White-out on the shores of Leech Lake
Monday, December 26, 2011
Happy Boxing Day, 2011
We keep talking about being in the northwoods for Christmas, but this year, like every year since we bought our oasis at Leech Lake, we spent the holidays in California. From what I hear, most of Minnesota did not have a white Christmas. But as this photo shows, it definitely snows on the shores of the 3rd biggest lake in Minnesota.
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Where's Winter?
I'm not at Leech Lake so I can't comment on the weather myself, but here's a report from the Bemidji Pioneer on the area's apparent lack of winter.
For this December, so far, the average high is 22 and the average low is 7. These temperatures are approximately 5 degrees above average. Ten-day forecasts issued by government agencies and private companies are in agreement that temperatures will continue to run above average through Christmas. The prospects for snow by then are few. A chance exists later next week but that system appears as though it will track south of the north woods.
Want some snow? As strange as it may sound, you need to head south. Areas around Winona and Rochester are reporting snow cover of 4-6 inches. Visible satellite images show a solid swath of snow covering the ground from the Twin Cities south into northern parts of Iowa and Nebraska. These areas have seen several storm systems and have recorded 6-12 inches of snow so far.
Significant snowfall was reported earlier this week across the desert areas of New Mexico and Arizona. Highways throughout much of New Mexico were closed and a dusting of snow even fell in Scottsdale, Ariz., a suburb of Phoenix. So, you don’t need to envy neighbors or friends who gloated as they packed up to head south for the winter.
The National Weather Service’s 90-day forecast holds out hope for the snow obsessed among us. The northwoods falls into the area with better-than-average odds of above-average snowfall and below-average temperatures.
Take these long-range forecasts with a grain of salt, however. Weather is the result of many factors, some of which are difficult to predict so far in advance.
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By: Tom Siemers, Bemidji Pioneer
Welcome to the great winter that isn’t or at least hasn’t been thus far. Official statistics for the area are difficult to come by, but a reasonable estimate is that the Bemidji area has received 3-5 inches of snow so far. Typically snowfall by this point measures 10-12 inches.
Welcome to the great winter that isn’t or at least hasn’t been thus far. Official statistics for the area are difficult to come by, but a reasonable estimate is that the Bemidji area has received 3-5 inches of snow so far. Typically snowfall by this point measures 10-12 inches.
For this December, so far, the average high is 22 and the average low is 7. These temperatures are approximately 5 degrees above average. Ten-day forecasts issued by government agencies and private companies are in agreement that temperatures will continue to run above average through Christmas. The prospects for snow by then are few. A chance exists later next week but that system appears as though it will track south of the north woods.
Want some snow? As strange as it may sound, you need to head south. Areas around Winona and Rochester are reporting snow cover of 4-6 inches. Visible satellite images show a solid swath of snow covering the ground from the Twin Cities south into northern parts of Iowa and Nebraska. These areas have seen several storm systems and have recorded 6-12 inches of snow so far.
Significant snowfall was reported earlier this week across the desert areas of New Mexico and Arizona. Highways throughout much of New Mexico were closed and a dusting of snow even fell in Scottsdale, Ariz., a suburb of Phoenix. So, you don’t need to envy neighbors or friends who gloated as they packed up to head south for the winter.
The National Weather Service’s 90-day forecast holds out hope for the snow obsessed among us. The northwoods falls into the area with better-than-average odds of above-average snowfall and below-average temperatures.
Take these long-range forecasts with a grain of salt, however. Weather is the result of many factors, some of which are difficult to predict so far in advance.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
October 25, 2011 -- Goodbye From Leech Lake
From the phone message I received yesterday from Lake Country Power I didn't expect to have electricity from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. this morning. All morning long I went about my business of closing up the house and cabin before leaving for the airport at 11:15 a.m., the whole time waiting for the power to go out. But so far (at 9:35 a.m.) it's still on.
The temperature at Leech Lake this morning at 8:00 a.m. was 35 degrees, the sky was grey and overcast and the wind was light at 5-8 mph out of the NNE.
By 8:30 a.m. I was going about the various tasks that I perform before I leave the lake. I gathered up the garbage and took it down to the waste and recycling center at the Ottertail Peninsula Community Center, then stored the truck in the cabin garage for the winter. I closed up the cabin and set the security alarm. I did several other little chores required for closing up the places before I leave. It'll be a long, cold winter on the shores of Leech Lake and the properties need to be secured.
At 10:00 a.m. the electricity was still on, and I have to believe that at this point Lake Country Power isn't going to be cutting off our power. That enabled me to finish up some of the tasks that require water, such as cleaning the bathroom, since our well pump is powered by electricity. At this point I've pretty much got everything in order and think I'll take one last quick walk in the woods.
After my walk in the woods I went out and sat at the end of the dock for a while. There were a couple of loons right in front of me, most likely a mated pair, diving for fish then resurfacing a little distance away.
It is now 11:00 a.m. The Malays will be here in a matter of 15 minutes or so, so I need to sign off and shut down the computer. Goodbye from Leech Lake.
The temperature at Leech Lake this morning at 8:00 a.m. was 35 degrees, the sky was grey and overcast and the wind was light at 5-8 mph out of the NNE.
