have me to thank for the warm up! At least I didn’t have to put the chains on to get out to the field through the snow like last year. Sunday brought about a nicer day from a precipitation standpoint, so it was time to tear into ‘er. As usually happens, it takes almost as long to get everything ready and move stuff around as it does to actually clean the barns. Everything needs to be hooked up, adjusted and get its annual greasing and lubing, this in addition to noting how bad things are leaking here and there. While I know the equipment probably came greased, it still makes me feel better if it gets done. There was still enough daylight after all that to allow five monster sized loads with probably three more to go in the rest of the large barn. Who knows, if people leave me alone long enough during the early part of the week, one just might be able to sneak in a couple more loads. Just can’t get enough of that barn cleaning I tell ya…

While out with a load of nature’s finest, I spied three pheasants, two roosters and a hen. The roosters came out of the new tree planting and the hen was in some brushy habitat in the fenceline. It was good to see them as there has been some question as to whether pheasants even exist anymore. Not much new in the bird department otherwise, except that the chickadees have been AWOL for a few weeks now. It could be the leghorn-sized blue jays scared them off. It’s probably getting about time to put out some suet soon. The starlings should have found someplace else to eat by now and if they come by here, they face increased odds of eating some lead. After the leaves dropped it became apparent why we have so many squirrels: we have five or six squirrel nests. They haven’t started tackling the ear corn as rapidly as one might expect and are content to clean up under the sunflower feeders instead. Their main function is still to drive Ruby nuts with their treetop acrobatics. 

Once barn cleaning has been completed it will be time to work on the Studebaker Lark again. It’s inside the heated garage this winter where it can be worked on in comfort. Parts are accumulating, so hopefully once it’s running, the restoration project can get underway. The most recent addition was a NOS (new old stock) air cleaner found in CT from some Studebaker swap pages. It was a lucky find. As anyone who has restored a car can attest, one of the first parts mice will destroy is the air cleaner body. They love to stuff them full of things like seat cushion material and as a result of their occupation, the mouse pee corrodes the bottom. Sometimes it can be repaired with JB Weld, but some are just plain ruined. To find one still in the box unused, especially for a car as old or as rare as a Studebaker, is a little unusual. However, it fits the mold. 

Studebaker was an unusual automobile company. Some looked down their nose at the company because they tended to make products either ahead of their time or behind the times. The Lark fit into a time where the country was in a recession and people were looking for an economical automobile. Cashing in on what the Rambler had started, the Lark took the automobile market by storm in 1959 and put Studebaker into the black for the first time in many years. It apparently got the Big 3’s attention for it wasn’t too long and products such as the Ford Falcon, Plymouth Valiant, Mercury Comet and Chevy Corvair began hitting the roads hoping to re-capture the market share they had lost. Unfortunately for Studebaker, the Big 3 succeeded. Combined with some bad luck and blunders in management, it marked the beginning of the end for Studebaker. By December 1963, the plant in South Bend, IN was closed and automobile production was moved to Canada. In 1966, the company ceased manufacturing automobiles. I still think it would be a good idea as my bumper sticker says to “Bail Out Studebaker!” It would sure make it easier to get parts.

See you next week…real good then.

Lulu Margaret (Pat) Proehl Hall, 97, of Paris, Mo, passed away on Thursday, Nov. 17, 2011, at the Monroe Manor Nursing Home in Paris, Mo.

Mrs. Hall was born on September 27, 1914 at New Richland, Minn., the daughter of Fred Carl and Lulu Paulina Kroeger Proehl.  She graduated from New Richland High School in Minnesota and taught school until she was married to Roy Arvid Hall on June 12, 1937, in New Richland, Minn.  He predeceased her on Nov. 12, 2002.  She and her husband moved to Holliday from the Quad Cities in 1950.  She was an active 4-H leader both local and county, a member of the Holliday Suburbonite Extension Club, and the Paris Presbyterian Church, where she taught Sunday School  for several years.  She was also a member of the Presbyterian Women on both local and district levels.  

Mrs. Hall is survived by a son, Arvid E. Hall and wife, Noreen, of Dallas, TX., a daughter, Margaret L. Ferrell of Kirksville; four grandchildren, Arvid C. Hall, Tamara L. Kotzker, Bryan D. and Nathan H. Ferrell; and three great-grandchildren, Christopher Hall, Raleigh and Elijah Kotzker.  She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, two brothers, Leonard and Gerhardt, one sister, Mildred Miller, a grandson, Roy Otto Hall and a son-in-law, Dale Ferrell.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2011, at the Paris Presbyterian Church in Paris with Reverend John Grimmett officiating and Agnew Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.  Visitation will be from 9:30 to 11 a.m. on Tuesday at the Presbyterian Church.  Burial will be in Walnut Grove Cemetery at Paris, Mo.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Walnut Grove Cemetery or the Paris Presbyterian Church.