By 8:30 a.m. I was going about the various tasks that I perform before I leave the lake. I gathered up the garbage and took it down to the waste and recycling center at the Ottertail Peninsula Community Center, then stored the truck in the cabin garage for the winter. I closed up the cabin and set the security alarm. I did several other little chores required for closing up the places before I leave. It'll be a long, cold winter on the shores of Leech Lake and the properties need to be secured.
At 10:00 a.m. the electricity was still on, and I have to believe that at this point Lake Country Power isn't going to be cutting off our power. That enabled me to finish up some of the tasks that require water, such as cleaning the bathroom, since our well pump is powered by electricity. At this point I've pretty much got everything in order and think I'll take one last quick walk in the woods.
After my walk in the woods I went out and sat at the end of the dock for a while. There were a couple of loons right in front of me, most likely a mated pair, diving for fish then resurfacing a little distance away.
It is now 11:00 a.m. The Malays will be here in a matter of 15 minutes or so, so I need to sign off and shut down the computer. Goodbye from Leech Lake.
Monday, October 24, 2011
October 24, 2011 -- At Leech Lake
Today is my final full day at Leech Lake for this visit, which means most likely my final day at Leech Lake in 2011.
It was cold again this morning, 31 degrees at 9:00 a.m., but there was little to no wind. It was sunny out, but the sky was filled with high clouds. As the morning progressed, a fog or haze settled in over the lake, but by noon it had burned off as the temperature increased to 43 degrees.
John took his small boat out for about an hour, but I decided to stay inside and focus my time on cleaning the house. The fireplace had to be cleaned out and vacuumed, the floors throughout the house needed to be vacuumed, the bed linens needed to be washed, the refrigerator needed to be cleaned out, and dozens of other little chores required my attention.
About 3:00 p.m. I did meet up with John and we stored his small 14-foot boat in the garage at the cabin. I doubled checked to make sure I could easily park the truck in the garage, and there was plenty of room for the truck and the boat. John's bigger boat, or my Lund, couldn't fit in the garage while the truck was in it too, but a small boat like the "Blue Fin" fit fine.
I paced myself and did numerous chores throughout the course of the day. I also made time for a walk in the woods which evolved into a walk down to Paulsens' and back. In all, about a 3-mile trek. It felt great and I actually got a bit hot with a sweatshirt on. The temperature had risen to 45 degrees, there was no wind or even breeze, and it was sunny despite some very high, wispy clouds.
About an hour before sunset I decided to take another walk in the woods. I love being here on Ottertail Peninsula, be it in our woods hiking the trails, out on Leech Lake fishing or boating, or just sitting in our living room looking at the lake. But the beauty of the sight and smell of the woods in the Fall I find particularly enjoyable.
I tried to keep things simple and finish off the little food I have left rather than make a big dinner. I still have a few more areas to clean, but I'll attend to those in the morning.
As for this blog, this will be my final post that chronicles this visit. Normally I like to make one final post on the day I'm leaving, but tomorrow from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Lake Country Power will be shutting off the electricity to this area so they can perform some routine maintenance, which means that most of the time leading up to my departure -- at 11:15 a.m. -- will be spent with no power. What little time I do have left with electricity will be spent closing up the house and cabin, such as setting the thermostats, the security alarms, shutting off the well pump, etc.
So let me say goodnight and goodbye from Leech Lake. I'm sure I'll write some follow-up posts with some of the pictures I took during this visit, but I won't be writing from the shores of Leech Lake until sometime next year; most likely around Walleye Opener in May.
So long...
It was cold again this morning, 31 degrees at 9:00 a.m., but there was little to no wind. It was sunny out, but the sky was filled with high clouds. As the morning progressed, a fog or haze settled in over the lake, but by noon it had burned off as the temperature increased to 43 degrees.
John took his small boat out for about an hour, but I decided to stay inside and focus my time on cleaning the house. The fireplace had to be cleaned out and vacuumed, the floors throughout the house needed to be vacuumed, the bed linens needed to be washed, the refrigerator needed to be cleaned out, and dozens of other little chores required my attention.
About 3:00 p.m. I did meet up with John and we stored his small 14-foot boat in the garage at the cabin. I doubled checked to make sure I could easily park the truck in the garage, and there was plenty of room for the truck and the boat. John's bigger boat, or my Lund, couldn't fit in the garage while the truck was in it too, but a small boat like the "Blue Fin" fit fine.
I paced myself and did numerous chores throughout the course of the day. I also made time for a walk in the woods which evolved into a walk down to Paulsens' and back. In all, about a 3-mile trek. It felt great and I actually got a bit hot with a sweatshirt on. The temperature had risen to 45 degrees, there was no wind or even breeze, and it was sunny despite some very high, wispy clouds.
About an hour before sunset I decided to take another walk in the woods. I love being here on Ottertail Peninsula, be it in our woods hiking the trails, out on Leech Lake fishing or boating, or just sitting in our living room looking at the lake. But the beauty of the sight and smell of the woods in the Fall I find particularly enjoyable.
I tried to keep things simple and finish off the little food I have left rather than make a big dinner. I still have a few more areas to clean, but I'll attend to those in the morning.
As for this blog, this will be my final post that chronicles this visit. Normally I like to make one final post on the day I'm leaving, but tomorrow from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Lake Country Power will be shutting off the electricity to this area so they can perform some routine maintenance, which means that most of the time leading up to my departure -- at 11:15 a.m. -- will be spent with no power. What little time I do have left with electricity will be spent closing up the house and cabin, such as setting the thermostats, the security alarms, shutting off the well pump, etc.
So let me say goodnight and goodbye from Leech Lake. I'm sure I'll write some follow-up posts with some of the pictures I took during this visit, but I won't be writing from the shores of Leech Lake until sometime next year; most likely around Walleye Opener in May.
So long...
Sunday, October 23, 2011
October 23, 2011 -- On Leech Lake
This morning at 9:00 a.m. the temperature was 38 degrees, the wind was light at 5-8 mph out of the WSW and the sky was overcast and grey with a light rain falling.
I puttered around the house this morning, making coffee, checking ESPN.com for sports scores, and calling my parents to see how they were doing. Then around 11:00 a.m. I got a call from John Newman asking if I wanted to join him on the water for a little fishing.
With a light, cold rain falling, temperatures hovering around 40 degrees and the wind at 8-12 mph out of the SW most people would have been content to stay inside their warm, dry houses sipping coffee and reading the Sunday paper, but I donned my Cabela's Guidewear rain gear and walked out to the end of my dock.
John was already on the water fishing, and if fact was directly in front of my house, so he easily spotted me and then brought the boat to the end of the dock where I got in. We then motored out to 11 feet of 47-degree water in front of John's cabin and let the wind push the boat toward shore and north toward Malay's.
On our very first pass something hit my jig and minnow hard and bit it right off. I tied on a new jig, tipped it with a fresh minnow and continued fishing. We had a few bites, but were unable to boat any perch or walleye.
We made a total of four passes and during one of them John hooked into a nice perch, which he added to his total of jumbos in the basket, and I caught a whitefish, which I kept and will deliver to my neighbor Ken Lichttenegger who nets whitefish and then smokes them in a smokehouse. Ken gave me one of his smoked whitefish last year and I shared it with my brother-in-law Tim and my nephew Jackson and all three of us loved it.
We came ashore at 1:20 p.m. at which time I ate a very late brunch, cleaned up a bit and then I took the whitefish down to Lichttenegger's. Well, it turns out that my whitefish was really a cisco, also known as a tullibee. Although they look similar to whitefish the way you can tell the difference, so I learned, is that the tullibee has a longer lower jaw while the whitefish has a longer top jaw. As a result, the fish went back into the lake.
After visiting with Ken for a bit I drove the ATV over to Newman's where he was talking with Tom Malay. John had purchased Tom's old 14-foot aluminum boat and Tom was there delivering the boat. The three of talked for a while then Tom went home. John asked if I wanted to go with him for a brief fishing adventure in his new small boat and I quickly agreed. I went home, cleaned up the kitchen, then met John at his boat lift at 3:30 p.m.
We made several passes from 11 feet of water to as little as 7 feet of water but neither John nor I got as much as a bite. Well, that's not true, right at the end of our 90 minutes on the water John got a bite from a perch but it came off before he could get it to the boat. At least the weather had improved. Gone was the rain, the sky was clear and sunny, although the wind had picked up a bit and was blowing at 10-15 mph from the WSW. The temperature was 54 degrees.
We came ashore at 5:15 p.m. and parted ways. John was going to haul his big boat into Bemidji where he'll leave it for the winter while I came home to have an early dinner.
I spent the evening listening to music and having a roaring fire in the fireplace. At about 9:00 p.m. I did put on a sweatshirt and went out to the end of the dock to look at the stars. The sky was clear and I could see the bright white band of the Milky Way stretching across the sky, I could see the planet Uranus as it rose in the eastern sky and I could see millions of stars. What a wonderful treat it is to be able to really see the night sky. In San Jose there is simply too much light pollution to see anything more than the moon and a few of the brightest stars.
Although my fishing experience was not all that successful today, I still had a fantastic day on, and near, Leech Lake.
I puttered around the house this morning, making coffee, checking ESPN.com for sports scores, and calling my parents to see how they were doing. Then around 11:00 a.m. I got a call from John Newman asking if I wanted to join him on the water for a little fishing.
With a light, cold rain falling, temperatures hovering around 40 degrees and the wind at 8-12 mph out of the SW most people would have been content to stay inside their warm, dry houses sipping coffee and reading the Sunday paper, but I donned my Cabela's Guidewear rain gear and walked out to the end of my dock.
John was already on the water fishing, and if fact was directly in front of my house, so he easily spotted me and then brought the boat to the end of the dock where I got in. We then motored out to 11 feet of 47-degree water in front of John's cabin and let the wind push the boat toward shore and north toward Malay's.
On our very first pass something hit my jig and minnow hard and bit it right off. I tied on a new jig, tipped it with a fresh minnow and continued fishing. We had a few bites, but were unable to boat any perch or walleye.
We made a total of four passes and during one of them John hooked into a nice perch, which he added to his total of jumbos in the basket, and I caught a whitefish, which I kept and will deliver to my neighbor Ken Lichttenegger who nets whitefish and then smokes them in a smokehouse. Ken gave me one of his smoked whitefish last year and I shared it with my brother-in-law Tim and my nephew Jackson and all three of us loved it.