Funeral services for Clayton O. Warke will be held at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, November 22, 2011 at Cross of Glory Church in Hartland.  Rev. Dennis Frank will officiate.  Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church.  Interment will be at Hartland Cemetery.  To sign the guestbook go to www.bayviewfuneral.com 

Clayton died Friday, November 18, 2011 at St. John’s Lutheran Home. 

Clayton O. Warke was born April 22, 1913 to Einar and Christy (Tukua) Warke in Hartland.  Clayton grew up in rural Hartland where he attended country school.  On June 1, 1934 he was united in marriage to Eileen Hallum in Northwood, IA.  They made their home on the farm in rural Hartland.  Clayton spent many years farming.  In 1987 he retired and they moved to Albert Lea.  He was a member of Cross of Glory Church in Hartland.  Clayton enjoyed wood working in his younger years, playing cards and spending time with his family.  

Survivors include his children, David (Karen) Warke, Janice Perkins and Janet (Roger) Loken; grandchildren, Shawn (Rose) Loken and Shelly (John) Davis; great-grandchildren, Sam and Katie Davis; sisters-in-law, Dorothy Warke and Elaine Hallum; brother-in-law, Edward Hendrickson; and several nieces and nephews.  

Clayton was preceded in death by his parents, Einar and Christy; wife, Eileen; son-in-law, Ed Perkins; and siblings, Clarence Warke, Oscar Warke, Vernon Warke, Gilma Wilkenson, Inanda Bartness and Esther Hanson.  

EXCELLENT ESSAYS — Veteran’s Day essay contest winners at NRHEG Elementary School in Ellendale were, front from left, Katlyn Olson, first place; Rob Jewett, third; and Ben Lewer, second. In back is Larry Otto of the Ellendale Lions Club. (Star Eagle photo by Kathy Paulsen)

SUPERIOR POSTERS — Veteran’s Day peace poster contest winners at NRHEG Elementary School in Ellendale were announced Nov. 10. From left: Allie Larson of the Ellendale Lions Club; Camille Prigge, third place; Brice Oakland, second; and Sadie Mortenson, first. (Star Eagle photo by Kathy Paulsen)

By KATHY PAULSEN

Staff Writer

The Ellendale American Legion Post presented the colors during the Veteran’s Day program at the New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva Elementary school on Thursday morning, November 10th.

Melissa McCornack and Frank Whitcomb played a trumpet duet of the "Star Spangled Banner.” Larry Otto announced the winners of the Veterans Day Essay Contest, which was sponsored by the Legion Posts in New Richland and Ellendale and NR Auxiliary members. They were: first place, Katlyn Olson; second, Ben Lewer; third, Rob Jewett.

The Elementary Honor Choir sang, "Thank You, Soldiers," accompanied by a video showing people serving in our military.

Former U.S. Congressman Tim Penny gave the morning message and described the servicemen’s participation in the various wars, the tale of American lives, and the fact they fought not only for our country but for others against aggression.

New Richland City Council

By JODY WYNNEMER

Staff Writer

A public hearing was on the agenda as the New Richland City Council gathered for a regular meeting Monday evening, November 14. All members present stood and recited the Pledge of Allegiance after Mayor Tom McShane called the meeting to order. The evening’s agenda and consent agenda items were approved.

Mayor McShane opened the public hearing considering a Flood Loan Application Amendment in the amount of $45,000. No one wished to be heard at the time.

Police Chief Scott Eads reported 72 calls for service and an additional 30 contacts for October.

“There was one felony assault that occurred,” said Eads. “An arrest was made within 30 minutes of receiving the call.”

Eads noted Halloween was even more uneventful than in years past.

“I believe last year I found three or four smashed pumpkins,” said Eads. “This year we didn’t even have that. All the trick-or-treaters were off the streets by 10 p.m.”

Geneva City Council

By RACHEL RIETSEMA

Staff Writer

At 7 p.m. sharp, Mayor Steve Bailey called the Geneva City Council meeting to order Tuesday, Nov. 8. The only councilman not present was Jim Beenken.

All that gathered round skimmed the minutes, bills payable and financial report, with Taff Worrell soon making a motion to approve the documents. Richard Weckwerth seconded the motion, and it carried.

Bailey then warmly welcomed Alliant Energy representative Bob Danner to the table for contract renewal discussion. The new electrical agreement will be a 20-year one, with a 10-year window. The same figures will be applied for the gas portion, as this contract will soon expire within a couple of years.

Danner informed the council that the proposed 22-percent increase has been rejected by the state of Minnesota. And due to the state shutdown, Alliant Energy still hasn’t received the final percentage increase mandate. In any case, he expects both parties to reach a halfway point compromise in the early months of 2012.