We came ashore at 1:20 p.m. at which time I ate a very late brunch, cleaned up a bit and then I took the whitefish down to Lichttenegger's. Well, it turns out that my whitefish was really a cisco, also known as a tullibee. Although they look similar to whitefish the way you can tell the difference, so I learned, is that the tullibee has a longer lower jaw while the whitefish has a longer top jaw. As a result, the fish went back into the lake.
After visiting with Ken for a bit I drove the ATV over to Newman's where he was talking with Tom Malay. John had purchased Tom's old 14-foot aluminum boat and Tom was there delivering the boat. The three of talked for a while then Tom went home. John asked if I wanted to go with him for a brief fishing adventure in his new small boat and I quickly agreed. I went home, cleaned up the kitchen, then met John at his boat lift at 3:30 p.m.
We made several passes from 11 feet of water to as little as 7 feet of water but neither John nor I got as much as a bite. Well, that's not true, right at the end of our 90 minutes on the water John got a bite from a perch but it came off before he could get it to the boat. At least the weather had improved. Gone was the rain, the sky was clear and sunny, although the wind had picked up a bit and was blowing at 10-15 mph from the WSW. The temperature was 54 degrees.
We came ashore at 5:15 p.m. and parted ways. John was going to haul his big boat into Bemidji where he'll leave it for the winter while I came home to have an early dinner.
I spent the evening listening to music and having a roaring fire in the fireplace. At about 9:00 p.m. I did put on a sweatshirt and went out to the end of the dock to look at the stars. The sky was clear and I could see the bright white band of the Milky Way stretching across the sky, I could see the planet Uranus as it rose in the eastern sky and I could see millions of stars. What a wonderful treat it is to be able to really see the night sky. In San Jose there is simply too much light pollution to see anything more than the moon and a few of the brightest stars.
Although my fishing experience was not all that successful today, I still had a fantastic day on, and near, Leech Lake.
Fall 2011 Nature Update
I often insert "Nature Updates" into my regular posts, but thought I'd try something a little different this time and combine them into one post. Here are some of the interesting wildlife sightings I've had during my recent stay.
* This is typically the time of year when I see mink running around near the harbor and this year was no exception. I've seen several mink frolicking near the harbor, darting in and out of tiny spaces between rocks and boulders and swimming along the shoreline. They are long and lean, ideally shaped for squeezing into tiny places to hide from predators. And of course their luxurious coats protect them from the cold water while swimming in search of food. I really enjoy watching their antics along the shoreline.
* While I've not seen them in the act, the evidence of skunks is obvious throughout my yard. In the Fall skunks will often root for grubs which live a few inches under the grass. I've discovered dozens of small, shallow holes in the yard where skunk have been hunting their prey.
* Whitetail deer are abundant in this part of the country and I've seen dozens of deer while driving Sucker Bay and West Shores Roads. Deer hunting season begins in this part of Minnesota the first weekend of November, and tens of thousands of hunters will sit quickly in stands all over the northwoods hoping to take a deer. Among those that will be hunting are many of my neighbors, including John Newman's son Greg, the former owner of my house Clancy T., Dick Schiebe, Rome Von Rossum and many others.
* Loons are among the last birds to leave Leech Lake and fly south. In addition, many loons from Canadian lakes that are making their way south stop at Leech Lake to rest and feed before their long journey south to Florida, Mexico and the Gulf of Mexico. While I'm on the water fishing, or just working outside in the yard, the calls of the loons fill the Autumn air.
* The animals I come into contact with the most at Leech Lake are fish. During my brief Autumn visit to Leech Lake I've handled walleye, pike, perch, and of course, fathead minnows. I have not targeted muskie, bass or crappie, nor have I unintentionally hooked an eelpout. But for sheer numbers, fish, and particularly perch, are the animal I encounter most often.
* By far the most amazing and spectacular wildlife sighting this trip was my viewing of a bald eagle. I was sitting in our living room, which has floor to ceiling windows, talking on the phone and looking out toward the harbor. Out of the sky came an eagle -- talons extended, head held high, swooping down through the trees and plucking something (a fish?) out of the harbor. This took place no more than 50 feet in front of me. I had a prime view of a master predator, a giant flying raptor, doing what it does best -- hunting.
When I next return to Leech Lake, be it in the winter for some hard-water angling or next May around the 2012 Walleye Opener, there will be more wildlife to see and enjoy. That's one of the many benefits to spending time in this northwoods paradise.
* This is typically the time of year when I see mink running around near the harbor and this year was no exception. I've seen several mink frolicking near the harbor, darting in and out of tiny spaces between rocks and boulders and swimming along the shoreline. They are long and lean, ideally shaped for squeezing into tiny places to hide from predators. And of course their luxurious coats protect them from the cold water while swimming in search of food. I really enjoy watching their antics along the shoreline.
* While I've not seen them in the act, the evidence of skunks is obvious throughout my yard. In the Fall skunks will often root for grubs which live a few inches under the grass. I've discovered dozens of small, shallow holes in the yard where skunk have been hunting their prey.
* Whitetail deer are abundant in this part of the country and I've seen dozens of deer while driving Sucker Bay and West Shores Roads. Deer hunting season begins in this part of Minnesota the first weekend of November, and tens of thousands of hunters will sit quickly in stands all over the northwoods hoping to take a deer. Among those that will be hunting are many of my neighbors, including John Newman's son Greg, the former owner of my house Clancy T., Dick Schiebe, Rome Von Rossum and many others.
* Loons are among the last birds to leave Leech Lake and fly south. In addition, many loons from Canadian lakes that are making their way south stop at Leech Lake to rest and feed before their long journey south to Florida, Mexico and the Gulf of Mexico. While I'm on the water fishing, or just working outside in the yard, the calls of the loons fill the Autumn air.
* The animals I come into contact with the most at Leech Lake are fish. During my brief Autumn visit to Leech Lake I've handled walleye, pike, perch, and of course, fathead minnows. I have not targeted muskie, bass or crappie, nor have I unintentionally hooked an eelpout. But for sheer numbers, fish, and particularly perch, are the animal I encounter most often.
* By far the most amazing and spectacular wildlife sighting this trip was my viewing of a bald eagle. I was sitting in our living room, which has floor to ceiling windows, talking on the phone and looking out toward the harbor. Out of the sky came an eagle -- talons extended, head held high, swooping down through the trees and plucking something (a fish?) out of the harbor. This took place no more than 50 feet in front of me. I had a prime view of a master predator, a giant flying raptor, doing what it does best -- hunting.
When I next return to Leech Lake, be it in the winter for some hard-water angling or next May around the 2012 Walleye Opener, there will be more wildlife to see and enjoy. That's one of the many benefits to spending time in this northwoods paradise.
Saturday, October 22, 2011
October 22, 2011 -- On Leech Lake
A cold October morning, looking north from our dock on Sucker Bay, Leech Lake
This morning was beautiful, calm, clear and cold. The temperature at 8:15 a.m. was 26 degrees, the water was so calm it looked like glass reflecting the clear, pale blue and yellow sky, and the wind was nearly nonexistent. This is the most calm and peaceful Leech Lake has looked since my arrival on October 6.
As I cleaned up the kitchen and made coffee I spotted John Newman in his boat directly in front of our house. I could see he was using a slip-bobber rig most likely tipped with a fathead. Last night when we parted ways he said his plan was to "putter" around the house before joining up with me for a mid-morning fishing trip. I guess part of his puttering included some fishing.
I saw John pull his boat into his harbor around 10:30 a.m. Shortly thereafter I received a call from John asking if I wanted to go fishing at 11:15 a.m. I said yes, and met John at his boat lift at the appointed time. In hand I had a spinning rod/reel set up with a slip-bobber and another spinning rod/reel for jigging.
We made our way out to 9-10 feet of water in front of our cabins and joined six other boats fishing the same area. With little to no wind, the conditions were perfect for using a slip-bobber rig tipped with a fathead. We fished in this general area for nearly an hour and the only fish we saw was a northern that chased my minnow all the way to the boat while I was reeling in. The northern, by the way, snapped at the minnow and bit it off just as I was lifting the hook from the water.
Eventually we made our way north to The Birches, but again had no luck. I hooked a small perch that got off, and I don't believe John had a single bite. Finally at 1:15 p.m. we came ashore. We vowed to try again and decided to reconvene at John's boat lift at 2:30 p.m.
During the break in fishing I came home and made Cole slaw for tonight's dinner at John's cabin. I'm also slow-cooking a rack of pork ribs and I've got some chicken wings marinating. The dinner will be rounded out with a bag of crinkle-cut French fries and a cold, malted beverage or two.
At 2:30 p.m. I made my way back to John's boat lift. I didn't see him right away as he was coming down his driveway returning from a walk in the woods with his new puppy Bernard. Eventually the dog was put in the house and we motored our way out to 10 feet of water off Second Duck Point. The water temperature was 47 degrees, while the air temperature was a very pleasant 55 degrees. The wind, more like a light breeze, was out of the SSE at maybe 5 mph. Just enough to push the boat on a slow drift northward out into Sucker Bay.
We tipped our jigs with fathead minnows and set about our business of catching some jumbo perch. The bite was slow and it took us more than two hours to boat four very nice jumbo perch which went into the live well in John's boat; we each caught two.
Just before 5:00 p.m. we came ashore and agreed to meet for our dinner feast sometime after 6:00 p.m.
While I was making some final dinner preparations I turned on A Prairie Home Companion which I love to listen to on Saturday evenings when I'm in northern Minnesota. And for some odd reason, Garrison Keillor read The News From Lake Wobegon before 6:00 p.m. (he usually reads it around 6:40 p.m.) which enabled me to hear my favorite part of the program and still make it to Newman's shortly after 6:00 p.m.
John already had the coals started so it was only a short time before the marinated chicken wings went onto the grill. The Cole slaw was already prepared, so all that was left to do is start the French fries and put the already cooked ribs on the grill for just a little bit of that BBQ flavor.
We had a very pleasant dinner, then retired out the to garage for a little music and conversation. During our time in John's "man cave," I followed the Michigan State (#16) vs. Wisconsin (#6) football game on my Droid X2 smartphone.
Michigan State had a 31-17 lead in the fourth quarter, but Wisconsin rallied for two TDs to tie the game with under two minutes to go. The Spartans managed to drive to the Badgers' 44-yard line with just 4 seconds to go in regulation. MSU quarterback Kirk Cousins threw a Hail Mary pass to the end zone where it bounced off a Michigan State receiver and was caught by another MSU receiver right at the goal line. The on-the-field call was no TD, that the receiver had been stopped just shy of the goal line. But on further review by instant replay it was determined the ball had "crossed the plane" and MSU was awarded six points and the win -- 37-31! It is the second straight year Michigan State has defeated the undefeated and ranked in the Top Ten Badgers. So far this year the Spartans have beaten Michigan, Ohio State and Wisconsin. No easy feat! [Note: One other oddity of the game, Michigan State committed NO penalties during the entire game.]
After the game, and a good time with John, I made my way home. I wasn't really tired so I stayed up and watched The Wolfman, the old Universal Studios classic with Lon Chaney Jr. Finally I called it a night and got ready for bed.
If the weather permits, John and I will go out fishing one last time before he pulls his boat out of the water for the season. In addition, I'll spend some time blowing leaves off the yard at the cabin. Then the remainder of my stay on Sunday and Monday will be devoted to cleaning up the house before I go back to California on Tuesday.
Good night from Leech Lake...
Friday, October 21, 2011
October 21, 2011 -- On Leech Lake
This morning at 7:17 a.m. I heard something not natural to the sounds of the northwoods. It was the sound of large truck, and it was coming from the cabin. I looked outside, it was still dark with the sun not yet up over the forest in the east, and could see the Ferrell Gas truck next door delivering propane to our cabin. About 10 minutes later the truck rumbled down our driveway and filled the propane tank here at the house. Content with the situation, I went back to bed for another hour of rest.
When I next checked the weather, at 9:00 a.m., the temperature was a chilly 30 degrees, the sky was mostly clear and the wind was out of the south at 5-10 mph. The forecast was for a beautiful Fall day here in the northwoods and at that time in the morning it looked like the forecast might be right.
Spent a few hours doing some consulting work, and then took a break shortly before noon to check on the work my neighbor John Newman and our mutual friend Clarence T. (from whom I bought our house on Leech Lake) were doing back on the deer stands on our collective properties. For the past several years Clancy, John and John's son Greg have been using a deer stand on my property and another stand in John's part of the woods to hunt whitetail deer. Last year Clancy bagged a 10-point buck on my property. This year everyone is hoping Greg will finally get his first deer.
To get back into the woods I fired up my Polaris Sportsman 500 ATV and drove it out of one of our out buildings, down the driveway and across W. Shores Rd. and into the woods. I have 17.5 acres of wooded land, John Newman and Norm Hansen have similar plots of land, so together we have more than 50 acres of prime northern woods. Our collective properties then abut land from the Chippewa National Forest and the Bowstring State Forest, giving us access to hundreds of acres of woodlands populated with maples, ash, ironwood, basswood and a few oaks. There are also some stands of white pine and sections full of birch trees, which when taken together provide outstanding habitat for not only deer, but for grouse as well. Good hunting in the woods; great fishing in the lake. This is a sportsman's paradise!
I came across John and Clancy as they were coming out of the woods. Most of their minor repair work to the deer stands had been complete, and so they were heading back to John's cabin. We chatted for a while in the woods, then all of us headed back home. Once home, I ate some lunch and the got out the Toro leaf blower and set about clearing the leaves off the road-side of the house.
I've said it before and I'll say it again now, this is a chore that always takes longer than I originally estimate. Today, I spent from 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. clearing the leaves and I still have a bit more to do. I stopped when I did because John came over to invite me to an early dinner of freshly cooked roast beef sandwiches, home made potato salad and a variety of malted beverages. I was thoroughly tired of clearing leaves, so I gladly put away the leaf blower and made my way to John's cabin.
John, Clancy and I spent the next hour and a half eating, telling tall tales and enjoying being on the shores of Leech Lake. With the table cleared and the food put away, Clancy headed down to visit a friend of his on Ottertail Peninsula while I made my way home to get ready for a late afternoon, early evening, fishing session with John.
I took with me my spinning rod/reel rigged with a 1/4-ounce Bass Pro Shops XPS walleye jig and my baitcasting rod/reel with a Rapala Minnow Rap tied on for trolling. At the time we motored out of John's harbor, around 5;15 p.m., there were nine boats set up in front of our cabins. Rather than join the flotilla we instead went a bit further north toward Malay's cabin.
With the wind coming out of the NNW at 10-12 mph the boat was pushed toward shore and south toward our cabins. We made several passes through this general area during which I caught a medium-sized northern pike, which bit off my jig right at the side of the boat as I tried to land it, and John caught one nice jumbo perch, probably 11-inches long. Those were the only two fish we caught during the drifting portion of the trip.
After sunset, which occurred around 6:15 p.m., we switched tactics and started trolling. We trolled to the middle of Duck Bay in 8-10 feet of water, and then turned and headed north toward our cabins. The hour-long venture yielded no fish, and only one hit -- something hit my Minnow Rap but didn't get hooked. At this point John wanted to come ashore so he could let the Newman's new puppy, Bernard, out of the kennel so he could go outside.
Once on shore I made my way home, had a frozen pizza for dinner (after all it was Friday night) and then settle in front of the fireplace with a warm, roaring fire. I listened to some relaxing old jazz records on the turntable, did some writing and eventually went to bed well after midnight.
Although I caught only one pike today, it was great to be out fishing on Leech Lake. Since I leave on Tuesday, and since John is pulling his boat out of the water on Sunday, I may only get one, possibly two, days of fishing before I have to fly back to California. At that point, my next time on the lake will most likely be in May 2012 when I return to put the boat back into the water. Of course there is a slight chance of a winter visit which would enable me to get onto the hard water for some ice fishing; something I haven't had the pleasure of doing in several years now.
Good night from Leech Lake.
When I next checked the weather, at 9:00 a.m., the temperature was a chilly 30 degrees, the sky was mostly clear and the wind was out of the south at 5-10 mph. The forecast was for a beautiful Fall day here in the northwoods and at that time in the morning it looked like the forecast might be right.
Spent a few hours doing some consulting work, and then took a break shortly before noon to check on the work my neighbor John Newman and our mutual friend Clarence T. (from whom I bought our house on Leech Lake) were doing back on the deer stands on our collective properties. For the past several years Clancy, John and John's son Greg have been using a deer stand on my property and another stand in John's part of the woods to hunt whitetail deer. Last year Clancy bagged a 10-point buck on my property. This year everyone is hoping Greg will finally get his first deer.
To get back into the woods I fired up my Polaris Sportsman 500 ATV and drove it out of one of our out buildings, down the driveway and across W. Shores Rd. and into the woods. I have 17.5 acres of wooded land, John Newman and Norm Hansen have similar plots of land, so together we have more than 50 acres of prime northern woods. Our collective properties then abut land from the Chippewa National Forest and the Bowstring State Forest, giving us access to hundreds of acres of woodlands populated with maples, ash, ironwood, basswood and a few oaks. There are also some stands of white pine and sections full of birch trees, which when taken together provide outstanding habitat for not only deer, but for grouse as well. Good hunting in the woods; great fishing in the lake. This is a sportsman's paradise!
I came across John and Clancy as they were coming out of the woods. Most of their minor repair work to the deer stands had been complete, and so they were heading back to John's cabin. We chatted for a while in the woods, then all of us headed back home. Once home, I ate some lunch and the got out the Toro leaf blower and set about clearing the leaves off the road-side of the house.
I've said it before and I'll say it again now, this is a chore that always takes longer than I originally estimate. Today, I spent from 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. clearing the leaves and I still have a bit more to do. I stopped when I did because John came over to invite me to an early dinner of freshly cooked roast beef sandwiches, home made potato salad and a variety of malted beverages. I was thoroughly tired of clearing leaves, so I gladly put away the leaf blower and made my way to John's cabin.
John, Clancy and I spent the next hour and a half eating, telling tall tales and enjoying being on the shores of Leech Lake. With the table cleared and the food put away, Clancy headed down to visit a friend of his on Ottertail Peninsula while I made my way home to get ready for a late afternoon, early evening, fishing session with John.
I took with me my spinning rod/reel rigged with a 1/4-ounce Bass Pro Shops XPS walleye jig and my baitcasting rod/reel with a Rapala Minnow Rap tied on for trolling. At the time we motored out of John's harbor, around 5;15 p.m., there were nine boats set up in front of our cabins. Rather than join the flotilla we instead went a bit further north toward Malay's cabin.
With the wind coming out of the NNW at 10-12 mph the boat was pushed toward shore and south toward our cabins. We made several passes through this general area during which I caught a medium-sized northern pike, which bit off my jig right at the side of the boat as I tried to land it, and John caught one nice jumbo perch, probably 11-inches long. Those were the only two fish we caught during the drifting portion of the trip.
After sunset, which occurred around 6:15 p.m., we switched tactics and started trolling. We trolled to the middle of Duck Bay in 8-10 feet of water, and then turned and headed north toward our cabins. The hour-long venture yielded no fish, and only one hit -- something hit my Minnow Rap but didn't get hooked. At this point John wanted to come ashore so he could let the Newman's new puppy, Bernard, out of the kennel so he could go outside.
Once on shore I made my way home, had a frozen pizza for dinner (after all it was Friday night) and then settle in front of the fireplace with a warm, roaring fire. I listened to some relaxing old jazz records on the turntable, did some writing and eventually went to bed well after midnight.
Although I caught only one pike today, it was great to be out fishing on Leech Lake. Since I leave on Tuesday, and since John is pulling his boat out of the water on Sunday, I may only get one, possibly two, days of fishing before I have to fly back to California. At that point, my next time on the lake will most likely be in May 2012 when I return to put the boat back into the water. Of course there is a slight chance of a winter visit which would enable me to get onto the hard water for some ice fishing; something I haven't had the pleasure of doing in several years now.
Good night from Leech Lake.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
October 20, 2011 -- In Leech Lake
As is typical, the weather report about today's weather have so far been inaccurate. So much for AccuWeather.
Forecasts had called for light winds of 5-7 mph out of the NNW when instead they closer to 8-15 mph out of the north. Temperatures were supposed to be in the low 50s. Well, at 8:30 a.m. the temperature here at Leech Lake was 30 degrees and the ground was covered in a white blanket of frost. The overnight low, according to Minnesota Public Radio, was 19 degrees in Bemidji. I guess it could still warm up to the 50s, but it sure doesn't feel like it. The forecast also predicted sunny skies with no clouds, when the opposite is the case. The sky is completely cloudy and grey without a sliver of blue sky to be seen anywhere.
I had hoped that the forecast would be accurate because I need to take the boat out of the water today and I probably still will. It's just that it will be a more difficult task with windy conditions.
I ate a light breakfast then decided to bite the bullet and get the boat out of the water. I drove the truck next door and hooked the boat trailer to the receiver hitch on the truck. The next step in the process was to remove the canopy from the boat lift. First I removed all the bungie cords that hold the canopy onto the metal frame of the lift, then removed the canopy itself. With the north wind blowing it was a bit tricky but I managed to get the canopy onto the dock where I could then drag it on shore.
I then backed the truck and trailer down the ramp and into the water. With the trailer in position, I donned my wadders, lowered the boat off the lift and into the water, got into the water myself, guided the boat around the dock and lined it up straight to the trailer. I then clipped the hauling strap onto the boat, and began cranking the winch to pull the boat onto the trailer.
With the boat securely on the trailer, I got into the truck, and carefully drove up the ramp with the boat/trailer in tow. I came to rest by the garage where I proceeded to unload everything from the boat which I'll store it for the winter in the garage, and then put on the boat cover for transport into town. Before I left for Bemidji, however, I took the time to fold up the boat lift canopy and store it in the garage.
By the time I was ready to drive the boat into Bemidji, around 3:00 p.m., the wind had died down to nearly calm, the sky was clear and blue, and the temperature had warmed to 52 degrees. The weather report was correct after all, just six hours late!
I'm still very nervous, and cautious, when I tow the boat into town or back from Bemidji to the lake. Ever since I had the trailer hitch come off the ball while driving down Sucker Bay Road I'm always on edge when pulling the boat behind the truck. Luckily, the adjustments I'd made to the hitch were adequate and the trailer remained connected to the truck until I separated them purposely in the side lot of Corner Sports in Bemidji.
I spent about a half an hour inside Corner Sports talking to the woman behind the counter, Rhonda, about the things I wanted done to my boat -- winterize it, check the back running light which had been finicky during most of the season, replace the spark plugs on the Verado, and do a double check on the trailer hitch to make sure my adjustments were done correctly and in a way to ensure safety.
With the boat in safe hands for the winter I left Corner Sports and drove back to the lake, stopping briefly in Cass Lake to get some gas in the truck. Once home I had some dinner, and relaxed for the rest of the night in front of a roaring fire. I listened to some music, read a little and then went to bed. A busy and productive day at Leech Lake. I love it here.
Forecasts had called for light winds of 5-7 mph out of the NNW when instead they closer to 8-15 mph out of the north. Temperatures were supposed to be in the low 50s. Well, at 8:30 a.m. the temperature here at Leech Lake was 30 degrees and the ground was covered in a white blanket of frost. The overnight low, according to Minnesota Public Radio, was 19 degrees in Bemidji. I guess it could still warm up to the 50s, but it sure doesn't feel like it. The forecast also predicted sunny skies with no clouds, when the opposite is the case. The sky is completely cloudy and grey without a sliver of blue sky to be seen anywhere.
I had hoped that the forecast would be accurate because I need to take the boat out of the water today and I probably still will. It's just that it will be a more difficult task with windy conditions.
I ate a light breakfast then decided to bite the bullet and get the boat out of the water. I drove the truck next door and hooked the boat trailer to the receiver hitch on the truck. The next step in the process was to remove the canopy from the boat lift. First I removed all the bungie cords that hold the canopy onto the metal frame of the lift, then removed the canopy itself. With the north wind blowing it was a bit tricky but I managed to get the canopy onto the dock where I could then drag it on shore.
I then backed the truck and trailer down the ramp and into the water. With the trailer in position, I donned my wadders, lowered the boat off the lift and into the water, got into the water myself, guided the boat around the dock and lined it up straight to the trailer. I then clipped the hauling strap onto the boat, and began cranking the winch to pull the boat onto the trailer.
With the boat securely on the trailer, I got into the truck, and carefully drove up the ramp with the boat/trailer in tow. I came to rest by the garage where I proceeded to unload everything from the boat which I'll store it for the winter in the garage, and then put on the boat cover for transport into town. Before I left for Bemidji, however, I took the time to fold up the boat lift canopy and store it in the garage.
By the time I was ready to drive the boat into Bemidji, around 3:00 p.m., the wind had died down to nearly calm, the sky was clear and blue, and the temperature had warmed to 52 degrees. The weather report was correct after all, just six hours late!
I'm still very nervous, and cautious, when I tow the boat into town or back from Bemidji to the lake. Ever since I had the trailer hitch come off the ball while driving down Sucker Bay Road I'm always on edge when pulling the boat behind the truck. Luckily, the adjustments I'd made to the hitch were adequate and the trailer remained connected to the truck until I separated them purposely in the side lot of Corner Sports in Bemidji.
I spent about a half an hour inside Corner Sports talking to the woman behind the counter, Rhonda, about the things I wanted done to my boat -- winterize it, check the back running light which had been finicky during most of the season, replace the spark plugs on the Verado, and do a double check on the trailer hitch to make sure my adjustments were done correctly and in a way to ensure safety.
With the boat in safe hands for the winter I left Corner Sports and drove back to the lake, stopping briefly in Cass Lake to get some gas in the truck. Once home I had some dinner, and relaxed for the rest of the night in front of a roaring fire. I listened to some music, read a little and then went to bed. A busy and productive day at Leech Lake. I love it here.
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